BLESSED LUGHNASADH!!!
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| Ceres of Merida |
WELCOME to the Edge of the Circle Newsletter. This newsletter
has come about as an effort to reach out to the Pagan/ Occult community
(particularly in Seattle where we are based) to inform the community of what events
are happening at our store. Without further ado, welcome, and enjoy. Regards, Erica (Raven) Branch-Butler,
Editrix-
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.
We are located
at: 701 E. Pike St, corner of Boylston Ave., just two blocks west of Broadway,
on Capitol Hill.
Edge of the
Circle Books strives to be your ideal Magical Pagan store.
Open 7 days a
week, Noon 'till 9pm.
Call:
206-PAN-1999
**
We are also now on Facebook:
Become a Fan;
post your event on the discussion page!
**
REMINDER: We buy used Occult Books! Our
buyer is in on Wednesdays, Thursdays,
Saturdays, and Sundays!
Classroom/Ritual Space is available--
please call for details!
If you find yourself needing to get out of the heat, come on down
to the store and browse awhile. We have AIR CONDITIONING!
**
SPECIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT:
 |
| Leon Reed |
DRUID SUMMER CAMP
Come hear Leon
Reed, the official herbalist for the British Druid Order
talk about our first Druid Summer
Camp. We have some very exciting things
planned. It will be held at camp long
from Friday night till Sunday at 11:30.
There will be continuous Groves for Bards, Ovates, and Druids. It is a great chance to be a druid all the
time for more than a day for only $100.00. (Through Aug. 2-Lamass) We have rented half the cabins at camp long
in west Seattle for this event. In
addition to Leon Reed, many other amazing local teachers will be there
including Corby Ingold who is profiled in keepers of the Flame. Another
individual featured is Dennis Merril, another of our founders of the Bards of
Caer Pugetia (Our local Gorsedd - which holds eight free meetings in Seattle
Parks each year) and guitar maker extraordinaire. Come join us for this wonderful
free lecture, and secure your bed for this wonder of a local event.
SPECIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT: SEATTLE HAS A NEW RESOURCE FOR PAGANS!
PSPRG : The Puget Sound Pagan Resource
Guide
"Are you a Pagan in the Puget Sound
area? Find groups, shops, events, classes, makers of thinks, officiates,
healers, readers and more!"
About the Puget Sound Pagan
Resource Guide
The scope of this project is limited to
doing a few things very well, aimed a connecting the wider Puget Sound Pagan
community. The site will serve two main
functions… first to act as a community calendar, second to act as a pagan
"yellow pages". It is, and
always will be, free to all.
Note: all prices are subject to change without notice.
THE DARK LORD:
H.P. Lovecraft, Kenneth Grant, and the
Typhonian Tradition in Magic
By Peter Levenda
Hardcover: 352
pages
Publisher: Ibis
Press (August 1, 2013)
List Price: $35.00
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
One of the most
famous - yet least understood - manifestations of Thelemic thought has been the
works of Kenneth Grant, the British occultist and one-time intimate of Aleister
Crowley, who discovered a hidden world within the primary source materials of
Crowley's Aeon of Horus. Using complementary texts from such disparate authors
as H.P. Lovecraft, Jack Parsons, Austin Osman Spare, and Charles Stansfeld
Jones ("Frater Achad"), Grant formulated a system of magic that
expanded upon that delineated in the rituals of the OTO: a system that included
elements of Tantra, of Voudon, and in particular that of the Schlangekraft
recension of the Necronomicon, all woven together in a dark tapestry of power
and illumination.
The Dark Lord
follows the themes in the writings of Kenneth Grant, H.P. Lovecraft, and the
Necronomicon, uncovering further meanings of the concepts of the famous writers
of the Left Hand Path. It is for Thelemites, as well as lovers of the Lovecraft
Mythos in all its forms, and for those who find the rituals of classical
ceremonial magic inadequate for the New Aeon.
