Interview with Sorita d’Este – on WitchTalk Radio

For those interested in Hekate, Aphrodite, Artemis, Ritual, Trance, Dance and Magic … 8pm UK time, there will be a live interview on WitchTalk between Karagan and Sorita d’Este – its free, details can be found at — (you will also be able to listen to the archived show afterwards)  — visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/witchtalk for details of “Dancing at the Crossroads”

Visit for more information on Sorita d’Este visit her website www.sorita.co.uk

Lecture with Payam Nabarz, author of Stellar Magic, in Bath

For those of you within travelling distance of the amazing city of Bath (UK) you might be interested in a talk on ‘Stellar Magic’ by the author and mystic Payam Nabarz, he will be speaking about his latest book, published by Avalonia, Stellar Magic A practical guide to the rites of the Moon, Planets, Stars & Constellations.
Lecture details:

Host: Omphalos Magickal Moot
Date: Sunday, 08 November 2009
Time: 14:00 – 17:00
Location: Upstairs at the Huntsman Pub
Street: 1 Terrace Walk, North Parade
Town/City: Bath, United Kingdom

For more information on Payam Nabarz, and his book Stellar Magic see http://www.stellarmagic.co.uk

Practical Qabalah Magick – - Now Available!

Dear Reader,

Avalonia is proud to announce that Practical Qabalah Magick by David Rankine and Sorita d’Este is now available for order from our website.This book is the third in a series by these authors which brings together original research, source material and original practical rituals, exercises and meditations, following on from the very successful Practical Elemental Magick and Practical Planetary Magick books.

You can order your copy from http://www.avaloniabooks.co.uk today for just £14.99. To celebrate the launch of the third book in the series, we are also offering those readers who have not yet read the first two books, Practical Planetary Magick and Practical Elemental Magick, the chance to purchase all three titles together at a discounted price. See http://www.avaloniabooks.co.uk/offers.htm for details (Offer valid until 30 Nov 2009)

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Practical Qabalah Magick

Working the Magick of the Practical Qabalah and the Tree of Life in the Western Mystery Tradition

By David Rankine & Sorita d’Este

“The Qabalah gives understanding and wisdom through knowledge, strength and mercy through beauty, and a foundation of victory and splendour, crowning the seeker within their own kingdom and raising them to the heights of their own genius.”

The Qabalah is a uniquely lucid and practical path of magical practice and spiritual philosophy. The essence of this ancient wisdom is a spectrum of simple and effective techniques for transforming yourself and your life. Qabalistic practices focus around the glyph called the Tree of Life which weaves together the magick and symbolism of the four elements, the seven classical planets, and the zodiac into a single perfect whole.

In Practical Qabalah Magick, the most effective Qabalistic practices created by the great Qabalists of the past are united in one place with techniques developed by the authors drawing on their own research, and inspired by the rich heritage of the Western MysteryTradition.

The wealth of techniques within this unique and ground-breaking work include how to use your voice to project your intent through the Vibratory Formula and so effectively draw on the power of the Divine Names and other words of power, Unification of the Divine Names to rise up the Tree of Life, the power of effective prayer and how to develop the power of prophecy (Ruach HaQadosh), the temples of the Sephiroth, working with the archangels and angels (including the zodiacal archangels), the powers of the 22 Paths and how to use them, how to draw on the 231 Gates; the Lightning Flash exercise, a new Qabalistic method for consecrating talismans and the Kerubic Prayer Formula, being made publicly available for the first time.

Using the practices contained within this book to explore the beautiful and insightful philosophies of the Qabalah, you may journey through all of the Four Worlds. Practical Qabalah Magick provides the tools to grow with the magick of the Tree of Life and enhance your spiritual, mental, emotional and material lives.

To order your copy now, visit our website www.avaloniabooks.co.uk or www.avaloniabooks.com

Odin’s Gateways by Katie Gerrard – coming soon!

