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| By Francisco Goya - Google Cultural Institute, Public Domain, |
Regards, Erica (Raven) Branch-Butler, Editrix- golanv1@yahoo.com
WHO WE ARE: Edge of the Circle Books is Seattle's resource for Paganism & the Occult. This newsletter seeks to provide the Seattle community with a place to list events, post articles, and do a bit of networking.
Edge of the Circle Books strives to be your ideal Magical Pagan store. Open 7 days a week, Noon 'till 8pm. Call: 206-PAN-1999
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This group is specifically for sharing events of interest to the local community, it is not meant for discussing magical paths and traditions, or asking general questions about magick or paganism. Please remain civil, do disparaging posts about groups or individuals. Off topic posts WILL be moderated.
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REMINDER: We buy used Occult Books! Our buyer is in on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays!
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ENTERING HEKATE'S GARDEN:
The Magick, Medicine & Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft
by Cyndi Brannen
Paperback : 288 pages
Publisher : Weiser Books (November 1, 2020)
List Price: $22.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
A guide to plant spirit ritual and witchcraft, with practical instruction on the use of botanicals especially associated with the beloved goddess Hekate and her daughters Circe and Medea.
Bringing pharmakeia (the practice of plant spirit witchcraft) into contemporary times, Entering Hekate’s Garden merges historical knowledge with modern techniques. In it, author Cyndi Brannen offers her extensive insight into Hekatean ritual and witchcraft and especially its application to the Green World. The book features detailed monographs dedicated to 39 plants ranging from the esoteric such as aconite, American mandrake, and damiana to the accessible including bay laurel, dandelion, fennel, garlic, juniper, and lavender.
This book blends traditional methods with the author's personal approach, emphasizing her understanding of plant spirits as allies in the witch’s journey. It includes a new taxonomy for interpreting plant energies, methods for creating new correspondences, the importance of layering, using botanicals in spells, rituals, altars, and more, as well as ways to develop meaningful relationships with the pharmakoi (master plant spirits). Poetry, petitions, and musings about pharmakeia are woven throughout.
Entering Hekate’s Garden takes readers deep into the mystical world of botanical witchery in a way no other book has before.
Sacred Seven Altar
Triple Goddess Altar
The magickal creation that will contain the energy of a spell is known as magikeia. This can be a potion, a talisman, a sigil, a poppet, or even an altar. One of my favorite forms of magikeia is to create an altar with a candle, a card, and a botanical. This incorporates the sacred Triformis energy of the Triple Goddesses, representing wholeness and creation. The three-part spell can consist of correspondences that are additive or complementary. Additive correpondences are botanicals (and other spirits) that have similar properties evoked into the spell so that they amplify the overall power because of their homogeneity. Complementary correspondences are those which have disparate abilities that we combine into a whole spell.
Saturn Binding Spell
The basic technique for binding ingredients into a spell is done through the instructions we
Pharmakeia Lucerna
The process of infusing botanical spirits into candles (pharmakeia lucerna) is one of the most
versatile forms of spellcraft. You can use scented candles, as long as they contain actual botanical essences, to evoke the spirits and direct them into your spell. More effective is to add the botanicals you chose for the spell to the candle. The simplest technique is to place the botanicals around the base of the candle, drawing out their properties and then merging them with the candle through your intentional directions. Candles in the elemental colors are excellent choices, for you can summon the corresponding elemental spirit in addition to Fire.
