Product Description
Winifred's Well explores a moment when Britain's oldest continuous pilgrimage site was threatened. A 1917 mining incident suddenly diverted the flow of water from the healing well that predates Lourdes by at least seven centuries. The journey to recover this forgotten story of the well and its protectors draws together the author, the heir of an old Welsh family, and even a contemporary Archdruidess-each seeking in a different way. The journey ends at a rarely seen underground lake that lies beneath a mountain in rural Flintshire.Extensively researched, the book interweaves the story of Lady Anna Maria Mostyn with the author's present-day search for the physical and spiritual sources of St. Winifred's Well. Lady Mostyn's crusade to save the well from powerful mining interests at the turn of the twentieth century has a contemporary ring. And the legend of St. Winifred, mingled with elements from the deep Celtic past, offers ground for exploring the primal fascination with powerful watersources that cuts across time and culture.With the resurgence of interest in Celtic spirituality, it is surprising that no book in print has the remarkable well at Holywell as its focus. Winifred's Well unfolds the evocative power of the place as the author came to experience it-through chance meetings, discoveries, recovered documents, and unexpected connections. The book is illustrated with original photographs and historical images from the author's collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very exact to the truth of wales
Being from Holywell, Strand North Wales I found this book very intersting as I grew up in this area and am very familiar with most of the facts this book is based on so I was very pleased to read it.My wife and I were visiting the well on vacation in March and found out about the book from one of the attendents at the well.So upon completion of the book it was mailed to the attendents at the well to read and share with guests.So I give this book a rating of five stars.Thank You

Beautiful book about the Lourdes of Wales
A beautifully designed and conceived book about the holy well of St Winifred, once known to everyone as "the Lourdes of Wales". Shaffer's search began in 2004 in a riverside park in Hudson, NY when he found a postcard showing a statue of a saint, "gazing laconically upriver, in the general direction of Albany". It took him to Wales, to discover the story of how in 1904 a family spent much of their fortune trying to protect the well from new drainage plans, and ultimately it took him into the heart of the Halkyn mountain, to a seemingly bottomless lake, from which the well springs. This would be a wonderful gift for anyone who loves sacred places, and wants to know the stories behind and beneath them.

All's well that ends in Wales...
This book will probably be of interest to any fans of Saint Winifred or Welsh history, as it discusses her legend and its legacy in some depth.It would also be a good read for anyone interested in quirky histories in general, being an extremely readable interweaving of ancient legend, centuries of more recent history and spiritual traditions, and a personal travelogue of a spelunking expedition to the modern (underground) site of the well in question.
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Product Description
A compelling picture of the Druid spiritual life of one of the world's leading Druids. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Quite lovely
This book is just lovely!It's not at all a 'how-to'book; if you're looking for that, you've already missed the boat. (Go to your nearest school supply store, buy a blank notebook and pen~ the 'how-to' book is the one you will write yourself.)When you're done, pick up a copy of Druid Priestess....it's the lovliest example of Grove~flow I've come across.I've so enjoyed it, I felt like I was there . I'm ordering another of Emma's books.
P. Lloyd
Druid/SOA Priestess

Insight!At last!
There are plenty of how-to books out there, and there's truly not a need for that - which is one of the many reasons I enjoyed this book so much.One of the others was that it gives the perspective of a woman who writes of her experience.I found this a breath of fresh air and helped confirm some things in my own questing.This is one of those books I would suggest to anyone wanting to know what it is to walk their talk and LIVE their path.We see in other books people saying you should do these things, but how often do you get a chance to read about someone who DOES?
Just enjoy - read with no expectations beyond simply getting her perspective on her Path - it's well worth the read!

Spirituality at it's best
I purchased this book many years ago. It was at a time when all I was focused on was scholarship and nothing else. I was still in my beginning stage of study so I put the book aside. A few years later, I was at a different place in my study and I could finally pick it up and dive in. What I found was beautiful imagery and a look at Druidism in the spiritual sense. I think Emma Orr gracefully intertwines this world with the other and I believe, as a Druid, the middle ground does need to be discussed. I know it is her journey through a year, and yes, some of it is a bit of fantasy, but I believe that was part of the point. We as Druids are part of a world that goes beyond the depths of the mundane and to truly immerse ourselves we need to look beyond what is right in front of us.
As a side note, I thought this book was so spiritually significant that it became my "bible" at army basic training. I felt that experience warranted a much more spiritually based publication rather than a 'how-to' book. That is what she provides.

