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No idea is as absurd as the idea of progress, which together with its corollary notion of the superiority of modern civilization, has created its own “positive” alibis by falsifying history, by insinuating harmful myths in people’s minds, and by proclaiming itself sovereign at the crossroads of the plebeian ideology from which it originated. In order to understand both the spirit of Tradition and its antithesis, modern civilization, it is necessary to begin with the fundamental doctrine of the two natures. According to this doctrine there is a physical order of things and a metaphysical one; there is a mortal nature and an immortal one; there is the superior realm of “being” and the inferior realm of “becoming.” Generally speaking, there is a visible and tangible dimension and, prior to and beyond it, an invisible and intangible dimension that is the support, the source, and the true life of the former.--from chapter one. With unflinching gaze and uncompromising intensity Julius Evola analyzes the spiritual and cultural malaise at the heart of Western civilization and all that passes for progress in the modern world. As a gadfly, Evola spares no one and nothing in his survey of what we have lost and where we are headed. At turns prophetic and provocative, Revolt against the Modern Worldoutlines a profound metaphysics of history and demonstrates how and why we have lost contact with the transcendent dimension of being. The revolt advocated by Evola does not resemble the familiar protests of either liberals or conservatives. His criticisms are not limited to exposing the mindless nature of consumerism, the march of progress, the rise of technocracy, or the dominance of unalloyed individualism, although these and other subjects come under his scrutiny. Rather, he attempts to trace in space and time the remote causes and processes that have exercised corrosive influence on what he considers to be the higher values, ideals, beliefs, and codes of conduct--the world of Tradition--that are at the foundation of Western civilization and described in the myths and sacred literature of the Indo?Europeans. Agreeing with the Hindu philosophers that history is the movement of huge cycles and that we are now in the Kali Yuga, the age of dissolution and decadence, Evola finds revolt to be the only logical response for those who oppose the materialism and ritualized meaninglessness of life in the twentieth century. Through a sweeping study of the structures, myths, beliefs, and spiritual traditions of the major Western civilizations, the author compares the characteristics of the modern world with those of traditional societies. The domains explored include politics, law, the rise and fall of empires, the history of the Church, the doctrine of the two natures, life and death, social institutions and the caste system, the limits of racial theories, capitalism and communism, relations between the sexes, and the meaning of warriorhood. At every turn Evola challenges the reader’s most cherished assumptions about fundamental aspects of modern life. A controversial scholar, philosopher, and social thinker, JULIUS EVOLA (1898-1974) has only recently become known to more than a handful of English?speaking readers. An authority on the world’s esoteric traditions, Evola wrote extensively on ancient civilizations and the world of Tradition in both East and West. Other books by Evola published by Inner Traditions include Eros and the Mysteries of Love, The Yoga of Power, The Hermetic Tradition, and The Doctrine of Awakening.

In the traditions of every culture, plants have been highly valued for their nourishing, healing, and transformative properties. The most powerful plants--those known to transport the human mind into other dimensions of consciousness--have traditionally been regarded as sacred. In The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive PlantsChristian Rätsch details the botany, history, distribution, cultivation, and preparation and dosage of more than 400 psychoactive plants. He discusses their ritual and medicinal usage, cultural artifacts made from these plants, and works of art that either represent or have been inspired by them. The author begins with 168 of the most well-known psychoactives--such as cannabis, datura, and papaver--then presents 133 lesser known substances as well as additional plants known as “legal highs,” plants known only from mythological contexts and literature, and plant products that include substances such as ayahuasca, incense, and soma. The text is lavishly illustrated with 797 color photographs--many of which are from the author’s extensive fieldwork around the world--showing the people, ceremonies, and art related to the ritual use of the world’s sacred psychoactives.

The organizations and institutions that, in a traditional civilization and society, would have allowed an individual to realize himself completely, to defend the principal values he recognizes as his own, and to structure his life in a clear and unambiguous way, no longer exist in the contemporary world. Everything that has come to predominate in the modern world is the direct antithesis of the world of Tradition, in which a society is ruled by principles that transcend the merely human and transitory. Ride the Tigerpresents an implacable criticism of the idols, structures, theories, and illusions of our dissolute age examined in the light of the inner teachings of indestructible Tradition. Evola identifies the type of human capable of “riding the tiger,” who may transform destructive processes into inner liberation. He offers hope for those who wish to reembrace Tradition.

