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BLESSED IMBOLC!!!

St. Bride by John Duncan


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.


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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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. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1000179343332589/

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, public rituals, etc—all are welcome here.
We'd prefer no advertisements for Professional Readers, Reiki practitioners, etc. However, if you are teaching a class, or giving a workshop or talk, 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 the Edge’s new TUMBLR 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!
No charge if your class or event is free!







Prices subject to change without notice.

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THE MAGIC OF MARIE LAVEAU:
Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans
by Denise Alvarado, Carolyn Morrow Long (Foreword)
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Weiser Books (February 1, 2020)
List Price: $16.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
The life and work of the legendary “Pope of Voodoo,” Marie Laveau―a free woman of color who practically ruled New Orleans in the mid-1800s.

Marie Laveau may be the most influential American practitioner of the magical arts; certainly, she is among the most famous. She is the subject of songs, films, and legends and the star of New Orleans ghost tours. Her grave in New Orleans ranks among the most popular spiritual pilgrimages in the US. Devotees venerate votive images of Laveau, who proclaimed herself the “Pope of Voodoo.” She is the subject of respected historical biographies and the inspiration for novels by Francine Prose and Jewell Parker Rhodes. She even appears in Marvel Comics and on the television show American Horror Story: Coven, where she was portrayed by Angela Bassett.

Author Denise Alvarado explores Marie Laveau’s life and work―the fascinating history and mystery. This book gives an overview of New Orleans Voodoo, its origins, history, and practices. It contains spells, prayers, rituals, recipes, and instructions for constructing New Orleans voodoo-style altars and crafting a voodoo amulet known as a gris-gris.

Who is Marie Laveau?
"Marie Laveau is no myth; she is no mere legend. While her reputation precedes her as the notorious Voudou Queen of New Orleans, in reality, she was a free woman of color who ruled the city during antebellum New Orleans. This was no small feat. She was a devout Catholic, an independent businesswoman, a mother, and healer who lived her life in accordance with the corporal works of mercy. Stories abound about her magickal prowess, freeing men from the gallows and healing the sick from the brink of death. Her belief in Catholicism guided her life as well as her magick in such a distinct way that people from all over the world are inspired by her spirit and her story.

So, how does one begin to describe the legacy left by a legend? If the power of a person’s life is in the stories they leave behind, then Marie Laveau has the market cornered as the most storied woman in the history of New Orleans." - Denise Alvarado, from the Introduction


Becoming a Devotee of Marie Laveau
It’s a powerful thing to witness someone doing Madame Marie’s work. When it’s real, there’s no denying it. It is something that can be felt within the core of your being. Devotees have presence. When you become a devotee—when you are aware of your spiritual lineage, learn about it, and live it—then you can fully embrace your new identity and Marie Laveau, the loa, spirit guide, and elevated Ancestor—can descend and work through you.

Devoting yourself to someone or something requires a conscious decision to do so followed by deliberate actions that display your utmost loyalty to the focus of your devotion. Becoming a devotee is not a decision to be made lightly. It can change your life for better or worse, depending on the sincerity of your commitment. If you are ready and you are open to receiving her as the Mother of New Orleans Voudou, the Spiritual Mother of Louisiana, the Boss Woman and Queen, your life will change dramatically for the better.

BASIC GRIS GRIS RITUAL FOR HEALING
This is a very basic gris gris ritual for healing. It is good for mending a broken heart or helping to heal from grief of any kind. And it only requires four ingredients:

Snakeskin
3 copper pennies
Rose petals
Lavender flowers
Wrap everything in a chamois cloth and place in a flannel or leather bag. Then say the following petition to Papa Legba (He is called Papa Labat/Lebat by older folks in New Orleans) to empower the bag:

Papa Labat, yay yay yay Papa Labat, yay yay yay Papa Labat,
yay yay yay Papa Labat, open the door and let the spirits through,
Bless and empower this bag for your faithful servant,
Bring him/her all good things in this life and in the life to come In God’s name,
Ashé ashé ashé!

