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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies
“Among all the arts, it is the art of alchemy which most closely
imitates nature.” - Albertus Magnus (teacher of St. Thomas
Aquinas), ca.1250 Alchemists are notorious for attempting to
synthesise gold. Their goals, however, were far more ambitious: to
transform and bend nature to the will of an industrious human
imagination. For scientists, philosophers, and artists alike,
alchemy seemed to hold the key to unlocking the secrets of
creation. Alchemists' efforts to discover the way the world is made
have had an enduring impact on global artistic practice and
expression. Concoctions produced in the world’s alchemy labs
include inks, dyes, and oil paints; cements and ceramic glazing;
dazzling effects in metalwork and glass - and the modern media
which now claim boasting rights as the ultimate chemical mirrors of
nature: photography and the liquid crystal displays of the digital
world. Alchemy may well be the most important human invention
after the harnessing of fire. It was certainly a direct result,
with consequences both inspired and dire. The field spurred on
advancements in the visual arts and aids to human health. Ancient
Chinese alchemists also unleashed the black magic of gunpowder onto
the world of warfare. This book is the first to explore how the art
of alchemy globally transformed human creative culture from
antiquity to the industrial age, and displays the ways its legacy
still permeates the world we make today.
In this initiatic novel, bestselling author and acclaimed spiritual
teacher Barbara Hand Clow weaves an erotically charged story of
romance, deep earth forces, psychic powers, the aristocracy, and
Vatican world control revealed by an ancient ruby that inspires
mystical visions. Set in Rome in 2012, the story follows Sarah
Adamson, a beautiful young Catholic graduate student from Boston
studying at the Vatican Library for her thesis on the first
Christian heretic, Marcion of Pontus. She is being courted by two
utterly different men: Simon Appel, a descendent of the kabbalist
Isaac Luria who covers Vatican affairs for the New York Times, and
Armando Pierleoni, the scion of an ancient Italian aristocratic
family with strong ties to the Vatican. After a terrible encounter
with the dark side at a castle in Tuscany, Sarah is given a ring
set with a ruby crystal, a powerful stone that was once the third
eye of an ancient Buddha statue in Nepal. With the mystic ring on
her finger, Sarah’s visionary abilities are ignited. She
remembers her past life as the Sibyl of Cumae, a Roman oracle whose
powers are now being channeled by the Vatican to maintain world
control. As Sarah’s research and visions reveal the cause of evil
in the Church and Simon’s reporting exposes the depth of the
sexual abuse scandals surrounding the Vatican, the two form an
alliance with an ex-lover of both Simon and Armando, Claudia, who
describes secret priestly power rituals going on in Vatican City.
As the heightened energies of the winter solstice of 2012 arrive
and 2013 dawns, will Simon and Sarah be able to harness their
divine powers for transformation? Will the Vatican seek new
direction as it elects a new pope? Revealing the very nature of how
evil gets into the world, this novel of romance, mystery, heresy,
and spirituality uncovers the esoteric foundations for the
emergence of a golden new age.
In this powerful book, the renowned exorcist of Rome tells of his
many experiences in his ministry as an exorcist doing battle with
Satan to relieve the great suffering of people in the grip of evil.
The importance of the ministry to "expel demons" is clearly seen in
the Gospels, from the actions of the Apostles, and from Church
history. Fr. Amorth allows the reader to witness the activities of
the exorcist, to experience what an exorcist sees and does. He also
reveals how little modern science, psychology, and medicine can do
to help those under Satan's influence, and that only the power of
Christ can release them from this kind of mental, spiritual or
physical suffering. An Exorcist Tells His Story has been a European
best-seller that has gone through numerous printings and editions.
No other book today so thoroughly and concisely discusses the topic
of exorcism.