Fulfilling sex nourishes love, increases vitality, and boosts mental health. Unfortunately, prevailing attitudes about male sexuality and what is good sex work against these innate features by focusing on the excitement of ejaculation as the one and only goal. Using the tantric guidelines they have practiced for more than 25 years, Diana and Michael Richardson show men how to move beyond their preconceptions of sex as a goal-oriented--and often unintentionally stressful--event so they can relax into sex as a meditative union of complementary energies. They explain how retaining semen allows for increased vitality and extended lovemaking sessions and show the relationship-strengthening benefits of deep, sustained penetration. They also explain how to perform soft penetration and how to avoid premature ejaculation. Tantric Sex for Menincludes tried-and-true foreplay approaches, diagrams of sexual position sequences, ways to increase sexual sensitivity through awareness, and how to have ecstatic experiences through reaching a woman’s body on a sexually deeper level. The authors also demonstrate how the sexual organs can be used to heal both men and women physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who lived to be over 100 years old, was one of the greatest yogis of the modern era. Elements of Krishnamacharya's teaching have become well known around the world through the work of B. K. S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi, who all studied with Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya's son T. K. V. Desikachar lived and studied with his father all his life and now teaches the full spectrum of Krishnamacharya's yoga. Desikachar has based his method on Krishnamacharya's fundamental concept of viniyoga, which maintains that practices must be continually adapted to the individual's changing needs to achieve the maximum therapeutic value. In The Heart of YogaDesikachar offers a distillation of his father's system as well as his own practical approach, which he describes as ""a program for the spine at every level--physical, mental, and spiritual."" This is the first yoga text to outline a step-by-step sequence for developing a complete practice according to the age-old principles of yoga. Desikachar discusses all the elements of yoga--poses and counterposes, conscious breathing, meditation, and philosophy--and shows how the yoga student may develop a practice tailored to his or her current state of health, age, occupation, and lifestyle. This is a revised edition of The Heart of Yoga.

Translated by the eminent Taoist Master Alfred Huang, The Complete I Chinghas been praised by scholars and new students of the I Ching since its first edition. A native Chinese speaker, Master Huang first translated the original ideograms of the I Ching into contemporary Chinese and then into English, bringing forth the intuitive meanings embodied in the images of the I Ching and imbuing his translation with an accuracy and authenticity not possible in other English translations. However, what makes his translation truly definitive is his return to prominence of the Ten Wings, the commentaries by Confucius that are essential to the I Ching’s insights. This 10th anniversary edition offers a thorough introduction to the history of the I Ching, how to use it, and several new divination methods; in-depth and easy-to-reference translations of each hexagram name, description, and pictogram; and discussions of the interrelations between the hexagrams and the spiritual meaning of their sequence.

In his exciting and original view of the universe, Itzhak Bentov has provided a new perspective on human consciousness and its limitless possibilities. Widely known and loved for his delightful humor and imagination, Bentov explains the familiar world of phenomena with perceptions that are as lucid as they are thrilling. He gives us a provocative picture of ourselves in an expanded, conscious, holistic universe.

Men Among the Ruins is Evola's frontal assault on the predominant materialism of our time and the mirage of progress. For Evola and other proponents of Traditionalism, we are now living in an age of increasing strife and chaos: the Kali Yuga of the Hindus or the Germanic Ragnarok. In such a time, social decadence is so widespread that it appears as a natural component of all political institutions. Evola argues that the crises that dominate the daily lives of our societies are part of a secret occult war to remove the support of spiritual and traditional values in order to turn man into a passive instrument of the powerful. Evola is often regarded as the godfather of contemporary Italian fascism and right-wing radical politics, but attentive examination of the historical record--as provided by H. T. Hanson's definitive introduction--reveals Evola to be a much more complex figure. Though he held extreme right-wing views, he was a fearless critic of the Fascist regime and preferred a caste system based on spirituality and intellect to the biological racism championed by the Nazis. Ultimately, he viewed the forces of history as comprised by two factions: ""history's demolition squad"" enslaved by blind faith in the future and those individuals whose watchword is Tradition. These latter stand in this world of ruins at a higher level and are capable of letting go of what needs to be abandoned in order that what is truly essential not be compromised.

