Shamanism and Paganism

Banned after promising research in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, the use of psychedelics as therapeutic catalysts is now being rediscovered at prestigious medical schools, such as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, NYU and UCLA.

In the Amazon, shamans do not talk in terms of hallucinogens but of tools for communicating with other life-forms. Ayahuasca, for example, is first and foremost a means of breaking down the barrier that separates humans from other species, allowing us to communicate with them.

· Explores the shamanic use of healing songs, psychoactive plants and vision quests at the heart of the Odyssey and the fantasy works of J. R. R. Tolkien · Examines odysseus's encounters with plant divinities, altered consciousness, animal shapeshifting and sacred topography - all concepts vital to shamanism · Reveals how the Odyssey emerged precisely at the rupture ...

In search of something to restore his spiritual connection to life after his release from captivity as a political prisoner in Brazil, Alex Polari de Alverga had a transformative encounter with Padrinho Sebastiao Mota de Mela, one of the two revered founders of Santo Daime.

Through its 8 phases and its journey through the 12 signs of the Zodiac, the Moon's influence on our lives can play out in 96 different ways.

· Shows how peyote and other visionary plants do not distort reality but gloriously unveil it, pulling the mind out of its cosmic slumber and revealing our unity with all life · Explains the necessity when working with peyote to remain the master of one's mind and consciously work on oneself · Examines how modern society's revulsion to sacramental plants and other ...

When composer and Bard College music professor, Margaret De Wys, learned she had breast cancer, the diagnosis shattered her comfortable life. Seized by fear, crushed by existential loneliness, she couldn't respond when her loved ones reached out to her.

· Explains how to build relationships with Earth, Sun, Moon, Plants, Animals, Water, Fire, Craft, Air and the Ancestors through 83 practical exercises · Explores the role of altered states in spirit work · Outlines the ancient cultural rules and taboos to avoid spiritual debt or offence We are all surrounded by spirits.

· Includes interviews with practising San Pedro shamans on their rituals, cactus preparations and teachings on how San Pedro heals the mind and body · Contains accounts from people who have been healed by San Pedro · Includes chapters by Eve Bruce and David Luke on San Pedro's effects on psychic abilities and its similarities to and differences from ...

This inspirational book blends elements of shamanism with inherited traditions and contemporary religious commitments. Drawing on shamanic practices from the world over, SHAMANISM AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE FOR DAILY LIFE addresses the needs of contemporary people who yearn to deepen their own innate mystical sensibilities.

• Discover the thoughts, history, and customs of the Shuar of the Amazon, as told in their own words. • Tribe members explain their practices of shapeshifting and headhunting; the interdependence of humans and the environment; the role of ecstatic sex; their belief in war as a path to peace; and their faith in arutam, the life spirit.

Midsummer—also known as the Summer Solstice or Litha—is a time to rejoice in abundance and light. This guide to the history and modern celebration of Midsummer shows you how to celebrate and work with the energy of the longest day of the year.

Yule—also known as the Winter Solstice—is celebrated when nighttime has reached its maximum length, and there is a promise of brighter days to come as candles are lit and feasts are enjoyed. This guide shows you how to perform rituals and work magic with the energy of rebirth and renewal that comes with the return of the light.

Filled with rituals, exercises, and meditations, Tending Brigid's Flame shows how to receive Brigid into your home and make sacred all the activities of everyday life, from food magic to faery traditions, and from dreamwork to personal healing.

Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials series explores the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones in the witch’s year. A well-rounded introduction to Imbolc, this attractive book features rituals, recipes, lore, and correspondences. It includes hands-on information for modern celebrations, spells and divination, recipes and crafts, invocations and prayers, and more!