Discover the strange world of the undead and the proof that creatures of the night exist when you read Vampires by Konstantinos. The facts about vampires are stranger than anything you may have read, heard, or imagined before. In Vampires you'll learn the truth about the undead. It rips away the myth and exposes the habits and lifestyles of these beings. Vampires reveals the occult truths about these creatures including actual first-person encounters with vampires of all types--the ancient undead of folklore, contemporary mortal blood drinkers, and the most dangerous creatures of all: psychic vampires who intentionally drain the life force from their victims. - Learn about the four types of vampires - Read about vampire legends from around the world - Discover vampires from history, including: - Arnold Paole of Serbia - Peter Plogojowitz and the Count de Cabreras of Hungary - The vampire of Croglin Grange, Cumberland, England - Countess Elizabeth Bathory, responsible for up to 650 deaths - Gilles de Rais - Fritz Haarman, of Germany, from ninety years ago - John Haigh of Yorkshire, England, from just before WWII - And of course, the real Vlad Dracula - Present-day blood drinkers - How to protect yourself from vampires Included are letters from contemporary vampires. You will be shocked and surprised as you discover what these people are really like. Besides learning about the psychic vampire that unintentionally drains you of your energy as well as the intentional psychic vampire, you'll learn rituals for protection and methods to avoid falling into their clutches. Vampires finally reveals the truth about the undead. You will be fascinated when you discover who they were and what they are now, and you'll be grateful when you learn how to protect yourself from them. This is not a book of fantasy and imagination, but of science, history, and spirituality.

Just as surely as Haiti is "possessed" by the gods and spirits of vaudun (voodoo), the island "possessed" Katherine Dunham when she first went there in 1936 to study dance and ritual. In this book, Dunham reveals how her anthropological research, her work in dance, and her fascination for the people and cults of Haiti worked their spell, catapulting her into experiences that she was often lucky to survive. Here Dunham tells how the island came to be possessed by the demons of voodoo and other cults imported from various parts of Africa, as well as by the deep class divisions, particularly between blacks and mulattos, and the political hatred still very much in evidence today. Full of the flare and suspense of immersion in a strange and enchanting culture, Island Possessed is also a pioneering work in the anthropology of dance and a fascinating document on Haitian politics and voodoo.

Given the upsurge of interest in complementary therapies and treatments, medical researchers are gradually being pressured to reassess and expand existing knowledge about the structure and organization of the human body. But in spite of the advances in modern technology, there are vast areas of human physiological activity, which continue to remain undetectable. Such processes, indicates Rudolf Steiner, are connected to spiritual forces. In these revealing lectures Steiner concentrates on the relationship of such forces to the physical organs. In particular, he discusses the organs, which make up our digestive and respiratory systems; the significance of 'warmth' in the function of the blood and its effects upon the ego; and the evolutionary process implicit in the formation of the spinal column and brain. All are dealt with in a scientific manner that will appeal equally to doctors and therapists, as well as students of Steiner's spiritual philosophy. At the same time they are remarkably accessible to the general reader.

This is the first systematic exploration of the intriguing connections between Victorian physical sciences and the study of the controversial phenomena broadly classified as psychic, occult and paranormal. These phenomena included animal magnetism, spirit-rapping, telekinesis and telepathy. Richard Noakes shows that psychic phenomena interested far more Victorian scientists than we have previously assumed, challenging the view of these scientists as individuals clinging rigidly to a materialistic worldview. Physicists, chemists and other physical scientists studied psychic phenomena for a host of scientific, philosophical, religious and emotional reasons, and many saw such investigations as exciting new extensions to their theoretical and experimental researches. While these attempted extensions were largely unsuccessful, they laid the foundations of modern day explorations of the connections between physics and psychic phenomena. This revelatory study challenges our view of the history of physics, and deepens our understanding of the relationships between science and the occult, and science and religion.

The art of predicting earthly events from the movements of stars and planets has always been a source of fascination. Medieval astrologers, though sometimes feared to be magicians in league with demons, were usually revered scholars whose ideas and practices were widely respected. Politics, medicine, weather forecasting, cosmology and alchemy were all influenced by astrological concepts. Astrology in Medieval Manuscripts explores the dazzling complexity of western medieval astrology and its place in society, as revealed by a wealth of illustrated manuscripts from the British Library's rich medieval collection.

Plague, a devastating and recurring affliction throughout the Renaissance, had a major impact on European life. Not only was pestilence a biological problem, but it was also read as a symptom of spiritual degeneracy and it caused widespread social disorder. Assembling a picture of the complex and sometimes contradictory responses to plague from medical, spiritual and civic perspectives, this book uncovers the place of music - whether regarded as an indispensable medicine or a moral poison that exacerbated outbreaks - in the management of the disease. This original musicological approach further reveals how composers responded, in their works, to the discourses and practices surrounding one of the greatest medical crises in the pre-modern age. Addressing topics such as music as therapy, public rituals and performance and music in religion, the volume also provides detailed musical analysis throughout to illustrate how pestilence affected societal attitudes toward music.

