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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies
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.
Non-sensationalist historical account of Nazi occultism Explores
both prewar and postwar manifestations of this phenomenon Draws on
a global set of examples and case studies
A Definitive Edition of the Symbolist Classic by the author of The
Secret Teachings of All Ages Manly P. Hall is widely recognized as
the preeminent voice of occult scholarship in the twentieth
century, famous for his esoteric masterpiece The Secret Teachings
of All Ages (1928). Now, in this "deluxe edition," Hall's earliest
work, The Initiates of the Flame, is reborn with a full complement
of illustrations and historical introductions. Originally published
in 1922, The Initiates of the Flame is Hall's first
exploration--and still one of his most powerful--of myth and
symbol. Its pages shine on a light on the inner meaning of symbols
including the pyramid, holy grail, flame of wisdom, ark of the
covenant, all-seeing eye, sword and stone, the elements of alchemy,
and other gateways to the unseen world. Edited and reintroduced by
popular voice of esoteric spirituality, Mitch Horowitz, and
president of the Philosophical Research Society, Greg Salyer,
Ph.D., this is the signature presentation of Hall's landmark.
The Witchcraft Sourcebook, now in its second edition, is a
fascinating collection of documents that illustrates the
development of ideas about witchcraft from ancient times to the
eighteenth century. Many of the sources come from the period
between 1400 and 1750, when more than 100,000 people - most of them
women - were prosecuted for witchcraft in Europe and colonial
America. During these years the prominent stereotype of the witch
as an evil magician and servant of Satan emerged. Catholics and
Protestants alike feared that the Devil and his human confederates
were destroying Christian society. Including trial records,
demonological treatises and sermons, literary texts, narratives of
demonic possession, and artistic depiction of witches, the
documents reveal how contemporaries from various periods have
perceived alleged witches and their activities. Brian P. Levack
shows how notions of witchcraft have changed over time and
considers the connection between gender and witchcraft and the
nature of the witch's perceived power. This second edition includes
an extended section on the witch trials in England, Scotland and
New England, fully revised and updated introductions to the sources
to include the latest scholarship and a short bibliography at the
end of each introduction to guide students in their further
reading. The Sourcebook provides students of the history of
witchcraft with a broad range of sources, many of which have been
translated into English for the first time, with commentary and
background by one of the leading scholars in the field.
Includes the History of the Tablet, Followed By Multiple
Translations, Textual Remarks, Commentaries, Appendix, and
Bibliography -
In this in-depth look at occult and esoteric traditions in Russia,
Christopher McIntosh explores the currents of mysticism, myth,
magic, and the spiritual to which the Russian soul has always been
attuned. The author explains how the search for meaning in the
post-Soviet era has given rise to a revival of ancient spiritual
traditions and a plethora of new movements. He examines the
precursors to these movements in the "Silver Age" (1880-1920)
before the Revolution, when alternative forms of spirituality were
finding new life as a reaction to the ongoing climate of violence,
revolt, and repression. He discusses the impact of the Russian
Revolution on spiritual and esoteric groups, and shows how their
activities were tolerated and even in some instances
encouraged--until Stalin assumed power in 1924. Discussing the
spiritual reawakening after the fall of communism in 1989, the
author explores the survival of Slavic deities and pagan practices
in modern Russia, including the indigenous pre-Christian customs of
the Mari people and the shamanic traditions of Siberia. He examines
the resurgence of the Orthodox Church and the burgeoning of
alternative forms of spirituality. He offers a deep look at the
controversial Book of Veles, branded by some as a forgery and
hailed by others as an epic chronicle of the Slavic people. He also
explores the interface between spirituality and the arts and the
unique qualities of the Russian language as a medium for the
sacred. Revealing the implications of the modern Russian spiritual
and esoteric renaissance, McIntosh shows that it still remains to
be seen whether Edgar Cayce's prediction of Russia as the hope of
the world will come true or if Russia will remain, as Churchill
famously stated, "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an
enigma."
Non-sensationalist historical account of Nazi occultism Explores
both prewar and postwar manifestations of this phenomenon Draws on
a global set of examples and case studies
Traditionally, alchemy has been understood as a precursor to the
science of chemistry but from the vantage point of the human
spirit, it is also a discipline that illuminates the human soul.
This book explores the goal of alchemy from Jungian, psychological,
and philosophical perspectives. Jung's Alchemical Philosophy:
Psyche and the Mercurial Play of Image and Idea is a reflection on
Jung's alchemical work and the importance of philosophy as a way of
understanding alchemy and its contributions to Jung's psychology.
By engaging these disciplines, Marlan opens new vistas on alchemy
and the circular and ouroboric play of images and ideas, shedding
light on the alchemical opus and the transformative processes of
Jungian psychology. Divides in the history of alchemy and in the
alchemical imagination are addressed as Marlan deepens the process
by turning to a number of interpretations that illuminate both the
enigma of the Philosophers' Stone and the ferment in the Jungian
tradition. This book will be of interest to Jungian analysts and
those who wish to explore the intersection of philosophy and
psychology as it relates to alchemy.
