The mysterious art of magic has been a source of wonderment since before the time of Christ. Shape shifting between the supernatural practices of 'real' magic and demonstrations of dazzling illusion, magic has been used to conjure the evil eye, burn villages to the ground, slice women in half, and save men from being crushed to death by five tonnes of cement. Robert Ralley's history takes us deep into this magical underworld to reveal the astounding stories of some of the world's greatest ...

The mysterious art of magic has been a source of wonderment since before the time of Christ. Ranging from the supernatural practices of ‘black’ magic to demonstrations of dazzling illusion, magic has been called on to conjure the evil eye, burn villages to the ground, and slice women in half. From the astrology of the three wise men to David Blaine’s ‘stunts’, Robert Ralley delves into this magical underworld and illuminates the dangerous balance between illusion, fraud, and wickedness tha...

The Truth RevealedFreemasons have been connected to the all-seeing eye on the dollar bill, the French Revolution, the Knights Templar, and the pyramids of Egypt. They have been rumored to be everything from a cabal of elite power brokers ruling the world to a covert network of occultists and pagans intent on creating a new world order, to a millennia-old brotherhood perpetuating ancient wisdom through esoteric teachings. Their secret symbols, rituals, and organization have remained...

This "magisterial account" explores the fear of witchcraft across the globe from the ancient world to the notorious witch trials of early modern Europe ( The Guardian, UK).The witch came to prominence—and often a painful death—in early modern Europe, yet her origins are much more geographically diverse and historically deep. In The Witch, historian Ronald Hutton sets the European witch trials in the widest and deepest possible perspective and trace...

Whether or not The Illuminati – an elite body claiming an ancient pedigree – does exist, it is important that growing numbers of people nonetheless do believe it exists. So does it exist? If so, is it a force for evil or a force for good - or, as some would have it, a conspiracy aimed at making us believe there is a conspiracy? Was the Bavarian Illuminati of Adam Weishaupt the true inheritor of more ancient knowledge?A force for evil or a force for good? A movement whose benevolent...

"A great reference that explains the ins and outs of one of the oldest recognized traditions in Wicca . . . a marvelous find" (Hermetic Library).Everything is here in this most comprehensive and revealing work on the principles, rituals and beliefs of modern witchcraft, including: The Sabbats, Casting & Banishing the Magic Circle, The Complete Book of Shadows, The Great Rite, Initiation Rites, Consecration Rites, Spells, Witches' Tools, Witchcraft & Sex, Running a ...

The New York Times–bestselling author of Fear of Flying celebrates witches in a gorgeously illustrated brew of witchcraft lore, potions, secrets, and myth.With a mix of genuine fascination, passionate enthusiasm, and keen feminist insight, Erica Jong wades through a bog of myths, misinformation, historical hysteria, and contemporary Halloween costumes to offer a generous exploration and celebration of witches.From their origins as descenda...

Ronald Hutton is known for his colourful and provocative writings on original subjects. This work is no exception: for the first full-scale scholarly study of the only religion England has ever given the world; that of modern pagan witchcraft, which has now spread from English shores across four continents. Hutton examines the nature of that religion and its development, and offers a microhistory of attitudes to paganism, witchcraft, and magic in British society since 1800. Itspages reveal...

In her new account of an old religion, Lynn Picknett explains that Lucifer means 'the light bringer' and was a personification of the Morning Star, the planet Venus and its goddess. 'He' was originally 'she' -- a divine representation of love, light and human warmth. The early Christian Church appropriated the name Lucifer, and it became synonymous with darkness and the Devil. Yet many great thinkers have covertly followed the old Luciferan way, most famously Leonardo da Vinci, who encrypt...

The first complete historical and philosophical investigation into the “invisible fraternity” of the Rosicrucians• Contains the latest research on the origins of the Rosicrucian movement• Presents the ties between Rosicrucianism, Freemasonry, and the Templars• Written by a “perfected” Knight of the Rose Croix and the Pelican (18th degree, Ancient and Accepted Rite)For nearly 400 years, incredible myths and stories have been woven around the “invisible” Broth...

This New York Times bestselling work reimagines world history though the belief systems of Freemasons, Rosicrucians, Kabbalists, and others.They say that history is written by the victors. But what if history as we know it written by the wrong people? What if everything we've been told is only part of the story? In this groundbreaking and controversial work, Mark Booth embarks on an enthralling tour of our world's secret histories.Booth starts from a...

There is no one true history of Wicca. The history of Wicca is as varied as its current day practitioners. Some individuals believe that modern day Wicca stretches back through history in an unbroken chain all the way back to the cavemen. Some claim to be hereditary Witches with their lineages going back for hundreds of years.