Rare insight
This book opens up the entire scope of British druidry - if you know how to read it.Imagine that you have been given the opportunity to read the diary of Taliesin (Welsh bard about the time of King Arthur).Imagine that instead of just the stories of Taliesin that you also had access to Taliesin's thoughts while he was writing them.Now transpose that image to a diminutive 21st century woman and you'll know how to read this book, for like Taliesen, Emma weaves her visions of an Otherworld with a life of service in this world - faith and works combined.And, she does so with a radical honesty and a mytho-poetic style worthy of any long lost bard.Don't miss this opportunity.

Discover the spiritual side of paganism
My review of this book may not be completely unbiased. I had the honor of meeting Emma Restall Orr on a journey to Great Britain last year. She is an amazing person whose spirit touched me very deeply in the few short hours that we were together. I have never before met someone who exudes both peace and quiet-confidence in quite the way she does.

Needless to say, I read this book as soon as I got back. I have been trying to follow a solo pagan path with little guidance other than books for the last year or two. Unfortunatley, I've found that most of the "how-to" guides don't really clarify the feeling that's trying to be achieved.They tend to be very mechanical.Druid Priestess really helped me understand the emotional/spiritual side of the choice of a pagan path. This revelation is apparent in her book regardless of whether her conversations with spirits happen in "real" life or wholly in her mind.Whether you read the book as non-fiction, fiction, or fantasy, it's still beautifully written with a presentation of the spiritual concept of paganism rather than just the say-this-rhythm-while-lighting-a-candle side. ... Read more

Product Description
Although some of the material treated has been updated by modern archeology, this is never the less, an important work, worthy of attention. -- Matt

"At first men enjoyed the blessings of nature as children do, without inquiring into causes. It was sufficient for them that the earth gave them herbs, that the trees bore them fruit, that the stream quenched their thirst. They were happy, and every moment though unconsciously they offered a prayer of gratitude to Him whom as yet they did not know.

And then a system of theology arose amongst them vague and indefinite, as the waters of the boundless sea. They taught each other that the sun, and the earth, the moon, and the stars were moved and illumined by a Great Soul which was the source of all life, which caused the birds to sing, the brooks to murmur, and the sea to heave. It was a sacred Fire which shone in the firmament, and in mighty flames. It was a strange Being which animated the, souls of men, and which when the bodies died, returned to itself again.

They silently adored this Great Soul in the beginning, and spoke of Him with reverence, and sometimes raised their eyes timidly to His glittering dwelling-place on high."

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Customer Reviews (1)

Unbelievably Excellent!! You must check it out!!
Great metaphysical and historical literature. A must for the Kindle bookshelf of any Mage, New Ager, or historian. ... Read more

Product Description
These are the original fairy stories behind popular modern fantasy like, “True Blood.”

--From the Preface - The stories in this Fairy Book come from all quarters of the world. For example, the adventures of 'Ball-Carrier and the Bad One' are told by Red Indian grandmothers to Red Indian children who never go to school, nor see pen and ink. 'The Bunyip' is known to even more uneducated little ones, running about with no clothes at all in the bush, in Australia… Other stories, like 'The Sacred Milk of Koumongoe,' come from the Kaffirs in Africa, whose dear papas are not so poor as those in Australia, but have plenty of cattle and milk, and good mealies to eat, and live in houses like very big bee-hives, and wear clothes of a sort, though not very like our own. 'Pivi and Kabo' is a tale from the brown people in the island of New Caledonia, where a boy is never allowed to speak to or even look at his own sisters; nobody knows why, so curious are the manners of this remote island. The story shows the advantages of good manners and pleasant behaviour; and the natives do not now cook and eat each other, but live on fish, vegetables, pork, and chickens, and dwell in houses. 'What the Rose did to the Cypress,' is a story from Persia, where the people, of course, are civilised, and much like those of whom you read in 'The Arabian Nights.' Then there are tales like 'The Fox and the Lapp' from the very north of Europe, where it is dark for half the year and day-light for the other half. The Lapps are a people not fond of soap and water, and very much given to art magic…

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Customer Reviews (5)

A must for your collection!!
I spent all last summer purchasing this series of Fairy Books by Andrew Lang.It was an 18th birthday present for my book-loving daughter.She found a 1960's version at a yard sale, the Blue Fairy Book.She fell in love with the collection of fairy tales from around the world.What a thrill it was when she researched the author and found that there were more books available!She loves the idea of buying secondhand, so I found them through amazon.com all of the 1960's books. I had them delivered to my work address and now all of the different colors line her bookshelf. Violet, Yellow, Brown etc.

