Books on Druidry, Shamanism, Witchcraft etc

A new book on Holy wells: Cures and Curses by Janet Bord

Cures and Curses, Ritual and cult at holy wells - Janet Bord

ISBN 9781872883953. September 2006. 245 x 175 mm, 200 pages, paperback.

Why are some wells said to be miraculously created by saints? Why are the rituals associated with them sometimes about divination or cursing? What evidence is there for the water curing illnesses? Do the wells have guardians? If so, are they humans, fairies, or even dragons? Is there treasure hidden there? What should be left there -h rags, pins, coins, pebbles or even votive offerings?

Until recently the answers had been almost entirely forgotten. However a revival of interest in holy wells started in 1985 with the publication of Janet and Colin Bord's book Sacred Waters and in recent years research has gathered pace. In this entirely new book Janet brings together the latest understanding of such lore as 75 topic-by- topic descriptions, including their links to pre-Christian practices. There is also a list of 25 recommended wells to visit. The 135 illustrations include historic photographs of wells and rituals.

Only £14.95+p&p

Cures and Curses provides an enticing overview for those looking for an introduction to holy wells and a source of reliable but little- known information for those already seduced by the allure of sacred springs.

Janet Bord lives in North Wales, where she and her husband Colin run the Fortean Picture Library. They have written more than 20 books on folklore and mysteries since their first successful joint venture, Mysterious Britain (1972).

'Charming and comprehensive dip into well folklore' Richard Alexander Fortean Times

'... an invaluable book.' Carl Merry, Facts and Fiction

'Highly recommended.' Michael Howard, The Cauldron

Druid Shaman Priest: Metaphors of Celtic Paganism

Druid Shaman Priest: Metaphors of Celtic Paganism - Leslie Ellen Jones

Hardcover, 256 pages, Hisarlik Press, July 1998, ISBN: 1874312273

There are a few books on Celtic mythology that focus on the pagan elements of the literature and yet succeed in being scholarly and balanced at the same time, this is one such book. It deals with the interesting pagan material in an academic and approachable manner. For example, in chapter 1, "Who Were the Celts and What Were They Up To?" she guides the reader through the relevant literary and archaeological evidence and distinguishes the parameters of current scholarly opinion. In this chapter, as elsewhere in the book, Jones links representations in classical and Celtic literature, and employs sources, both classical and Celtic, which are not commonly cited.

Only £5.99+p&p

Explore Shamanism

Explore Shamanism by Alby Stone

Published Oct 2003, 184 pages. Published by Explore Books, an imprint of Heart of Albion Press.

Shamanism is a complex and confusing subject. There are many different ideas about what shamanism is, who is a shaman, and what a shaman does. Explore Shamanism provides a much-needed up-to-date guide to the study of shamanism.

'... this book I consider essential for anyone claiming a serious interest in shamanism... ' John Billingsley Northern Earth

'Despite the literature devoted to it (or perhaps because of it) shamanism remains a complex and confusing subject for many beginners. Alby Stone focuses on indigenous forms of shamanic belief and practice including spirit journeys, working tools, the spirit world and the role of trance and possession. There are also chapters on the academic aproach to the subject and modern forms of urban and New Age shamanism. Recommended. Michael Howard, The Cauldron Read more on the Publisher's web site.

£9.95+p&p - Order Now

Shamanism - Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy

Shamanism - Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy - Mircea Eliade

Paperback, 610 pages, Penguin Arkana

Writing as a historian of religion, Eliade synthesizes the approaches of psychology, sociology, and ethnology to study the figure of the shaman, at once magician and medicine man, healer and miracle-doer, psychopomp, priest, mystic, and poet. Has become the classic work on the subject.

Only £9.99+p&p  Published price £14.99

Read the Forward at www.sacred-texts.com

The Summer Solstice: Celebrating The Journey Of The Sun From May Day to Harvest

The Summer Solstice: Celebrating The Journey Of The Sun From May Day to Harvest - John Matthews

Hardback, 144 pages, Godsfield, 2002

Embark on a journey through the light half of the year. This illustrated guide to ancient Sun Worshiping cultures shows us how we too can come together on May Day, Midsummer and Harvest and connect more deeply to the natural rhythm of earth and sky.