Always practise safe hex . . . New York Times bestselling author
Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, follows her sensational
TikTok hit, The Ex Hex, and casts a spell with a new spine-tingling
romance full of wishes, witches, and cursed kisses. 'A spooky
romantic comedy treat that had me sighing at one page, laughing out
loud at the next' TESSA BAILEY on The Ex Hex Readers ADORED The Ex
Hex! 'If Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Gilmore Girls had a book
baby, it would be THE EX HEX. And yes, it's just as glorious as it
sounds!' 'I loved and adored everything about this book . . .
everything I was looking for! 5/5 stars!' 'The vibes were
immaculate' 'One of the best rom-coms I've read all year! . . .
It's Practical Magic meets Gilmore Girls and I am a hundred percent
OBSESSED!' 'Definite Gilmore Girls vibes but with more magic and
sex' 'A fantastic romance with more than a touch of magic' 'This
book is pitched as Hocus Pocus, but it bangs and it certainly did'
........................................ Magic doesn't always play
by the rules. Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves
Glen. She's formed a powerful new coven with her family; she's
running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she's
mentoring some of the younger witches in town. As Halloween
approaches, there's only one problem - Llewellyn 'Wells' Penhallow.
Wells has come to Graves Glen for two reasons: to re-establish his
family's connection to the town and to make a new life for himself
away from his father. But when he opens a magic shop of his own
just across the street from Gwyn's, he quickly learns that going up
against her won't be as easy as he thought . . . especially after
an accidentally magic-inspired - and very hot - kiss. While Gwyn
and Wells are fully committed to their witchy rivalry, they soon
find themselves thrown together once again to deal with the sudden
appearance of a mysterious new coven and Gwyn's growing concern
that something - or someone - is messing with her magic . . .
........................................ Praise for The Ex Hex, an
unmissable treat! 'Sterling's novel is ultimately crisp and sweet,
like biting into the perfect caramel apple . . . will sweep readers
up into a world of whimsical magic' Kirkus 'Filled with delightful
witchiness and humor . . . a fluffy Halloween treat' Publishers
Weekly 'A delightful and witty take on witchy mayhem' PopSugar 'You
can't help but smile and laugh while reading The Ex Hex . . .
Perfect for anyone who needs more witchy content in their lives'
The Nerd Daily
Between the years of 1898 and 1926, Edward Westermarck spent a
total of seven years in Morocco, visiting towns and tribes in
different parts of the country, meeting local people and learning
about their language and culture; his findings are noted in this
two-volume set, first published in 1926. The first volume contains
extensive reference material, including Westermarck's system of
transliteration and a comprehensive list of the tribes and
districts mentioned in the text. The chapters in this, the second
volume, explore such areas as the rites and beliefs connected with
the Islamic calendar, agriculture, and childbirth. This title will
fascinate any student or researcher of anthropology with an
interest in the history of ritual, culture and religion in Morocco.
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.
Of interest to interdisciplinary historians as well as those in
various other fields, this book presents the first publication of
14 poems ranging from 12 to 3,000 lines. The poems are printed in
the chronological order of their composition, from Elizabethan to
Augustan times, but nine of them are verse translations of works
from earlier periods in the development of alchemy. Each has a
textual and historical introduction and explanatory note by the
Editor. Renaissance alchemy is acknowledged as an important element
in the histories of early modern science and medicine. This book
emphasises these poems' expression of and shaping influence on
religious, social and political values and institutions of their
time too and is a useful reference work with much to offer for
cultural studies and literary studies as well as science and
history.
This comprehensive book outlines the life and works of an important
revolutionary intellectual of the 16th Century. This book follows
Bruno's life and the development of his thought in the order in
which he declared it. Giordano Bruno was an Italian Dominican
friar, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. He was burned at
the stake after the Roman Inquisition found him guilty of heresy
but his modern scientific thought and cosmology became very
influential. His writings on science also showed interest in magic
and alchemy and those are outlined in this book alongside what he
is most remembered for - his place in the history of the
relationship between science and faith.
Packed with strange stories and spectacular illustrations, The
Devil's Atlas leads you on an adventure through the afterlife,
exploring the supernatural worlds of global cultures to form a
fascinating traveler's guide quite unlike any other. From the
author of the critically acclaimed bestsellers The Phantom Atlas,
The Sky Atlas, and The Madman's Library comes a unique and
beautifully illustrated guide to the heavens, hells, and lands of
the dead as imagined throughout history by cultures and religions
around the world. Packed with colorful maps, paintings, and
captivating stories, The Devil's Atlas is a compelling tour of the
geography, history, and supernatural populations of the afterworlds
of cultures around the globe. Whether it's the thirteen heavens of
the Aztecs, the Chinese Taoist netherworld of "hungry ghosts,"
Islamic depictions of Paradise, or the mysteries of the Viking
mirror world, each is conjured through astonishing images and a
highly readable trove of surprising facts and narratives, stories
of places you'd hope to go, and those you definitely would not. A
traveler's guide to worlds unseen, here is a fascinating visual
chronicle of our hopes, fears, and fantasies of what lies beyond.