Touch the gris gris to the top of your head, your heart, then your mouth, kissing the bag.




Reviews:

Anthropologist and Louisiana folk magic “rootworker” Alvarado (The Voodoo Doll Spellbook) rejects the sensational accounts of voodoo queen Marie Laveau (1801–1881) to present a comprehensive, intensely researched, and imminently readable narrative of her life and spirituality. The book contains spellwork, including candle magic, Catholic conjure, fetishism, gris gris, and water rituals—for purposes including keeping a lover, finding a lost person, healing, and attacking enemies. This insightful resourceful is a thorough examination of Laveau’s legendary status and will be an invaluable reference for devotees of the Laveau voodoo tradition.” - Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), Publishers Weekly

Denise Alvarado has successfully combined both history and practical magic into one accessible book, making it possible for those far and wide to reach the Great Queen. The Magic of Marie Laveau brings Marie Laveau to life” - Voodoo Queen Bloody Mary, author of Bloody Mary’s Guide to Hauntings, Horrors, and Dancing with the Dead: True Stories from the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans

The Magic of Marie Laveau is the ideal blend of the academic and the mystical. Denise Alvarado creates a historic understanding of how Mlle. Laveau not only shaped the traditions and culture of New Orleans Voodoo but also influenced all Hoodoo and Conjure practices around the world. Through the biography of Mlle. Laveau, Alvarado teaches that your daily spiritual practice and compassionate works are integral to your magical prowess. There is so much to learn in this book, reading it a second and third time is a must.” - Jacki Smith, author of Coventry Magic with Candles, Oils, and Herbs, founder of Coventry Creations.

This book will become definitive in the continually growing legacy of the greatest Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. A must have for your collection and a truly wonderful read.” - Witchdoctor Utu, author of Conjuring Harriet “Mama Moses” Tubman and the Spirits of the Underground Railroad.

This book is a celebration of the divine feminine as it manifests in a much-misunderstood form of spirituality. Denise Alvarado’s love for Marie Laveau’s work is evident. I am sure that Marie Laveau, the Mother of New Orleans Voodoo, returns the sentiment.” - Louis Martinié, author of The New Orleans Voodoo Tarot and Waters of Return: The Aeonic Flow of Voudoo.


"New Orleans native Denise Alvarado brilliantly crafts a spiritually delicious reference book combining extensive historical research with a lifetime of personal experiences! Filled with snippets from the past, pearls of wisdom, and a detailed outline of Alvarado’s “Laveau Voudou” tradition to which many readers will feel an immediate connection,The Magic of Marie Laveau is a valuable addition to any practitioner’s bookshelf, especially those called to serve.” - Cairelle Crow, founder and coordinator of the New Orleans Witches’ Ball

"Whether you’re a Marie Laveau devotee or are only beginning to learn about her, this is the book for you! Brimming with little known facts about her life, her relationships, and her charitable works, The Magic of Marie Laveau is much more than a well-researched biography. It also offers a plethora of valuable information for magical practitioners, including detailed instructions for not only working with her spirit, but for performing many of the rituals and spells for which she is known. Reading this book truly changed my life – and I have no doubt that it will change yours as well.” - Dorothy Morrison, author of Utterly Wicked


The Magic of Marie Laveau includes practical workings and "gris-gris" that provide a "hand up" to the reader in addition to lyrically presented and well-informed information about Ms. Laveau and the world in which she walked.” - Sallie Ann Glassman, author of Vodou Visions: An Encounter with Divine Mystery


About the Author:
Denise Alvarado was born and raised in the rich Creole culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has studied indigenous healing traditions from a personal and academic perspective for over 4 decades and is the author of numerous books about Southern folk traditions. She is a Rootworker in the Louisiana folk magic tradition, a spiritual artist, and a teacher of Southern conjure at Crossroads University.





