Author: Dr. Isis Day
Publisher: Isis Day Publishers
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Finally, a book about Witches, Pagans, Magic and Witchcraft you can gladly recommend or give to inquiring folks as a gift. ATTENTION !!! - A few lines, paragraphs or pages in this book may be somewhat strong or explicit, therefore Parental Guidance (PG) is suggested. "I'm tempted to say this is the best book by Dr. Isis Day - but not really, because each one of her books has something special and unique about it. However, I'd say that if you've not read any of her books before, this would be the best and first one to start with, then you can go read the others. 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' is a very wonderful book worth reading over and over by both Pagans and non-Pagans, whether you're a Witch or not." --- Marie Guillaumes (Editor). "This book -- 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' by Dr. Isis Day -- is the long-awaited book that sheds extra light on Paganism and Witchcraft. Every Pagan and every true student of occult wisdom should read this book asap, and everyone sincerely inquiring about Pagans, Witches, Magic and Witchcraft should also read it right away, and share it with friends too, and let the truth speak for itself. Blessed be!" --- The Illuminatista. Adapted from the book -- 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' by Dr. Isis Day - Merry meet! Yep, the Witch is back, with more oomph to keep you witchy and pagan, while helping inquirers and seekers know a few things about us... People have formed all sorts of ill notions about Witches, Witchcraft, Magic and Pagans, and act on such preconceptions accordingly. So-called experts claim to know everything about Witches, when all they have is the backwater, storybook, movie, flea-market and superstitious distortions of the true definition of Witches and Pagans. But then, again, Witches, true and real Witches, are everywhere, in plain sight, yet invisible to the un-initiated... and with Paganism considered one of the fastest growing religions of today, the number will surely be forever on the increase. Hooray! People are finally seeing the light! Misinforming the public about Witches and Pagans has since been a strong, silent and invisible fist that some religions and individuals have used successfully to control, push out and pull in who they want, when and where and how they want it. Promise to protect people from Witches and they'll be yours to keep and sway as you please forever. A lot of the materials out there on Pagans and Witches are put out by non-Pagans who for the most part are anti-Pagans. So inquirers are actually more exposed to the wrong information -- data that has been primarily designed to malign Pagans, Witches, Wizards, Magic and Witchcraft - data whose ultimate purpose is to paint Pagans evil. Once in a while people ask me questions about Witches, Pagans, Magic and Witchcraft, and this book is very much in response to such questions.
I Am A Witch; I Choose Paganism
Author: Dr. Isis Day
Publisher: Isis Day Publishers
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Finally, a book about Witches, Pagans, Magic and Witchcraft you can gladly recommend or give to inquiring folks as a gift. ATTENTION !!! - A few lines, paragraphs or pages in this book may be somewhat strong or explicit, therefore Parental Guidance (PG) is suggested. "I'm tempted to say this is the best book by Dr. Isis Day - but not really, because each one of her books has something special and unique about it. However, I'd say that if you've not read any of her books before, this would be the best and first one to start with, then you can go read the others. 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' is a very wonderful book worth reading over and over by both Pagans and non-Pagans, whether you're a Witch or not." --- Marie Guillaumes (Editor). "This book -- 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' by Dr. Isis Day -- is the long-awaited book that sheds extra light on Paganism and Witchcraft. Every Pagan and every true student of occult wisdom should read this book asap, and everyone sincerely inquiring about Pagans, Witches, Magic and Witchcraft should also read it right away, and share it with friends too, and let the truth speak for itself. Blessed be!" --- The Illuminatista. Adapted from the book -- 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' by Dr. Isis Day - Merry meet! Yep, the Witch is back, with more oomph to keep you witchy and pagan, while helping inquirers and seekers know a few things about us... People have formed all sorts of ill notions about Witches, Witchcraft, Magic and Pagans, and act on such preconceptions accordingly. So-called experts claim to know everything about Witches, when all they have is the backwater, storybook, movie, flea-market and superstitious distortions of the true definition of Witches and Pagans. But then, again, Witches, true and real Witches, are everywhere, in plain sight, yet invisible to the un-initiated... and with Paganism considered one of the fastest growing religions of today, the number will surely be forever on the increase. Hooray! People are finally seeing the light! Misinforming the public about Witches and Pagans has since been a strong, silent and invisible fist that some religions and individuals have used successfully to control, push out and pull in who they want, when and where and how they want it. Promise to protect people from Witches and they'll be yours to keep and sway as you please forever. A lot of the materials out there on Pagans and Witches are put out by non-Pagans who for the most part are anti-Pagans. So inquirers are actually more exposed to the wrong information -- data that has been primarily designed to malign Pagans, Witches, Wizards, Magic and Witchcraft - data whose ultimate purpose is to paint Pagans evil. Once in a while people ask me questions about Witches, Pagans, Magic and Witchcraft, and this book is very much in response to such questions.
