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Magic in the Cloister: Pious Motives, Illicit Interests, and Occult Approaches to the Medieval Universe (Magic in History)
by Sophie PageDuring the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries a group of monks with occult interests donated what became a remarkable collection of more than thirty magic texts to the library of the Benedictine abbey of St. Augustine's in Canterbury. The monks collected texts that provided positive justifications for the practice of magic and books in which works of magic were copied side by side with works of more licit genres. In Magic in the Cloister, Sophie Page uses this collection to explore the gradual shift toward more positive attitudes to magical texts and ideas in medieval Europe. She examines what attracted monks to magic texts, works, and how they combined magic with their intellectual interests and monastic life. By showing how it was possible for religious insiders to integrate magical studies with their orthodox worldview, Magic in the Cloister contributes to a broader understanding of the role of magical texts and ideas and their acceptance in the late Middle Ages.
Magic in the Cloister: Pious Motives, Illicit Interests, and Occult Approaches to the Medieval Universe (Magic in History)
by Sophie PageDuring the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries a group of monks with occult interests donated what became a remarkable collection of more than thirty magic texts to the library of the Benedictine abbey of St. Augustine's in Canterbury. The monks collected texts that provided positive justifications for the practice of magic and books in which works of magic were copied side by side with works of more licit genres. In Magic in the Cloister, Sophie Page uses this collection to explore the gradual shift toward more positive attitudes to magical texts and ideas in medieval Europe. She examines what attracted monks to magic texts, works, and how they combined magic with their intellectual interests and monastic life. By showing how it was possible for religious insiders to integrate magical studies with their orthodox worldview, Magic in the Cloister contributes to a broader understanding of the role of magical texts and ideas and their acceptance in the late Middle Ages.
Magic in the Modern World: Strategies of Repression and Legitimization (Magic in History)
by Edward Bever Randall StyersThis collection of essays considers the place of magic in the modern world, first by exploring the ways in which modernity has been defined in explicit opposition to magic and superstition, and then by illuminating how modern proponents of magic have worked to legitimize their practices through an overt embrace of evolving forms such as esotericism and supernaturalism.Taking a two-track approach, this book explores the complex dynamics of the construction of the modern self and its relation to the modern preoccupation with magic. Essays examine how modern “rational” consciousness is generated and maintained and how proponents of both magical and scientific traditions rationalize evidence to fit accepted orthodoxy. This book also describes how people unsatisfied with the norms of modern subjectivity embrace various forms of magic—and the methods these modern practitioners use to legitimate magic in the modern world. A compelling assessment of magic from the early modern period to today, Magic in the Modern World shows how, despite the dominant culture’s emphatic denial of their validity, older forms of magic persist and develop while new forms of magic continue to emerge.In addition to the editors, contributors include Egil Asprem, Erik Davis, Megan Goodwin, Dan Harms, Adam Jortner, and Benedek Láng.
Magic of Faith
by Joseph MurphyHere is the law: "I am that which I feel myself to be." Practice changing the feeling of "I" every day by affirming: "I am Spirit; I think, see, feel, and live as Spirit, the Presence of God.
Magic of the Iron Pentacle: Reclaiming Sex, Pride, Self, Power & Passion
by Jane Meredith Gede ParmaThe Iron Pentacle is a tool for reawakening to our essential humanity and our sovereign selves. Exploring the themes of sex, pride, self, power, and passion, this book invites you to develop magic of the body that sings to the spirit.Join authors Jane Meredith and Fio Gede Parma on an intense journey into self-awareness through practices of the Reclaiming Tradition, where each step leads to self-actualization, authenticity, and potent magic. Through personal stories and rites you can perform, Magic of the Iron Pentacle opens the door to a revolutionary concept that combines personal empowerment with magical technique. The Iron Pentacle evokes qualities neglected and disparaged—yet these qualities, together and in balance, enliven our magic and our lives.
Magic, Monsters, and Make-Believe Heroes: How Myth and Religion Shape Fantasy Culture
by Douglas E. CowanMagic, Monsters, and Make-Believe Heroes looks at fantasy film, television, and participative culture as evidence of our ongoing need for a mythic vision—for stories larger than ourselves into which we write ourselves and through which we can become the heroes of our own story. Why do we tell and retell the same stories over and over when we know they can’t possibly be true? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not because pop culture has run out of good ideas. Rather, it is precisely because these stories are so fantastic, some resonating so deeply that we elevate them to the status of religion. Illuminating everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Dungeons and Dragons, and from Drunken Master to Mad Max, Douglas E. Cowan offers a modern manifesto for why and how mythology remains a vital force today.