REVIEWS~
“Enchanting! Cyndi Brannen’s Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine, and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft is a treasure trove of herbal lore blended with magical practice for empowerment, protection, and more. An in-depth study of Hekatean theogony demonstrating the passion of a true plant priestess, this book is a must for anyone looking to deepen their magical practice, connection to Hekate, or knowledge of plants.”-- Amy Blackthorn, priestess of Hekate, author of Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic, Sacred Smoke, and Blackthorn’s Botanical Brews
“One cannot talk about Hekate without eventually talking about Medea and Circe. One cannot discuss the magic of these witches without talking about plants. For the Greeks, pharmakeia was synonymous with magic, yet so few authors are willing to talk openly and frankly about it. In Entering Hekate’s Garden, Cyndi Brannen manages to provide a cornucopia of plant magic that will be useful for anyone interested in Hekatean magic. I expect to be referencing the recipes and lore for years to come.”-- Jason Miller, author of The Elements of Spellcrafting
“Beautifully written in classic grimoire style, Cyndi Brannen uses Hekate and her daughters Medea and Circe to navigate the occult world of botanicals and mythology. Entering Hekate’s Garden is necessary for every witch and student of the craft!”-- Lawren Leo, author of Horse Magick: Spells and Rituals for Self-Empowerment, Protection, and Prosperity
“I have long wanted a book like Entering Hekate’s Garden to exist. As a devotee of Hekate, the botanical connections of Hekate and her priestess-witch daughters in mythology and lore has always fascinated me. For many years, I have wanted to take the time to compile all the lore together myself for my own personal practice. Luckily, Cyndi Brannen has done all the heavy lifting for us. She has taken the seeds of ancient and classical lore and grown something lush, beautiful, new, and extremely beneficial for any modern witch, while also maintaining the historical roots. I greatly enjoy all of Cyndi’s works and books, but this is by far my favorite of hers to date. I know it will be a book that I reference often in my personal magickal practice and devotional work.”-- Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation
“I remember reading Cyndi Brannen’s previous book, Keeping Her Keys, and the wave of excitement and emotion that kept coming over me as I read each page. It was so clear to me then, even though Cyndi had stated otherwise, that this was a nascent, yet ancient tradition that she was channeling forth and presenting to all of us. The rituals, the history and the body of work in that book felt so incredibly detailed that indeed at that time it felt like a complete tradition presented to the world. But now, with Entering Hekate’s Garden, Cyndi takes us deeper, fleshing out a profound, complex, and beautifully rich body of work. The botanical lore and practices in this book serve to deepen what is a potently transformative and devotional path and practice for those called by Hekate. I truly believe we are witnessing a sacred download of wisdom and guidance through Cyndi’s books."-- Elena Rego, creator and owner of The Witches Box
“From its first page, Cyndi Brannen’s gorgeously written Entering Hekate’s Garden is not your average herbal. Its clear instructions, straight-forward exercises, and incredibly detailed individual plant entries will be a long-time valuable tool for any witch who has already stained their fingers green, as well as those who’ve not yet stepped one foot in the garden. If you walk the Poison Path, read this. If you’re an herbalist, read this. If you think you can’t hear the voices of plant spirits, definitely read this. The torches are lit and the gate has been opened. Hekate awaits!” -- Tara-Love Maguire, co-author of Besom, Stang, and Sword: A Guide to Traditional Witchcraft, the Six-Fold Path, and the Hidden Landscape
"Entering Hekate's Garden removes the veil of separation between the reader and the magical world of plants, as Cyndi Brannen generously shares her wisdom about thirty-nine species of plants associated with Hekate. Her deep insights on identification, harvesting, preparation, and spellwork can only be described as masterful. It's sure to inspire anyone interested in deepening their connection with herbalism or modern Hekatean witchcraft." -- Astrea Taylor, author of Intuitive Witchcraft: How to Use Intuition to Elevate Your Craft
“Energy healer Brannen (Keeping Her Keys) presents a wide-ranging botanical grimoire based on the traditions of ancient Greek goddess Hekate and her daughters, Circe and Medea. At the heart of the guide is detailed information on 39 plants (among them dandelion, fennel, frankincense, juniper, lavender, and mugwort) explaining their physical and metaphysical properties, and how they can be incorporated into spells.”--Publishers Weekly
About the Author:
Cyndi Brannen, PhD, is a spiritual teacher, trained energetic healer, psychic, and herbalist. Merging her training in shamanism, tarot, past life work, meditation, and psychology, she teaches and writes about better living through witchcraft.
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YEAR OF THE WITCH:
Connecting with Nature's Seasons through Intuitive Magick
by Temperance Alden
Paperback : 224 pages
Publisher : Weiser Books (November 1, 2020)
LIST PRICE: $14.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
“In her much-needed and brilliant Year of the Witch, Temperance Alden guides readers to observe their own land, celestial cycles, seasonal cycles, and even their own biological cycles to inform their magickal year.”-- Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation
When we think of the wheel of the year, the Wiccan wheel with its celebrations of the Yule, Beltane, Mabon, and Samhain come to mind. But what about a wheel of the year for the rest of us pagans and witches? As a witch living in sunny South Florida, longtime hereditary witch Temperance Alden has often felt at odds gearing up to celebrate Yule, for example, when it is 76 degrees and sunny outside.
