Magick Matters

“The Shrinking Goddess: Power, Myth and the Female Body” by Mineke Schipper

"A radical exploration of the power and public (mis)representation of women’s bodies, from ancient mysteries to the present day. Wild and strange stories have been told about the female body since antiquity. While legends of poisoned hymens and fanged vaginas circulated, the first creation figure, Mother Earth, fell out of popular cultural history and Christianity introduced the birth of woman, Eve, from a crooked rib. Ranging from the empowering to the absurd, ancient tales about the female figure and gendered body parts have not only survived the twenty-first century but continue to influence modern discourse. The Shrinking Goddess brings together these myths about the female form and traces subsequent male efforts to "tame" it. Mineke Schipper...>>

“Suffering For Spirit: Empowerment Through Ordeal” by Thista Minai

"What is ordeal, and what makes an ordeal ritual unique among transformational experiences? How can suffering help us grow? When is anguish constructive, and how do we engage with hardship in a way that fosters positive growth? From carefully wrought intentional rituals to dealing with life’s inevitable challenges, Suffering for Spirit explores how agony can lead to personal empowerment. Here you'll discover new ways of thinking and talking about ordeal, learn how to design an ordeal ritual, dive into the role of the seeker, and contemplate life on the ordeal path."...>>

“The Astrology Advantage: Use Your Horoscope for Personal and Professional Success” by Ophira Edut and Tali Edut

"Maximize your professional and personal potential with this simple system that distills the wisdom of the zodiac into three distinct types and provides actionable advice, from renowned astrologers to the stars Ophira and Tali Edut, a.k.a. The AstroTwins. Did you know that astrology has an actionable daily practice, a secret code for unlocking unprecedented professional and personal success? Many people are familiar with their zodiac sign, but few people understand how to interpret it—and even fewer have any clue how to take action on it. The Astrology Advantage fills that gap—presenting the personal source code for every human; it serves as a spiritual science, a personality test on steroids, and a helpful inner guidance system. Your...>>

“Queer Hauntings: True Tales of Gay & Lesbian Ghosts” by Ken Summers

"Queer Hauntings: True Tales of Gay and Lesbian Ghosts is a collection of eerie locales worldwide with a queer bent, combining historical fact and unearthly encounters from across the United States, as well as around the globe. From haunted bars in New Orleans to a haunted theater in London, this guide encompasses the other side of the supernatural. The stories range from the serious, from brutal murders in rural Georgia, to the light-hearted, including the male spirit who enjoys unzipping men's trousers at a British pub. Ghosts of legendary celebrities intermingle with ordinary individuals. Along with these queer spirits are many businesses, either gay-owned or catering to a gay/lesbian clientele, experiencing hauntings. Clubs and...>>

“Queer as Folklore: The Hidden Queer History of Myths and Monsters” by Sacha Coward

"Queer as Folklore takes readers across centuries and continents to reveal the unsung heroes and villains of storytelling, magic and fantasy. Featuring images from archives, galleries and museums around the world, each chapter investigates the queer history of different mythic and folkloric characters, both old and new. Leaving no headstone unturned, Sacha Coward will take you on a wild ride through the night from ancient Greece to the main stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race, visiting cross-dressing pirates, radical fairies and the graves of the ‘queerly departed’ along the way. Queer communities have often sought refuge in the shadows, found kinship in the in-between and created safe spaces in underworlds; but these forgotten narratives tell stories...>>