This is the first survey of religious beliefs in the British Isles from the Old Stone Age to the coming of Christianity, one of the least familiar periods in Britaina s history. Ronald Hutton draws upon a wealth of new data, much of it archaeological, that has transformed interpretation over the past decade. Giving more or less equal weight to all periods, from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages, he examines a fascinating range of evidence for Celtic and Romano--British paganism, from burial sites, cairns, megaliths and causeways, to carvings, figurines, jewellery, weapons, votive objects, literary texts and folklore.

Believing herself to be suffering from an incurable condition, Harriet Martineau wrote Life in the Sick-Room in 1844. In this work, which is both memoir and treatise, Martineau seeks to educate the healthy and ill alike on the spiritual and psychological dimensions of chronic suffering. Covering such topics as "Sympathy to the Invalid," "Temper," and "Becoming Inured," the work occupies a crucial place in the culture of invalidism that prospered in Victorian England. This Broadview edition also includes medical documents pertaining to Martineau's case; other writings on health by Martineau; excerpts from her other autobiographical writings; selected correspondence with Florence Nightingale; excerpts from contemporary works of sick-room literature; and reviews.

Do you have a soul? How can you know? Can science demonstrate its existence? What difference does it make? These are among the difficult and important questions at the heart of "Beyond Death". In the wake of the revolution of quantum physics, an increasing number of scientists have acknowledged the very real possibility of the existence of spirit or soul. The book sets out to prove the existence of spirit and its survival after death, not by appealing to some airy-fairy new age theory or religious dogma, but from empirical evidence gathered by qualified researchers from a number of scientific disciplines. Mind-matter interaction, research into healing and remote viewing, consciousness at the cellular level, near-death experiences and biological evidence of reincarnation are among the many perspectives from which this crucial subject is explored. What does this mean to you? Imagine it is after your 'death' and you are looking back on this, your past life. Ask yourself what kind of life from here onward would please you as a spirit? What personal challenges met, fears overcome, actions taken and deeds done would make you proud? By answering this question now and moving on through life with that answer always present in your heart, you will have unlocked the secret of spirit and the true purpose of your life.

The first serious attempt to illuminate, for English-language readers, the mystical roots of the ideas and teachings of the great thirteenth-century Jewish scholar Nachmanides.

Neo-paganism is the attempt to revive the polytheistic religions of old Europe. But how? Can one just invent or reinvent an authentic, living faith? Or are modern neo-pagans just engaged in elaborate role-playing games? In SUMMONING THE GODS, Collin Cleary argues that the gods have not died or forsaken us so much as we have died to or forsaken them. Modern civilization-including much of modern neo-paganism-springs from a mindset that closes man off to the divine and traps us in a world of our own creations. Drawing upon sources from Taoism to Heidegger, Collin Cleary describes how we can attain an attitude of openness that may allow the gods to return. In these nine wide-ranging essays, Collin Cleary also explores the Nordic pagan tradition, Tantrism, the writings of Alain de Benoist, Karl Maria Wiligut, and Alejandro Jodorowski, and Patrick McGoohan's classic television series The Prisoner. Cleary's essays are models of how to combine clarity and wit with spiritual depth and intellectual sophistication.

How can we, or should we, talk about God? What concepts are involved in the idea of a Supreme Being? This book is about the search to reconcile modern metaphysics with traditional theism - focusing on the seminal work of Austin Farrer who was Warden of Keble College, Oxford, until his death in 1968, and one of the most original and important philosophers of religion of this century.

The origin story of every culture contains a description of animism; humans in direct relationship with the land and, through the reciprocity of that connection, evolving together. The livelihood of humans and Nature is intertwined. If one ails, so does the other. History is littered with stories of losing that connection, and the toll this takes in the form of humans against each other, humans against Nature. Between colonization, conscription into the Church, imperialization, and industrialization, we have created systems of destruction that have decimated our relationship to the land, and to each other. From within these systems institutionalized racism, sexism, and all aspects of 'othering' became embedded in our political and social structures. As modern pagans, we recognize the need to tear down these structures and build supportive, inclusive new ones. Our spiritual paths are Nature-based and Ancestor-honoring, the rituals of which heal land wounds and ancestral trauma, to create sacred recovery and activism for all. This anthology presents modern pagan activists working through their spiritual lines to do better. Edited by Trevor Greenfield, publisher of Moon Books and editor of Naming the Goddess, with contributory essays from eleven pagan voices.