The ever-growing number of Chinese medicine practitioners in the West has brought about an amalgamation of many styles of Chinese medicine and various other forms of medicine from around the world. This book addresses the increasing demand for knowledge of how to integrate plants from outside the standard Chinese materia medica into the fold of Chinese medical practices in the West. It is the first in-depth guide to using Western herbs exclusively according to the theories, diagnoses and treatments of traditional Chinese medicine that harmonises the unique terminology and theories of TCM with other botanical medicines. The book contains 59 monographs, illustrated with full-colour photographs, of herbs commonly used by Western herbalists. Each herb is grouped by the basic categorisation for medicinals in Chinese medicine, such as Herbs that Resolve the Exterior and Herbs that Regulate Blood. The monographs detail the energetics, function and indication, channels entered, dosage and preparation and contraindications of each plant. The author, also, explains how to use the herbs to modify standard formulae used in everyday Chinese herbal medicine, based on his own clinical experience. An appendix of Western Analogs for Chinese Herbs further highlights 40 Chinese medicinals that have related species growing in the West.

In a probing analysis of the oldest Buddhist texts, Julius Evola places the doctrine of liberation in its original context. The early teachings, he suggests, offer the foremost example of an active spirituality that is opposed to the more passive, modern forms of theistic religions. This sophisticated, highly readable analysis of the theory and practice of Buddhist asceticism, first published in Italian in 1943 , elucidates the central truths of the eightfold path and clears away the later accretions of Buddhist doctrine. Evola describes the techniques for conscious liberation from the world of maya and for achieving the state of transcendence beyond dualistic thinking. Most surprisingly, he argues that the widespread belief in reincarnation is not an original Buddhist tenet. Evola presents actual practices of concentration and visualization, and places them in the larger metaphysical context of the Buddhist model of mind and universe.The Doctrine of the Awakening is a provocative study of the teachings of the Buddha by one of Europe's most stimulating thinkers.

A scientific examination of magical practice• Draws on peer-reviewed research in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, such as real-time brain imaging, to examine the effects of mystical states and magical practice• Shows how being “in the zone,” as described by athletes and performers, is consistent with the ritualist’s state of mind when working magic• Suggests rituals and routines to strengthen one’s practice of magic, witchcraft, meditation, and yoga with empirically proven toolsBy looking through the lens of psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and real-time brain imaging, Mind over Magick shows how and why ritual magical practice can produce profound experiences with tangible benefits.Richard Kaczynski draws on a wealth of peer-reviewed research to shed new light on magic. He uses psychological studies, including the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment in which subjects role-played as prisoners and guards, to reveal the power of magical vestments and personas and the effects they have on ritual practitioners. He shows how being “in the zone,” as described by athletes and performers, is consistent with the ritualist’s state of mind when working magic. He also reveals what neurological processes are involved when one encounters and works with spirits.Mind over Magick includes empirically proven rituals to strengthen one’s practice of magic, witchcraft, yoga, and meditation. Readers can then apply the scientific method to evaluate their own spiritual praxis and determine what works best for them. For solitary practitioners and group participants alike, the author shares what happens, both on a psychological and neurological level, when they enter sacred spaces and use ritual implements as well as enter deep meditative states. He also details the importance of initiation as a rite of passage and transformative method of instruction.By approaching the art of practicing magic as a science, readers are encouraged to hone a more effective and empirically grounded practice.

A full-color guide to protection, cleansing, and countermagick with crystals• Presents magickal techniques with crystals for warding off harmful energies, binding, and curse breaking, including crystal grids, amulets, spells, and rituals• Explains how to discern the symptoms of psychic attack and offers multiple methods for cleansing your energy field and your crystals• Includes an in-depth directory of 145 of the most powerful and effective crystals and gemstones for protection, banishing, and recovery from psychic attackIn this full-color guide, crystal healing teacher Nicholas Pearson shows how crystals are ideally suited for confronting negative energies and providing enduring protection as he demonstrates how to partner with the mineral kingdom for protection, cleansing, and countermagick.In the realm of protection, Pearson explores passive approaches—such as psychic shields, jewelry, and carrying gemstones—as well as more active practices—such as spells, meditations, and rituals. He shares magickal techniques for warding your home, vehicle, and work space and for counteracting geopathic stress, EMF pollution, and ill-wishing from those around you. To combat and neutralize psychic attack, he examines the necessary yet challenging territory of binding, banishing, reversal, curse-breaking, and exorcism, sharing crystal spells, grid layouts, and rituals for spirit release. He also looks at special techniques aimed at strengthening the boundaries of empaths and highly sensitive people.The author’s in-depth directory of 145 of crystals and gemstones describes the uses of the most powerful and effective traditional gems and stones as well as more recent additions to the healer’s tool kit, teaching you everything you need to know to protect yourself and recover from psychic and magickal attacks.