Another Great Reader for Parents and Grandparents
In the late 19th century, historian, scholar, and anthropologist, Andrew Lang, began publishing collections of fairy tales from around the world. The first volume was `The Blue Fairy Book' published in 1887. Lang was not a true ethnologist, like the German Brothers Grimm. He was far more the `translator' than collector of tales from the source, stories transcribed from being told by people to whom the tales were passed down by word of mouth. In fact, many stories in his first volume, such as Rumpelstiltskin; Snow White; Sleeping Beauty; Cinderella; and Hansel and Gretel were translated from Grimm's books of fairy tales. Some of his `fairy tales' were even `copied from relatively recent fantasy fiction, such as A Voyage to Lilliput, the first of the four episodes in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.
My inspiration for commenting Lang's series of fairy tale books is for the sheer quantity of tales, the wonderful woodcut illustrations, some few of which may have become almost as popular as the tales (although not quite in the same league as Sir John Tenniel's illustrations for Lewis Carroll's great fantasies), and the fact that I had these when I was young.
With twelve of these books, with between 30 and 36 stories in each book, this gives one about 400 different stories. If I were to recommend anything as standard equipment at a grandparents' house, it would be a complete set of these books.
Needless to say, there are a few `warnings' to accompany booksassembled over 100 years ago. You will encounter a fair number of words with which even an adult may be unfamiliar, let alone a five year old. For example, on the second page of The Princess Mayblossom in The Red Fairy Book, a character puts sulfur in a witch's porridge.This requires at least three explanations. What is sulfur, what is porridge, and why is sulfur in porridge such a bad thing. More difficult still is when a prince entered the town on a white horse which `pranced and caracoled to the sound of the trumpets'. In 19th century London, caracoling (making half turns to the right and the left) was probably as common and as well known as `stepping on the gas' is today. But, if you're a grandparent, that's half the fun, explaining new words and ideas to the young-uns.
There is another `danger' which may require just a bit more explanation, although in today's world of crime dramas on TV, I'm not sure that most kids are already totally immune to being shocked by death and dead bodies. In these stories, lots of people and creatures get killed in very unpleasant ways, and lots of very good people and creatures suffer in very unpleasant ways. It's ironic that the critics in Lang's own time felt the stories were 'unreality, brutality, and escapism to be harmful for young readers, while holding that such stories were beneath the serious consideration of those of mature age'.The success of a whole library of Walt Disney feature length cartoons based on these stories is a testament to how well they work with children. But do be warned, Uncle Walt did clean things up a bit. Lang's versions hold back on very little that was ugly and unpleasant in some of these stories.
The down side to the great quantity of stories is that even when some come from very different parts of the world, there is a remarkable amount of overlap in theme, plot, and characters. But by the time you get to another story of a beautiful young girl mistreated by a stepmother, it will have been several month since you read Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper in The Blue Fairy Book. The other side of the coin is that you can play the game of trying to recall what that other story was with a similar theme.
There is one very big word of caution about buying these books through Amazon or a similar on line outlet. I stopped counting when I got to twelve different editions of The Blue Fairy Book, or a volume including several of these books. Not all of these editions have the original woodcuts and even worse, not all have a table of contents and introduction. The one publisher which has all twelve volumes is by Dover. Other publishers, such as Flying Chipmunk Publishing (yes, that's it's name) also have all the original illustrations, table of contents, and introduction, but I'm not certain that publisher has all twelve volumes. Dover most certainly does, as I just bought all twelve of them from Amazon.
While I suspect these stories may have been `old hat' for quite some time, it may be that with the popularity of Lord of the Rings, the Narnia stories, and the Harry Potter stories, all of which have their share of suffering and death, that these may be in for a revival. Again, the main attraction is that for relatively little money and space, Grammy and Grandad get a great resource for bonding with children.