Year of the Witch will help readers create their own intuitive practices in harmony with the climate, culture, and local spirits where they live. It’s of interest to witches coming off the Wiccan path and looking for a more personal approach to celebrating the rhythms of nature. Year of the
Witch covers all aspects of this new, seasonal practice:
The origins of the neo-pagan wheel of the year and why it is still so relevant today
Culture, historical facts, and traditions associated with the major ceremonies
Basic principles of land-based magick
How to intuitively connect to the nature below your feet and the local gods
Being a custodian to the land and its impact on our spiritual practice
For the witch, every day of the year can become a sacred one. The year of the witch starts with you, and it starts right now. In the words of psychologist Charles Richards, "Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week."-Temperance Alden
The Spiritual Garden, the Elements, and Altars
Soul Planting
Gardening to the witch should not be purely a physical experience but a soul-deep interaction. It is where we give ourselves freely to the earth, and the earth gives itself, its bounty, and its energy back to us. In this way, the relationship between the gardener and their garden is much more spiritually tuned. Including our garden in our daily spiritual practice takes it out of the realm of chores and puts it into the realm of enlightenment.
Calling Down the Elements
Each of the four base seasons has a primary element that can be specifically drawn on to aid spellwork. When calling on the elements, we can use the power of the seasons to evoke particular energy! I think connecting seasons with elements is a really cool concept, and has allowed me to gain a deeper relationship with the natural world and its elements seasonally. Thinking back to the pentagram and the elements of fire, water, earth, air, and Spirit, we can begin to match seasons with their respective elements.
Outdoor Altars
When creating an outdoor seasonal altar, start by closing your eyes and allowing the energy of your surroundings to flow through you. Where are you called to place this altar? When you find the spot, look around. Are there any rocks or pieces of wood or naturally carved-out spots that seem like natural places for an altar? If this is a temporary altar that you will be packing up when you leave, you can use any supplies that you brought in, such as tables, cloths, statues, candles, etc. If you are crafting a more permanent altar to last through the season that you can return to again and again, it is best to use the material that nature has supplied to prevent damage to the space you are in.
Your Wheel of the Year
Your wheel of the year starts here, and it starts right now. How we use the opportunities that we are given to positively change the world matter. What would happen to your practice if you were forced to move tomorrow? Would you be able to support your craft in a new setting with different lands, spirits, elements, and climates? Or would you find yourself struggling like a fish out of water, trying to connect using methods that are no longer effective for where you are?
A connected wheel of the year practice is extremely grassroots in that it encourages you to become one with the land you are on, to touch and experience everything that the earth has to offer you while staying grounded to the only constant that there is: time. It doesn’t matter if you build a fancy aesthetic altar, or prefer to get your daily dose of spirituality outdoors—what matters is that you take the time every day to push yourself and grow deeper in your craft.
Reviews
“Temperance Alden has written a book about the wheel of the year that can finally serve all witches and magickal practitioners living anywhere in the world in any climate. The authenticity in Alden’s prose enables her to effectively teach how to develop intuition and work with elements, leading to a more profound understanding of the power of life’s cycles. Delightful recipes and engaging rituals and spells help readers to create a wheel of the year unique to their own experiences. Year of the Witch is a direct conduit to Mother Earth and all Her power, and Alden has unveiled secrets even experienced witches will want to know.”-- Lawren Leo, author of Horse Magick: Spells and Rituals for Self-Empowerment, Protection, and Prosperity
“Not only is Year of the Witch an engaging, thoughtful and truly fun read, but it is also packed with wisdom and insight that only comes from the living the path. Temperance’s words are so generous and supportive and her perspective offers so much depth for new and practiced witches alike. Whether you’re a city witch or swamp witch, whether you’re been celebrating the wheel of the year for a decade or are new to it, this book has something to offer through the many practices, advice, prompts and invitations that help readers reconnect with the cycles of the earth and those within themselves. This book is so encouraging of the fact that there’s no one way to be a witch, without watering down the potency or power of the craft; a true act of magick.”-- Gabriela Herstik, author of Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Craft and Bewitching the Elements: A Guide to Empowering Yourself Through Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit
“The Year of The Witch surpasses all other wheel of the year books on my shelves as a perfect mix of traditional practices and modern application . . . An absolute ‘must-have’ if you’re looking to incorporate the wheel into your life without the pressure of ideas about what you ’should do’ and only build instead upon what is authentic to you.”-- Olivia Graves, The Witch of Wanderlust
“Presenting a fresh take on an old subject, Temperance Alden's Year of the Witch has a refreshingly conversational tone and takes us past traditional 101 books. Year of the Witch encourages us to both live in the moment and in the specific environment in which we find ourselves. This book is great for beginners, as well as old friends seeking to refresh and re-invigorate their practice.” -- Amy Blackthorn, author of Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic, Sacred Smoke, and Blackthorn’s Botanical Brews.