THERE IS POWER IN SILENCE East Anglia, 1645. Martha Hallybread, a
midwife, healer and servant, has lived peacefully for more than
four decades in her beloved Cleftwater. Everyone in the village
knows Martha, but no one has ever heard her speak. One bright
morning, Martha becomes a silent witness to a witch hunt, led by
sinister new arrival Silas Makepeace. As a trusted member of the
community, she is enlisted to search the bodies of the accused
women for evidence. But whilst she wants to help her friends, she
also harbours a dark secret that could cost her own freedom. In
desperation, Martha revives a wax witching doll that she inherited
from her mother, in the hope that it will bring protection. But the
doll's true powers are unknowable, the tide is turning, and time is
running out . . . A spellbinding and intoxicating novel inspired by
true events, The Witching Tide is a magnificent debut from a writer
to watch. 'A beautiful, haunting and utterly transporting novel
that takes the reader back to a terrifyingly real witching England'
NAOMI WOOD 'I absolutely devoured The Witching Tide. To read this
book is to step inside time . . . a powerful, riveting read, each
sentence pristine and haunting' ELIZABETH MACNEAL
A significant number of Americans spend their weekends at UFO
conventions hearing whispers of government cover-ups, at New Age
gatherings learning the keys to enlightenment, or ambling around
historical downtowns learning about resident ghosts in
tourist-targeted "ghost walks". They have been fed a steady diet of
fictional shows with paranormal themes such as The X-Files,
Supernatural, and Medium, shows that may seek to simply entertain,
but also serve to disseminate paranormal beliefs. The public hunger
for the paranormal seems insatiable. Paranormal America provides
the definitive portrait of Americans who believe in or have
experienced such phenomena as ghosts, Bigfoot, UFOs, psychic
phenomena, astrology, and the power of mediums. However, unlike
many books on the paranormal, this volume does not focus on proving
or disproving the paranormal, but rather on understanding the
people who believe and how those beliefs shape their lives. Drawing
on the Baylor Religion Survey-a multi-year national random sample
of American religious values, practices, and behaviors-as well as
extensive fieldwork including joining hunts for Bigfoot and
spending the night in a haunted house, authors Christopher Bader,
F. Carson Mencken, and Joseph Baker shed light on what the various
types of paranormal experiences, beliefs, and activities claimed by
Americans are; whether holding an unconventional belief, such as
believing in Bigfoot, means that one is unconventional in other
attitudes and behaviors; who has such experiences and beliefs and
how they differ from other Americans; and if we can expect major
religions to emerge from the paranormal. Brimming with engaging
personal stories and provocative findings, Paranormal America is an
entertaining yet authoritative look at a growing segment of
American religious culture.
This is a beautiful book filled with stunning illustrations,
rituals and potions to help you boost wellbeing and fall in love
with yourself through the power of magick! Self-Love Potions is
bursting with glorious herbal recipes and rituals to help you make
the most of your me time. You deserve it! Beautiful illustrations
can be found throughout this sumptuous title, which is packed
with ideas from talented moon witch Valeria Kapusta
(@cosmicvaleria) to help you mindfully explore your craft. With
recipes ranging from teas, tinctures, oils and tonics, to bath
mixes and fragrances, it is the the perfect gift to give, either to
yourself or a loved one! Recipes include: Heart-soothing
lilac-infused honey to ease heartbreak, Energy cleansing
empath bath, Thyme infusions for courage and self-confidence
Dandelion bath salt for inner joy Floral hair rinse to remove
creative blocks Violet infused sugar to sweeten gloomy days Develop
your self-love practice, enhance your wellbeing, and connect with
yourself and nature with this gorgeous, herby handbook. If you
enjoyed this book, you might also like Natural Magick and Earth
Magick...
'ONE OF MY FAVOURITE STORYTELLERS. THESE TALES LINGERED, MORPHED,
CONSUMED ME' KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE What will the end of the world
look like? Will it be an old man slowly turned to gold, flowers
raining from the sky, or a hole cut through the wire fencing that
keeps the monsters out? Is it someone you love wearing your face,
or a good old fashioned inter-dimensional summoning? Does it sound
like a howl outside the window, or does it look like coming home?
