The Devil's Plantation East Anglian Lore, Witchcraft & Folk-Magic - Nigel Pearson

Taking its name from the lost ‘black book’ of a famed Cambridgeshire witch, as well as plots of land sacrificed unto the spirits and the Old One himself, Nigel Pearson’s ‘The Devil’s Plantation’ guides the reader through the traditional witchcraft, old magic and folklore of East Anglia.

This is an ancient landscape, and a melding pot for the beliefs, culture and magic of the various peoples who have inhabited it over its long history. And yet, until very recently, East Anglia has been a land ‘set apart’ and isolated amidst impassable marshes, Fens and uncleared Forests.

Thus East Anglia is a landscape in which ‘the good folk’, land drakes, land wights, meremaids, giants, spectral hounds, saintly miracles, wort Cunning, toad lore, folk magic and indeed witchcraft have been nurtured and continue to play a part in the lives of the people of what has aptly been named ‘Witch Country’.

Available in the following editions:

All editions are presented in Royal format 156 x 234mm.

Pagination: 272 pages, plus 16 pages of photographic plates plus line drawings and figures by Gemma Gary

Standard Hardback Edition; a 'Blueberry' case binding with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, 80gsm white paper stock, 'buttermilk' endpapers, with black head and tail bands.

Special Edition; a limited edition of 300 hand-numbered examples, bound in dark brown and beautifully grained recycled leather fibres, with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, light brown end papers, with black head and tail bands. 80gsm white paper stock.

Fine Edition; a limited edition of only 15 hand-numbered examples, in a full black goat leather hand binding with inset dark blue goat leather shield panel with a blind embossed boarder and dark blue title panel on the spine, silver foil blocking to the front and spine and hand marbled end papers. This edition will be issued with a blue library buckram slip-case, blind embossed to the front.

Paperback Edition; to follow 

Laurie Cabot's Book of Shadows

For the first time anywhere, the history, lore, rituals, and majick of the Cabot Tradition of Witchcraft, taught by founder Laurie Cabot, the Official Witch of Salem, Massachusetts, is collected and presented in a single book.

Laurie Cabot’s Book of Shadows includes the materials of her three-part class series on the Science, Art, and Religion of Witchcraft, as well as guidance for High Priestesses and High Priests of the Craft working on their own or in groups.

The Book of Shadows includes Laurie’s own recipes for incenses, potions, charms, and spells used and taught by Cabot Witches for decades—a treasure-trove of lore at your fingertips! A must for any practitioner of the Craft of the Witch.

MSRP – $29.99 (softcover), $49.99 (hardcover)

Copper Cauldron Publishing

Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways (CD Audio-book)

 Traditional witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways (CD Audio-book)

Book by Gemma Gary. Read by Tracey Norman

Traditional Witchcraft - A Cornish Book of Ways is a 21st century version of traditional Cornish witchcraft, of the kind recorded by Hunt, Bottrell and others. This is no neo-pagan or modern wiccan manual, but rather a deep drawing up into modern times of some of the ancient practices of lore and magic practiced by the white witches, charmers, conjurers and pellars of the Cornish villages. Their presence was still current when the 18th and 19th century antiquarians and collectors recorded them, and, although the 20th century largely put paid to their activities, nevertheless their lore never completely disappeared, and it continues to provide inspiration for practitioners today. Gemma draws on this knowledge, not only from published material, but also from the experiences and workings of ‘wise women’ and country witches living today.

"... this book is very highly recommended. It is essential reading for anyone interested in modern traditional witchcraft as it is practiced in south-west England today or indeed elsewhere in Britain" - Michael Howard, The Cauldron

Running time approx. 4 1/2 hours.  4 CDs

Brigid History, Mystery, and Magick of the Celtic Goddess Courtney Weber

"Lady of the Well, the Forge, and the Green Earth, I seek you." --Brigid, I Seek You

 Brigid—mother, daughter, healer, bard, warrior, fire goddess, goddess of the oak, animals, and magic. Brigid of the spring, her festival Imbolc, oversees fertility of all kinds. Brigid is many things to many people. In this enticing book, Courtney Weber offers up a wide-ranging exposition and celebration of all things Brigid, who is arguably the most popular figure in Celtic mythology and religion. Meet Brigid in her various incarnations—Celtic Pagan Goddess, Christian Saint, and Voudon Loa.