“Temperance Alden is at the fore of a new generation of witches, and they are smart, fearless, and ready to overthrow paradigms that many of us have taken for granted. Year of the Witch invites readers to challenge the assumption that the Wheel of the Year needs to uphold Arcadian agricultural ideals that just don't apply to how we actually live and practice our Crafts. Temperance is here to remind us that we don't know as much as we think we do, and thank goodness for that.”—-- Thorn Mooney, author of Traditional Wicca: A Seeker's Guide
“The key to the heart of witchery lies in authentic connection. But many witches feel disconnected with the traditional Wheel of the Year due to either its religious tones or because the seasonal celebrations are based upon the European climates of the Wheel’s origins. Temperance Alden remedies this in her much-needed and brilliant Year of the Witch, where she guides the readers to observe their own land, celestial cycles, seasonal cycles, and even one’s own biological cycles to inform their magickal year. Drawing on folklore, mythology, and religious customs surrounding the Wheel of the Year, Alden provides a well-researched overview of the themes of the Sabbats, while urging the reader to intuitively tap into themselves to learn how to authentically connect with the high holy holidays of the witch to extract power and wisdom from them, regardless of their path or religious leanings.”-- Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation
About the Author:
Temperance Alden is a hereditary folk witch with over eighteen years of practice devoted to witchcraft and paganism. She is the founder of Wild Woman Witchcraft.
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WILD MAGIC:
Celtic Folk Traditions for the Solitary Practitioner
by Danu Forest
Paperback : 240 pages
Publisher : Llewellyn Publications (November 8, 2020)
List Price:$19.99
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Shake off the energy of our frenetic modern-day life and reconnect to the wild magic of your heart. This book is an immersive guide to creating deep relationships with faerie folk, green kin, the ancestors, and the spirits of the land. Explore dozens of meditations and exercises based on Celtic lore that serve as energetic keys for accessing levels of reality and spiritual destinations that will forever transform your relationship to the here and now. Learn how to work with animal spirits, the powers of place, and the tides. Discover the magic of the elements and attune your soul to the sun, the moon, and the cycles of the seasons.
Connecting to nature in a magical way opens our awareness to a wider deeper source than anything we can comprehend. Wild Magic is all about sensing subtle energies, starting fires traditionally, practicing herbal magic, making a divnination kit, and so much more. This is a book drawn from country wisdom and Celtic tradition, with spells and rituals designed to channel your own modern wildness for the benefit of all.
Praise for Wild Magic:
"...Wild Magic is an inspired blending of folk practice, mythic wisdom, and solid scholarship that draws upon the rich cultural heritage of the British Isles, Ireland, and Gaul. Informed by ancient lore, and grounded in Celtic customs by the inclusion of traditional chants, prayers, and spells, Danu Forest presents clear tools and workings that guide the modern seeker along the path to personal relationship with the land, its spirits, and the Gods and guardians of place."—Jhenah Telyndru, author of Avalon Within and The Mythic Moons of Avalon
"Danu Forest...has deftly interwoven both the practical and the magical, leading the reader towards an authentic alignment with the wild magic of the land itself. Through spells, exercises, guided journeys and folklore from the Celtic traditions, Forest shows us how to reclaim our connection to our own wildness and live in accordance with the spirit of place, wherever we call home."—Danielle Blackwood, author of The Twelve Faces of the Goddess
About the Author:
Danu Forest is a traditional Celtic wisewoman who has studied on the Celtic path for over thirty years. She is noted for her many years of experience, her gifts as a natural hereditary seer, and her scholarly research. She lives in the wild marshes surrounding the legendary Glastonbury Tor and is the author of several books, including Celtic Tree Magic: Ogham Lore and Druid Mysteries. She holds an MA in Celtic Studies.
