Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life

Amazon.com

Wheel of the Year has a down-home flavor reminiscent of visiting close friends or family on a winter evening. Campanelli's poetic style evokes the emotions of the different seasons as she shares how her family celebrates with rituals, recipes, and crafts, from the midsummer festivals of June to the kindling of the yule log in December. Within these pages, you will find enough ideas to fill your entire year with magic. --Brian Patterson

Customer Reviews:

not just for pagans.......2007-03-20

Folklore and tradition are special areas of interest for me, and month by month, I find myself returning to this book. Though not a pagan or wiccan, as the year progresses through its seasons and holidays, I become curious about why we celebrate (or not) the way we do and how our traditions evolved. The Easter bunny, and the Easter egg, for instance, are actually derived from ancient symbols of rebirth and fertility. Wheel of the Year can be read simply for its information, without fearing that it will undermine your religion, if you are secure in it. It also helps to understand what those who practice alternative religions are thinking, and why.

You Can Judge It By Its Cover.......2007-01-13

Most books are not illustrated by their authors; in fact most publishers discourage this practice. Being that the Campenellis not only authored, but also illustrated, the book, gives potential readers considerable insight to the contents just by looking at the cover. If you are drawn to the artwork, you will most likely appreciate the book, as both are warm, friendly, non-intimidating reflections on a homespun life. The Campenellis' authenticity and sincerity shine through. These are grounded, intelligent, learned people - not at all New-Agey. Reading this is somewhat like finding out the nice lady down the street is really a witch. If you like the originial Old Farmer's Almanac, you will love this. The chapters are laid out by months of the year.

Despite a couple of weird problems, a good resource book.......2006-06-23

This book is full of information and ideas. They are well-organized and well-presented. The writing is easy to read and the book is suitable for people in many different traditions. The only problem was I found a couple of glaring errors. There weren't enough to totally turn me off to the book but they sufficed to make me read it more critically than I had planned to and check references I normally would not have worried about. The error I use as an example when asked is the reference to yellow being such an important springtime color that the Jews use yellow coloring in their challah for Passover. Since Passover observance prohibits the consumption or even possession of leavened bread, this claim is just silly. However, it wasn't so silly that I dismissed the rest of the book on the spot, and I did enjoy reading it.

Perfect for the whole year.......2005-12-12

What I love about this book is that it not only covers the Sabbats, it talks about the rest of the year as well, and gives ideas on things to do during the other months-- like November, January, etc.. Directions are easy to follow, and nothing too extravagant. Wonderful addition to the library for everyday Wiccan living.

Cycles.......2005-07-01

If you're looking for spells and formal rituals, this book is not for you. If you're looking for ideas to help you get closer to nature, this is the book you want.

Ms. Campanelli does a fantastic job of taking you through lots of little projects, stories, things to do, and ideas to celebrate all the seasons the great holidays. It's a homey, comforting book, very easy to read and quite interesting.

There are lots of things you can do with your children or with other pagan adults. And you don't have to have a big house or live in the country. (Though it helps to have access to the country for some things.)

Altogether a lovely book, and I expect I'll have it in my hands often.

The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over

Average customer rating:

Thoughtful Guidance and Ideas
For the Serious Pagan Clergy!
Paganism
Exceptional look at death, be it you, your friend/family, or just anticipating the future.
What Is Remembered Lives

The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over
Starhawk , and M. Macha Nightmare
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0062515160

Amazon.com

The Pagan Book of Living and Dying is the pagan omnibus on death, much more than just a history of various cultural rituals and beliefs regarding death. This collection of essays, prayers, and songs is a living document that draws on the resources of today's entire pagan community and fills the void left by ancient sacramental rites lost over the centuries. Designed in such a way as to benefit both the leaders of the pagan community as well as the individual reader, The Pagan Book of Living and Dying encourages preparation under the obvious, but often neglected, understanding that death is seldom expected nor convenient but happens to everyone.