 Each chapter ends with guided meditations and exercises that help readers tap into Brigid’s healing powers. Inside you’ll find Brigid-focused spells, blessings, recipes, and rituals for love, harmony, protection, and much more.

“Brigid’s origin myths bring no peace to the logical mind. She appears as an important daughter of a God in one myth, but the mother of that God in a different telling, while vanishing completely in a third version. Which version is the right version? Does any myth from any source even have a ‘right’ telling? The various versions tell us about the storyteller. Brigid’s myths had many tellers and, therefore, many versions. Stories varied widely, circulated through oral tradition in local vernacular. As Christian monks later recorded the myths, characters were often augmented to fit Christian ideals.” —from the book

Courtney Weber is a Priestess, writer, Tarot advisor, activist and practicing Witch in New York City. Her writing has appeared in several publications and she blogs at www.thecocowitch.com and on Witchesandpagans.com (“Behind the Broom: What the Books Don’t Tell You”). She is the designer and producer of Tarot of the Boroughs, a photographic Tarot deck set in New York City. Courtney lecturers regularly around the United States and travels to Ireland frequently, leading tours of the sacred sites.

ISBN: 9781578635672

Book (Paperback)

Weiser Books

$18.95

256 pages

Aradia

Aradia, referred to as the Gospel of the Witches, a book composed by the American folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland published in 1899, contains what he believed was the religious text of a group of pagan witches in Tuscany, Italy.  Disputed by various folklorists and historians that such a group existed; it remains influential in the development of the contemporary Wica movement beginning in the 20th century. 

A Discovery of the Impostures of Witches and Astrologers

  First published in 1680, A Discovery of the Impostures of Witches and Astrologers by John Brinley is an important example and contemporary account of the establishment’s ideas, beliefs and debate surrounding the practices of witchcraft, magic and divination that lay behind the approved persecution of witches and other practitioners.

Revealed is an acceptance of the existence of witches, the reality of the Devil and the position of magic as deeply integral to everyday life, alongside a denial of the powers possessed by witches and the abilities claimed by magical practitioners such as the Cunning Folk. Belief in them is asserted to be the product of superstition, and the efficacy of their operations is attributed to the delusions and trickery of the Devil or the deceptions of the charlatan.

With kind permission of the Museum of Witchcraft, this edition, presented by Troy Books, is transcribed from an original copy held in the Museum’s research archive. As closely as possible, the appearance and feel of the original text is carefully reproduced, alongside photo-plates of selected original pages for reference.

The present edition is issued with foreword by writer, researcher and assistant curator at the Museum of Witchcraft; Joyce Froome.

Troy Books

Visualization: Traditional Witchcraft Series by Peter Paddon

  Visualization is a skill that is used in many forms of spell-crafting, as well as other esoteric practices, and many people find it difficult to learn how to visualize effectively. In this book, Peter shares exercises and tips that will help those who are seeking to improve their visualization skills, even if they believe they have little or no ability to start off. Less

The Traditional Witchcraft series is a collection of small books on practical subjects of interest to Traditional Witches and other practitioners of Magick. Written by Peter Paddon, Magister of the Y Ffordd Wen Tradition of Witchcraft, they aim to provide solitary practitioners with simple exercises and techniques to help them develop skills and abilities needed in the practice of their Craft.

Visualization is a skill that is used in many forms of spell-crafting, as well as other esoteric practices, and many people find it difficult to learn how to visualize effectively. In this book, Peter shares exercises and tips that will help those who are seeking to improve their visualization skills, even if they believe they have little or no ability to start off.

About the Author:

Peter Paddon, a Brit of Welsh extraction, whose passing in October 2014 stunned the community, lived in Los Angeles, where he taught Traditional Witchcraft both in person and using streaming online video to hold workshops worldwide.  The author of several books on the subject (A Grimoire for Modern Cunningfolk, Visceral Magick, and Enchantment), as well as the CreateSpace DVD series on practical spellcrafting. He also hosted the popular Crooked Path podcast.

Having many years of experience in various forms of Occult Studies, including Alexandrian Wicca, the Egyptian Mysteries, Rosicrucianism and Enochian magick, Peter finally found what he had been looking for all his life in the two Traditional Covens he became a member of in the US. The first was the Roebuck (1734, Clan of Tubal Cain), under Ann and Dave Finnin, and the second was Wildewood Grove (Welsh Celtic Tradition), under its Mistress, Raven Womack.

