Magick Matters

09.01.2022

“The Suburban Gothic in American Popular Culture” by Bernice M. Murphy

Magick Matters

"From the beginning of the post-war era, suburbia has frequently served as a setting for narratives of fear, repression and horror. Why has this been the case? And what actually is the Suburban Gothic? Beginning with a discussion of Shirley Jackson's novel The Road Through the Wall (1948) and ending with Desperate Housewives (2004- ), this book discusses representative texts from each decade up to the present day. Each chapter provides a contextualising examination of the era and the cultural and historical contexts of its setting, thus providing a unique insight into the changing face of the suburbs and, by extension, of American society."...>>

View

09.01.2022

“American Gothic: New Interventions in a National Narrative” edited by Robert K. Martin and Eric Savoy

Magick Matters

"In America as in Britain, the rise of the Gothic represented the other—the fearful shadows cast upon Enlightenment philosophies of common sense, democratic positivism, and optimistic futurity. Many critics have recognized the centrality of these shadows to American culture and self-identification. American Gothic, however, remaps the field by offering a series of revisionist essays associated with a common theme: the range and variety of Gothic manifestations in high and popular art from the roots of American culture to the present. The thirteen essayists approach the persistence of the Gothic in American culture by providing a composite of interventions that focus on specific issues—the histories of gender and race, the cultures of cities and scandals and...>>

View

09.01.2022

“Heavenly Masters: Two Thousand Years of the Daoist State” by Vincent Goossaert

Magick Matters

"The origins of modern Daoism can be traced to the Church of the Heavenly Master (Tianshidao), reputedly established by the formidable Zhang Daoling. In 142 CE, according to Daoist tradition, Zhang was visited by the Lord on High, who named him his vicar on Earth with the title Heavenly Master. The dispensation articulated an eschatological vision of saving initiates―the pure, those destined to become immortals―by enforcing a strict moral code. Under evolving forms, Tianshidao has remained central to Chinese society, and Daoist priests have upheld their spiritual allegiance to Zhang, their now divinized founder. This book tells the story of the longue durée evolution of the Heavenly Master leadership and institution. Later hagiography credits Zhang...>>

View

09.01.2022

“Seeking Wisdom: A Spiritual Path to Creative Connection” by Julia Cameron

Magick Matters

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "Author Julia Cameron changed the way the world thinks about creativity when she first published The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity thirty years ago. Over five million copies later, Cameron now turns her attention to creative prayer, which she believes is a key facet of the creative life. In Seeking Wisdom, a 6 Week Artist’s Way Program, readers, too, will learn to pray. Tracing her own creative journey, Cameron reveals that prayer led her forward at a time of personal crisis. Unexpectedly, prayer became an indispensable support to her artistic life. The tools she created to save herself in her darkest hour became the tools she would share with the world...>>

View

09.01.2022

“Energy Secrets of Glastonbury Tor” by Nicholas R. Mann

Magick Matters

"Glastonbury Tor is acknowledged to be one of the most powerful sacred places in the British Isles. Wreathed in mystery since before recorded time, myths and legends abound about its role in the spiritual life of the people of these islands and beyond. Today the power of this place still evokes feelings of awe and wonderment. This book investigates the exact source of that power. In a remarkable breakthrough, drawing on new research and previously unpublished sources, Nicholas Mann reveals the ultimate purpose and function of this world famous landmark. He draws upon a synthesis of science and spirituality to challenge beliefs about the interaction between the worlds of body and spirit. His dramatic...>>

View