Traveling
through the worlds of religion, literature, and the occult, Peter Levenda takes
his readers on a deeply fascinating exploration on magic, evil, and The Dark
Lord as he investigates of one of the most neglected theses in the history of
modern occultism: the nature of the Typhonian Current and its relationship to
Aleister Crowley's Thelema and H.P. Lovecraft's Necronomicon.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
Peter Levenda is
an author of esoterica and historical investigation, from Unholy Alliance: A
History of Nazi Involvement with the Occult (foreword by Norman Mailer) and his
most recent Ratline: Soviet Spies, Nazi Priests and the Disappearance of Adolf
Hitler, to the more specifically esoteric such as Tantric Temples: Eros and
Magic in Java and Stairway to Heaven: Chinese Alchemists, Jewish Kabbalists and
the Art of Spiritual Transformation. In addition, his Sinister Forces trilogy
bears forewords by investigative journalists Jim Hougan, Dick Russell and Paul
Krassner. He has appeared numerous times as an expert on Nazi occult beliefs on
the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel,
and TNT, in shows ranging from Brad Meltzer's Decoded to The Nostradamus
Effect.
**
COMMENTARIES
ON THE GOLDEN DAWN FLYING
ROLLS
By: Various (Commentary)
Paperback: 440
pages
Publisher:
Kerubim Press (June 14, 2013)
List Price: $29.99
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
This book
contains the 36 pivotal papers given to Adepts in the original Golden Dawn
order, providing key insights and instructions into the theory and practice of
magic, from theurgy, imagination and symbolism to clairvoyance, divination and
telesmatic images.
For the first
time these texts are brought together in a single printed volume, along with
some rare administrative versions that were all but ignored by modern eyes. In
addition, extensive and insightful commentaries from modern Golden Dawn
magicians from a variety of orders are here provided, adding to the corpus of
teaching provided in the Flying Rolls themselves.
The contributors
to this book include: Frater A.M., Frater AR, Deanna Bonds, Christopher
Bradford, Chic Cicero, Sandra Tabatha Cicero, Ian Cowburn, Morgan Drake
Eckstein, Nick Farrell, Paola Farrell, Lauren Gardner, Jayne Gibson, Frater
Goya, VH Frater IOV, Aaron Leitch, Liza Llewellyn, Joseph Max, Frater
Philomancer, VH Soror QQDAM, Samuel Scarborough, Eric V. Sisco, Rachael Walker,
Sam Webster, Harry Wendrich, Peregrin Wildoak, Frater Yechidah, and Frater YShY.
**
THE BOOK OF THE BARDIC CHAIR
By Kevan Manwaring
(Compiler, Editor)
Foreword by Ronald Hutton
Paperback: 256
pages
Publisher: R J
Stewart Books (October 22, 2008)
List Price: $17.99
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
‘It’s quite possibly the druidic bargain
of the decade’ The Druid’s Voice
‘It continues to sum up a remarkable
achievement, produced by an extraordinary city and community.’ Ronald Hutton
The Bardic Chair
is awarded as a prize in competitions of artistic merit, held in a festival of
the arts known as an eisteddfod. Born of the Celtic Tradition, initially in
Wales, Bardic Chairs are a growing phenomenon – transcending cultural barriers
– not just around the British Isles, but around the world. This book explains
the background of Bardic Chairs, lists all the current ones on record, and
explains how to set one up. If you ever wondered what a bard is and why they
are as relevant as ever this book will enlighten and inspire.
Featuring the
Bardic Chairs of…
*Wales*Cornwall*Brittany*Isle
of Man*Channel Islands
*England*Australia*North
America*Canada*Argentina
From the global
to the local, the 2008 edition focuses on the Bardic Chair of Caer Badon (Bath,
Somerset) as an example of the most successfully revived English Chair to date
– featuring the 12th Bard.
· Profile of each of the Chaired Bards,
Ovates and Druids.
· Winning Poems
· List of Modern Bardic Chairs in Britain
and beyond.