All Acts of Love and Pleasure

  “All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals” ~ 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 visualization, 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.

This is a 'soon to be released' title available through http://avaloniabooks.co.uk/

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.

Witchcraft Today: 60 Years On

 by Trevor Greenfield  (Author)

In the sixty years following the publication of Gerald Gardner’s Witchcraft Today, new paths have appeared, and older ones emerged out of the shadow of repression and illegality, to express with a new and more confident voice their beliefs and practice, and share, with a steadily growing audience, their knowledge, their certainties, their questions and their vision. 

This book is a celebration of some of the many paths that Witchcraft/Wicca has taken and of the journeys that people have embarked upon.

Trevor Greenfield is the Publisher and Publicist for Moon Books and an Associate Lecturer in Religious Studies with the Open University. He lives in Worthing, West Sussex, and is married to Sue, with three children.

Letters from the Devil's Forest

An Anthology of Writings on Traditional Witchcraft, Spiritual Ecology and Provenance Traditionalism
by Robin Artisson (Author)

Concerning "Letters from the Devil's Forest: An Anthology of Writings on Traditional Witchcraft, Spiritual Ecology, and Provenance Traditionalism", the latest published work by Robin Artisson, occultist & writer of some renown. 

In this latest work, witch, metaphysician, and traditionalist Robin Artisson presents an in-depth and darksome interior vision of many dimensions of the old and nearly forgotten Art of true Witchcraft. "Letters from the Devil's Forest" is a lengthy anthology of Artisson's writings regarding every topic of essence and interest to the student or researcher of the half-remembered occult practices of "spirit-pacting" and spirit-allegiance: the timeless root-practices that underlie the genuine sorcerous traditions of the West.

Over 130 chapters, representing public and private writings done by Artisson in the last five years, but drawing on over 20 years of his own practice and in-depth researches, are brought together into one informative tome, to better serve the needs of the modern mystic or malcontent in search of a roadmap to the hidden angles of life's most seductive mystery: the mystery of sorcery, and the parallel mystery of spiritual ecology. 

The generous amounts of material housed in this encyclopedia of lore comes divided into nine major portions, including a detailed treatment of the lost occult anthropology- the very oldest human beliefs on death, the soul, and dying- and what these beliefs can mean for us alive today; many ethical, practical, and instructional essays on various forms of sorcerous art, focusing on material long pre-dating the modern occult emergence.

There are also essays on the strange themes and practices of the "Hidden Seasons" or the Witch-sabbats; in-depth daimonological ponderings and writings on the "Master Entity" himself, the Witchfather who stands behind genuine covenants of Witchcraft and the Master-Spirits who share our world and act as tutelary spirits to Witch-kind.

Included are scathing criticisms of the lies and falsehoods of modernity and insightful essays offering soul-satisfying alternatives to unquestioned faith in modern myths; sharp philosophical countering and criticism of the mainstream religions that have besmirched the world with their hatreds and absolutisms for centuries, and continue to torment the world today.

There are also foundational essays concerning "Provenance Traditionalism" or the secret tradition that emerges from the origins of Western culture and whose metaphysics and insights are still to be discovered encoded in folklore and mythology.

Also included is a potent selection of folktales and traditional stories, some original but most from deep in the folk-tradition, analyzed and elucidated to reveal the potent "soul-deep" codes that can transform men and women into wiser, more cunning people as they undergo their fateful journeys through this world.

 "Letters from the Devil's Forest" is a true treasury of the Hidden and Despised Art; it contains, in over 700 pages, almost ceaseless "Art-teaching" material, sorcerous maxims, gems of practice.  

Included are:invocations, poems, channeled writings, warnings, ethical and moral ponderings with regard to the sorcerous arts and to living outside of the mainstream of the modern and greedy spirit, inspirational quotes from past and present masters, wrapped together with Artisson's own sometimes sparkling, sometimes questionable brand of humor and wit, and crowned with original art flourishes and atmospheric ornamentation by Stephanie Houser.