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QUEERING YOUR CRAFT:
Witchcraft from the Margins
by Cassandra Snow, Mat Auryn (Foreword)
Paperback : 288 pages
Publisher : Weiser Books (November 1, 2020)
List Price:$16.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
“As evident through the pages of this book, Snow holds a vision for the queer aspirant who hears the call to witchery, to find healing, empowerment, strength, and pride through their craft. Through creative and unique journal prompts, introspection, rituals, and spells, Snow achieves this beautifully, and herein lays the perfect guide for the queer witch to stand in their power and stand beside others; truly queering our craft with compassion and pride.”--Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation
Witchcraft has always belonged to the outsiders and outcasts in society, yet so much of the practice enforces and adheres to the same hierarchy we face in the world at large—a hierarchy that isolates and hurts those living beyond society’s binaries and boundaries. While there are books that address magick for resistance and queer myth, until now there has not been one that specifically addresses the practice of queer magick from an LGBTQ+ standpoint.
Queering Your Craft combines queer aesthetic and culture (like DIY culture and an emphasis on chosen family over formal covens) with pagan and metaphysical spiritual practice in a way that is commonplace but has not been written about until now. This book covers the personal, the collective, and the political, and how deeply intertwined all three are in a magickal practice for those who are LGBTQ+.
In this introduction to witchcraft, Snow presents why/how each concept is important to a queer craft, or how to approach it from a queer mindset. For example, conventional prayer, words, and symbols have always been problematic in a queer universe: How to make them work and still be true to yourself? The bulk of the book is about learning the craft. The latter portion is a grimoire of spells.
While accessible to beginning witches, Queering Your Craft provides new and inspiring information for longtime practitioners interested in a pure and personal approach that avoids the baggage of history and stereotype.
Excerpts:
Incantations & Mantras
Sometimes our practice includes writing, visual art, or both and over time we notice that there are distinct words and themes that come to the surface of our practice no matter which form of magick we’ve been using. These often drive at deeper needs that developed and weren’t met for a sustained period of our life. This can be scars from trauma or oppression, or it could be a need or desire we never learned to voice. In either case, a deeper healing is needed. In these times, words can still be our deepest allies even if we feel like we aren’t good at them. Incantations and mantras are all of that pain, those needs, those desires condensed into short, quick verbal spells like:
“With the power inside of my heart and gut, I will attract a new lover thus. But I am content until they come and I am joyful on my own.”
Or... “As I work throughout the day, I attract so much money to me.”
Or... “I am connected to my gods and the Earth in all things.”
Or even just... “I deserve to be happy.”
A Primer on Shadow Work
Shadow work is about healing, but just like our shadow selves that don’t always look like we expect it to. If your shadow self can be manipulative or have a lot of badly aspected trickster energy, your healing is often coming to peace with this side of yourself by learning to find healthier ways to work with it. If you get jealous and anxious easily, healing might be learning to look for the root of why and bringing new goals to the forefront.
In making peace with our shadow selves we say that there is no part of us that is bad. There are parts of us that we hide. There are parts that can be harmful if we don’t learn how to dance with them. There are parts that are hurting, parts that just need attention, parts that need to play. There are not parts of you that are wrong. Queer people face backlash about how we are always wrong no matter what we are doing. Over a lifetime we internalize that and we believe it, but it isn’t true.
A Queer Witch Grimoire
When I was asking my local queer and Pagan communities what they wanted out of a queer witchcraft book, the resounding, almost unanimous first answer was spells. In the DIY Witchcraft chapter we talked at length about how to write your own spells, but it can be hard to get a handle on it until you see and work with several existing spells. My main argument for DIY witchcraft is largely about accessibility in grasp and cost, so the spells in this grimoire vary wildly but should be doable at most income levels and with any handle at all on witchcraft or magick. Some of them still require you to trust yourself as a witch, as an intuitive person, as a writer or artist, even if you don’t identify as any of those things. Additionally, the burnout queer people feel on a daily basis is very real. While I can usually rally the strength to do a spell, I cannot if I also have to write, design, and gather things for it as well. Because I want this to be an easy, accessible group of spells for you to perform, there are plenty of cheap-to-free options or substitutes you can make (à la DIY witchcraft) for each intention.
