Paganism

Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions

Hexes, curses and other unsavory notions. Most magical practitioners won't even discuss them. Why? Because they'd much rather find a positive solution that benefits all concerned. And, there's nothing wrong with that. Occasionally, though, our problems are such that nothing in the positive solution arena will handle them. It's time to make a decision to stand tough, be strong, and take definitive action to defend ourselves. And, if you're ready to do that-if you're ready to own that action and take responsibility for it-then Utterly Wicked is the book for you! Jam-packed with more than one hundred rituals, incantations, hexes and curses, this book is the quintessential primer for learning all those magical tricks that no one wants to talk about. Do you know the proper way to enter a cemetery? Utterly Wicked tells you how, as well as the proper methods for collecting and using graveyard dirt. Explore the little known secrets of the 11" fashion doll and see why it's become such a valuable magical tool. Then learn to prepare Hot Foot Powder, Four Thieves Vinegar, Goofer Dust, and other magical components specifically designed to obliterate your toughest problems. Most important, though, you'll also find the tools to protect yourself, your family, and your home from ever being bothered with these sorts of difficulties again. A must have for any Witch's bookshelf!

To Ride A Silver Broomstick: New Generational Witchcraft

Silver RavenWolf is one of the most widely recognized names in circles of witchcraft, and with good reason; she has written some of the best guides to contemporary Witchcraft available. To Ride a Silver Broomstick is a handbook aimed at the beginner, and doesn't get bogged down in history, dogma, or gender roles. It is a workbook for the individual, whether one is a solitary practitioner or part of a coven, that covers the basics of the craft--from useful vocabulary to setting up an altar--and briefly delves into more advanced concepts such as astral projection and telepathy. To Ride a Silver Broomstick may not be the most comprehensive single volume on the subject of witchcraft, but RavenWolf focuses on the aspects most important to a beginner, and keeps her introduction to the craft approachable and easy to follow. --Brian Patterson

Selling more than 300,000 copies, this popular guide to the Craft has been helping a new generation of Witches-those practicing or wishing to practice the Craft on their own-for over a decade. Filled with Silver RavenWolf's warmth, humor, and personal anecdotes, To Ride a Silver Broomstick introduces the science and religion of the craft. New cover New interior design New edit Updated artwork

The Faeries' Oracle

Author and illustrator Brian Froud offers believers a chance to consult with the magical wee folks. Using a deck of 66 "oracle cards," believers conduct readings as if interpreting Tarot cards. Each of the cards features Froud's signature faery pictures. Some of the cards have specific faeries, like the naked leaping "Spirit Lancer"--a feminine card that represents "self-expression, freedom, and exploration," according to the accompanying text written by Jessica Macbeth. Others are more abstract, like the "Guardian of the Gate," a blue- tinted card with splaying silver-white streaks that look like tendrils of faery hair.

This fascinating deck will keep Froud fans delighted for hours. Once seekers are ready to actually start communicating with faeries, they will also be delighted with Macbeth's whimsical, yet highly informative, guidebook. She is quick to sympathize with the self-consciousness that comes with talking to faeries, yet she also has the ability to jolly people out of their embarrassment. Macbeth is at her wisest when discussing how to ask for guidance and interpret specific layouts of oracle cards. But if you find yourself succumbing to giggles in the midst of all this faery woo-woo, take heart. Writes Macbeth, "Giggles are the grace notes of faery music." --Gail Hudson

Using the enchanted art of Brian Froud as your guide, enter into the wise and wonderful world of the faeries. The Faeries' Oracle calls on sylphs, pans, gnomes -- and, of course, faeries -- to lead you on a delightful journey of adventure, discovery, and enlightenment that will illuminate the future and heal the heart and soul. This beautifully designed divination set contains everything you will need to explore this mysterious realm, including:

A complete deck of 66 radiant cards by Brian Froud featuring goblins, moon dancers, pixies, boggarts, and other faery folk we first met in Good Faeries/Bad Faeries

208-page illustrated book with text by Jessica Macbeth, which will show you how to read the cards of The Faeries' Oracle, with particular instruction on personally connecting to and communicating with the faeries

Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America

Popular demand for this clear-sighted compendium of information about the rebirth of Pagan religions hasn't waned since its initial publication in 1979. Distinguished by the journalism of National Public Radio columnist Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon explains this diverse and burgeoning religion's philosophies and activities while dispelling stereotypes that have long been associated with it. Most people don't realize that pagan simply refers to pre-Christian polytheistic nature religions, such as the various Native American creeds, Japanese Shinto, Celtic Druid, and Western European Wicca. Originally, the word pagan meant "country dweller" and was a derogatory term in Rome in the third century A.D., not unlike calling someone a hick today. If you find yourself feeling queasy when you hear the words witch or pagan, a healthy dose of reeducation via Drawing Down the Moon could be the cure. --P. Randall Cohan

Now fully revised—the classic study of Neo-Paganism

Almost thirty years since its original publication, Drawing Down the Moon continues to be the only detailed history of the burgeoning but still widely misunderstood Neo-Pagan subculture. Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction. In this new edition featuring an updated resource guide of newsletters, journals, books, groups, and festivals, Margot Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern AmericaÂ’s Pagan groups.

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth- Centered Religions

To Stir A Magick Cauldron: A Witch's Guide to Casting and Conjuring

In her sequel to To Ride a Silver Broomstick, Silver RavenWolf leads us to the next step in craft practice, focusing on intermediate-level magical practices, such as the proper mechanics of circle casting and 10 ways to raise power. However, To Stir a Magick Cauldron is not just a rule book, it is also a candid companion on the road to discovery. Sure, RavenWolf delves into the nitty-gritty of conjuration, but she also encourages us to see the craft as more than a dusty curiosity and reveals how to incorporate our newfound power into our 20th-century lifestyles. --Brian Patterson

Boasting more than 100,000 copies in print, this indispensable guide has been revised and updated. Silver RavenWolf dishes out tried-and-true Witch wisdom, covering the essentials of Witchcraft. New cover New interior design New edit

Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration

Pagan Prayer Beads: Magic and Meditation with Pagan Rosaries

Religions from around the world--Buddhism, Hinduism, Catholicism, Islam, and many more, including the Pagan earth religions--use prayer beads as useful guides to remembering prayers and principles. Pagan Prayer Beads by John Michael Greer and Clare Vaughn is a unique and practical introduction to the design, creation, and use of Pagan rosaries, teaching the reader to design and make personal prayer beads for use in myriad spiritual practices.

Co-written by a beading expert (Clare Vaughn) and one of the leading lights in modern Paganism (John Michael Greer), this book will garner an eager audience--from beginners to elders--looking for new inspiration in their personal spiritual practice. Beautifully written, instructive, and straightforward, Pagan Prayer Beads is user-friendly and easy to understand. Lovely black-and-white photographs accompany the text to further illustrate the art and craft of Pagan prayer beads. The how-to sections were "tested" by novices to both crafting and "the craft," who found the directions clear and easy to follow. Throughout the book, Greer and Vaughn have included fascinating history and lore as well as crystal properties, Pagan symbology, and deeply meaningful prayers and rituals to use with the rosaries.

* 30 lovely black-and-white photos accompany the beading instructions.

Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal's Pensees

Peter Kreeft believes that Blaise Pascal is the first post-medieval apologist. No writer in history, claims Kreeft, is a more effective Christian apologist and evangelist to today's uprooted, confused, secularized pagans (inside and outside the Church) than Pascal. He was a brilliant man--a great scientist who did major work in physics and mathematics, as well as an inventor--whom Kreeft thinks was three centuries ahead of his time. His apologetics found in his Pensées are ideal for the modern, sophisticated skeptic.

Kreeft has selected the parts of Pascal's Pensées which best respond to the needs of modern man, and offers his own comments on applying Pascal's wisdom to today's problems. Addressed to modern skeptics and unbelievers, as well as to modern Christians for apologetics and self-examination, Pascal and Kreeft combine to provide a powerful witness to Christian truth.

Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily Dickinson

From ancient Egypt through the nineteenth century, Sexual Personae explores the provocative connections between art and pagan ritual; between Emily Dickinson and the Marquis de Sade; between Lord Byron and Elvis Presley. It ultimately challenges the cultural assumptions of both conservatives and traditional liberals. 47 photographs.