Another great example of the Andrew Lang collection.
For some odd reason, this has to be one of my favorite editions of Andrew Lang's collection. I'm not sure why.But as always, we get a good, varying dose of excellent fairy tales from different countries, bettered by the fact that these tales are little known.So, yep, I recommend this for all collectors and those who just plain love a good fairy tale.

Superb collection of fairy tales from other countries
A Beautifully illustrated collection of fairy tales from different cultures, its refreshing to read tales that aren't just european. When I first bought it I was very disappointed that they weren't the traditionalFrench, German, and English fairy tales but after reading them I found themto be compelling and beautiful. These tales are imaginative, strange,beautiful, wistful, and gorgous. The illustrations are wonderful, theystand in a class of their own. Modern illustrators should use them asinspiration.

Another multicultural collection
It is hard to write reviews for Lang's fairy tale books which are as unique as each collection.The Brown Fairy Book once again has tales from many cultures.Included tales are:How Some Wild Animals Became TameOnes, Story of the King Who Would Be Stronger Than Fate, The Mermaid andthe Boy, The Sister of the Sun, Which Was The Foolishest?, and many others.I always enjoy the illustrations, too, although some children aredisappointed they are black and white drawings. ... Read more

Product Description
An ecumenical Pagan ?book of days? for celebrating the Winter Solstice, providing symbolism, rituals, day-by-day activities and lore for those who seek a more enriched and transforming experience of the December Holidays.A poetic primer for personal transfiguration at Christmas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Inspiring traditions for Yule
This is a guide to a celebration called the Fires of Yule that is celebrated in a fictional world created by the author. He draws on both pagan and christian themes to create a practice for experiencing the gifts of Yule. And he certainly succeeds: whether you follow the activities to the letter or simply incorporate a few ideas into your Yule celebration - you will undoubtedly experience a deeper relationship with the winter solstice. I must admit I found some of the author's poetry pretty awful (sorry!). But you don't have to like everything about this book in order to be blessed by its unique spirit. I recommend it for all open-minded pagans and adventurous christians.

Whoops!
Er, I felt I needed to review this as I was so very shocked when I read the intro.Maybe I can quote some relevant phrases: "the 'keltelven traditions' are a fictional construct based on research into Celtic and Pagan European traditions...the book you are about to read is written in the kind of Celtic mindset that permits of converse with people in 'other worlds' (in this case a 'fictional' landscape) and thus when you read about "the Kelteven Traditions" remember that what you are reading about is a fictional construct... All of the quotes in this book are drawn from sources attributed to characters living in the fictional landscape."My impression is that this is a celtic variation on Tolkein.

I have not actually read the book, only skimmed it-- I have no idea how to rate it.I was looking very quickly for a couple of resources on holiday traditions that precede the christian christmas and this is one I grabbed.Whoops!I gather that the author has made up a world, populated it with characters, and given them religious practices based on his research on Pagan traditions.Then he wrote a guide to their holiday traditions.I am totally new to the whole concept but I am pretty sure that the dates he uses for the 12 days of christmas are way off.So if you are a novice looking for actual information on holiday traditions I would steer clear.Perhaps the more knowledgeable Pagan practioners are able to glean new and interesting suggestions to use within their own celebrations.I just wish I had been warned.

A Yuletide Fantasy Come True!
This year during December, as I awaited the magick of the Winter Solstice and the New Year to be born, I read this exciting little book by Montague Whitsel!I am a priestess in the Wicchan tradition, and for years I have been looking for a way of walking my Way through the Winter Solstice Days with poetic, folkloric and magical symbols and rituals.This book -- ecclectic to the hilt -- has provided me with the most thorough guide I have yet run across.It's not your usual cup of brew!It might take you by surprise; but I will be recommending it to everyone in my covens, and to all my friends!

