The origins of the Wiccan Tradition have long been a subject of debate amongst practitioners and scholars alike. Did Gerald Gardner invent the tradition? Is Wicca a survival of a British folk magick system? Could it be a continuation of a European tradition of Pagan Witchcraft? Might it be that it evolved from Victorian ceremonial magick, or perhaps it is the modern manifestation of the medieval Grimoire Tradition?

In this book the authors explore the possible beginnings of the tradition by examining the practices in the context of magickal and spiritual thought spanning thousands of years.Through setting aside the endless debates about initiatory lineages, they look beyond the personalities of the people and instead focus on what they consider to be at the heart of the tradition – the practices. Evidence from many previously uncredited and unconsidered sources is examined. This clearly shows how all the significant component parts of Wiccan ritual and practice have roots reaching back, in some instances thousands of years, before its public emergence at the hands of Gerald Gardner in 1950’s England. They explore the sometimes surprising antecedents for key practices such as initiation, magick circles, ritual tools, the invocation of the Guardians of the Watchtowers, Drawing Down the Moon and The Great Rite. The precedents for the Book of Shadows, Wiccan Rede and Charge of the Goddess are also considered as part of this groundbreaking work.

Wicca Magickal Beginnings may well answer as many questions as it creates about the true origins and nature of what is probably the most influential of the Western Esoteric Traditions today. Through combining scholarly research with practical knowledge, the authors clearly illustrate that the future of the tradition lies in utilising the rich diversity of its past, through the appreciation of its magickal origins and the untapped potential inherent in it.

This book will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in the history, practices and beliefs of the Wiccan Tradition – and its links to Paganism, Witchcraft, the British Folk Traditions and Ceremonial Magick.

*** * ***
"Fascinating stuff. Definitely a book worth getting if you’re at all interested in Thelema and Wicca.” Rodney Orpheus (Author of Abrahadabra: Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic Magick)

"... the New Forest coven, which some die-hard skeptics refuse to believe ever existed, was not a figment of Gardner’s imagination and that he did not just cobble together the rites of Wicca from books. Personally, I would go along with d’Este and Rankine. Highly recommended” Michael Howard (Editor of The Cauldron, and author of MODERN WICCA)

"Long awaited, and sorely needed in both the academic and Pagan community… Wicca Magickal Beginnings is, in one word, brilliant. In another word it is ‘orgasmic’ for the academic in me, ‘scintillating’ for the Pagan in me, and ‘un-put-downable’ (okay, so it’s technically not a word…) for the avid reader in me. " Kim Huggens (Author of SOL INVICTUS and editor of 'Vs.')

"By emphasising the link to ceremonial magick, the authors actually reinforce Wicca’s connection to original European witchcraft… “Magickal Beginnings” pulls together all the subjects that will interest wiccans, but which are usually too diverse to be found in one place… a vital part of many wiccans’ bookshelves.” Stephen Blake (The Apple Branch)

"This is an excellent book, set to become a classic that will be found on every Wiccan’s bookshelf, alongside The Triumph of the Moon.. and Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration." Vogelbere

"this is an exceptional book of references and one which I was hard pressed to find fault with. The material here will spark some interesting discussions, to say the least." Boudica (TWPT.com)

With something of interest for both the newcomer and the scholar Wicca:Magickal Beginnings should find a place in any serious collection.” Pagan Dawn Magazine, Pagan Federation

The origins of the Wiccan Tradition have long been a subject of debate amongst practitioners and scholars alike. Did Gerald Gardner invent the tradition? Is Wicca a survival of a British folk magick system? Could it be a continuation of a European tradition of Pagan Witchcraft? Might it be that it evolved from Victorian ceremonial magick, or perhaps it is the modern manifestation of the medieval Grimoire Tradition?

In this book the authors explore the possible beginnings of the tradition by examining the practices in the context of magickal and spiritual thought spanning thousands of years.Through setting aside the endless debates about initiatory lineages, they look beyond the personalities of the people and instead focus on what they consider to be at the heart of the tradition – the practices. Evidence from many previously uncredited and unconsidered sources is examined. This clearly shows how all the significant component parts of Wiccan ritual and practice have roots reaching back, in some instances thousands of years, before its public emergence at the hands of Gerald Gardner in 1950’s England. They explore the sometimes surprising antecedents for key practices such as initiation, magick circles, ritual tools, the invocation of the Guardians of the Watchtowers, Drawing Down the Moon and The Great Rite. The precedents for the Book of Shadows, Wiccan Rede and Charge of the Goddess are also considered as part of this groundbreaking work.

