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Books > Health, Home & Family > Mind, body & spirit > The Occult > General
The name "Aleister Crowley" instantly conjures visions of diabolic
ceremonies and orgiastic indulgences--and while the sardonic
Crowley would perhaps be the last to challenge such a view, he was
also much more than "the Beast," as this authoritative biography
shows. "Perdurabo" (the magical name Crowley chose when inducted
into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) traces Crowley's
remarkable journey from his birth as the only son of a wealthy lay
preacher to his death in a boarding house as the world's foremost
authority on magick. Along the way, he rebels against his
conservative religious upbringing; befriends famous artists,
writers, and philosophers (and becomes a poet himself ); is
attacked for his practice of "the black arts"; and teaches that
science and magick can work together. While seeking to spread his
infamous philosophy of "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the
Law," Crowley becomes one of the most notorious figures of his day.
Based on Richard Kaczynski's twenty years of research, and
including previously unpublished biographical details, "Perdurabo"
paints a memorable portrait of the man who inspired the
counterculture and influenced generations of artists, punks,
wiccans, and other denizens of the demimonde.
Full text of most important witchhunter's bible, used by both Catholics and Protestants.
The political and religious turmoil of seventeenth century Europe
appears in a strange new light in this volume, which explores the
life and doctrines of the infamous German barber surgeon and
prophet, Ludwig Friedrich Gifftheil (1595-1661). Inspired by an
unstable alchemy of family tragedy and a corpus of dissenting
religious writings, Gifftheil stalked Europe's battlefields,
petitioning kings, princes, and emperors to end the warfare endemic
on the continent. Convinced that all war was prompted by 'false
prophets'-by which Gifftheil meant the clergy of Europe's Christian
confessions-he pleaded with rulers to abjure the counsel of their
advisors and institute instead a godly peace. Then, in 1635,
Gifftheil reinvented himself by taking up his sword as "God's
warrior," embarking on a quest to recruit an army of the righteous
and wage a holy war in Europe and to institute a divine peace.
Prophecy, Madness, and Holy War in Early Modern Europe uses new
manuscript and print sources from across Europe, the United
Kingdom, and North America to craft the definitive account of
Gifftheil's life and exploits. Against a background of family loss,
and restless travels across the continent, Gifftheil's story
reveals an alternative history of religious and political dissent
in the seventeenth century. His adventures cast a dramatic new
light on the culture and society of early modernity, the place of
prophecy and madness in the negotiation of religious authority, the
origins of the theosophical current, and the stranger apocalyptic
impulses at the roots of Pietism and missionary Christianity.
The idea that the self is inextricably intertwined with the rest of
the world-the "oneness hypothesis"-can be found in many of the
world's philosophical and religious traditions. Oneness provides
ways to imagine and achieve a more expansive conception of the self
as fundamentally connected with other people, creatures, and
things. Such views present profound challenges to Western
hyperindividualism and its excessive concern with self-interest and
tendency toward self-centered behavior. This anthology presents a
wide-ranging, interdisciplinary exploration of the nature and
implications of the oneness hypothesis. While fundamentally
inspired by East and South Asian traditions, in which such a view
is often critical to their philosophical approach, this collection
also draws upon religious studies, psychology, and Western
philosophy, as well as sociology, evolutionary theory, and
cognitive neuroscience. Contributors trace the oneness hypothesis
through the works of East Asian and Western schools, including
Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Platonism and such
thinkers as Zhuangzi, Kant, James, and Dewey. They intervene in
debates over ethics, cultural difference, identity, group
solidarity, and the positive and negative implications of metaphors
of organic unity. Challenging dominant views that presume that the
proper scope of the mind stops at the boundaries of skin and skull,
The Oneness Hypothesis shows that a more relational conception of
the self is not only consistent with contemporary science but has
the potential to lead to greater happiness and well-being for both
individuals and the larger wholes of which they are parts.
Inspired by the famous 18th century fortune telling cards by Mlle
Lenormand, this newly created deck allows you to use your own
intuition and associations to interpret the cards. The 34-page
booklet offers guidance on each card meaning, and includes
instructions for three different card spreads.