· The Modern Bardic Chair Movement
· How to set up and run a Bardic Chair
· How to run a Bardic Circle
· Contacts and Resources
· Essays on Bath, the City of Sulis
· Young Bard competitions
FROM THE AUTHOR’S
PAGE:
Contributions by
Ronald Hutton, CaitlÃn Matthews, RJ Stewart, Moyra Caldecott, Graham Harvey,
Tim Sebastion Woodman, Philip Shallcrass (Greywolf) & many more
A recent review of The Book
of the Bardic Chair, (RJ Stewart Books, 2008) edited by yours truly
This book is many things - a history, a
directory, a guide, a sourcebook, and a work in progress. I have read the 08
edition, but it is evident the intention is to update this work as the bardic
chair movement grows. The book is both a record of that development, and a
means for furthering it. There's such a rich and diverse selection of writing
here. It includes a history of bardic chairs, and overview of chairs around the
world, a detailed history of the chair of Caer Badon, insights into the works
of chaired bards, including samples of their creations, suggestions for how to
run chairs and details of bardic gatherings.
Reading it, I felt sorely tempted to try
and set something up - even though I don't realistically have time. Kevan's
writing is persuasive, and the subject matter inspiring. He expresses not only
why such gatherings are important, but makes it feel eminently do-able. One of
the things I especially loved is that he presents the bard path as a thing in
its own right - rooted in Celtic culture, but not exclusively that, and
certainly not ‘druid level one'. Spiritual but not proselytising, competitive
but not exclusive, the chairs are as much about the wider community and inclusion
as they are about a few talented people strutting their stuff on the day. The
bardic movement is a peace movement, and a green movement, it is for community,
earth, connection and inspiration and we need more of this.
For anyone drawn to the modern bard path,
this is well worth reading. For those exploring the modern history of paganism,
it's going to be a valuable resource. For anyone seeking inspiration, there are
all kinds of gems gathered here. It's a book I know I will be going back to,
and I'm looking forward to seeing how it evolves in future editions.
Bryn Colvin, The Druid Network
**
THE PATH OF INITIATION:
Spiritual Evolution and the Restoration
of the Western Mystery Tradition
By J. S. Gordon
Paperback: 608
pages
Publisher: Inner
Traditions; Original edition (July 4, 2013)
List Price: $29.95
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
Details the
process of spiritual initiation from aspirant to the highest Adept
• Explains the
characteristics of each stage of initiation, including the associated
psychological issues that need to be faced to move to the next stage
• Explores the
long history of the Mystery traditions from ancient Egypt, Babylonia, and India
to the modern Theosophy of Blavatsky and Bailey
• Reveals how
the Brotherhood of Spiritual Adepts is increasing global tensions to prepare
humanity for the Age of Aquarius and spiritual revelation
As the
precessional cycle transits from Pisces to Aquarius, great shifts in spiritual
evolution are on the horizon--not for all of humanity as many in the New Age
movement have generously hypothesized but for those who have undertaken the
necessary spiritual preparation and initiatory work.
Drawing from his
deep immersion in the Mystery traditions of both East and West, author J. S.
Gordon investigates the initiatic path from ancient times to modern day,
detailing the step-by-step process of initiation and the sequence from
spiritual aspirant to the highest Adeptship. He explains the natural logic and
characteristics of each stage of initiation, including the associated problems
and psychological issues that need to be faced in order to move forward to the
next stage. He shows how humanity is naturally inclined to spiritual evolution
and the development of higher consciousness. We are part of the overall
evolutionary process of Nature, a system guided by the most highly evolved
Adepts and extending beyond Earth to the entire kosmos.
Exploring the
long history of the Mystery schools beginning with ancient Egypt, Babylonia,
and India, Gordon examines the sacred metaphors and allegories of esoteric
philosophy, metaphysics, occult science, and the Science of the Seven Rays as
well as the Adept-inspired theosophical works of H. P. Blavatsky and A. A.
Bailey. He looks at the Adept Hierarchy of the Great White Himalayan
Brotherhood and considers in detail two much-discussed mysteries: The
Jesus-as-Christ mystery and the Maitreya-Buddha mystery. Revealing how
advancement--spiritual, scientific, and cultural--erupts out of tension, he
explains how the Adepts have been increasing local and global tensions to
prepare humanity for the Age of Aquarius, thereby creating the ideal
preconditions for spiritual evolution and an eventual restoration of the
Mysteries in our own modern era.