This startling and irresistibly witty collection from the
phenomenally talented Moïra Fowley is an exploration of all our
darkest impulses and deepest fears.
There have been many grimoires attributed to St Cyprian of Antioch
due to his reputation as a consummate magician before his
conversion to Christianity, but perhaps none so intriguing as the
present manuscript. This unique manuscript (unlike the more rustic
examples attributed to St Cyprian called the Black Books of
Wittenburg, as found in Scandinavia, or the texts disseminated
under his name in Spain and Portugal) is directly in line with the
Solomonic tradition, and therefore relevant to our present series
of Sourceworks of Ceremonial Magic. It is unique in that instead of
being weighed down with many prayers and conjurations it addresses
the summoning and use of both the four Archangels, Michael,
Raphael, Gabriel and Uriel as well as their opposite numbers, the
four Demon Kings, Paymon, Maimon, Egyn and Oriens. The later are
shown in their animal and human forms along with their sigils, a
resource unique amongst grimoires. The text is in a mixture of
three magical scripts, Greek, Hebrew, cipher, Latin, (and reversed
Latin) with many contractions and short forms, but expanded and
made plain by the editors. The title literally means 'The Key of
Hell with white and black magic as proven by Metatron'.
There is more folklore, mythology and magic associated with our
trees and forests than with any other living things. Known
throughout the world as dark and wild places where witches make
mischief and eerie creatures dwell, forests are also places of
sanctuary for the ancient magic and the most enchanting species of
trees. Kew: Witch's Forest is a beautifully illustrated,
captivating journey through the magical woodland and its stories,
from birch broomsticks and the sacred olive, to alder doorways and
the Tree of Life.
* MINI MORTAR AND PESTLE FOR POTIONS AND COCKTAILS: Whether you're
creating a tincture to invite creativity, or creating your own
bitters for craft cocktails, this brass-coloured, food-safe ceramic
mortar and pestle will bring a touch of magic to rituals, holistic
medicine, and at-home mixology. * DELUXE FULLY ILLUSTRATED PACKAGE:
This mini set is housed in a vibrant, full-illustrated magnetic
closure box, and includes a mortar and pestle (approx. 2" tall),
cleansing crystal, and mini book. * INCLUDES RECIPES AND DIYS: A
48-page bonus mini book includes cocktail recipes, and DIY
instructions for infusions, tinctures, and home brewed kombucha. *
A PERFECT GIFT: This beautiful set is an ideal gift for witches,
mixologists, and herbal remedy enthusiasts.
A scientific discovery of witches in fiction-Chilled Adventures of
Sabrina, Sleeping Beauty, Wicked and so many more! Kelly Florence
and Meg Hafdahl, authors of The Science of Women in Horror and
co-hosts of the Horror Rewind podcast called "the best horror film
podcast out there" by Film Daddy, present a guide to the history of
witchcraft through the stories and characters we all know and love.
Reveal the spellbinding science behind the legends and lore
surrounding fiction's most iconic witches, answering such questions
as: What is the science behind divination and spellcraft? When did
witchcraft begin to show up in literature and media? Has science
made it possible to uncover the truth behind the powers of
necromancy and employing familiars? How has witchcraft been thought
of throughout the world? Through interviews, film and literary
analysis, and bone-chilling discoveries, join Kelly and Meg as they
learn about the complicated and rich science of witchcraft
throughout the centuries and discover why now is the season of the
witch!
• This volume provides a combination of the major schools of
thought on the Salem witch trials and incorporates the current
scholarship on the subject. Events are presented in a narrative
format that delivers the drama of the trials and leaves instructors
free to explore specific topics of their choosing in greater depth.
An analysis of key issues is provided at the end of each chapter.
