Eclectic and esoteric religions and belief systems Books

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Book Synopsis"Do what thou wilt." Written in the early twentieth century, the four books contained within this collection make up one of the most complete and groundbreaking works on the practice of magick ever written. They are considered to be the masterpiece of occultist, magician and philosopher Aleister Crowley and the core texts for the religion of Thelema. Their influence on alternative western thought and philosophy cannot be exaggerated. Also known as Book Four, or Liber ABA, the four parts bring together many rituals, received texts, theorems and unequalled insights into the practice of magick, culminating in The Book of the Law, the central, sacred text dictated to Crowley by a preternatural entity. Anyone interested in yoga, ceremonial magic, esoteric thought, invocation, divination and beyond, or those looking to delve into the fascinating, playful and illuminating writings of a unique man, will find inspiration. For the first time, one of the world's leading experts on Western esoteric traditions and magic, Dr. Stephen Skinner, introduces the text, sharing his insights into Crowley's take on yoga, ceremonial magick and Thelema. His long involvement with magick, both as an academic and as a practitioner, enabled Dr. Skinner to highlight the differences between the psychological and the spirit-orientated approaches to magick, and to show how that dilemma shaped Crowley's practice and his founding of Thelema, enlightening the reader to many previously unknown connections.

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Book SynopsisA clear, concise and detailed historical analysis of the eclectic and beautiful visual and material culture of paganism. For more than a thousand years, a diverse range of peoples, from Ireland to India and from the Andes to Australia, have been labelled âPaganâ by the Christians who encountered them. Since the twentieth century new groups have emerged â wiccans, druids, neo-shamans and heathens â who openly call themselves Pagans. But who are these Pagans and what do they believe? Which gods and goddesses do they revere? Do they worship nature? Do they practise divination and magic? From sacred plants imbued with supernatural powers to hand-carved amulets that repel evil, and from mischievous spirits of nature to holy mountains, Pagans find divine value in the natural world and spiritual significance in the material universe. Delve within these pages and examine the myriad paintings and sculptures, shrines and ceremonial objects that reveal the stories, symbols and rituals of PagTrade Review'A beautiful book … provides the reader with a very comprehensive picture of Paganism and the many different forms it can take' - Alexander Alich, University of Birmingham'This exploration of non-Abrahamic religious traditions has such visual punch that art lovers will be quickly converted' - RA Magazine'Corrects misconceptions and explains [Pagans’] intricate belief systems and rich histories, some stretching back to the dawn of civilization... Some of the book's most intriguing material focuses on practices that are nearly extinct today' - New York Daily NewsTable of ContentsIntroduction Ancient Ways 1: Goddesses + Gods 2: Myths + Legends 3: Numinous Nature Ritual 1: Sacred Sites 2: Witchcraft 3: Oracles + Divination Community 1: Festivals 2: Embodied Faith 3: Journeying

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Book SynopsisEvery sense is tingling. Strange symbols loom out of the darkness, and incantations whisper through the air. It''s cold and quiet, so why don''t you feel completely alone? Welcome to The Museum of Witchcraft, a collection of 100 artefacts where a history of secret wisdom, female power and occult objects comes to life. Wander through its pages to discover why cooking is magic, which trees are most enchanted, how to create an amulet, where to find a witch mark and why bad weather could have you burned at the stake.With each page a beautiful display cabinet containing esoteric illustration and authoritative text, it''s time to discover the shadowy world of witches.

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Book SynopsisAn examination of the beliefs and history of the secretive Yezidi sect• Explains how the Yezidis worship Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan, yet who has been redeemed by God to rule a world of beauty and spiritual realization • Examines Yezidi antinomian doctrines of opposition, their cosmogony, their magical lore and taboos, the role of angels, ritual, and symbology, and how the Yezidi faith relates to other occult traditions such as alchemy • Presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi The Yezidis are an ancient people who live in the mountainous regions on the borders of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. This secretive culture worships Melek Ta’us, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan, hence the sect is known as devil-worshippers and has long been persecuted. Presenting a study of the interior, esoteric dimensions of Yezidism, Peter Lamborn Wilson examines the sect’s antinomian doctrines of opposition, its magical lore and taboos, and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He explains how the historical founder of this sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent, Sheik Adi ibn Musafir, who settled in this remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. Sheik Adi was so influenced by the original sect that he departed from orthodox Islam, and by the 15th century the sect was known to worship the Peacock Angel, Melek Ta’us, with all its “Satanic” connotations. Revealing the spiritual flowering that occurs in an oral culture, the author examines Yezidi cosmogony, how they are descended from the androgynous Adam--before Eve was created--as well as the role of angels, ritual, alchemy, symbology, and color in Yezidi religion. He also presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi.Showing the Yezidi sect to be a syncretic faith of pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian, Christian, Pagan, Sufi, and other influences, Wilson reveals how these worshippers of the Peacock Angel do indeed worship “the Devil”--but the devil is not “evil.” God has redeemed him, and he rules a world of beauty and spiritual realization.Trade Review“If as some Yezidis maintain, we are all angels enjoying a temporary existence as men and women, we need no rulers, regulations, or exoteric religions. In Peacock Angel a lifelong defender of anarchism blends poetry, erudition, and spiritual insight to honor this misunderstood and persecuted group, perhaps our closest link with the primordial tradition itself.” * Joscelyn Godwin, author of Mystery Religions in the Ancient World *“Peacock Angel penetrates the esoteric secrets of Yezidi spirituality. The Yezidi, who believe they are followers of the oldest of religions, likely go back more than 10,000 years. Wilson explores Yezidism as a pure religion that rejects the law in order to be free to choose religious spontaneity, freedom, and passion: the way to be mad for God. Delving into their oral and shamanic roots, Wilson shows how the Yezidi ferociously practiced their love of the divine. This lovely book is a pearl of wisdom that reveals the Yezidi passion to know God in our soulless world. A must-read for spiritual seekers in our times.” * Barbara Hand Clow, author of Awakening the Planetary Mind and The Mind Chronicles *“Only the heterodox intellect of Peter Lamborn Wilson could expose the deeper truth behind today’s tragic headlines: that one of the world’s most brutally persecuted religious sects, the Yezidis--reduced by the thoughtless to be worshippers of a Satan that the thoughtless neither understand nor wish to understand-- may hold the key to the revitalization of didactic religion. As Wilson’s enthralling arcanum reveals, the question is less whether the Yezidis can survive but whether we can survive without them.” * Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award-winning author of Occult America, The Miracle Club, and Uncertain Places *Table of ContentsPreface: Who Are the Yezidis? Introduction1 Books 2 Cosmogony 3 The Delirium of Origins 4 Sheikh Adi and the Sufis 5 The Redemption of Satan 6 Angelology PeaAng.indd 7 Ritual 8 Symbolique 9 Color and Alchemy 10 Esoteric Antinomianism 11 Legend and Life of the Caliph Yazid ibn Mu'awiya 12 Poems of the Caliph Yazid Appendix: IndiaNotes BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisDiscover spiritual illumination and how to fulfil your life's purpose with Qabalah: a Western non-religious mystic tradition containing magical knowledge and practices to help you. The central organizational system of the Qabalah is the Tree of Life - a mystical symbol consisting of 10 interconnected spheres and considered to be a map of the universe and the psyche, and a path to spiritual illumination. This introductory book breaks down the ideas of the Tree of Life into an easy-to-follow path, including daily workshops that guide you gently through understanding Qabalah. Over 21 days you will learn: · the role of the Tree of Life and the links between Qabalah and tarot · the meaning of each sphere, or Sephira, on the Tree, with an exercise and meditation for each Sephira · how to work with and understand the symbolism of each Sephira, from Gods and Goddesses to Crystals · how to increase the energy for your meditations and create a personal symbol, or sigil, to represent your highest values · how to use Qabalistic prayer and work with the four great Archangels for daily support and protection Allow the teachings of Qabalah to bring you back to spirit. It takes just 21 days to establish a new habit. If there's a skill you've always wanted to learn, the answer is only a few weeks away with Hay House's 21 Days series.