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ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE:
An Insider's Guide to the Occult
by Lon Milo DuQuette, Brandy Williams (Foreword)
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Weiser Books (February 1, 2020)
List Price: $19.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
A guided tour to the occult and esoteric worlds from a beloved author and scholar

For over 30 years Lon Milo DuQuette has written incisively about the tarot, magick, Qabalah, and divination and provided introductory material for the most renowned authors on these topics, such as Aleister Crowley, Israel Regardie, John Dee, Frater Achad, Rodney Orpheus, H. P. Lovecraft, Phyllis Seckler, John Michael Greer, Susan Montag, Donald Michael Kraig, and many others.

Considered as a whole this collection of writings provides an invaluable introduction to many aspects and personalities of the occult and esoteric worlds by one of the foremost authorities on such arcane subjects.

Collected here are Lon’s best writings, each crafted with an eye toward the importance and immortality of the work with his studied insight and scholarship, along with his renowned sense of humor.

About the Author:
Lon Milo DuQuette is a bestselling author who lectures worldwide on such topics as magick, tarot, and the Western Mystery Traditions. He is currently the US Deputy Grand Master of Ordo Templi Orientis and is on the faculty of the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, N.Y. and the Maybe Logic Academy.





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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT:
A Modern-Day Guide to Making Magick
by Anjou Kiernan
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Fair Winds Press (January 7, 2020)
List Price: $26.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Written by Anjou Kiernan—named "One of the Magical Women You Should be Following on Instagram," by Refinery 29—The Ultimate Guide to Witchcraft is a beginner's guide to the practice of witchcraft, providing a complete toolkit for cultivating your own practice.

Magic is not for the select few. We all have the ability to connect to the power of the natural and supernatural worlds to support our intentions. Blending ancient practices with modern context, this guide gives aspiring witches a practical, easy-to-follow path through the study of natural witchcraft and ritual.

Whether you are looking to commune with spirits across the veil, need an amulet for protection, wish to build your magical apothecary, create a grimoire, or curate a crystal collection for vibrational work, this guide will empower and inform your craft. Learn how to harness the power of the moon, elements, and seasons to amplify your spells and divination work.

Whether for personal development or spiritual enlightenment, The Ultimate Guide to Witchcraft is the perfect guide for teaching you how to tap into your own magic and apply its alchemy to your life.






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THE CROOKED PATH:
An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft
by Kelden, Gemma Gary (Foreword)
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (January 8, 2020)
List Price: $17.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Part the thorny bramble and take a walk along the bewitchingly mysterious Crooked Path.

Within these pages discover a wealth of hands-on tips and techniques to begin your journey into the realm of Traditional Witchcraft. Learn to weave a powerful personal practice that is informed by folklore and grounded in your own location and natural landscape. Along the way you will find valuable information regarding the tools, rituals, and spells of this fascinating tradition, together with lessons on connecting with deities, familiar spirits, ancestors, and the spirits of place. With supportive advice and encouragement, Kelden provides everything you need to successfully navigate your own path, helping you master even advanced practices such as hedge-crossing as you transform your day-today experience into a life filled with magic and spirit.


Reviews:
"Approachable and charming, Kelden is every bit as serious and thoughtful as Traditional Witchcraft's most respected teachers, but with a youthful, down-to-earth delivery that both newcomers and old-timers will appreciate. Whether you are interested in building your own path as a Traditional Witch or you are simply curious about this increasingly prevalent flavor of the Craft, this is the book you need."—Thorn Mooney, author of Traditional Wicca

"From roots and bones to moon workings and the Witch's Sabbath, this book is a treasure trove of valuable information and insight that no Traditional Witch should be without. Highly recommended."—Devin Hunter, author of The Witch's Book of Mysteries

"The Crooked Path offers a lively perspective of the principles and praxis of Traditional Witchcraft...[A] book that is a valuable link in a chain that draws Traditional Witchcraft into the modern day."—Nicholas Pearson, author of Stones of the Goddess


About the Author:
Kelden (Minnesota) has been practicing Traditional Witchcraft for more than a decade. His writing has appeared in The Witch's Altar, The New Aradia: A Witch's Handbook to Magical Resistance, and Modern Witch magazine. Additionally, Kelden is the cocreator of The Traditional Witch's Deck and he authors a blog on the Patheos Pagan channel called By Athame and Stang.