Publisher: Isis Day Publishers
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Finally, a book about Witches, Pagans, Magic and Witchcraft you can gladly recommend or give to inquiring folks as a gift. ATTENTION !!! - A few lines, paragraphs or pages in this book may be somewhat strong or explicit, therefore Parental Guidance (PG) is suggested. "I'm tempted to say this is the best book by Dr. Isis Day - but not really, because each one of her books has something special and unique about it. However, I'd say that if you've not read any of her books before, this would be the best and first one to start with, then you can go read the others. 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' is a very wonderful book worth reading over and over by both Pagans and non-Pagans, whether you're a Witch or not." --- Marie Guillaumes (Editor). "This book -- 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' by Dr. Isis Day -- is the long-awaited book that sheds extra light on Paganism and Witchcraft. Every Pagan and every true student of occult wisdom should read this book asap, and everyone sincerely inquiring about Pagans, Witches, Magic and Witchcraft should also read it right away, and share it with friends too, and let the truth speak for itself. Blessed be!" --- The Illuminatista. Adapted from the book -- 'I Am A Witch - I Choose Paganism,' by Dr. Isis Day - Merry meet! Yep, the Witch is back, with more oomph to keep you witchy and pagan, while helping inquirers and seekers know a few things about us... People have formed all sorts of ill notions about Witches, Witchcraft, Magic and Pagans, and act on such preconceptions accordingly. So-called experts claim to know everything about Witches, when all they have is the backwater, storybook, movie, flea-market and superstitious distortions of the true definition of Witches and Pagans. But then, again, Witches, true and real Witches, are everywhere, in plain sight, yet invisible to the un-initiated... and with Paganism considered one of the fastest growing religions of today, the number will surely be forever on the increase. Hooray! People are finally seeing the light! Misinforming the public about Witches and Pagans has since been a strong, silent and invisible fist that some religions and individuals have used successfully to control, push out and pull in who they want, when and where and how they want it. Promise to protect people from Witches and they'll be yours to keep and sway as you please forever. A lot of the materials out there on Pagans and Witches are put out by non-Pagans who for the most part are anti-Pagans. So inquirers are actually more exposed to the wrong information -- data that has been primarily designed to malign Pagans, Witches, Wizards, Magic and Witchcraft - data whose ultimate purpose is to paint Pagans evil. Once in a while people ask me questions about Witches, Pagans, Magic and Witchcraft, and this book is very much in response to such questions.
