30.11.2020

“Binding Words: Textual Amulets in the Middle Ages” by Don C. Skemer

Magick Matters

"In the Middle Ages, textual amulets—short texts written on parchment or paper and worn on the body—were thought to protect the bearer against enemies, to heal afflictions caused by demonic invasions, and to bring the wearer good fortune. In Binding Words, Don C. Skemer provides the first book-length study of this once-common means of harnessing the magical power of words. Textual amulets were a unique source of empowerment, promising the believer safe passage through a precarious world by means of an ever-changing mix of scriptural quotations, divine names, common prayers, and liturgical formulas. Although theologians and canon lawyers frequently derided textual amulets as ignorant superstition, many literate clergy played a central role in producing and...>>

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30.11.2020

“Witchcraft and Masculinities in Early Modern Europe” edited by Alison Rowlands

Magick Matters

"Men – as accused witches, witch-hunters, werewolves and the demonically possessed – are the focus of analysis in this collection of essays by leading scholars of early modern European witchcraft. The gendering of witch persecution and witchcraft belief is explored through original case-studies from England, Scotland, Italy, Germany and France."...>>

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30.11.2020

“Man as Witch: Male Witches in Central Europe” by Rolf Schulte

Magick Matters

"Witch-hunts in Central Europe were by no means focused only on women; one in four alleged witches was male. This study analyzes and describes the witch trials of men in French and German-speaking regions, opening up a little known chapter of early modern times, and revealing the conflicts from which witch-hunts of men evolved."...>>

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30.11.2020

“Crafting the Witch: Gendering Magic in Medieval and Early Modern England” by Heidi Breuer

Magick Matters

"This book analyzes the gendered transformation of magical figures occurring in Arthurian romance in England from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. In the earlier texts, magic is predominantly a masculine pursuit, garnering its user prestige and power, but in the later texts, magic becomes a primarily feminine activity, one that marks its user as wicked and heretical. This project explores both the literary and the social motivations for this transformation, seeking an answer to the question, 'why did the witch become wicked?' Heidi Breuer traverses both the medieval and early modern periods and considers the way in which the representation of literary witches interacted with the culture at large, ultimately arguing that a series of...>>

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30.11.2020

“Fire of the Goddess: Nine Paths to Ignite the Sacred Feminine” by Katalin Koda

Magick Matters

"You are a creator, lover, priestess, and healer―a multifaceted goddess with confidence, spiritual wisdom, and the power to reinvent yourself. Based on a lifetime of deep spiritual study and her firsthand experiences around the world, Katalin Koda offers an innovative way for you to bring the sacred feminine into your everyday life. Fire of the Goddess presents nine goddess archetypes that correspond with every woman's inherent gifts and the most important facets of her life: firebearer, initiate, warrioress, healer, consort, bodhisattva, priestess, weaver, and crone. For each archetype, you'll connect with its associated goddess―Pele, Artemis, Quan Yin, Isis, and others―through inspiring exercises, the power of myth, and a sacred ceremony. Form a...>>

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