Fires of Yule
I believe the author captures a life and history that few would forget and the book brings newdepth and character to most books of its kind which are few. I can't wait to see his next book on the shelves soon. He has a vision and does a great job showing and guiding u through a book i give this book 4 stars i dont dont give that high of rating on most booksBravo to the author

A Solstice Celebration Open to All
This book blends pagan and Christian symbols and stories to create a unique version of the Winter Solstice celebration that can be participated in and enjoyed by anyone who seeks to reconnect with ancient traditions in a contemporary and more meaningful way. The author makes a sincere effort to bridge the gap between secular and spiritual points of view, hoping that the reader will open his or her mind to new customs and possibilities for reawakening an aesthetic sense of the sacred season. Mr. Whitsel's rich language is a nice change from the matter-of-fact, utilitarian wording of so many current books on spirituality and reveals the deep passion that he feels for this subject. Certainly, one isn't compelled to "believe" in a new "system" of spirituality in The Fires of Yule, only invited to draw upon whatever symbols and rituals serve to augment one's appreciation of the Solstice, whether those be Celtic Christian or Celtic Pagan. ... Read more

Product Description

Earth Magic recreates a time when herbal healers practiced their craft in consort with the stars and planets and all the animate and inanimate things of the Earth. Sharing her rich heritage of healing and drawing on a wealth of ancient Celtic wisdom, the author reveals the mysteries hidden in the folk names of flowers, in the strange and compelling myths about trees, in the fabulous tales of totem beasts and magical birds, and in the spirit powers of running water, fairy hills, and wells. Through the wisewoman's mystical vision of the universe, we view the magic of the Earth and learn to return in some measure the blessing and healing that we receive from her. A treasury of pagan beliefs and herbal lore, providing detailed information on how to cultivate, gather, and store herbs, prepare remedies and charms, and interpret weather signs. 

Explains the best seasons, months, and times for carrying out specific projects.

Describes the qualities, colors, metals, stones, animals, and plants associated with 
the different seasons. 

Customer Reviews (5)

Claire is a talented writer,an interesting book written by her perspective.
Paganism and Christianity are very well linked. Pagan Rome first persecuted the early Christian faith,Christianity survived.
Christianity persecuted the pagan faith,Paganism survived.
The two faiths have and will always blend together.For better or for worse. I enjoyed reading Earth Magic,it's a good read and would be welcome on any open-minded reader's bookshelf who seeks not to separate, but to bridge.

VERY misleading
I agree with the others that have cautioned the purchase of this book. It is clearly another means to rope in pagans and attempt to convert them, as was done in days of old. Such as building cathedrals on the spot of an ancient grove to entice the pagan populous to attend.

It was severly disappointing from the aspect that I spent money on this thinking that I would glean some pagan wisewoman knowledge to add to my compendium, but instead I received preaching and Christian slight of hand. This book was a clear waste of money and time.

I really cannot recommend this to anyone of the pagan faiths.

A Christian Wisewoman's Path.What a Rare Find!
A peaceful and loving monthly wisewoman's path. Although most works of this nature are pagan; Claire Nahmad brings a Christian twist filled with angels and Christian Holy Days to celebrate. Traditions reach centuriesback in time when the influence of stars and planets on all things of theearth were acknowledged and accepted, and when practitioners of healing andherbalism, whose vision was holistic, took these influences into accountand were expert in their understanding of them. This lore of the wisewomanteaches us how to love and revere the earth, how to respond to her magicand return in some measure the blessing and healing that we receive fromher.What a great find.

Hidden Treasure
Both charming and colloquial, Earth Magic reads like a recipe book of a 17th or 18th century witch or wisewoman. This is both a virtue and a stumbling-block. While the volume is crammed full of spells, instructions,charts, and folklore, it is difficult to read in large doses. The materialconforms to no particular tradition or belief system, except perhaps thatof Elizabethan hearthwitches, stillroom keepers, and herb grannies. Angelicand astrological correspondences rub shoulders with goddess lore, andreferences to both the Goddess and Jesus Christ are common.

The book isdivided into twelve chapters, each covering one month and/or one sign ofthe zodiac. The Angels, Spirits, and Stars section for each month includesmeditations on the spirit of the months, zodiac profile (on the signitself, not necessarily a person "of" that sign), starwatchinginformation, and invocations to related spirits. The Wisewoman's Journalsection includes folklore, spells, and charms. Also for each month there isthe Wisewoman's Weatherbook, with related weather lore. June, July andAugust feature "Witch's Garden" sections with information on afew garden features. Spells for love, for divination, for healing andprotection are mixed with practical medical herbalism and weatherlore.Especially useful for those who use angelic and astrological magic, or whoare looking for "traditional" women's magic.