Magic, Mystery, And Science: The Occult In Western Civilization
by Danny Ethus Burton David A. Grandy"[P.D. Ouspensky's] yearning for a transcendent, timeless reality—one that cancels out physical disintegration and death—figures into science at some fundamental level. <P><P> Einstein found solace in his theory of relativity, which suggested to him that events are ever-present in the space-time continuum. When his friend Michele Besso passed on shortly before his own death, he wrote: 'For us believing physicists the distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, even if a stubborn one.'" —from Magic, Mystery, and Science <P><P> The triumph of science would appear to have routed all other explanations of reality. No longer does astrology or alchemy or magic have the power to explain the world to us. Yet at one time each of these systems of belief, like religion, helped shed light on what was dark to our understanding. Nor have the occult arts disappeared. We humans have a need for mystery and a sense of the infinite. <P><P> Magic, Mystery, and Science presents the occult as a "third stream" of belief, as important to the shaping of Western civilization as Greek rationalism or Judeo-Christianity. The occult seeks explanations in a world that is living and intelligent—quite unlike the one supposed by science. By taking these beliefs seriously, while keeping an eye on science, this book aims to capture some of the power of the occult. Readers will discover that the occult has a long history that reaches back to Babylonia and ancient Egypt. It proceeds alongside, and frequently mingles with, religion and science. From the Egyptian Book of the Dead to New Age beliefs, from Plato to Adolf Hitler, occult ways of knowing have been used—and hideously abused—to explain a world that still tempts us with the knowledge of its dark secrets.
Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion: A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion, Ninth Edition
by Pamela MoroMagic Witchcraft and Religion: A Reader in the Anthropology of Religion takes an anthropological approach to the study of religious beliefs and practices, both strange and familiar. The engaging articles on all key issues related to the anthropology of religion grab the attention of students, while giving them an excellent foundation in contemporary ideas and approaches in the field. The multiple authors included in each chapter represent a range of interests, geographic foci, and ways of looking at each subject. Features of the ninth edition include new study questions and articles, as well as updated discussions on religion, illness, healing, and death.
Magic: A History of Its Rites, Rituals, and Mysteries
by A. E. Waite Éliphas Lévi"The most arresting, entertaining, and brilliant of all studies on the subject." — Arthur Edward WaiteA great work of literature as well as a pioneering classic of occultism, this voluminous historical survey traces the roots and manifestations of magic through the ages as a secret tradition persisting from remote times. Author Éliphas Lévi, pseudonym of Alphonse Louis Constant (1810-75), was a leader of the French occult revival, a spiritual teacher and magus who is today considered by some to be a founding father of the New Age movement. One of his most stunning (and original) revelations connects the Kabbalah with the Tarot, thus helping to inspire the ongoing fascination with the symbols of both, and their correspondences with each other. In this 1860 work, Lévi's discussions include topics that continue to intrigue modern readers, subjects as seemingly disparate as the mathematical magic of Pythagoras, magical monuments, magic and Christianity, the devil, the Knights Templar, alchemy, the illuminati, hallucinations, and many others that are equally alluring.The first part of the book explains the principles underlying magical operations, while the second part addresses the actual ritual and practice of transcendent magic. An essential resource for the library of anyone interested in mysticism and the occult sciences, this influential work appears here in its first English translation (from the original French) by the distinguished scholar and co-creator of the Rider-Waite Tarot deck, A. E. Waite.
Magic: A Treatise on Natural Occultism
by Manly Palmer HallIn this short work by the noted lecturer and mystic, Manly P. Hall explores the differences between black and white magic, guiding fellow occultists away from those practices which damage the spirit and lead to the loss of the soul. An essential part of any occultist's library.
