In exploring the social background of early Jewish mysticism, "Scholastic Magic" tells the story of how imagination and magic were made to serve memory and scholasticism. In the visionary literature that circulated between the fifth and ninth centuries, there are strange tales of ancient rabbis conjuring the angel known as "Sar-Torah," the "Prince of the Torah." This angel endowed the rabbis themselves with spectacular memory and skill in learning, and then taught them the formulas for giving others these gifts. This literature, according to Michael Swartz, gives us rare glimpses of how ancient and medieval Jews who stood outside the mainstream of rabbinic leadership viewed Torah and ritual. Through close readings of the texts, he uncovers unfamiliar dimensions of the classical Judaic idea of Torah and the rabbinic civilization that forged them.

Swartz sets the stage for his analysis with a discussion of the place of memory and orality in ancient and medieval Judaism and how early educational and physiological theories were marshaled for the cultivation of memory. He then examines the unusual magical rituals for conjuring angels and ascending to heaven as well as the authors' attitudes to authority and tradition, showing them to have subverted essential rabbinic values even as they remained beholden to them. The result is a ground-breaking analysis of the social and conceptual background of rabbinic Judaism and ancient Mediterranean religions. Offering complete translations of the principal "Sar-Torah" texts, "Scholastic Magic" will become essential reading for those interested in religions in the ancient and medieval world, ritual studies, and popular religion.

Originally published in 1996.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

"Talking to the Dead" is an ethnography of seven Gullah/Geechee women from the South Carolina lowcountry. These women communicate with their ancestors through dreams, prayer, and visions and traditional crafts and customs, such as storytelling, basket making, and ecstatic singing in their churches. Like other Gullah/Geechee women of the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, these women, through their active communication with the deceased, make choices and receive guidance about how to live out their faith and engage with the living. LeRhonda S. Manigault-Bryant emphasizes that this communication affirms the women's spiritual faith--which seamlessly integrates Christian and folk traditions--and reinforces their position as powerful culture keepers within Gullah/Geechee society. By looking in depth at this long-standing spiritual practice, Manigault-Bryant highlights the subversive ingenuity that lowcountry inhabitants use to thrive spiritually and to maintain a sense of continuity with the past.

Most of us would like to change in some way but don't know what to do about it. This book contains very practial rituals that we can carry out, focusing the power of our inner divinity to set in motion the changes we would like to see. Thirteen Ascended Masters (including Saint Germain, Mary, Jesus and Kwan Yin) provide us with simple rituals to improve various aspects of our lives. These rituals will also strengthen our connection with the Source and awaken our dormant powers. The Ascended Masters reach out their hands full of love and want to give us a glimpse of the splendor of the Divine. "A remarkable little gem of a book. Every word is measured and contributes to a seamless, elegant conception with passages of serene and universal application. An extraordinary distillation of spiritual teaching." Colourama Magazine

The period leading up to and culminating in the High Holy Days is the most intensely spiritual time of the Jewish year. Designed for Jews of all backgrounds and at all levels of observance and knowledge, as well as those new to Judaism, this journal helps us experience the renewal of spirit to which we all aspire.

Iconic images of medieval pilgrims, such as Chaucer's making their laborious way to Canterbury, conjure a distant time when faith was the only refuge of the ill and infirm, and thousands traveled great distances to pray for healing. Why, then, in an age of advanced biotechnology and medicine, do millions still go on pilgrimages? Why do journeys to important religious shrines - such as Lourdes, Compostela, Fatima, and Medjugorje - constitute a major industry? In "Miracle Cures", Robert A. Scott explores these provocative questions and finds that pilgrimage continues to offer answers for many. Its benefits can range from a demonstrable improvement in health to complete recovery. Using research in biomedical and behavioral science, Scott examines accounts of miracle cures at medieval, early modern, and contemporary shrines. He inquires into the power of relics, apparitions, and the transformative nature of sacred journeying and shines new light on the roles belief, hope, and emotion can play in healing.

