Magick Matters

“The Penguin Book of Cults” by Joseph P. Laycock

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "A chilling documentary history of the most notorious cults of the past two thousand years, from the Celtic druids whose ritual sacrifices inspired the folk horror film The Wicker Man all the way up to the Peoples Temple and Heaven’s Gate A Penguin Classic The word "cult" conjures images of people in thrall to a charismatic leader who extracts obedience through lies and threats, and of apocalyptic prophecies, ritual sacrifices, sexual perversion, and mass suicide. The Penguin Book of Cults charts the history of our fear of the religious other: the arrest and public execution of thousands of members of an ancient Roman cult devoted to Bacchus, the god of wine; the burning ...>>

“Mind over Magick: The Psychology of Ritual Magick” by Richard Kaczynski

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "A scientific examination of magical practice • Draws on peer-reviewed research in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, such as real-time brain imaging, to examine the effects of mystical states and magical practice • Shows how being "in the zone", as described by athletes and performers, is consistent with the ritualist’s state of mind when working magic • Suggests rituals and routines to strengthen one’s practice of magic, witchcraft, meditation, and yoga with empirically proven tools By looking through the lens of psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and real-time brain imaging, Mind over Magick shows how and why ritual magical practice can produce profound experiences with tangible benefits. Richard Kaczynski draws on a wealth of peer-reviewed research ...>>

“Ensouling the Effigy: The Witch’s Arte of Enspirited Objects” by Matthew Venus

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "Unlock the mysteries of poppet magic and fetish crafting with Ensouling the Effigy, a compelling guide that offers readers an in-depth exploration into the realm of spirit conjuration, spirit vessels, and otherworldly communication. This book is not just a manual; it's an invitation to journey into the heart of animism, where the witch and spirits are inseparable. Within these pages, you'll discover techniques for creating poppets, effigies, and spirit houses that serve as vessels for spiritual entities and magical power. Learn to craft your own ritual oils, incenses, washes, and smokes with a comprehensive formulary that provides the key ingredients and instructions to infuse your practices with authenticity and botanical magic. Written ...>>

“Tales of the Dark Feminine: Inspirational Stories of the World’s Fiercest Goddesses” by V. Castro

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "Dive into a dark, empowering world where folktales, horror and feminist magic collide. This collection features 26 modern retellings of legends and folktales about fierce female deities and spirits from around the world. Perfect for women who own their power. Dark goddess energy is powerful and transformative, embodying the sensual, the hunter, the warrior, the mother, and even the grotesque and horrific. These 26 tales of powerful female goddesses and spirits will entrance those daring enough to explore the shadows of the human psyche, offering lessons from our ancient origins and help us understand ourselves in today's world. Embrace your own inner darkness alongside these fierce deities and spirits, such as: The fierce ...>>

“Bargain Witch: Essays in Self-Initiation” by Brooke Palmieri

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "An occult history that grounds the sacred yearning for magic in real life. In these essays by scholar and self-initiated witch Brooke Palmieri, occult history, the eternal now, and our magickal queer futures align, connecting us to an enchantment both contemporary and classic. Drawing upon the knowledge and influence of practitioners from Rachel Pollack to Tituba, Palmieri grounds the sacred yearning for magic in real life, whether exploring the gossip of feuding Salem witches, paying the rent by playing “wizard” for news cameras, or detailing the psychic ups and downs of working in an occult bookshop. Written in a voice electrified with love for the craft and its lineage of eccentrics, Bargain Witch ...>>