Dear Readers,
It has been a while since our last blog because we have been ever so busy here in the Avalonia office over the last few weeks! The Rite of Her Sacred Fires took place all over the world on the 16th of May 2011 through which it has now become a yearly celebration of the mysteries and magic of the Goddess Hekate. We believe that in 2011 around 4000-5000 people participated, though the exact figures are impossible to determine due to its very nature, though we know that this year many more groups and covens participated, alongside the solitary practitioners and theurgists. You can find out more about The Rite of Her Sacred Fires, as well as the project which inspired it, read messages from people who participated (and add your own) in the guestbook etc at www.sacredfires.co.uk
The most exciting news however is that the new book by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine, being the long-awaited COSMIC SHEKINAH is now available! This book is a historical study of the feminine divine as she appears in the Bible and Kabbalah, and also searches for her origins amongst the many ancient Goddess of Wisdom (including Inanna, Ishtar, Asherah, Isis, Maat and many others). No doubt this will be a most excellent reference work for those of you interested in the Kabbalah – as well as for those of you who want to learn more about the interconnectedness of the different ancient Goddesses of antiquity – and how they live(d) on through Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Gnosticism, before being rediscovered in modern times. You can find out more at http://avaloniabooks.co.uk/221/new/the-cosmic-shekinah/ (signed copies available if you request at the time of ordering).
Within the next few days pre-0rders will also be opening for THE GRIMOIRE OF ARTHUR GAUNTLETT – which is a 17th century grimoire which belonged to an English cunning man who was based in London. It is a fascinating collection of material, some of which he copied from other grimoires – and some from other sources or of his own making and provides a glimpse into a sometimes forgotten field of magic which was commonplace (and still continues to be practiced today!) all over England, Wales and Cornwall. The manuscript has been painstakingly transcribed by David Rankine over the last few years, with help from a number of linguists. David has also written an excellent introduction to the manuscript which sets the context of the material, together with editorial footnotes throughout the text to provide insights and explanations of the material. This is possibly one of the most important works of its kind to be published as it provides an unbiased perspective for those interested in cunning craft today; as well as those who are looking for magical traditions native to the UK to explore as part of their work. For scholars of 17th century London, and for others who are interested in the history and culture of the time it will also provide many interesting insights into an area of study which still needs a great deal more exploration! So keep an eye out for that!
We would also like to remind those of you who are looking for something a bit more relaxing that An Ogham Wood, the first novel to be published by Avalonia, is now available on Amazon, and Amazon Kindle. Details of this and other books we currently have available on Kindle can be found at http://avaloniabooks.co.uk/221/amazon-kindle/ —- we hope to make additional books available in this format in the near future.
~ May your Imagination Roam Free! ~
www.avaloniabooks.co.uk