The Eleusinian rites are thought to have emerged from the Greek myth of the goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone to bring forth abundance from the earth. Yet strikingly similar rituals and legends appear in the doctrines of Freemasonry, Buddhism, the early Church, and other religions and spiritual traditions.In The Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites Dudley Wright explains the core mythology of Demeter and the many stories thought to be born of the myth. He includes an examination of the Ritual of the Mysteries, when and how they are carried out, the rites of initiation and their mystical significance.Examination of the myth of Demeter and her daughter Persephone shed light on the spiritual lives of many ancient cultures. "A primary work for students of Freemasonry and religions honoring the Earth goddess Demeter. "Examines the symbolism of the Eleusinian Mysteries--"pre-Christian rites of ancient Greece and Rome--"and their impact on the early church.

The fall equinox, with its trade of light for dark, stirs strong emotions of loss as the ease of summer passes. While harvest celebrations have changed among modern people, the core meaning remains the same: life is precious, and we are lucky to sustain it. This well-rounded introduction to Mabon comes complete with correspondences, rituals, recipes, and lore. Recipes include chili, beetcake, apple chips, walnut butter, fig and pomegranate tapenade, and more; crafts include crop art, scarecrows, apple candle holders, acorn prayer beads, real leaf wreath, and more.

From lighting the menorah on Chanukah to standing under the chuppah at a wedding, every Jewish ritual reflects a time-honored practice passed down for generations. With a foil-stamped cover and a ribbon marker, this elegant volume shares the beloved stories and traditions behind Jewish celebrations, from year-round holidays to once-in-a-lifetime special events. Featuring lush illustrations that capture the heart of Jewish tradition as well as a glossary of important terms for each holiday, this little gift book is a treasure to be shared at any occasion--from bar and bat mitzvahs to Passover seders.

In his probing study of the role of death rites in the making of Islamic society, Leor Halevi imaginatively plays prescriptive texts against material culture and advances new ways of interpreting highly contested sources. His original research reveals that religious scholars of the early Islamic period produced codes of funerary law not only to define the handling of a Muslim corpse but also to transform everyday urban practices. Relying on oral traditions, these scholars established new social patterns in the cities of Arabia, Mesopotamia, and the eastern Mediterranean. They distinguished Islamic rites from Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian rites and changed the way men and women interacted publicly and privately.

In each chapter Halevi explores a different layer of human interaction, following the movement of the corpse from the deathbed to the grave. In the process he analyzes the real and imaginary relationships between husbands and wives, prayer leaders and mourners, and even dreamers and the dead. He describes how Muslims wailed for the deceased, prepared corpses for burial, marched in funerary processions, and prayed for the dead, highlighting the specific economic and political factors involved in these rituals as well as key religious and sexual divisions.

Offering a unique perspective on the making of Islamic social and religious ideals during this early period, Halevi forges a fascinating link between the development of funerary rites and the efforts of an emerging religion to carve out its own, distinct identity. "Muhammad's Grave" is a groundbreaking history of the rise of Islam and the roots of contemporary Muslim attitudes toward the body and society.

Understanding the purpose and traditions of the Jewish feasts will give you a deeper appreciation for your God, your heritage, and the gift of redemption provided by the sacrificial death of Christ. "The Fall Feasts of Israel" will help you understand three of Israel's most significant festivals: Rosh Hashannah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot. A complete examination of each feast includes a look at its biblical institution, its celebration in the time of Christ, and its observances by Jews today. "The feasts and laws of the Lord were a tutor to lead the Israelites to the Savior...the festivals find their fulfillment in Christ and His New Covenant." This book will give you insight into what God originally intended for the sacrificial offerings.

Santideva's eighth-century work, the Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryavatara), is known for its eminently practical instructions and its psychologically vivid articulations of the Mahayana path. It is a powerful, succinct poem into which are woven diverse Buddhist traditions of moral transformation, meditative cultivation, and philosophical insight. Since its composition, it has seen continuous use as a ritual, contemplative, and philosophical manual, making it one of the crucial texts of the Buddhist ethical and philosophical tradition. This book serves as a companion to this Indian Buddhist classic. The fifteen essays contained here illuminate the Guide's many philosophical, literary, ritual, and ethical dimensions. Distinguished scholars discuss the historical significance of the text as an innovative piece of Indian literature, illuminate the important roles it played in shaping Buddhism in Tibet, and bring to light its contemporary significance for philosophy and psychology. Whether experienced or first-time students of Buddhist literature, readers will find compelling new approaches to this resonant masterpiece.