Four years ago when I was discussing the subject of natural healing with practising witch Dr Tarona Hawkins, she mentioned during our conversation that she had notes, files and first draught chapters prepared about her psychic readings, counselling, past life regression work, magickal treatments and herbal remedies, all relating to clients sexual problems. Tarona Hawkins added that her reputation as a sex witch had gathered such momentum that most of her time was now occupied with sex counselling. This volume is the end result of accepting Taronas invitation to transform her records and her knowledge into this book. Within the book you will find covered an incredible variety of sex and sex related subjects, for example: sex magick, sex massage, adult babies, fetishism, demonic sexual encounters, group sex, homosexuality, anal sex, sadomasochism, transvestism, trans-sexualism, sex feeders, sex for the elderly, impotence, penis enlargement, male hygiene, menstruation, past life traumas, the human sexual aura, sexual handwriting characteristics together with other sex related subjects. Pseudonyms have been used throughout to preserve confidentiality and privacy. To all those who read this book; individual members of the public, those with sexual problems, sex counsellors, and of course the occult community, it is hoped that you will gain new insights into the unusually varied spectrum of human sexual behaviour. Four years ago when I was discussing the subject of natural healing with practising witch Dr Tarona Hawkins, she mentioned during our conversation that she had notes, files and first draught chapters prepared about her psychic readings, counselling, past life regression work, magickal treatments and herbal remedies, all relating to clients sexual problems. Tarona Hawkins added that her reputation as a sex witch had gathered such momentum that most of her time was now occupied with sex...

'Spiritual knowledge is not given to us as in ancient times. By spiritual means it must be struggled and striven for against a host of demons...We must therefore get to know the powers that would cover up and obscure all spiritual knowledge.' - from the Preface 'The world seems to be standing within a demonic storm that threatens to overwhelm it', states T.H. Meyer at the outset of this rousing call for a wide-ranging, spiritual-scientific knowledge of the world. Appeals to traditional religious belief will no longer pacify this storm, and neither will 'good will' suffice. Building on Rudolf Steiner's anthroposophy, In the Sign of Five tackles the central task of our epoch: the epistemological struggle with evil, and presents the five most important spiritual events since the beginning of the Age of Michael: 1879 - the rise of Michael to the rank of Time Spirit; 1899 - the end of Kali Yuga; 1933 - the appearance of Christ in the Etheric; 1998 - the assault of Sorath, 'one of the greatest ahrimanic demons'; The present - the incarnation of Ahriman. These events are linked to the five main tasks of the Age of Michael, the great challenge of inner knowledge and spiritual consciousness posed by the epoch as a whole. In the light of world history, and within the context of 'the sign of five', we stand today at the fifth place - at the point of the incarnation of Ahriman. Is humanity prepared for this decisive event? Have we recognised the phenomena of evil that surround us on a daily basis? Have the tasks corresponding to the five events been identified, and to what extent have they been carried out? How is evil related to 'the good' that guides the world, and specifically to the Christ impulse? Meyer provides a vital, pithy, aphoristic handbook for our apocalyptic times.

There has long existed among the Germanic Pennsylvania Dutch people a belief in white and dark magic. The art of white magic in the Dutch Country is referred to by old-timers as Braucherei in their unique Dialect, otherwise known as Powwowing. Hexerei, of course, is the art of black magic. Powers used to heal in the art of Braucherei are derived from God (the Holy Trinity), but the powers employed in Hexerei are derived from the Devil, in the simplest of explanation. Therefore, one who engages in the latter has bartered or "sold his soul to the Devil," and destined for Hell! For nearly three centuries, the Pennsylvania Dutch have not hesitated to use Braucherei in the healing of their sick and afflicted, and regionally, the culture has canonized early 19th Century faith healer, Mountain Mary (of the Oley Hills), as a Saint for her powers of healing. Furthermore, contemporary of hers, John Georg Hohman, has published numerous early 19th Century books on the matter still in use today. Both their form of faith healing has many counterparts in our civilization, however, the subset of Hexerei, witchcraft, or black magic was always considered of utmost evil here in the region; and only desperate people, and those with devious intentions, have resorted to its equally powerful and secret powers.

