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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies > Witchcraft
Thomas Potts' famous account of the Pendle witch trials of 1612 is
the only original source of information about the events, and in
this excellent new version historian Robert Poole makes the text
accessible and usable for twenty-first century readers for the
first time. Accompanied by an extremely helpful introduction that
summarises the affair in a clear and chronological way, this book
is a must for everyone interested in the Pendle witches, and in the
history of witchcraft, Lancashire and England.
The strix was a persistent feature of the folklore of the Roman
world and subsequently that of the Latin West and the Greek East.
She was a woman that flew by night, either in an owl-like form or
in the form of a projected soul, in order to penetrate homes by
surreptitious means and thereby devour, blight or steal the
new-born babies within them. The motif-set of the ideal narrative
of a strix attack - the 'strix-paradigm' - is reconstructed from
Ovid, Petronius, John Damascene and other sources, and the
paradigm's impact is traced upon the typically gruesome
representation of witches in Latin literature. The concept of the
strix is contextualised against the longue-duree notion of the
child-killing demon, which is found already in the ancient Near
East, and shown to retain a currency still as informing the
projection of the vampire in Victorian fiction.
Magic enjoyed a vigorous revival in sixteenth-century Europe,
attaining a prestige lost for over a millennium and becoming, for
some, a kind of universal philosophy. Renaissance music also
suggested a form of universal knowledge through renewed interest in
two ancient themes: the Pythagorean and Platonic "harmony of the
celestial spheres" and the legendary effects of the music of bards
like Orpheus, Arion, and David. In this climate, Renaissance
philosophers drew many new and provocative connections between
music and the occult sciences.
In "Music in Renaissance Magic," Gary Tomlinson describes some of
these connections and offers a fresh view of the development of
early modern thought in Italy. Raising issues essential to
postmodern historiography--issues of cultural distance and our
relationship to the others who inhabit our constructions of the
past --Tomlinson provides a rich store of ideas for students of
early modern culture, for musicologists, and for historians of
philosophy, science, and religion.
"A scholarly step toward a goal that many composers have aimed for:
to rescue the "idea" of New Age Music--that music can promote
spiritual well-being--from the New Ageists who have reduced it to a
level of sonic wallpaper."--Kyle Gann, "Village Voice"
"An exemplary piece of musical and intellectual history, of
interest to all students of the Renaissance as well as
musicologists. . . . The author deserves congratulations for
introducing this new approach to the study of Renaissance
music."--Peter Burke, "NOTES"
"Gary Tomlinson's "Music in Renaissance Magic: Toward a
Historiography of Others" examines the 'otherness' of magical
cosmology. . . . [A] passionate, eloquently melancholy, and
important book."--Anne Lake Prescott, "Studies in English
Literature"
Evil is an intrinsically fascinating topic. In Lucifer, Jeffrey
Burton Russell continues his compelling study of the
personification of evil in the figure of the Devil. The previous
two volumes in this remarkable tertalogy—The Devil and
Satan—trace the history of the concept of the devil comparatively
as it emerged in diverse cultures and followed its development in
Western thought from the ancient Hebrew religion through the first
five centuries of the Christian era.The present volume charts the
evolution of the concept of the devil from the fifth century
through the fifteenth. Drawing on an impressive array of sources
from popular religion, art, literature, and drama, as well as from
scholastic philosophy, mystical theology, homiletics, and
hagiography, Russell provides a detailed treatment of Christian
diabology in the Middle Ages. Although he focuses primarily on
Western Christian thought, Russell also includes, for the sake of
comparison, material on the concept of the devil in Greek Orthodoxy
during the Byzantine period as well as in Muslim thought.Russell
recounts how the Middle Ages saw a refinement in detail rather than
a radical alteration of diabological theory. He shows that the
medieval concept of the devil, fundamentally unchanged over the
course of the centuries, eventually gave rise to the unyielding
beliefs that resulted in the horrifying cruelties of the
witch-hunting craze in the 1500s and 1600s. This major contribution
to the history of the Middle Ages and to the history of religion
will enlighten scholars and students alike and will appeal to
anyone concerned with the problem of evil in our world.
The book provides a comprehensive exploration of witchcraft beliefs
and practices in the rural region of Eastern Slovenia. Based on
field research conducted at the beginning of the twenty-first
century, it examines witchcraft in the region from folkloristic,
anthropological, as well as historical, perspectives. Witchcraft is
presented as part of social reality, strongly related to misfortune
and involved in social relationships. The reality of the ascribed
bewitching deeds, psychological mechanisms that may help
bewitchment to work, circumstances in which bewitchment narratives
can be mobilised, reasons for a person to acquire a reputation of
the witch in the entire community, and the role that unwitchers
fulfilled in the community, are but a few of the many topics
discussed. In addition, the intertwinement of social witchcraft
with narratives of supernatural experiences, closely associated
with supernatural beings of European folklore, forming part of the
overall witchcraft discourse in the area, is explored.
