RELIGION / PAGANISM"A refreshing study of an often-neglected subject. From the conventional to the controversial, the broad scope of this book and its valuable contribution to Sufi, Mithraic, and Zoro-astrian studies gets to the very heart of the matter."KAREN RALLS, PH.D., author of The Templars and the Grail The Mysteries of Mithras presents a revival of the magical practices and initiatory system of Mithraism, the ancient Roman mystery religion that was immensely popular in the Roman Legions from the late second century B.C. until A.D. 400 and was taken to every corner of the Roman Empire. As the last pagan state religion in Europe, it was the most important competitor to early Christianity and heavily influenced Christian doctrine and symbolism. The parallels between Christianity and ancient Mithraism are striking--for example, the god Mithras was born of a virgin in a cave on December 25. Payam Nabarz reveals the history, origins, and spiritual and philosophical tenets of Mithraism--the religion originated in Persia and spread west to Rome--and its connections to Christianity, Islam, and Freemasonry. He also describes the modern neo-pagan practice of Mithraism in evidence today. For readers who wish to adopt the Mithraic path, he includes seven of its initiatory rituals and meditations, as well as orations and teaching tales that open the door to the seven Mithraic grades of passage. PAYAM NABARZ, a Persian-born Sufi and practicing Dervish, holds a Ph.D. from Oxford University and is carrying out postdoctoral research there on genetics and cancer. He is a Druid in the Grove of the Order of the Bards, Ovates, and Druids; a member of the Golden Dawn Occult Society; and a revivalistof the Temple of Mithras. He lives in England.

The Indo-Iranian Anahita is an ancient Persian Goddess, who became a Zoroastrian Yazata (or Angel) and is still part of contemporary Zoroastrianism. Described as a beautiful maiden, who is strong, tall and pure, she is depicted as wearing a mantle embroidered with gold and as holding the baresma (sacred plant) in her hand. She is the Goddess of all the waters upon the earth, her full title being Aredvi Sura Anahita which means moist, mighty and immaculate (pure), and she travels on her chariot pulled by four horses: Wind, Rain, Cloud and Sleet. Closely associated with the King's investiture she is a Goddess of Sovereignty, thought by some to be the Persian Aphrodite, who also has some remarkable similarities to numerous other ancient goddesses, including Ishtar, Venus, Nana and Isis. Anahita: Ancient Persian Goddess and Zoroastrian Yazata is a collection of papers, art and poetry celebrating this fascinating Goddess from more than 25 esteemed international academics, Zoroastrians, artists and writers. Each in turn share their research and insights leading the reader on a journey of discovery - from the Achaemenid Royal Inscriptions featuring Anahita and Mithra, to the possible relationships between Anahita and the Dame du Lac of Arthurian Legend, representations of her in Sassanian art, William Morris Hunt through to Anahita as the pre-Christian Virgin Mother of Mithra, as well as her role in purification and purity. Studies of the Sassanian rock reliefs, hot mineral springs, and her water ritual in Mah y na Buddhism, in addition to an examination of the Sassanid stucco discovered in the Barz-e-qawela in Lorestan province of Iran and women in ancient Elam are all brought together illustrating the significance of Anahita throughout Persian and Middle Eastern history. This book is the most extensive study of the figure of Anahita in recent years, and includes new and never published before research. Anahita: Ancient Persian Goddess and Zoroastrian Yazata is essential reading for all those interested not just in this Goddess and her history, but also all those interested in Persian and Middle Eastern history. Contributors include: Dr. Israel Campos Mendez, Dr. Kaveh Farrokh, Dr. Matteo Compareti, Sheda Vasseghi, D.M. Murdock, Dr. Sam Kerr, Rahele Koulabadi, Dr. Seyyed Rasool Mousavi Haji, Morteza Ataie, Seyed Mehdi Mousavi Kouhpar, Seyyed Sadrudin Mosavi Jashni, Farhang Khademi Nadooshan, Hassan Nia, Masoud Sabzali, Dr. Masato Tojo, Behzad Mahmoudi, Amir Mansouri, Dr Kamyar Abdi, Dr Gholamreza Karamian, Maryam Zour, Saman Farzin, Babak Aryanpour, Reza MehrAfarin, Akashanath, Shapour Suren-Pahlav, Ana C. Jones, Katherine Sutherland, and Dr. Payam Nabarz.

