Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101133856
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, the team behind Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, collaborate again to create five captivating tales incorporating the element of fire. In McKinley?s ?First Flight,? a boy and his pet foogit unexpectedly take a dangerous ride on a dragon, and her ?Hellhound? stars a mysterious dog as a key player in an eerie graveyard showdown. Dickinson introduces a young man who must defeat the creature threatening his clan in ?Fireworm,? a slave who saves his village with a fiery magic spell in ?Salamander Man,? and a girl whose new friend, the guardian of a mystical bird, is much older than he appears in ?Phoenix.? With time periods ranging from prehistoric to present day, and settings as varied as a graveyard, a medieval marketplace and a dragon academy, these stories are sure to intrigue and delight the authors? longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits
Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101133856
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, the team behind Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, collaborate again to create five captivating tales incorporating the element of fire. In McKinley?s ?First Flight,? a boy and his pet foogit unexpectedly take a dangerous ride on a dragon, and her ?Hellhound? stars a mysterious dog as a key player in an eerie graveyard showdown. Dickinson introduces a young man who must defeat the creature threatening his clan in ?Fireworm,? a slave who saves his village with a fiery magic spell in ?Salamander Man,? and a girl whose new friend, the guardian of a mystical bird, is much older than he appears in ?Phoenix.? With time periods ranging from prehistoric to present day, and settings as varied as a graveyard, a medieval marketplace and a dragon academy, these stories are sure to intrigue and delight the authors? longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101133856
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson, the team behind Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits, collaborate again to create five captivating tales incorporating the element of fire. In McKinley?s ?First Flight,? a boy and his pet foogit unexpectedly take a dangerous ride on a dragon, and her ?Hellhound? stars a mysterious dog as a key player in an eerie graveyard showdown. Dickinson introduces a young man who must defeat the creature threatening his clan in ?Fireworm,? a slave who saves his village with a fiery magic spell in ?Salamander Man,? and a girl whose new friend, the guardian of a mystical bird, is much older than he appears in ?Phoenix.? With time periods ranging from prehistoric to present day, and settings as varied as a graveyard, a medieval marketplace and a dragon academy, these stories are sure to intrigue and delight the authors? longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Water
Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1440625484
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson share tales of mysterious merfolk and magical humans, all with close ties to the element of water. From Pitiable Nasmith's miserable existence in a seaside town whose inhabitants are more intertwined with the sea than most people know, to Tamia's surprising summons to be the apprentice to the Guardian who has the power to hold back the sea, each of the six stories illuminates a captivating world filled with adventure, romance, intrigue, and enchantment. Robin McKinley fans will recognize one of the worlds included-Damar, the setting of Newbery Medal winner The Hero and the Crown and Newbery Honor Book The Blue Sword.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1440625484
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
Master storytellers Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson share tales of mysterious merfolk and magical humans, all with close ties to the element of water. From Pitiable Nasmith's miserable existence in a seaside town whose inhabitants are more intertwined with the sea than most people know, to Tamia's surprising summons to be the apprentice to the Guardian who has the power to hold back the sea, each of the six stories illuminates a captivating world filled with adventure, romance, intrigue, and enchantment. Robin McKinley fans will recognize one of the worlds included-Damar, the setting of Newbery Medal winner The Hero and the Crown and Newbery Honor Book The Blue Sword.