The Author;The Witch
Robin Artisson has been studying folklore, mythology, and the interior metaphysics of sorcery and traditional witchcraft for over 20 years. His specialty areas of knowledge include spiritual ecology, occult history, herbalism and wortcunning, divination, and soul-flight or trance induction, along with a vocational interest in the extraordinary exploration of the eldritch dimensions of the mind, the soul, and the world.


Robin lives in the countryside of downeast Maine, near the craggy coast, under the shadows of the mountains and their forests. There, he carries on the relationships he has with the spiritual entities he has allied with over the years, and watches his daughters grow with much joy.

Liber Nox: A Traditional Witch's Gramarye

 Michael Howard (author)  Gemma Gary (illustrator)

In this concise and important treatise Michael Howard delineates between various modern neo-pagan Wiccan traditions, cunning folk traditions, heathen folk or the 'pagani,' and an assortment of ritual magicians and pathworkers in order to present a 'gramarye' distinctly for those who aspire to the 'Old Craft.' 

An experienced practitioner, writer, researcher, folklorist and magazine editor of the respected witchcraft magazine, The Cauldron (since 1976), Howard elucidates important elements of the Traditional Craft, including preparation rituals, tools of 'the Arte,' fellowship of the coven and the casting of circles, finally taking us through the Great Wheel of the Year and the assortment of sacred rites as performed within. The seasonal rituals are based on traditional witchcraft and folklore sources and have been specially written for this book.

Author: Michael Howard (United Kingdom) is the editor of The Cauldron magazine. He has published more than thirty books on a variety of occult subjects, such as Witchcraft and magic, Celtic history, and Paganism.

Author and Illustrator: Gemma Gary is an artist and writer based in the South-West of England. Her work primarily focuses upon the rites and verbal, inscribed and physical charms of operative folk magic and witchcraft.  Gemma is currently working on a number of other book projects relating to operative magic, traditional witchcraft, folklore and ancient sacred loci.

Plant Healer September Issue

Featuring experience-based & adventurous writings by teachers, practitioners & plant lovers combining inquiry, inspiration & skills in artful celebration of the evolving folk herbalism culture

“This is the first publication I've seen in my 38-year career that captures the wild diversity of herbalism in North America while still reflecting excellence and high-level practice… points of view from many regions, traditions, and schools of North American thought.. For the practicing herbalist from entry level to advanced, inclusively.”

-Paul Bergner, North American Institute of Medical Herbalism

“Plant Healer is amazing… the most beautiful magazine I’ve ever seen, bar none!”

-Phyllis Light, Appalachian Center for Herbal Studies

 Member Subscription Includes:

 4 Color PDF Issues (over 1,000 pages total!)

 + Exclusive Video, Audio & Art Downloads

http://planthealermagazine.com/

We invite you to join in the Plant Healer community, with a year’s Subscription to this paperless quarterly journal of the new folk herbalism resurgence.  Plant Healer Magazine is a downloadable, lavishly illustrated, full color PDF magazine with over 250 page-long issues! – dedicated to the further informing, inspiring and empowering of all you practicing herbalists and advanced herbal teachers, eager students and impassioned beginners, conservationists and activists, informal community healers and unrepentant lovers of plants… as well as everyone taking any responsibility for their own basic health needs or those of their families!  Plant Healer combines cutting edge science with heartfelt intuitive practice, personal stories that inspire and practical skills that enable.  Imagine mating a credible clinical journal with a lushly edgy arts and culture magazine, and what you get is Plant Healer.  There’s never been anything else like it, nor will there ever be.

Esoteric Book Conference

The Esoteric Book Conference is an annual international event to bring together authors, artists, publishers and bookmakers working in the field of esotericism. In addition to presentations by notable authors and scholars, the conference opens it doors to publishers and booksellers showcasing new & used books as well as rare and hard-to-find esoteric texts. For two days the conference hosts the largest selection of esoteric books under one roof. Contemporary esoteric publishing, finepress book arts and antiquarian texts are offered to augment the libraries of readers, scholars and collectors alike.

This multi-disciplined conference will feature presentations by contemporary authorities researching and working in esoteric currents both East & West. Western Esotericism, Gnosticism, Theosophy, Mythology, Shamanism, Rosicrucianism, Sacred Sciences, Occulture and World Religions are among the subjects to be represented. An esoteric book fair and art show will also be on site allowing education, vending and networking in a unique field of literary, historical and cultural arts.

