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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies > Witchcraft
Rebel Witch reminds witches of the wondrous opportunity to jump
into experimentation and invent something wild and individual, a
practice shaped by their individual personality and life journey,
rather than allowing themselves to be spoon-fed. It challenges
witches to design a nurturing practice that is truly theirs.
There's information about all the elements of the craft, from
energy raising, sacred space creation and receiving signs to
casting spells, holding rituals, scrying, potions and much more ...
crucially, in each case the topic is discussed from an exciting
contemporary perspective. So, when Kelly-Ann talks about sacred
texts, she stresses that you can choose the texts that resonate
with you - so why not Alice in Wonderland or Narnia? Maybe you want
to move away from the traditional Wheel of the Year and create your
own divisions? Instead of honouring a traditional deity, why not
construct your own, choosing elements from rock stars, movie icons
or fictional heroes? Or embody magical signs in your clothing and
jewellery? Creativity and experimentation are encouraged, with tips
to help the reader to be inventive. A curious reader with a desire
to create an inspired, deeply personal path and free themselves
from conformity will finish the book ready to take action and make
magick happen!
Based on research in the Inquisitorial archives of Northern Italy,
The Night Battles recounts the story of a peasant fertility cult
centered on the benandanti, literally, "good walkers." These men
and women described fighting extraordinary ritual battles against
witches and wizards in order to protect their harvests. While their
bodies slept, the souls of the benandanti were able to fly into the
night sky to engage in epic spiritual combat for the good of the
village. Carlo Ginzburg looks at how the Inquisition's officers
interpreted these tales to support their world view that the
peasants were in fact practicing sorcery. The result of this
cultural clash, which lasted for more than a century, was the slow
metamorphosis of the benandanti into the Inquisition's mortal
enemies-witches. Relying upon this exceptionally well-documented
case study, Ginzburg argues that a similar transformation of
attitudes-perceiving folk beliefs as diabolical witchcraft-took
place all over Europe and spread to the New World. In his new
preface, Ginzburg reflects on the interplay of chance and
discovery, as well as on the relationship between anomalous cases
and historical generalizations.
Katharine Briggs enjoys an unchallenged reputation in the world of
folklore studies. The theme of this volume, the witch figure as a
malevolent intermediary in folk belief, was chosen to reflect that
aspect of Briggs's scholarship exemplified in her study of
witchcraft, Pale Hecate's Team. The contributors draw on the
disciplines of archaeology, comparative religion, sociology and
literature and include: Carmen Blacker, H.R. Ellis Davidson,
Margaret Dean-Smith, L.V. Grinsell, Christina Hole, Venetia Newall,
Geoffrey Parrinder, Anne Ross, Jacqueline Simpson, Beatrice White,
John Widdowson. Originally published in 1973.
Naming the Witch explores the recent series of witchcraft
accusations and killings in East Java, which spread as the Suharto
regime slipped into crisis and then fell. After many years of
ethnographic work focusing on the origins and nature of violence in
Indonesia, Siegel came to the conclusion that previous
anthropological explanations of witchcraft and magic, mostly based
on sociological conceptions but also including the work of E.E.
Evans-Pritchard and Claude Levi-strauss, were simply inadequate to
the task of providing a full understanding of the phenomena
associated with sorcery, and particularly with the ideas of power
connected with it. Previous explanations have tended to see
witchcraft in simple opposition to modernism and modernity
(enchantment vs. disenchantment). The author sees witchcraft as an
effect of culture, when the latter is incapable of dealing with
accident, death, and the fear of the disintegration of social and
political relations. He shows how and why modernization and
witchcraft can often be companiens, as people strive to name what
has hitherto been unnameable.
Tormented girls writhing in agony, stern judges meting out harsh
verdicts, nineteen bodies swinging on Gallows Hill. The stark
immediacy of what happened in 1692 has obscured the complex web of
human passion, individual and organized, which had been growing for
more than a generation before the witch trials. Salem Possessed
explores the lives of the men and women who helped spin that web
and who in the end found themselves entangled in it. From rich and
varied sources-many previously neglected or unknown-Paul Boyer and
Stephen Nissenbaum give us a picture of the events of 1692 more
intricate and more fascinating than any other in the already
massive literature on Salem. "Salem Possessed," wrote Robin Briggs
in The Times Literary Supplement, "reinterprets a world-famous
episode so completely and convincingly that virtually all the
previous treatments can be consigned to the historical
lumber-room." Not simply a dramatic and isolated event, the Salem
outbreak has wider implications for our understanding of
developments central to the American experience: the breakup of
Puritanism, the pressures of land and population in New England
towns, the problems besetting farmer and householder, the shifting
role of the church, and the powerful impact of commercial
capitalism.
This sourcebook provides the first systematic overview of
witchcraft laws and trials in Russia and Ukraine from medieval
times to the late nineteenth century. Witchcraft in Russia and
Ukraine, 1000–1900 weaves scholarly commentary with
never-before-published primary source materials translated from
Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. These sources include the earliest
references to witchcraft and sorcery, secular and religious laws
regarding witchcraft and possession, full trial transcripts, and a
wealth of magical spells. The documents present a rich panorama of
daily life and reveal the extraordinary power of magical words.
