This magical introduction to witchcraft features a glossary of witches' terms, a collection of original spells from a 19th-century book of shadows, an occult alphabet, festival recipes, astrological lore and much more.

Do you seek to know more about the foundation and modern practices of witchcraft? In Witches’ Craft, Bruce Wilborn demystifies Wicca—a religion that is loving and nonjudgmental. Wicca’s strength is in its ability to provide spiritual light for a truly diverse group of people. However, its expansive range of rituals and traditions may be confusing to the new practitioner. Witches’ Craft provides detailed explanations of practices from each of the five major Wiccan traditions, removing the shroud of mystery surrounding one of the fastest-growing religions of the twenty-first century.

A gripping story of a family tragedy brought about by witch-hunting in Puritan New England that combines history, anthropology, sociology, politics, theology and psychology. “The best and most enjoyable kind of history writing. Malcolm Gaskill goes to meet the past on its own terms and in its own place…Thought-provoking and absorbing." —Hilary Mantel, best-selling author of Wolf Hall In Springfield, Massachusetts in 1651, peculiar things begin to happen. Precious food spoils, livestock ails, property vanishes, and people suffer convulsions as if possessed by demons. A woman is seen wading through the swamp like a lost soul. Disturbing dreams and visions proliferate. Children sicken and die. As tensions rise, rumours spread of witches and heretics and the community becomes tangled in a web of distrust, resentment and denunciation. The finger of suspicion soon falls on a young couple with two small children: the prickly brickmaker, Hugh Parsons, and his troubled wife, Mary. Drawing on rich, previously unexplored source material, Malcolm Gaskill vividly evokes a strange past, one where lives were steeped in the divine and the diabolic, in omens, curses and enchantments. The Ruin of All Witches captures an entire society caught in agonized transition between superstition and enlightenment, tradition and innovation.

The Witches’ Almanac is a sophisticated publication appealing to general readers as well as hard-core Wiccans. At one level, it is a pop reference that will fascinate anyone interested in folklore, mythology and culture, but at another, it is the most sophisticated annual guide available today for the mystic enthusiast. Founded in 1971 by Elizabeth Pepper, the art director of Gourmet magazine for many years, The Witches’ Almanac is a witty, literate, and sophisticated publication that appeals to general reads as well as hard-core Wiccans. At one level, it is a pop reference that will fascinate anyone interested in folklore, mythology and culture, but at another, it is the most sophisticated and wide-ranging annual guide available today for the mystic enthusiast. Modeled after the Old Farmers’ Almanac, it includes information related to the annual Moon Calendar (weather, forecasts, and horoscopes), as well as legends, rituals, herbal secrets, mystic incantations, interviews, and many a curious tale of good and evil. Although it is an annual publication, much of the content is both current and timeless—not specific to the date range of each issue. The theme of Issue 43 (Spring 2024 – Spring 2025) is Fire — Forging Freedom. Also included are articles on: Geomancy The Lunar Nodes Azorean Folklore Kitchen Magic - Soul Cakes The Trickiest Toad The Orisha Obatala and much more.

An Exploration of the Magic Rites and Practices of Traditional Witchcraft, both Past and Present, Nice and Naughty. The truth is, Magic is the stuff of Witchcraft; the very life-blood that gives vibrancy in all its other aspects. We are all born with a capacity for practicing Magic, yet it is a topic that strikes fear into many for what it might actually do to them. Magic has a bad reputation, notwithstanding that it guided our ancient ancestors to initially develop the survival skills and techniques that have ultimately led to our modern-day world of science and technology. Magic means pushing the boundaries of what might just be possible. It implies change and therefore unsanctioned Magic has always been seen as a threat to the status quo. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating discipline; exploring, developing, and expanding one’s own mental powers. It entails a quest. From the Magic of Love and Sex to Witcherie with a Purpose demands skill, determination, and ability. From Astral Projection to Psychic Protection; from Magical Healing to communicating with spiritual entities from the Astral; the practice of Traditional Witchcraft demands a knowledge of Apies Magic, both the Nice and the Naughty; but best not the practice of its really naughty aspects. A Witches’ Canon, Part 1, provides a fact-based referenced guide for those wishing to further explore the Religion and Celebratory Rituals of Traditional Wicca. A Witches’ Canon, Part 2, has been written to provide a practical, referenced guide to the social aspects of Traditional Wicca; of Coven Organization, Initiations, Rites, and Rituals. A Witches’ Canon, Part 3, is a fact-based referenced guide to the practice of Magical Witchcraft, both nice and naughty. But then, if it isn’t fun, then it ain’t worth doing.

The Malleus Maleficarum or "Hammer of Witches" is the best known and the most important treatise on witchcraft. It endorses extermination of witches and for this purpose develops a detailed legal and theological theory. It was a bestseller, second only to the Bible in terms of sales for almost 200 years. It was written by the Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer and first published in 1487. The Malleus elevates sorcery to the criminal status of heresy and prescribes inquisitorial practices for secular courts in order to extirpate witches. The recommended procedures include torture to effectively obtain confessions and the death penalty as the only sure remedy against the evils of witchcraft. At that time, it was typical to burn heretics alive at the stake and the Malleus encouraged the same treatment of witches. The book had a strong influence on culture for several centuries. It was later used by royal courts during the Renaissance, and contributed to the increasingly brutal prosecution of witchcraft during the 16th and 17th centuries.