Ancient religions

Most people are familiar with the popular image of elves as Santa's helpers and dwarfs as little bearded men wearing red caps, who are mischievous and playful, helpful and sly, industrious and dexterous. But their roots go far deeper than their appearance in fairy tales and popular stories. Elves and dwarfs are survivors of a much older belief system that predates Christianity and was widespread t

The festival of Beltaine, May Day, is a celebration of the return of spring and the promise of summer, a time for love magic and spells for increasing the fertility of the land and the plants that grow upon it. Like Samhain in autumn, Beltaine is also a time when the veil between the physical and spiritual world is at its most transparent and the ancestors and denizens of the Otherworld easily int

Druids and their magic, lore, and rituals have fascinated all those who encounter them, from the ancient Greeks and Romans onward. Even today, the mere mention of their name evokes pictures of standing stones, mistletoe, golden sickles, white-robed priests, and powerful sorcerers. But were they really as we picture them? Drawing on comparative mythology and linguistics, archaeological evidence, an

Whether viewed as a mid-winter observance of the Winter Solstice or a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, for millennia cultures have taken time out to honour the darkest days of the year with lights, foods, and festivities.In ancient Egypt, people decorated their homes with greenery at the festival of the re-birth of the God Horus. The ancient Romans decorated their homes with vines and ivy

From Moses to Merlin to the power of the royal scepter, the wand has been a key magical device found in nearly every civilization and esoteric tradition throughout history. The fundamental purpose of a wand is to act as a spiritual conduit, harnessing the power of the adept's intention and channeling it into manifestation.Exploring the history, lore, and creation of living wands—those crafted from

Runes and plants both contain the dynamic and raw energies of Mother Earth and can be used to heal, manifest, protect, and elevate magick. Both support and deepen the nature-human connection that is vital to mind, body, and spirit. And while both can provide us with many benefits on their own, when merged in magickal union, their combined powers are multiplied exponentially.In this magickal grimoi

Delve into the practice of magick with Raven Grimassi's book WICCAN MAGICK. This influential book serves as an incredible, in-depth approach to practicing a Wiccan branch of magick, although the techniques and foundational practices presented herein transcend well beyond the constructs of Wicca. The occult and metaphysical properties of herbs and stones are presented alongside techniques for explo

Gather your fellow witches and let the coven make magic! Written with the coven in mind, Deborah Blake's CIRCLE, COVEN, & GROVE is a fantastic resource for the magical group looking for a solid ritual framework. Whether you are a new coven looking to jumpstart your group rituals or an established coven looking for fresh, new ideas for rituals, then CIRCLE, COVEN, & GROVE will make an excellent add

In the ancient realm of the Celts, the seer was a person who opened a window to reveal a complete view of the cosmos, in which the otherworld and the everyday world interconnect. This was the essence of true perception and wisdom, known as gléfiosa, or 'bright knowledge'. For the seer, the babbling of the stream, the swaying of treetops in the wind, the hunting and foraging of animals are all brim

Native American wisdom as a way of life.This unique introduction to Native American sacred teachings offers a powerful resource for problem-solving on all fronts, whether at home, at work or in relationships. With Eliana Harvey and Wa-Na-Nee-Che as your guides, you will discover how to communicate with the animals and other sacred archetypes, as they become your teachers and reveal their medicine

Deepen your knowledge of the sacred mysteries . . . enter the space where nothing begins and nothing ends . . . reclaim your pagan heritage. A unique blend of witchcraft instruction, Celtic mythology, and urban fantasy, this work goes beyond ordinary witchcraft manuals. Ly de Angeles provides insight into the Celtic perspective of sacredness, and presents invocations, visualizations, and urban mag

From the birch to the willow, Sharlyn Hidalgo invites you to walk in the footsteps of the druids and enrich your life with the sacred power of trees. This wise and inspiring book will introduce you to all fifteen revered trees of the Celtic Tree Calendar and their unique gifts of healing, guidance, and higher consciousness.

In the occult classic THE MIRROR OF MAGIC, renowned Surrealist, Kurt Seligmann (1900– 1962), draws from his encyclopaedic practitioner's knowledge and extensive antiquarian collection to offer a comprehensive, illustrated history of magic and the occult from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt to the 18th century. He explores the gods and divinatory arts of the legendary Sumerians and the star-wise Baby

In this practical guide, Jon G. Hughes shares ancient secret Druidic techniques of divination passed down to him across five generations in an unbroken lineage of influential Welsh Druids. Hughes explains the three forms of divination used by his tradition: interpretive divination, used by readers of the Sevens (small staves with engraved sigils); inductive divination, which includes instructions

In the Celtic tradition dying is considered an act of birthing, of our consciousness passing from this life to the next. The role of an anam-áire is that of a midwife, a sacred guardian of life force, who supports a dying person by witnessing their journey. Informed by an early near-death experience and her own life's work, Phyllida Anam-Áire offers an intimate overview of the sacred stages of the

The season of Yuletide--the 12 nights following the winter solstice--offers the ideal opportunity for inner focusing, for seeing signs, and for planting seeds for the future. This guide explores inner practices for the magical Yuletide season, the period between December 21 and January 2, when the veil between worlds is thin. Revealing the deeper meaning of the darkest time of the year, the author

Before the conversion of Europe to Christianity in the Middle Ages, Germanic tribes roamed the continent, plundering villages and waging battles to seek the favour of Odin, their god of war, ecstasy and magic. Centuries later, predatory Viking raiders from Scandinavia carried on similar traditions. These wild 'barbarians' had a system of social classes and familial clans with complex spiritual cus