Vs. Duality and conflict in magick, mythology and paganism Edited by Kim Huggens "Relationship cannot be created without duality: we are divided for love's sake, for the chance of union..." Vs. is a unique collection of twenty-one essays exploring the dynamic and wide-ranging nature of duality in magic, paganism and folklore, from polarity to paradox to opposition to friction to union. The essays by magicians, witches, folklorists, sorcerors, Norse and vodou practitioners, weave together diverse threads of wisdom, knowledge, experience and inspiration into a tapestry of fallen angels, heroes, gods, goddesses, fairies, lwa, dreams, myths and stories. The significance of the interplay between two disparate or similar powers is explored through the relationship of divine twins, siblings, lovers and enemies in a variety of different pantheons and tales, from Cain and Abel to Lilith and Eve, from Shiva & Shakti to Inanna and Dumuzi, from Perseus and Andromeda to Ares and Hephastus. The union of divine and mortal is another powerful theme explored in this book, both through the hieros gamos (sacred marriage) and the maryaj (Vodou spirit marriage) where a person weds one of the lwa. Vs. also explores the theme of self and other, as experienced both in ritual techniques for trance and dreaming, and in social commentaries on the diversity of beliefs within the modern esoteric revival such as Wicca, Sorcery and Neopaganism. Vs. covers a span of thousands of years, from ancient writings such as those of Plato and Gnosticism to the modern works of twentieth century magicians such as Austin Osman Spare and Dion Fortune. From the wisdom of the Emerald Tablet to the tales of the Mabinogion, Vs. challenges you in numerous ways to accept diversity and strive for the union of perfection. "I am the voice whose sound is manifold and the word whose appearance is multiple. " Thunder, Perfect Mind, 3rd century CE

The Sufi ritual meal ceremony of 'Deeg-Jush' translates as the 'Seething Cauldron' or 'Boiling Cauldron', and, like its Celtic equivalent: the Cauldron of Cerridwen, it symbolizes the transformation and change of the initiate as he/she becomes cooked in the cauldron. In this collection of essays covering Persian Magi, Zoroastrianism, Sufism, Freemasonry, Wicca, Druidry, Neo-Paganism, Mithraism, and Thelema; Payam Nabarz takes a down-to-earth look at contemporary spirituality. Contents: The Persian Fool and Trickster: Haji Firouz Anahita: Lady Of Persia Zoroastrian Angels and Demons Mithras and the Right Handed Handshake Of The Gods Influences Of Freemasonry and Sufism On Wicca and Neo-Paganism Sacred Plants (Drugs In Religion) The Right Hand Path Or Left Hand Path; Star Wars, Excalibur and Lord Of The Rings To Genes, Memes, Gods and Beyond (Sex, Chocolate and Religion) Spirit Of Peace

A Journey to the Hypercosmic side of the Sun by Prof Ezio Albrile. Internet & the Resurrection of a God: the Neo-Mithraic Communities by Israel Campos. Aristotle & the Natural Slave: The Athenian Relationship with India by Robert F. Mullen. The Dawn of Religions in Afghanistan-Seistan-Gandhara & the Personal Seals of Gotama Buddha & Zoroaster by Ranajit Pal. Dacia & the Cult of Mithras by Csaba Szabo. Sun Tzu & the Achaemenid Grand Strategy by Sheda Vasseghi. Zen Buddhism & Mithraism by Masato T j . A new Archaeological Research of the Sassanian Fire Temple of Rivand in Sabzevar, by Hassan Hashemi Zarjabad. The Zoroastrian Holyland of Haetumant by Reza MehrAfarin. Kephra by Akashanath. Into The Looking Glass Tragic Reflections of Life by Lesley Madytinou. Solomon in Olympus: The Enduring Connection between King Solomon & Greek Magic by David Rankine. Orphic Hymn to Aphrodite trans by Harita Meenee. The Athenian Festivals of Demeter by Melissa Gold. The Lioness by Jane Raeburn. Plus many more articles.