A hands-on guide to holistic canine herbalism“Even if skeptical readers don’t come away completely convinced, they’ll be enormously educated—Hogan imparts a huge amount of biological information about dogs, and does it all with an easy readability that will make quite a bit of it stick. An informative and sometimes eye-opening examination of natural remedies for helping your dog.”—Kirkus Reviews• Teaches the tenets of holistic herbalism for the individual dog• Presents safe, clinically proven, and effective protocols for common canine conditions, from acid reflux to allergies to itching, scratching, and yeast• Lays out a comprehensive materia medica of canine-specific herbs, including what conditions they are good for, their energetics, internal and external use, safe dosages, and contraindicationsIn this comprehensive guide to holistic care for dogs, clinical canine herbalist Rita Hogan explains that by looking at dogs as individual ecosystems with unique personalities, physiology, and needs, we can select effective and personalized herbal remedies to support their constitutions and provide relief from many different ailments.Hogan, who has spent more than two decades working with canines, uses energetic principles (cool, warm, dry, damp) to reveal how herbs are not "one size fits all" and how to find the root cause of chronic imbalances. She discusses in depth how a dog’s main organ systems work, how they are connected to each other, and why we need to understand them when choosing specific herbs and foods.Presenting safe, clinically proven, and effective protocols for common canine conditions—from acid reflux to allergies to itching, scratching, and yeast—Hogan presents a wide variety of holistic and herbal remedies: from herbal tinctures, glycerities, and phytoembryonics to flower essences, essential oils, medicinal mushrooms, and homeopathy. Her comprehensive materia medica of canine-specific herbs that she uses in her practice details what herbs are good for which conditions and why, what types of energetics are involved, safe dosage recommendations for each herbal remedy, and when to discontinue an herb.Allowing each of us to take a hands-on approach to our canine companions’ health and longevity, this herbal guide outlines how to help them live their best lives by our sides.

When A New Science of Life was first published the British journal Nature called it “the best candidate for burning there has been for many years.” The book called into question the prevailing mechanistic theory of life when its author, Rupert Sheldrake, a former research fellow of the Royal Society, proposed that morphogenetic fields are responsible for the characteristic form and organization of systems in biology, chemistry, and physics--and that they have measurable physical effects. Using his theory of morphic resonance, Sheldrake was able to reinterpret the regularities of nature as being more like habits than immutable laws, offering a new understanding of life and consciousness. In the years since its first publication, Sheldrake has continued his research to demonstrate that the past forms and behavior of organisms influence present organisms through direct immaterial connections across time and space. This can explain why new chemicals become easier to crystallize all over the world the more often their crystals have already formed, and why when laboratory rats have learned how to navigate a maze in one place, rats elsewhere appear to learn it more easily. With more than two decades of new research and data, Rupert Sheldrake makes an even stronger case for the validity of the theory of formative causation that can radically transform how we see our world and our future.