The conference offers several opportunities for promotion, networking and exhibition for publishers, authors and artists who work in the esoteric publishing field. There will be two days of presentations wherein authors and scholars may present lectures as well as a book fair with scheduled book signings. On Saturday night there will be an evening of entertainment featuring various ritual performances.

Tickets

Horns of Honor

Horns of Honor Regaining the Spirit of the Pagan Horned God By Fredrick Thomas Elworthy, Edited and Introduced by Raven Grimassi

Originally released in Oct 2013, Horns of Power is well-worth mentioning again.  Academic in nature, it is fine reference book explaining the symbolism and significance of animal horns to ancient Pagans and also followers of early Christianity.  

For modern Pagans and Witches, horns play a major role as a symbol of fertility, power, and protection and yet there are few books that discuss the significance in a way that makes sense to a practicing Pagan.

 In Horns of Honor, neo-pagan scholar and award-winning author Raven Grimassi updates one of the few classic texts on horns, Frederick Thomas Elworthy’s classic 1900 text, Horns of Honor. Grimassi has added a new introduction, footnotes, and commentary to make this extensive overview of animal horns in cultures across time, accessible to the Pagan community.

'Horns of Honor' examines the religious and ritualistic significance of horns in many cultures, the ancient reverence for horned gods, and the horn as a positive symbol.

Fredrick Thomas Elworthy (1830 – 1907) was a noted scholar, folklorist, and antiquarian. He was the eldest son of Thomas Elworthy, woolen manufacturer, of Wellington, Somerset, and his wife Jane, daughter of William Chorley of Quarm, near Dunster; born at Wellington on January 10 1830, and was educated at a private school at Denmark Hill. Though studious from boyhood, he did not enter on authorship until middle life.

He became eminent first as a philologist and later as a writer on folk-lore. His two books on the evil eye and kindred superstitions contain much curious information gathered during travels in Spain, Italy, and other countries, in the course of which he made perhaps the finest collection of charms, amulets, and such-like trinkets in existence and destined for the Somersetshire Archeological Society's museum at Tauntor through the care of his widow. He contributed to Archæologia, was the council of the Philological Society, and in 1891-6 was editorial secretary of the Somersetshire Archeological Society.  He was a magistrate, a churchwarden, an active member of the Wellington school board, and a prominent Freemason.

After an illness which began in the summer of 1906 he died at his residence, Foxdown, Wellington, on December 13 1907. His other books include: The Dialect of West Somerset (1875) and The Evil Eye (1895) : an account of tie ancient and widespread superstition.

Raven Grimassi is a Neo-Pagan scholar and award-winning author of over twelve books on Witchcraft, Wicca, and Neo-Paganism including Old World Witchcraft and Italian Witchraft. He is a member of the American Folklore Society and is co-founder and co-director of the Crossroads Fellowship, a modern Mystery School tradition. He lives in Springfield, MA.

ISBN: 9781578635436

Book (Paperback)

Weiser Books

$19.95

Information Resources: http://redwheelweiser.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/

The Cunning Man’s Handbook

By Jim Baker

“The desire to understand magic in any specific cultural context is an intellectual puzzle not only for scholars but believers.”

Orders will be dispatched on or before the 11th of July.

The Cunning Man’s Handbook is a monumental work of phenomenal scope and scholarship, a comprehensive and challenging exploration of the practices and beliefs of Cunning Folk in Britain and America during their heyday from 1550-1900.  Exploring the social and theological milieu of the period, the author demonstrates the essentially Christian nature of Cunning practices, and presents an illuminating discourse on the concept of magic and how it was perceived as working.

Operating at the boundaries of the law and society, between medicine and magic, Cunning Men and Women occupied a liminal role as healers, charmers and magicians.  Drawing from a huge range of sources, the range of services offered by Cunning Folk is thoroughly expounded, from divination through astrology and geomancy to dream interpretation, from charms, spells and curses to conjurations and treasure hunting.  As Jim Baker states, “The focus here is on the practice of folk magic and divination for access to the preternatural”.

