Magic Circles

No one expressed the heart and soul of the Sixties as powerfully as the Beatles did through the words, images, and rhythms of their music. In Magic Circles Devin McKinney uncovers the secret history of a generation and a pivotal moment in twentieth-century culture. He reveals how the Beatles enacted the dream life of their time and shows how they embodied a kaleidoscope of desire and anguish for all who listened--hippies or reactionaries, teenage fans or harried parents, Bob Dylan or Charles Manson. The reader who dares to re-enter the vortex that was the Sixties will appreciate, perhaps for the first time, much of what lay beneath the social trauma of the day. Delving into concerts and interviews, films and music, outtakes and bootlegs, Devin McKinney brings to bear the insights of history, aesthetics, sociology, psychology, and mythology to account for the depth and resonance of the Beatles' impact. His book is also a uniquely multifaceted appreciation of the group's artistic achievement, exploring their music as both timeless expression and visceral response to their historical moment. Starting in the cellars of Liverpool and Hamburg, and continuing through the triumph of Beatlemania, the groundbreaking studio albums, and the last brutal, sorrowful thrust of the White Album, Magic Circles captures both the dream and the reality of four extraordinary musicians and their substance as artists. At once an entrancing narrative and an analytical montage, the book follows the drama, comedy, mystery, irony, and curious off-ramps of investigation and inquiry that contributed to one of the most amazing odysseys in pop culture.

′This book is an essential starting point for practitioners who are new to Circle Time as it includes activities specifically for adults, helping to familiarise themselves with the process′ - Early Years Update ′This is an excellent book full of practical circle time activities and experiences....The benefits of the potential life skills acquired through the use of this resource are immeasurable because it will help communication and problem solving skills, show participants how to be flexible, to get along with others, deal with conflict, take sensible measured risks and make wise decisions′ - Early Years Educator ′Working as a supportive reference, resource manual and catalyst, the text affirms the partnership between school, family and community...[It] will boost the effectiveness of Circle Time - as a respected program in social / emotional learning, and tool for empowering youth′ - Bendigo Weekly ′The beauty of this book lies in the simplicity of the activities. Anyone can follow the instructions and get amazing results. Individuals who have developed walls around themselves as a defence to cover up their low self esteem also react with wonder and bewilderment during these activities. A good self affirming experience during Circle Time goes a long way in helping us manage the darkest moments of our lives. Even the most reticent people open up during Circle Time′ - Aroona Sharma, Ex-Head PSHE The British School, New Delhi, Counsellor, Psychotherapist Murray White was the first British author to publish a book on Circle Time and his classic Magic Circles helped to raise the profile and popularity of Circle Time during the 90s. This new and revised edition provides both the theoretical underpinnings and practical advice you need to help raise self-esteem through Circle Time. The resource also includes a 60 minute audio CD to introduce guided imagery to help build self-esteem. It takes the listener through a number of journeys, helping to develop imagination, improve concentration and increase self - confidence. The book provides a range of exciting activities to use in Circle Time to develop a sense of: · security · identity · belonging · purpose · competence · well-being The benefits of participation in this process both for individuals and society are clearly explained. The ability to communicate well, take sensible risks, make wise decisions, be flexible, deal with conflict and stress, solve problems and get along with others are all enhanced by this experience. To take account of the popularity of the first edition among adults, circle activities are now included especially for their use. Everyone will benefit from the Circle Times in this book. Murray White represents the U.K. on the International Council for Self Esteem and emerges as the earliest and most significant influence on the establishment of Circle Time in the UK.

A fantasy adventure. Six are called to save two worlds. Are they The Six? They don't know, but six kids step up to take on the mission. After all, one of the worlds to be saved is their own. Their quest for the magic circles and the golden flowers takes them over grasslands and rivers, through forests and mountain caverns. They meet with monsters including cu sith, ogres, urscades, yeti, and grusthawgs. But they also find friends and companions along the way including an elf, two dragons, and a griffin. Teen/Preteen. 189 pages.

