Magick Matters

“Psyched Up: How the Science of Mental Preparation Can Help You Succeed” by Daniel McGinn

"Closing the sale. Asking for a raise. Nailing the big presentation. Of the 2,000 hours you work every year, your success or failure is determined in the couple of dozen crucial hours when you need to bring your absolute best. Will you? The last few minutes before a major challenge can be terrifying. Ever wished you knew how to make sure you ace the make-or-break test, audition, or interview? We often feel the most powerless just before we’re expected to act powerful. As you’ll learn in this life-changing book, practice might make perfect, but perfection is useless if you can’t summon it when it counts. Pulling off a great speech or the pivotal at bat also...>>

“Digital Religion: The Basics” by Heidi A. Campbell and WEndi Bellar

🕵️🐷🕵️ zero-day🕵️🐷🕵️ "Digital Religion: The Basics explores how digital media and internet platforms are transforming religious practice in a digital age and the impact this has had on religious culture in contemporary society. Through exploring six defining characteristics of how religion is acted out online, including multisite reality, convergence practice, networked community, storied identity, shifting authority, and experiential authenticity, the book considers how digital religion both shapes, and is influenced by, religion offline. Questions asked include: How is religion being performed and reimagined through digital media and cultures? In what ways do the practices of religion online merge or correspond with shifts in perspective taking place in offline religious practice? ...>>

“Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Yuletide” by Christian Ratsch and Claudia Muller-Ebeling

"An examination of the sacred botany and the pagan origins and rituals of Christmas • Analyzes the symbolism of the many plants associated with Christmas • Reveals the shamanic rituals that are at the heart of the Christmas celebration The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world—practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place...>>

“Astrology for the Cosmic Soul: A Modern Guide to the Zodiac” by The Pulp Girls

"Explore your zodiac sign with the modern wit and style of The Pulp Girls, a dynamic duo dedicated to creating inclusive pulp art memes centering female empowerment. Astrology can provide a sense of recognition, a way of examining relationships, or even just a distraction from the uncertainty of real life. Filled with fun, pulp art–style illustrations, Astrology for the Cosmic Soul shows you how to find your own birth chart and the different celestial placements in it. After a review of astrology basics, The Pulp Girls break down each of the twelve sun signs of the zodiac with practical uses and just-for-fun facts like: Self-care tips Lucky charms ...>>

“In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial” by Mona Chollet

"Mona Chollet's In Defense of Witches is a "brilliant, well-documented" celebration (Le Monde) by an acclaimed French feminist of the witch as a symbol of female rebellion and independence in the face of misogyny and persecution. Centuries after the infamous witch hunts that swept through Europe and America, witches continue to hold a unique fascination for many: as fairy tale villains, practitioners of pagan religion, as well as feminist icons. Witches are both the ultimate victim and the stubborn, elusive rebel. But who were the women who were accused and often killed for witchcraft? What types of women have centuries of terror censored, eliminated, and repressed? Celebrated feminist writer Mona Chollet explores three types of women...>>