Alternative belief systems and spiritual worldviews Books
The University of Chicago Press Ripples of the Universe Spirituality in Sedona
Book SynopsisTrade Review"This elegantly written report from an ethnographic field study is a rich witness to a US landscape and the spiritual seekers who developed a visceral connection to the region’s 'energies'. . . . At once strikingly empathic and analytic, Crockford employs theories from religious studies, critical theory, and political science to explain behaviors of those who have little control over corporate or governmental policies that determine their existence." * Choice *"Crockford’s Ripples of the Universe is an excellent introduction to New Age ‘spirituality’ as it is practiced ‘on the ground’ in 21st-century America. I predict the book will be widely read, especially by students of new religious movements, sociology of religion in the United States, and critical cultural studies. Engagingly written, methodologically clear, and well-illustrated, Ripples of the Universe will also be an ideal text for graduate seminars on these topics." * Religion *"A valuable work . . . sensitive and multi-dimensional. The book illuminates how many people have given up the normal life of jobs and family to become, in effect, renunciates and even mendicants, struggling to survive in a society that grants them no recognition." * Reading Religion *"Ripples of the Universe makes a solid contribution to the study of contemporary spiritualities and is highly recommended for scholars of religion, sociology, anthropology and American culture." * Journal for the Academic Study of Religion *"This thought-provoking and profound study paints a fascinating picture of spirituality in Sedona. It explores a microcosm of larger US society, replicating the same issues, conflicts, and insecurities, and making spiritually framed attempts to address them. This book is extremely valuable for scholars interested in (alternative) spirituality and religion in the contemporary US." * Religious Studies Review *“This emotionally sensitive, beautifully written book shows how ethnography can reshape our understanding of ourselves. Crockford describes how spirituality offers hope of new resources and a new way of life in the context of contemporary economic arrangements, and how precarious such hopes can be. She casts an original, clear light on the everyday experience of a remarkable cast of people, displaying both compassion and objectivity; this is a small masterpiece.” -- Timothy Jenkins, University of Cambridge“In this lucid, engaging, and comprehensive analysis of Sedona’s metaphysical spiritualists, Crockford thoroughly unpacks the cosmology, millenarian beliefs, and cultural resonances of this key center of what used to be called ‘New Age spirituality.’ Crockford shows how Sedona’s metaphysicians rework race, class, kinship, health, neoliberal economics, and notions of purity, indigeneity, government corruption, and utopian aspiration in their efforts to create a value-driven spirituality that is as individual as it is emblematic of the ‘postsecular’ condition. A wonderful book!” -- Adrian J. Ivakhiv, University of Vermont“Not only is this book a deep ethnographic dive into the metaphysical/theosophical/new thought/new age/extraterrestrial spirituality and conspiracy theory milieu of Sedona, it is also an astute critical description of major thought currents in America today and their histories. This book will be of interest to anyone seeking to learn more about American culture, spirituality, and even politics.” -- Catherine Wessinger, Loyola University New Orleans"This is a fascinating interpretation of seekers and seekership at an iconic American site for post-New Age spirituality, focusing on key themes of nature, diet, identity, conspiracy and revelation. The author combines empathetic ethnography with shrewd analysis of the erosion of the middle ground between the local and the cosmic - society, in other words - that's inadvertently fostered in pursuit of the 'spiritual path'. This is an innovative and timely study which raises resonant questions about the impact of a hitherto minority worldview on mainstream American culture - and beyond." -- Steven J. Sutcliffe, University of Edinburgh"Crockford is able to convince the reader that her participant–observer strategy works. There is an intimacy to her research that, not surprisingly, provides an added interpretive dimension not typically found in the social science literature on contemporary New Age and alternative spiritual movements." * Nova Religio *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Everything Is Energy 1 The Rocks Were Screaming at Me: Agency, Nature, and Space 2 21st December 2012: “This Is My Story, Not Yours” 3 Awakened Aliens: Crafting the Self on the Spiritual Path 4 To Your Highest Vibration: Hierarchies of Food, Boundaries of the Self 5 What Is Wrong with America? Conspiracy Theories as Counter-Narrative Conclusion: All Energy Vibrates at a Certain Frequency Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£78.85
The University of Chicago Press From the Enemys Point of View
Book Synopsis
£34.20
Cambridge University Press J. Krishnamurti
Book SynopsisThis Element explores the life, teaching, and legacy of philosopher and spiritual teacher Jiddu Krishnamurti. From an obscure childhood in south India, he was ''discovered'' at age fourteen by the Theosophical Society as the vehicle for the prophesied World Teacher of this cosmic age. At age 34, he disaffiliated from the Society, became an independent teacher, and, for sixty years, traveled widely and addressed thousands of audiences on the need to develop awareness and attention for transformation of consciousness. His teaching defines the human condition as perilous, dominated almost completely by cultural and personal conditioning, fear, and negative emotions. Freedom from these perils, his teaching states, occurs through rigorous self-observation and inquiry in the search for truth. While extremely popular, Krishnamurti rejected the mantle of authority invariably attributed to spiritual masters and teachers. He created schools in his name to implement his pedagogy of non-authoritarianism and freedom from conditioning.