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ELEMENTAL SPIRITS
by Jaq D. Hawkins
Paperback: 293 pages
Publisher: Goblin Publishing (November 7, 2018)
List Price: $15.95

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
The popular Spirits of the Elements series updated and combined into a single volume!

Discover the nature of the elements, types of spirits associated with each element, and correspondences in magical thought as well as rituals and divination methods in an animistic world of nature magic.Included in Elemental Spirits are types of natural objects, and sometimes man-made objects, which attract nature spirit inhabitants as well as methods to see or communicate with these elemental spirits, places of worship or invocation, and the nature of thought-form spirits associated with the basic four elements; Earth, Air, Fire and Water, as well as the element of Spirit called Aether. From fanciful fairies to guardian spirits of stone circles, Elemental Spirits is a 'must have' for anyone who has an interest in nature spirits.





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THE CHAONOMICON:
Quintessential Chaos for the Serious Magician
by Jaq D. Hawkins
Paperback: 201 pages
Publisher: Goblin Publishing (June 26, 2018)
List Price: $13.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
What is chaos magic?

Nearly forty years after its beginnings, Pagans and magicians are still asking the question, or finding conflicting information online. Jaq D Hawkins was the first chaos magician to write of the history and elements of chaos magic for a widespread audience. Now, in this new volume, that history is expanded and the concepts, specialist terms and culture associated with chaos magic are clarified for a new generation of magic users.Basic concepts and methods, associations with Discordianism and the teachings of magicians of the past, advice on how to survive the natural chaos that plagues those who choose the magical path ... or more precisely are chosen by it, combine with an insightful perspective of the perversities of magic and the convoluted landscape of life through which the magical path leads us. With some practical advice and basic spells designed to work within the very world of chaos wherein magic finds its direction, this book is a simple yet unequaled sourcebook for dealing with the unpredictability of magic in a multiverse of natural chaos.

Excerpt from review by Peter J. Carroll:"Jaq D Hawkins’ Chaonomicon gives a fair sketch of the general history of Chaos Magic without going into excessive detail about the personalities and the inevitable personal squabbles involved. She shows the history and genesis of many of the ideas that came together to create a new way of thinking about magic and new ways of doing it. The book contains a particularly good analysis of the historic and current functions of the Gods and Goddesses of Chaos, and the relationship between the Chaoism that began in the UK and the Discordianism that began in the USA. The Chaonomicon also describes many of the basic techniques of Chaos Magic in simple terms free from occult obscurantism, so readers new to the subject can find much to try out experimentally."

Excerpt from review by Ray Sherwin:"If this were a film it might be described as “a roller-coaster ride” and, as might be expected, the views from the top, panoramas of magick, chaos science, chaos literature and the mythos itself are replete with comprehensive detail and a profound understanding of the subject. Those looking for a “How to…” manual should go elsewhere. I referred to “Tertiary Chaos” as early as 1987 and chaos magick has matured even more since then, as is evidenced, in part, by this book. I recommend it highly."




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INTENTIONAL TAROT:
Using the Cards with Purpose
by Denise Hesselroth
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (January 8, 2020)
List Price: $17.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Move Beyond Divination and Into Empowerment with this Beginner-Friendly Guide to Proactive Readings

This innovative book shows you how to become an active participant in your tarot readings by consciously selecting the cards that will fulfill your intentions. Intentional Tarot encourages you to engage with your life's purpose and strengthen your sense of self as you perform readings. With this new approach, you'll learn to get "off book" and add a proactive element to your practice.

Author Denise Hesselroth shows you that divination is only the first step―once you have the information from your reading, what will you do with it? She presents effective techniques and spreads from both traditional and intentional reading methods, making it easy to discover which ones work best for you. Designed with different learning styles in mind, Intentional Tarot provides everything you need to understand the cards, develop your personal style, and take action for a successful future.


