Magick Matters

“Forbidden Faith: The Secret History of Gnosticism” by Richard Smoley

"The success of books such as Elaine Pagels's Gnostic Gospels and Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code proves beyond a doubt that there is a tremendous thirst today for finding the hidden truths of Christianity – truths that may have been lost or buried by institutional religion over the last two millennia. In Forbidden Faith, Richard Smoley narrates a popular history of one such truth, the ancient esoteric religion of gnosticism, which flourished between the first and fourth centuries A.D., but whose legacy remains even today, having survived secretly throughout the ages."...>>

“The Secret History of the Gnostics: Their Scriptures, Beliefs and Traditions” by Andrew Phillip Smith

"The Secret History of the Gnostics offers long-awaited illumination on the mystical movement that teaches 'gnosis' - knowledge of God as opposed to unquestioning faith. Acclaimed author Andrew Phillip Smith delves into the myths and practices of this ancient movement, exploring its popularity during 2nd century AD, its subsequent decline under the weight of orthodoxy in the Church, and its present-day resurgence. Gnosticism has travelled a fascinating path - from the Manichaeans in Modern Persia between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD, to the triumphs and tragedies of the Cathars in Southern Europe between the 12th and 14th centuries, to, finally, today's Mandaeans in Iraq. However, as the author points out, the revival of...>>

“Hell: A Guide” by Anthony DeStefano

"Anthony DeStefano, the bestselling author of A Travel Guide to Heaven, takes us on an exploration of hell, the devil, demons, and evil itself. Written with clarity, logic, and vivid storytelling, Hell: A Guide takes up questions such as: Is hell a place or a state of being? What does hell look like? What kind of suffering do people in hell experience? What are the devil and demons really like? Rooted in solid, orthodox Christian scholarship, this one-of-a-kind book investigates everything there is to know about one of the most fascinating, yet often misunderstood, subjects of all time."...>>

“The Dagda: Meeting the Good God of Ireland” by Morgan Daimler (Pagan Portals)

"Get to know the Good God of Ireland through mythology, history, and modern worship. The Dagda is one of the most well-known of the Irish Gods, a king of the Tuatha De Danann and mediator between the Gods and mortals after the Gaels came to Ireland. A popular God among Irish and Celtic pagans, the Dagda is a powerful figure who reaches out to us from myth and memory. For those seeking to honor him today finding information can be difficult or confusing. Pagan Portals - the Dagda offers a place to begin untangling the complex history of this deity."...>>

“The Druidic Art of Divination: Understanding the Past and Seeing into the Future” by Jon G. Hughes

"In this practical guide, Jon G. Hughes shares ancient secret Druidic techniques of divination passed down to him across five generations in an unbroken lineage of influential Welsh Druids. Hughes explains the three forms of divination used by his tradition: interpretive divination, used by readers of the Sevens (small staves with engraved sigils); inductive divination, which includes instructions for reading the wind, reading smoke, and divination using water; and intuitive divination, whose tools includes cup-stones and slate mirrors for scrying. Providing step-by-step instructions for practices in each of the three forms, he offers a wealth of divinatory techniques and explains how to access the altered states of consciousness necessary to read time backward and forward....>>