Pagan Portals - Brigid is a basic introduction to the Goddess
Brigid focusing on her history and myth as well as her modern
devotion and worship. Primarily looking at the Irish Goddess but
including a discussion of her Pan-Celtic appearances, particularly
in Scotland. Her different appearances in mythology are discussed
along with the conflation of the pagan Goddess with Catholic saint.
Modern methods for neopagans to connect to and honor this popular
Goddess include offerings and meditation, and personal anecdotes
from the author's experiences are included as well. Who was Brigid
to the pre-Christian pagans? Who is she today to neopagans? How do
we re-weave the threads of the old pagan Goddess and the new? Learn
about Brigid's myths among the pagan Irish, the stories of Bride in
Scotland, and the way that people today are finding and honoring
this powerful and important deity to find the answer.
Wizards are everywhere! Interest in wands, spells, and wizardry has
never been higher. This magical little book is filled with legends,
lore, and spells you can try on your own.
This sequel to The Montauk Project (see above) continues the
pursuit of the mystery of time travel, the Philadelphia Experiment,
and the Montauk Military base near New York City. It goes beyond
the original time travel experiments and reveals the mysterious
associations of the Cameron Clan with the genesis of American
rocketry, the bizarre history of the electronic transistor and the
magick of Aleister Crowley, Jack Parsons, and more.
Are you headstrong and impatient? Can you see both sides of an
argument in a balanced way? Do you often find yourself swimming in
circles while trying to make a decision? These character traits
could actually be written in the stars. Embark on a voyage of
self-discovery with this spellbinding introduction to astrology.
The Little Book of the Zodiac delves into each of the astrological
signs and shows you how to interpret the cosmos, not only
day-to-day but far ahead into the future. Learn how to create, read
and interpret your birth chart to make better choices for yourself
Examine each planet's magical influences on your personality and
the way your Sun, Rising and Moon signs affect your character
traits Discover how your astrological sign can shape your future,
strengthen your relationships and connect you with your instincts
Let this book shine a light on your past, present and future, and
reveal a deeper understanding of your celestial outlook.
Beastie [bee-stee]: The overarching spirit of any species of
insect, reptile, bird, mammal, or mythical creature that exists or
has ever existed; also known as an animal totem or spirit animal.
"From an ancient perspective, everything-including all natural
things, like rocks, flowers, trees, insects, birds, and mammals-is
alive and infused with conscious energy or spirit," writes Sarah
Seidelmann. If you're one of the many people looking to reconnect
with the creativity, wisdom, and vital energy of the natural world,
here is a fantastic guide for tapping into the power of animal
totems, or "beasties." The Book of Beasties invites you to explore
why certain animals show up in your life-and what teachings they
may be trying to share. Packed with information, illustrations, and
traditional and modern insights into the unique qualities of
different beasties, The Book of Beasties teaches you about: * Guest
Beasties: how certain beasties enter your life to give you messages
or assistance you need just when you need them * Core Beasties:
meet the guiding beasties who are your lifelong companions,
friends, and helpers * Beastie Relationships: tips and techniques
for deepening your relationship with beasties and becoming more
receptive to their support * Beasties A-Z: an expansive compendium
of individual beasties and their unique qualities-including bats,
wolves, elephants, salmon . . . even unicorns and dragons! "A
message brought by a beastie may be about beauty or family or
work," teaches Sarah. "It might offer you guidance on a prickly
problem. Or it might make you smile just when you need it." Whether
you're a long-time shamanic practitioner or simply curious about
what secret messages your favorite animal might have for you, The
Book of Beasties is an ideal resource for discovering the wild and
wonderful world of spirit animals.