Magic: From Alchemy to Witchcraft, from the Ice Age to the Present
by Chris GosdenAn Oxford professor of archaeology explores the unique history of magic—the oldest and most neglected strand of human behavior and its resurgence today Three great strands of belief run through human history: Religion is the relationship with one god or many gods, masters of our lives and destinies. Science distances us from the world, turning us into observers and collectors of knowledge. And magic is direct human participation in the universe: we have influence on the world around us, and the world has influence on us.Over the last few centuries, magic has developed a bad reputation—thanks to the unsavory tactics of shady practitioners, and to a successful propaganda campaign on the part of religion and science, which denigrated magic as backward, irrational, and "primitive." In Magic, however, the Oxford professor of archaeology Chris Gosden restores magic to its essential place in the history of the world—revealing it to be an enduring element of human behavior that plays an important role for individuals and cultures. From the curses and charms of ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish magic, to the shamanistic traditions of Eurasia, indigenous America, and Africa; from the alchemy of the Renaissance to the condemnation of magic in the colonial period and the mysteries of modern quantum physics—Gosden's startling, fun, and colorful history supplies a missing chapter of the story of our civilization. Drawing on decades of research around the world—touching on the first known horoscope, a statue ordered into exile, and the mystical power of tattoos—Gosden shows what magic can offer us today, and how we might use it to rethink our relationship with the world. Magic is an original, singular, and sweeping work of scholarship, and its revelations will leave a spell on the reader.
Magical Hymns from Roman Egypt
by Bortolani Ljuba MerlinaThis interdisciplinary study investigates the divine personas in the so-called magical hymns of the Greek magical papyri which, in a corpus usually seen as a significant expression of religious syncretism with strong Egyptian influence, were long considered to be the 'most authentically Greek' contribution. Fifteen hymns receive a line-by-line commentary focusing on religious concepts, ritual practice, language and style. The overarching aim is to categorise the nature of divinity according to its Greek or Egyptian elements, examining earlier Greek and Egyptian sources and religious-magical traditions in order to find textual or conceptual parallels. Are the gods of the magical hymns Greek or Egyptian in nature? Did the magical hymns originate in a Greek or Egyptian cultural background? The book tries to answer these questions and to shed light on the religious plurality and/or fusion of the two cultures in the treatment of divinity in the Greek magical papyri.
Magical Meditations: Guided Imagery for the Pagan Path
by Yasmine GalenornOriginally published under the title Trancing the Witch's Wheel, MAGICAL MEDITATIONS has been revised and updated and is an essential book for all Pagans seeking to enrich their spiritual life.Meditation offers modern Pagans a way to deepen their connection to the magical and natural worlds. MAGICAL MEDITATIONS explores the basic tenets of Pagan spiritual beliefs through a complete set of guided mental journeys featuring the Deities, Sabbats, and Elements. A practitioner of the Craft for over 23 years, author Yasmine Galenorn offers guided meditations ready for use, accompanied by practical exercises, expert advice, and detailed suggestions to help personalize your journeys.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Magical Meet Cute: A Novel
by Jean Meltzer&“A laugh-out-loud funny romance with depth and heart, readers will love this spellbinding novel!&” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling authorIs he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.Not that she needs one. She&’s definitely happy alone.That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can&’t hurt, right?When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg&’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.
Magical Princess Harriet: Chessed: World of Compassion
by Leiah Moser Magda ZwierzchowskaTo put it simply, Harris Baumgartner was late to school on the first day of the seventh grade because something he saw in the abandoned lot at the end of his street changed his life forever… <p><p>Middle school can be tough, especially when you can’t figure out whether you’re supposed to be a boy or a girl. Homework and gym class are hard enough to deal with, but what exactly do you do when a pushy angel shows up insisting you’re a magical princess and that it’s your job to defend your school from the forces of darkness? For Harris Baumgartner, only one thing is certain — life is about to get a lot more complicated! <p><p>If you've ever been watching your favorite magical girl anime and thought to yourself, "This is great and all, but it'd be even better if the main character was transgender... and Jewish!", then this is definitely the book for you!