Earth and Air
Author: Peter Dickinson
Publisher: Small Beer Press
ISBN: 1618730398
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 179
Book Description
In these collection, you will find stories that range from the mythic to contemporary fantasy to science fiction. You will find a troll, gryphons, a beloved dog, the Land of the Dead, an owl, a minotaur, and a very alien Cat. Earth and Air is the third and final book in a trilogy of shared collections connected by the four classical elements. It follows previous volumes Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits and Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits, written by both Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley. Ridiki is Steff’s beloved dog, named after Eurydice, whom the poet Orpheus tried to bring back from the dead. When, like her namesake, Ridiki is bitten by a snake and dies, Steff decides that he too should journey to the Underworld to ask the King of the Land of the Dead for his dog back. Mari is the seventh child of a family in which troll blood still runs. When her husband goes missing in a Scottish loch, she must draw upon the power of her blood to rescue him. Sophie, a young girl, fashions a witch’s broomstick out of an ash sapling, and gets more than she bargained for. An escaped slave, Varro, must kill a gryphon, in order to survive. A boy named Yanni allies himself with an owl and a goddess in order to fight an ancient evil. A group of mind-bonded space travelers must face an unknown threat and solve the murder of a companion before time runs out. All of these stories are about, in one way or another, the contrary and magical pull of two elements, Earth and Air. Each story showcases the manifold talents of a master storyteller and craftsman who has twice won the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Award, as well as the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. A Junior Library Guild Selection "These unusual, memorable tales from a much-admired writer should appeal both to teens and Dickinson’s adult fans."—Publishers Weekly "Strange, sometimes beautiful tales."—Kirkus Reviews Praise for Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits World Fantasy Award finalist "There is plenty here to excite, enthrall, and move even the pickiest readers."—School Library Journal "... a collection of enchanting tales."—Publishers Weekly Praise for Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits "This collection of beautifully crafted tales will find a warm welcome."—School Library Journal "Dickinson’s offerings are notable for their sophisticated magical thinking and subtlety of expression."—The Horn Book "Dickinson’s stories are told with a storyteller’s cadence."—Booklist “This collection ... offers something for every fantasy fan.”—Library Media Connection Praise for Peter Dickinson's children's books: "One of the real masters of children's literature."—Philip Pullman "Peter Dickinson is a national treasure."—The Guardian "Magnificent. Peter Dickinson is the past-master story-teller of our day."—The Times Literary Supplement Peter Dickinson is the author of over fifty books including Eva, Emma Tupper's Dairy, and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book The Ropemaker. He has twice received the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger as well as the Guardian Award and Whitbread Prize. He lives in England and is married to the novelist Robin McKinley.
Publisher: Small Beer Press
ISBN: 1618730398
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 179
Book Description
In these collection, you will find stories that range from the mythic to contemporary fantasy to science fiction. You will find a troll, gryphons, a beloved dog, the Land of the Dead, an owl, a minotaur, and a very alien Cat. Earth and Air is the third and final book in a trilogy of shared collections connected by the four classical elements. It follows previous volumes Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits and Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits, written by both Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley. Ridiki is Steff’s beloved dog, named after Eurydice, whom the poet Orpheus tried to bring back from the dead. When, like her namesake, Ridiki is bitten by a snake and dies, Steff decides that he too should journey to the Underworld to ask the King of the Land of the Dead for his dog back. Mari is the seventh child of a family in which troll blood still runs. When her husband goes missing in a Scottish loch, she must draw upon the power of her blood to rescue him. Sophie, a young girl, fashions a witch’s broomstick out of an ash sapling, and gets more than she bargained for. An escaped slave, Varro, must kill a gryphon, in order to survive. A boy named Yanni allies himself with an owl and a goddess in order to fight an ancient evil. A group of mind-bonded space travelers must face an unknown threat and solve the murder of a companion before time runs out. All of these stories are about, in one way or another, the contrary and magical pull of two elements, Earth and Air. Each story showcases the manifold talents of a master storyteller and craftsman who has twice won the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Award, as well as the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. A Junior Library Guild Selection "These unusual, memorable tales from a much-admired writer should appeal both to teens and Dickinson’s adult fans."—Publishers Weekly "Strange, sometimes beautiful tales."—Kirkus Reviews Praise for Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits World Fantasy Award finalist "There is plenty here to excite, enthrall, and move even the pickiest readers."—School Library Journal "... a collection of enchanting tales."—Publishers Weekly Praise for Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits "This collection of beautifully crafted tales will find a warm welcome."—School Library Journal "Dickinson’s offerings are notable for their sophisticated magical thinking and subtlety of expression."—The Horn Book "Dickinson’s stories are told with a storyteller’s cadence."—Booklist “This collection ... offers something for every fantasy fan.”—Library Media Connection Praise for Peter Dickinson's children's books: "One of the real masters of children's literature."—Philip Pullman "Peter Dickinson is a national treasure."—The Guardian "Magnificent. Peter Dickinson is the past-master story-teller of our day."—The Times Literary Supplement Peter Dickinson is the author of over fifty books including Eva, Emma Tupper's Dairy, and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book The Ropemaker. He has twice received the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger as well as the Guardian Award and Whitbread Prize. He lives in England and is married to the novelist Robin McKinley.