Excerpt. ©
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
CHAPTER NINE
Initiations of
the Threshold
We now come to
the first two initiations of the sevenfold sequence of spiritual evolution
within our planetary scheme. These are essentially the same as those of the
Entered Apprentice and Fellow Craft in Freemasonry. However, before progressing
with them, let us remember the sequence of seven states of consciousness
(within the all-embracing eighth state that comprises the first and lowest
kosmic plane of being), as defined in modern theosophical terminology.
7. Divine
consciousness
6. Semi-divine
consciousness
5. Full
spiritual consciousness
4. Spiritual
soul consciousness
3. Mental
consciousness
2. Astral
(desire) consciousness
1. Physical
sensory consciousness
Of these seven
the sensory physical state is regarded as having already been brought under
conscious control, as far as the Path is concerned, during the first two
preliminary stages of Probation and Accepted Discipleship. Therefore the
remaining six include a duality between the Higher Mind and the Lower Mind,
these being respectively dealt with at the second and third initiations. In
each case, as already suggested, the individual has to bring about (under
increasingly testing conditions) a practical and not just theoretical display
of control over the natural elemental forces that constitute the instinctive
nature of each plane of being.
In a peculiar
way, however, the individual generates the very conditions that he or she has
to overcome--hence the difficulties. The reason for this is that Nature always
instinctively strives to achieve balance. Hence, when we strive after something
higher, Nature will find its opposite and bring it to bear in order to
counteract the threatened imbalance. The subtler the higher aspiration, the
subtler is the downward dragging elemental response. The only way that a human
individual can counteract this situation is by allowing his or her
consciousness to be brought to a face-to-face crisis of these opposites in
which both of them are transcended. It is for this reason that the path of
initiation is often referred to as the Path of Progressive Renunciation--the
Way of Tears and Sadness. Yet this is unavoidable because the whole process of
psychospiritual evolution necessarily involves much internal (often violent)
conflict, with progressive destruction, purification, and rebuilding or
reorganization, in order to better align the lower nature with the higher. All
of this takes a long time to achieve properly, resulting in the correct
disciplining of elemental matter of the various sub-planes, then of successive
readjustment, realignment, and repolarization of each “body” as a whole. Any
attempt to rush the process unduly, outside natural Law, can only result in
problems that will have to be undone before further real progress is possible.
That is why we are told that haste is not an accepted mode of activity within
the spiritual world.
THE SEVEN RAY
INFLUENCES
The essential
difference between the higher and lower initiations is that the crisis in the
first (lower) three is unconsciously self-engineered by the individual’s own
way of life. In the higher four, the intelligence--having realized the true
nature and practical value of the principle of crisis--brings it about consciously
through a self-willed focus. As we are very helpfully told:
A crisis is
brought about by a certain habit of mind. . . . It is the establishing of a
certain objective rhythm which produces a crisis; it is the emergence of a
particular subjective rhythm which enables a man to surmount the crisis and to
capitalize on the opportunity.
When this is
consciously recognized and adapted to prevailing circumstances much later on
the Path--by the initiate facing the fourth degree (the initiation influenced by
the Fourth Ray)--the sense of crisis is then felt in a manner directly
affecting the life of the objective personality by those in close contact, but
not in quite the same manner by the individual. His or her trial is of a much
subtler and wholly subjective nature. It is perhaps worthwhile reminding
ourselves, before we proceed further, of the teaching concerning the Seven
Rays, as enunciated by the Adept Hierarchy. These higher influences condition
the individual’s forward progress until he or she becomes a sixth degree
initiate, or Chohan. These Rays are correspondingly described as follows:
1. The Ray of
Will or Power
2. The Ray of
Love-Wisdom
3. The Ray of
Active or Adaptive Intelligence
4. The Ray of
Harmony-through-Conflict
5. The Ray of
Concrete Science
6. The Ray of
Devotion
7. The Ray of
Ceremonial Organization or Ritual Magic
These same Ray
influences are described as the projections of seven archetypal kosmic
influences emanated downward into the field of our planetary life by our particular
Logos. However, in trying to understand them (and it is essential to do so), it
is important to remember the earlier description of how the lower three are the
materialized reflection of the higher three, and the fourth acts as a bridge
between these two highly potent triads. One further and again most important
issue related to the Rays is that each--by virtue of the manner adapted by
human usage--has a higher and a lower (or a positive and a negative) aspect to
it. The individual must learn to recognize both and gradually become free of
the tendency toward the latter through psychological honesty and applied
self-control.