Wicca for Beginners
Author: Thea Sabin
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738717754
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
Due to the sheer number of Wicca 101 books on the market, many newcomers to the Craft find themselves piecing together their Wiccan education by reading a chapter from one book, a few pages from another. Rather than depending on snippets of wisdom to build a new faith, Wicca for Beginners provides a solid foundation to Wicca without limiting the reader to one tradition or path. Embracing both the spiritual and the practical, Wicca for Beginners is a primer on the philosophies, culture, and beliefs behind the religion, without losing the mystery that draws many students to want to learn. Detailing practices such as grounding, raising energy, visualization, and meditation, this book offers exercises for core techniques before launching into more complicated rituals and spellwork. Finalist for the Coalition of Visionary Resources Award for Best Wiccan/Pagan Book "In her first book-length work, Sabin presents a first-rate, fresh, and thorough addition to the burgeoning field of earth-based spiritual practice volumes...written in a light, informative style that magically mines depth, breadth and brevity."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738717754
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 289
Book Description
Due to the sheer number of Wicca 101 books on the market, many newcomers to the Craft find themselves piecing together their Wiccan education by reading a chapter from one book, a few pages from another. Rather than depending on snippets of wisdom to build a new faith, Wicca for Beginners provides a solid foundation to Wicca without limiting the reader to one tradition or path. Embracing both the spiritual and the practical, Wicca for Beginners is a primer on the philosophies, culture, and beliefs behind the religion, without losing the mystery that draws many students to want to learn. Detailing practices such as grounding, raising energy, visualization, and meditation, this book offers exercises for core techniques before launching into more complicated rituals and spellwork. Finalist for the Coalition of Visionary Resources Award for Best Wiccan/Pagan Book "In her first book-length work, Sabin presents a first-rate, fresh, and thorough addition to the burgeoning field of earth-based spiritual practice volumes...written in a light, informative style that magically mines depth, breadth and brevity."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Witches and Pagans
Author: Max Dashu
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692740286
Category : Folk religion
Languages : en
Pages : 408
Book Description
Swa wiccan taeca?: ?as the witches teach.' So, explained the Old English translator, it was witches who counseled people to ?bring their offerings to earth-fast stone and also to trees and to wellsprings.' His contextualizing commentary on a Frankish penitential reveals the witches? intimate association with animist, earth-based ceremonies, contradicting the now-engrained idea that they were ?wicked.' In a compelling exploration of language, archaeology, early medieval literature and art, Max Dashu pulls the covers off ethnic lore known to few except scholarly specialists. She shows that the old ethnic names for ?witch? signify wisewoman, prophetess, diviner, healer, shapeshifter, and dreamer. She fleshes out the spiritual culture of the Norse völur (?staff-women?), with their oracular ceremonies, incantations, and ?sitting-out? on the land for wisdom. She examines archaeological finds of women's ritual staffs, many of which symbolize the distaff, a spinning tool that connects with broader European themes of goddesses, fates, witches, and female power. Ecclesiastical records show that these aspects of European women's spiritual culture survived state conversions to Christianity. Witches and Pagans plunges into the megalithic taproot of the elder kindreds, and the ancestral Old Woman known as the Cailleach. It draws on priestly Frankish and German sources to trace the foundational witch-legend of the Women Who Go by Night with the Goddess'and her links to women's spinning sacraments in the orature of Holle, Fraw Percht, and Swanfooted Berthe. The book also looks at the sexual politics of early witch burnings and the female ordeal of treading red-hot iron. Anglo-Saxon ?mystery-singers? shed light on ancestor veneration in early medieval Europe.The webs of Wyrd, weavers? ceremonies, herb-chanters, crystal balls and the Völuspá: this book uncovers the authentic ethnic roots of witchcraft. Putting the common woman at the center results in a very different view of European history than the one we have been taught. Sagas, ecclesiastical canons, laws, chronicles, charms, manuscripts and sculpture show the spiritual leadership of women and the goddesses, fates, and ancestors they revered. These strands can help to reweave the ripped webs of women's culture.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692740286
Category : Folk religion
Languages : en
Pages : 408
Book Description
Swa wiccan taeca?: ?as the witches teach.' So, explained the Old English translator, it was witches who counseled people to ?bring their offerings to earth-fast stone and also to trees and to wellsprings.' His contextualizing commentary on a Frankish penitential reveals the witches? intimate association with animist, earth-based ceremonies, contradicting the now-engrained idea that they were ?wicked.' In a compelling exploration of language, archaeology, early medieval literature and art, Max Dashu pulls the covers off ethnic lore known to few except scholarly specialists. She shows that the old ethnic names for ?witch? signify wisewoman, prophetess, diviner, healer, shapeshifter, and dreamer. She fleshes out the spiritual culture of the Norse völur (?staff-women?), with their oracular ceremonies, incantations, and ?sitting-out? on the land for wisdom. She examines archaeological finds of women's ritual staffs, many of which symbolize the distaff, a spinning tool that connects with broader European themes of goddesses, fates, witches, and female power. Ecclesiastical records show that these aspects of European women's spiritual culture survived state conversions to Christianity. Witches and Pagans plunges into the megalithic taproot of the elder kindreds, and the ancestral Old Woman known as the Cailleach. It draws on priestly Frankish and German sources to trace the foundational witch-legend of the Women Who Go by Night with the Goddess'and her links to women's spinning sacraments in the orature of Holle, Fraw Percht, and Swanfooted Berthe. The book also looks at the sexual politics of early witch burnings and the female ordeal of treading red-hot iron. Anglo-Saxon ?mystery-singers? shed light on ancestor veneration in early medieval Europe.The webs of Wyrd, weavers? ceremonies, herb-chanters, crystal balls and the Völuspá: this book uncovers the authentic ethnic roots of witchcraft. Putting the common woman at the center results in a very different view of European history than the one we have been taught. Sagas, ecclesiastical canons, laws, chronicles, charms, manuscripts and sculpture show the spiritual leadership of women and the goddesses, fates, and ancestors they revered. These strands can help to reweave the ripped webs of women's culture.