£17.00
Cambridge University Press SemiSecular Worldviews and the Belief in
Book SynopsisAn increasingly large part of the population in the West identifies as religious Nones. Contrary to what might be assumed, most of them are not outright atheists. They reject traditional religion, but many pursue different forms of spirituality, and many entertain supernatural ideas. This Element concerns the worldview of these ''semi-secular'' Nones. When asked about whether they believe in God, they usually provide answers like ''Perhaps not God per se, but I do believe in something''. Belief in ''somethin'' is the ontological cornerstone of many Nones'' worldviews. The authors reconstruct it as the view ''Somethingism''. They assess Somethingism by inquiring how well it stands up to the epistemic challenge of being true to the demands of reason. They also assess it by exploring how it manages the existential challenge of providing comfort and guidance in this life, and its ability to align us with any transcendent reality there might be.
£17.00
Original Falcon Press Yogini Magic: The Sorcery, Enchantment and
Book Synopsis
£23.39
Collective Ink Trees are our Letters: A creative appointment
Book SynopsisTen trees invite you into their circle for a creative collaboration that could transform the future. Trees Are Our Letters is an informative, creative, soulful and meditative journey with ten of our planet’s species of trees. You will find yourself writing prose, poetry, the beginnings to a novel, short stories, songs, recipes and all manner of things on the journey! You will emerge with ten new loyal tree friends, sturdy in character and unique in the gifts and the counselling they bring, who I am sure will open the doors to make you want to befriend many more!
£11.39
Collective Ink Torch of Brighid, The: Flametending for
Book SynopsisWhat is flametending, and how can a simple devotional practice be engaged with as a transformational spiritual path? The devotional practice of flametending for Irish Goddess and Christian St. Brighid, traditionally kept once every twenty days, can become a daily spiritual practice for transformation when combined with twenty spiritual inquiries as an inner journey of reflection. Brighid is a goddess of the fires that transform ore into tools, plants into medicine, and inspiration into poetry. Through guided meditations, energy work, contemplation, and journaling, you will learn how to open yourself to Brighid so her torch of illumination can guide you in transforming your fear and pain into power and joy! You will also discover how Brighid can walk with you through the seasonal cycle of the year and bless your personal endeavors. Let Brighid become your daily companion so her light can lead you to wisdom and wholeness.
£11.39
Collective Ink Pagan Portals - Persephone: Practicing the Art of
Book SynopsisEmbark upon a powerful journey with Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of Spring, as she helps you to discover your personal power and take control of your life. 'There is something for everyone in this book, which will be of interest to long-standing devotees of Persephone as well as those feeling newly-called to work with this powerful Goddess who helps us to walk a path of empowerment.' Jhenah Telyndru, founder of the Sisterhood of Avalon and author of Rhiannon: Great Queen of the Celtic Britons
£9.49
Collective Ink Pagan Portals - Gods & Goddesses of England
Book SynopsisRachel Patterson unearths and shines light on England’s ancient gods and goddesses - many of whom, until now, had long since been forgotten. Based on archaeological finds and ancient manuscripts, and including information about the tribes that once made their home in England's pleasant lands, this book serves as a guide to the gods and goddesses of England, with suggested ways to work and connect with these very special deities.
£9.49
John Hunt Pagan Portals Maman Brigitte Dark Goddess of
Book SynopsisWho is Maman Brigitte, the Dark Goddess of Africa and Ireland?
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers Inc The Starseed Transmissions
Book SynopsisThe first volume of the Starseed Trilogy: Intuitive knowledge featuring a startling new view of human evolution.
