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SPRING!!!

SPRING EQUINOX!
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- 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.

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

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We are also now on Facebook:
Become a Fan; post your event on the discussion page!

Also on Facebook: THE SEATTLE PAGAN, OCCULT AND METAPHYSICAL RESOURCE BOARD has been created in order to facilitate networking throughout the Pacific Northwest.


If you have a Magical Group, Ritual Group, Pagan Church or organization, Druid Grove, please feel free to post your events and classes here.
Meetups, talks, book signings, etc are all welcome here.
We'd prefer no advertisements for Professional Readers, Reiki practitioners, etc. However, if you are teaching a class, feel free to post your event.
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.

..and check out our new TUMBLR Page!

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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!
No charge if your class or event is free!







Note: all prices are subject to change without notice.



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THE GREAT WORK OF THE FLESH:
Sexual Magic East and West
By Sarane Alexandrian
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Destiny Books (February 5, 2015)
List Price: $16.95


FROM THE PUBLISHER:
An inside look at sex magic in Eastern and Western Mystery traditions--

Details the sex magic practices of P. B. Randolph, Aleister Crowley, Austin Osman Spare, Julius Evola, and Maria de Naglowska

Includes a complete overview of love magic in the Middle Ages, with accounts of the use of potions, powders, spells, and enchantments

Explores sex magic techniques of the East, including Taoist sexual alchemy

Magic, almost in its entirety, is connected to sexuality. It is through the natural magic of love that sex magic operates, harnessing the forces that join lovers together. In this extensive study of sex magic in the Eastern and Western Mystery traditions, Sarane Alexandrian explains how there is a sex magic connected with every religion, spiritual belief system, and initiatory society.

Exploring sexual practices in folk magic, high magic, alchemy, and religion, the author begins with a complete overview of love magic in the Middle Ages, including accounts of the use of potions, powders, spells, and enchantments, and he reveals how these techniques related to the religious practices of the time. He introduces the Taoist sexual alchemy practices of Mantak Chia, the secret tantric practices of the Tibetan bons, sexual shiatsu, and a Vietnamese practice called “mouth moxa.”

Examining the sacred sexuality that arose in Western initiatory orders in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Alexandrian details the development of P. B. Randolph’s white sexual magic and the black sexual magic of Aleister Crowley, as well as explaining the practices of Austin Osman Spare, Julius Evola and the Ur Group, and Maria de Naglowska. He reveals the scientific principles underlying sex magic and how successful results are guaranteed by the influences of the heavenly bodies and the radiant powers of color, number, scents, and physical movements, which intensify the activity of the human bioelectric field. Alexandrian also details the tantra practices of Margot Anand, the sexual rituals of Wicca, and magical “sex aids,” including talismans and jewels.

Providing complete practical information, the author explains how, through sex magic, a couple can extract from each other what they are missing by way of virility and femininity, multiplying their energies tenfold and merging the carnal and spiritual worlds to experience transcendent adventures in the deepest depths of reality.

About the Author:
Sarane Alexandrian was a member of the surrealist group in Paris in the years directly after World War II. He is the author of more than 60 books, including novels, a memoir, and studies of occultism, eroticism, and art. He died in Paris in 2009.


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THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO POSSESSION, DEPOSSESSION,
AND DIVINE RELATIONSHIPS
By Diana L. Paxson
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Weiser Books (March 1, 2015)
List Price: $21.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Bestselling author of several fantasy novels including Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ancestors of Avalon, Diana L. Paxson now turns her attention to Trance Possession. Specifically, how to safely and effectively enter and to exit possessory trance. In possessory trance, one voluntarily offers one's body as a vehicle for spirit work. This differs from other forms of trance in that one's "normal" personality is replaced by a personality that is identified by oneself and one's community as a spirit or a god.



Here Paxson explores all aspects of trance possession, including:

  • how to prepare for possessory trance


  • how to enter and exit trance possession safely, and what to do if things get too heavy


  • connecting with Saints and Spirits, including those found in Afro-Diasporic religions


A practical book of particular interest to witches and pagans, each chapter includes two to five exercises that will assist you in your personal experiences with possession.

Diana L. Paxson is the author of nearly three dozen novels, including the bestselling "Avalon" series (ghostwriting for Marion Zimmer Bradley) and several works of spiritual nonfiction including Taking Up the Runes (Weiser Books). She has been a practicing priestess for nearly thirty years and lectures and conducts workshops in North America and Europe. She lives in Berkeley, California.
Visit her at www.diana-paxson.com.