Paganism
Author: River Higginbotham
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738717037
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 342
Book Description
A comprehensive guide to a growing religious movement If you want to study Paganism in more detail, this book is the place to start. Based on a course in Paganism that the authors have taught for more than a decade, it is full of exercises, meditations, and discussion questions for group or individual study. This book presents the basic fundamentals of Paganism. It explores what Pagans are like; how the Pagan sacred year is arranged; what Pagans do in ritual; what magick is; and what Pagans believe about God, worship, human nature, and ethics. For those who are exploring their own spirituality, or who want a good book to give to non-Pagan family and friends A hands-on learning tool with magickal workings, meditations, discussion questions, and journal exercises Offers in-depth discussion of ethics and magick
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738717037
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 342
Book Description
A comprehensive guide to a growing religious movement If you want to study Paganism in more detail, this book is the place to start. Based on a course in Paganism that the authors have taught for more than a decade, it is full of exercises, meditations, and discussion questions for group or individual study. This book presents the basic fundamentals of Paganism. It explores what Pagans are like; how the Pagan sacred year is arranged; what Pagans do in ritual; what magick is; and what Pagans believe about God, worship, human nature, and ethics. For those who are exploring their own spirituality, or who want a good book to give to non-Pagan family and friends A hands-on learning tool with magickal workings, meditations, discussion questions, and journal exercises Offers in-depth discussion of ethics and magick
Waking the Witch
Author: Pam Grossman
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1982145854
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
From the podcast host of The Witch Wave and practicing witch Pam Grossman—who Vulture has dubbed the “Terry Gross of witches”—comes an exploration of the world’s fascination with witches, why they have intrigued us for centuries and why they’re more relevant now than ever. When you think of a witch, what do you picture? Pointy black hat, maybe a broomstick. But witches in various guises have been with us for millennia. In Waking the Witch, Pam Grossman explores the impact of the world’s most magical icon. From the idea of the femme fatale in league with the devil to the bewitching pop culture archetypes in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Harry Potter; from the spooky ladies in fairy tales to the rise of contemporary witchcraft, witches reflect the power and potential of women. Part cultural analysis, part memoir, Waking the Witch traces the author’s own journey on the path to witchcraft, and how this has helped her find self-empowerment and purpose. It celebrates witches past, present, and future, and reveals the critical role they have played—and will continue to play—in the world as we know it. “Deftly illuminating the past while beckoning us towards the future, Waking the Witch has all the makings of a feminist classic. Wise, relatable, and real, Pam Grossman is the witch we need for our times” (Ami McKay, author of The Witches of New York).
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1982145854
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 304
Book Description
From the podcast host of The Witch Wave and practicing witch Pam Grossman—who Vulture has dubbed the “Terry Gross of witches”—comes an exploration of the world’s fascination with witches, why they have intrigued us for centuries and why they’re more relevant now than ever. When you think of a witch, what do you picture? Pointy black hat, maybe a broomstick. But witches in various guises have been with us for millennia. In Waking the Witch, Pam Grossman explores the impact of the world’s most magical icon. From the idea of the femme fatale in league with the devil to the bewitching pop culture archetypes in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Harry Potter; from the spooky ladies in fairy tales to the rise of contemporary witchcraft, witches reflect the power and potential of women. Part cultural analysis, part memoir, Waking the Witch traces the author’s own journey on the path to witchcraft, and how this has helped her find self-empowerment and purpose. It celebrates witches past, present, and future, and reveals the critical role they have played—and will continue to play—in the world as we know it. “Deftly illuminating the past while beckoning us towards the future, Waking the Witch has all the makings of a feminist classic. Wise, relatable, and real, Pam Grossman is the witch we need for our times” (Ami McKay, author of The Witches of New York).
