Download or read book Witches of America written by Alex Mar and published by Sarah Crichton Books. This book was released on 2015-10-20 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Witches are gathering." When most people hear the word "witches," they think of horror films and Halloween, but to the nearly one million Americans who practice Paganism today, witchcraft is a nature-worshipping, polytheistic, and very real religion. So Alex Mar discovers when she sets out to film a documentary and finds herself drawn deep into the world of present-day magic. Witches of America follows Mar on her immersive five-year trip into the occult, charting modern Paganism from its roots in 1950s England to its current American mecca in the San Francisco Bay Area; from a gathering of more than a thousand witches in the Illinois woods to the New Orleans branch of one of the world's most influential magical societies. Along the way she takes part in dozens of rituals and becomes involved with a wild array of characters: a government employee who founds a California priesthood dedicated to a Celtic goddess of war; American disciples of Aleister Crowley, whose elaborate ceremonies turn the Catholic mass on its head; second-wave feminist Wiccans who practice a radical separatist witchcraft; a growing "mystery cult" whose initiates trace their rites back to a blind shaman in rural Oregon. This sprawling magical community compels Mar to confront what she believes is possible-or hopes might be. With keen intelligence and wit, Mar illuminates the world of witchcraft while grappling in fresh and unexpected ways with the question underlying every faith: Why do we choose to believe in anything at all? Whether evangelical Christian, Pagan priestess, or atheist, each of us craves a system of meaning to give structure to our lives. Sometimes we just find it in unexpected places.

Download or read book Evolutionary Witchcraft written by T. Thorn Coyle and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2005-10-06 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A learned and serious manual to Witchcraft for the mature practitioner, by one of the craft's leading teachers.

Download or read book Ecstatic Witchcraft written by Fio Gede Parma and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2012-06-08 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Journey down a shamanic path that embraces the ecstatic, the wild, the gnostic, the transformative, and the visionary. Expanding on principles touched on in his book By Land, Sky & Sea: Three Realms of Shamanic Witchcraft, Gede Parma walks you through an apprenticeship designed to ground and orient you on the path of the Shamanic Craft. Discover the meaning of ecstasy. Encounter the three realms. Learn shamanic techniques and rituals that will give you a more primal, authentic experience of Witchcraft, including: Drawing Down the Gods Working with Spirit Allies Trance and Moving Between the Worlds Ecstatic Spellcraft Healing and Soul Retrieval Seership and Divination Praise: "Smart, thought-provoking and useful...A worthy contribution to the continuing growth and evolution of shamanic Wicca by a passionate and poetic member of the next generation."—Phyllis W. Curott, author of Witch Crafting: A Spiritual Guide to Making Magic

Download or read book Heart of the Initiate written by Victor Anderson and published by Harpy Books. This book was released on 2012-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Featuring rare teachings from two influential teachers on the Feri tradition of witchcraft, this compact and unique resource covers Feri initiation, sexual ethics, the Guardians, Deities, and more. Including commentaries, letters to students, and extraordinary interview excerpts, this handbook reveals profound insights into the Goddess, rites, symbols, and the mysteries of the Craft.

Download or read book Wicca written by Scott Cunningham and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2010-09-08 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cunningham's classic introduction to Wicca is about how to live life magically, spiritually, and wholly attuned with nature. It is a book of sense and common sense, not only about magick, but about religion and one of the most critical issues of today: how to achieve the much needed and wholesome relationship with our Earth. Cunningham presents Wicca as it is today: a gentle, Earth-oriented religion dedicated to the Goddess and God. Wicca also includes Scott Cunningham's own Book of Shadows and updated appendices of periodicals and occult suppliers.

Download or read book Make Magic of Your Life written by T. Thorn Coyle and published by Weiser Books. This book was released on 2013-03-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you have the sense that you were born to do something more with your life but you don’t know what that is? Do you long to step into your power and live a life of passion? Do you wish to be of greater service? Are you willing to follow your soul's desire? Join master teacher, Pagan, and mystic T. Thorn Coyle in activating the magical formula known the Four Powers of the Sphinx. These four powers — To Know, To Will, To Dare, and To Keep Silence — help bring about a profound shift in how we view and move through the world. They will point you toward your highest purpose and show you what to do, both practically and spiritually, once you’ve found it. They will lead you to a life of magic. Find your soul’s work. Follow desire. Live a life that matters. From the introduction: "Working magic means showing up with your demons and your divinity, your sorrow and your joy. Alchemy only happens when we are willing to go through the processes of gathering together, refining, pouring, and solidifying. In the end, we have something fine to hold."