£14.99
Columbia University Press Pantheologies
Book SynopsisMary-Jane Rubenstein provides a conceptual genealogy of pantheisms. What makes pantheism “monstrous”—at once repellent and seductive—is that it scrambles the raced and gendered distinctions that Western philosophy and theology insist on drawing between activity and passivity, spirit and matter, animacy and inanimacy, and creator and created.Trade Review. . . Rubenstein’s writing is delightfully witty and often poetic in a way which can uniquely maintain its many strands. -- Alison Renna Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA * Worldviews *Rubenstein’s critical readings are cogent and deft. The book is both erudite and adventurous. -- Beatrice Marovich * Journal of the American Academy of Religion *Rubenstein's examination of pantheism renders a comprehensive and pluralistic view of the cosmos that will interest readers curious about the intersection of religion and philosophy. * Library Journal *Given the rise of scholarship in 'new materialism' and renewed focus on immanence, this book is an important addition to the literature. . . Recommended. * Choice *Mary-Jane Rubenstein’s book, Pantheologies, is an essential addition to any science and religion class or graduate studies class in philosophy of religion or theology. It gives a solid overview of Baruch Spinoza, Giordano Bruno, and Albert Einstein, introduces many new animist viewpoints, and examines the metaphysics of numerous indigenous religions. -- Darren Iammarino * Nova Religio *Pantheologies is an elegant and lively tour of pantheism and of the racialized gender panics it has prompted in Euro-American thought. I leave the book with the sense that the goat-god Pan is still roaming around, disrupting the either/ors of Western metaphysics and presenting a cosmos both more amazing and more discomfiting. Rubenstein has written an excellent book. -- Jane Bennett, author of Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of ThingsIn Pantheologies, Mary-Jane Rubenstein answers the old problem of the One and the Many by offering a resolute triumph of the Many over the One. Give Rubenstein a One—any one—and she will make a Many out of it. I applaud this temperament, as William James called it, and the intuition that it generates and reflects. Multiplicity, thy name is woman. Rubenstein will save us every time from the totalitarian tendencies of certain regions of process philosophy, from the Teutonic idealisms of post-Hegelian theologies, even from the totalizing forms of monistic pantheisms. -- Nancy Frankenberry, editor of The Faith of Scientists: In Their Own WordsIt is not out of charity or historicism that Mary-Jane Rubenstein channels this maligned, misunderstood, and mangled legacy. No, there is something in the pan of theism that our Anthropocene mess of a species (its atheists and its theologians included) needs. Now. Mesmerized by the brilliant weave of Pantheologies’ irresistible irony, gorgeous prose, and holographic erudition, readers will be hooked by a mystery too suspenseful in its plotline and too urgent in its intersections to set aside. -- Catherine Keller, author of Political Theology of the Earth: Our Planetary Emergency and the Struggle for a New PublicPantheologies should be of interest to religious studies scholars, philosophers, scientists, and theologically curious political activists alike, by virtue of its broad intellectual scope, engaging rhetoric, and urgent ethical reflection. * Reading Religion *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroduction: The Matter with PantheismPanic1. PanPanterruption2. HylePanfusion3. CosmosPancarnation4. TheosPandemoniumNotesBibliographyIndex
£20.90
University of California Press Dark Green Religion
Book SynopsisExamines the evolution of 'green religions' in North America and beyond: spiritual practices that hold nature as sacred and have in many cases replaced traditional religions. This book provides a global tour of the green religious phenomenon, enabling readers to evaluate its worldwide emergence and to assess its role in a religious revolution.Trade Review"This ambitious work seeks to set forth a new religious tradition characterized by its central concern for the fate of the planet." Nova Religio: The Journal Of Alternative & Emergent Religions "Dark Green Religion is intelligent, well-written, and very much worth reading." Worldviews "Taylor aims to illustrate the existence of an ideological current in contemporary North American society that has nature as its focus, and to argue that this is socially and politically significant." -- Emma Tomalin Environment & History "Names levels of spirituality that are often unacknowledged, unattended to, or rejected, and demonstrates how a new global spirituality (DGR) is becoming a force for positive change on our planet." Isle: Interdis Stds In Lit & Environ "Recommended." ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface Readers' Guide 1. Introducing Religion and Dark Green Religion 2. Dark Green Religion 3. Dark Green Religion in North America 4. Radical Environmentalism 5. Surfing Spirituality 6. Globalization with Predators and Moving Pictures 7. Globalization in Arts, Sciences, and Letters 8. Terrapolitan Earth Religion 9 .Conclusion: Dark Green Religion and the Planetary Future Afterword on Terminology Acknowledgments Appendix: Excerpts with Commentary on the Writings of Henry David Thoreau Notes Bibliography Index
£27.00
Inner Traditions/Bear & Company The Pagan Book of Days
Book Synopsis
£13.46
Feral House,U.S. New Age Grifter
Book Synopsis
£19.79
Llewellyn Publications Medicine Heart Oracle
Book Synopsis
£26.36
Oldcastle Books Ltd Secret Societies
Book SynopsisSecret Societies in one form or another have existed throughout the history of human culture. But what is their appeal? What is it that makes so-called respectable people indulge in peculiar ceremonies, dressed in fanciful costumes uttering blood-curdling oaths of loyalty with the threat of death hanging over them should they reveal the...