It is clear thatthe information was gathered and written up by someone who was an avidstudent of the outdoors, including gardening, weatherworking, andastronomy. The text, though dense with symbolism and thick withinformation, is in a lyrical, flowing, and tender tone that is worth thetime required to comprehend it. While few of us may be able to study undera genuine traditional witch in the old sense of the word -- herbwife,charmcaster, wisewoman -- or, in fact, to study their recipe books, thismay be the closest to the old knowledge we will get.

Great book, very different than the norm!
Even though I have not finished this book yet, I have found it to be very good upon my glances and just by leafing through it. It is different than the norm books of natual magick, folklore, Witchcraft and Wicca, etc., thatis so prevalent today.This book is a far cry in that it speaks more toand of the wisewoman's old ways of living with harmony of the earth and hercycles, and gives much folklore and 'days of old' knowledge that is not aswell known in our fast-food culture, yet still relevant and useful todayand everyday as ever. It is broken up into seasons and sections withrelevant information astrologically, folklore, holidays, herbal and more. Ifound it refreshing and different, but also not as easy to read or 'light'in tone or subject as some other books that fall in this category. That initself is a blessing in my opinion since I find it difficult to find booksafter awhile that are not just cookie-cutter initations of the same stuffin different packaging and various styles. This book is definately not andis a highly overlooked gem! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Printing mistake destroys readability
Would love to read this book but the font is like 5 point font! I'm not that old, but this is just too small to read. I think the content looks pretty good- perhaps the author or publisher will consider making this available for Kindle so I can bump up the font size. I don't think I've ever seen a book with font this small.

Good, but not necessarily for the zodiac
This is the first book I've found that attempts to link possible interpretations of archealogical finds with the myths and foreign commentary of the Celts.It is a bit difficult to follow, but it certainly had me thinking in a new way.

interesting theory but too hard to read
First, one should note that by "zodiac" the author is decidedly not referring to an astrological system devised by the Druids.This is a book on the cosmogenic ( pertaining to the branch of astronomy dealing with the origin and history and structure and dynamics of the universe) beliefs of the Druids.The author uses the Gundestrap cauldron and Coligny Calendar as his archaeological template for his theory and this seemed a fascinating enough premise when I picked up the book.However learned the author is, though, some of the arguments are so interrelated, going from point A to B to C, etc., that I was often lost at the connections.It was with great reluctance I abandoned this book 2/3 of the way through.I wanted to like this book, I really did.There is something romantic about the notion that I could look at constellations just a little like the Druids might have, but the read was too thick to churn through to find the answers. ... Read more

Product Description
Avalon Within: Inner Sovereignty and Personal Transformation Through the Avalonian Mysteries presents a practical foundation in the Avalonian Tradition, drawing upon the vibrant powers of Glastonbury's Sacred Landscape and the rich heritage of Celtic British mythology. Focusing on the Avalonian Cycle of Healing and accessing the Sacred Landscape of the Holy Isle, Avalon Within provides the seeker with powerful tools for awakening the transformational energies of Avalon in their lives -- empowering them to affect lasting inner change and to facilitate true healing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

A sleeper
This book is very wordy and does not hold your attention. I find myself skipping pages to see if it gets any better?It does not. I wish I could return it. I have read many books on Avalon, this one put me to sleep. So if you have a hard time getting to sleep this is the book for you.Otherwise I would skip it.

Best book available for women seeking to (re)connect with Goddess
As a university professor who does a lot of reading I consider this book to be a gem.It is an excellent book that I have read over and over.It is not designed specifically to be read from cover to cover in sequence, although that can be a good approach for the first time through, just so you know what's there.Instead, it is more of a reference book, and an excellent one, of tools for those honestly seeking the deeper meaning of Goddess and women's spirituality.I have bookmarks at several sections that I go back to and reread repeatedly, each time getting a deeper understanding of the lesson.

Avalon Within is a road map for following spiritual aspects of the celtic year, with particular reference to the Goddesses of the Mabinogion and ancient traditions of the peoples that inhabited England, particularly what is now Wales and Cornwall. It takes us through a yearly cycle in which we identify problems and pains within ourselves, eliminate them, then build aspects of ourselves that we wish to strengthen.The book is balanced in addressing the depths of despair that we have all known, through to the ecstasy of being in full mergence with the Divine, particularly the Divine Feminine, and all that comes in between.