Magical Qabalah for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide to Occult Knowledge
by Frater BarrabbasDiscover the history and theory of Qabalah as well as its practical ritual uses. Explore the five basic but essential parts of Qabalah: the ten Sephiroth, the twenty-two paths, the Four Worlds, the Three Negative Veils, and the Tree of Life.The Qabalah is the symbolic key to the Western Mystery tradition. Gain invaluable insights into all occult systems including high magic, Tarot, astrology, alchemy, hermetics, and more. In Magical Qabalah for Beginners, Frater Barrabbas shows ritual magicians, Pagans, and occult students how to incorporate the Qabalah into practice, using tables of correspondences, numerology, acronyms and formulae, sigils and ciphers, contemplation, and the theurgy of ascension. Now is the time to penetrate the mystical properties of Qabalah and make them work in your life.Praise:"Frater Barrabbas has crafted a comprehensive overview of the Qabalah that is clear and accessible."—Chic and Tabatha Cicero, Chief Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and authors of The Essential Golden Dawn"Those starting out on the path of learning magical Qabalah would do well to explore this book."—Scott Stenwick, author of Arcana"Magical Qabalah for Beginners is the introductory book that I wish we'd had back when I was first being trained in the Craft."—Veronica Cummer, author of Sorgitzak: Old Forest Craft
Magical States of Consciousness: Pathworking on the Tree of Life
by Melita DenningAvailable Once Again—the Groundbreaking Guide to Qabalistic PathworkingPathworking is one of the most powerful techniques employed in the practical Qabalah, the core of the Western Esoteric Tradition. Llewellyn is pleased to bring back—by popular demand—Magical States of Consciousness, the classic text by renowned magicians Osborne Phillips and the late Melita Denning that first made the practice of pathworking widely available.Revealed here are the methods by which deep dimensions of the human psyche may be reached—dimensions that give you access to profound knowledge and the power of creation. Ascend the Tree of Life to enter the Sphere of Tiphareth, the seat of the Higher Self. Train your mind and imagination, enhance your physical and emotional health, gain knowledge and spiritual initiation, experience adventure and self-empowerment—all through Qabalistic pathworking.Designed for both the beginner and the established mage, this sought-after book includes the complete narrative texts for the inward journeys of classic pathworking. Plus, mandalas are included that serve as gateways to altered states of consciousness and magical images of the Sephirothic archetypes—the sources of mystical power which exist not only cosmically but in the depths of each person's own being.
Magical Symbols and Alphabets: A Practitioner's Guide to Spells, Rites, and History
by Sandra KynesSymbols and Alphabets for Dynamic Magic WitchcraftEnergize your Wiccan or Pagan practice with rich symbol systems and magical alphabets. Discover how astrological symbols, zodiac signs, and the fixed stars can be used to invigorate spells and rituals. Connect with the power of the elements and explore tools like the ogham and other runes for divination and spiritual connection. Learn how to use sigils and esoteric alphabets so you can live more deeply in the powerful magical energy that is all around you.While you can use symbols to boost the energy of spells and rituals, learning the fullness of their history will help you utilize them for the specific needs we confront today. With hands-on exercises as well as extraordinary insights into each system's history and lore, this book is an irresistible guide to integrating potent symbols into your spiritual practice.
Magical Trees: A Guidebook for Finding the Magic in Everyday Trees Using Crystals, Spells, Essential Oils and Rituals
by Kac YoungConnect Your Soul to these Magical TreesMagical Trees inspires and delights you on your self-discovery journey. This book is full of fun, spiritual, and healing trees bent on inspiring you to connect to the natural world. Understand yourself with rituals.Magical Trees guides you on magic spells, crystals, essential oils, medicinal traditions, and other amazing and inspiring rituals to perfect your green life.Each tree connects you to a profound spiritual meaning. Whether you live in the country or the city, connecting to trees is beneficial and eye-opening. Every spiritual prayer and every spellcraft connects you to the natural world of healing trees.Inside Magical Trees, you’ll find:Intelligent trees and a spell book that would make any green witch jealousSpiritual meanings connecting you to the natural world of treesEssential oils, crystals, spells and prayers that are compatible with each treeA guide on how to connect with the magical and mystical powers of magical treesIf you enjoy tree or spiritual books like Finding the Mother Tree, Year of the Witch, Green Witchcraft, or The Hidden Life of Trees, you’ll enjoy Magical Trees.
Magick Made Easy: Charms, Spells, Potions, & Power
by Patricia TelescoThe latest addition to the popular Made Easy series, 'Magick Made Easy 'gives aspiring witches everything they need to master the art of magic. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions walk readers through spells and potions incorporating more than 300 every
Magick Potions: How to Prepare and Use Homemade Oils, Aphrodisiacs, Brews, and Much More
by Gerina DunwichMAGICK POTIONS How to Prepare and Use Homemade Oils, Aphrodisiacs, Brews, and Much More Wiccan expert Gerina Dunwich reveals the secrets, history, and art of potioncraft. Today’s modern witch will find magick, legend, and lore, and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare and use potions, teas, infusions, philtres, and oils for nearly every purpose imaginable. Illustrated throughout, this indispensable resource compiles the magickal methods, beliefs, and ethics of contemporary witches and completely addresses their magickal needs. Whether you seek a magick potion for love, riches, healing, divination, exorcism, Tarot work, or enchantment, you will find it, and more, in these pages. If your faith is strong and your magick true, successful results are guaranteed.