The evolution of Cunning practices as a living tradition over the three hundred fifty year span is explored in depth, illustrating their practical and contemporary nature.  The analogous practices of African-American conjure and root work are also discussed to offer insights into oral fragments of Cunning practices lost to history and present another example of how modernity modifies tradition.  Referring to dozens of Cunning Men and Women and their practices, this work offers a unique glimpse into magical history, and the opportunity to reclaim the essence of Cunning Magic.

Avalonia Books

You can pre-order your copy now.

Cecil Williamson's Book of Witchcraft

From Troy Books: We are pleased to announce that the eagerly awaited Cecil Williamson's Book Witchcraft, A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft by Steve Patterson is now available for pre order.

 In 1996, whilst helping the then new owner Graham King in refurbishments to the Museum of Witchcraft, Steve happened upon a handwritten manuscript entitled simply ‘Witchcraft’ and containing an intriguing pot-pourri of esoterica from the hand of the Museum's founder; Cecil Williamson. It is this manuscript which provides the basis for Steve's book which includes a full annotated transcript of the ‘Witchcraft’ manuscript, a history of Cecil Williamson and the Museum of Witchcraft, a treatise on Cecil Williamson’s vision of traditional Witchcraft - the practices and the philosophy of the wayside witches, an account of his meetings with Aleister Crowley and Gerald Gardner, and a controversial account of his witnessing of the birth of ‘Wicca’. The book is both a valuable reliquary of practices for the traditional witch, and a resource for folklorists and historians alike; telling the tale of a hitherto largely ignored, but hugely influential episode in modern occult history, and one of the great unsung heroes of the twilight world of folklore and witchcraft.

The book is available in the following editions:

All four editions are Royal format 234 x 156mm. 304 pages with 32 black and white photo plates.

 A Standard Hardback Edition, black case binding with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, 90gsm cream paper stock, burgundy endpapers with red and black head and tail bands.

 A Special Edition, cream 175gsm ripple finish dust jacket, bound in burgundy cloth with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, black end papers with red and black head and tail bands. Lithographic printing on 120gsm cream paper stock with sewn binding. Limited to 300 hand numbered examples.

A Fine Edition, hand bound in burgundy hand finished goat leather with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, marbled end papers and marker ribbon. Lithographic printing on 120gsm cream paper stock with sewn binding. Limited to 30 signed and hand numbered examples. This edition will be issued with an embossed, lined library buckram slipcase.

 A Special Fine Edition, hand bound in terracotta fine hand polished and finished goat leather, gold foil blocking to the front and spine, marbled end papers and marker ribbon. Lithographic printing on 120gsm cream paper stock with sewn binding. Limited to 10 signed and hand numbered examples. This edition will be issued with a lined, hand carved oak box, made and carved by the author

 Paperback edition to follow.

Contents:

 

Pagination: 304 pages, illustrated with line drawings from Cecil Williamson's 'WITCHCRAFT' notebook and imagery related to the Museum of Witchcraft, plus 32 pages of black and white photographic plates.

 

Foreword by Graham King

 Introduction

 Introduction Notes

Book One – The 'WITCHCRAFT' Notebook:

Spells and Charms

 Notes for 'Spells and Charms'

 Divination

 Notes for 'Divination'

 Amulets

 Notes for 'Amulets'

 Magical Figures

 Notes for 'Magical Figures'

Book Two – Cecil Williamson – A West Country Cunning Man:

The Cecil Williamson Story

 Notes for 'The Cecil Williamson Story'

 Meeting with such Fascinating Persons

 Notes for 'Meeting with such Fascinating Persons'

 The Spider's Web

 Notes for 'The Spider's Web'

 Come Drink... From the Cup of Forbidden Knowledge!

 Notes for 'Come Drink... From the Cup of Forbidden Knowledge!'

Appendices

Bibliography

Index

 Prices: all editions 

Ameth: Life and Times of Doreen Valiente

Ameth: The Life and Times of Doreen Valiente

by Jonathan Tapsell

Coming soon from Avalonia…

Pre-order* your copy now!

Paperback, 130pp, £12.99 with FREE P&P (worldwide)

Release date: Beltane, May 2014

AMETH is the first definitive biography of Doreen Valiente (1922 – 1999), an English Witch who became known as ‘the Mother of Modern Witchcraft’.  Based on the author’s work collating her artefacts, interviewing people who knew her, reading and researching numerous personal magical documents and correspondence bequeathed by Doreen, this book gives unparalleled insight into her magical life.