Answering the Call of the Elementals
Author: Thomas Mayer
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1644112159
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 196
Book Description
• Explores the hierarchy of elemental beings as well as Christ elemental beings, social elementals, and machine elementals • Explains how elementals inhabit the etheric space that houses our emotions, feelings, and thoughts and how they carry the emotional level of the world • Shows how the author learned to make personal contact with the elementals and shares his experiences as well as the elemental world’s urgent call for help We all live in the realm of elemental beings. They permeate our souls, our thoughts, our feelings, and they co-create the world around us, yet we are often completely unaware of them. They, however, are eager to be perceived and acknowledged by us because their future and ours are fundamentally connected. Elementals act as carriers of the emotional level of the world, and Thomas Mayer reveals how he learned to develop and fine-tune his sense of perception to make direct personal contact with them. Providing insight into the elemental hierarchy, from the low workers to the masters and the elemental kings, he portrays Christ elemental beings, social elementals, and machine elementals as well. He also explores the adversarial forces like Lucifer and Ahriman that access the elemental world through the subconscious of humans and seek to destroy our elemental friends. Through sharing his encounters with fairies, dwarves, giants, and others, the author reveals their urgent call for help, an entreaty to anchor the elemental beings again in the awareness of humankind through recognition, acknowledgment, and conscious connection. Let us support the elementals in their crucial, life-giving work, through which they in turn support us in preserving the Earth we live on.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1644112159
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 196
Book Description
• Explores the hierarchy of elemental beings as well as Christ elemental beings, social elementals, and machine elementals • Explains how elementals inhabit the etheric space that houses our emotions, feelings, and thoughts and how they carry the emotional level of the world • Shows how the author learned to make personal contact with the elementals and shares his experiences as well as the elemental world’s urgent call for help We all live in the realm of elemental beings. They permeate our souls, our thoughts, our feelings, and they co-create the world around us, yet we are often completely unaware of them. They, however, are eager to be perceived and acknowledged by us because their future and ours are fundamentally connected. Elementals act as carriers of the emotional level of the world, and Thomas Mayer reveals how he learned to develop and fine-tune his sense of perception to make direct personal contact with them. Providing insight into the elemental hierarchy, from the low workers to the masters and the elemental kings, he portrays Christ elemental beings, social elementals, and machine elementals as well. He also explores the adversarial forces like Lucifer and Ahriman that access the elemental world through the subconscious of humans and seek to destroy our elemental friends. Through sharing his encounters with fairies, dwarves, giants, and others, the author reveals their urgent call for help, an entreaty to anchor the elemental beings again in the awareness of humankind through recognition, acknowledgment, and conscious connection. Let us support the elementals in their crucial, life-giving work, through which they in turn support us in preserving the Earth we live on.
Undines
Author: William R. Mistele
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1583943951
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
Undines—from the Latin root unda, which means “wave”— are water elementals, or spirits of the water world. Like their fellow elementals—salamanders (fire), sylphs (air), and gnomes (earth)—undines are united with, and personify, their element. First mentioned in the alchemical works of medieval botanist Paracelsus, undines appear throughout European folklore. Who are these mysterious creatures of lakes, oceans, and waterfalls? Undines takes readers directly into the water spirits’ realm through stories, personal encounters, and interviews with such luminaries as Istiphul, the undine queen whose presence embodies the magical essence of the feminine. Whether seen as fact or fairy tale, Undines presents archetypal truths and insights into human nature. The powers and abilities that undines display are latent in us all and crucial to humanity’s evolution (or mere survival): harmony with nature, empathy and compassion, a deep capacity to love, and a cooperative rather than combative relationship to the world. Undines will appeal broadly to readers of mythology, fantasy, and fairy tales, particularly to practitioners that work with nature spirits and elemental beings—Druids, Wiccans, pagans, and those interested in magic and mysticism.
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1583943951
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
Undines—from the Latin root unda, which means “wave”— are water elementals, or spirits of the water world. Like their fellow elementals—salamanders (fire), sylphs (air), and gnomes (earth)—undines are united with, and personify, their element. First mentioned in the alchemical works of medieval botanist Paracelsus, undines appear throughout European folklore. Who are these mysterious creatures of lakes, oceans, and waterfalls? Undines takes readers directly into the water spirits’ realm through stories, personal encounters, and interviews with such luminaries as Istiphul, the undine queen whose presence embodies the magical essence of the feminine. Whether seen as fact or fairy tale, Undines presents archetypal truths and insights into human nature. The powers and abilities that undines display are latent in us all and crucial to humanity’s evolution (or mere survival): harmony with nature, empathy and compassion, a deep capacity to love, and a cooperative rather than combative relationship to the world. Undines will appeal broadly to readers of mythology, fantasy, and fairy tales, particularly to practitioners that work with nature spirits and elemental beings—Druids, Wiccans, pagans, and those interested in magic and mysticism.
Dragonhaven
Author: Robin McKinley
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 9780399246753
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
When Jake Mendoza, who lives in the Smokehill National Park where his father runs the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies, goes on his first solo overnight in the park, he finds an infant dragon whose mother has been killed by a poacher.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 9780399246753
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
When Jake Mendoza, who lives in the Smokehill National Park where his father runs the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies, goes on his first solo overnight in the park, he finds an infant dragon whose mother has been killed by a poacher.