DISCOVER THE BEYOND: From the depths of underworlds to the heights
of heavens and everywhere else a life after death may be spent,
this atlas explores the geography, history, and supernatural
populations of the afterworlds of global mythologies. A GLOBAL
SURVEY: From the demon parliament of the ancient Maya, to the
eternal globe-spanning quest to find the Earthly Paradise, to the
"Hell of the Flaming Rooster" of Japanese Buddhist mythology (in
which sinners are tormented by an enormous fire-breathing
cockerel), The Devil's Atlas gathers together a wonderful variety
of beliefs and representations of life after death. UNUSUAL AND
UNSEEN: These afterworlds are illustrated with an unprecedented
collection of images. They range from the marvelous "infernal
cartography" of the European Renaissance artists attempting to map
the structured Hell described by Dante and the decorative Islamic
depictions of Paradise to the various efforts to map the Garden of
Eden and the spiritual vision paintings of nineteenth-century
mediums. EXPERT AUTHOR: Edward Brooke-Hitching is a master of
taking visually-driven deep dives into unusual historical subjects,
such as the maps of imaginary geography in The Phantom Atlas,
ancient pathways through the stars in The Sky Atlas, and the
literary oddities lining the metaphorical shelves of The Madman's
Library. Perfect for: Obscure history and mythology enthusiasts
Anyone with an interest in the occult Spiritual curiosity seekers
Map lovers
Women come to the fore in witchcraft trials as accused persons or
as witnesses, and this book is a study of women's voices in these
trials in eight countries around the North Sea: Spanish
Netherlands, Northern Germany, Denmark, Scotland, England, Norway,
Sweden, and Finland. From each country, three trials are chosen for
close reading of courtroom discourse and the narratological
approach enables various individuals to speak. Throughout the
study, a choir of 24 voices of accused women are heard which reveal
valuable insight into the field of mentalities and display both the
individual experience of witchcraft accusation and the development
of the trial. Particular attention is drawn to the accused women's
confessions, which are interpreted as enforced narratives. The
analyses of individual trials are also contextualized nationally
and internationally by a frame of historical elements, and a
systematic comparison between the countries shows strong
similarities regarding the impact of specific ideas about
witchcraft, use of pressure and torture, the turning point of the
trial, and the verdict and sentence. This volume is an essential
resource for all students and scholars interested in the history of
witchcraft, witchcraft trials, transnationality, cultural
exchanges, and gender in early modern Northern Europe.
This comprehensive annotated bibliography, first published in 1990,
guides the user helpfully through where to find information on
various elements on alchemy when researching. Divided into
categories to aid finding the right area of interest, this book
forms a unique reference tool.
Reissuing seminal works originally published between 1916 and 1995,
Routledge Library Editions: Alchemy (7 volume set) offers a
selection of scholarship covering various facets of alchemical
traditions. Some texts examine alchemy itself while some offer
insight into the motives for alchemical research and others outlay
portraits of people such as Giordano Bruno and John Dee.
Shows students of the history of witchcraft and magic that the
beliefs of the seventeenth century continued through the
Enlightenment, despite the attempts by philosophers to dismiss
magic and its practice, into the nineteenth century. The volume is
divided into three sections highlighting different definitions of
magic including the concern over the non-material world as found in
popular and elite practices, its relationship with science and
medicine, and other forms of divination available to the general
population. Providing students with a broad view of how magic was
engaged with in the eighteenth century to inform their own studies.
Explores the relationship between magic, science and medicine
providing students with a good understanding of how the emerging
fields of science and medicine came into conflict with popular
belief in and practice of magic. Allowing students to see why magic
still resonated with the general public into the nineteenth
century.
This was originally a two volume set which is now bound as one.
Here is presented an investigation of the nature of the earliest
extant records of the supposed communication with angels and
spirits of John Dee (1527-1608) with the assistance of his two
mediums or 'scryers', Barnabas Saul and Edward Kelly. Volume 2 of
this work is a transcription of the records in Dee's hand contained
in Sloane MS 3188, which has been transcribed only once before, by
Elias Ashmole in 1672. Volume 1 is an introduction and thorough
commentary to the text which is primarily explaining its many
obscurities. The author describes the physical state of the
manuscript and its history then continues with a biography of Dee
and his scryers and some background to Renaissance occult
philosophy. Further chapters address the arguments that the
manuscript represents a conscious fraud or a cryptographical
exercise and describe the magical system and instruments evolved
during the communications or 'Actions'. The last, fascinating
chapter examines Dee's motives for believing so strongly in the
truth of the Actions and suggests that a principal motive was the
conviction, not held by Dee alone, that a new age was about to dawn
upon earth.
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