• The third edition has been significantly updated to include an
expanded section on the European origins of witch hunts and an
update and expand epilogue which discusses the witch hunts – real
and imagined, historical and cultural – since 1692. Allowing
students new to the phenomenon of the witch-hunts and trials to
better understand their origins and impact upon the national
psyche. • The bibliography has been substantially updated, an
extensive list of internet resources, sources of primary documents,
documentaries, movies, artwork, and resources to assist lecturers
with using this book in their classrooms and students to further
their studies.
'An important and timely book.' - Philippa Gregory Joan of Navarre
was the richest woman in the land, at a time when war-torn England
was penniless. Eleanor Cobham was the wife of a weak king's uncle -
and her husband was about to fall from grace. Jacquetta Woodville
was a personal enemy of Warwick the Kingmaker, who was about to
take his revenge. Elizabeth Woodville was the widowed mother of a
child king, fighting Richard III for her children's lives. In Royal
Witches, Gemma Hollman explores the lives of these four unique
women, looking at how rumours of witchcraft brought them to their
knees in a time when superstition and suspicion was rife.
The book provides an overview and analysis of the witch trials in
the Scottish Borders in the 17th century. The 17th century was a
time of upheaval in Scottish and British history, with a civil war,
the abolition of the monarchy, the plague and the reformation all
influencing the social context at the time. This book explores the
social, political, geographical, religious and legal structures
that led to the increased amount of witch trials and executions in
the Scottish Borders. As well as looking at specific trials the
book also explores the role of women, both as accuser and as
accused.
'A groundbreaking work . . . Federici has become a crucial figure
for . . . a new generation of feminists' Rachel Kushner, author of
The Mars Room A cult classic since its publication in the early
years of this century, Caliban and the Witch is Silvia Federici's
history of the body in the transition to capitalism. Moving from
the peasant revolts of the late Middle Ages through the European
witch-hunts, the rise of scientific rationalism and the
colonisation of the Americas, it gives a panoramic account of the
often horrific violence with which the unruly human material of
pre-capitalist societies was transformed into a set of predictable
and controllable mechanisms. It Is a study of indigenous traditions
crushed, of the enclosure of women's reproductive powers within the
nuclear family, and of how our modern world was forged in blood.
'Rewarding . . . allows us to better understand the intimate
relationship between modern patriarchy, the rise of the nation
state and the transition from feudalism to capitalism' Guardian
This fascinating book explores how traumatic experience interacts
with unconscious phantasy based in folklore, the supernatural and
the occult. Drawing upon trauma research, case study vignettes, and
psychoanalytic theory, it explains how therapists can use
literature, the arts, and philosophy to work with clients who feel
cursed and manifest self-sabotaging states. The book examines the
challenges that can arise when working with this client population
and illustrates how to work through them while navigating potent
transferences and projective identifications. It's an important
read for students, psychotherapists, and counselors in the mental
health field.
With mental health increasingly in the spotlight, this book offers
a new perspective on anxiety. The focus of this book is on the
application of psychological alchemical practice to address,
explore and examine the nature and cause of anxiety in order to
tackle and overcome it. It has never been more relevant to
illustrate the reality that scientific, artistic and spiritual
understanding, together with practical application, has the
capacity to eliminate anxiety and gain personal control, liberation
and fulfilment. The first half of the book identifies the issues to
be considered and the second half explains and illustrates the
alchemical practices with which to approach them. While the book
puts a slight emphasis on musical performance, it is made clear at
the outset that performance concerns everyone and the contents,
therefore, apply universally. Music is simply a very clear example.
The book is designed as a personal development book rather than a
scholarly work and, although it is relevant to all ages (depending
on timing), it was written with 18 - 30 year olds being the main
inspiration through apparent and ever increasing necessity. It is a
source book that can be dipped into anywhere or launch further
investigation into any of the various disciplines and practices
covered. Alchemy has the capacity to bind it all together and the
alchemy of performance can become a way of life for anyone.