Odin’s Gateways

By Katie Gerrard

(Avalonia, November 2009)

Description:

“The runes you must find … Which the mighty sage stained and the powerful gods made and the runemaster of the gods carved out.”  (The Poetic Edda, translated by Carolyne Larrington)

The runes are mysterious and powerful magical keys to the primal forces of nature that shaped Norse and Northern European culture. These twenty-four unique and inspiring symbols of the Elder Futhark (first runic alphabet) each possess powerful energies, identities, meanings, and sounds. They are both the gateways and the hidden mysteries beyond the gateways, connecting you to the nine worlds of gods, giants, elves, dwarves and shades. The runes are invoked and harnessed to create change through inspiration, healing, protection, knowledge and divine wisdom from the Norse gods.

Odin’s Gateways is a practical guide to using the runes in our lives, in magic and in divination – a unique journey into the mysteries hidden within the runes, filled with the information and practices necessary to developing a deep personal understanding and relationship with them. By focusing on how to directly harness and channel the energy of the individual runes, the author guides the reader along the path to self knowledge and empowerment. With a deft hand and lucid style, Katie Gerrard cuts to the heart of the runes, combining the wisdom of the Norse Sagas and rune poems with practical advice and techniques gained through living and experiencing their powers.

The practical magic of the runes is demonstrated through numerous examples of Galdr (incantation), bindrunes (composite runic sigils) and spellcraft for purposes such as protection, healing, childbirth, creating a sacred space, fertility, sleep, battle and cursing. The divinatory meanings of the runes are given, with a range of different reading methods, and advice on how to cast and interpret them. Woven amongst the manifold techniques and practices contained in her work, the author also explores the history of rune use, providing the highlights from Tacitus and Snorri Sturluson to the modern European and American rune masters who have revived their use.

Priestesses Pythonesses & Sibyls! [Review in Wiccan Rede]

Its always good to see that books we have produced are being well received, and especially so with the anthology Priestesses Pythonesses and Sibyls, as we know how unique it is and how much the material in this book has already helped men and women who follow a path of Priesthood, and who through their roles as Priestesses (or Priests) also engage in trance work with the Gods and Goddesses.

The magazine WICCAN REDE (English / Nederlands quarterly, bi lingual and published in the Netherlands) includes the following review of Priestesses Pythonesses and Sibyls in their latest magazine (Samhain 2009):

“this is not the first book Sorita has edited, and she describes this book as follows:

‘Priestesses Pythonesses Sibyls lifts a veils to reveal the mystery of trance as exerpienced by female magickal practitioners today.  Through happiness and sorrow, myth and legend, art and poetry, through ritual and dance each woman expresses her own unique and personal transformative experiences of trance.  Whether through trance possession, mediumship, Drawing Down the Moon, oracular or mantic states, dance, dreams or formal ceremony the experiences and knowledge gained during trance states can bring dramatic changes to one’s life.  The practices represented in this volume are drawn from the experiences and research of more than twenty women from around the world, each providing a unique vision of their own experiences of the Divine.’

In a time when many of us are looking at ways in which we can experience the mysteries first hand this is an invaluable anthology.  Beginning with three essays describing historical figures such as the ‘The Pythia of Apollo in Delphi’ (Caroline Tully) the second part is devoted to recollections of personal experience.

From different traditions the essayists let us peek into their ‘kitchens’.  From Katie Gerrard writing from the Seidh tradition, to Marielle Holman writing as a dancer, to Naomi Ozaniec as a Priestess of Isis.

Each has describe their own highlights and sometimes lowlights.

Naomi in fact raises the question of the reason for sharing experiences.

“I now find myself wondering which personal stories to share and what purpose might be gained in their telling.  The magical injunction: “to be silent” holds much wisdom since intense personal experience is often too intimate to carry a general significance”

Yes it is a dilemma of our times.  When to keep silent?  I think that the art is to describe something of an experience, which can serve to inspire others.  I certainly found this book inspiring and encouraging at the same time.