The Pagan Book of Living and Dying discusses all aspects of death, from pagan thealogy (from thea meaning goddess, rather than theo meaning god) to the dying process itself, and it even covers sensitive subjects like helping children cope with death. Congenial essays such as Sharon Jackson's "Crash Course in Being Present with the Dying" and insightful perspectives like Diana Paxson's "Preliminary Thoughts Toward Midwifing Your Own Passage" offer a written spiritual resource for assisting and comforting the dying, and advice on facing one's own passage. The Pagan Book of Living and Dying is simultaneously a practical guide, a comforting liturgy, and a new heritage that shows how to appreciate life through a closer relationship with death. --Brian Patterson

Book Description

In response to her own mother's death, Starhawk, the bestselling author of the classic Spiral Dance, along with other Pagan authors, created in inspiring collection of essays, original prayers, blessings, and meditations that present the Pagan way of dying. In the tradition of such bestsellers as How We Die and The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, it offers a new understanding of death and the rituals that surround it, adding insight and depth to spirituality.An inclusive, respectful, and deeply spiritual guidebook for those in the Pagan community and beyond, this powerful resource will help the dying make the transition between life and death, and their loved ones will find spiritual comfort and strength through the grieving process. It shows us that death can be a process of renewal and transformation.

Customer Reviews:

Thoughtful Guidance and Ideas.......2007-04-02

This book was very helpful at a time when I often felt overwhelmed and not sure where to turn. It's an excellent resource not only for the Pagan community, but for all who are involved in pallitive care or who are moving through the death and grief of losing a loved one. Blessed Be.

For the Serious Pagan Clergy!.......2007-03-09

With all we do as Pagan Clergy, we tend to forget we have a responsibility to help in the transition process. This book gives us means and ways of being True Clergy in a tough time for those we work with as well as ourselves.

I highly recommend this book. Tough subject matter? Yes it is. Want to be taken as a serious clergy member as other groups are? Then read this book and do the work. Time to step up to the plate and realize we are also doing the same work as other faiths, no venue required as this book states, just a call to serve!! Any tradition can work with this book after some thought, I urge you to do so.

ByM,
Lord Healer
Clan Head of Black Forest, Jade Spider Clan, NYC Metro Area

Paganism.......2007-01-16

This is a fantastic book. It's very informative and is filled with terrific meditations.

Exceptional look at death, be it you, your friend/family, or just anticipating the future........2006-04-21

I cannot say enough good things about this book!!! The layout of the book is very approachable. The personal stories, rituals, prayers, songs, chants, poems, and meditations are invaluable!

I especially enjoyed the story "Bo's Cremation" by Patricia Michael. The details given of his life and death are so personal and helpful. The instructions (and examples of trial/error) in obtaining a loved one's body, keeping it on dry ice, and setting up your own viewing and cremation ceremony was amazing.

I was also thoroughly drawn to the story "Aric Arthur Graf Dies (or Rickie Goes to Become an Ancestor)" by Donald L. Engstrom. This story was very intimate and striking. The idea of the author going into trance and being able to astrally project himself with his loved one on another plane about to cross over was mesmerizing.

The items about using the Tarot with death related activities was helpful. The last section of the book gives fabulous concrete things you can do do make sure all your "things" are in order for your own death. This should be read and acted upon by all, because you just never know when you may have to go (like one section of the book says--always keep your bags packed).

Being fairly new to the Wiccan religion still, I feel like I have a more concrete understanding in the Pagan beliefs of death and dying. I feel more enlightened about the subject in general as well. I found the section on suicide to help answer a lot of questions I had about that. The book doesn't just make it a cut-and-dried topic either, it talks about the intricies of suicide based on depression, long term health illness, and other topics.

It's been said in other reviews, but I must reiterate--This book belongs in EVERY Pagan home. The sooner the better.

What Is Remembered Lives.......2005-11-20

Sadly, I bought this book upon receiving the news that a friend's teenage daughter had been diagnosed with an incurable fatal illness. As one who came to Paganism by my own choice, I had no reference yet for how Pagans dealt with end of life passage.

It turns out it was that very reason that Starhawk and other members of Reclaiming wrote this book. Very few modern Pagans are raised in their chosen spirituality and often find they have no traditions or practices to guide them when dealing with the loss of a loved one.

This book is not a strict step-by-step ritual guide, but a sharing of experience that includes blessings, prayers and ritual details. The collected writings share how various people have dealt with the situations around long illness as well as sudden losses. There are accounts and suggestions for rituals not only to say farewell or bury the dead, but for how those still alive can honor those who have died and address their own grieving and healing.

I found the stories shared in this book to be incredibly personal and yet at the same time practical. I feel I will have a foundation of knowledge from which to draw when I have to deal with this issues and changes in my own family and circle of friends.

Dancing the Goddess Incarnate: Living the Magic of Maiden, Mother & Crone

Average customer rating:

Great duo
Goodbye, Dr. Phil! Hello, dance shoes!