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Book SynopsisSelected from the material given by Rudolf S teiner to members of his Esoteric School, this volume featur es exercises, meditations and practices for spiritual develo pment '

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Book SynopsisA survey of recent history reveals a gloomy picture: an ongoing series of conflicts, wars and general turmoil. As a result of all this, the human emotional landscape has become littered with angry, bitter and vengeful feelings. The modern justice system, preoccupied as it is with finding and proving guilt, does little to remedy this tragic situation. However, many individuals and groups are seeking ways to break the never-ending cycle of recrimination. When faced with the question of what we can do to change and improve the world, one of the most radical and challenging answers is to learn to begin forgiving others for what they have done to us. In this powerful and moving book, Prokofieff shows how the forces which lead to forgiveness can be consciously and freely developed. Without preaching a morality of forgiveness, he sets before us the spiritual facts which speak for themselves. From Tsarist Russia to the concentration camps of Nazi Germany, to the battles taking place in the early history of the Anthroposophical Society, the author gives striking examples of people who have been able to forgive often terrible crimes.He provides multilayered analysis, pointing to the beneficial consequences of every single act of forgiveness. As he develops his theme, the importance of forgiving, not simply for personal salvation, but for the furtherance of humanity's evolution, is revealed in all its healing truth.

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Book SynopsisSensory overload can leave us feeling empty, or even thirsting for ever more stimulation. Here is a more balanced, health giving way of experiencing and understanding the human senses. The author starts by appreciating the rich tapestry of not just five, but twelve senses. These are the senses of touch, life, self-movement, balance, smell, taste, vision, temperature, hearing, language, the conceptual and the ego senses.

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Book SynopsisFound near the small village of Shunga in Russia, the remarkable mineral known as shungite formed naturally more than two billion years ago from living single-cell organisms. Used in Russian healing therapies since the time of Peter the Great, shungite contains almost the entire periodic table of the elements as well as fullerenes, the hollow carbon-based molecules that recent research shows are able to slow both the growth of cancer cells and the development of the AIDS virus. Citing many double-blind scientific and medical studies on shungite, Regina Martino explains its many protective, healing, and detoxifying properties, including its ability to counteract the harmful effects of electromagnetic fields and radiation from computers, cell phones, Wi-Fi, and other electronic devices and appliances. Acting as a natural antioxidant, immune booster, pain reliever, and allergen suppressant, shungite and "shungite water" can be used to treat skin ailments and musculoskeletal diseases, accelerate the healing of cuts and wounds, cleanse internal systems, and increase the body's intake of vital energy. Detailing shungite's many microelements and biologically active substances, Martino reveals how the stones have been proven to purify and revitalize water. Exploring the energetic properties of shungite, she reveals how it facilitates energetic transfers between the chakras and higher energies outside the body and can be used to harmonize living spaces. Truly a marvel of the natural world, shungite offers protection against the perils of our modern technological world and healing for both body and spirit.Trade Review“Regina Martino’s book is unique in the literature of metaphysical stones in that it contains a much higher ratio of science to metaphysics than is frequently the case. Her writing is strong and convincing, her research is fascinating, and the stone she has focused on is certainly powerful and compelling in its own right. Martino takes the reader through chapters dealing with the geography, history, geology, and biology related to shungite as well as what she calls the ‘energetic or practical chapters.’ The result is a fascinating and thorough depiction of the substance and energy of this remarkable new stone. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about this modest-looking but energetically exceptional stone.” * Robert Simmons, author of The Book of Stones and Stones of the New Consciousness and publisher of th *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction My First Encounter with Shungite 1 What Is Shungite? 2 Shungite in History 3 The Origin and Geography of Shungite 4 Shungite and Fullerenes 5 Shungite Properties and Effects on Health: Twenty Years of Russian Research 6 Bioenergetic Research on Shungite 7 Practical Applications 8 Shungite and Other Stones 9 Shungite and Agriculture Conclusion Appendix I Tests: Shungite and Electromagnetic Waves Appendix II Bioelectrographic Tests Using GVD Capture by Stéphane Cardinaux Appendix III Shungite and Electrosensitivity: The Importance of the First Chakra Resources Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTarot Disassembled is a full seventy-eight-card tarot deck that deconstructs and reexamines the traditional symbolism found in the classic Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck. Utilizing a bright colour palette and simple, bold graphics, each card reveals a pattern created from a fresh arrangement of the traditional symbols.One of the most unique tenets of this deck is the almost complete absence of human representation. This allows the user of the deck to connect with the symbols in a completely intuitive way, free from any pictorial narrative around gender, skin colour, age, size, ability, or any other human constructs. (There are only four exceptions to this rule in this deck: The Hanged One, The Tower, Judgement, and The World. In each of these cards, the positioning of the human figure is so inherent to the meaning of the card that a simple wooden mannequin-style symbol was used.)Tarot Disassembled can be used and enjoyed by seasoned tarot readers and complete novices alike. The simplicity of the symbols makes it a great first deck for a newbie, while the complexity of the visual information makes it a great deep dive for a pro.Digging into the research for Tarot Disassembled has been like going on a walk in the forest and discovering that every tiny rock and leaf holds hidden treasure underneath. The reverence and fascination of the tarot has only been compounded by discovering the layers upon layers of meaning each individual symbol holds.Reviews:"This deck is incredibly unique and genius" -Brandy Rachelle, cohost of Keepin'' It Symbol podcast"Tarot Disassembled is an exciting new way to work with the Tarot. Jennifer Cooper Steidley created the deck by isolating the traditional RWS symbols and rearranging them in a bold and colorful pattern on each card. This has the effect of liberating the symbols from time and place, allowing the reader to freely construct new meanings and stories" -TarotArts"This vivid, solar-hued reimagining of Rider-Waite-Smith swept me off my witchy feet at first sight! What''s brilliant about this deck-aside from the eye-catching colors-is its ability to break each card down into symbolic pieces devoid of people or human characters (except for an artist mannequin contained within a few cards only). This adds a sense of intuitive freedom that might sometimes be lost with the detailed human elements common in most tarot systems." -Calling Corners