The food that Jewish people eat is part of our connection to our faith, culture, and history. Not only is Jewish food comforting and delicious, it's also a link to every facet of Judaism. By learning about and cooking traditional Jewish dishes, we can understand fundamentals such as kashrut, community, and diversity. And Jewish history is so connected to food that one comedian said that the story of Judaism can be condensed into nine words: They tried to kill us. We survived. Let's eat. Let's Eat follows the calendar of Jewish holidays to include food from the many different Jewish communities around the world; in doing so, it brings the values that are the foundation of Judaism into focus. It also covers the way these foods have ended up on the Jewish menu and how Jews, as they wandered through the world, have influenced and been influenced by other nations and cuisines. Including over 40 recipes, this delicious review of the role of food in Jewish life offers a lively history alongside the traditions of one of the world's oldest faiths.

Thesaurus Cultus et Rituum Antiquorum (ThesCRA) is a major multivolume reference work on all known aspects of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman cults and rituals. Providing both sweeping overview and in-depth investigation, ThesCRA covers the period from Homeric times (1000 B.C.) to late Roman times (A.D. 400).
The first three volumes, published in 2005, deal with dynamic elements of cult: divination; prayer, gestures, and acts of prayer; gestures and acts of veneration; oaths; maledictions; profanation; magic; and consecration and foundation rites. The last two volumes in the set move on to static elements of cult--cult places and their depictions in antiquity in volume IV, and the personnel of cults in volume V. The major contributors to volume IV are Anneliese Kossatz-Deissmann, Francesco Marcattili, Ulrich Sinn, and Mario Torelli; those for volume V are Stella Georgoudi, Tonio Holscher, Ingrid Krauskopf, Vinciane Pirenne-Delforge, and John Scheid. The index for the five-volume set will be published in August 2006. ThesCRA was developed by the eminent group of scholars who published the eight double-volumes of LIMC (Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae).

Thesaurus Cultus et Rituum Antiquorum (ThesCRA) is a major multivolume reference work on all known aspects of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman cults and rituals. Providing both sweeping overview and in-depth investigation, ThesCRA covers the period from Homeric times (1000 B.C.) to late Roman times (A.D. 400).
The first three volumes, published in 2005, deal with dynamic elements of cult: divination; prayer, gestures, and acts of prayer; gestures and acts of veneration; oaths; maledictions; profanation; magic; and consecration and foundation rites. The last two volumes in the set move on to static elements of cult--cult places and their depictions in antiquity in volume IV, and the personnel of cults in volume V. The major contributors to volume IV are Anneliese Kossatz-Deissmann, Francesco Marcattili, Ulrich Sinn, and Mario Torelli; those for volume V are Stella Georgoudi, Tonio Holscher, Ingrid Krauskopf, Vinciane Pirenne-Delforge, and John Scheid. The index for the five-volume set will be published in August 2006. ThesCRA was developed by the eminent group of scholars who published the eight double-volumes of LIMC (Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae).

From its earliest days, Buddhism has been closely intertwined with medicine. Buddhism and Medicine is a singular collection showcasing the generative relationship and mutual influence between these fields across premodern Asia. The anthology combines dozens of English-language translations of premodern Buddhist texts with contextualizing introductions by leading international scholars in Buddhist studies, the history of medicine, and a range of other fields. These sources explore in detail medical topics ranging from the development of fetal anatomy in the womb to nursing, hospice, dietary regimen, magical powers, visualization, and other healing knowledge. Works translated here include meditation guides, popular narratives, ritual manuals, spells texts, monastic disciplinary codes, recipe inscriptions, philosophical treatises, poetry, works by physicians, and other genres. All together, these selections and their introductions provide a comprehensive overview of Buddhist healing throughout Asia. They also demonstrate the central place of healing in Buddhist practice and in the daily life of the premodern world.