Stellar Magic by Payam Nabarz A Practical Guide to Rites of the Moon, Planets, Stars and Constellations The practical rites and ceremonies in this Liber Astrum are created using a myriad of hymns and tales, drawing inspiration and material from many ancient, classical and medieval sources including: the Hymns of Orpheus, Ovid's Metamorphoses, Plato's Timaeus, the Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius, the Greek Magical Papyri, the Chaldean Oracles, the Persian Shah Nameh 'Epic of Kings' by Ferdowsi, Scipio's Dream by Cicero, the Persian Pahlavi Texts, book of Enoch, Bible Ezekiel chapter, Egyptian temples and texts, The Golden Ass by Lucius Apuleius, the Zoroastrian Yasht hymns, Sufi works of Ibn Arabi and Rumi, the Kabalistic Sefer Yetzirah, the Mithras Liturgy, Persian Burj Nameh, the Picatrix, Hesiod Works and Days, Homer's The Odyssey, Porphyry's On the Cave of the Nymphs and Aratus' Phaenomena. In bringing these ancient rites into modern times, stellar related material and ideals by modern poets such as WB Yeats, Robert Graves, Sylvia Plath, and esoteric writers such as John Milton, John Dee, Elias Ashmole, Francis Barrett, Rudolf Steiner, Aleister Crowley, Gerald Gardner have also been included, giving a Bardic blend of the ancient and the modern. The rites here 'set the scene' and after all the poems and invocations are uttered, the point is reached in the rite where the magus has to make his/her direct connection, and to draw inspiration from the stellar well directly. The rites here are the beginning steps on your stellar journey, it is recommended that you write your own poems and invocations to the constellations and make your Path to the stars. This is a highly accessible, succinct and practical book on this complex subject. It is written in such a way that it can be used as a manual and workbook for practicing stellar magic or simply read for gaining insight into star lore. -------- Praise for Stellar Magic: "In Stellar Magic Dr Nabarz provides both the reader and the practitioner with an invaluable book filled with the rich lore of stars and a series of stunning and powerful rituals to enable a deeper awareness of the effect these have on our daily lives. Drawing on rare and out of the way materials Dr Nabarz has assembled a veritable treasure house of wisdom and lore. This is an absolute must for anyone even remotely interested in Star Lore and for any practicing magician or seeker after truth." John Matthews (Author of many books including Walkers Between Worlds, The Grail Tarot, The Arthurian Tarot, The Celtic Shaman, Taliesin).

A divine comedy that both enlightens you and has you rolling on floor with laughter. If you enjoy works of Terry Pratchett, Mighty Boosh or Mulla Nasreddin, this tale of the magical journeys of a Neophyte called Corax, and his initiator Goddess Morrigan is for you. The Celtic Goddess Morrigan is the Goddess of war, death, rebirth, change, and justice. This is far more than Corax expected at his initiation! Content:Act I:Lammas.Act II:Autumn Equinox. Act III:Samhain.Act IV:Winter Solstice-Alban Arthan:birth of the sun. Act V:A Kali Puja:a magickal workshop. Act VI:Imbolc. Act VII:Dance of Death. Act VIII:Beltane 4play. Act IX:An eclectic pagan's near-death experience. Act X:Beltane. Act XI:Justice for RollRight Stone Circle. Act XII:Living like the pagan ancestors. Act XIII:Towers of Silence. Act XIV:Magi's gifts. From author of 'The Mysteries of Mithras:The Pagan Belief That Shaped the Christian World' & 'The Persian Mar Nameh:The Zoroastrian Book of the Snake Omens & Calendar'.