Ancient magical practices to integrate into everyday life. Drawing on her Italian strega (witch) heritage, Rose Inserra's guide to the folk magic of this ancient culture is a treasure trove of Italian folklore, customs, magic and healing practices that will simplify your life and declutter your mind and heart. These practices fulfill the most basic needs of life: warmth, nourishment and connection to the magical and the spiritual. Discover unique Italian witchcraft such as spells, charms and curse removal and learn how to make divination tools, protective amulets and invocations. You'll also find kitchen and herbal witchery with natural remedies to create, spells for love and potions, and recipes for food, wine and even beauty. Delve into Italian spiritual practices and learn about dreams, divination and working with your ancestors, saints and angels, deities, fairies and nature spirits. Brimming with history, culture, remedies, folklore, recipes and – most of all – magic, this book is for anyone fascinated by ancient magical practices with deep connections to nature and the environment – or who wants to discover their Italian heritage.

The most comprehensive study available of neo-pagan religious movements in North America and Europe. Modern Paganism in World Cultures collects the work of specialists in religion, folklore, and related fields to provide a comprehensive treatment of the movement to reestablish pre-Christian religions. Detailed accounts of the belief systems and rituals of each religion, along with analysis of the cultural, social, and political factors fueling the return to ancestral religious practice, make this a rich, singular resource. Scandinavian Asatru, Latvian Dievturi, American Wicca—long-dormant religions are taking on new life as people seek connection with their heritage and look for more satisfying approaches to the pressures of postmodernism. The Neopagan movement is a small but growing influence in Western culture. This book provides a map to these resurgent religions and an examination of the origins of the Neopagan movement.

This volume offers 18 studies linked together by a common focus on the circulation and reception of motifs and beliefs in the field of folklore, magic, and witchcraft. The chapters traverse a broad spectrum both chronologically and thematically; yet together, their shared focus on cultural exchange and encounters emerges in an important way, revealing a valuable methodology that goes beyond the pure comparativism that has dominated historiography in recent decades. Several of the chapters touch on gender relations and contact between different religious faiths, using case studies to explore the variety of these encounters. Whilst the essays focus geographically on Europe, they prefer to investigate relationships over highlighting singular, local traits. In this way, the collection aims to respond to the challenge set by recent debates in cultural studies, for a global history that prioritises inclusivity, moving beyond biased or learned attachments toward broader and broadening foci and methods. With analysis of sources from manuscripts and archival documents to iconography, and drawing on writings in Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, and other languages, this volume is essential reading for all students and scholars interested in cultural exchange and ideas about folklore, magic, and witchcraft in medieval and early modern Europe.

Histories you can trust. This history provides a readable and fresh approach to the extensive and complex story of witchcraft and magic. Telling the story from the dawn of writing in the ancient world to the globally successful Harry Potter films, the authors explore a wide range of magical beliefs and practices, the rise of the witch trials, and the depiction of the Devil-worshipping witch. The book also focuses on the more recent history of witchcraft and magic, from the Enlightenment to the present, exploring the rise of modern magic, the anthropology of magic around the globe, and finally the cinematic portrayal of witches and magicians, from The Wizard of Oz to Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This richly illustrated history provides a readable and fresh approach to the extensive and complex story of witchcraft and magic. Telling the story from the dawn of writing in the ancient world to the globally successful Harry Potter films, the authors explore a wide range of magical beliefs and practices, the rise of the witch trials, and the depiction of the Devil-worshipping witch. The book also focuses on the more recent history of witchcraft and magic, from the Enlightenment to the present, exploring the rise of modern magic, the anthropology of magic around the globe, and finally the cinematic portrayal of witches and magicians, from The Wizard of Oz to Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Looks at the history and practices of witchcraft, including tools of the craft, ancient sites, the use of spells and potions, and events in the witches' calendar.

Providing the first truly accessible, stunningly illustrated analysis of the supernatural, Divine Magic traces the history of mysteries and superstitions, miracles and mysticism, magic and wizardry. With an exploration of the different aspects of the supernatural, the authors bring a palpable sense of exploration and adventure to the page and screen with an adaptation airing on The Discovery Channel.