Dancing the Goddess Incarnate: Living the Magic of Maiden, Mother & Crone
Dorothy Morrison , and Kristin Madden
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738706361

Book Description

Life is an adventure, a game, a dance. Whether you're shakin' it at the disco with Athena or doing the Charleston with Hecate, each goddess offers vital lessons for exploring-and enjoying-every facet of our lives.

No matter your age, Dancing the Goddess Incarnate can help you get in touch with the maiden, mother, and crone within. You don't have to know the rhythm or the steps. Simply allow each of the nine goddesses to lead you onto the dance floor, outside your comfort zone, where you'll learn to unlock creativity, rediscover play, strategize success, and nurture yourself. This fun Pagan guide to self-exploration includes meditations, games, magic tips, herbal remedies, and exercises that can-with help from the goddesses-bring balance, beauty, and joy into your life.

Customer Reviews:

Great duo.......2006-07-04

I've always enjoyed both of these authors seperately, and now they have joined up to give us a masterpiece! Thanks you two!

Goodbye, Dr. Phil! Hello, dance shoes!.......2006-06-17

Dorothy Morrison and Kristin Madden have brought into being a women's self-help volume that utilizes the magic of nine Goddesses to bring balance and serenity to our lives. The book is divided into three parts, each one dedicated to the three faces of the Goddess. Part One; the Maiden features the Goddesses Titania, Athena, and Artimis. In Part Two, the Mother is dedicated to the Goddesses Venus, Cybele, and Tara and the final section is for the Crone and holds the wisdom of Hecate, Cerridwen, and The Cailleach.

The Goddesses all focus on one aspect of women's lives: play, career, personal adventure, romance, creative endeavors, family and nurturing, self-empowerment, magic and ritual, and last but not least, personal and spiritual well-being.

What I like about this book is that the authors don't assume that the reader's life is pathetic and in need of desperate repair. We are taken on a lovely adventure with the authors as they experience dancing with each Goddess in their lives. (Yes, we get to dance with each Goddess no matter where we are in our own life path,)

This book is not one to sit down and read with a warm cup of tea on a rainy Saturday afternoon. The book actually invites the reader to become an active participant in its pages. There are poems, spells, questionnaires, meditations and exercises galore. Each chapter focuses on the traits of the profiled Goddess in relation to real life events and concerns. In the chapter dedicated to Cybele, we learn to explore our inner dreams and manifest them into physical reality. How cool is that?

My favorite chapter was the one devoted to Hecate. Called the Dance of Attitude, it teaches the reader to eradicate unwarranted fears based on what the neighbors might think. I especially like The She-Who-Doesn't-Give-A-Hoot Ritual. As a person who hates to make waves and a people-pleaser, I really needed to read the words there. Plus, lately I have been hearing a whisper that it may be time to accept Hecate as my Patron Goddess. The only problem I have with the entire chapter is the advice to use a lotion with lanolin. Too bad for me, I am allergic to the stuff and if I slather it all over my body, it wouldn't be a pretty sight!

I did find myself trying to figure out which author wrote which portions of the book. I must say that there are some typical "Dorothy" phrases, but if she wrote those chapters wholly on her own is anybody's guess. The authors' styles meshed well, nor does the book doesn't leave you with unanswered questions. There is a bibliography in the back if the reader wants to explore further reading material. I'd like to see another volume dancing with additional Goddesses or even one that has us dancing with the Gods.

W. Lyon Martin author/illustrator "An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child"

The Book of Ceremonies: A Native Way of Living and Honoring the Sacred

Average customer rating:

A beautiful book to be treasured and shared.
Kinship with all beings
Ceremonial Richness
Sacred and Mysterious Connections
Excellent

The Book of Ceremonies: A Native Way of Living and Honoring the Sacred
Gabriel Horn
Manufacturer: New World Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1577310624

Book Description

In The Book of Ceremonies, Gabriel Horn offers a tapestry of stories, poems, prayers, and love songs describing the sacred Native American way of life and what its religion and ritual can offer spiritual seekers from all backgrounds. The six parts of the book cover preparation for ceremonies greeting the day; acknowledgment and gratitude; marriage and divorce; birth and death; dreams and visions; and seasons and healing. Highlights include a Zuni creation account, an Aztec love song, and an Omaha prayer presenting a new infant.