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Book SynopsisBased upon the old tale of "The Marriage of Sir Gawain", "Kissing the Hag" brings us face to face with the nauseating horror of the hag - the raw side, the dark side, the inside of a woman's essential nature. Here we find the untamed soul, the wild, angry, selfish, lustful, manipulative and incomprehensible elements of woman: all that makes us unacceptable and badly behaved. Too often we have been guided to point a finger of blame, accusing our parents, society, our partners of being dysfunctional. Here Emma Restall Orr doesn't allow us that option. As a Druid and animist, she takes the negative stereotypes of the irrational, emotional woman - feisty bitch to shameless whore, smothering mother to grumpy old bag - and finds the archetypes behind them, the faces and forms of the dark goddess.Instead of dismissing these as unacceptable, she encourages us to ride their wild emotional currents, surfing the awesome tides that threaten to overwhelm us. In "Kissing the Hag", we come to accept the fullness of our nature, celebrating the deep mystery, the magic and power of all we are. "Kissing the Hag" is a book written for women who long to loose the chains of insecurity, convention, guilt and self-negation, and rediscover the freedom and creativity of their true nature. It is also a book written for men fascinated but infuriated by the women they love.Trade ReviewKissing the Hag is a wonderfully intelligent, earthy, cosmic diary of the feminine life. I love the way it walks the edge between personal and collective, physical and poetic, highly ethical and thick in the uncertainties. While many writers fall into spiritualizing and intellectualizing "the feminine," this life-soaked book remains close to the fluids of body and soul, even as it gives birth to one trusted insight after another. It's an obvious gift-book for women going through a life passage, but it could also be important for men, who are closer to the mysteries presented here than they might wish to be." Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and A Life at WorkKissing the Hag tracks the initiatory phases of womanhood through the titles that women get cat-called throughout time. Here the raw reality of the Dark Goddess speaks her honest truth, going beyond the bad-mouthing and the sweet-talking fantasies surrounding women, to the compassionate heart of female identity." Caitlin Matthews, author of Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom and In Search of Woman's Passionate SoulI will one day give my daughter Kissing the Hag and hope she has less need of it than I do ... Kissing the Hag demands your full attention, it calls passionately to something deep inside, something that will not be denied. The book is both devastating and life affirming and there is no doubt in my mind that it will change the life of every person brave enough to read it. Embrace your hag or she will bite you ... Shannon Smy, free spirit and singer/songwriter in award-winning protest band, Seize the Day

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Book SynopsisIn the best tradition of ancient wisdom literature, COSMIC MEMORYreconstructs from the akashic record events between the origin of the earth and the beginning of recorded history, including a core investigation of the origins, achievements, and the fate of the Atlanteans and Lemurians. These remarkable lost root races developed the first concepts of good and evil, manipulated the forces of nature, laid the groundwork of all human legal and ethical systems, and defined and nurtured the distinctive yet complementary powers of men and women that brought humankind, many centuries ago, to its highest artistic, intellectual, and spiritual attainments. Through this discussion of our true origins, COSMIC MEMORY gives us a genuine foundation for our lives; allows us to realize our real value, dignity, and essence; enlightens us about our connection with the world around us; and shows us our highest goals, our true destiny.

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Book SynopsisIt is one of the most mysterious and hotly debated occult works ever written-and without question the most popular and widely influential book of arcane philosophy of the twentieth century: THE KYBALION. Reputedly based on ancient Greek-Egyptian wisdom, THE KYBALION has been credited only to the cryptic "Three Initiates" since its first appearance in 1908. Debate rages over the identity of the Three Initiates, the origin of the book''s mysterious title and insights, and the nature of the Hermetic teachings on which it is thought to be based. Now the veil is parted. THE KYBALION presents the first full-scale analysis of this work of practical occult wisdom. It features the complete text of THE KYBALION and the first-ever publication of Atkinson''s previously unknown post-Kybalion work: The Seven Cosmic Laws. In an engaging introduction to this unique volume, religious scholar Philip Deslippe surveys the work''s context, history, and impact (including as a source of spiritual insight to communities ranging from New Thought to Black Nationalism), and provides a biographical sketch of its elusive author, the New Thought pioneer William Walker Atkinson. As valuable to new fans as it is to longtime readers who crave more knowledge about Atkinson and his work, THE KYBALION illuminates the remarkable history of this long-cherished text.The identity of THREE INITIATES has been the subject of much secrecy and rumour since The Kybalion first appeared in 1908. This comprehensive edition definitively establishes the book''s sole author as William Walker Atkinson (1862-1932).