Weaving Germanic Paganism with mysticism, magic, and his background
as a transpersonal therapist, Matthew Ash McKernan introduces you
to wyrd, a mysterious web of being that connects everything. Wyrd
encompasses all organisms, ecosystems, matter, phenomena, purposes,
and possibilities. It is destiny, nature, soul, magic, and mystery
intertwined. In Wyrdcraft, McKernan guides you through a process of
attuning to wyrd as it manifests within all the domains of your
life, teaching you how to sense and intuit the ways of wyrd more
clearly than ever before. Exploring the intersections of
psychotherapy, ecotherapy, Heathenry, and magic, this contemplative
and experiential book offers nearly fifty exercises to help you
cultivate wyrd consciousness an awareness that is naturally
revealing, healing, transformative, and becoming. Becoming what,
you may ask? You will see as you align with the wisdom of wyrd,
heal yourself and our interconnected world, and remember the nature
of your Higher Self.
An introduction to the ritual tools and practices found in the
Druid tradition. Held deeply within Celtic mythology, the crane bag
is both a symbol of sovereignty, as well as an item containing the
ritual tools of the Druid. With the proper use, it can further the
Druid in working with the tides of nature, finding his or her own
place in the environment, living in balance, harmony and peace. In
ritual, these tools and practices can guide one to deeper levels of
meaning and understanding within the tradition, helping the Druid
on his or her journey through life and towards integration with the
natural world.
Moncure Daniel Conway (1832 1907), the son of a Virginian
plantation-owner, became a Unitarian minister but his anti-slavery
views made him controversial. He later became a freethinker, and
following the outbreak of the Civil War, which deeply divided his
own family, he left the United States for England in 1863. He
gained a reputation for being the 'least orthodox preacher in
London', and was acquainted with many figures in the literary and
scientific world, including Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin. In
this two-volume work, first published in 1879, Conway draws from
examples across the world to discuss the origins and decline of
beliefs in demons. In Volume 1, he classifies types of demon and
argues that the various types are personifications of the main
obstacles to 'primitive man': he finds in mythology across the
world examples of animal demons and demons of hunger, fire and
disease.
THE FINAL FREY & McGRAY MYSTERY All will be revealed... * * * *
* The Devil Has Come to Edinburgh... An ill-fated grave-robbery
unearths a corpse with a most disturbing symbol on it. When a
patient in Edinburgh's lunatic asylum is murdered, the same sign is
daubed in blood on the walls - the mark of the devil. The prime
suspect: inmate Amy McGray, notorious for killing her parents years
before. Her brother, Detective 'Nine-Nails' McGray, must prove her
innocence - with the help of an old friend . . . Inspector Ian Frey
insists he is retired. But when called upon, he reluctantly agrees
to their final case. As twists follow bombshells, leading to
secrets that have been waiting in the shadows all along, all will
be revealed . . . This rollicking Victorian sensationalist
melodrama is the epic conclusion to the marvellous Frey &
McGray mysteries.
In 2019 a group of book-lovers began to turn from their usual diet
of contemporary novels to read classics of the ‘English eerie’
like Arthur Machen’s 'The Great God Pan'. The documents
recovered, (edited by Phil Smith of 'Mythogeography'), and
published here as 'Living In The Magical Mode', describe the
subsequently inspired attempts of these readers – in a time of
virus and social and climate catastrophe –– to live anew, with
‘magic-as-ordinary’, to do magic as if it were the washing up.
At first, the readers fall on new ways of remaking their everyday
lives in the magical mode, but the mode soon find ways to remake
the readers. Challenging assumptions, magic turns lives upside down
and shakes out mysteries. The documents of 'Living In The Magical
Mode' describe a pulling back of veils, until all veils but one are
exhausted; then the book-lovers put their hands upon the veil
inside themselves.... 'Living In The Magical World' crosses dream
wastelands, racecourses, motorway cafes, edgeland quarries and
suburban valleys, in an adventure of encounters with ‘others’.
It brings its readers to an occulted realm of unbounded desires
that once unfolded refuses to recede. The surviving documents of
the book club, reprinted here, describe the final frantic efforts
of what remains of its members to understand a collision of many
worlds and make novel webs of reconciliation.