• Shares 159 short exercises and practices to tap instantly into your subconscious mind and receive answers to your most important questions • Explains how to dialogue with and understand the imagery and metaphors that arise during these practices • Offers powerful practices to discover your areas of “stuckness” and quickly clear them, thus releasing past traumas and ancestral patterns and freeing the flow of the imagination for enhanced creativity and joy in life In this step-by-step guide to kabbalistic practices to connect with your natural inner genius and liberate the light within you, Catherine Shainberg reveals how to tap instantly into the subconscious and receive answers to urgent questions. This method, called the Kabbalah of Light, originated with Rabbi Isaac the Blind of Posquieres (1160-1235) and has been passed down by an ancient kabbalistic family, the Sheshet of Gerona, in an unbroken transmission spanning more than 800 years. The modern lineage holder of the Kabbalah of Light, Shainberg shares 159 short experiential exercises and practices to help you begin dialoguing with your subconscious through images. The images that pop up during these practices are unexpected and revelatory, and she discusses how to open them to greater understanding. At first, they may show you aspects of yourself you don’t like. But seeing them serves as both a diagnosis and a direct path to transformation. Fast and simple, the practices can help you discover your areas of “stuckness,” release past traumas and ancestral patterns, free the imagination, and open the way to the bliss promised us in the Garden of Eden. Beginning this fertile dialogue with your inner world leads you to uncover your soul’s purpose and manifest your dreams in this world. Once your inner dream world and outer reality have merged, you will be able to see your superconscious--your soul’s ­blueprint--and experience the ecstatic illumination of a heart-centered life.

From the pyramids in the north to the temples in the south, ancient artisans left their marks all over Egypt, unique marks that reveal craftsmanship we would be hard pressed to duplicate today. Drawing together the results of more than 30 years of research and nine field study journeys to Egypt, Christopher Dunn presents a stunning stone-by-stone analysis of key Egyptian monuments, including the statue of Ramses II at Luxor and the fallen crowns that lay at its feet. His modern-day engineering expertise provides a unique view into the sophisticated technology used to create these famous monuments in prehistoric times. Using modern digital photography, computer-aided design software, and metrology instruments, Dunn exposes the extreme precision of these monuments and the type of advanced manufacturing expertise necessary to produce them. His computer analysis of the statues of Ramses II reveals that the left and right sides of the faces are precise mirror images of each other, and his examination of the mysterious underground tunnels of the Serapeum illuminates the finest examples of precision engineering on the planet. Providing never-before-seen evidence in the form of more than 280 photographs, Dunn’s research shows that while absent from the archaeological record, highly refined tools, techniques, and even mega-machines must have been used in ancient Egypt.

Improving our animal’s mental, physical, and emotional life through their chakras• Shares the characteristics and common imbalances of the seven main chakras in our animals and ways to harmonize them for optimal health• Explores the 8th chakra, relating to the animal’s aura and connective ecosystem, including their household and the collective and cosmic fields• Details the differences of chakra systems among domestic animals, including cats, dogs, and horses by providing case studies, chakra charts, and checklistsLittle is known about the chakra system of animals, yet the chakras of our beloved companions hold valuable clues for their health and well-being. Chakras can reveal what is at the core of our animal’s desires and challenges: why they behave the way they do, how they process negative or traumatic experiences, and where they store these in their body.For each of the seven main chakras, expert animal healer Joan Ranquet discusses key characteristics and chakra-related organs and systems as well as shows how to harmonize common imbalances. Tuning into the animal’s aura and connective ecosystem, their eighth chakra, she highlights the effects of household environment and collective and cosmic fields on your animal. Ancestral influences become evident in domestic animals’ systems, as Joan traces their descendance from wild forebears.When chakra dynamics play out in your household, it’s important to know how to release pressure, ground, and balance your companions’ chakras, so you become the emotional leader of your home and a healing presence for your animals. Animal Chakra Healing offers techniques and resources to understand the subtle energetics of our companions and harmonize with them for increased health and well-being—not only for our animals but ourselves as well.

A comprehensive look at the life and continuing influence of 16th-century scientific genius and occultist Dr. John DeeDr. John Dee (1527-1608), Queen Elizabeth I’s court advisor and astrologer, was the foremost scientific genius of the 16th century. Laying the foundation for modern science, he actively promoted mathematics and astronomy as well as made advances in navigation and optics that helped elevate England to the foremost imperial power in the world. Centuries ahead of his time, his theoretical work included the concept of light speed and prototypes for telescopes and solar panels. Dee, the original “007” (his crown-given moniker), even invented the idea of a “British Empire,” envisioning fledgling America as the new Atlantis, himself as Merlin, and Elizabeth as Arthur.Presenting a comprehensive overview of Dee’s life and work, Louv examines his scientific achievements, intelligence and spy work, imperial strategizing, and Enochian magick, establishing a psychohistory of John Dee as a singular force and fundamental driver of Western history. Exploring Dee’s influence on Sir Francis Bacon, the development of modern science, 17th-century Rosicrucianism, the 19th-century occult revival, and 20th-century occultists such as Jack Parsons, Aleister Crowley, and Anton LaVey, Louv shows how John Dee continues to impact science and the occult to this day.

