Dramatic rituals for the seasonal ceremonies and festivals linked with the waxing and waning of the natural year.

Fully revised and expanded with fresh insights, this new edition of The Elements of Ritual is a must-have resource on Wiccan ritual. Not only does it teach you step-by-step how to cast a circle, but it also explains why each step is important. Deborah Lipp looks at every phase through an elemental lens, revealing the process (earth), mythology (water), mystical inspiration (fire), and theology (air) behind it. The Elements of Ritual now features updates throughout on gender and polarity as well as all-new sections on the history of elemental associations and raising the cone of power. This edition also includes alternate orders for the traditional steps of ritual. You will learn how to write your own rituals, discover new ideas on magical tools, and use meditations to deepen your understanding of Wicca's most enduring rite.

The Study of Witchcraft is a compendium for Wiccans who want to deepen their understanding of their traditions. Advanced Wiccan reaches beyond Wicca, delving into topics as diverse as history, psychology, divination, and lucid dreaming, The Study of Witchcraft introduces the reader to these topics, discussing each in depth and offering a one-of-a-kind course of study -- including recommended reading, offering readers --increasingly, solitary witches -- a self-study guide and a rich resource. The Study of Witchcraft includes information for all sorts of Wiccans; traditional, eclectic, radical, groups, and solitary. Wide-ranging topics also include Western occultism, myth and folklore, meditation, astrology, the Burning Times, history, herbalism, and much more. Deborah Lipp opens the book with a discussion of the past 40 years of Wiccan history and talks about the diverse people who call themselves Wiccans. Then, throughout the study guide portion, she offers information tailored to different types of Wiccans. Essentially, The Study of Witchcraft is a veritable master's degree in Wicca in book form! * Written for the needs of the modern wiccan, who learns primarily by self-study.

Learn everything you need to know about setting up and running your own Wiccan coven--including how you can use aspects of astrology to help guide you--when you get The Witch's Circle (previously titled Circle of the Cosmic Muse) by Maria Kay Simms. Although there are many excellent guides to setting up covens, The Witch's Circle is by far the most complete. It covers all of the theory and practice you need to run a coven: The New Renaissance of spirituality and how it relates to astrological ages The ethics and practice of contemporary Wicca Magick: theory, healing, protection, raising energy, and more The order and parts of ritual Astrology and ritual Rituals for the eight Sabbats Full Moon rituals for a year: the astrological moons Other rituals including: handfasting, memorials, healing, cleansing and charging a place, and more How to find or start a circle Making ritual accessories including robes, wreaths, masks, and wands Herbs and oils Music for ritual, including over two dozen songs and chants The Witch's Circle is a serious Wiccan Book of Shadows that will teach you to incorporate the archetypes of astrology into your practice. Wicca and astrology together create a potent tool for understanding the dualities of the Wheel of the Year--and for expressing them in powerful new ways. The Witch's Circle is the only book of rituals that uses the deep insights of astrology to unlock the ancient spiritual mysteries of Wicca. This unique joining of Wicca and astrology is key to deciphering the hidden symbolism of Wicca and enriching your spiritual practice. Written by a High Priestess-astrologer of an active Wiccan coven, the living rituals presented in The Witch's Circle are the first of their kind. You can practice them to express the vital energy underlying each Pagan celebration--and to experience Wicca more fully than you ever have before.

This unparalleled introduction to cults and new religiousmovements has been completely up-dated and expanded to reflect thelatest developments; each chapter reviews the origins, leaders,beliefs, rituals and practices of a NRM, highlighting the specificcontroversies surrounding each group. A fully updated, revised and expanded edition of anunparalleled introduction to cults and new religious movements Profiles a number of the most visible, significant, andcontroversial new religious movements, presenting eachgroup’s history, doctrines, rituals, leadership, andorganization Offers a discussion of the major controversies in which newreligious movements have been involved, using each profiled groupto illustrate the nature of one of those controversies Covers debates including what constitutes an authenticreligion, the validity of claims of brainwashing techniques, theimplications of experimentation with unconventional sexualpractices, and the deeply rooted cultural fears that cultsengender New sections include methods of studying new religions in eachchapter as well as presentations on ‘groups towatch’

International apologists present a compelling and inspiring case for how to draw on the resurrection for everyday Christian living.