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For more information on this anthology see Priestesses Pythonesses and Sibyls or visit our website http://www.avaloniabooks.co.uk/catalogue/titles/priestesses.htm We always recommend this book to those interested in trance and related practices, as well as (in particular women, but men would also benefit) those who are training for modern priesthood, whichever tradition – the experiences shared by the women in this volume crosses the boundaries.

Practical Qabalah Magick – Coming Soon!

PRACTICAL QABALAH MAGICK

By David Rankine & Sorita d’Este

Working the magick of the Tree of Life and the magickal Qabalah in the Western Mystery Tradition

Available from November 2009
from www.avaloniabooks.co.uk

EXPANDING THE ESOTERIC HORIZONS!

Stellar Magic – Extracts

For those of you who have been interested in finding out more about Stellar Magic by Payam Nabarz, you may be interested in the book’s website www.stellarmagic.co.uk .  The website contains extracts from the book, as well as interviews with the author Payam Nabarz (on Mithriasm), as well as a host of further resources for those readers interested in exploring Stellar Magic.

Enjoy!

“look inside” on Amazon

Over the last year or so many people have contacted and asked us if we could make “search inside” available for our titles on Amazon.  We listened, and this function is now available on a number of our titles, with more to follow in the near future.   Currently titles available with this function include:

• Wicca Magickal Beginnings by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine
• The Visions of the Cailleach by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine
• Priestesses Pythonesses & Sibyls by various (including Janet Farrar, Naomi Ozaniec, Nina Falaise, Kay Gillard, Jacqui Woodward-Smith, Vivienne O’Regan, Kim Huggens … and many more)
• Hekate Liminal Rites by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine
• Stellar Magic by Payam Nabarz
• Both Sides of Heaven by various (including Stephen Skinner, David Rankine, Aaron Leitch, Dan Harms, Kim Huggens, Rufus Harrington, Melissa Harrington, Julia Phillips, Michael Howard … and many more)

Simply click on “Look Inside” on the image of each title on the Amazon website of your choice to learn more.

Find that treasure …

The Book of Treasure Spirits is now available for pre-order from Avalonia - and includes conjurations of goetic spirits, old gods, demons and fairies which were done to uncover hidden treasure and to force thieves to return stolen goods.  It even includes a conjuration said to have been done for King Edward IV, King of England!

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The Book of Treasure Spirits –A Grimoire of magical conjurations to reveal treasure and catch thieves by invoking spirits, fallen angels, demons and fairies.

Introduction and Commentary by David Rankine; PB, £14.99, 186pp, ISBN 978-1-905297-27-6

Pre-orders will be shipped on or before the release date of 7 September 2009.

The HedgeWytch reviews HEKATE Liminal Rites

We know that Hekate Liminal Rites is one of the best books on the subject, and we know that it is a book that will continue to spark debate, discussion and exploration of the mysteries of the Goddess Hekate.  It is therefore a great thing to know that others are also enjoying the book, especially when they are such discerning readers such as the editorial team at The HedgeWytch Magazine – www.sothisstar.co.uk, here is an extract of what they said, to read the full magazine which includes articles by Pete Nash, Isobella Faye, Michael Hower, Shani Oates, Bill, G Nottingham, Chattering Magpie and many others see the website for subscription details.  The review is from issue #47:

“For all of you who are drawn to this most fascinating liminal goddess, Hekate, you will not be disappointed.  And for those of you who wish to explore and learn more about Hekate, then this is certainly for you.  Drawn from historical sources, the reader is taken on a journey from Hekate as Phosphorus (light bringer) and liminal goddess of the gate through the exploration of some of her most well known titles from (in alphabetical order) Chthonia (‘earthly one’) to Trioditis (‘of the three ways’).  Just this list of titles will draw the reader in.  ….  ….. ….. …. A highly recommended read for all.”