THE DIFFICULTIES
OF SELF-CONTROL
The individual
initiate has ultimately to achieve his or her progressive subjective conquests
while in the physical body, because the final initiation must involve all seven
influences being spiritually synthesized back into a coherent unity. We, it
must be remembered, are actually not physical beings at all. We are spiritual
intelligences actually existing within the fourth of the seven
solar-cum-terrestrial states, from which a portion of our nature (a lesser
“spark,” or jiva) is emanated into the triple lower planetary world, taking
anchorage within our human heart. It is that same “spark” that must bring about
the control of the lesser elemental nature; but it can only do so once it
re-achieves a degree of contact with its emanating Source.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
About the Author
J. S. Gordon
(1946-2013) held a master’s degree in Western Esotericism from the University
of Exeter and was a senior fellow of the Theosophical Society of England, where
he lectured on ancient history and metaphysics. Known for his in-depth
knowledge on the ancient Egyptian mystical tradition, he wrote several books,
including Land of the Fallen Star Gods.
**
IN THE SPIRIT OF WE'MOON:
Celebrating 30 Years
By Musawa (Narrator)
Paperback: 255
pages
Publisher:
Mother Tongue Ink (October 1, 2011)
List Price: $25.95
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
In the Spirit of
We’Moon artfully showcases the core strength of We’Moon—the powerful art and
writing published in the datebook each year, submitted by hundreds of women
worldwide. The anthology includes new insights from founding editor Musawa and
other writers who share stories about We’Moon’s colorful 30-year evolution.
Hear the spirited voices of women making waves that have changed our world!
Open up this book to any page for inspiration in your daily life, and you won’t
want to put it down!
**
THE
PHILOSOPHER'S STONE:
Spiritual
Alchemy, Psychology, and Ritual Magic
By Israel Regardie
(Author), Chic Cicero (Author), Sandra Tabatha Cicero (Author)
Paperback: 552
pages
Publisher:
Llewellyn Publications; annotated edition edition (August 8, 2013)
List Price: $24.99
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
A new edition of
Regardie’s classic text
In the
mid-1930s, Israel Regardie had an insight into understanding alchemical
writings. The result was The Philosopher’s Stone, where he analyzed three
17th-century alchemical works symbolically, psychologically, and via magickal
energy.
Now, famed
occultists Chic and Tabatha Cicero bring this book into the 21st century. The
original is completely reproduced here. The Hebrew transliterations have been
updated with modern styles and the text is fully annotated and explained.
Added are these new features:
Added are these new features:
• New
introduction
• New
illustrations
• Biographical
dictionary
• Glossary
• Resource list
• Bibliography
• Index
Plus, five new
original articles
• “The Spiritual
Alchemy of the Golden Dawn” by Chic Cicero
• “Intro to
Alchemy: A Golden Dawn Perspective” by Mark Stavish
• “Basic Alchemy
for the Golden Dawn” and “Golden Dawn Ritual Method and Alchemy” by Samuel
Scarborough
• “The Elixir of
the Sun” by Steven Marshall
• “Solve Et
Coagula: The Wedding of Sol and Luna” by the Ciceros
ABOUT THE
AUTHORS:
Francis I.
Regardie, born in London, England, November 17, 1907; died in Sedona, Arizona,
March 10, 1985. Came to the United
States in August 1921, educated in Washington D.C. and studied art in school in
Washington and Philadelphia. Returned to
Europe in 1928 at the invitation of Aleister Crowley to work as his secretary
and study with him. Returned to London
as secretary to Thomas Burke 1932-34, and during that time wrote A Garden of
Pomegranates and The Tree of Life.
In 1934 he was
invited to join the Order of the Golden Dawn, Stella Matutina Temple, during
which time he wrote The Middle Pillar and The Art of True Healing, and did the
basic work for The Philosopher's Stone.
Returning to the
United States in 1937 he entered Chiropractic College in New York, Graduating
in 1941, and published The Golden Dawn.
Served in the U.S. Army 1942-1945, and then moved to Los Angeles where
he opened a chiropractic practice and taught psychiatry. Upon retirement in 1981, he moved to Sedona.