The reviewer that gave this book a single star claims that "the author here expects us to believe that there was a sisterhood of Druid-like women living in Glastonbury in an ancient feminist commune".This, and some other comments in the review, make it clear that the reviewer did not actually read the book, since a long paragraph in the introduction of the book reviews multiple ideas and hypotheses about what Avalon was, ranging from the historical and physical to several metaphysical,allegorical and mythological possibilities, then concludes with the statement "In truth, it may not matter."I quite concur with the latter.Whatever Avalon once was, today it is what we make of it.

It is, as stated by the gentleman who complained that it was a book written for women, a book written by a woman, for women.There is certainly need for Avalonian books and groups that are inclusive of men as well as women.However, in a world where women are still striving to get fair treatment in political, economic and many other areas, and are striving to (re)connect with Goddess after centuries of patriarchal religious structures telling them that God is Male and Only Men Count, there is real need for books like this.

"Avalon Within" Limiting

I purchased "Avalon Within" because of a growing interest in Goddess Spirituality and the concept of Avalon.I found the book to be pretty much what I had expected except for one crucial thing.I'm a man and author Jhenah Telyndru makes no mention of males belonging in the Avalon Tradition.She obviously initiates only women in her "Sisterhood".While the book was interesting, especially if one likes Celtic paths, it had limited value to me as a male.This is regretful since I have read other authors who include men in Avalonian circles.On a more positive note, the cover image is beautiful, if one likes judging a book by its cover.

Amazing book for anyone on a journey to reach Glstonbury.
This was a wonderful book for my trip to Glastonbury. It was full of rich facts and meditations. I wish I had read it before the trip so I could be prepared for the energy there. I was sweating a lot in the first few days. I would have liked to have done some of the work in this book earlier so I would have had a chance to intergrate everything.

Fascinating
I have read and re-read this book several times. It is packed full of incredible details, imagery and scholarship. Each time I read it, I learn something new. Ms. Telyndru gives practical lessons in learning about Avalon and the Island's Five Goddesses. This book will guide you on a path of internal magic and transformation.

I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Product Description
Even as late as the eleventh century we have evidence of the old religion in the remoter districts and the islands on our western coasts. Many of the secondary doctrines of Druidism hold their ground to this very day there as articles of faith. Connected with these practice (Belteine, etc.), is the vivid memory still retained of one universal Ophiolatreia, or serpent worship; and the attributing of supernatural powers and virtues to particular animal such as the bull, the white and red cow, the boar, the horse and dog… The Irish early Christians long continued the custom entwining their old serpent god around the cross. One has said, "The ancient Irish crosses are alive with serpents. Their green god-snake was Gad-el-glas. The word Tirda-glas meant the tower of the green god. The old Milesian standard, of a snake twisted round a rod, may seem to indicate a Phallic connection..." ... Read more

Product Description
Collection of John Matthews essays, stories, poems, and other writings. 7.44 inch wide by 9.69 inch tall.In our time when so much emphasis is on the quick and the facile, the glamorous and the trendy, John offers something deep and lasting.He bridges the ancient wisdoms of our past and the possibilities of our future.He calls himself a shaman, but I call him a sage.And as you read the treasures in this book, I believe you will as well. ... Read more

Product Description
These are some of the original fairy stories behind popular modern fantasies like, “True Blood.”

Andrew Lang's Fairy Books constitute a twelve-book series of fairy tale collections. Although Andrew Lang did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, the extent of his sources, who had collected them originally (with the notable exception of Madame d'Aulnoy), made them an immensely influential collection, especially as he used foreign-language sources, giving many of these tales their first appearance in English. As acknowledged in the prefaces, although Lang himself made most of the selections, his wife and other translators did a large portion of the translating and telling of the actual stories. –From Wikipedia

For more titles like this, type “dreamz-work” into the search field or go to http://dreamz-work.com
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Customer Reviews (9)