When Clara's world is turned upside down, she is shaken to her very core. Her loving parents have lost their sparkle and wit, and her warm and wonderful home has grown dark and cold. Is it something I have done? Clara wonders. Clara seeks refuge and answers in the mystical British West Country forest surrounding her home, Darlington Manor. With best friends Riley and Argus, her beloved Irish wolfhounds, by her side, Clara encounters the enchanting Esmeralda, with her long red hair, green cape and a bag full of magical gemstones. Encouraged by their bewitching guide, they travel through portals of the Magic Circles, where they enter spellbinding worlds with woodland messengers. Their wisdom leads Clara on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, which she holds within her as a newfound strength upon her return home.

Magic Circles is your guide through the grimoires, those old and mysterious books of magic. Here we will study the Heptameron of Peter De Abano, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, The Lesser Key of Solomon, The Grimoire of Pope Honorius, The Grand Grimoire, Magia Naturalis et Innaturalis, and the Al Ghoul system as well. Learn how to evoke angels, demons, and fairies, create a magic wand, and your own magic circle based off the formulas in the old grimoires. The keys of Power, such as fasting and temporary celibacy are also discussed. Dozens of magical circles created throughout the last 800 years are explained in detail, along with the images and sigils of the spirits to be invoked. Also shown are the authors own magic circles and tools, records of evocation experiences, and much more.

Humanity's love affair with mathematics and mysticism reached a critical juncture, legend has it, on the back of a turtle in ancient China. As Clifford Pickover briefly recounts in this enthralling book, the most comprehensive in decades on magic squares, Emperor Yu was supposedly strolling along the Yellow River one day around 2200 B.C. when he spotted the creature: its shell had a series of dots within squares. To Yu's amazement, each row of squares contained fifteen dots, as did the columns and diagonals. When he added any two cells opposite along a line through the center square, like 2 and 8, he always arrived at 10. The turtle, unwitting inspirer of the ''Yu'' square, went on to a life of courtly comfort and fame. Pickover explains why Chinese emperors, Babylonian astrologer-priests, prehistoric cave people in France, and ancient Mayans of the Yucatan were convinced that magic squares--arrays filled with numbers or letters in certain arrangements--held the secret of the universe. Since the dawn of civilization, he writes, humans have invoked such patterns to ward off evil and bring good fortune. Yet who would have guessed that in the twenty-first century, mathematicians would be studying magic squares so immense and in so many dimensions that the objects defy ordinary human contemplation and visualization? Readers are treated to a colorful history of magic squares and similar structures, their construction, and classification along with a remarkable variety of newly discovered objects ranging from ornate inlaid magic cubes to hypercubes. Illustrated examples occur throughout, with some patterns from the author's own experiments. The tesseracts, circles, spheres, and stars that he presents perfectly convey the age-old devotion of the math-minded to this Zenlike quest. Number lovers, puzzle aficionados, and math enthusiasts will treasure this rich and lively encyclopedia of one of the few areas of mathematics where the contributions of even nonspecialists count.

Take the Next Step... Clear away the outdated clutter that has obscured the power and beauty of the Golden Dawn magical system and feel for yourself the difference these techniques can make in your life. Explore dozens of new rituals developed from the fragments and core documents of the greatest Magical Order in the Western world. Step out of the darkness and into the light of understanding.John Michael Greer writes in a lucid and entertaining manner, revealing previously unknown aspects of the magical rites of the Golden Dawn. Warm and engaging, Circles of Power revitalizes Western magic by removing the unnecessary rhetoric and obscure jargon. Everything is plainly and simply explained and all the information you need to begin working within this magical system is presented in a clear and concise manner. Filled with the fruits of personal experience and insights derived from in-depth research, Circles of Power is the next best thing to actually joining a Hermetic lodge.