Author: Robert Michael Place Publisher: Infobase Publishing ISBN: 0791093905 Category : Alchemy Languages : en Pages : 144
Book Description
The word 'magic' evokes many ideas, from a stage magician performing illusions to the pyrotechnics of witches and wizards depicted in movies and on television. This book covers the history, practices, and philosophies of magic and alchemy in Western history. It also looks at the tools used by magicians and alchemists.
Author: Chris Gosden Publisher: Penguin UK ISBN: 024197965X Category : Body, Mind & Spirit Languages : en Pages : 512
Book Description
A Telegraph Book of the Year A remarkable, unprecedented account of the role of magic in cultures both ancient and modern -- from the first known horoscope to the power of tattoos. 'Fascinating, original, excellent' Simon Sebag Montefiore ______________________ Three great strands of practice and belief run through human history: science, religion and magic. But magic - the idea that we have a connection with the universe - has developed a bad reputation. It has been with us for millennia - from the curses and charms of ancient Greek, Roman and Jewish magic, to the shamanistic traditions of Eurasia, indigenous America and Africa, and even today in the West when snapping wishbones or buying lottery tickets. Drawing on his decades of research, Professor Chris Gosden provides a history of human thought and how magic may help us rethink our understanding of the world. ______________________ 'This is an extraordinary work of learning, written with an exhilarating lightness of touch . . . It is essential reading.' Francis Pryor, author of Britain BC, Britain AD and The Fens 'Without an unfascinating page' Scotsman 'Chris Gosden shows how magic explores the connections between human beings and the universe in ways different from religion or science, yet deserving of respect' Professor John Barton, author of A History of The Bible
Author: DK Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 074403342X Category : Body, Mind & Spirit Languages : en Pages : 898
Book Description
Discover the beguiling history of witchcraft, magic, and superstition through the centuries in this stunningly illustrated title. A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult charts the extraordinary narrative of one of the most interesting and often controversial subjects in the world, covering everything from ancient animal worship and shamanism, through alchemy and divination to modern Wicca and the resurgence of the occult in 21st-century literature, cinema, and television. Providing readers with a comprehensive account of everything from Japanese folklore and Indian witchcraft to the differences between black and white magic, and dispelling myths such as those surrounding the voodoo doll and Ouija, the book explores the common human fascination with spells, superstition, and the supernatural. This riveting read on witchcraft further includes: - Engaging text and lavish illustrations with over 500 full-color images that bring the subject to life. - Special features on aspects of magic, such as oracle bones of ancient China, the Knights Templar, and magic at the movies, and “plants and potions”, such as mandrake and belladonna examine topics in great detail. - Quick-fact panels explore magic origins, key figures, key deities, uses in spells, structures of religions, and more. The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, it explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones and offers key insights into the ways in which magic has interacted with religion. The most comprehensive illustrated history of witchcraft available, A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult will enthral and fascinate anyone interested in spiritualism and the occult.
Author: Jason Read Publisher: Mandrake of Oxford ISBN: 9781914153075 Category : Languages : en Pages : 166
Book Description
According to ancient legends, thousands of years ago a mysterious being known as the Nine Tail Fox taught her devotees the secrets of witchcraft and alchemy. This witch cult survives to this day and is practiced in many Chinese and Japanese communities in relative secrecy. From her origins with the ancient Wu Shamans and the Tantric dakinis, the author explores this unique and often overlooked form of witchcraft. Learn the history of the Fox Immortal and her influence on Asian politics and history. Investigate the Tantric origins of the Fox Goddess. Learn the secret rituals from the Chinese grimoires that invoke the help and aid of the Fox Immortal as a personal magical tutor. Learn the ways of glamour and fascination taught to devotees of the Fox Temple. Investigate the mysterious tantric rites of the Tachikawa Ryu. Investigate the Mysteries of the white branch of death and the red branch of sexuality. Learn some of the many spells used by the Fox cult of witches. --------- This may be a topic wholly new to the average western reader though it will have familiar elements, after all, all true Mysteries in the true sense of the word have a common thread. Some readers may be familiar with the Lady Fox from various pop-cultural references in Japanese anime or Hong Kong movies and even video games. It is Kitsune, the fox spirit of the west that is most accessible to the average western audience. However the cultus of the Fox goes far further back than her appearance in Japan and Korea, her roots seemingly going as far back as the ancient tantric mysteries of India. I am a practitioner in the magical tradition of Taoism and it was in China that I learned the basics of the Fox Fairy as she is sometimes called. However China is a very conservative country and it seems obvious to me that a lot was implied but never spoken of, or perhaps even forgotten. I ventured into the depths of the mysteries of the Fox Lady and the path took me in many directions and through many synchronicities on that journey. While I preserve the fox tradition as passed to me, I do add some further material, also based on traditions that connect with her 'sadhana' [glossary]. I expect there will be an outcry from some Taoist and Shingon purists since in a sense I am resurrecting the heterodox Shingon cult of the Tachikawa. The logic of this decision will become clear. I am certain this is the correct move. In this way, we rise above the apparent shallowness of the Fox Temple as seen in contemporary Hong Kong for example, where the Fox Fairy has merely become a means to become a more attractive person in the world of film and music. In this book, I am giving the keys to true gnosis of the Path of the Nine-Tailed Fox.
Author: David J. Collins, S. J. Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 1316239497 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 1240
Book Description
This book presents twenty chapters by experts in their fields, providing a thorough and interdisciplinary overview of the theory and practice of magic in the West. Its chronological scope extends from the Ancient Near East to twenty-first-century North America; its objects of analysis range from Persian curse tablets to US neo-paganism. For comparative purposes, the volume includes chapters on developments in the Jewish and Muslim worlds, evaluated not simply for what they contributed at various points to European notions of magic, but also as models of alternative development in ancient Mediterranean legacy. Similarly, the volume highlights the transformative and challenging encounters of Europeans with non-Europeans, regarding the practice of magic in both early modern colonization and more recent decolonization.
Author: Grillot de Givry
Author: Émile Angelo Grillot de Givry
Author: Grillot de Givry
Author: Rosemary Guiley
Author: Robert Michael Place
Author: Chris Gosden
Author: DK
Author: Jason Read
Author: Grillot de Givry
Author: David J. Collins, S. J.