During his
lifetime, he studied psychoanalysis with Dr. E. Clegg and Dr. J. L. Bendit, and
later studied psychotherapy under Dr. Nandor Fodor. His training encompassed Freudian, Jungian
and Reichian methods.
Chic and Sandra
Tabatha Cicero are Senior Adepts of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. They share an enthusiasm for the esoteric
arts. They live in Florida with their
cat, Lealah, where they work and practice magic.
Sandra Tabatha
Cicero is a Senior Adept of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and holds a
bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.
**
THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BLACK MAGIC
By Mike Ashley
Paperback: 512
pages
Publisher:
Running Press; Reprint edition (July 2, 2013)
List Price: $13.95
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
Delve into the
fascinating world of witchcraft and magic and let this enthralling compilation
act as your guide to a realm beyond anything you’ve experienced, as you explore
the stunning world of hexes, sorcery, and powerful enchantments.
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
Mike Ashley is a
full-time writer, editor, and researcher. He has complied over fifty Mammoth
books including The Mammoth Book of Extreme Science Fiction and The Mammoth
Book of Mindblowing SF. He lives in Kent, England.
**
NEW
BOOKS ON DIVINATION:
THE FIVE TAROTS
By Gordon Strong
Paperback: 100
pages
Publisher:
Kerubim Press (December 10, 2012)
Price: $12.99
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
There are 78
cards in the Tarot, 22 of which are known as the Major Arcana, containing a
breadth of wisdom and magical philosophy. Yet it is within the first five of
these cards that the main principles of the Tarot can be found. The Tarot is a
tangible demonstration of High Magic, and nowhere is that more evident than in
the extraordinary power of The Magician and The High Priestess. Combined with
The Fool, The Empress and The Emperor, the keys to the Tarot are ready to be
unlocked.
**
THE ESOTERIC TAROT:
Ancient Sources Rediscovered in Hermeticism
and Cabalah
By Ronald Decker
Paperback: 312
pages
Publisher: Quest
Books (July 9, 2013)
List Price: $23.95
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
That the Tarot
originated in ancient Egypt as a divinatory tool is a romantic misconception.
Ron Decker’s meticulous scholarship will surprise practitioners and academics
alike, revealing the Tarot’s true evolution and meanings as its inventor(s)
understood it.
The Tarot
consists of the Minor Arcana, four suits of cards similar to our modern deck,
and the Major Arcana, twenty-two allegorical or “trump” cards. Decker says the
four-suit deck was invented in Asia Minor before AD 1000; Italian courtiers
added the trumps in the 1400s. But Tarot was first used as a game. Tarot
divination was only created in the 1700s by a Parisian fortuneteller who based
the trump images on Hermeticism, which merges Greco-Egyptian alchemy,
astrology, numerology, magic, and mysticism. Today, the suit-cards are often
traced to the ancient Jewish Cabala. But, says Decker, they, too, acquired
their meanings only in the 1700s, and he cites a lost numerical system based on
Cabala at that time.
Decker’s
interpretation integrates three whole systems-astrological, arithmological,
mystagogical (concerning initiation rites into the Mysteries). His depth of
knowledge makes the book a must-have for serious students of Tarot and
esotericism.
Reviews/back of book/flap
"A
rigorously researched book that serves as the basis for Decker's arguments for
a Tarot richly rooted in an ancient cosmic worldview--one that continues to
speak to us today."
— Paul Quinn,
author, Tarot for Life
"I have
been following Ronald Decker's work for many years, and he has been developing
the themes expressed in The Esoteric Tarot in articles and in books that he has
written since the early 1990s. His views may be surprising to some, but
everything Decker writes is carefully researched and contemplated. There is no
other author I trust more than Decker for insights into the Tarot's history and
symbolism."
— Robert M.
Place, creator of The Alchemical Tarot and author of The Tarot: History,
Symbolism, and Divination
"Noted art
and playing card historian Ronald Decker deeply probes the Hermetic,
Neoplatonic and Kabbalistic esoteric systems studied by Renaissance
intellectuals and finds sufficient significant congruency between their symbols
and tarot cards to build his intriguing theory that the tarot trumps may well
have originated as a device with multilevel meanings developed for
psychological and philosophical introspection, possibly divination.