The Theologia Indorum by Dominican friar Domingo de Vico was the first Christian theology written in the Americas. Made available in English translation for the first time, Americas' First Theologies presents a selection of exemplary sections from the Theologia Indorum that illustrate Friar Vico's doctrine of god, cosmogony, moral anthropology, understanding of natural law and biblical history, and constructive engagement with pre-Hispanic Maya religion. Rather than merely condemn the Maya religion, Vico appropriated local terms and images from Maya mythology and rituals that he thought could convey Christianity. His attempt at translating, if not reconfiguring, Christianity for a Maya readership required his mastery of not only numerous Mayan languages but also the highly poetic ceremonial rhetoric of many indigenous Mesoamerican peoples. This book also includes translations of two other pastoral texts and parts of a songbook and a catechism. These texts, written in Highland Mayan languages by fellow Dominicans, demonstrate the wider influence of Vico's ethnographic approach shared by a particular school of Dominicans. Altogether, The Americas' First Theologies provides a rich documentary case example of the translation, reception, and reaction to Christian thought in the indigenous Americas.

Tendrils of musky incense curl about you in Baal's temple of seven elements. You light an oil lamp in reverence to the ancient deities. Have you ever wondered who the deities in the land of Canaan before the Bible were? A practical and well-documented guide, this work combines history and archaeology of the Canaanite world with modern insight. In "Whisper of Stone", learn about Asherah poles, how to avert the Evil Eye, how ancient sorcerers created golems, and about the legends that inspired the Bible. Unearth a culture buried in bias, rediscover a pantheon and a people formerly described as needlessly violent, sex-crazed, and devoid of humanity. Read of a religion far more rich and complex than previously understood.

Modern physics tells us that we're dreaming the world into being with every thought." Courageous Dreaming "tells us how to dream our world with power and grace. The ancient shamans of the Americas understood that we're not only creating our experience of the world, but are dreaming up the very nature of reality itself--that is, "life is but a dream." When you don't dream your life, you have to settle for the nightmare being dreamed by others. This book shows how to wake up from the collective nightmare and begin to dream a life of courage and grace, a sacred dream that shamans throughout time have known and served. Alberto Villoldo reveals ancient wisdom teachings that explain how to birth reality from the invisible matrix of creation; and reveals how we can interact with this matrix to dream a life of peace, health, and abundance. He shows us that courage is all that is required to create the joy we desire!

Through in-depth analysis of musical theatre choreography and choreographers, Making Broadway Dance challenges long-held perceptions of Broadway dance as kitsch, disposable, a dance form created without artistic process. Setting out to demonstrate that musical theatre dance is not a monolith but rather multi-varied in terms of dance styles, aesthetics and methodologies, author Liza Gennaro provides insights into how Broadway dance is made. By examining choreography for musical theatre through the lens of dance studies, script analysis, movement research and dramaturgical inquiry, she treads in uncharted territory by offering a close examination of a dance form that has heretofore received only the most superficial interrogation. She also explores how musical theatre choreographers create within the parameters of librettos, enhance character development and build dance languages that inform and propel narrative. By considering influences from ballet, modern, postmodern, Jazz, social and global dance, she reveals a rich understanding of musical theatre dance. This book exposes the choreographic systems of some of Broadway's most influential dance-makers including George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, Jerome Robbins, Katherine Dunham, Bob Fosse, Savion Glover, Sergio Trujillo, Steven Hoggett and Camille Brown, and is essential reading for theatre and dance scholars, students, practitioners, and Broadway fans.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

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.

King Arthur would get advice from his magician, Merlyn, in the mythic stories. The real Arthur (who lived over 500 years before the period of the mythic Arthur) was trained by a Druid bard and poet named Merlyn. The result was an unprecedented period of peace that lasted for twenty years.

In Douglas Monroe's The 21 Lessons of Merlyn, you'll read delightful stories based on the historic Arthur and Merlyn. Each one is followed by lessons based on the never-before-published 16th century manuscript entitled The Book of Pheryllt. In a metaphoric sense, you'll see how Arthur learned his lessons. In a practical sense, you be learning the same sort of lessons that Arthur may have learned.

This is truly a complete course in authentic Celtic Druidism and magick. Filled with lore, philosophy, wisdom, rituals, and more, you'll be able to apply many of these concepts to improve your life.

If you are looking for accurate information, this is the place to start Douglas Monroe has studied magick since he was ten years old and has taught in the United States, Britain, and South America, and is the founder of the New Forest Centre for Magickal Studies. His own illustrations and charts fill the book and clarify the deep teachings of the ancient Druids.

From learning about Stonehenge to the Rite of the 3 Rays for protective purification; from learning the four herbs that will aid in conserving male sexual energy to discovering the secrets of calling the Dragon (the power of the ley lines); this book is like a full course meal in a cafeteria of magick.