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THE SECRET CHAMBER OF OSIRIS:
Lost Knowledge of the Sixteen Pyramids
By Scott Creighton and Rand Flem-Ath (Foreword)
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Bear & Company; First Edition edition (December 25, 2014)
List Price: $18.00

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Reveals the true purpose behind the pyramids of Giza and the location of the secret vault of Egyptian treasures hidden on the Giza plateau

Details how the first 16 pyramids represent the allegorical “dismembered body of Osiris” and the legendary missing part is a secret underground chamber


Explains how the pyramids were built as recovery vaults and with the secret chamber contained everything needed to rebuild civilization after the Deluge


Examines the technology used to build the pyramids and “fly the stones into place”

After nearly 200 years of the pyramid-as-tomb theory, a growing body of evidence suggests the first 16 pyramids of ancient Egypt were not royal tombs but nearly indestructible recovery vaults designed to revive civilization after an anticipated major catastrophe, the Deluge of Thoth.

Scott Creighton examines the prophecy of catastrophe and the ancient Egyptians’ massive undertaking to ensure the survival of their civilization. He explains how the pyramids acted as easily located storehouses for seeds, tools, and civilizing knowledge, yet they would have been too visible to house the precious treasures necessary to restore the rich culture of ancient Egypt. For this, the ancients created a secret chamber whose existence was hidden in myth and whose location was encoded in the Giza pyramids.

Creighton shows how, collectively, the first 16 pyramids represent the allegorical “dismembered body of Osiris,” the Egyptian god of agriculture and rebirth, and, as in the myth of Osiris, one part is missing or hidden--a secret chamber under the sands of the Giza plateau. Creighton reveals how the 3 great pyramids of Giza “point” to the secret location and how they were built with technology akin to modern hot air balloons, used to “fly the stones into place” as cited in Egyptian legends and shown in ancient art.

Offering a new understanding of this remarkable civilization, the author concludes with a startling revelation: shortly after he revealed the location of the secret chamber of Osiris--a location never before explored--it became the site of a major excavation by the Egyptian authorities, the results of which have yet to be made public.

About the Author:
Scott Creighton is an engineer whose extensive travels have allowed him to explore many of the world’s ancient sacred sites. The host of the Alternative Egyptology forum on www.AboveTopSecret.com , he is the co-author of The Giza Prophecy and lives in Glasgow, Scotland.



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ESOTERIC EGYPT:
The Sacred Science of the Land of Khem
By J. S. Gordon
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Bear & Company; Reprint edition (February 2, 2015)
List Price: $25.00

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
A study of the 100,000-year-old spiritual science of ancient Egypt

Examines the metaphysical structure of our universe as seen by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts, showing that each is based on the same central concepts from time immemorial



Reveals that the ancient Egyptians believed in reincarnation and a spiritual evolutionary process


Explains the connections between the movements of Orion and Sirius and the story of Osiris and Isis, the importance of the Pleiades and circumpolar stars to the Egyptians, and the fundamental unity of the Egyptian pantheon


Investigates the people who colonized greater Egypt 100,000 years ago, descendants of the Atlanteans

In Esoteric Egypt, J. S. Gordon reveals how the sacred science and wisdom tradition of ancient Egypt--the Land of Khem--stems from an advanced prehistoric worldwide civilization. Examining the metaphysical structure of our universe as seen by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Celts, he shows that each tradition is merely a variation on the central concepts of the precession of the equinoxes and the obliquity of the ecliptic pole. He explores the connections between the cyclical movements of Orion and Sirius and the story of Osiris and Isis, the importance of the Pleiades and the circumpolar stars, and the ancient tradition of man as a divine being “born from the substance of the stars.” He investigates the people who colonized greater Egypt 100,000 years ago, the progenitors of ancient Egyptian civilization descended from the 4th- and 5th-Root Race Atlanteans.

Gordon explores the magical and esoteric meanings behind Egyptian sacred ritual and temple art, drawing parallels to the Mystery School process of initiation. Explaining the fundamental unity of the Egyptian pantheon and the structure of the after-death state, he shows that the Egyptians clearly believed in reincarnation and a spiritual evolutionary process. Revealing the ancient sacred science of the Land of Khem, teachings passed down from the earliest times, he examines the psychospiritual nature of the human being and the function of our spiritual identity and our souls.

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 The Path of Initiation and Land of the Fallen Star Gods.


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Pagan Portals -
THE MORRIGAN:
Meeting the Great Queens
By Morgan Daimler
Series: Pagan Portals
Paperback: 92 pages
Publisher: Moon Books (December 12, 2014)
List Price: $9.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
On shadowed wings and in raven's call, meet the ancient Irish goddess of war, battle, prophecy, death, sovereignty, and magic.

This book is an introduction to the Morrigan and several related goddesses who share the title, including Badb and Macha. It combines solid academic information with personal experience in a way that is intended to dispel the confusion that often surrounds who this goddess was and is. The Morrigan is as active in the world today as she ever was in the past but answering her call means answering the challenge of finding her history and myth in a sea of misinformation, supposition, and hard-to-find ancient texts. Here in one place, all of her basic information has been collected along with personal experiences and advice from a long-time priestess dedicated to a goddess who bears the title Morrigan.