Magick of Reiki: Focused Energy for Healing, Ritual, & Spiritual Development
by Christopher PenczakWhat is Reiki? How has this Japanese healing tradition evolved over the years? How are modern magick practitioners using Reiki energy in their spells and rituals?Christopher Penczak answers these questions and more in his groundbreaking examination of Reiki from a magickal perspective. The history, mythos, variations, and three degrees of Reiki are discussed in depth. Penczak also suggests way to integrate Reiki and magickal practice, such as using Reiki energy for psychic development and with candle magick, crystals, herbs, charms, and talismans.Winner of the 2005 COVR Award (Best Alternative Health Book)
Magickal Judaism: Connecting Pagan And Jewish Practice
by Jennifer HunterDiscover the Joys of Being a Jewish Pagan Ancient and life-affirming, passionate and mystical, Judaism has links with Wicca and NeoPaganism that run strong and deep. Smashing the stereotype that Pagan means Celtic, Magical Judaism shows that the Jewish tribe has its own rich history of nature holidays, magic, deities, and symbols. In this first-of-its-kind text, Jennifer Hunter draws on pre-monotheistic Hebrew history, mainstream and alternative Judaism, ceremonial magic, and eclectic NeoPaganism to create spells, meditations, rituals, and holiday traditions. Magical Judaism infuses the NeoPagan way with the living, breathing rites of the Jewish people, revealing a liberating spirituality that reveres earth and sky, dark and light, mind and heart. Whether you're Jewish by birth, Pagan by practice, or drawn to both Jewish and Pagan paths, Magical Judaism will provide all the tools you need to craft a holistic and integrated religious path. Learn how to: Celebrate Jewish holidays in authentic tribal ways Connect with the powerful teachings of the Kabbalah Discover the magic of keeping kosher and observing the Sabbath Connect with Canaanite Goddesses and the Shechinah Craft effective spells using ancient Jewish symbols and folk magic . . . and much more Jennifer Hunter is the author of Rites of Pleasure, 21st Century Wicca, and Wicca for Lovers. She lives with her daughter Ilana in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Magickal Mediumship: Partnering with the Ancestors for Healing and Spiritual Development
by Danielle DionneMake Contact with Your Beloved Dead for Personal Transformation & Powerful MagickThis invaluable resource weaves together mediumship, magick, spiritualism, and ancestral reverence to help you forge strong connections to your deceased loved ones. Professional medium Danielle Dionne provides hands-on exercises and accessible techniques for honoring your ancestors and working with them for divination and healing.Magickal Mediumship shows you how connecting with the spirits of the dead enhances your spiritual development and empowers your magickal practice. You'll explore recipes and rites to aid communication and psychic ability, rituals to strengthen your relationship with spirit allies and deities, methods for spiritual hygiene and protection, and much more. Death comes to all of us, but it is not an end. This book helps you partner with those beyond the veil and face death as a positive and natural part of your magick.Includes a foreword by Christopher Penczak.
Magic’s Translations: Reality Politics in Colonial Indonesia
by Margaret J. Wiener“Do you believe in magic?” This familiar question suggests magic is easily recognized but unreal. In Magic’s Translations, Margaret J. Wiener argues that such views are shaped by historical power struggles, especially in Europe’s relations with the wider world. Focusing on nineteenth- and twentieth-century Dutch interactions with Indonesians, Wiener reveals how colonial agents framed unfamiliar practices, practitioners, and objects as “magic,” rendering distinct phenomena fundamentally alike and advancing colonizing projects that deemed magic antithetical to reason and reality. While colonial authorities, including ethnologists, mobilized the concept of magic to differentiate Europeans from Indonesians, nature from culture, reason from superstition, and fact from fetish, their efforts produced unexpected outcomes: Some Indonesian artifacts and acts not only retained their power but invaded European experiences. As anthropologists were among the key translators of magic throughout the world, Wiener intersperses accounts of magic’s translations in the Indies with reflections on anthropology’s ongoing engagement with the concept. She demonstrates that magic became an object of expert knowledge, political control, and popular fascination, rather than a self-evident category or relic of naïve belief.