The essays in this Handbook, written by leading scholars working in
the rapidly developing field of witchcraft studies, explore the
historical literature regarding witch beliefs and witch trials in
Europe and colonial America between the early fifteenth and early
eighteenth centuries. During these years witches were thought to be
evil people who used magical power to inflict physical harm or
misfortune on their neighbours. Witches were also believed to have
made pacts with the devil and sometimes to have worshipped him at
nocturnal assemblies known as sabbaths. These beliefs provided the
basis for defining witchcraft as a secular and ecclesiastical crime
and prosecuting tens of thousands of women and men for this
offence. The trials resulted in as many as fifty thousand
executions. These essays study the rise and fall of witchcraft
prosecutions in the various kingdoms and territories of Europe and
in English, Spanish, and Portuguese colonies in the Americas. They
also relate these prosecutions to the Catholic and Protestant
reformations, the introduction of new forms of criminal procedure,
medical and scientific thought, the process of state-building,
profound social and economic change, early modern patterns of
gender relations, and the wave of demonic possessions that occurred
in Europe at the same time. The essays survey the current state of
knowledge in the field, explore the academic controversies that
have arisen regarding witch beliefs and witch trials, propose new
ways of studying the subject, and identify areas for future
research.
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.
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.
A fiery, intersectional guide for activists and witches alike,
Revolutionary Witchcraft is an empowered introduction to the
history and practice of politically-motivated magic. From the
politically charged origins of the word "witch" to the present-day
magical resistance, this bold handbook explores the role of
witchcraft in our modern world. Author, activist, and practicing
witch Sarah Lyons takes readers on a journey through a leftist
history of magic -- from the witch hunts of early modern England,
through the Salem Witch Trials, and up to our present moment.
Pairing mystical acts, including sigil magic and soul flight, with
core organizing tactics, like power mapping and protests,
Revolutionary Witchcraft offers a blueprint for building a
politically grounded magical praxis. From social justice to
environmental activism, this radical re imagining of political
activism addresses today's most pressing problems with empowering,
inclusive rituals and magical actions. Each chapter introduces a
key concept, like dreaming big, experiencing magical initiation,
and joining the revolution, supported by a surprising historical
case study on the power of mystical action. Full of actionable
ideas for magical organising, and an appendix packed with
customised spells, Revolutionary Witchcraft is the perfect
companion for the magical uprising.
We no longer believe in witches as our ancestors once did. However,
in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, any unforeseen or
unexplained events were likely to be attributed to witchcraft. The
stories of the individuals within this book show how superstition
and prejudice played an important and powerful part in the lives of
the populace of Yorkshire from the Middle Ages right through to the
nineteenth century
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.
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.
A beautiful and inspirational guide to colour and its magic. Magic
can take many forms, whether it be a desire, a wish, or a spell. It
can even be a simple act of kindness for friends and family, and
importantly for yourself too - like a lovingly hand-made object, a
comforting meal or a home-cooked gift. Many people are turning to
alternative ways to find connection and meaning. Something as
simple as, 'Are you ok?' has great strength, power and empathy.
Thoughtfulness is key and this book has kindness at the heart of
its magic to create a more forgiving and considerate community.
Curated into colour chapters, Sam takes a look at each colour and
what it represents. The book brims full of magical spells, poems,
charms, rituals, recipes, makes and wishes to create a helpful
guide - a comfort, a tonic - something that is available to
everyone, whether you feel like you are a witch or not. Chapters
are: White, Yellow & Orange, Red, Pink, Violet, Blue, Green,
Brown, Black & Grey, Silver & Gold Projects include: Orange
blossom spell, Clay incense holder, Lucky red wrist ribbon, Hanging
crystal grotto, Witch's knots, Friendship jar spell, Crescent moon
and amethyst make, Making a wand, Secret message jewellery, Moon
biscuits.
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...
Walkern, 1712. England has been free from witch-hunts for decades
until Jane Wenham is blamed for a tragic death and charged with
witchcraft. A terrifying ordeal begins, as the village is torn
between those who want to save Jane's life and those who claim they
want to save her soul. Inspired by events in a Hertfordshire
village, the play explores sex and society's hunger to find and
create witches. Rebecca Lenkiewicz's Jane Wenham: The Witch of
Walkern premiered at Watford Palace Theatre before going on UK tour
in September 2015, in an Out of Joint, Watford Palace Theatre and
Arcola Theatre co-production, in association with Eastern Angles.