Most important
to Decker’s theory is his close examination of the life and theories of
eighteenth century Parisian card reader Jean-Baptiste Alliette, who, perceiving
the Hermetic resonances of the cards, first popularized the use of tarot cards
for divination purposes under the pseudonym 'Etteilla.' His card
interpretations became the basis for those of the Order of the Golden Dawn, and
indeed form the basis of most tarot card interpretations used today.
Obviously this
is an impressive book not to be missed; as readable as it is learned, it should
have a definite appeal to tarot historian and tarot reader alike."
— Paul Huson,
author, Mystical Origins of the Tarot
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR:
Ronald Decker
holds a B.A. in fine art from State University College at Buffalo and a M.A. in
painting from the University of Cincinnati graduate school. He has taught art
and art history at all levels of education. Until his retirement, he was
curator of antique cards at The U.S. Playing Card Company. He has studied Tarot
cards in public and private collections in all of Europe's capitols as well as
Turkey, Egypt, and India. Tarot and the Esoteric Traditions is his fourth book
about the cards.
**
THE ORACLE OF RASPUTIN
By Manteia (Author), Paolo
Benassi (Translator)
Paperback: 210
pages
Publisher:
Kerubim Press (February 15, 2013)
Price: $19.99
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
The Oracle of
Rasputin is an ancient script attributed to the controversial Russian mystic
and discovered by the Italian chiromancer Leopoldo Benassi, better known as
Professor Manteia, from the Greek for "divination." Manteia came into
possession of the Oracle in an encounter with a mysterious gentleman,
deciphered the text written in Old Russian, and translated it into Italian.
The first
version of The Oracle of Rasputin was published in the 1960s and became an
immediate success. The book contained the fascinating story of how Manteia was
given the text, the explanation of the celestial alphabet used in the Oracle,
the life of Grigori Rasputin, and the table of the 63 personal questions with
the relevant responses given by the Oracle.
The book also
contained the three talismans or amulets (relating to Air, Fire, and Water) to
be used in order to obtain the responses to the questions. The Oracle of
Rasputin was translated into different languages and distributed in many
countries, but there was never an English version until Paolo Benassi,
Manteia's son, took up the mantle and delivered this latest edition.
**
NEW
DIVINATION DECKS
THE ORACLE OF DR. JOHN DEE:
Magic and Wisdom from One of the World's Greatest
Visionaries
By John Matthews (Author),
Wil Kinghan (Author), Damon Albarn (Foreword)
Book and Deck
set: Pack contains 28 visionary oracle cards, a talisman template and a
112-page illustrated guidebook.
Publisher:
Connections Book Publishing (June 1, 2013)
List Price: $19.95
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
Dr John Dee was
arguably the most famous of Elizabethan visionaries. As magician, alchemist,
astrologer, mathematician, physicist and philosopher, he straddled the worlds
of science and magic with his insatiable thirst for knowledge. Dee considered
that all his activities constituted different facets of the same quest: the
search for an understanding of the divine forms he saw as underlying the
visible world – and which showed themselves as oracles.
This remarkable
oracle offers 28 cards, depicting Dee in seven archetypal roles along with
other key luminaries of the period. Each card brings a unique perspective to
the issue at hand, and offers further guidance from angelic sources - a central
theme in Dee's ongoing revelatory quest.
ABOUT THE
AUTHORS:
John Matthews
has produced a number of successful divinatory systems based on early spiritual
beliefs – including the best-selling Arthurian Tarot (with CaitlÃn Matthews and
Miranda Gray), The Wildwood Tarot (with Mark Ryan and Will Worthington), The
Green Man Tree Oracle (with Will Worthington), The Celtic Animal Oracle, the
highly successful Grail Tarot (with Giovanni Casselli), and the recently
published Lost Tarot of Nostradamus (with Wil Kinghan). He is widely known as
the author of numerous books in The Grail and Arthurian legends genre. His most
recent projects, The Camelot Oracle (with Will Worthington) and The Steampunk
Tarot (with CaitlÃn Matthews and Wil Kinghan), are due for publication in 2012.