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Book SynopsisIn his first major book since the phenomenal bestseller The Seat of the Soul, Gary Zukav reveals a revolutionary new path for spiritual growth.A great transformation is taking place. We are evolving beyond the limits of our five senses and increasingly able to access data that we could not previously detect. A new and surprising world is emerging, around us and within us. If we choose to realize its potential, we will forever alter our experiences of ourselves, our relationships and our surroundings.Gary Zukav explains how a powerful new dynamic is at play in human relationships. By focusing attention on the interior rather than the outer causes of suffering or joy, we can reach our full potential and generate authentic power, co-creating rewarding partnerships of substance and depth for the purposes of our mutual spiritual growth.Filled with fascinating examples as well as practical guidance, this remarkable book is the roadmap to profound change, pointing towards a fulfi lling, joyful way of life for us all.

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Book SynopsisThis volume contains Rudolf Steiner"s leadin g thoughts and letters written for the Anthroposophical Soci ety. In brief paragraphs they succinctly present Steiner"s s cience of the spirit '

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Book SynopsisProkofieff draws on the whole extent of Rudolf Steiner's work and combines it with his own original spiritual research to form an intricate picture of the cosmic forces at play between Christmas and Epiphany. We are led on a tour through the circle of the zodiac and spiritual hierarchies, and shown how they form a path from Jesus to Christ. The author further explains that the Starry Script is a key to anthroposophical Christology, and shows how it relates to the conception of the First Goetheanum. Prokofieff guides us imaginatively through the interior of Steiner's architectural masterpiece, destroyed by fire in 1922, whose structure and decorations are seen to constitute a coherent esoteric map. Our task now, he suggests, is to build the First Goetheanum in ourselves and, through a new schooling of the self, strive for a truly modern path of initiation. Supplementary essays focus on the cosmic aspects of Sophia as well as the being of Michael. Prokofieff's seminal study offers a rich source of inspiration for those wishing to penetrate the mysteries of the Twelve Holy Nights and their relation to spiritual beings.

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Book SynopsisThere is a mental malaise creeping through the collective human mindset. Mass psychosis is becoming normalized. It is time to break free... One of the key problems facing human beings today is that we do not look after our minds. As a consequence, we are unaware of the malicious impacts that infiltrate and influence us on a daily basis. This lack of awareness leaves people open and vulnerable. Many of us have actually become alienated from our own minds, argues Kingsley L. Dennis. This is how manipulations occur that result in phenomena such as crowd behaviour and susceptibility to political propaganda, consumerist advertising and social management. Mass psychosis is only possible because humanity has become alienated from its transcendental source. In this state, we are prisoners to the impulses that steer our unconscious. We may believe we have freedom, but we don't. Healing the Wounded Mind discusses these external influences in terms of a collective mental disease - the wetiko virus (Forbes), ahrimanic forces (Steiner), the alien mind (Castaneda), and the collective unconscious shadow (Jung). The human mind has been targeted by corrupt forces that seek to exploit our thinking on a grand scale. This is the `magician's trick' that has kept us captive within the social systems that both distract and subdue us. In the first part of this transformative book, the author outlines how the Wounded Mind manifests in cultural conditioning, from childhood onwards. In the second part, he examines how `hypermodern' cultures are being formed by this mental psychosis and shaping our brave new world. In an inspiring conclusion, we are shown the gnostic path to freedom through connecting with the transcendental source of life.Trade Review`Recognizing the root causes of the malaise ... is a crucial step, and I hope that the readers of this brilliant and profound book will recognize the urgency of taking it. - Ervin Laszlo.Table of ContentsForeword by Ervin Laszlo - Introduction: What's Going On? - PART ONE: OUT OF OUR MINDS - 1. The Magician's Trick - 2. An Invasion of the Collective Mind - 3. The Wounded Mind - 4. Ghosts in the Modern Machine - 5. The Metaphysical Malaise - PART TWO: THE UNREAL WORLD - 6. Our Hypermodern Condition - 7. The Spectacle of the Absurd - 8. The Spectral Gaze - 9. Normal Unfreedoms - PART THREE: THE SEARCH FOR THE SELF - 10. The Gnostic Vision - 11. The Quest for the Self - 12. Seeking a Personal Path - 13. The Transcendental Connection - 14. The Human Question - Notes - Suggested Reading

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Book SynopsisThe central contention of the “New Atheism” of Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens is that there has for several centuries been a war between science and religion, that religion has been steadily losing that war, and that at this point in human history a completely secular scientific account of the world has been worked out in such thorough and convincing detail that there is no longer any reason why a rational and educated person should find the claims of any religion the least bit worthy of attention.But as Edward Feser argues inThe Last Superstition, in fact there is not, and never has been, any war between science and religion at all. There has instead been a conflict between two entirely philosophical conceptions of the natural order: on the one hand, the classical “teleological” vision of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas, on which purpose or goal-directedness is as inherent a feature of the physical world as mass or electric charge; and the modern “mechanical” vision of Descartes, Hobbes, Locke, and Hume, according to which the physical world is comprised of nothing more than purposeless, meaningless particles in motion. As it happens, on the classical teleological picture, the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and the natural-law conception of morality are rationally unavoidable. Modern atheism and secularism have thus always crucially depended for their rational credentials on the insinuation that the modern, mechanical picture of the world has somehow been established by science. Yet this modern “mechanical” picture has never been established by science, and cannot be, for it is not a scientific theory in the first place but merely a philosophical interpretation of science. Moreover, as Feser shows, the philosophical arguments in its favor given by the early modern philosophers were notable only for being surprisingly weak. The true reasons for its popularity were then, and are now, primarily political: It was a tool by which the intellectual foundations of ecclesiastical authority could be undermined and the way opened toward a new secular and liberal social order oriented toward commerce and technology. So as to further these political ends, it was simply stipulated, by fiat as it were, that no theory inconsistent with the mechanical picture of the world would be allowed to count as “scientific.” As the centuries have worn on and historical memory has dimmed, this act of dogmatic stipulation has falsely come to be remembered as a “discovery.”However, not only is this modern philosophical picture rationally unfounded, it is demonstrably false. For the “mechanical” conception of the natural world, when worked out consistently, absurdly entails that rationality, and indeed the human mind itself, are illusory. The so-called “scientific worldview” championed by the New Atheists thus inevitably undermines its own rational foundations; and into the bargain (and contrary to the moralistic posturing of the New Atheists) it undermines the foundations of any possible morality as well. By contrast, and as The Last Superstition demonstrates, the classical teleological picture of nature can be seen to find powerful confirmation in developments from contemporary philosophy, biology, and physics; moreover, morality and reason itself cannot possibly be made sense of apart from it. The teleological vision of the ancients and medievals is thereby rationally vindicated – and with it the religious worldview they based upon it.