About the Author:
Morgan is an Irish Re-constructionist with Heathen tendencies who has been a polytheist since the early '90′s. A wandering priestess of Odin and dedicant of Macha, she teaches classes on Irish and Norse magical practices, fairies, and related subjects around the northeastern United States. Morgan's writing has appeared in a variety of magazines and anthologies including 'By Blood, Bone, and Blade: A Tribute to the Morrigan' and 'Naming the Goddess'. Morgan is also the author of nine books including 'Fairy Witchcraft' and the Urban Fantasy novel 'Murder Between the Worlds'.


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ALL ACTS OF LOVE & PLEASURE:
Inclusive Wicca
By Yvonne Aburrow
Paperback: 276 pages
Publisher: Avalonia (November 14, 2014)
List Price: $24.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals..,”
Doreen Valiente, The Charge of the Goddess

All Acts of Love and Pleasure is a companion guide to inclusive Wicca, which includes all participants regardless of sexual orientation, disability, age, or other differences, not by erasing or ignoring the distinctions, but by working with them creatively within initiatory Craft.

Tracing the development of Pagan and Wiccan ideas about gender and sexuality, authority and tradition, we can see that the Craft has evolved since the 1950s, and will continue to develop in the future. The Author examines different ideas in relation to initiatory Wicca, such as eco-spirituality, science, truth, the sacred, sexuality, consent culture, tradition, and magic, and how these concepts can be explored as part of a liberal religious tradition and training as a priestess or priest in Wicca.

Each chapter offers further reading, a meditation or visualisation, and practical ideas for rituals and discussions. By examining the origins and relevance of Wiccan concepts, the reader is challenged to explore their own views and how they express their own spirituality. Although the aim of this book is to act as a guide to existing initiatory covens who want to make their practice more inclusive, its scope is much broader as it deals with wide-ranging issues including group dynamics, coven leadership, ritual, ethics, and Wiccan theology and practice. It is sure to appeal to Pagans, Magicians, Druids and Witches, of all persuasions and views.

About the Author:
Yvonne Aburrow was initiated into Gardnerian Wicca in 1991. She is an author and poet, with an MA in Contemporary Religions and Spiritualities from Bath Spa University. All Acts of Love and Pleasure is her eighth published work.


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BELTANE:
Rituals, Recipes & Lore for May Day
(Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials)
By Llewellyn, Melanie Marquis
Series: Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials (Book 2)
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (March 8, 2015)
List Price: $11.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
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 Beltane, 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!

In agricultural societies, Beltane marked the start of the summer season. We all have something we want to harvest by the end of the year—plans we are determined to realize. Beltane is the time to put our plans into action, and this book will show you how.


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EVERYDAY WITCHCRAFT:
Making Time for Spirit in a Too-Busy World
By Deborah Blake
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (March 8, 2015)
List Price: $16.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Walk your personal Pagan path with grace and wisdom, integrating a spiritual practice into your life in just a few minutes per week. Simple, fun, and easy to follow, Everyday Witchcraft shows that, no matter how busy or hectic life is, even small acts can add meaning and depth to your life.

This remarkable book is filled with creative ideas and a variety of quick yet significant ways to connect with the rhythms of nature each day, not just on sabbats or the full moon. Make your home into a magickal place, work with the God and Goddess on a regular basis, and discover the magickal power of animals. From five-minute rituals and “hibernation vacations” to mini daily divinations, you can easily make the wisdom and practice of Witchcraft an enriching part of everyday life.



Praise:
This is a book that deserves a place on all shelves for it is pertinent not only to the Pagan-inclined but to all who look to better their lives.”—Raymond Buckland, author of Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft

A must-have for any Witch looking to evolve their practice from a mere study of the Craft into a fully fledged lifestyle.”—Melanie Marquis, author of A Witch's World of Magick and The Witch's Bag of Tricks-


Deborah Blake is the author of Circle, Coven and Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice (Llewellyn 2007), Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft (Llewellyn 2008), The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch (Llewellyn 2009), Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook (2010) and Witchcraft on a Shoestring (2010). She has published numerous articles in Pagan publications, including Llewellyn annuals and has an ongoing column in Witches & Pagans Magazine.


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MAGIC MUSHROOM EXPLORER:
Psilocybin and the Awakening Earth
By Simon G. Powell
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Park Street Press; 1 edition (February 5, 2015)
List Price: $18.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
A visionary guide to safely using psilocybin mushrooms to tap in to the wisdom of Nature and reconnect humanity to the biosphere

Explores the ecopsychological effects of wild psychedelic mushrooms, including enhanced biophilia, expanded awareness, eco-shamanic encounters, and access to the ancient wisdom that binds all life on Earth


Examines the most recent scientific studies on psilocybin in the U.S. and U.K.