His book Pirates was No 1 in the New York Times Reviews of Books and a
bestseller for 22 weeks in 2007. He has acted as an advisor on several motion
pictures. Visit www.hallowquest.org.uk
Wil Kinghan is a
writer, artist and explorer of the Hermetic and Celtic traditions. He studied
Archeology at University College Dublin, and Environmental Design at NCAD in
the 1980s. He then worked in advertising and commercial art as an Art Director
(Kenny’s Adv; Ark’s Adv), winning awards for various campaigns such as for
Guinness in the 1990s. He left advertising to form his own company and develop
his art and writing. He recently completed work on several writing and
illustration projects including The Shaman’s Oracle (Watkins, 2010), The
Ancestor Oracle (Watkins, 2011), The Lost Tarot of Nostradamus (Connections,
2011) and The Steampunk Tarot (Connections, 2012). He is also working on his
first novel and has published a selection of poetry in Ireland, Where the Hazel
Falls. Visit www.mythwoodfilms.com
**
MESSENGER ORACLE
By Ravynne Phelan
Book and Deck
set; Paperback: 75 pages
Publisher: U.S.
Games Systems Inc.; Paperback/Cards edition (October 5, 2012)
List Price: $21.95
FROM THE
PUBLISHER:
This luminous
deck is for those who yearn to reconnect with Gaia, Great Spirits, the natural
world and its creatures. Messenger Oracle strengthens our ancient bond with
nature and spirit. These cards are infused with the magic of ancient dragons,
elemental fae, mystical trees, and their animal kind they are the messengers
who are here to guide us back to our true nature and to help us express our
inner truth.
The 75-page
instruction booklet provides inspirational messages for each card and three
different card spreads, including an original Gaia Tree Spread.
**
THE BLACK CATS TAROT DECK
By Maria Kurora (Author)
Publisher: Lo
Scarabeo/Llewellyn Publications; Crds Blg edition (September 8, 2013)
List Price: $22.95
FROM THE
PUBISHER:
This
Rider-Waite-based tarot celebrates and honors the beautiful and magical black
cats. Cleverly incorporating feline characteristics and legend into traditional
tarot archetypes, this fanciful deck captures these creatures moving between
worlds of reality and fantasy, the mundane and mystical. Disarmingly cute yet
unmistakably wise, the black cats encourage you to explore your own animal
nature.
ONGOING
AT EDGE OF THE CIRCLE BOOKS
·
EVERY WEDNESDAY: IRISH LANGUAGE DROP IN
CLASS-7-9PM
·
Every first
Sunday of each month--SEATTLE CHAOS MAGIC
We meet at 3:33 pm. on the
first Sunday of each month, at Edge of the Circle Books, 701 E. Pike St.,
Seattle, WA 98122. Anyone practicing,
curious about, or otherwise interested in Chaos magic is welcome to attend.
·
Every 1st
Monday of each month CELTIC RECONSTRUCTIONIST GROUP 7-9PM
**
SERVICES
AVAILABLE AT EDGE OF THE CIRCLE BOOKS
REMINDER: We buy used
Occult Books! Our buyer is in on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays!
We also have
classroom/ritual space-- please call for details.
Need Spell advice? Just
ask!
TAROT
READINGS / SPIRITUAL ADVICE
UNCOMMONSENSE TAROT
Tarot readings by Erica
(Raven) Branch-Butler
"I've been
reading Tarot for more than thirty years, and reading professionally at the Edge
for a decade. My belief is that Tarot is best used for putting you in touch
with your own subconscious, allowing you to make healthy decisions that can
change your life for the better. My readings tend to be rather commonsensical.
They are often geared toward helping the client deal with the often
self-imposed obstacles in their lives in a healthy, self –affirming way, so
that they can achieve their goals and fully enjoy the fruits that life has to
bring."
Please inquire
about Tarot Parties, classes and other events.
Available every
day except THURSDAYS-- 12:30-8.30PM.
Sundays
12:30-8:30 PM
**
This concludes our Newsletter for this
month.
Look for us again September 1st, 2013!
Raven, Editrix, Edge of the Circle Books
Newsletter
**
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