Evocatively recreating the atmosphere of post-1951 British Witchcraft, following the repeal of the Witchcraft Act, the author explores Doreen’s magical journey- including her initiation and relationship with Gerald Gardner. The reader is guided on a journey from the 1950’s through to the early 1970’s as she worked and interacted with Charles Cardell and the Coven of Atho, Robert Cochrane and the Clan of Tubal Cain, as well as the Regency coven.

Ameth chronicles the whole of Doreen Valiente’s colourful and varied life. It emphasises her fight to establish Pagan rights, and her subsequent role as one of the leading spokespersons for the Pagan revival from the 1960s until her death in 1999. Through her own published books and her contribution to the work of Janet and Stewart Farrar, she reinforced her position as one of the most significant and influential priestesses of the twentieth century. Her research to find Dorothy Clutterbuck (Dafo) may have saved the credibility of modern Witchcraft, and took her towards what was arguably the height of her achievements, her contribution to the foundations of the rapidly growing religion of Wicca.

As an author, priestess, researcher and pagan spokeswoman, Doreen Valiente occupied a unique position in leading the resurgence of magic, perhaps best exemplified by her creation of the Wiccan Rede – “an it harm none, do what ye will”. Possessed of a fiery spirit and willingness to challenge dogma in her search for truth (the meaning of Ameth, her witch name), Doreen’s tireless quest serves as an example of the power of the human spirit to accomplish transformation on a major scale.

Extract …

“At this rite Gardner and Dafo gave their new initiate a secret Witch-name known only to those within the Craft. Doreen was from then on to be known as – Ameth. Gardner is likely to have said these words taken from his own Book of Shadows: “Hear, ye Mighty Ones, (Ameth) hath been consecrated Priestess and Witch of the Gods.” before asking the Gods to depart. Ameth true to her secret oaths of the Old Religion would neither disclose to either her husband or mother that she was now a fully-fledged Witch.”…

“As the ceremony progressed the newly initiated Witch, Doreen, would have been anointed, given wine from a chalice, gently scourged for purification and eventually untied and the blindfold taken away.  At its conclusion she would have been presented with an athame (a witch’s knife), a wand to invoke spirits, a white handled knife, a scourge and a censor for incense. Another magical artefact, belonging to the Witch, was the cords used to bind her during the ceremony. One cord measured nine feet long and was to be used to make magical circles and another cord was used for spells. She was now a member of the coven and only another two degrees stood between her and the title of High Priestess in the art magical…”

About the Author:

Jonathan Tapsell was born in 1964 in Sussex, the last county to  convert to Christianity and only then at the point of the sword. His interests in history and the esoteric led him to be chosen to archive the worlds largest treasury of Witchcraft memorabilia – the Doreen Valiente collection in 1999. The result of Jonathan’s work led to the publication of Doreen’s poetry being published posthumously in ‘Charge of the Goddess’. His own work includes making action films in Asia, educational documentaries for the House of Lords, organising festivals and writing in numerous magazines. As an author he has written several books including one which is considered a minor gonzo classic.

Original Cover Illustration by Rowan Wulfe

* All pre-ordered copies will be dispatched on or before the release date, or as soon as the book becomes available.

Avalonia Books

Thracian Magic

By Georgi Mishev

Thracian Magic: past & present is a phenomenal volume of work by the Bulgarian author Georgi Mishev, which opens up the treasure trove of folklore and magical practices of the Balkan Peninsula into the English language for the first time. The author examines the magical practices of modern day Bulgaria and the surrounding Balkan countries, tracing them to their roots in the ritual traditions of Thrace and the Mystery Cults of the ancient world.

The ritual practices of the Thracians survived through Christian and other overlays for many centuries in Balkan communities through into modern Bulgaria, carried by successive generations of practitioners. Evidence for the antiquity of these modern survivals can be found in numerous ancient literary sources, including the Hittite ritual texts, the Greek Magical Papyri, the Orphic Argonautica, the Derweni Papyrus, as well as in the writings of Homer, Plato, Strabo and others.

Further clues are found in curse tablets and other archaeological finds. The transmission of the ancient mysteries through Orpheus, Musaeus, Eumolpus, Zalmoxis, Rhesus, the Thracian Prophetess of Dionysos and the nymph Thrake are all considered in turn, to help demonstrate the distinctive flavour found in the practices of the region. Likewise the ways in which secret knowledge was preserved, as well as the roles of both the Healer and the Magician in Bulgarian traditional culture shed additional light on the diversity and depth to be found in the research presented in this volume.