If you are really interested in gaining a thorough understanding of the real tradition of the Druids -- what they believed, what they practiced and how to incorporate it into your life -- then join with 120,000 other people. Get this book today

In terms of public opinion, new religious movements are considered controversial for a variety of reasons. Their social organization often runs counter to popular expectations by experimenting with communal living, alternative leadership roles, unusual economic dispositions, and new political and ethical values. As a result the general public views new religions with a mixture of curiosity, amusement, and anxiety, sustained by lavish media emphasis on oddness and tragedy rather than familiarity and lived experience.
This updated and revised second edition of Controversial New Religions offers a scholarly, dispassionate look at those groups that have generated the most attention, including some very well-known classical groups like The Family, Unification Church, Scientology, and Jim Jones's People's Temple; some relative newcomers such as the Kabbalah Centre, the Order of the Solar Temple, Branch Davidians, Heaven's Gate, and the Falun Gong; and some interesting cases like contemporary Satanism, the Raelians, Black nationalism, and various Pagan groups. Each essay combines an overview of the history and beliefs of each organization or movement with original and insightful analysis. By presenting decades of scholarly work on new religious movements written in an accessible form by established scholars as well as younger experts in the field, this book will be an invaluable resource for all those who seek a view of new religions that is deeper than what can be found in sensationalistic media stories.

This is the story of the physical, mental, spiritual, and natural aspects of humans as told through many generations of elder teachers of Native American medicine. With stories telling about the four directions and the universal circle, the teachings also offer wisdom on circle gatherings, herbs, healing and ways to reduce stress and find harmony and balance in relationships. The teachings, which have always connected family, clan and tribe with the Universal Spirit, aim to assist the reader in discovering their own medicine and a return to health.

This book includes both new essays and revised versions of classic works by recognized authorities on Black Elk. Clyde Roller's introduction explores his life and texts and illustrates his relevance to today's scholarly discussions. Dale Stover considers Black Elk from a postcolonial perspective, and R. Todd Wise investigates similarities between Black Elk Speaks and the Testimonio (as exemplified by I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala). Anthropologist Raymond A. Bucko provides an annotated bibliography and a sensitive guide to the issues surrounding cultural appropriation, a subject also explored through Frances Kaye's engaging reading of Hawthorne's The Marble Fawn. Classic essays by Julian Rice and George W. Linden are included in the collection as well as Hilda Niehardt's reflections on the 1931 and 1944 interviews with Black Elk. With its unusually broad range of academic disciplines and perspectives, this book shows that Black Elk stands at the intersection of today's scholarly discussions. In addition to scholars of religion, anthropology, multicultural literature, and Native American studies, The Black Elk Reader will appeal to a general audience.

In this transcription of the Medicine Rite, the most sacred ritual of the Winnebago Indians, anthropologist Paul Radin captured a poetic source of profound importance to the understanding of mystical experience. Performed by medicine men upon the initiation of a member to their cult, this secret rite recapitulated the mythic origins and heroes of the Winnebago while integrating those present with the ancestral forces.

Employing all the available Data and Survival of the Historic Persio-Roman Mithraics embodying versions of Zoroastrian Scriptures combining the Religions of all Races and Times, with the best of Modern Spiritual Thought with Experiments for every Day of the Year. Contents: Search for Truth; Control of Sleep; Achievement of Health; Comparative Religion; Valuation of Error; Judgment of Self-knowledge; Vindication of Diving Justice; Calling of the Saviors; Building of Sanctuaries; Soul-Marriage to Wisdom; Choice of Successors; Unveiling of Final; Truth. Use this scarce and illuminating book to achieve an intitaition into the secret Mithraic Mysteries.

Pantheism is the idea that God and the world are identical—that the creator, sustainer, destroyer, and transformer of all things is the universe itself. From a monotheistic perspective, this notion is irremediably heretical since it suggests divinity might be material, mutable, and multiple. Since the excommunication of Baruch Spinoza, Western thought has therefore demonized what it calls pantheism, accusing it of incoherence, absurdity, and—with striking regularity—monstrosity. In this book, Mary-Jane Rubenstein investigates this perennial repugnance through a conceptual genealogy of pantheisms. What makes pantheism “monstrous”—at once repellent and seductive—is that it scrambles the raced and gendered distinctions that Western philosophy and theology insist on drawing between activity and passivity, spirit and matter, animacy and inanimacy, and creator and created. By rejecting the fundamental difference between God and world, pantheism threatens all the other oppositions that stem from it: light versus darkness, male versus female, and humans versus every other organism. If the panic over pantheism has to do with a fear of crossed boundaries and demolished hierarchies, then the question becomes what a present-day pantheism might disrupt and what it might reconfigure. Cobbling together heterogeneous sources—medieval heresies, their pre- and anti-Socratic forebears, general relativity, quantum mechanics, nonlinear biologies, multiverse and indigenous cosmologies, ecofeminism, animal and vegetal studies, and new and old materialisms—Rubenstein assembles possible pluralist pantheisms. By mobilizing this monstrous mixture of unintentional God-worlds, Pantheologies gives an old heresy the chance to renew our thinking.

How to find deeper meaning in magical workings with Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit and connect with the Old Ways. Many contemporary pagan books rarely go further than describing the use of the elemental energies as markers in casting the Circle. In The Power of the Elements we consider drawing on the energy from the deepest levels of the ocean, the highest peaks of the mountains, the limits of outer space and the path of the hurricane. And why it is so important to return to the Classic Elements of the Greeks if we really want our magic to work.