Magick Matters

“Peak States of Consciousness: Theory and Applications, Volume 2: Acquiring Extraordinary Spiritual and Shamanic States” by Grant McFetridge and Wes Gietz

"Breakthrough in understanding the biology of consciousness, this textbook covers fundamental discoveries about the biological basis for spiritual and shamanic states, transpersonal experiences, and consciousness itself. Derived from explorations into the very earliest prenatal development, this book describes how consciousness is based on biology inside the cell. Developmental Events: Spiritual and shamanic states are a legacy of our earliest prenatal growth stages. The Primary Cell: Consciousness extends from just one cell of the body. Triune Brains: The cell organelles are the basis of the ‘subconscious’ triune brains. Transpersonal Biology: Spiritual, shamanic, and psychic phenomena are based on access or perception of biological...>>

“Eschatology in Antiquity: Forms and Functions” edited by Hilary Marlow, Karla Pollmann and Helen Van Noorden

"This collection of essays explores the rhetoric and practices surrounding views on life after death and the end of the world, including the fate of the individual, apocalyptic speculation and hope for cosmological renewal, in a wide range of societies from Ancient Mesopotamia to the Byzantine era. The 42 essays by leading scholars in each field explore the rich spectrum of ways in which eschatological understanding can be expressed, and for which purposes it can be used. Readers will gain new insight into the historical contexts, details, functions and impact of eschatological ideas and imagery in ancient texts and material culture from the twenty-fifth century BCE to the ninth century CE. Traditionally, the study of...>>

“The Serendipity Mindset: The Art and Science of Creating Good Luck” by Christian Busch

"Good luck isn’t just chance—it can be learned and leveraged—and The Serendipity Mindset explains how you can use serendipity to make life better at work, at home—everywhere. Many of us believe that the great turning points and opportunities in our lives happen by chance, that they’re out of our control. Often we think that successful people—and successful companies and organizations—are simply luckier than the rest of us. Good fortune—serendipity—just seems to happen to them. Is that true? Or are some people better at creating the conditions for coincidences to arise and taking advantage of them when they do? How can we connect the dots of seemingly random events to improve our lives? In The...>>

“Witches of Pennsylvania: Occult History & Lore” by Thomas White

"A folklorist chronicles the history and lore of witchcraft in the Keystone State from William Penn’s 17th century witch trial to 20th century occultism. As English and German settlers migrated to Pennsylvania, they brought their beliefs in magic with them from the Old World—sometimes with dangerous consequences. In 1802, for example, an Allegheny County judge helped an accused witch escape an angry mob. But Susan Mummey was not so fortunate. In 1934, she was killed in her home by a young Schuylkill County man who was convinced that she had cursed him. In other regions of the state, views on folk magic were more complex. While hex doctors were feared in the Pennsylvania German...>>