The Ropemaker
Author: Peter Dickinson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0307433994
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
Tilja has grown up in the peaceful Valley, which is protected from the fearsome Empire by an enchanted forest. But the forest’s power has begun to fade and the Valley is in danger. Tilja is the youngest of four brave souls who venture into the Empire together to find the mysterious magician who can save the Valley. And much to her amazement, Tilja gradually learns that only she, an ordinary girl with no magical powers, has the ability to protect her group and their quest from the Empire’s sorcerers.
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0307433994
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
Tilja has grown up in the peaceful Valley, which is protected from the fearsome Empire by an enchanted forest. But the forest’s power has begun to fade and the Valley is in danger. Tilja is the youngest of four brave souls who venture into the Empire together to find the mysterious magician who can save the Valley. And much to her amazement, Tilja gradually learns that only she, an ordinary girl with no magical powers, has the ability to protect her group and their quest from the Empire’s sorcerers.
The Path of Elemental Witchcraft
Author: Salicrow
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1644113376
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 521
Book Description
• Details hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals paired with personal stories from the author’s decades of magical practice • Presents teachings on working with each element in different ways--such as divination, communication, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment • Explores elemental altars, scrying and reading the bones, undines and fairies, working with runes and crystals, ancestral healing, weather sensing, fire gazing, candle magic, sex magic, and communicating with the Otherworld A Book of Shadows is a witch’s sacred journal, filled with personal experiences and the intimate working of spells. In this practical guide to elemental witchcraft, Salicrow invites you into her personal Book of Shadows, detailing hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals to work with the magic of the four elements--Water, Earth, Air, and Fire. She presents teachings on each element through the lens of different schools of magic, such as divination, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment. Within each of these elemental teachings is a series of progressive lessons, including a personal story from the author’s lifetime of magical practice paired with a technique for you to explore. For the Water witch, she explores scrying, engaging with undines, weather protection, fairy glamour, and healing with kitchen spells. For the Earth witch, she describes reading the bones, animal messengers, listening to plants, crystal grids, and shadow work. For the Air witch, she looks at communicating with sylphs and crows, divination through clouds and wind, sonic magic and healing, spell accelerants, and smudging. For the Fire witch, she examines the Djinn, the magical hearth, fire divination, candle work, and sex magic. For all the elements, she explores how to build elemental altars and customize the ceremonies and rituals. Sharing intimate examples and practices to help you progressively develop the skills of witchcraft, Salicrow invites you to create your own personal Book of Shadows as you forge a magical relationship with the natural world.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1644113376
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 521
Book Description
• Details hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals paired with personal stories from the author’s decades of magical practice • Presents teachings on working with each element in different ways--such as divination, communication, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment • Explores elemental altars, scrying and reading the bones, undines and fairies, working with runes and crystals, ancestral healing, weather sensing, fire gazing, candle magic, sex magic, and communicating with the Otherworld A Book of Shadows is a witch’s sacred journal, filled with personal experiences and the intimate working of spells. In this practical guide to elemental witchcraft, Salicrow invites you into her personal Book of Shadows, detailing hands-on techniques, spells, and rituals to work with the magic of the four elements--Water, Earth, Air, and Fire. She presents teachings on each element through the lens of different schools of magic, such as divination, healing, protection, manifestation, and enchantment. Within each of these elemental teachings is a series of progressive lessons, including a personal story from the author’s lifetime of magical practice paired with a technique for you to explore. For the Water witch, she explores scrying, engaging with undines, weather protection, fairy glamour, and healing with kitchen spells. For the Earth witch, she describes reading the bones, animal messengers, listening to plants, crystal grids, and shadow work. For the Air witch, she looks at communicating with sylphs and crows, divination through clouds and wind, sonic magic and healing, spell accelerants, and smudging. For the Fire witch, she examines the Djinn, the magical hearth, fire divination, candle work, and sex magic. For all the elements, she explores how to build elemental altars and customize the ceremonies and rituals. Sharing intimate examples and practices to help you progressively develop the skills of witchcraft, Salicrow invites you to create your own personal Book of Shadows as you forge a magical relationship with the natural world.