Those who have grown up with Pan as a playmate remember how, back
in the day, it would be possible for a young child to disappear
into the woods with only a dog for company for hours on end without
there being a hue and cry raised in its absence; and it was on
those woodland rides and pathways - summer or winter - that
Melusine Draco often encountered Pan.
Channel the earth spirits to guide you with these beautiful cards
and connect with nature to access your inner manifesting power and
harmony. In Earth Magic, Steven D. Farmer offers a unique synthesis
of ancient spiritual practices and philosophies that have proven
over millennia to help heal the spiritual causes of physical and
emotional illnesses, augment personal power, enhance manifestation
abilities, and encourage a balanced and harmonious relationship
with our Earth. With these cards, you'll be able to connect with
the key spirits in nature and harness their unique elemental power.
Beautifully designed and expressed with a rare sensitivity, you
will want to revisit these cards whenever you need guidance.
Rachel True, an actress best known for her role in The Craft, is a
lifelong occultist - she had been reading tarot cards long before
being cast in the 90s witchy cult classic. Now, True shares her
tarot knowledge through her unique guidebook and deck boxed set.
Each card in the deck is uniquely made following a beautiful,
multicultural aesthetic. True's guidebook helps readers use the
cards as she does: with an intuitive approach, rather than
assigning one literal definition to each card. She shares personal
stories from her experiences in Hollywood to explain how the cards
can mean something different for each person, depending on their
unique set of circumstances. True's stance is that tarot cards
don't predict the future, but rather suggest possible outcomes
based on the reader's present energy.
Druidry is a wonderful, spiritually fulfilling life path. Through
the magic that is Druidry, we build deep and abiding relationships
with the natural world around us, and through our connection to the
natural environment we walk a path of truth, honour and service. We
aim to immerse ourselves in the present moment, in the present
environment, in order to share in the blessing that is the cycle of
life. Throughout the ages, people have withdrawn from the world in
order to connect more fully with it. This book is an introductory
guide for those who wish to walk the Druid path alone, for however
long a time. It is about exploration and connection with the
natural world, and finding our place within it. It covers the
basics of Druidry and how, when applied to the everyday life,
enriches it with a sense of beauty, magic and mystery. This book is
for those people who feel called to seek their own path, to use
their wit and intelligence, compassion and honour to create their
own tradition within Druidry.
Handfasting is quickly becoming a widely practiced tradition, not
only for pagans, but for people from all walks of life. This book
is a thorough resource that shares ritual scripts, sample vows, and
all the information you need to plan your own ceremony or serve as
a celebrant for others. In Modern Handfasting, you will discover
the history, practicalities, legal considerations, logistics, and
magic of the big day. Author Liz Williams a priestess and long-time
celebrant guides you through opening the ceremony, creating a
circle, consecration, calling the quarters, vows, tying the knot,
and closing the ceremony. You will also discover tips and stories
from other celebrants as well as practical information for finding
a celebrant, early planning, troubleshooting, working with
ceremonial tools, and choosing colours, dates, and other details
with magical correspondences.
"Sefer ha-Zohar" (The Book of Radiance) has amazed readers ever
since it emerged in medieval Spain over seven hundred years ago.
Written in lyrical Aramaic, this masterpiece of Kabbalah exceeds
the dimensions of a normal book; it is virtually a body of mystical
literature, comprising over twenty sections. The bulk of the
"Zohar" consists of mystical interpretation of the Torah, from
Genesis through Deuteronomy.
This eighth volume of "The Zohar: Pritzker Edition" consists of
commentary on the end of Leviticus and the beginning of Numbers.
Its most remarkable section is "Idra Rabba"--a dramatic narrative,
in which Rabbi Shim'on and his Companions gather to explore the
deepest secrets of God's nature. There is a sense of emergency
here, because due to human misconduct, the world is vulnerable to
divine wrath. The mystical heroes seek to restore the balance in
the upper worlds--aiming to stimulate a radiant flow from God's
aspect of Compassion, which can soothe the irascible divine aspect
and thereby save the world. The quest is perilous, and through its
intensity three of the Companions tragically perish.
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