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Book SynopsisIn 16th century Italy, in the midst of the Renaissance, two powerful movements took hold. The first, the Hermetic Movement, was inspired by an ancient set of books housed in the library of Cosimo de' Medici and written by the Egyptian sage Hermes Trismegistus. The movement expounded the return of the "true religion of the world" based on a form of natural magic that could draw down the powers of the heavens and incorporate them into statues and physical structures. The other movement, the Heliocentric Movement launched by Copernicus, was a direct challenge to the Vatican's biblical interpretation of a geocentric world system. Declared a heresy by the Pope, those who promoted it risked the full force of the Inquisition. Exploring the meeting point of these two movements, authors Robert Bauval and Chiara Hohenzollern reveal how the most outspoken and famous philosophers, alchemists, and scientists of the Renaissance, such as Giordano Bruno and Marsilio Ficino, called for a Hermetic reformation of the Christian religion by building a magical utopic city, an architectural version of the heliocentric system. Using contemporary documents and the latest cutting-edge theses, the authors show that this Temple of the Sun was built in Rome, directly in front of the Vatican's Basilica of St. Peter. They explain how the Vatican architect Bernini designed St. Peter's Square to reflect the esoteric principles of the Hermetica and how the square is a detailed representation of the heliocentric system. Revealing the magical architectural plan masterminded by the Renaissance's greatest minds, including Bernini, Jesuit scholars, Queen Christine of Sweden, and several popes, the authors expose the ultimate heresy of all time blessed by the Vatican itself.Trade Review“Robert Bauval is a brilliant investigator of the hidden corners of history, and he has surpassed himself with The Vatican Heresy. It is a true time bomb of a book revealing stunning intrigues that have shaped the modern world and that call into question our most fundamental perceptions of the role of the Church of Rome.” * Graham Hancock, author of War God and Fingerprints of the Gods *“With his usual care and attention to detail, Robert Bauval spins out the thread that joins the solar religion of pharaonic Egypt to the utopian hopes of the fading Renaissance. His theory climaxes with the dramatic and dangerous project of a pope (Urban VIII), a polymath (Kircher), an architect (Bernini), and an exiled queen (Christina). Their dream was of a united Christendom orbiting around Rome; their method, the marriage of Hermetic philosophy with the new astronomy, through symbolic architecture. Like Bauval’s other books about times and places when science and magic were one, The Vatican Heresy arouses curiosity, disbelief, nostalgia, and finally hope.” * Joscelyn Godwin, Ph.D., author of The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance and Athanasius Kircher’s *“In this enchanting book, Robert Bauval and Chiara Hohenzollern reveal an astonishing fact hiding in plain sight. Surely thousands of visitors to the Vatican’s Saint Peter’s Square over the past three centuries have been puzzled by the gigantic ancient Egyptian obelisk featured in its center. Through meticulous research, The Vatican Heresy illuminates the profoundly evolutionary adventurers who employed deep symbolic insights and astute political maneuvering to construct a talismanic Hermetic City of the Sun in the heart of the citadel of Christendom. Read The Vatican Heresy. . . . I couldn’t put it down.” * Thomas Brophy, Ph.D., coauthor of Black Genesis: The Prehistoric Origins of Ancient Egypt and Imhote *“It looks like Robert Bauval (now with coauthor Chiara Hohenzollern) has done it again, revealing that not just the pyramids but the Vatican itself is a celebration of sacred architecture. A fascinating theory and very timely.” * Adrian G. Gilbert, coauthor of The Orion Mystery and author of Secrets of the Stone of Destiny *Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction: Hiding the Truth in Plain Sight 1 The True Religion of the World 2 The Hermetic Movement, Part I 3 The Hermetic Movement, Part II 4 The City of the Sun 5 Urbiet Orbi: To the City and to the World Postscript The Jesuit Pope Appendix 1 Campanella, the Rosicrucians, and the Miraculous Birth of the Sun King Appendix 2 The Ellipse of St. Peter’s Square by Sandro Zicari, Ph.D. Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Western Esoteric Traditions offers a concise history of a distinct form of philosophical spirituality extending from Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, and Gnosticism in the early Christian era up until the present. New paradigms in medicine and science attest to the continuity of esoteric ideas into the twenty-first century.Trade Reviewa useful introduction to a wide range of esoteric traditions and an important reminder that orthodoxy is not the only story. * Charlotte Methuen. The Journal of Theological Studies *In his ground-breaking work Professor Goodrcik-Clarke summarizes a huge amount of research into esoteric literature across more than two millennia * Christopher Moody. Theology *Table of Contents1. Ancient Hellenistic Sources of Western Esotericism ; 2. Italian Renaissance Magic and Kabbalah ; 3. Planetary and Angel Magic in the Renaissance ; 4. Alchemy, Paracelsus and German Naturphilosophie ; 5. Jacob Boehme and Theosophy ; 6. Rosicrucianism ; 7. High-Grade Freemasonry and Illuminism in the 18th Century ; 8. Emanuel Swedenborg ; 9. Mesmerism and Spiritualism ; 10. Ritual Magic from 1850 to the Present ; 11. Helena Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society ; 12. Modern Esotericism and New Paradigms

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Book SynopsisRudolf Steiner's beautiful meditative verses for the yearly cycle have been used by countless people over the years. Their purpose is to awaken a feeling of unity with nature, and at the same time to stimulate a discovery of self. In listening to the changing language of the year and awakening a profound sympathy for it, we can in turn discover our own individual nature. Steiner's original and unique meditations facilitate this process, leading to a healthy feeling of being at one with the natural world. This edition features Anne Stockton's 52 celebrated and evocative paintings, which are a wonderful complement to Steiner's text. Steiner's words are newly translated for this edition by John Thomson.