Details the author’s work to keep the use of psilocybin mushrooms legal in the U.K. and shows that an irrational rejection of scientific evidence underlies the harsh war against psychedelic states of consciousness


Psilocybin, the active ingredient found in psychedelic mushrooms, is an invaluable natural resource for spiritually revivifying the human psyche and reconnecting us to the biosphere and the vast intelligence of Nature. Interweaving the most recent scientific studies in the United States and Britain, more than 25 years of sacred mushroom exploration, and behind-the-scenes details on the political wars against psychedelics, Simon G. Powell offers a guide to safely navigating and maximizing the healing and spiritual potential of psilocybin.

Powell explores the ecopsychological effects of wild psychedelic mushrooms, including enhanced biophilia, expanded awareness, mystical visions, and eco-shamanic encounters. He reveals how the beings and otherworldly teachers common in psilocybin experiences are actually emissaries from our higher consciousness that emerge when the floodgates of perception have been opened. He shares vivid descriptions from many of his own psilocybin journeys and shows how the mushroom offers a path of return to the ancient wisdom binding all life on Earth, a wisdom conveyed through tutorial visions and higher modes of perception. Illustrating psilocybin’s healthful properties, now acknowledged by mainstream science, Powell describes his activism in the fight to keep psilocybin mushroom use legal in the U.K. and shows that an irrational rejection of scientific evidence underlies the harsh war against psychedelic states of consciousness.

Laying the groundwork for a new relationship with our biosphere, Powell shows how the Earth’s psychedelic medicines can reconnect us to the spirituality and wisdom of Nature and bring the human race back from the brink of ecological and existential disaster.

About the Author:
Simon G. Powell is the writer and director of the documentary films Metanoia and Manna and the author of The Psilocybin Solution and Darwin’s Unfinished Business. He lives in London.


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90 DAYS TO LEARNING THE TAROT:
No Memorization Required!
By Lorri Gifford
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.; 1 edition (February 27, 2015)
List Price: $24.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Now you can connect to The Divine while learning the Tarot through this 90-day program that provides the tools to tap into your intuition.

The Tarot and stories told within the cards are magical and can apply to your personal, everyday experiences.

Through this plan, the images depicted on your favorite Tarot deck will provide an overview of current stories taking place in your life right now, and when combined with Divine Guidance, can provide transformation to a more fulfilling existence.

The daily lessons are broken into three sections: 



Getting to Know Yourself (days 1 through 14), Getting to Know Your Cards (days 15 through 75), and Sharing the Messages You Receive (days 76 through 90).

Illustrated with Ciro Marcetti s deck, The Gilded Tarot, you will find trust in your own intuitive powers with an insightful ability to answer questions, consider ideas, and access Divine knowledge. With simple instructions, explore within, work with activities, awaken your intuitive voice, and learn the Tarot without memorization!

About the Author:
Lorri Gifford has been giving Tarot readings for over 25 years. She is a Nationally Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, yoga teacher, and certified life coach. Her intention is to help others remember their connection to the Divine and, thereby, live a happier life.


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NEW IN DIVINATION:




CELTIC LENORMAND
By Chloë McCracken (Author), Will Worthington (Illustrator)
Paperback Book and 45 Card Deck Set
Publisher: U.S. Games Systems Inc. (January 6, 2015)
List Price: $21.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
This 45-card deck, with colorful artwork by Will Worthington, provides additional tree, animal and people cards for nuanced readings. Three different bird cards represent the triple goddess. In-depth descriptions for each card include keywords, divinatory meanings, suggestions for spell use, timing, spiritual messages, dark and light aspects, and affirmations. The illustrated guidebook also presents interpretations based on the phases of the moon and the Wheel of the Year. It includes card spreads and instructions for several different methods of reading with the Celtic Lenormand deck.





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TAROT DE MARSEILLE
Pierre Madenié 1709
(French Edition)
By Pierre Madenié
Publisher: U.S. Games Systems Inc.; Tarot Cards, Limited Edition (February 27, 2014)
Language: French

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
One of the oldest and most refined versions of the Tarot of Marseille, this deck was created in
1709 by master card maker and engraver Pierre Madenié of Dijon, France. The original engraved deck is preserved in the Swiss Museum of Zurich. This facsimile is printed as a Limited Edition 78-card deck with only 3000 numbered copies.

Each comes wrapped in a reproduction of the original packing sheet.








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


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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!

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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

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This concludes our Newsletter for this month.
Look for us again April 1st, 2015
Raven, Editrix, Edge of the Circle Books Newsletter

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