Wicca Magickal Beginnings may well answer as many questions as it creates about the true origins and nature of what is probably the most influential of the Western Esoteric Traditions today. Through combining scholarly research with practical knowledge, the authors clearly illustrate that the future of the tradition lies in utilising the rich diversity of its past, through the appreciation of its magickal origins and the untapped potential inherent in it.

This book will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in the history, practices and beliefs of the Wiccan Tradition – and its links to Paganism, Witchcraft, the British Folk Traditions and Ceremonial Magick.

*** * ***
"Fascinating stuff. Definitely a book worth getting if you’re at all interested in Thelema and Wicca.” Rodney Orpheus (Author of Abrahadabra: Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic Magick)

"... the New Forest coven, which some die-hard skeptics refuse to believe ever existed, was not a figment of Gardner’s imagination and that he did not just cobble together the rites of Wicca from books. Personally, I would go along with d’Este and Rankine. Highly recommended” Michael Howard (Editor of The Cauldron, and author of MODERN WICCA)

"Long awaited, and sorely needed in both the academic and Pagan community… Wicca Magickal Beginnings is, in one word, brilliant. In another word it is ‘orgasmic’ for the academic in me, ‘scintillating’ for the Pagan in me, and ‘un-put-downable’ (okay, so it’s technically not a word…) for the avid reader in me. " Kim Huggens (Author of SOL INVICTUS and editor of 'Vs.')

"By emphasising the link to ceremonial magick, the authors actually reinforce Wicca’s connection to original European witchcraft… “Magickal Beginnings” pulls together all the subjects that will interest wiccans, but which are usually too diverse to be found in one place… a vital part of many wiccans’ bookshelves.” Stephen Blake (The Apple Branch)

"This is an excellent book, set to become a classic that will be found on every Wiccan’s bookshelf, alongside The Triumph of the Moon.. and Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration." Vogelbere

"this is an exceptional book of references and one which I was hard pressed to find fault with. The material here will spark some interesting discussions, to say the least." Boudica (TWPT.com)

With something of interest for both the newcomer and the scholar Wicca:Magickal Beginnings should find a place in any serious collection.” Pagan Dawn Magazine, Pagan Federation

A guide to the open-heart wisdom and secret rites of passage of thirteen sacred temples in Egypt

• Provides information on how to thrive as we move from the Piscean to the Aquarian age

• Offers guided meditations and rituals that connect to the ancient power of the Flower of Life, the Djed Pillar, the Ka, the energy body, and more

• Includes a 50-minute CD of a guided journey of the Sphinx

The Temples of Light guides the reader, as the initiate, on a spiritual journey through thirteen of Egypt’s sacred temples--a journey into the sanctuary of the open heart. Each sacred site is a portal to ancient wisdom that can assist the modern-day pilgrim with everyday life issues and struggles--love, purpose, money, and health--and the deeper questions of enlightenment and our divine origin.

Danielle Rama Hoffman opens up sacred rites of passage that historically have been kept secret to forge a relationship with the temples of Egypt as allies and spirit guides. For example, the temple of Sakkara is associated with abundance; the temple of Abydos with remembering. The initiations in this book awaken intuition and the Sahu--the fully realized self--allowing connections to the power, magic, and wisdom of such sacred symbols as the Flower of Life, the Djed Pillar (the backbone of Osiris), the Ka, and the energy body. Hoffman’s guided meditations, rituals, and exercises also raise the reader’s vibration level, as we move from the Piscean to the Aquarian age. Embodying the wisdom of the open heart of these temples imparts a shift in consciousness from fear to bliss, from powerlessness to empowerment, opening the body, mind, and spirit to the infinite possibilities within. The book also includes a 50-minute CD of a guided journey of the Sphinx.