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Book SynopsisAcknowledge your feelings and their origins, heal your wounds and understand who you truly are through the cathartic process of shadow work in this beautifully curated workbookThe idea of the shadow was first developed by psychologist Carl Jung in the twentieth century. He described the shadow as the disowned aspects of our personalities that we either subconsciously or intentionally repress.This book will help you explore your life from all angles and shed light on its darker parts so that you can become your most authentic self. Via guided exercises and easy-to-follow advice you will discover:- What shadow work is and why you should use it- What the essential techniques of the therapy are and how you can apply them to your daily life- How to connect with repressed experiences and difficult emotions, and challenge your inner critic- How to love yourself unapologetically and move on from negative past experiencesIt''s time to illumi

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Book SynopsisRecounts the spectacular history of Esalen, the institute that has long been one of the world leaders in alternative and experiential education and stands at the center of the human potential movement.Trade Review"The first all-encompassing history of Esalen: its intellectual, social, personal, literary and spiritual passages. Kripal brings us up to date and takes us deep beneath historical surfaces in this definitive, elegantly written book." - Playboy "Kripal tells the story of this beautiful retreat in California's Big Sur region - its history at once sexy, salacious, intellectual and political - with reverence and playfulness.... He is an engaging storyteller and Esalen a worthy subject (a kind of Us Weekly for the discerning intellectual)." - Publishers Weekly "An impressive new book.... Kripal has written the definitive intellectual history of the ideas behind the institute." - San Francisco Chronicle "Kripal examines Esalen's extraordinary history and evocatively describes the breech birth of Murphy and Price's brainchild. His real achievement, though, is effortlessly synthesizing a dizzying array of dissonant phenomena (cold war espionage, ecstatic religiosity), incongruous pairings (Darwinism, Tantric sex), and otherwise schizy ephemera (psychedelic drugs, spaceflight) into a cogent, satisfyingly complete narrative." - Atlantic Monthly"

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Book SynopsisNew Religious Movements: Challenge & Response is the most comprehensive, wide-ranging study on the global impact of new religions.* New religions discussed include Hare Krishna, Sikh Dharma, The Unification Church, The Church of Scientology, The Jesus People and Wicca.* Focuses on the rise of new religious movements in Italy, Brazil, United States, Germany and Britain. * The contributors are among the most respected and reputable experts in the field.Trade Review'Almost without exception, the contribution are informative, interesting and well written. The book is also logically organized' - Peter Beyer, Journal of Contemporary Religion'... helpfully wide in scope while providing up-to-date detail ... [it achieves] achieves a sensitivity and listening ear towards adherents of the new religions of the last 200 years ... useful and up-to-date, interesting social analysis, and contribution[] towards a more comprehensive understanding of religious dialogue in a pluralistic context' - Chris Maunder, World Faiths Encounter'Together these essays offer a valuable comprehensive overview of the engagement of new religious movements with contemporary society.' - John Pridmore, The Way'While the entire book will be an indispensible resource on New Religious Movements and will appeal to sociologists of religion, individual chapters in this impressive collection will appeal to a wide range of other readers.' - Richard O'Leary, SociologyTable of ContentsForeword, Jamie Cresswell, Institute of Oriental Philosophy, European Centre, Introduction, Bryan R. Wilson, All Souls College, Oxford, Chapter 1. New Religious Movements: Their Incidence and Significance, Eileen Barker, London School of Economics, Chapter 2. The Easternization of the west, Colin Campbell, University of York, Chapter 3. Prosperity and the New Age Movement: The Efficacy of Spiritual Economics, Paul Heelas, University of Lancaster, Chapter 4. New Religious Movements: the Legal Dimension, Anthony Bradney, University of Leicester, Chapter 5. The Mass Media and New Religious Movements, James Beckford, University of Warwick, Chapter 6. New Religious Movements and Mental Health, Lawrence Lilliston & Gary Shepherd, Oakland University, Michigan, USA, Chapter 7. Women in New Religious Movements, Elizabeth Puttick, British-American College, London, Chapter 8. New Religious Movements and the Churches, Very Rev. Colin Slee, Provost of Southwark, Chapter 9. Damanhur: A Magical Community in Italy, Massimo Introvigne, CESNUR, Turin, Chapter 10. Japanese New Religious Movements in Brazil: From Ethnic to 'Universal' Religions, Peter Clarke, King's College, London, Chapter 11. Anti-Cultists in the United States: An Historical Perspective, J. Gordon Melton, University of California Santa Barbara, Chapter 12. The Response to New Religious Movements in Eastern Germany after Re-unification, Frank Usarski, Efurt Pedagogische Hochschule, Chapter 13. Britain's Anti-Cult Movement, George Chryssides, University of Wolverhampton.

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Book SynopsisGiordano Bruno is known as the Prophet of the New Age, and his vision of an infinite universe grounded in science is increasingly celebrated. One of the principal forces behind his rediscovery was the great British historian Frances Yates. In calling attention to Giordono Bruno, she paved the way for a revaluation of the esoteric influences at play during the onset of the modern era. Today, when traditional answers about the universe and our place within it are under increasing scrutiny, Giordono Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition proves itself a true classic for our time.Trade Review'This brilliant book takes time to digest, but it is an intellectual adventure to read it.' – Hugh Trevor-Roper, The New Statesman'Explodes the idea that the intellectual foundations of the Renaissance were exclusively logical and coherent, and lets back the mysterious into history' – BBC History Magazine'Explodes the idea that the intellectual foundations of the Renaissance were exclusively logical and coherent, and lets back the mysterious into history.' – BBC History Magazine'Among those who have explored the intellectual world of the sixteenth century no one in England can rival Miss Yates. Wherever she looks, she illuminates. Now she has looked on Bruno. This brilliant book takes time to digest, but it is an intellectual adventure to read it. Historians of ideas, of religion and of science will study it. Some of them, after reading it, will have to think again. That will be no bad thing.' – The New StatesmanTable of ContentsPreface, Abbreviations, Introduction J. B. Trapp 1. Hermes Trismegistus2. Ficino’s Pimander and the Asclepius 3. Hermes Trismegistus and Magic 4. Ficino’s Natural Magic 5. Pico della Mirandola and Cabalist Magic 6. Pseudo-Dionysius and the Theology of a Christian Magus 7. Cornelius Agrippa’s Survey of Renaissance Magic 8. Renaissance Magic and Science 9. Against Magic: (1) Theological Objections; (2) The Humanist Tradition 10. Religious Hermetism in the Sixteenth Century 11. Giordano Bruno: First Visit to Paris 12. Giordano Bruno in England: The Hermetic Reform13. Giordano Bruno in England: The Hermetic Philosophy14. Giordano Bruno and the Cabala 15. Giordano Bruno: Heroic Enthusiast and Elizabethan 16. Giordano Bruno: Second Visit to Paris 17. Giordano Bruno in Germany 18. Giordano Bruno: Last Published Work 19. Giordano Bruno: Return to Italy 20. Giordano Bruno and Tommaso Campanella 21. After Hermes Trismegistus was Dated 22. Hermes Trismegistus and the Fludd Controversies.Index