What distinguished the true alchemist from the fraud? This question animated the lives and labors of the common men--and occasionally women--who made a living as alchemists in the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Holy Roman Empire. As purveyors of practical techniques, inventions, and cures, these entrepreneurs were prized by princely patrons, who relied upon alchemists to bolster their political fortunes. At the same time, satirists, artists, and other commentators used the figure of the alchemist as a symbol for Europe's social and economic ills. Drawing on criminal trial records, contracts, laboratory inventories, satires, and vernacular alchemical treatises, Alchemy and Authority in the Holy Roman Empire situates the everyday alchemists, largely invisible to modern scholars until now, at the center of the development of early modern science and commerce. Reconstructing the workaday world of entrepreneurial alchemists, Tara Nummedal shows how allegations of fraud shaped their practices and prospects. These debates not only reveal enormously diverse understandings of what the "real" alchemy was and who could practice it; they also connect a set of little-known practitioners to the largest questions about commerce, trust, and intellectual authority in early modern Europe.

Marco Visconti has taught Aleister Crowley's Magick to hundreds of aspirants, proving to himself and others its transmutative powers. This book brings together the effective techniques and practices from those lessons. We all live very busy lives in increasingly small spaces, but this book shows that to practice magick you don’t need fancy tools or robes or marbles halls. Magick is truly for everyone, because all you need to practice it is a will set in stone. Each chapter in this manual is a lesson, which will add a new tool to your magical arsenal: the nature of the Body of Light what Prana is and how to harness it the 4 Hermetic Elements that make up the foundations of the Magical Pyramid the Quintessence the Pentagram Hexagram rituals the Astral Light invoked through the Middle Pillar The benefits gained from bringing Magick into your life are manifold. You will gain a deeper understanding of your role in the universe, the ability to communicate with the Other, and the wisdom that comes from such relationships. Overall these practices offer a new and deeper sense of awareness of your own role in the universe.

Explore the ancient art of astrology to fill your every day with magic. The stars have a language all of their own and when understood, they become a timeless and powerful tool. Celestial bodies affect each of us, and understanding their influences and transits can illuminate your challenges, deepen your strengths, and enrich your relationships with yourself and others. This book is an easy-to-understand beginner's guide to the zodiac signs, planets and astrological houses. Learn how they each affect you and find out what crystals and essential oils can give you a boost. Everything is interconnected, and with A Beginner's Guide to Astrology, you can explore how the stars influence who you are while shining a light on who you can be.

A nineteenth century French priest discovers something in his mountain village at the foot of The Pyrenees, which enables him to amass and spend a fortune of millions of pounds. The tale seems to begin with buried treasure and then turns into an unprecedented historical detective story - a modern Grail quest leading back through cryptically coded parchments, secret societies, the Knights Templar, the Cathar heretics of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and a dynasty of obscure French kings deposed more than 1,300 years ago. The author's conclusions are persuasive: at the core is not material riches, but a secret - a secret of explosive and controversial proportions, which radiates out from the little Pyrenees village all the way to contemporary politics and the entire edifice of the Christian faith. It involves nothing less than...the Holy Grail.

This is the first ethnography of the Uganda Martyrs Guild [UMG], a lay movement of the Catholic Church, and its organized witch-hunts in the kingdom of Tooro, Western Uganda. This book explores cannibalism, food, eating and being eaten in its many variations. It deals with people who feel threatened by cannibals, churches who combat cannibals and anthropologists who find themselves suspected of being cannibals. It describes how different African and European images of the cannibal intersected and influenced each other in Tooro, Western Uganda, where the figure of the resurrecting cannibal draws on both pre-Christian ideas andchurch dogma of the bodily resurrection and the ritual of Holy Communion. In Tooro cannibals are witches: they bewitch people so that they die only to be resurrected and eaten. This is how they were perceived in the 1990s when a lay movement of the Catholic Church, the Uganda Martyrs Guild [UMG] organized witch-hunts to cleanse the country. The UMG was responding to an extended crisis: growing poverty, the retreat and corruption of the local government, a guerrilla war, a high death rate through AIDS, accompanied by an upsurge of occult forces in the form of cannibal witches. By trying to deal, explain and "heal" the situation of "internal terror", the UMG reinforced the perception of the reality of witches and cannibals while at the same time containing violence and regaining power for the Catholic Church in competition for "lost souls" with other Pentecostal churches and movements. This volumeincludes the DVD of a video film by Armin Linke and Heike Behrend showing a "crusade" to identify and cleanse witches and cannibals organized by the UMG in the rural area of Kyamiaga in 2002. With a heightened awareness and reflective use of the medium, UMG members created a domesticated version of their crusade for Western (and local) consumption as part of a "shared ethnography". Heike Behrend is Professor of Anthropology and African Studies at the University of Cologne, Germany, the author of Alice Lakwena and the Holy Spirits [James Currey, 1999], and co-editor of Spirit Possession, Modernity and Power in Africa[James Currey, 1999]