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful book to be treasured and shared........2001-03-03

The Book Of Ceremonies is an intensely sensitive, reverent collection of Native American sacred songs, poems, stories, observations, and ceremonies. It's prayerful tone is beautifully underlined by the delicate, perfect black and white art work by the author's son, Carises Horn. Drawing from a variety of sources, The Book Of Ceremonies unifies and presents thoughts on Preparing, Greeting and Gratitude, Love, Marriage and Divorce, Birth and Death, Dreams and Visions, and Seasons and Healing. An additional list of recommended reading includes Native Heart: An American Indian Odyssey by Gabriel Horn, and other selected books by Kent Nerburn, Jason Gardner, and Loree Boyd. The Book Of Ceremonies is a beautiful book to be treasured and shared.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

Kinship with all beings.......2000-11-07

The primal wisdom that emanates from these ancient teachings lifts up the spiritual practice of reverence-one that is often lacking in modern times. Horn demonstrates a kind of radical amazement, a deep feeling tinged with both awe and wonder as he sees the sacred in all things. These ceremonies touch the heart because they arise out of a felt sense of participation in the universe, a kinship with all beings and with matter.

Ceremonial Richness.......2000-11-07

Anyone wanting ceremonial richness in their own lives will cherish this book and will feel emboldened to start where they are right now-even in the middle of a city, far from the kind of natural surroundings available to the ancients. "It is the spirit of the ceremony that is most important," reassures a grandmother. This is treasure to own and consult, a treasure to give.-SA

Sacred and Mysterious Connections.......2000-11-07

The essays and poems in this collection, which would make a good gift book, are meaningful, and the American Indian tone is meditative and enriching. Even the cover, in dark colors and smooth to the hand, encourages contemplation.

Excellent.......2000-10-31

This book is a beautiful collection of stories and references to ceremonies, a good addition to any library of books on native ways or shamanism. It is not a "cookbook" of rituals or ceremonies, but a book that honors the beliefs and energies behind the ceremonies as important.

Average customer rating:

Ceremonies of the Living Spirit
Joseph Rael
Manufacturer: Council Oak Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1571780556

Living Water, Sealing Spirit: Readings on Christian Initiation

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Living Water, Sealing Spirit: Readings on Christian Initiation
Maxwell E. Johnson , and Aidan Kavanagh
Manufacturer: Liturgical Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0814661408

Life's Little Rituals: Celebrations For Everyday Living: Celebrating for Everyday Living

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Life's Little Rituals: Celebrations For Everyday Living: Celebrating for Everyday Living
Alexandria
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080652605X

Average customer rating:

Marvelous. Insightful. Universal.

Lakota Healing: A Soul Comes Home
Marco Ridomi , and Laura Gaccione
Manufacturer: Station Hill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 188644966X

Book Description

This large format book presents forty-five dramatic, sumptuous, and empathetic black-&-white photographs, printed in duotone, with a succinct and poignant text by the photographer. The text tells the story of how, following a diagnosis of an incurable disease, the Italian-born author-photographer, then living in New York, undertakes a search for healing and spiritual transformation. This culminates in a Lakota Sioux Healing Ceremony and Vision Quest at the Pine Hill Reservation in South Dakota. While staying at the reservation, the author came to know the Lakota people and love their spirit. The photographs were made during this time of personal crisis and spiritual awakening, and this book is dedicated to the Lakota people in appreciation of their warmth and wisdom.

Customer Reviews:

Marvelous. Insightful. Universal........2000-09-10

Short, powerful paragraphs next to intensely thoughtful pictures; this book will travel far, via word of mouth. This book is a walk beside a soul in healing, and because we are all "walking wounded", there is spiritual bread for everyone, here. The wisdom captured is absolutely universal; truth is truth, and this book contains much. I checked it out as a library book, but ended up buying several copies. It will take 10 minutes to read, but it will perch upon your heart and sing to you, for years.

The Tutelo Spirit Adoption Ceremony: "Reclothing the Living in the Name of the Dead" (Speck) and "Transcriptions and Analysis of Tutelo Music" (Herzog)

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The Tutelo Spirit Adoption Ceremony: "Reclothing the Living in the Name of the Dead" (Speck) and "Transcriptions and Analysis of Tutelo Music" (Herzog)

Manufacturer: Pennsylvania Historical Commission
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IH5O4C

Average customer rating:

Tutelo Spirit Adoption Ceremony: Reclothing the Living in the Name of the Dead
Frank G. Speck , and George Herzog
Manufacturer: Pennsylvania Historical &
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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