The importance and survival of the Great Goddess in the practices and beliefs of the region is explored in the final chapter of the book, ‘Concepts Of The Goddess’. Here the reader is introduced to the roles of goddesses such as Hekate, Artemis and Bendis, as well as to the Mother of the Sun, the Mountain Mother, the Virgin Mistress of Fire and the She-Wolf. Additionally, both the continued existence and re-emergence of the Great Goddess in the form of Christian saints such as the Mother of God, Fiery Marina, Petka and Nedelya are examined in turn, alongside the Samodivi forest spirits who combine the characteristics of both nymphs and ancient goddesses. From divination to healing, initiation to fertility spells, curses to protection from the evil eye and other malefic influences, this book embraces and reveals the scope of a living tradition with its roots deep in the ancient world. Thracian Magic: past & present opens up the field of study in a unique way, being both practical and accessible, whilst simultaneously maintaining its scholarly integrity.

~ “One writes about magical practice most commonly either from the position of a scholar or from the position of a practitioner. The book, which G. Mishev offers us, leads the reader into the secrets of the magical with the dignity of a descendant and carrier of millennial traditions, preserved in the South-eastern European area, and with the passion of an explorer, rushing towards the light of knowledge.” —  Prof. Dr. Sc. Valeria Fol ~

Classic Grimoire Series

The Troy Classic Grimoire project, in which Troy Books are in the process of producing as a collector's series, will consist of thirteen of the famous classic grimoires. These are to be produced in affordable case bound editions, with high attention to aesthetics, created particularly with the practitioner-collector in mind.

Instructing the practitioner in such matters as the arts of the circle, the conjuration of spirits, angels and demons, the performing of divinations, the crafting of magical tools, charms, amulets and talismans, and the magical properties of plants, the grimoire has had a profound influence on the practices of magic in the modern period.

           

Encompassing high ceremonial arts, as well as lower spell casting and remedy making, these time-honored texts have an important place within the folk magical traditions. ‘Cunning folk’, who long had access to a range of these texts, made use of grimoires, often using them to craft their own ‘black books’ by copying by hand parts of their content deemed to be of use.

Each classic grimoire in our series will be case bound in dark ‘aubergine’ gold foil-blocked buckram, with ‘mulberry’ endpapers, and black head and tail bands and ribbon marker.

  

The first Grimoire in the series is: The Long Hidden Friend and written by John George Hohman.

The Long Hidden Friend first appeared in 1820 in German as Der Lange Verborgene Freund, appearing later in English as Pow-Wows; or, Long Lost Friend. It is as a result of this book that the Dutch Pennsylvania tradition of folk-magic known as “Pow-Wow” became so named.

It is a fascinating collection of traditional European folk-magical formulas for a wide range of spells, simple rituals, charms, talismans, bindings, prayers, benedictions, magical folk-healing, recipes and remedies for humans and animals as well as various non-magical ‘tips’ for matters or rural and domestic life.

In editing this edition for Troy Books, Gemma Gary, author and illustrator of Traditional Witchcraft: A Book of Cornish Ways, The Black Toad and The Charmer's Psalter, has arranged the formerly scattered and unstructured content into some order, organizing the practices into the categories of Curative Arts, Animal Arts, Arts against Evildoers, Protective Arts and Propitious Arts; this final chapter detailing a diverse collection of magical and non magical practices for general success, good fortune, safety and well-being in a number of areas including divination, games and gambling, hunting and legal matters.  This edition is illustrated by Gemma’s line drawings, inspired by Dutch Pennsylvanian folk art, charms and traditional hex signs.

Pagination: 80 pages, line drawings and figures by Gemma Gary

Introduction by Gemma Gary

Preface

Testimonials

Curative Arts

Animal Arts

Arts against Evildoers

Protective Arts

Propitious Arts

This edition is presented as a Aubergine case binding in Pinched Crown Quarto format 248 x 171mm with gold foil blocking to the front and spine, Mulberry endpapers, and black head and tail bands and ribbon marker.

ISBN: 978-1-909602-02-1

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