Magick Matters

“Seasons of a Magical Life: A Pagan Path of Living” by H. Byron Ballard

"An invitation to return to a simpler time of earth-based spirituality and ritual living, through writings from a small forest-farm in the Appalachian Highlands. This book looks at the agricultural year as a starting space for a deepening of earth-centered spirituality. It gives a set of backstories to ease the reader into a time between the pre-industrial era and the modern one, into a place where the fast-moving stress of American life can be affected by a better connection not only to the natural world but to the elegant expression of the year as expressed through seasonal festivals and celebrations. The chapters are broken into four seasons, with the quarter days a highlight within each, and...>>

“Norse Myths” by Matt Ralphs (DK)

"Action-packed tales of extraordinary creatures and compelling gods, goddesses, and heroes come to life in this compendium of Norse myths. Explore the ancient stories told by the Vikings in this exciting new retelling — it's the perfect introduction for kids ages 7-9 who have an interest in mythology. Inside this stunning illustrated storybook for kids you’ll discover: • Compelling profiles of a wide variety of characters of Norse legends, complete with a reference section that sets the stories in context. • Twenty enthralling myths — some well-known, some less well-known — from Odin to Baldur. • A map of the Norse lands and a pronunciation guide. ...>>

“In Plain Sight: An investigation into UFOs and impossible science” by Ross Coulthart

"Award-winning investigative journalist Ross Coulthart has been intrigued by UFOs since mysterious glowing lights were reported near New Zealand's Kaikoura mountains when he was a teenager. The 1978 sighting is just one of thousands since the 1940s, and yet research into UFOs is still seen as the realm of crackpots and conspiracy theorists. In 2020, however, after decades of denial, the US Department of Defence made the astonishing admission that strange aerial and underwater objects frequently reported and videoed by pilots and tracked by sensors are real, unexplained, and pose a genuine national security concern. Compelled to investigate, Coulthart has embarked on what's become the most confronting and challenging story of his career, speaking to witnesses,...>>

“Jewish Magic before the Rise of Kabbalah” by Yuval Harari (kindle ebook version)

"Magic culture is certainly fascinating. But what is it? What, in fact, are magic writings, magic artifacts? Originally published in Hebrew in 2010, Jewish Magic Before the Rise of Kabbalah is a comprehensive study of early Jewish magic focusing on three major topics: Jewish magic inventiveness, the conflict with the culture it reflects, and the scientific study of both. The first part of the book analyzes the essence of magic in general and Jewish magic in particular. The book begins with theories addressing the relationship of magic and religion in fields like comparative study of religion, sociology of religion, history, and cultural anthropology, and considers the implications of the paradigm shift in the interdisciplinary understanding...>>

“Mabon: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Autumn Equinox” by DIana Rajchel

"A thanksgiving celebration for the second harvest, Mabon―also known as the Autumn Equinox―is a time to honor the spiritual significance of harvest, sacrifice, and survival. This guide shows you how to perform rituals and work magic that incorporates the shifting balance between light and dark that reaches its pinnacle during the equinox. Rituals Recipes Lore Spells Divination Crafts Correspondences Invocations Prayers Meditations Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials explore the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones of the witch's year."...>>