It’s important to remember that easy to perform and accessible does not mean these are weak and fluffy spells. Queer witches are not weak and fluffy by the very nature of how hard we work to maintain full, rich lives while also having our voices heard, while also sheltering and loving each other, while also working to create very real change in the world. We are powerful beyond comprehension, to the point that it terrifies entire political administrations enough to try and write us out via legislation and whatever other ample tools they have. Yet we exist, and we persist as a community. We create change and screw things up for those in charge every day. We do not and will not back down.
So no, these are not fluffy spells, they are tried and true, powerful and magickal workings. These spells tap into queer ancestors’ magick, the magick of this Earth itself, the power of the queer collective coming out to breathe fire and strength on us as we bring them into being. These spells tap into our deepest selves with our most hidden and archaic knowledge. This grimoire digs deep into your heart and your soul to help you create things you have only dreamed of.
Spellcraft is not a perfect art, and you are not a perfect person. Yet together, you can move mountains.
About the Author:
Cassandra Snow (they/them/she/her) is a professional tarot card reader & teacher, writer, and theatre maker in Minneapolis, MN. Cassandra's writing focuses on tarot and Paganism, arts journalism, queer lifestyle and personal storytelling. "Queering the Tarot" is their first book and they was really excited to create an accessible, inclusive text for learning tarot.
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THE BIG BOOK OF PAGAN PRAYER AND RITUAL
(Weiser Big Book Series)
by Ceisiwr Serith
Paperback : 336 pages
Publisher : Weiser Books (November 1, 2020)
List Price:$24.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
~A complete guide to the practice of prayer and ritual for Pagans of all traditions.
Here is an extraordinarily comprehensive collection of payers and rituals for contemporary Pagans from a variety of traditions to turn to again and again. The Big Book of Pagan Prayer and Ritual includes the following:
The role of prayer―yesterday and today
The various hidden structures of prayers
How to pray both with and without words
Rituals for purification, creating sacred space, protection, prosperity, good health, and more
Prayers for specific times of day and special days of the month and year
Prayers for life―from pregnancy to birth, childhood, first days of school, weddings, aging, and death
Lists of offerings, a glossary of deities from many traditions, and an index of prayers by first line
About the Author:
Ceisiwr Serith (David Fickett-Wilbar) is a writer and teacher in the Pagan community. His interest in prayers and rituals grew naturally as a result of working in the Wiccan and Druidic traditions, as well as writing books such as A Book of Pagan Prayer and Deep Ancestors: Practicing the Religion of the Proto-Indo-Europeans. He is a member of Ár nDraíocht Féin, a Druid fellowship, and is priest and liturgist for Nemos Ognios grove in Durham NH. He has been published in the Journal of Indo-European Studies and Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium.
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THE DICTIONARY OF DEMONS:
Tenth Anniversary Edition-
Names of the Damned
by M. Belanger
Hardcover : 512 pages
Publisher : Llewellyn Publications; Illustrated edition (September 8, 2020)
List Price:$50.00
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Legions of Demons Laid Bare New Expanded Hardcover Edition The Dictionary of Demons is the single most comprehensive book on demons ever published in the history of Western occultism. This limited-print-run, tenth-anniversary hardcover edition includes more of the deeply researched information that made the first edition a must-have for demonologists everywhere. Within these pages you will discover more than two hundred additional demons as well as new essays, appendices, and more than fifty extra illustrations. With detailed notes on select grimoires and other reference materials, this cross-referenced alphabetical listing of more than 1,700 demons shares their duties, appearances, and original sources. You will also discover author M. Belanger's insightful essays on the roots of demonic names, exorcisms in the ancient world, the gender of demons, the five-pointed star of Baphomet, and much more. In its unmatched depth and breadth, The Dictionary of Demons is an essential resource for serious students of demonology and the occult.