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Book SynopsisThis personal and provocative look at poverty in America is shaped around the author''s own engaging stories, song lyrics, and poems, including the well-known Call Me Child of God ... Not Those People. The story of her growing up in a large Irish Catholic working-class family in Minneapolis, Minnesota, draws together the experiences of living in poverty, the role of the church and music in her life, and the many remarkable people who populated her life and the lives of her family.The author describes economic hardship and social challenges as being as regular as the turning seasons in my coming up years, and refers to her life in poverty as the soil of my art. Through her stories and reflections, Julia Dinsmore puts a face on poverty and challenges readers to answer God''s call to respond to poverty and its effects.

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Book SynopsisMost studies of the Salem witch trials focus on social history and the dynamics between accused and accusers. Science and Specters at Salem turns instead to the intellectual background of the judges to understand why they accepted controversial types of evidence.The role of judges in a witch trial was central. Goldish argues that in Salem the judges' acceptance of questionable touch tests and spectral evidence was a result of their intellectual commitments. Several of the Salem judges were highly educated, and some of them were adherents of a particular philosophical school in England led by Henry More and Joseph Glanvill which Goldish calls the anti-Sadducees. He demonstrates how the ideas of these leading thinkers, friends of Robert Boyle and Sir Isaac Newton, could have led to the deaths of twenty accused witches in Salem.This book will interest students and scholars of witch trials, American colonial history, Atlantic history, legal history and early modern

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Book SynopsisBahá'í Faith: The Basics provides a thorough and accessible introduction to a fascinating, independent world religion. Examining its historical development, current community-building efforts and the social contributions of the Bahá'í Faith in the world today, this introduction covers: Beliefs: Bahá'í spiritual teachings Principles: Bahá'í social teachings History: Bahá'u'lláh and his covenant. Scripture: Bahá'í sacred texts and inspired guidance Institutions: The Bahá'í Administrative Order Building community: What Bahá'ís do Social action: Bahá'í social and economic development projects Public discourse: The Bahá'í International Community Vision: Foundations for a future golden age With features including a glossary of terms, and references to the Bahá'í writings throughout, this is the ideal text for students and interested readers wanting to familiarize themselves with the Bahá'í FaitTrade Review"The activities, focus, and concepts in the Baha’i world are changing so rapidly at present, especially in the area of developing new approaches to community building, that any published introductory book soon becomes out-of-date. So it is good to see another introductory book on the Baha’i Faith published, in particular since it surveys recent developments well. For anyone wishing to find out about the Baha’i Faith and the current activities of the Baha’i community, this book can be recommended. Christopher Buck presents an insider view of the Baha’i Faith, but one that is descriptive rather than prescriptive. … Buck presents all of this information in a clear and well-structured manner. He accompanies his own words with appropriate extracts from authoritative Baha’i texts to illustrate the points that he is making. He also draws on examples of the activities of the Baha’i community from different locations across the world. … In summary, there are a good many introductory books on the market but this one can be recommended for two reasons. First, it is well-written and as reasonably comprehensive as such brief introductory books can hope to be. Second, it is up-to-date covering many of the recent changes in the Baha’i community that older similar books do not."Moojan Momen, Nova Religio, Vol. 25, No. 3 (February 2022), pp. 137-138, USA."This excellent, beautifully organized introduction provides an accurate and unusually rich entré into a relatively new and still somehow frequently misunderstood religion. The author, Christopher Buck, is a leading scholar of the Baha'i religion. His book is richly enhanced with quotations from official translations of the Baha'i sacred writings, insights into the formation of distinctive Baha'i institutions and rare glimpses of key moments in Baha'i intellectual history from an introduction to the influential African-American Baha'i philosopher, Alain Locke (d. 1954) known as 'the father of the Harlem Renaissance', to a discussion of the more recent development of the Ruhi Institute process. This introduction goes beyond existing textbooks in both scope and detail. It will be warmly welcomed by researchers and students of the Baha'i Faith." Todd Lawson, University of Toronto, Canada"One outstanding feature of this book for either Bahá’ís or non-Bahá’ís is its contemporary relevance. Even well-informed readers could not possibly be fully aware of the overview presented by Buck of all the multifarious activities taking place in the Bahá’í world community. … Buck’s treatment of the material is throughout well-researched, and rich in the detail that an alert reader expects. In sum, despite its unpretentious title, this book is more than the Basics of the Bahá’í Faith. It not only covers well the religion’s early history, three central holy figures, spiritual and social teachings and organization, but also it presents a complete contemporary picture of the remarkably diverse economic, social, and spiritual activities that are being planned and executed by the Bahá’í community in all countries of the world."Jack McLean, author of Revisioning the Sacred: New Perspectives on a Bahá’í Theology"This book is a trove of insights and perspectives that will inform both the reader who is unfamiliar with the Baha’i universe and the practitioner who seeks information and inspiration. What’s more, this book will be a good resource for all fundamental aspects of the Baha’i religion and in the concert of diverse religions and spiritualities today. One should not miss its unique message to humanity."Roland Faber Kilsby Family/John B. Cobb Jr. Professor of Process Studies at Claremont School of Theology, USA. Reading Religion "The most important contribution of this work to the literature on the Baha’i Faith consists of its focus on current Baha’i community life and its description of core activities which include devotional meetings, children’s classes, junior youth groups, and adult study circles, even describing the current curriculum being used for those activities. Attention is given as well to social and economic development projects and Baha’i participation in public discourse, all elements not covered in previous introductory material. In other words, this text focuses much more broadly on what Baha’is do, rather than simply what they believe. … This text serves as a good up-to-date presentation of current Baha’i beliefs and practices." Susan Maneck, Journal of Religious History, Vol. 46, Iss. 2 (20 April 2022), pp. 379–381, AustraliaTable of Contents1. Introduction: What is the Bahá’í Faith? 2. Beliefs: Bahá’í Spiritual Teachings 3. Principles: Bahá’í Social Teachings 4. History: Bahá’u’lláh and His Covenant 5. Scripture and Authoritative Writings: Bahá’í Sacred Texts and Inspired Guidance 6. Institutions: The Bahá’í Administrative Order 7. Building Community: What Bahá’ís Do 8. Social Action: Social and Economic Development 9. Public Discourse: The Bahá’í International Community 10. Vision: Foundations for a Future Golden Age

