A Tapestry of Witches is the first detailed history of the Wiccan religion in America based on primary sources; this first volume covers the history down to the mid-1970s. The author has been an actice participant in the movement since 1967, in addition to being an editor, writer, and college teacher. He is the author Crafting the Art of Magic and of Inventing Witchcraft: A Case Study in the Creation of a New Religion.
'Diane Purkiss ... insists on taking witches seriously. Her refusal to write witch-believers off as unenlightened has produced some richly intelligent meditations on their -- and our -- world.' - The Observer 'An invigorating and challenging book ... sets many hares running.' - The Times Higher Education Supplement
In the name of peace, Lady Audris locks away her dreams of a passionate love, until Hugh Licorne, the only man in England strong enough to defend her from her enemies, claims her as his own.
Encourage children to become lifelong readers by exposing them to a variety of genres: biography, mystery, drama, fairy tale, romance, mythology, and science fiction. Each unit includes helpful background information, key vocabulary words, activities, and a bibliography of suggested books. An introductory unit teaches students to recognize propaganda and bias, while a concluding unit walks them through the steps of writing a research paper. Grades 4-6. Resources. Illustrated.
An unconventional look at the cultural effects of the Internet on contemporary Witchcraft. A growing movement with several million followers in the U.S. alone, Witchcraft is the most popular of Pagan paths. With the advent of Internet technology, a once-isolated community is now finding new ways to make connections. here, topics relevant to the modern web-savvy Witch include weaving a new web for the ancient/future religions of witchcraft, manipulating energy via electronic communications, accessing intuition in cyberspace and more. Includes listings of websites.
"Witches are gathering." When most people hear the word "witches," they think of horror films and Halloween, but to the nearly one million Americans who practice Paganism today, witchcraft is a nature-worshipping, polytheistic, and very real religion. So Alex Mar discovers when she sets out to film a documentary and finds herself drawn deep into the world of present-day magic. Witches of America follows Mar on her immersive five-year trip into the occult, charting modern Paganism from its roots in 1950s England to its current American mecca in the San Francisco Bay Area; from a gathering of more than a thousand witches in the Illinois woods to the New Orleans branch of one of the world's most influential magical societies. Along the way she takes part in dozens of rituals and becomes involved with a wild array of characters: a government employee who founds a California priesthood dedicated to a Celtic goddess of war; American disciples of Aleister Crowley, whose elaborate ceremonies turn the Catholic mass on its head; second-wave feminist Wiccans who practice a radical separatist witchcraft; a growing "mystery cult" whose initiates trace their rites back to a blind shaman in rural Oregon. This sprawling magical community compels Mar to confront what she believes is possible-or hopes might be. With keen intelligence and wit, Mar illuminates the world of witchcraft while grappling in fresh and unexpected ways with the question underlying every faith: Why do we choose to believe in anything at all? Whether evangelical Christian, Pagan priestess, or atheist, each of us craves a system of meaning to give structure to our lives. Sometimes we just find it in unexpected places.
Beyond the Taboos, the Power of Magick Awaits The rites and rituals of Witchcraft are life-changing experiences, but they are also steeped in mystery. Transformative Witchcraft delves into some of the most persistent mysteries of the Craft and provides insightful guidance for raising and directing magickal energy in accordance with your desires. Jason Mankey distills his decades of experience as he shares practical wisdom for raising a cone of power and detailed insights into creating powerful rituals for dedications, initiations, and elevations. In his chapter on drawing down the moon, he provides a vivid exploration of invocation and the subtle nuances in preparation and execution that can take the ritual to its most magisterial heights. This book also discusses one of the most mysterious of all the magickal rituals—the Great Rite. Whether you're interested in the Great Rite in token or in truth, there is much to be gleaned from the experiences related here on a topic that is frequently treated as taboo in much of the magickal literature. Direct experience with the divine and the potent energies of magick are defining experiences in a life of Witchcraft. Filled with compelling personal stories, a fascinating brief history of modern Wicca and Witchcraft, striking original rituals, and a wealth of tips and techniques, this book provides the beginning or intermediate Witch with the practical and theoretical keys they need to unlock the mysteries of the Craft. Praise: "A remarkable and refreshing exploration that is a must-read for anyone exploring contemporary Wicca and Witchcraft. Through a combination of in-depth historical research and charming personal narrative, Jason Mankey provides candid insight into important rituals and practices that are often glossed over or minimally explained in other texts."—Laura Tempest Zakroff, author of Sigil Witchery and Weave the Liminal "Transformative Witchcraft by Jason Mankey finds the perfect balance between the core teachings of magical tradition and the fresh cutting-edge magic of the modern witch. This well researched book digs deep exploring the foundations of witchcraft in a conversational and honest tone that makes the witchcraft mysteries accessible and current."—Mickie Mueller, author of The Witch's Mirror and Llewellyn's Little Book of Halloween
MAX MCDANIELS LIVES a quiet life in the suburbs of Chicago, until the day he stumbles upon a mysterious Celtic tapestry. Many strange people are interested in Max and his tapestry. His discovery leads him to Rowan Academy, a secret school where great things await him. But dark things are waiting, too. When Max learns that priceless artworks and gifted children are disappearing, he finds himself in the crossfire of an ancient struggle between good and evil. To survive, he'll have to rely on a network of agents and mystics, the genius of his roommate, and the frightening power awakening within him.
The world is at the brink of ruin . . . or is it salvation? Astaroth has been weakened, and the demon Prusias is taking full advantage of the situation to create an empire of his own. His formidable armies are on the move, and Rowan is in their sights. Rowan must rely on Max McDaniels and David Menlo and hope that their combined powers can stop Prusias's war machine before it's too late. But even as perils loom, danger stalks their every move. Someone has marked Max for death and no one is above suspicion. Should the assassins succeed, Rowan's fate may depend on little Mina whose abilities are prodigious but largely untested. And where is Astaroth? Has he fled this world or is he biding his time, awaiting his next opportunity? In the Tapestry's fourth book, author-illustrator Henry H. Neff boldly raises the stakes in an epic tale of mankind's struggle to survive in a world now populated by demons and demigods and everything in between!
A remarkable history of First Lady Michelle Obama’s mixed ancestry, American Tapestry by Rachel L. Swarns is nothing less than a breathtaking and expansive portrait of America itself. In this extraordinary feat of genealogical research—in the tradition of The Hemmingses of Monticello and Slaves in the Family—author Swarns, a respected Washington-based reporter for the New York Times, tells the fascinating and hitherto untold story of Ms. Obama’s black, white, and multiracial ancestors; a history that the First Lady herself did not know. At once epic, provocative, and inspiring, American Tapestry is more than a true family saga; it is an illuminating mirror in which we may all see ourselves.