Download or read book Transformative Witchcraft written by Jason Mankey and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2019-01-08 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beyond the Taboos, the Power of Magick Awaits The rites and rituals of Witchcraft are life-changing experiences, but they are also steeped in mystery. Transformative Witchcraft delves into some of the most persistent mysteries of the Craft and provides insightful guidance for raising and directing magickal energy in accordance with your desires. Jason Mankey distills his decades of experience as he shares practical wisdom for raising a cone of power and detailed insights into creating powerful rituals for dedications, initiations, and elevations. In his chapter on drawing down the moon, he provides a vivid exploration of invocation and the subtle nuances in preparation and execution that can take the ritual to its most magisterial heights. This book also discusses one of the most mysterious of all the magickal rituals—the Great Rite. Whether you're interested in the Great Rite in token or in truth, there is much to be gleaned from the experiences related here on a topic that is frequently treated as taboo in much of the magickal literature. Direct experience with the divine and the potent energies of magick are defining experiences in a life of Witchcraft. Filled with compelling personal stories, a fascinating brief history of modern Wicca and Witchcraft, striking original rituals, and a wealth of tips and techniques, this book provides the beginning or intermediate Witch with the practical and theoretical keys they need to unlock the mysteries of the Craft. Praise: "A remarkable and refreshing exploration that is a must-read for anyone exploring contemporary Wicca and Witchcraft. Through a combination of in-depth historical research and charming personal narrative, Jason Mankey provides candid insight into important rituals and practices that are often glossed over or minimally explained in other texts."—Laura Tempest Zakroff, author of Sigil Witchery and Weave the Liminal "Transformative Witchcraft by Jason Mankey finds the perfect balance between the core teachings of magical tradition and the fresh cutting-edge magic of the modern witch. This well researched book digs deep exploring the foundations of witchcraft in a conversational and honest tone that makes the witchcraft mysteries accessible and current."—Mickie Mueller, author of The Witch's Mirror and Llewellyn's Little Book of Halloween

Download or read book Witchcraft Today written by Gerald Brosseau Gardner and published by DigiCat. This book was released on 2023-11-23 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Meaning of Witchcraft is a non-fiction book written by Gerald Gardner. Gardner, known to many in the modern sense as the "Father of Wicca", based the book around his experiences with the religion of Wicca and the New Forest Coven. He claimed he was allowed to tell more than ever before and cast light on the rituals and beliefs of witches. The book's main message was that neither the practices of witches nor their intents were harmful. The book tells the history of witchcraft in Europe. The author traces back to pre-Christian times, studies the rituals and beliefs of templars, and states that the belief in fairies in ancient, medieval, and early modern Europe was connected with a secretive pygmy race that lived alongside other communities. The preface to this book was Margaret Murray, who stated that witchcraft took its root in the pre-Christian religions and had nothing to do with spell-casting and other evil practices. Instead, Murray proposes to view witchcraft as "the sincere expression of that feeling towards God which is expressed, perhaps more decorously though not more sincerely, by modern Christianity in church services."

Download or read book Wicca for Beginners written by Thea Sabin and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2010-09-08 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to the sheer number of Wicca 101 books on the market, many newcomers to the Craft find themselves piecing together their Wiccan education by reading a chapter from one book, a few pages from another. Rather than depending on snippets of wisdom to build a new faith, Wicca for Beginners provides a solid foundation to Wicca without limiting the reader to one tradition or path. Embracing both the spiritual and the practical, Wicca for Beginners is a primer on the philosophies, culture, and beliefs behind the religion, without losing the mystery that draws many students to want to learn. Detailing practices such as grounding, raising energy, visualization, and meditation, this book offers exercises for core techniques before launching into more complicated rituals and spellwork. Finalist for the Coalition of Visionary Resources Award for Best Wiccan/Pagan Book "In her first book-length work, Sabin presents a first-rate, fresh, and thorough addition to the burgeoning field of earth-based spiritual practice volumes...written in a light, informative style that magically mines depth, breadth and brevity."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Download or read book The Inner Temple of Witchcraft written by Christopher Penczak and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2002 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This in-depth guide discusses the history, traditions, and principles of witchcraft, followed by thirteen lessons that start with basic meditation techniques and culminate in a self-initiation ceremony equivalent to the first-degree level of traditional coven-based witchcraft.