Review:
"This tarot book is a refreshing change in so many ways...Hesselroth's revolutionary method of Intentional Tarot is amazingly potent...The bulk of the book is a strong outline of suggestions in using each card within the four part Intentional spread: My Understanding, My Goal, My Promise, and My Gratitude. Also, the organic approach to the classic Fool’s journey is simply awe inspiring."―Nancy Antenucci, author of Psychic Tarot

About the Author:
Denise Hesselroth (Minneapolis, MN) has been a student of tarot for more than forty years. She is an active member of the Minnesota tarot community and presents at the North Star Tarot Conference.





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TRIONFI DELLA LUNA-2nd Edition 2019
by Patrick Valenza
Publisher: Deviant Moon Inc
List Price: $45.95

Cousin to the Deviant Moon Tarot-A Fenwood Asylum Exclusive self-publication!
  • 90 Card Marseilles Styled Tarot Deck by creator Patrick Valenza (Includes "The Lightning" bonus card & 10 Oracle cards!)
  • English Text/boxed deck.







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Dragged straight out of the rubble!

Patrick Valenza's

ABANDONED ORACLE
Publisher: Deviant Moon Inc
FULL DECK
52 Horrifying Oracle Cards/Boxed
List Price: $44. 44

The Abandoned Oracle began as a small collection of inked nightmares pulled from the pages of Patrick Valenza's dream diaries, however, the deck was abandoned in 2015 in favor of more urgent projects.
Soon, the discarded images were cannibalized and re-imagined into several cards to be featured in the upcoming Deviant Moon Oracle.
Regardless of the neglect, the deck never stopped SCREAMING to be born...

WARNING! NOT FOR THE WEAK AT HEART!

Special initial print run of only 999 copies!




MORE FOR THE DISCERNING COLLECTOR...





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WHITE LIGHT ORACLE
Enter the Luminous Heart of the Sacred
by Alana Fairchild, Artwork by A. Andrew Gonzalez
Blue Angel Publishing. (November 8, 2019)
44 cards and 240-page guidebook, packaged in a hardcover box.
List Price: $23.95


FROM THE PUBLISHER:
You have a light within you. Trust in that light and in your own courage. The light is strong enough to guide, support and empower you to fulfil your sacred purpose of healing and soulful manifestation.

White light holds all the frequencies needed for healing ourselves, each other, our planet and all her precious creatures. It is divine medicine for the soul, empowering the heart, clarifying the mind, and awakening higher consciousness. This light is within you and all around you. You were born to be that light. The Universe rallies to encourage, inspire and embolden you to manifest your sacred destiny.


This 44-card and guidebook set features luminous imagery from visionary artist A. Andrew Gonzalez and enlightening messages with signature healing processes from bestselling author Alana Fairchild to help you integrate the loving soul medicine of white light.

Take your journey with complete trust, enjoying the divine beauty of your path, and knowing the light is always with you, revealing the way.






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THE CHARLES DICKENS TAROT
by Chris Leech
78-Card Deck and Guidebook
Publisher: Red Feather; 1st edition (November 15, 2019)
List Price: $34.99

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Using art and symbolism from the Dickensian Victorian era, this rich and inspiring 78-card deck and guidebook draws on literary themes but remains rooted in traditional Tarot. The Major Arcana focuses on Dickens’s own life and history, including real-life people who were worked into his fiction. These include his father, John, as Wilkins Micawber in the Emperor card and his mother, Elizabeth, as Mrs. Nicklesby in the Empress card. The four suits—Fire, Water, Air, and Earth—are populated by a plethora of his best-loved characters and novels. The horizontal orientation of the cards invokes an open book, a vista, or even a panorama of Dickens’s scenes. The guidebook, written in Dickensian “shorthand,” provides keyword analysis of each card, making the meaning clear in both your own life and in relationship with Dickens’s characters.





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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!

We have Seattle's best Psychic Readers, in house, 7 days a week, from 2pm—8pm.

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This concludes our Newsletter for this month.
Look for us again MARCH 1st, 2020!
Erica (Raven) Branch-Butler, Editrix, Edge of the Circle Books Newsletter





















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