An exploration of our extraordinary shift away from materialism
toward renewal of the numinous, mysterious, and uncertain *
Examines topics that evoke widespread misunderstanding, including
the real history of secret societies, the wisdom of the Satanic,
Gnosticism, Hermeticism, out-of-body experience, and the
contemporary war on witches * Looks at the influence of the
founding lights of modern occultism, including mystic Neville
Goddard, occult scholar Manly P. Hall, and surrealist filmmaker
David Lynch, and debunks famous pseudo-skeptics such as the Amazing
Randi * Explores magickal practices, including Anarchic Magick,
mind metaphysics, the Law of Attraction, and Ouija boards, and
upends hallowed spiritual concepts like forgiveness All of us today
dwell in uncertain places--realities in which thoughts make things
happen, ESP is provable by the scientific methods once used to
debunk it, UFOs are mainstream, and magick no longer requires rite
and ritual but is as near as your own mind. Today's leading voice
of esotericism and the occult, Mitch Horowitz explores topics that
evoke widespread misunderstanding, including the real history of
secret societies, the wisdom of the Satanic, the relevance of
Gnosticism, and the slender but authentic connection between
today's spiritual culture and antiquity, including in areas of
Hermeticism, deity worship, out-of-body experience, and magick. He
demonstrates the occult roots of wide-ranging facets of modern
culture, including politics, abstract art, mind-body healing,
self-help, and breakthrough scientific fields such as quantum
physics and neuroplasticity. He looks at the influence of the
founding lights of modern occultism, including mystic Neville
Goddard, occult scholar Manly P. Hall, and surrealist filmmaker
David Lynch, and provides a magnificent take-down of famous
debunkers and pseudo-skeptics such as the Amazing Randi. He
explores magickal practices, including Anarchic Magick, mind
metaphysics, the Law of Attraction, and the history of Ouija boards
and questions time-honored spiritual values like forgiveness. Mitch
also examines the contemporary war on witches around the world and
what it is like to be blacklisted. Offering a thought-provoking
investigation of the spiritual, the occult, the magickal, and the
extra-physical, Mitch lays the groundwork for readers to continue
their own journeys into these esoteric streams of consciousness.
The volumes in this set, originally published between 1978 and
1992, draw together research by leading academics in the area of
the occult and provide a rigorous examination of related key
issues. The collection examines occultism from a broad range of
disciplines, from shamanism and the occult tarot, to the esoteric
and spiritualism. It includes volumes across the disciplines of
religion, covering new religious movements, spiritualism, ritual
and magic practices. The three books that comprise this set include
investigations into the evolution of occultism, as well as the
history and practices of the occult as a religious movement. This
collection brings back into print insightful and detailed books and
will be a must-have resource for academics and students, not only
of religion and anthropology, but also of history and psychology.
Discover the wonders of Wicca and learn how to harness your inner
power with this beginner's guide to white witchcraft Find your
magick From the history of Wicca to the basics of spell work, this
pocket-sized book is the perfect introduction to magick and white
witchcraft. Find out how to tap into the infinite power of the
natural world by uncovering the unique properties of natural
ingredients - from herbs, flowers and seeds to incense and
crystals. Study the extraordinary history of witches and Wicca, and
discover how present-day witches combine modern technology and
traditional methods to help manifest their desires. Master the
rudiments of white magick with enchantments and rituals for every
occasion. Whether you're a budding witch or simply want to learn
more about the world of spells and sorcery, this book includes
everything you need to understand and start practising this
remarkable craft. Enrich your life with the power of magick and
learn how to: Uncover and embrace your inner witch Connect with the
rich history of witchcraft Start developing your Wiccan abilities
and sustain your craft Work in alignment with the earth's natural
rhythms to get the most out of your practice Create spells, potions
and rituals for promoting love, happiness and success
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