Enchantment of the Faerie Realm
Author: Ted Andrews
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738718106
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
Have you ever taken a walk in the woods and felt like you were not alone? That's because you weren't! Forests, lakes, mountains, caves—even your garden—are alive with the spirits of nature. Faeries are real, and you can learn to commune with a whole world of unseen beings, including elves, devas, and nature spirits. With an open mind and a little patience, you can begin to recognize their presence all around you. This book will help you deepen your connection to the natural world as you explore the magical, mystical world of the faerie folk. Discover hidden truths in faerie tales and use them as pathways into the faerie realm Learn the basic habitats, powers and behaviors of faeries, elves, and other nature spirits Read personal accounts of actual faerie encounters Invoke fire spirits for traditional psychic readings Share the magic and knowledge of twenty tree spirits Find the elementals—gnomes, undines, sylphs and salamanders—with which you resonate most Contact water sprites, mermaids and other water spirits Find wood nymphs and the"lady of the woods" raw dragons into your environment with the right fragrances Attract a faerie godmother into your life Recapture the magic and wonder of a world where trees still speak and every flower tells a story. Explore the faerie realm—a place where faerie tales can and do come true.
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738718106
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
Have you ever taken a walk in the woods and felt like you were not alone? That's because you weren't! Forests, lakes, mountains, caves—even your garden—are alive with the spirits of nature. Faeries are real, and you can learn to commune with a whole world of unseen beings, including elves, devas, and nature spirits. With an open mind and a little patience, you can begin to recognize their presence all around you. This book will help you deepen your connection to the natural world as you explore the magical, mystical world of the faerie folk. Discover hidden truths in faerie tales and use them as pathways into the faerie realm Learn the basic habitats, powers and behaviors of faeries, elves, and other nature spirits Read personal accounts of actual faerie encounters Invoke fire spirits for traditional psychic readings Share the magic and knowledge of twenty tree spirits Find the elementals—gnomes, undines, sylphs and salamanders—with which you resonate most Contact water sprites, mermaids and other water spirits Find wood nymphs and the"lady of the woods" raw dragons into your environment with the right fragrances Attract a faerie godmother into your life Recapture the magic and wonder of a world where trees still speak and every flower tells a story. Explore the faerie realm—a place where faerie tales can and do come true.
Mermaids, Sylphs, Gnomes, and Salamanders
Author: William R. Mistele
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1583945245
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
Although the spirit beings of the four elements of nature have been represented in literature, religion, and folk tales, descriptions of these creatures have been vague, and direct experience with them is quite rare. Yet each of the four elemental kingdoms offers great gifts to humanity, if we are willing to recognize that the psychological and spiritual qualities they embody are already inherent in human nature. Mermaids dwell in the oceans, lakes, and rivers. They offer love and sharing, a sense of wonder, beauty, and innocence. Sylphs roam the sky; they represent harmony, balance, and the attainment of freedom. Gnomes live underground. Their quiet inner wisdom banishes depression and sorrow. Salamanders dwell in volcanoes and vast caverns of magma beneath the earth. They offer the power of intense heat to refine, transform, and integrate. Who are these mysterious creatures of water, air, earth, and fire? Author William Mistele has devoted a significant portion of his life to finding out. Addressing the perennial questions Why are we here? What is the deepest purpose of life? What are our options?, Mermaids, Sylphs, Gnomes, and Salamanders takes the reader directly into the realms of these spirits, telling stories from their perspective. Weaving together fairy tales and poems, thoughtful analysis, and meditative exercises, Mistele illuminates the qualities these beings have mastered and humanity must begin to embrace: empathy, an inner peace with the universe, a divine level of sensuality, and a love that is everywhere in every moment.
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1583945245
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 285
Book Description
Although the spirit beings of the four elements of nature have been represented in literature, religion, and folk tales, descriptions of these creatures have been vague, and direct experience with them is quite rare. Yet each of the four elemental kingdoms offers great gifts to humanity, if we are willing to recognize that the psychological and spiritual qualities they embody are already inherent in human nature. Mermaids dwell in the oceans, lakes, and rivers. They offer love and sharing, a sense of wonder, beauty, and innocence. Sylphs roam the sky; they represent harmony, balance, and the attainment of freedom. Gnomes live underground. Their quiet inner wisdom banishes depression and sorrow. Salamanders dwell in volcanoes and vast caverns of magma beneath the earth. They offer the power of intense heat to refine, transform, and integrate. Who are these mysterious creatures of water, air, earth, and fire? Author William Mistele has devoted a significant portion of his life to finding out. Addressing the perennial questions Why are we here? What is the deepest purpose of life? What are our options?, Mermaids, Sylphs, Gnomes, and Salamanders takes the reader directly into the realms of these spirits, telling stories from their perspective. Weaving together fairy tales and poems, thoughtful analysis, and meditative exercises, Mistele illuminates the qualities these beings have mastered and humanity must begin to embrace: empathy, an inner peace with the universe, a divine level of sensuality, and a love that is everywhere in every moment.