£7.19
The University of Chicago Press The Religion of Java
Book Synopsis
£34.20
Inner Traditions Bear and Company The Great Goddess
Book SynopsisA study of the primordial figure of the Great Goddess and her continued worship through time as shown by the myths, shrines, and sanctuaries around the world that honor this powerful symbol of creation.
£17.58
Broadview Press Ltd Life in the Sick Room
Book SynopsisBelieving herself to be suffering from an incurable condition, Harriet Martineau wrote Life in the Sick-Room in 1844. In this work, which is both memoir and treatise, Martineau seeks to educate the healthy and ill alike on the spiritual and psychological dimensions of chronic suffering. Covering such topics as "Sympathy to the Invalid," "Temper," and "Becoming Inured," the work occupies a crucial place in the culture of invalidism that prospered in Victorian England.This Broadview edition also includes medical documents pertaining to Martineau's case; other writings on health by Martineau; excerpts from her other autobiographical writings; selected correspondence with Florence Nightingale; excerpts from contemporary works of sick-room literature; and reviews.Trade ReviewThis thoroughly absorbing edition contextualizes Martineau's sick-room meditations within the extraordinary nineteenth-century culture of invalidism, and sheds light on a form of writing which, far from being morbidly self-obsessed, was intended to inspire and counsel its readers. Maria Frawley's excellent introduction brings together, in revealing and suggestive ways, contemporary medical commentary, a range of therapeutic technologies, and personal accounts of suffering. The wealth of additional material - a characteristic feature of Broadview texts - makes this edition a valuable resource for students and scholars of Victorian literature and culture." - Jane Wood, University of Leeds"The explosion of interest in the cultural study of the body, illness, and gender makes the publication of Martineau's work very timely. With its inclusion of contemporary reviews, correspondence, and related controversial writings, this edition is especially useful." - M. Jeanne Peterson, Indiana University, BloomingtonTable of ContentsAcknowledgementsIntroductionHarriet Martineau: A Brief ChronologyA Note on the TextLife in the Sick-RoomAppendix A: Introduction to the American Edition of Life in the Sick-RoomAppendix B: Contemporary Reviews of Life in the Sick-Room The Christian Examiner (March 1845) The Dublin University Magazine (May 1844) Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine (January 1844) British and Foreign Medical Review (1844) Appendix C: Harriet Martineau and the Medical Profession “Medical Report of The Case of Miss H— M——,” by T.M. Greenhow (1845) “Termination of the Case of Miss Harriet Martineau,” by Thomas M. Greenhow (1877) Selected Correspondence with Dr. Peter Mere Latham (1855) Appendix D: Harriet Martineau and Autobiographical Writing From Harriet Martineau’s Autobiography (1879) From “An Autobiographic Memoir” (1879) Appendix E: Harriet Martineau and Florence Nightingale Selected Correspondence (1860-67) From Florence Nightingale’s Notes on Nursing (1860) From Quarterly Review (April 1860) Appendix F: Harriet Martineau and Health Writing “Letter to the Deaf” (1834) From Letters on Mesmerism (1845) Appendix G: Additional Examples of Sickroom Literature From Letters from a Sick Room (1845) From Devotions for the Sick Room (1843) From Occasional Poems: By an Invalid (1848) Works Cited and Recommended Reading
£27.86
Oxford University Press The Russian Cosmists
Trade Reviewconcise and engaging * Eric Naiman, The Times Literary Supplement *This amasingly well-written book allows the reader a rare glimpse behind the curtain and see the crystal-clear clarity that it offers on essential questions of Russian philosophy. * Zsofia Kata Vincze, Journal of Contemporary Religion *Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter 1: The Spiritual Geography of Russian Cosmism ; Chapter 2: Forerunners of Russian Cosmism ; Chapter 3: The Russian Philosophical Context ; Chapter 4: The Religious and Spiritual Context ; Chapter 5: The Russian Esoteric Context ; Chapter 6: Nikolai Fedorovich Fedorov (1829-1903), the Philosopher of the Common Task ; Chapter 7: The "Common Task" ; Chapter 8: The Religious Cosmists ; Chapter 9: The Scientific Cosmists ; Chapter 10: Promethean Theurgy ; Chapter 11: Fedorov's Twentieth-Century Followers ; Chapter 12: Cosmism Today ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index
£42.27
Collective Ink Practicing A Course In Miracles – A translation
Book SynopsisIn the mid-1970s, A Course in Miracles was published. It is a self-study course designed to help you undo your conscious and unconscious beliefs that you are separate from God, so that you can return to your natural State of Boundless Love, Peace, and Joy. Since then, it has become the 'Holy Book' of millions of people worldwide who have experienced a loving transformation to a more peaceful experience. Practicing A Course in Miracles and The Way of A Course in Miracles are practical companions to The Message of A Course in Miracles, the first volume of the Plain Language A Course in Miracles. Where MACIM lays out the theoretical foundation of the Course, PACIM provides a year of practical lessons to transform your experience to peace, and WACIM provides answers to common questions. These volumes also contain mentoring notes from the translator, a student and teacher of the Course since 1984. Together, these books offer a clear means for attaining lasting inner peace.