An exposure of the ongoing global shift to digital biology and transhumanismWhat if the degradation of the planet is not just a byproduct of human greed but the explicit intention of government agencies bought off by corporations? What if their intent is to create a “post-human” global government run by AI, populated by a genetically and electromagnetically altered Homo sapiens loaded with nanotechnology and run by 5G/6G/7G transceivers from space?Building on decades of research, Elana Freeland offers a comprehensive exposé of the transhumanist agenda—the transformation of humanity into a slave class by means of biotechnology, genetic engineering, molecular nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence. She reveals that weather control is already a global reality, thanks to the aerosol chemtrails that maintain the ionized atmosphere needed for a myriad of military and civilian wireless operations like weather modification, delivery of nanotechnology and synthetic biology (synbio) by jets, drones, and rockets, and pulses that alter human behavior, bodies, and brains. The air we breathe, the soil we grow our food in, and the water we drink have all been altered away from Nature and toward a synthetic “metaverse.” Meanwhile, Big Pharma injects nano-sized hardware and software in vivo that activate a transhumanist brain-computer interface with AI. The author also examines the public-private partnerships behind transhumanism, including Big Pharma, GMO agribusiness, DARPA/IARPA, corporations, and foundations, and reveals the reality of the secret space program (SSP) and the planetary “smart grid” of 5G/6G.The eons-old global dream of power seems to be coming of age in this overwhelmingly technological era of domination by the wealthy. And yet by exposing the transhumanist agenda and studying the technology being employed to subjugate the human race, we have the opportunity to begin to find ways not just to resist becoming machines ourselves but also to become self-responsible creators who utilize our technologies not for power but for restoring a high civilization in service to the Good, the Beautiful, and the True.

Mechthild Scheffer's groundbreaking bestseller Bach Flower Therapy: Theory and Practicerevolutionized the science of Bach flower remedies, detailing the healing properties of each individual flower. Now, for practitioner, student, and patient alike, she offers The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapy, the most comprehensive and up-to-date reference available on this gentle, effective therapy. The first practitioner to recognize the psychological underpinnings of the Bach flower remedies, Scheffer demonstrates that emotional and physical well-being are inextricably linked and shows how flower therapies can be a powerful tool for healing individual symptoms and restoring balance to one's life. The author provides a therapeutic profile for each remedy and specific instructions for preparing combination remedies to heal more complex conditions. Thorough diagnostic guidelines, interview questions, progress evaluations, and body maps guide both the practitioner and novice to the proper remedies for innumerable emotional and physical ailments. The author also gives advice for using Bach flower remedies in pediatrics and veterinary medicine. With more than 120 color photographs, The Encyclopedia of Bach Flower Therapyis the complete reference for everyone who studies and practices this therapy.

A lighthearted yet profound guide to the realms of higher consciousness and the ultimate nature of reality.• Explains some of the most difficult concepts of physics and heightened consciousness in ways that are easily understood.• Presents a model for the interaction of the universe and human thought that has profound implications for our future.All aboard for the excursion of a lifetime as Itzhak Bentov, the celebrated engineer, inventor, and mystic, takes you on a tour of the universe, pure consciousness, and all that lies beyond. Using comical sketches, simple metaphors, and his famous wit and humor, Bentov explains the nature of reality, points out the sights in Nirvana and the Void, and eventually takes you to a meeting with your higher self. Along the way, Bentov illuminates the Kabbalistic principles of number and sound, the meaning of cosmic shapes and symbols, the consciousness of devas, and the nature of the absolute. Ultimately, he shows that the universe and thought are inseparable, and that the thoughts of all human beings affect each other and in turn the whole universe--an idea with obvious and far-reaching implications. Anyone interested in the inner reaches of the mind, the greater structure of the cosmos, and the spiritual evolution of humanity will find A Brief Tour of Higher Consciousness an informed and delightful traveling companion.