This premium-hardcover, limited edition of one the world's most important books on demonology has been expanded to include even more fascinating details about even more demons. Ever since the publication of the original book, author M.A. Belanger has been collecting material for this expanded, tenth-anniversary edition. The addition of new articles, demons, appendices, and art make the bestselling Dictionary of Demons into an even more comprehensive resource.
You will discover an expanded introduction, special extended articles, an update to the Decans of the Zodiac, additional entries on demons that were not previously included, and dozens of new illustrations. These additions explore the roots of demonology, comparative mythologies, and the influence of important source texts.
Review:
"The Dictionary of Demons is a simply amazing compendium of infernal information and graphics from around the world. In equal parts scholarly and entertaining, you can use it as a reference tool or just open it at random and get lost in fantastic new worlds. If you're interested in Biblical studies, mythology, folklore, or fantasy literature, The Dictionary of Demons is a must-have."―Richard Kadrey, author of the Sandman Slim series
About the Author:
M. Belanger is an occult expert, educator, media personality, and author of over thirty books on paranormal and occult topics. Founder and lead clergy of the magickal group House Kheperu, Belanger is most widely recognized for work as a psychic on A&E's Paranormal State and Osbourne Media's Portals to Hell. Consulted for numerous documentaries, books, and courses, Belanger has lectured on paranormal and occult topics at colleges and universities across North America and was a National Merit Scholar. A prolific and versatile creator, Belanger has also contributed work to projects as wide-ranging as Marvel AR, HBO's True Blood, CNN Headline News, CSI, Nox Arcana, and multiple RPGs.
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HASAN-I-SABAH:
Assassin Master
by James Wasserman, Tobias Churton (Foreword)
Hardcover : 440 pages
Publisher : Ibis Press (September 14, 2020)
List Price: $35.00
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
This publication includes the first English translation of the 1310 biography of Hasan-i-Sabah by Rashid al-Din: The Biography of Our Master (Sar-Guzasht-i-Sayyidna)
Hasan-i-Sabah was born in northern Persia around 1050 and died in 1124. He was an Ismaili missionary (or dai) who founded the Nizari Ismailis after the usurpation of the Fatimid Imamate by the military dictator of Egypt. It may be said that Hasan founded and operated the world’s most successful mystical secret society, while building a political territory in which to maintain his independence. The small empire he created would be home to him, his followers, and their descendants for 166 years.
Today, under the leadership of the Aga Khan, the Nizari Ismailis are one of the preeminent Muslim sects in the world, numbering some twenty million members in twenty-five countries.
The medieval Nizaris were also known as Assassins or Hashishim. They became embedded in European consciousness because of their contact with the Knights Templar, and other Crusaders and visitors to the Near East. Several Europeans reported back with strange (and largely false) tales of the Assassins. In the fourteenth century, they were widely popularized by the famed Venetian traveler and writer Marco Polo in The Travels of Marco Polo. He added a whole new level of myth in his account of the sect (included in this volume along with extensive commentary).
Of greatest interest is the idea that the Assassins were the spiritual initiators of the Knights Templar. If this is true, Hasan-i-Sabah would be in part responsible for the European Renaissance that would reclaim the spiritual centrality of the Hermetic writings and the Gnostic/Esoteric trends that continue to this day.
Essential reading for an understanding of modern esoteric secret societies and today’s headlines coming from the Middle East. Includes 9 maps.
About the Authors:
- James Wasserman is a lifelong student of esotericism. His writings include The Mystery Traditions and Aleister Crowley and The Practice of the Magical Diary. He lives in New York City with his wife, Nancy.
- Tobias Churton is a writer and filmmaker, best known for his work on English television's award-winning Gnostics series and the bestselling book that accompanied it. Churton was also foundereditor of the controversial Freemasonry Today magazine. He recently completed a dramatic film on Elias Ashmole and the origins of Freemasonry, A Mighty Good Man.
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ESSENTIAL TAROT WRITINGS:
A Collection of Source Texts in Western Occultism
by Donald Tyson
Paperback : 430 pages
Publisher : Llewellyn Publications; Annotated edition (November 8, 2020)
List Price:$29.99
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Presenting invaluable essays written by prominent occultists from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, this profound book explores the fascinating evolution of tarot as a magical tool. Occult scholar Donald Tyson has edited and annotated these important works so that you can understand each occultist's message in the context of his peers and period.