£28.49
Collective Ink A Brigit of Ireland Devotional: Sun Among Stars
Book SynopsisShe is the gateway to inspiration, the eternal sparkling flame. A Brigit of Ireland Devotional – Sun Among Stars evokes this much-loved Goddess and Saint, drawing on her history, mythology, and traditions, and on the author’s intimate bond with her. Thoughtful essays, a daily devotional practice, and extensive resources make it a useful reference as well as an inspiring text.
£14.99
BGU Limited Fama Fraternitatis, Confessio Fraternitatis and the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz
£9.95
University of California Press Holy Harlots
Book SynopsisExamines the intersections of social marginality, morality, and magic in contemporary Brazil by analyzing the beliefs and religious practices related to the Afro-Brazilian spirit entity Pomba Gira. This title provides an intimate account of the intricate relationship between Pomba Gira and one of her devotees, Nazare da Silva.Trade Review"A book outside of the box that will evoke the Pomba Gira in all its readers." Nacla/Report On The Americas "A clearly written and exciting book, filled with major insights, which will inspire further scholarship." -- Frank A. Salamone Missiology
£31.45
Sazmick Books Alchemy Of The Gods
£12.99
Collective Ink Pagan Portals - Poppets and Magical Dolls: Dolls
Book SynopsisPoppets are dolls used for sympathetic magic, and are designed in the likeness of individuals in order to represent them in spells to help, heal or harm. The word poppet comes from the Middle Ages in England, originally meaning a small doll or child, and it is still in use today as a name of endearment. The term is older than the phrase `Voodoo doll’. Pagan Portals – Poppets and Magical Dolls explores the history of poppets and offers a practical guide to making and using them in modern witchcraft. It also covers seasonal dolls, from Brigid dolls, used in celebrations for the first stirrings of spring, to fairy dolls enjoyed in tree-dressing at Yuletide. Other topics covered include spirit dolls, ancestor dolls and dolls as representations of mythological beings and creatures from folklore. The newest book from Lucya Starza, author of Every Day Magic: A Pagan Book of Days.
£9.49
Collective Ink Pagan Portals - Divination: By Rod, Birds and
Book SynopsisDivination is only a small part of a witch’s stock in trade, and although a basic introduction to the subject can be learned from books, proficiency will only come through vigorous practice. This proficiency comes through the discovery of certain secret matters by a great variety of means, correspondences, signs and occult techniques. Before a witch can perform any of these operations with any degree of success, we need to develop the `art of seeing’ and the ability to divine with rod, fingers and birds. Divination is what could be referred to as the practical element of Craft magic, and we don’t even have to be witches to be able to read the portents. But it helps! A companion volume to Pagan Portals: By Spellbook & Candle and Pagan Portals: By Wolfsbane & Mandrake Root, from popular Moon Books author Melusine Draco.
£9.49
Collective Ink Pagan Portals - Artio and Artaois: A Journey
Book SynopsisOut of the Forest of Time come two Gods for the Twenty-First Century. Join Andrew Anderson as he makes a pilgrimage to discover more about the ancient Celtic Bear Gods. Weaving together archaeology, folklore and spiritual practice, this book pieces together the evidence to create a clearer picture of who Artio and Artaois were and how they can be honoured today. The journey will take the reader from the medieval city of Bern to the depths of an English forest, from the Rothar Mountains in Germany to the Highlands of Scotland, from the slopes of Glastonbury Tor to the rocky headland of Tintagel. With voices from an array of practitioners and experts, this is a journey back to the very beginning of human belief.