For years scholars have debated the incongruities in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey given that his descriptions are at odds with the geography of the areas he purportedly describes. Inspired by Plutarch's remark that Calypso's Isle was only five days sailing from Britain Felice Vinci convincingly argues that Homer's epic tales originated not in the Mediterranean but in the northern Baltic Sea. Using meticulous geographical analysis Vinci shows that many Homeric places such as Troy and Ithaca can still be identified in the geographic landscape of the Baltic. He explains how the dense foggy weather described by Ulysses befits northern not Mediterranean climes and how battles lasting through the night would easily have been possible in the long days of the Baltic summer. Vinci's meteorological analysis reveals how a decline of the climatic optimum caused the blond seafarers to migrate south to warmer climates where they rebuilt their original world in the Mediterranean. Through many generations the memory of the heroic age and the feats performed by their ancestors in their lost homeland was preserved and handed down to the following ages only later to be codified by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. Felice Vinci offers a key to open many doors that allow us to consider the age-old question of the Indo-European diaspora and the origin of the Greek civilization from a new perspective.

From acne and cataracts to sprains and vomiting, this reference lists more than 100 medical conditions and describes the physical symptoms, psychological ramifications, and correct healing gemstones for each. The most effective form of the gem is specified—a polished pocket stone rather than a necklace, for example—and in some cases more than one kind of crystal is described to be effective. A comprehensive appendix with color photos of all prescribed gemstones, a guide to assembling basic home crystal kits, and a bibliography are included.

A full-color illustrated exploration of the body in motion during yoga practice• Examines anatomical patterns and body mechanics in specific asanas, such as forward bends, twists, external hip rotations, arm balances, and back bends, to inspire confidence in students, deepen practice, and prevent injury• Provides detailed images and photos overlaid with anatomical diagrams, allowing you to see clearly what is happening within each asana discussed• Explores how various yoga postures interrelate from the perspective of functional anatomyIn this full-color illustrated guide, David Keil brings the anatomy of the body in yoga asanas to life. Writing in an accessible, conversational tone, he outlines how practitioners and yoga teachers alike can utilize a deeper understanding of their anatomy and its movement and function to deepen their yoga practice, increase confidence, prevent injury, and better understand their students and their challenges.Providing detailed images and photos overlaid with anatomical diagrams, allowing you to see clearly what is happening within each asana discussed, Keil shows how the muscles, joints, tendons, and structure of the body work together to support integrated movement. He discusses the basics of functional anatomy, exploring the workings of the foot and ankle, the knee, the hip joint, the pelvis and SI joint, the spine, the shoulder, and the hand, wrist, and elbow. He examines anatomical patterns and body mechanics in specific asanas, such as forward bends, twists, external hip rotations, arm balances, and back bends, such as, for example, how a wide-legged forward bend shifts the position of the femur and the pelvis, allowing students with tight hamstrings to accomplish a deep forward bend--something they struggle with when the legs are together. Keil also shows how various yoga postures interrelate from the perspective of functional anatomy.Revealing in detail how everything in the body is connected and how your anatomy functions holistically during yoga practice, this book helps you to understand the body better and connect and integrate yoga postures in a completely new way.

A profound inside experience of the transformative potential of the Discipline of Authentic Movement• Offers insights from the author’s 50-year study of the inner witness developing toward compassionate presence, intuitive knowing, and direct experience of the divine• Illuminates how commitment to this mystical practice supports participation in evolving consciousness within groups, grounded in personal healingThe Discipline of Authentic Movement, grounded in the relationship between a mover and a witness, connects us directly with the inner wisdom of the body. In the emptiness of the movement space, a mover’s inner experience--feelings, sensations, images, and thoughts--become outer, unchoreographed gestures. Seen by their inner witness in the presence of an outer witness, the mover steps into the intimate mystery of who they are becoming. Sharing vivid examples from founder of the Discipline of Authentic Movement Janet Adler’s 50-year inquiry, Intimacy in Emptiness brings her essential writings, including new and previously unpublished work, to a wider audience, guiding readers through the multiple layers of this experiential and innovative approach to embodied consciousness. Her writings illuminate the path of the developing inner witness, transforming toward compassionate presence, conscious speech, and intuitive knowing. This contemporary mystical practice, a breakthrough in the field of consciousness studies, includes personal healing as an essential base from which direct experience of the numinous can safely emerge, be witnessed, and become integrated into the fullness of the whole person. The emergence of the unique gesture and voice of each individual develops toward participation in consciously embodied groups. A new form of intelligence moves through collective bodies in service of healing in our world.