Reveals the hidden meaning of the Grail and a secret Christian doctrine for achieving higher consciousness

• Shows that Gnosticism is not a derivative of Christianity but the revelation of the true message of Jesus

• Describes the ancient relationship between water and spirit

• Explains the doctrine of immanence taught by Jesus at the Last Supper

• Features the translated source text from The Refutation of All Heresies by Bishop Hippolytus, the only existing record of the Naassene Sermon

In the third century C.E., the Catholic Bishop Hippolytus composed A Refutation of All Heresies in which his chief target was the Gnostic sect the Naassenes, whose writings included a recounting of Jesus’ actual teachings at the Last Supper. Contrary to Church attacks, the Naassenes were not a heretical derivative of Christianity but the authentic foundation and purveyor of Christ’s message. In fact, much of what passes as Christianity has nothing to do with the original teachings of its founder.

The message recorded in the Naassene Sermon was intended for an inner circle of disciples who were prepared for advanced initiation into Jesus’ wisdom teachings. The Grail discussed therein was not an actual chalice but a symbol of the indwelling of the divine. The teachings involved the awakening of spirit and included practices aimed at restoring the soul’s lost connection with God. Immanence, in the true sense intended by Jesus, thus allows for spiritual attainment in this life by ordinary individuals without the intermediary of Church or priest. This was the real meaning of the Last Supper and why the Naassenes believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of all the Mystery traditions.

Founded upon the revolutionary premise that High Magick can be distilled to a few powerful and efficient steps, Louis T. Culling’s original edition of this classic magick book broke all the rules.

Llewellyn is proud to present an updated and expanded edition of this pioneering work.

The G.^..B.^..G.^.., or “Great Brotherhood of God,” was a magickal order founded by acclaimed magician Frater Genesthai. Louis T. Culling, one of the initial members of the G.^..B.^..G.^.. in California, was instructed by Genesthai to reveal the Order’s magickal curriculum when the time was right.

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, publisher of Culling’s original edition of this book, offers illuminating commentary, definitions, and discussion points to render these profound magickal philosophies and practices even more accessible and relevant for contemporary magickal practice. This new edition is also an interesting philosophical commentary, answering a number of questions about historical occult orders and figures like Aleister Crowley. The techniques taught in this curriculum include:

—Dream Recall and Interpretation   
—Functioning in the Borderland
—Finding One’s True Magickal Identity   
—The Retirement Ritual
—The Invocation of Thoth   
—Ritual Divination
—Imprinting the I Ching on the Body   
—The Three Degrees of Sex Magick
—Thelema and the Magickal Will   
—Invocation of Human Quality
—The Rite of Transubstantiation  
—Conversations with a God
—Magickal Offspring—the Familiar   
—The Great Lunar Trances

Founded upon the revolutionary premise that High Magick can be distilled to a few powerful and efficient steps, Louis T. Culling’s original edition of this classic magick book broke all the rules.

Llewellyn is proud to present an updated and expanded edition of this pioneering work.

The G.^..B.^..G.^.., or “Great Brotherhood of God,” was a magickal order founded by acclaimed magician Frater Genesthai. Louis T. Culling, one of the initial members of the G.^..B.^..G.^.. in California, was instructed by Genesthai to reveal the Order’s magickal curriculum when the time was right.

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, publisher of Culling’s original edition of this book, offers illuminating commentary, definitions, and discussion points to render these profound magickal philosophies and practices even more accessible and relevant for contemporary magickal practice. This new edition is also an interesting philosophical commentary, answering a number of questions about historical occult orders and figures like Aleister Crowley. The techniques taught in this curriculum include:

—Dream Recall and Interpretation   
—Functioning in the Borderland
—Finding One’s True Magickal Identity   
—The Retirement Ritual
—The Invocation of Thoth   
—Ritual Divination
—Imprinting the I Ching on the Body   
—The Three Degrees of Sex Magick
—Thelema and the Magickal Will   
—Invocation of Human Quality
—The Rite of Transubstantiation  
—Conversations with a God
—Magickal Offspring—the Familiar   
—The Great Lunar Trances

Founded upon the revolutionary premise that High Magick can be distilled to a few powerful and efficient steps, Louis T. Culling’s original edition of this classic magick book broke all the rules.

Llewellyn is proud to present an updated and expanded edition of this pioneering work.

The G.^..B.^..G.^.., or “Great Brotherhood of God,” was a magickal order founded by acclaimed magician Frater Genesthai. Louis T. Culling, one of the initial members of the G.^..B.^..G.^.. in California, was instructed by Genesthai to reveal the Order’s magickal curriculum when the time was right.

Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, publisher of Culling’s original edition of this book, offers illuminating commentary, definitions, and discussion points to render these profound magickal philosophies and practices even more accessible and relevant for contemporary magickal practice. This new edition is also an interesting philosophical commentary, answering a number of questions about historical occult orders and figures like Aleister Crowley. The techniques taught in this curriculum include:

—Dream Recall and Interpretation   
—Functioning in the Borderland
—Finding One’s True Magickal Identity   
—The Retirement Ritual
—The Invocation of Thoth   
—Ritual Divination
—Imprinting the I Ching on the Body   
—The Three Degrees of Sex Magick
—Thelema and the Magickal Will   
—Invocation of Human Quality
—The Rite of Transubstantiation  
—Conversations with a God
—Magickal Offspring—the Familiar   
—The Great Lunar Trances

Tools to powerfully write about and manifest your life using the power found in the sacred sites of ancient Egypt

• Reveals how to create meaning from one’s life experiences and manifest new destinies through spiritual writing

• Contains meditations and creative writing exercises exploring sacred themes in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and other hieroglyphic texts of ancient Egypt

• Shares transformative and inspiring pieces written by those who’ve attended the authors’ Egyptian sacred tours

Within each of us is a story, a sacred story that needs to be told, of our heroic efforts and of our losses. The scribes of ancient Egypt devoted their lives to the writing of sacred stories. These technicians of the sacred were masters of hieroglyphic thinking, or heka--the proper words, in the proper sequence, with the proper intonation and the proper intent. Learning heka provided scribes with the power to invoke and create worlds through their words and thoughts. To the writer, heka is a magical way to create meaning from experience. Through heka we manifest new visions and new relationships to ourselves and to others. We can make new art filled with beauty and light.

Revealing the spiritually transformative power of writing, the authors take us on a journey of self-discovery through the sacred sites of Egypt, from the Temple of Isis to the Great Pyramid of Giza. Through meditations and creative writing exercises exploring the powerful themes found in the hieroglyphic texts of ancient Egypt and the Egyptian Book of the Dead, they show how, through writing, we can live beyond the ordinary, give our dreams form, and discover who we really are and what our lives really mean. Sharing transformative and inspiring pieces written by those who’ve attended their Egyptian sacred tours, the authors reveal how writing your spiritual biography allows you to reconnect to the creativity and divine within, face your fears, offer gratitude for what you have, manifest new destinies, and recognize your life as part of the sacred story of Earth.

The Perennial Tradition has taken many names over the centuries, including Hermeticism, Philosophia, Neo-Plataonism, Illuminism, Alchemy, Cabala, Magic, Gnosticism, Esotericism and Sufism. It is the single stream of initiatory teaching flowing through all the great schools of mysticism. The Perennial Tradition is another wake-up call. It was written to assist readers to awaken to the Higher Spiritual World."

Dionysus! This name has been on the lips of thousands of people in different places since the earliest of times. And if he is still written about, it means that He is present.

Herodotus tells us that he originated in Egypt. Other writers have suggested Thrace, Lydia or Phrygia; others still indicate Crete where tablets dating back to the XV century B.C. have been found. On them the names of Dionysus and the "Lady of the Labyrinth", Ariadne, are inscribed.

Homer mentions Dionysus too, long before the majority of Greeks came to accept him as the Savior. We should agree that there are certain names behind which a Universal Principle is hidden. Indeed all Traditions, whether from the North, South, East or West speak of deities which, in the end, are equivalent.

And Orpheus? What can be said of this great Sage, Magus, Theologian, Innovator, Rectifier; this Rsi, to use Vedanta terminology?
As it will be attempted to demonstrate in these pages, Orpheus is another bridge-mediator, a great Avatara, who rectified the cult of Dionysus which had been degraded into superstitious practices.

Orpheus unveiled Truths of the intelligible order and, through music, created a science of Rite and of number. He instituted the Lesser and the Greater Mysteries, and left behind him such a profound mark, and vibration that they can still be perceived today. Furthermore, he had a considerable influence on the minds of the philosophers of ancient Greece and, consequently, on all the philosophers who came after him.