Editors Valerie A. Kivelson and Christine D. Worobec present new
analyses of the workings and evolution of legal systems, the
interplay and tensions between church and state, and the prosaic
concerns of the women and men involved in witchcraft proceedings.
The extended documentary commentaries also explore the shifting
boundaries and fraught political relations between Russia and
Ukraine.
This book deals with a fascinating and original claim in
16th-century Europe. Witches should be cured, not executed. It was
the physician and scholar Johann Wier (1515-1588) who challenged
the dominant idea. For his defense of witches, more than three
centuries later, Sigmund Freud chose to put Wier's work among the
ten books to be read. According to Wier, Satan seduced witches,
thus they did not deserve to be executed, but they must be cured
for their melancholy. When the witch hunt was rising, Wier was the
first to use some of the arguments adopted in the emerging debate
on religious tolerance in defence of witches. This is the first
overall study of Wier which offers an innovative view of his
thought, by highlighting Wier's sources and his attempts to involve
theologians, physicians, and philosophers in his fight against
cruel witch hunts. Johann Wier: Debating the Devil and Witches
situates and explains his claim as a result of a moral and
religious path as well as the outcome of his medical experience.
The book aims to provide an insightful examination of Wier's works
to read his pleas emphasizing the duty of every good Christian to
not abandon anyone who strays from the flock of Christ. For these
reasons, Wier was overwhelmed by bitter confutations, such as those
of Jean Bodin, but he was also celebrated for his outstanding and
prolific heritage for debating religious tolerance.
From Wren Maple, the Thrifty Witch, comes an introduction to
witchcraft with a variety of spells, tips, and tricks to get the
most out of your practice. There's nothing wrong with simple and
straightforward. Easy spells are not less worthy spells. These
ideas are central to the practice of the Thrifty Witch. Sick of not
being able to easily source (or afford) what she needed for spells,
Wren Maple dedicated herself to collecting and optimizing spells
that could work for all witches-no matter where they were on their
journey and no matter their personal resources. Now The Thrifty
Witch is sharing her research and bringing her collection to the
page for the first time. The Thrifty Witch's Book of Simple Spells
is part primer, part spellbook. It includes: Getting started/witch
basics: Witchcraft as self-care, how to establish a practice, and a
handful of super-easy spells to get casting today. Key ingredients
for spells: Starter stones and herbs, how to source, what to buy
first, and more questions answered! Simple spells for every witch:
Just like the spells Wren is known for online, nearly every spell
in the book requires five items or fewer, and all ingredients are
easy to source. Specific spells: Organized by purpose (e.g. love
spells, protection spells), these spells are sure to cover what
you're looking to cast. Tips and Tricks for Casting: When to cast
for best results, where to cast and why it matters...make your
spells count! The beauty of these spells is that they are easy
enough and affordable enough to practice daily. Since practice and
process are so important, this book provides an invaluable
resource-unlocking the ability to try new spells and refine casting
methods multiple times per week-even daily.
This 12-month perpetual planner for good witches provides a place
to plan and track everything from daily tasks and key rituals to
the sacred holidays and solstices on the Wheel of the Year. It's
chock-full of notes on holistic Wiccan magickal tips, spells, lore
and recipes distilled from the popular `The Good Witch's Guide' by
Shawn Robbins and Charity Bedell. And because it is perpetual you
can jump in at any time of the year.
Adam Ashforth, an Australian who has spent many years in Soweto,
finds his longtime friend Madumo in dire circumstances: his family
has accused him of using witchcraft to kill his mother and has
thrown him out on the street. Convinced that his life is cursed,
Madumo seeks help among Soweto's bewildering array of healers and
prophets. An inyanga, or traditional healer, confirms that he has
indeed been bewitched. Ashforth, skeptical yet supportive, remains
by Madumo's side as he embarks upon a physically grueling treatment
regimen that he follows religiously - almost to the point of death.
Asforth's beautifully written account of Madumo's struggle shows
that the problem of witchcraft is not simply superstition but a
complex response to spiritual insecurity in a troubling time of
political and economic upheaval. Through Madumo's story, Ashforth
opens up a world that few have seen, a deeply unsettling place
where the question, "Do you believe in witchcraft?" is not a simple
one at all. The insights that emerge as Ashforth accompanies his
friend on an odyssey through Soweto's supernatural perils have
profound implications even for those of us who live in worlds
without witches.