A detailed look at the neural and biological mechanisms of psychedelic use• Examines the main pharmacological properties of psychedelic substances, including LSD, DMT, psilocybin, ayahuasca, mescaline, ketamine, ibogaine, salvia, and MDMA• Explains the physiological mechanisms behind visionary effects, including what is happening in the brain and how each psychedelic is processed by the body• Shares safe strategies for using psychedelics, including harm-reduction techniques, and looks at where the future of psychedelic therapies is likely to goWith the widespread legalization of marijuana and the increasing use of psychoactives in controlled therapy settings, further research and understanding of psychedelics is now possible. Yet while individual accounts of their use abound, exactly what’s happening to the brain and body when using these substances is still not widely understood.Longtime pharmacological researcher Genís Ona presents a comprehensive look at the main pharmacological properties of psychedelic substances, including LSD, DMT, psilocybin, ayahuasca, mescaline, ketamine, ibogaine, salvia, tropane alkaloids, and MDMA. Exploring how psychedelics work within the brain, Ona shares results from his extensive research to reveal the physiological mechanisms that allow these molecules to have their visionary effects, explaining what is happening at the receptor level as well as the “cascade” effects that differ from substance to substance. He examines how the body processes each substance, describing how each psychedelic is released, absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated. He also details possible dangerous interactions between these substances and other drugs as well as their potential toxicity.Although his main focus is the biological and neurological effects of psychedelics, Ona also explores the mystical and spiritual dimension of psychedelic use, particularly as practiced in Indigenous traditions, showing how they enable access to a profound spiritual territory. He shares safe strategies for using psychedelics and looks at where the future of psychedelic therapies is likely to go, with an emphasis on ensuring that traditional knowledge is respected, honored, and protected.

In this practical training guide, Don Webb lays out a detailed step-by-step program for building and sustaining a magical practice. Based not on Eliphas Levi’s correspondence system but on an older form of Egyptian magic, as well as drawing on Chaos Magick, shamanism, and the secret techniques of the Temple of Set, the program offers a full 12 months of activities, rituals, spells, and exercises to help you acquire magical skills and knowledge and maximize your strengths over the course of a year.Beginning with the hows and whys of magic, as well as the real dangers of the occult and how to avoid or cure them, the author shares experiences from his 45 years of personal work and 30 years of teaching the magical arts. He presents the Inshallo Rite for creating a magical helper as the first step on the road to becoming a magician. He explores the temporal aspect of magic--what works best at which times of year, month, or day--as well as the importance of keeping a magical diary, creating a warded work space, and properly preparing for magical work.Presenting a chapter-per-month curriculum, he explores the magical powers of elements, gods, and esoteric traditions, with weekly and daily exercises as well as emotional and mental training connected to each month’s topic. He examines the four elements in depth, sharing rites, invocations, spells, and activities for working magically with each element. Looking at Egyptian Soul Craft, he details how to work with the KA and the BA and how to perform magical workings with Egyptian deities. He explores sex magic, dream magic, group practice, and rites for the Nine Gates--events that can serve as pivotal moments for initiation.Based on more than three decades of magical teaching, Don Webb’s guide to becoming a modern magus will help beginners start their magical journey and support experienced magicians to revitalize and balance their existing practice.

An in-depth investigation of traditional European folk medicine and the healing arts of witches• Explores the outlawed “alternative” medicine of witches suppressed by the state and the Church and how these plants can be used today• Reveals that female shamanic medicine can be found in cultures all over the world• Illustrated with color and black-and-white art reproductions dating back to the 16th centuryWitch medicine is wild medicine. It does more than make one healthy, it creates lust and knowledge, ecstasy and mythological insight. In Witchcraft Medicine the authors take the reader on a journey that examines the women who mix the potions and become the healers; the legacy of Hecate; the demonization of nature’s healing powers and sensuousness; the sorceress as shaman; and the plants associated with witches and devils. They explore important seasonal festivals and the plants associated with them, such as wolf’s claw and calendula as herbs of the solstice and alder as an herb of the time of the dead--Samhain or Halloween. They also look at the history of forbidden medicine from the Inquisition to current drug laws, with an eye toward how the sacred plants of our forebears can be used once again.