Magic, which is probably as old as humanity, is a way of achieving
goals through supernatural means, either benevolent (white magic)
or harmful (black magic). Magic has been used in Britain since at
least the Iron Age (800 BC- AD 43) - amulets made from human bone
have been found on Iron Age sites in southern England. Britain was
part of the Roman Empire from AD 43 to 410, and it is then we see
the first written magic, in the form of curse tablets. A good deal
of magic involves steps to prevent the restless dead from returning
to haunt the living, and this may lie behind the decapitated and
prone (face down) burials of Roman Britain. The Anglo-Saxons who
settled in England in the 5th and 6th century were strong believers
in magic: they used ritual curses in Anglo-Saxon documents, they
wrote spells and charms, and some of the women buried in pagan
cemeteries were likely practitioners of magic (wicca, or witches).
The Anglo-Saxons became Christians in the 7th century, and the new
"magicians" were the saints, who with the help of God, were able to
perform miracles. In 1066, William of Normandy became king of
England, and for a time there was a resurgence of belief in magic.
The medieval church was able to keep the fear of magic under
control, but after the Reformation in the mid 16th century, this
fear returned, with numerous witchcraft trials in the late 16th and
17th centuries.
The image of the witch - crook-nosed, unpleasant of disposition and
with a penchant for harming her neighbours - is well established in
the popular imagination. For hundreds of years the accusation of
witchcraft has been levelled against women throughout the British
Isles: such women were feared, persecuted, revered and reviled,
with many ending their journeys at the stake or noose. Far from a
mass of pitiable, faceless victims however, each case tells its own
story, with a distinct woman at its heart, spanning the centuries
down to the present. What did it really mean to be accused as a
witch? Why, and by whom, were such accusations made? Was it
possible to survive, and what awaited those who did? Prepare to
delve into the captivating history of witchcraft with an in-depth
exploration of some of the most fascinating and notorious women
accused of being witches from across the British Isles. On a
journey from 14th century Ireland to 20th century Hampshire,
Accused examines the why, the how, and, most importantly, the who
of these tantalising and evocative cases. Using trial documents,
contemporary pamphlets, church and census records and a wealth of
other sources, eleven accused women are brought to life in a
biographical approach that will take the reader back in time.
Meticulously researched and skilfully and painstakingly woven, this
book will be indispensable to anyone with an interest in the
popular topic of the history of witchcraft and a love of
fascinating and diverse individuals. Setting each of the accused in
their social and historical context, Willow Winsham delivers a
fresh and revealing look at her subjects, bringing her unique style
and passion for detail to this captivating read.
In 1711, in County Antrim, eight women were put on trial accused of
orchestrating the demonic possession of young Mary Dunbar, and the
haunting and supernatural murder of a local clergyman’s wife.
Mary Dunbar was the star witness in this trial, and the women were,
by the standards of the time, believable witches – they smoked,
they drank, they just did not look right. With echoes of Arthur
Miller’s The Crucible and the Salem witch-hunt, this is a story
of murder, of hysteria, and of how the ‘witch craze’ that
claimed over 40,000 lives in Europe played out on Irish shores.
'Romance, mystery, and a family curse - The Ladies of the Secret
Circus has it all' Popsugar From the author of A Witch in Time
comes a magical story spanning from Jazz Age Paris to modern-day
America of family secrets, sacrifice, and lost love set against the
backdrop of a mysterious circus. Perfect for fans of The Night
Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. The surest way to get
a ticket to Le Cirque Secret is to wish for it . . . Paris, 1925:
To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder - a world
where women weave illusions, carousels take you back in time, and
trapeze artists float across the sky. Bound to her family's circus,
it's the only world Cecile Cabot knows until she meets a
charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate affair that
could cost her everything. Virginia, 2004: Lara Barnes is on top of
the world, but when her fiance disappears on their wedding day
every plan she has for the future comes crashing down. Desperate,
Lara's search for answers unexpectedly lead to her
great-grandmother's journals. Swept into a story of a dark circus
and ill-fated love, secrets about Lara's family history come to
light and reveal a curse that has been claiming payment from the
women in her family for generations. A curse that might be tied to
her fiance's mysterious fate . . . Why readers love The Ladies of
the Secret Circus . . . 'A spellbinding historical fantasy . . .
Fans of Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus will love this
page-turning story of dark magic, star-crossed love, and familial
sacrifice' Publishers Weekly (starred review) 'At times decadent
and macabre, The Ladies of the Secret Circus is a mesmerizing tale
of love, treachery, and depraved magic percolating through four
generations of Cabot women' Luanne G. Smith, author of The Vine
Witch 'Ambitious and teeming with magic, Sayers creates a
fascinating mix of art, The Belle Epoque, and more than a little
murder' Erika Swyler, author of The Book of Speculation 'The Ladies
of the Secret Circus is a dazzling tale, laced with sinister magic,
blood and beauty, love and loss. This is a book that will haunt you
long after the last page is turned' Alyssa Palombo, author of The
Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel 'Spellbinding. The Ladies Of The
Secret Circus is a dazzling, high-wire feat of storytelling'
Catherine Taylor, author of Beyond the Moon 'The Ladies of the
Secret Circus is a book to get lost in' BookPage
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