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Book SynopsisThis book will change the way you see the cards. ?For years, Wald and Ruth Ann Amberstone?s deep work on the symbols and esoteric traditions of the Rider-Waite-Smith cards has been a legend, the learning and inspiration available only to their students. This book is useful in the deepest possible sense.? ?Rachel Pollack, author of Seventy-Eight Degrees of WisdomandA Walk Through the Forest of Souls Bringing imagery and intuition into a course of study of the tarot, Unlocking the Secret Language of Tarot sets itself apart from other tarot books by teaching you how to translate the pictorial symbolism from one deck to another, strengthening your ability to recognize specific icons in any deck and in the world around you. It can be used as both a reference book and as a series of guided meditations on the individual symbols. Each of the seven chapters discusses symbols with a common theme?crowns, pillars, mountains, crosses, etc.?and provides the lore and mythological meanings of each card. The authors also include an integration lesson and a special symbol spread for each chapter to help deepen your understanding of the cards.Written by Ruth Ann and Wald Amberstone, two of the consummate authorities on tarot in the world, this book reveals the hidden current of symbolic meanings and connections in the tarot, unlocking the secrets of the cards to help illuminate every reader?s path in life. Previously published as The Secret Language of Tarot, this is an accessible, must-have guide for any tarot reader.

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Book SynopsisNew Age and holistic beliefs and practices - sometimes called the "new spirituality" - are widely distributed across modern global society. The fluid and popular nature of new age makes these movements a very challenging field to understand using traditional models of religious analysis. Rather than treating new age as an exotic specimen on the margins of 'proper' religion, "New Age Spirituality" examines these movements as a form of everyday or lived religion. The book brings together an international range of scholars to explore the key issues: insight, healing, divination, meditation, gnosis, extraordinary experiences, and interactions with gods, spirits and superhuman powers. Combining discussion of contemporary beliefs and practices with cutting-edge theoretical analysis, the book repositions new age spirituality at the forefront of the contemporary study of religion.Trade Review"The book moves the study of new age from the margins of the comparative study of religion. It resists the claim that religion must be institutional, yet similarly resists the idea that diffuse and individualistic phenomena, like new age, lack social and historical dimensions. New age - examined methodologically and discovered in rich empirical data - is revealed as religion, not fringe but central." - Carole M. Cusack, University of Sydney "Acumen Publishing continues to lead the way in the academic study of the overlapping fields of paganism, occultism, and New Age with this new collection - By treating New Age as 'core' or 'elementary' religion and by linking contemporary studies of New Age to classic literature on religion, the book has the potential to open new avenues of analysis and critique in anthropology." - Anthropology Review DatabaseTable of ContentsIntroduction: 'All mixed up': thinking about religion in relation to new age spiritualities, Ingvild Salid Gilhus and Steven J. Sutcliffe; PART I: RETHINKING NEW AGE SPIRITUALITIES 1. New Age, World Religions and Elementary Forms, Steven J. Sutcliffe; 2. 'All over the place': The Contribution of New Age to a Spatial Model of Religion, Ingvild Salid Gilhus; 3. Towards a New Paradigm of Constructing 'Religion': New Age Data and Unbounded Categories, Liselotte Frisk; 4. On Transgressing the Secular: Spiritualities of life, Idealism, Vitalism, Paul Heelas; 5. Hiding in Plain Sight: The Organizational Forms of 'Unorganized Religion', Ann Taves and Michael Kinsella; PART II: COMPARING NEW AGE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES 6. Narrow New Age and Broad Spirituality: A Comprehensive Schema and a Comparative Analysis, Norichika Horie; 7. Dolphins and other Humans: New Age identities in Comparative Perspective, Mikael Rothstein; 8. New Age, Sami Shamanism and Indigenous Spirituality, Trude Fonneland and Siv Ellen Kraft; 9.

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Book SynopsisIn this collection, Rudolf Steiner deals wit h topics ranging from elephants to Einstein. He discusses, a mong other things, ants and bees, shells and skeletons, anim al and plant poisons, nutrition, the human eye and its colou r, and thinking '

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Book SynopsisThe remarkable discussions in this volume took place between Rudolf Steiner and workers at the Goetheanum, Switzerland. The varied subject-matter was chosen by his audience at Rudolf Steiner's instigation. Steiner took their questions and usually gave immediate answers. The astonishing nature of these responses - their insight, knowledge and spiritual depth - is testimony to his outstanding ability as a spiritual initiate and profound thinker. Accessible, entertaining and stimulating, the records of these sessions will be a delight to anybody with an open mind. In this particular collection, Rudolf Steiner deals with topics ranging from limestone to Lucifer! He discusses, among other things, technology; the living earth; natural healing powers; colour and sickness; rainbows; whooping cough and pleurisy; seances; sleep and sleeplessness; dreams; reincarnation; life after death; the physical, ether and astral bodies and the 'I'; the two Jesus children; Ahriman and Lucifer; the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ; Dante and Copernicus.

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Book SynopsisIn one of his most popular lecture courses - formerly published as Man as Symphony of the Creative Word - Rudolf Steiner presents an extraordinary panorama of spiritual knowledge centring on the human being. We are the harmony of creation - a microcosm - containing within us 'all the laws and secrets of the world'. Steiner begins by speaking about our inner relationship to three ancient and sacred representatives of the animal kingdom - eagle, lion and bul - and to the forces of the cosmos that form them. He goes on to deepen these themes by approaching the plant and animal worlds in the context of planetary and cosmic evolution. A new category is then introduced: the elemental nature spirits - the metaphysical beings who work with plants and animals. Steiner gives a unique and intimate description of them and describes the cooperation they offer to mankind. Finally, the human being - the 'harmony of the Creative Word' - is placed at the heart of this spiritual celebration of life.

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