£9.49
Collective Ink Pagan Portals - Living Fairy: Fairy Witchcraft
Book SynopsisThe human world and the Otherworld have always been intrinsically connected just as the beings within them are, but these connections have been strained in the Western world over the last millenia. Cultural and religious shifts have pushed the Other to the fringes and centred humanity in the world and in many spiritual frameworks. As we move into the 21st century the Othercrowd is pushing back, seeking a return to their place in things. Many witches are feeling this shift. Living Fairy is a look at ways to deepen your practice of fairy witchcraft by actively calling the Good Neighbours back, and connecting to them more experientially. It emphasizes older ways of relating to them within a modern framework, while acknowledging the good and the bad that comes with this work. There is also an emphasis on moving away from solar and lunar holy days into a system focused on the stars, which may perhaps be an older way to relate to both the fairies and our spirituality.
£11.77
Watkins Media Limited Plant Feasts
Book Synopsis
£22.50
Mandrake of Oxford Ritual Year In Ancient Egypt
Book SynopsisThis book began life as an extended appendix to "Supernatural Assault in Ancient Egypt" where it provided additional information on the cosmic tides that ebb and flow through us as they did the ancient Egyptians. It concerns the ritual year and offers a conventional summary of the main principles of the ancient Egyptian calendar along with examples of seasonal rites. More radically it presents new material on the older Lunar calendar of the preformal times. Here too the author offers rites for a thirteen of the most archaic Egyptian ''neters'' -- beginning with Seth, Sokar and Hathor. Over the millennia we have lost contact with these tides, and stand alienated from Nature. This first ''Eden'' is restorable by a return to these ancient principles.
£13.49
Mandrake of Oxford Pagan Heart of the West Embodying Ancient Beliefs
Book Synopsis
£21.25
Mandrake of Oxford The Pagan Heart of the West: Embodying Ancient
Book Synopsis
£21.25
Mandrake of Oxford The Pagan Heart of the West: Embodying Ancient
Book SynopsisIn this fifth and final volume, we consider the persistence and transformation of pagan traditions in philosophy and the arts. This final volume also includes the extensive bibliography for the series. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. The Pagan Heart of the West challenges current academic notions that paganism died when Christianization occurred; that the transition from paganism to Christianity was a fairly easy, nonviolent one; that persons once pagan were happy to accept the new religion because it fulfilled them or because they viewed it as superior as if the Inquisition never happened; and that all things pagan are in fact Christian prior to the mid-twentieth century, even though they demonstrate little or no connection to the Christian New Testament. Likewise, Pagan Heart challenges narrow conceptions of the West. Applying Indigenous and decolonial theories, together with Michel Foucaults conception of subjugated knowledges, Pagan Heart suggests that instead, paganism should be explored as an ancient and indigenous set of common beliefs and practices, at once ubiquitous and local, that includes the reverence of deities; the veneration of nature; rites celebrating the seasons and the life cycle; practices of healing, divination, and magic, often guided by ritual specialists; and arts and philosophies giving expression to pagan figures, concepts, and narratives.In this fifth and final volume, we consider the persistence and transformation of pagan traditions in philosophy and the arts. This final volume also includes the extensive bibliography for the series. Like the other volumes, this volume demonstrates that paganism has not only persisted over the course of millennia, but that it has also undergone metamorphosis and innovation. Most importantly, Pagan Heart emphasizes that the ancient gods did not die when Christian authorities forbade their worship and sought, in N. Scott Momadays terms, to commit deicide, but instead that they continue to exist and thrive.
£25.20
Mandrake of Oxford NakedTantra: Record of a magical year
Book SynopsisThere are many books on how to do magick, but not so many with stories about actually doing it and what happens. NAKEDTANTRA lays bare the inner states of the two brave souls involved in this extended magical work. An experiment, two people, two countries, one mind, experimenting in tantra meta-magick, cosmic astral travel to the land of no boundaries, looking for the doors of perception. Of necessity the contents of this grimoire might be considered erotic. And, with that thought in mind, it might also be that the reader is occasionally aroused by our story as it progresses. Some might find this an unwanted intrusion, into what is otherwise an exploration of a magical world. Others we surmise, will take this in good part, accepting that, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. To those who do not share these sensibilities, and are unmoved by what you are about to read, we offer our sincerest apologies.
