An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present

An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present PDF

Author: Doreen Valiente

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2018-01-31

Total Pages: 469

ISBN-13: 0719826918

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This is the only book of its kind on witchcraft that has been written by a practising witch. It is intended to be not merely a history, but a guide to the many strange byways of a vast and fascinating subject. Witchcraft is as old as the human race, and it is actively practised today, by people of all classes. To its devotees, witchcraft is more than spells and charms, or even secret meetings and rituals; it is a philosophy and a way of life. It claims to be the oldest form of religion, that of nature-worship and magic. Since the last Witchcraft Act was repealed in 1951, the revival of public interest in witchcraft has been the subject of continuous controversy. This book is a serious contribution to the study of a subject too long obscured by prejudice and sensationalism.

The Rebirth of Witchcraft

The Rebirth of Witchcraft PDF

Author: Doreen Valiente

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2018-01-31

Total Pages: 243

ISBN-13: 0719826934

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Since 1951, when the last of the Witchcraft Acts was repealed, many books have been written about the reappearance of witchcraft and the development of a pagan theology. Churchmen have denounced it. Sociologists have wondered at it. Journalists have penned sensational stories about it. But until the publication of this book, no one had told the real story of it from the inside as frankly as it is told here. Doreen Valiente, one of witchcraft's most widely known figures, was a close friend of the late Gerald Gardner, generally regarded as the founder of present-day witchcraft. Initiated by him and for a time High Priestess of his coven, Doreen Valiente helped him rewrite his seminal Book of Shadows. She records the break with Gardner that split his coven, the controversy surrounding Alex Sanders, 'King of the Witches' and memories of many other witches whom she has known, including the lady called 'Dafo', Robert Cochrane, Leslie Roberts and Sybil Leek. Doreen Valiente took part in many witchcraft rituals and had strange psychic experiences as a result. Described here are the clairvoyant communications she received purporting to come from 'John Brakespeare', an eighteenth-century witch. The Rebirth of Witchcraft traces the lineage of the present-day witchcraft from its forerunners through to modern feminist neo-paganism and the new wave of interest in ecology and holistic medicine.

Witchcraft for Tomorrow

Witchcraft for Tomorrow PDF

Author: Doreen Valiente

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2018-01-31

Total Pages: 237

ISBN-13: 0719826950

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Witchcraft for Tomorrow answers many frequently asked questions about witchcraft including: 'How can I find a witches' coven?' and 'How can I become a witch?' Doreen Valiente tells you what the old religion of witchcraft has to offer the new age of Aquarius; how the age-old Craft of the Wise can be practised in the modern world; how to initiate yourself as a witch and found your own coven. The author, who was the leading figure in the establishment of the modern Wiccan movement, includes a new Book of Shadows (the witches' handbook of rituals and instructions) based upon ancient magical tradition but geared to the age of the future. There are witch songs, spells, incantations and practical advice on how to run a coven and how to acquire your own collection of magical implements; as well as methods of divination and other witch lore. The author shows how the oral traditions of witchcraft throw light not only upon the origins of the present-day witch cult and the activities of the witch leader George Pickingill and his covens, but also upon the mystery of the founding of the famous magical order, the Golden Dawn. Also discussed is the relationship between the witchcraft of Britain and Europe and the magical belief of the Far East. Do both traditions hark back to the legendary city of Shamballah and to the shamanistic practices of Asia? And why do the secret circles of the witches resemble those of the Tantric sex-magic of India?

Natural Magic

Natural Magic PDF

Author: Doreen Valiente

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2018-01-31

Total Pages: 155

ISBN-13: 0719826926

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Magic is all around us - in stones, flowers, stars, the dawn wind and the sunset cloud. All we need is the ability to see it, understand it, and apply it. Natural Magic explains how to practise the age-old white magic that village wise women have used for centuries. It deals with the magic of herbs and flowers, of the four elements, of numbers and colours, amulets and talismans, how to read cards, how to interpret dreams, and much more. There are chapters on the secrets of sex magic, and on the use of traditional spells. If you want to learn to charm warts, to cast a love spell, or to plant a magical garden, this book will tell you how. An essentially practical treatise, which sets out to show how magic can be for everyone, and how, indeed, it has always been inherent in human life and nature. Both those who are new to the practice of magic and those with experience will find it delightful reading and an informative handbook for use in daily life.

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft

Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft PDF

Author: Raymond Buckland

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 0875420508

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"This complete self-study course in modern Wicca is a treasured classic - an essential and trusted guide that belongs in every witch's library."---Back cover

Witchcraft

Witchcraft PDF

Author: Michael Streeter

Publisher: White Lion Publishing

Published: 2020-03-03

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 0711252254

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Witchcraft unravels the myth from the mystery, the facts from the legends, in this bewitching introduction to witchcraft’s lesser-known history. Spanning several centuries and comprising unbelievable facts and little-known legends, meet all the witches of your imagination and learn why, where and how it all began. Uncover the meanings of their rituals and rites, their lore, and their craft Discover the significance of their sabbats and covens, their chalices and wands, their robes and their religion. Unlock the secrets of the legendary witches of mythology and folk talesand find out how these early stories influenced the persecutions and witch hunts of the Middle Ages. Learn about the people who inspired the pagan revival and how their work in literature and magic rekindled the fires of the sabbats across Europe and the New World today. Features spell-binding historic and contemporary pictures that perfectly capture the key characters, events and wonders of this captivating, colourful and controversial history.

Between the Devil and the Host

Between the Devil and the Host PDF

Author: Michael Ostling

Publisher: Past & Present Book

Published: 2011-11-03

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 0199587906

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For the first time in English, Michael Ostling tells the story of the imagined Polish witches, showing how ordinary peasant-women got caught in webs of suspicion and accusation, finally confessing under torture to the most heinous of crimes.

Modern Wicca

Modern Wicca PDF

Author: Michael Howard

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide

Published: 2010-09-08

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 073872288X

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An insider's look at the history of Witchcraft The evolution of Wicca is as dynamic and colorful as the Witches who helped shape it. One of the most enigmatic and progressive practitioners of his time, Gerald Gardner was arguably the most instrumental Witch in spreading the Craft around the world. Drawing on his decades of personal involvement with Wicca, Michael Howard offers an intimate portrait of Gerald Gardner's life and traces the history and development of modern neo-pagan Witchcraft. Howard reveals little-known facts and stories surrounding the men and women who shaped Wicca over the past sixty years, including Aleister Crowley, Alex Sanders, and influential initiates such as Doreen Valiente. From the Museum of Magic and Witchcraft on the Isle of Man to the origins of the Book of Shadows, Modern Wicca tracks the expansion of Wicca as it spread from the United Kingdom to the United States and beyond-and takes you inside the political controversies, behind-the-scenes rivalries, and once-guarded secrets of pagan ritual, Wiccan spells, and the Craft of the Wise. Praise: "This is an extremely important book, representing an account of Wiccan history from somebody who has himself been a major actor in it."—Ronald Hutton, author of The Triumph of the Moon