Intuitive Witchcraft
Author: Astrea Taylor
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 073876194X
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
Follow Your Heart and Spirit as You Build Your Witchcraft and Intuition Skills Together Featuring extensive exercises, examples, and rituals, this amazing book reveals how to embrace the wisdom of your inner voice as you explore the endless possibilities of witchcraft. With Astrea Taylor's guidance, you can unlock your intuitive magical potential and celebrate the truth of who you are. Intuitive Witchcraft also offers insights from some of the best writers, thinkers, and leaders in their fields, helping you become your most empowered self. Discover how to work with energy, interact with deities and spirits, and create a personal practice that fits your beliefs and lifestyles. Learn to face your shadow side, make the mundane magical, use divination tools, and much more. Whether you're a beginner or advanced practitioner, this incredible book illuminates the path to manifesting your greatest desires in an intuitive way.
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 073876194X
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 346
Book Description
Follow Your Heart and Spirit as You Build Your Witchcraft and Intuition Skills Together Featuring extensive exercises, examples, and rituals, this amazing book reveals how to embrace the wisdom of your inner voice as you explore the endless possibilities of witchcraft. With Astrea Taylor's guidance, you can unlock your intuitive magical potential and celebrate the truth of who you are. Intuitive Witchcraft also offers insights from some of the best writers, thinkers, and leaders in their fields, helping you become your most empowered self. Discover how to work with energy, interact with deities and spirits, and create a personal practice that fits your beliefs and lifestyles. Learn to face your shadow side, make the mundane magical, use divination tools, and much more. Whether you're a beginner or advanced practitioner, this incredible book illuminates the path to manifesting your greatest desires in an intuitive way.
The Path of a Christian Witch
Author: Adelina St. Clair
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738726419
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 108
Book Description
A unique mix of memoir and how-to that includes practical daily Pagan rituals, this inspiring book shows how one woman blended Christian traditions with the magic and beauty of a Wiccan practice. Raised in the Catholic faith, yet strongly drawn to Paganism, Adelina St. Clair spent many years questioning and soul-searching before she found a way to blend aspects of Wicca and Christianity into a vibrant and loving belief system. Filled with personal anecdotes, this book tells the story of St. Clair's journey of self-discovery and revelation, from her initial fear and guilt to her ultimate sense of peace and joy. With warmth and heartfelt reverence, St. Clair discusses vital aspects of Witchcraft and Christianity, as well as the commonalities between the two. Monotheism vs. polytheism Magical practice The teachings of Christ Goddess worship The femininity of God The Wheel of the Year Praying the rosary Sacred space
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738726419
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 108
Book Description
A unique mix of memoir and how-to that includes practical daily Pagan rituals, this inspiring book shows how one woman blended Christian traditions with the magic and beauty of a Wiccan practice. Raised in the Catholic faith, yet strongly drawn to Paganism, Adelina St. Clair spent many years questioning and soul-searching before she found a way to blend aspects of Wicca and Christianity into a vibrant and loving belief system. Filled with personal anecdotes, this book tells the story of St. Clair's journey of self-discovery and revelation, from her initial fear and guilt to her ultimate sense of peace and joy. With warmth and heartfelt reverence, St. Clair discusses vital aspects of Witchcraft and Christianity, as well as the commonalities between the two. Monotheism vs. polytheism Magical practice The teachings of Christ Goddess worship The femininity of God The Wheel of the Year Praying the rosary Sacred space
A Community of Witches
Author: Helen A. Berger
Publisher: Univ of South Carolina Press
ISBN: 9781570032462
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 188
Book Description
A Community of Witches explores the beliefs and practices of Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft - generally known to scholars and practitioners as Wicca. While the words "magic," "witchcraft," and "paganism" evoke images of the distant past and remote cultures, this book shows that Wicca has emerged as part of a new religious movement that reflects the era in which it developed. Imported to the United States in the late 1960s from the United Kingdom, the religion absorbed into its basic fabric the social concerns of the time: feminism, environmentalism, self-development, alternative spirituality, and mistrust of authority.