Download or read book Gender and Transgender in Modern Paganism written by Sarah Thompson and published by Circle of Cerridwen. This book was released on 2012 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore written by Hilda M. Ransome and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-04-20 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Well-documented study of bees, hives, and beekeepers, along with rare illustrations as they appear in ancient paintings, sculpture, on coins, jewelry, and Mayan glyphs.

Download or read book Fifty Years in the Feri Tradition written by Cora Anderson and published by Marion Street Press. This book was released on 2005-11 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written as a gift to the author's husband, the blind poet and shaman Victor H. Anderson, for their 50th wedding anniversary, this book explains the Andersons' work and teachings in the Fairy Faith of the Old Religion--its theology, physics, and social structure. Profound and insightful, this slim volume is packed with information not available anywhere else and is the definitive text on the Anderson Feri Tradition, also known as Vicia.

Download or read book The Secret History of Rock n Roll written by Christopher Knowles and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-10-01 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sex. Drugs. Loud music. Wild costumes. Dazzling light shows. These words can all describe a great rock concert or a hot dance club, but they were also part and parcel of the ancient cultural phenomenon known as the “Mystery religions.” In this book, author Christopher Knowles shows how the Mystery religions got a secular reincarnation when a new musical form called rock 'n' roll burst onto the scene. The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the history of the Mysteries — their rise, their fall, and their survival through long centuries of repression. Knowles shows how the Mysteries prefigured subcultures as diverse as Santeria, Freemasonry, Mardi Gras and even the Holiness churches of the American frontier, and explains exactly how ancient rituals and music found their way to the New World. In the process, The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll traces the development of rock's most popular genres such as punk and heavy metal, and reveals how many of rock's most iconic artists play the same archetypal roles as the ancient gods. You'll see how many of the rituals and customs and even musical styles of our postmodern society have stunning ancient parallels. You'll meet history's first pop

Download or read book The Spiral Dance written by Starhawk and published by HarperCollins Publishers. This book was released on 1979 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the growth, suppression, and modern reemergence of witchcraft as a religion, demystifying a misunderstood and maligned tradition and pointing out its relationship to feminism.

Download or read book WitchCraft Cocktails written by Julia Halina Hadas and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2020-09-08 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A stunning collection of 70 witchcraft-inspired drink recipes with inspiration for creating your very own spirited cocktails to benefit your practice. For centuries, witches have been using spirits of all forms during rituals and celebrations. Now, today’s modern witch can learn how to make the perfect powerful witchcraft cocktail. All you need is a delicious and easy recipe, a bottle of your favorite booze, and a desire to get witchy. In WitchCraft Cocktails, you will find 70 recipes for alcohol-based beverages that are sure to help you in your craft. Designed for healing, spells, offerings, and just plain fun, there’s nothing these boozy drinks can’t do! Need a love potion to help woo your lover? Maybe a tincture to heal a cold? Or perhaps you’re looking for the perfect witch-themed signature cocktail to serve at your next gathering. Regardless of what you’re looking for, this book has you covered and includes tips on how to use your witch’s brew to further your practice—and have fun!

Download or read book Being a Pagan written by Ellen Evert Hopman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2001-11-01 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than 60 pagan leaders and teachers describe in their own words what they believe and what they practice. • Addresses how Pagans view parenting, organized religion, and politics. • Introduces the wide range of possibilities within the neo-Pagan movement. • By Ellen Evert Hopman, author of A Druid's Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year; Walking the World in Wonder: A Children's Herbal; and Tree Medicine, Tree Magic. Who are the pagans and what do they stand for? Why would some of the members of the best educated, most materially comfortable generation of Americans look back to mystical traditions many millennia old? During the last few decades, millions of people have embraced ancient philosophies that honor Earth and the spiritual power of each individual. Ways of worship from sources as diverse as the pre-Christian Celts, ancient Egypt, and Native American traditions are currently helping their followers find meaning in life while living in the Information Age. In this book Pagan leaders and teachers describe in their own words what they believe and what they practice. From Margot Adler, an NPR reporter and author of Drawing Down the Moon, to Isaac Bonewits, ArchDruid and founder of a modern neo-Druidic organization, those interviewed in this book express the rich diversity of modern Paganism. Hopman's insightful questions draw on her own experiences as a Pagan and Druid as well as on her extensive research. With coauthor Lawrence Bond, she examines how Pagans address such issues as parenting, organized religion, and politics. The resulting dialogues illuminate the modern Pagan revival.