Only £5.95+p&p Published price £16.99, a saving of 65%

Books on Wicca/Witchcraft

The Athlone History of Witchcraft and Magic, Vol 5 - The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
Marijke Gifswijt-Hofstra, Brian P. Levack, Roy Porter, Bengt Ankarloo (Editor), Stuart Clark (Editor)

256 pages (16 September, 1999) Continuum International Publishing Group - Athlone Press; ISBN: 0485890062

The end of the 18th century saw the end of witch trials. This volume charts the processes and reasons for decriminalizing witchcraft. It also surveys the social role of witchcraft in European communities to the end of the 19th century.

Paperback: £7.99 each+p&p

For two millennia, European folklore and ritual have been imbued with the belief in the supernatural, yielding a rich trove of histories and images.  Witchcraft and Magic in Europe provides a modern, scholarly survey of the supernatural beliefs of Europeans from ancient times to the present day.  Each volume of this ambitious series contains the work of distinguished scholars chosen for their expertise in a particular era or region, and combines the traditional approaches of political, legal, and social historians with a critical synthesis of cultural anthropology, historical psychology, and gender studies.

In this volume the contributors are;

    * Marijke Gijswijt-Hofstra, University of Amsterdam, with 'Witchcraft After the Witch-Trials'
    * Brian P Levack, University of Texas with, 'The Decline and End of Witchcraft Prosecutions'
    * Roy Porter, Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, University of London with, 'Witchcraft and Magic in Enlightenment, Romantic and Liberal Thought'

The eighteenth century saw the end of witch trials everywhere.  The authors chart the process of and reasons for the decriminalization of witchcraft, but also challenge the widespread assumption that Europe then became 'disenchanted'.  Here for the first time are surveys of the social role of witchcraft in European communities, as well as a full treatment of Victorian supernaturalism and of the continued importance of witchcraft and magic as topics of debate among intellectuals and other writers.

The 20th Century

The Athlone History of Witchcraft and Magic, Vol 6 - The Twentieth Century
Willem De Blecourt, Ronald Hutton, Jean La Fontaine, Bengt Ankarloo (Editor), Stuart Clark (Editor)

Hardback, 352 pages (September, 1999) Continuum International Publishing Group - Athlone Press; ISBN: 0485890054

The end of the 18th century saw the end of witch trials. This volume charts the processes and reasons for decriminalizing witchcraft. It also surveys the social role of witchcraft in European communities to the end of the 19th century. No Dustjacket

Only £8.99 each+p&p  Published Price: £45 - a saving of over 80%!

For two millennia, European folklore and ritual have been imbued with the belief in the supernatural, yielding a rich trove of histories and images.  Witchcraft and Magic in Europe provides a modern, scholarly survey of the supernatural beliefs of Europeans from ancient times to the present day.  Each volume of this ambitious series contains the work of distinguished scholars chosen for their expertise in a particular era or region, and combines the traditional approaches of political, legal, and social historians with a critical synthesis of cultural anthropology, historical psychology, and gender studies.

In this volume the contributors are;

    * Willem de Blécourt with 'The Witch, Her Victim, the Unwitcher and the Researcher: The Continued Existence of Traditional Witchcraft'
    * Ronald Hutton, University of Bristol with 'Modern Pagan Witchcraft'
    * Jean La Fontaine, London School of Economics with 'Satanism and Satanic Mythology'

Witchcraft today continues to play a role in European societies and imaginations.  This volume includes a major new history of the origins and development of English 'Wicca' and an account of the circumstances in which the term 'Satanist' has been used to label individuals or groups.  The widespread prevalence of such phenomena proves the contemporary reality of beliefs in witchcraft and its threats.

 

This page last edited on Sunday, 17-Feb-2008 18:15:30 GMT

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