Essential Tarot Writings reveals where many of our fundamental assumptions about the tarot came from, including card meanings, how it's used in ceremonial magic, Hebrew and Kabbalistic correspondences, and more. All of these essays are interconnected by the influences these great thinkers had on each other and the understanding of tarot that permeated each century. From Antoine Court de Gébelin and Comte de Millet to P.D. Ouspensky and S.L. MacGregor Mathers, these titans of esoteric tarot are brought together in one must-have collection.
About the Author:
Donald Tyson is an occult scholar and the author of the popular, critically acclaimed Necronomicon series. He has written more than a dozen books on Western esoteric traditions, including Tarot Magic, and edited and annotated Agrippa's Three Books of Occult Philosophy. Donald lives in Nova Scotia, Canada.
KABBALAH- THE TREE OF LIFE ORACLE:
Sacred Wisdom to Enrich Your Life
by Cherry Gilchrist
Paperback : 144 pages
Publisher : Eddison Books (September 1, 2020)
List Price: $26.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
This oracle is based on the ancient Kabbalistic map of creation that dates back at least a thousand years in the Jewish mystery tradition. The Tree of Life is a sacred symbol in many cultures of the world, but here it is used as a path to knowledge linking the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet with the twenty-two paths of the Tree of Life and the astrological houses.
Each resulting word forms a rich and powerful wheel symbol that reflects a segment of the tree, depicted on a card in the oracle deck. Follow the reading sheet to lay the cards in the zigzag line of creation, and consult the guidebook to receive guidance on any life issue. Both the oracle and the tree are highly structured, and from this framework of harmony comes wisdom that you will value forever.
About the Author:
Cherry Gilchrist is a writer and lecturer and a long-time participant in Western traditions relating to Kabbala, meditation, and hermeticism. She is a graduate of Cambridge University, UK, in English and Anthropology, and holds a post-graduate diploma from the University of Bath Spa in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology. As an author, Cherry has published widely on mythology, traditional culture, and inner traditions. She writes both for adults and for children, and has won a UK Reading Award for her Calendar of Festivals. Her books include The Elements of Alchemy, Stories from the Silk Road, The Circle of Nine and Divination. Many of her titles have been translated into other languages, including Italian, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.
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THE GODDESS TEMPLE ORACLE CARDS
by Sarah Perini, Elena Albanese
Publisher : Llewellyn Publications / Lo Scarabeo (September 8, 2020)
Boxed deck (4 x 5¼) includes a deck and instructional booklet
List Price: $19.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
In the Goddess Temple Oracle, each card is like a temple containing the timeless power of the goddess in her many facets. Designed to incorporate the energetic significance of the turning of the wheel of the year, these cards connect the reader to the wisdom of Welsh, Cornish, and Celtic traditions. Featuring breathtaking art that speaks to the deepest parts of your spiritual self, these cards can inspire, warn, empower, and support you on your journey toward becoming who you truly are.
Boxed deck (4 x 5¼) includes a deck and an instructional booklet.
About the Author and Illustrator:
- Sarah Perini is an author based in Italy.
- Elena Albanese is an Italian illustrator, author, and researcher. She specializes in Paganism, the sacred feminine, world mythologies, and animist spirituality. The Goddess Temple Oracle is her first oracle deck.
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SACRED MOTHERS & GODDESSES:
by Claudia Olivos
40 Oracle Card Set With 180 page Guidebook
Publisher : Blue Angel/Llewellyn Publications (October 8, 2020)
List Price: $25.95
FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Become aware of your sacred femininity and attune to higher and deeper vibrations of the Goddess through activities, dedications, altar creation, and card layouts. Originally painted in oils on canvas, Claudia Olivos's channeled images hold unique, powerful energy to connect you with a sisterhood of deities for practical, loving, and ageless knowledge. Turn to this oracle for daily guidance, support, and a potent reminder of your valuable role in this time and in all of eternity.
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This concludes our Newsletter for this month.
Look for us again DECEMBER 1st, 2020!
Erica (Raven) Branch-Butler, Editrix, Edge of the Circle Books Newsletter
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