£13.50
HarperCollins The Manitous
£12.89
Oxford University Press Controversial New Religions
Book SynopsisIn terms of public opinion, new religious movements are considered controversial for a variety of reasons. Their social organization often runs counter to popular expectations by experimenting with communal living, alternative leadership roles, unusual economic dispositions, and new political and ethical values. As a result the general public views new religions with a mixture of curiosity, amusement, and anxiety, sustained by lavish media emphasis on oddness and tragedy rather than familiarity and lived experience. This updated and revised second edition of Controversial New Religions offers a scholarly, dispassionate look at those groups that have generated the most attention, including some very well-known classical groups like The Family, Unification Church, Scientology, and Jim Jones''s People''s Temple; some relative newcomers such as the Kabbalah Centre, the Order of the Solar Temple, Branch Davidians, Heaven''s Gate, and the Falun Gong; and some interesting cases like contemporTrade Reviewbalanced and intriguing * Jonathan Benthall, The Times Literary Supplement *Very often sequels are disappointing, but the second edition of Controversial New Religions offers another round of solid and fascinating scholarship on religions on the brink of-and sometimes beyond-the mainstream. Introducing a number of younger scholars, this volume, furthermore, shows how research into new and emergent religions has become a well-established and increasingly important field in the academic study of religion. Editors Lewis and Petersen should be commended for their ongoing contributions to this development. * Mikael Rothstein, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer of Comparative Religion, University of Southern Denmark; Visiting Professor, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania *Table of ContentsContributors ; Introduction ; Part I: Western Religious Traditions ; 1. A Family for the 21st Century ; James Chancellor ; 2. The Unification Church ; Sarah Lewis ; 3. The Controversies About Peoples Temple and Jonestown ; Rebecca Moore ; 4. The Branch Davidians ; Gene Gallagher ; 5. Charismatic Controversies in the Jesus People, Calvary Chapel, and Vineyard Movements ; Jane Skjoldli ; 6. Kabbalah Centre: Marketing and Meaning ; Jody Myers ; 7. Controversial Afro-American Muslim Organizations ; Goran Larsson ; Part II: Asian and Asian-Inspired Traditions ; 8. The Earth School: The Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness ; James R. Lewis ; 9. Contested Genealogies and Cross-cultural Dynamics in the Hare Krishna Movement ; Malcolm Haddon ; 10. Transcendental Meditation, the Art of Living Foundation and Public Relations: ; From Psychedelic Romanticism to Science and Schism ; Inga Tollefsen ; 11. Controversy, Cultural Influence, and the Osho/Rajneesh Movement ; Marion S. Goldman ; 12. Aum Shinrikyo and the Aum Incident: A Critical Introduction ; Martin Repp ; 13. Falun Gong: A Narrative of Pending Apocalypse, Shape-shifting Aliens and Relentless Persecution ; Helen Farley ; Part III: Western Esoteric and New Age Groups ; 14. Scientology: The Making of a Religion ; Kjersti Hellesoy ; 15. The Church Universal and Triumphant: Controversy, Change, and Continuance ; Jocelyn DeHass ; 16. The Order of the Solar Temple ; Henrik Bogdan ; 17. New Age Spiritualities ; Siv Ellen Kraft ; 18. Contemporary Paganism ; Manon Hedenborg White ; 19. Popularity of-and Controversy in-Contemporary Shamanism ; Anne Kalvig ; Part IV: Other Groups and Movements ; 20. "Come on up, and I will show thee": Heaven's Gate as a Post-modern Group ; George D. Chryssides ; 21. "Those Who Came from the Sky": Ancient Astronauts and Creationism in the Raelian Religion ; Erik Ostling ; 22. Wolf Age Pagans ; Mattias Gardell ; 23. Carnal, Chthonian, Complicated: The Matter of Modern Satanism ; Jesper Aagaard Petersen ; Index
£45.59
Oxford University Press Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond
Book SynopsisBeatriz Caiuby Labate and Clancy Cavnar offer an in-depth exploration of how Amerindian epistemology and ontology concerning indigenous shamanic rituals of the Amazon have spread to Western societies, and of how indigenous, mestizo, and cosmopolitan cultures have engaged with and transformed these forest traditions. The volume focuses on the use of ayahuasca, a psychoactive drink essential in many indigenous shamanic rituals of the Amazon. Ayahuasca use has spread far beyond its Amazonian origin, spurring a variety of legal and cultural responses in the countries to which it has spread. The essays in this volume look at how these responses have influenced ritual design and performance in traditional and non-traditional contexts, how displaced indigenous people and rubber tappers