Publisher: Univ of South Carolina Press
ISBN: 9781570032462
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 188
Book Description
A Community of Witches explores the beliefs and practices of Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft - generally known to scholars and practitioners as Wicca. While the words "magic," "witchcraft," and "paganism" evoke images of the distant past and remote cultures, this book shows that Wicca has emerged as part of a new religious movement that reflects the era in which it developed. Imported to the United States in the late 1960s from the United Kingdom, the religion absorbed into its basic fabric the social concerns of the time: feminism, environmentalism, self-development, alternative spirituality, and mistrust of authority.
Pagan Portals - Intuitive Magic Practice
Author: Natalia Clarke
Publisher: Moon Books
ISBN: 9781789046151
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 120
Book Description
A guide and companion for your individual journey to true self-empowerment through reclaiming the power of intuition.
Publisher: Moon Books
ISBN: 9781789046151
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 120
Book Description
A guide and companion for your individual journey to true self-empowerment through reclaiming the power of intuition.
Witching Culture
Author: Sabina Magliocco
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 0812202708
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 278
Book Description
Taking the reader into the heart of one of the fastest-growing religious movements in North America, Sabina Magliocco reveals how the disciplines of anthropology and folklore were fundamental to the early development of Neo-Paganism and the revival of witchcraft. Magliocco examines the roots that this religious movement has in a Western spiritual tradition of mysticism disavowed by the Enlightenment. She explores, too, how modern Pagans and Witches are imaginatively reclaiming discarded practices and beliefs to create religions more in keeping with their personal experience of the world as sacred and filled with meaning. Neo-Pagan religions focus on experience, rather than belief, and many contemporary practitioners have had mystical experiences. They seek a context that normalizes them and creates in them new spiritual dimensions that involve change in ordinary consciousness. Magliocco analyzes magical practices and rituals of Neo-Paganism as art forms that reanimate the cosmos and stimulate the imagination of its practitioners. She discusses rituals that are put together using materials from a variety of cultural and historical sources, and examines the cultural politics surrounding the movement—how the Neo-Pagan movement creates identity by contrasting itself against the dominant culture and how it can be understood in the context of early twenty-first-century identity politics. Witching Culture is the first ethnography of this religious movement to focus specifically on the role of anthropology and folklore in its formation, on experiences that are central to its practice, and on what it reveals about identity and belief in twenty-first-century North America.
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press
ISBN: 0812202708
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 278
Book Description
Taking the reader into the heart of one of the fastest-growing religious movements in North America, Sabina Magliocco reveals how the disciplines of anthropology and folklore were fundamental to the early development of Neo-Paganism and the revival of witchcraft. Magliocco examines the roots that this religious movement has in a Western spiritual tradition of mysticism disavowed by the Enlightenment. She explores, too, how modern Pagans and Witches are imaginatively reclaiming discarded practices and beliefs to create religions more in keeping with their personal experience of the world as sacred and filled with meaning. Neo-Pagan religions focus on experience, rather than belief, and many contemporary practitioners have had mystical experiences. They seek a context that normalizes them and creates in them new spiritual dimensions that involve change in ordinary consciousness. Magliocco analyzes magical practices and rituals of Neo-Paganism as art forms that reanimate the cosmos and stimulate the imagination of its practitioners. She discusses rituals that are put together using materials from a variety of cultural and historical sources, and examines the cultural politics surrounding the movement—how the Neo-Pagan movement creates identity by contrasting itself against the dominant culture and how it can be understood in the context of early twenty-first-century identity politics. Witching Culture is the first ethnography of this religious movement to focus specifically on the role of anthropology and folklore in its formation, on experiences that are central to its practice, and on what it reveals about identity and belief in twenty-first-century North America.