Witchcraft And The Shamanic Journey

Revealing the spiritual roots of Western culture, this in-depth study of witchcraft trial records and the testimony of the witches themselves prove that European peasants accused of witchcraft died, in fact, for the sake of the world's oldest spiritual path. Illustrated.

Is shamanism all that different from modern witchcraft? According to Christopher Penczak, Wicca's roots go back 20,000 years to the Stone Age shamanic traditions of tribal cultures worldwide. A fascinating exploration of the Craft's shamanic origins, The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft offers year-and-a-day training in shamanic witchcraft. Penczak's third volume of witchcraft teachings corresponds to the water element - guiding the reader into this realm of emotion, reflection, and healing. The twelve formal lessons cover shamanic cosmologies, journeying, dreamwork, animal/plant/stone medicine, totems, soul retrieval, and psychic surgery. Each lesson includes exercises (using modern techniques and materials), assignments, and helpful tips. The training ends with a ritual for self-initiation into the art of the shamanic witch--culminating in an act of healing, rebirth, and transformation. COVR Award Winner

Shamanic practice seeks healing and wisdom from realms that overlap the everyday world. The use of plant and animal medicines, vision quests, trance work, and ceremonies to heal one's self and others are the foundations of shamanism. So too, Wicca and witchcraft use the magic and medicine of plants, animals, and other realms. By learning to incorporate the practices of shamanism, the witch can enhance his or her natural abilities as healer and creator of positive change. The Shamanic Witch outlines the many similarities between the art of shamanism and the craft of the Witch and explores how the overlapping of these two traditions can be used to enhance one's practice. Where witchcraft brings the belief and religion, Shamanism brings the skills. Sections include: Understanding the World of the shaman, Creatures and Spirits of Other Realms, Developing a Shamanic Practice, The Toolkit of the Shamanic Practitioner, The Realms of the Witch, and Melding Worlds: Becoming the Witch-Shaman.

This book reveals -- through a compelling mix of scholarly research, global mythology and lucid story-telling -- the spiritual roots of Western culture: shamanism. An in-depth study of the witchcraft trial records and the testimony of the witches themselves proves that the European peasants accused of witchcraft died, in fact, for the sake of the world's oldest spiritual path. Learn why Shamanism has survived in one form or another to this day.

Pull up a chair and let's have a chat about Traditional Witchcraft. This is your first step on your journey to becoming one with all, which is the foundation of Witchcraft. From the 16th Century, there have been witches in my family. The old beliefs have been a way of life for as long as I can remember. This book is a way for me to share those beliefs with others. Witchcraft isn't just about magic; it is a way of life. Traditional witchcraft has been around for thousands of years and although much knowledge has been lost over time, there is still a lot that remains. There are many paths and belief systems among witches, this is but one. Learn everything you need to know to embark on your own journey into the world of witchcraft, beginning with Witchcraft - A Spiritual Journey. Learn the belief system of Traditional Witchcraft and how it differs from the Wicca Tradition. Discover your connection to the universe and how that connection will enrich your life and provide you with the power of divination, the ability to cast spells, and invoke the spirits in nature. Learn how you can communicate with the dead and see into another time - another place. Becoming a witch is not something that happens overnight. It is a journey that begins with your first step onto the path of discovery. Get comfortable, have a cup of tea, and let your journey begin.

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 century Witch 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.

An introduction to the history of shamanism with tools and practices for shamanic journeying for beginners. Drawing from decades of training in Brazil and the United States, Ana Campos has written a history of shamanism that’s both personal and global. She creates a methodology for bringing shamanic wisdom into our daily practices, and explains why it’s important to establish a relationship with our helping spirits to heal ourselves and our communities. Through this incisive discussion of shamanism, we can become the vehicle for change our world so desperately needs right now.