are engaged in the creative reinvention of rituals, and how these rituals help build ethnic alliances and cultural and political strategies for their marginalized position. Some essays explore important classicTrade ReviewThis book is a welcome addition for those interested in the use of ayahuasca in the Amazon and beyond, for both anthropologists and those with an interest in ayahuasca in general. Highly recommended. * Pieter Stokkink, OPEN Foundation *The essays open up some new paths for researching the interplay between tradition, culture, identity and ayahuasca. This book is a welcome addition for those interested in the use of ayahuasca in the Amazon and beyond, for both anthropologists and those with an interest in ayahuasca in general. Highly recommended * OPEN Foundation *This book presents the encounter between Amazonian and modern worlds through the account of the recent phenomenon of expansion of shamanistic rituals based on the consumption of ayahuasca. Reinvention and transformation of religious traditions, ethnic and ecological tourism, debates on intellectual property and on legalization of psychoactive substances feature among the topics which make up this brilliant collection. * Renato Sztutman, University of Sao Paulo *Much has been written about ayahuasca and shamanism, but this book will certainly stand out because it is problem-oriented and includes a fascinating array of chapters by leading experts of different backgrounds. It therefore promises to be an important contribution to religious anthropology rather than yet another instance of mystical mumbo-jumbo. * Philipe Erikson, Universite Paris Ouest Nanterre *This volume unravels the complex meanders of intellectual and practical exchanges in a time when Amazonia goes global and the world goes Amazonian. * Aristoteles Barcelos Neto, University of East Anglia *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Contributors ; List of Illustrations ; Foreword: Authentic Ayahuasca by Oscar Calavia Saez ; Introduction: Notes on the Expansion and Reinvention of Ayahuasca Shamanism - Beatriz Caiuby Labate, Clancy Cavnar, and Francoise Barbira Freeman ; 1. Will the Real Shaman Please Stand Up? The Recent Adoption of Ayahuasca among Indigenous Groups of the Peruvian Amazon - Glenn H. Shepard Jr. ; 2. Kuntanawa: Ayahuasca, Ethnicity, and Culture - Mariana Ciavatta Pantoja ; 3. Materializing Alliances: Ayahuasca Shamanism In and Beyond Western Amazonian Indigenous Communities - Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen ; 4. Medicine Alliance: Contemporary Shamanic Networks in Brazil - Esther Jean Langdon and Isabel Santana de Rose ; 5. Ritualized Misunderstanding between Uncertainty, Agreement and Rupture: Communication Patterns in Euro-American Ayahuasca Ritual Interactions - Anne-Marie Losonczy and Silvia Mesturini Cappo ; 6. Shamans' Networks in Western Amazonia: The Iquitos-Nauta Road - Francoise Barbira Freedman ; 7. On the Uneasiness of Tourism: Considerations on Shamanic Tourism in Western Amazonia - Evgenia Fotiou ; 8. The Internationalization of Peruvian Vegetalismo - Beatriz Caiuby Labate ; 9. From the Native's Point of View: How Shipibo-Konibo Experience and Interpret Ayahuasca-Drinking with "Gringos" - Bernd Brabec de Mori ; 10. Ayahuasca's Attractions and Distractions: Examining Sexual Seduction in Shaman-Participant Interactions - Daniela Peluso ; 11. Yage Related Neo-Shamanism in Colombian Urban Contexts - Alhena Caicedo Fernandez ; Index
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Lulu Press The Writings of Aleister Crowley 2
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The Crown Publishing Group River of Fire River of Water
Book SynopsisWith great spiritual insight and unparalleled scholarship, Dr. Taitetsu Unno—the foremost authority in the United States on Shin or Pure Land Buddhism—introduces us to the most popular form of Buddhism in Japan. Unique among the various practices of Buddhism, this new form of spiritual practice is certain to enrich the growing practice of Buddhism in the United States, which is already quite familiar with Zen and Tibetan traditions. River of Fire, River of Water is an introduction to the practice of Pure Land Buddhism for readers with or without prior experience with it. The Pure Land tradition dates back to the sixth century c.e., when Buddhism was first introduced in Japan. Unlike Zen, its counterpart which flourished in remote monasteries, the Pure Land tradition was the form of Buddhism practiced by common people. Consequently, its practice is harmonious with the workings of daily life, making it easily adaptable for seekers today. Despite the diff
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iUniverse Book of Clouds A handbook for practitioners of the pagan heathen crafts
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