Everywhere, the witches are rising. Are you ready to answer the
call and embrace your own inner witch? In this book, Indigenous
seer, healer, and spirit communicator Juliet Diaz guides you on a
journey to connect with the Magick within you. She explains how to
cast off what doesn't serve you, unleash your authentic self, and
become an embodiment of your truth. You'll also learn the skills
and techniques you need to build your own Magickal craft. Within
these enchanted pages you'll discover how to: - Connect with the
power of your inner witch - Create spells, potions, and rituals for
love, protection, healing, manifestation and more - Amplify your
energy by working with a Book of Shadows - Create an altar and
decorate it according to the seasons - Work with the Moon and the
Seasons of the Witch - Connect with your ancestors to receive their
wisdom Filled with Magick, inspiration, and love, Witchery is your
guide and companion on a sacred journey to true self-empowerment.
Originally published in Brazil as O Diabo e a Terra de Santa Cruz,
this translation from the Portuguese analyzes the nature of popular
religion and the ways it was transferred to the New World in the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Using richly detailed
transcripts from Inquisition trials, Mello e Souza reconstructs how
Iberian, indigenous, and African beliefs fused to create a
syncretic and magical religious culture in Brazil.
Focusing on sorcery, the author argues that European traditions
of witchcraft combined with practices of Indians and African slaves
to form a uniquely Brazilian set of beliefs that became central to
the lives of the people in the colony. Her work shows how the
Inquisition reinforced the view held in Europe (particularly
Portugal) that the colony was a purgatory where those who had
sinned were exiled, a place where the Devil had a wide range of
opportunities. Her focus on the three centuries of the colonial
period, the multiple regions in Brazil, and the Indian, African,
and Portuguese traditions of magic, witchcraft, and healing, make
the book comprehensive in scope.
Stuart Schwartz of Yale University says, "It is arguably the
best book of this genre about Latin America...all in all, a
wonderful book." Alida Metcalf of Trinity University, San Antonio,
says, "This book is a major contribution to the field of Brazilian
history...the first serious study of popular religion in colonial
Brazil...Mello e Souza is a wonderful writer."
Originally published in 1970, this book explores the role of
concepts of disease in the social life of the Safwa of Tanzania,
particularly through beliefs concerning witchcraft and sorcery.
Examining Safwa ideas about the cuasation of disease and death and
the use of aetiological terms in actual cases, it demonstrates a
parallel between these ideas and terms, on the one hand and the
Safwa system of social categories on the other. A descrption of the
Safwa environment, way of life and social system is followed by an
account of the concepts of death and disease and of their causes as
revealed in ancestor rites, divination and autopsy. An analysis of
case histories demonstrates that the cause assigned to a particular
instance of illness or death depends upon the status relationship
between discputing parties who are associated with the patient. The
way in which the parallel between aetiological and social categoeis
helps to control the outcome of disputes is also examined.
Originally published in 1967, this book is a study of witchcraft
and sorcery among the Shona, Ndebele and Kalanga peoples of
Zimbabwe. It analyses in their social context verbatim evidence and
confessions from a comprehensive series of judicial records. It
provides the first systematic demonstration of the importance and
the exstent to which such sources can be used to make a detailed
analysis of the character and range of beliefs and motives. The
main emphasis is on witchcraft and sorcery beliefs, the nature of
accusations, confessions and divination, btoh traditional and as
practised by members of the Pentecostal Church.
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...
"Witches and Neighbours "is a highly original and unconventional
analysis of a fascinating historical phenomenon. Unlike other
studies of the subject which focus on the mechanisms of
persecution, this book presents a rich picture of witchcraft as an
all-pervasive aspect of life in early modern Europe.
Robin Briggs combines recent research with his own
investigations to produce a brilliant and compelling account of the
central role of witchcraft in the past. Although the history of
witchcraft can only be studied through records of persecutions,
these reveal that trials were unusual in everyday life and that
witchcraft can be viewed as a form of therapy. Witchcraft was also
an outlet and expression of many fundamental anxieties of society
and individuals in a time when life was precarious. The book argues
that witchcraft - its belief and persecutions - cannot be explained
by general causes but was as complex and changing as the society of
which it formed a vital part.
Since its original publication in 1996, this book has become the
standard work on the subject of witchcraft. It now appears in a
revised edition with an updated bibliography.
This book is not available from Blackwell in the United States
and the Philippines.
The Malleus Maleficarum is one of the best-known treatises dealing
with the problem of what to do with witches. It was written in 1487
by a Dominican inquisitor, Heinrich Institoris, following his
failure to prosecute a number of women for witchcraft, it is in
many ways a highly personal document, full of frustration at
official complacency in the face of a spiritual threat, as well as
being a practical guide for law-officers who have to deal with a
cunning, dangerous enemy. Combining theological discussion,
illustrative anecdotes, and useful advice for those involved in
suppressing witchcraft, its influence on witchcraft studies has
been extensive. The only previous translation into English, that by
Montague Summers produced in 1928, is full of inaccuracies. It is
written in a style almost unreadable nowadays, and is unfortunately
coloured by his personal agenda. This new edited translation, with
an introductory essay setting witchcraft, Institoris, and the
Malleus into clear, readable English, corrects Summers' mistakes
and offers a lean, unvarnished version of what Institoris actually
wrote. It will undoubtedly become the standard translation of this
important and controversial late-medieval text. -- .
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