Another Great Reader for Parents and Grandparents
In the late 19th century, historian, scholar, and anthropologist, Andrew Lang, began publishing collections of fairy tales from around the world. The first volume was `The Blue Fairy Book' published in 1887. Lang was not a true ethnologist, like the German Brothers Grimm. He was far more the `translator' than collector of tales from the source, stories transcribed from being told by people to whom the tales were passed down by word of mouth. In fact, many stories in his first volume, such as Rumpelstiltskin; Snow White; Sleeping Beauty; Cinderella; and Hansel and Gretel were translated from Grimm's books of fairy tales. Some of his `fairy tales' were even `copied from relatively recent fantasy fiction, such as A Voyage to Lilliput, the first of the four episodes in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.
My inspiration for commenting Lang's series of fairy tale books is for the sheer quantity of tales, the wonderful woodcut illustrations, some few of which may have become almost as popular as the tales (although not quite in the same league as Sir John Tenniel's illustrations for Lewis Carroll's great fantasies), and the fact that I had these when I was young.
With twelve of these books, with between 30 and 36 stories in each book, this gives one about 400 different stories. If I were to recommend anything as standard equipment at a grandparents' house, it would be a complete set of these books.
Needless to say, there are a few `warnings' to accompany booksassembled over 100 years ago. You will encounter a fair number of words with which even an adult may be unfamiliar, let alone a five year old. For example, on the second page of The Princess Mayblossom in The Red Fairy Book, a character puts sulfur in a witch's porridge.This requires at least three explanations. What is sulfur, what is porridge, and why is sulfur in porridge such a bad thing. More difficult still is when a prince entered the town on a white horse which `pranced and caracoled to the sound of the trumpets'. In 19th century London, caracoling (making half turns to the right and the left) was probably as common and as well known as `stepping on the gas' is today. But, if you're a grandparent, that's half the fun, explaining new words and ideas to the young-uns.
There is another `danger' which may require just a bit more explanation, although in today's world of crime dramas on TV, I'm not sure that most kids are already totally immune to being shocked by death and dead bodies. In these stories, lots of people and creatures get killed in very unpleasant ways, and lots of very good people and creatures suffer in very unpleasant ways. It's ironic that the critics in Lang's own time felt the stories were 'unreality, brutality, and escapism to be harmful for young readers, while holding that such stories were beneath the serious consideration of those of mature age'.The success of a whole library of Walt Disney feature length cartoons based on these stories is a testament to how well they work with children. But do be warned, Uncle Walt did clean things up a bit. Lang's versions hold back on very little that was ugly and unpleasant in some of these stories.
The down side to the great quantity of stories is that even when some come from very different parts of the world, there is a remarkable amount of overlap in theme, plot, and characters. But by the time you get to another story of a beautiful young girl mistreated by a stepmother, it will have been several month since you read Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper in The Blue Fairy Book. The other side of the coin is that you can play the game of trying to recall what that other story was with a similar theme.
There is one very big word of caution about buying these books through Amazon or a similar on line outlet. I stopped counting when I got to twelve different editions of The Blue Fairy Book, or a volume including several of these books. Not all of these editions have the original woodcuts and even worse, not all have a table of contents and introduction. The one publisher which has all twelve volumes is by Dover. Other publishers, such as Flying Chipmunk Publishing (yes, that's it's name) also have all the original illustrations, table of contents, and introduction, but I'm not certain that publisher has all twelve volumes. Dover most certainly does, as I just bought all twelve of them from Amazon.
While I suspect these stories may have been `old hat' for quite some time, it may be that with the popularity of Lord of the Rings, the Narnia stories, and the Harry Potter stories, all of which have their share of suffering and death, that these may be in for a revival. Again, the main attraction is that for relatively little money and space, Grammy and Grandad get a great resource for bonding with children.

A wonderfull series
Great for pre- teens and older. A graduation from sleeping beauty and other common stories.

A little insight into Langs greatest rendition, Donkeyskin
Andrew Lang could be decisevly one of the forefathers of fairytales for his many renditions of the fairytales we all love so much. His books have kept many fairytales in popular culture today, for instance the tale of Donkeyskin. Donkeyskin, in its hayday, was a tale that as many fairytales do, undermined and inforced ideologies of it's days. It spoke out against arranged marriages and demonstrated the cruelty and moral incorrectness of incestuous affairs. These ideals were new to the day, and hence such ideas as one might have noticed are still held by many people most likely due to this books influence. Yet, the concepts of a womans role and how a woman should be subservient was reinforced by the tale, but it would seem the story's life force has still been held by Lang. In short this colage of fairy tales is one of great importance and one that should be on everyones books shelves

Simply perfect
This is just another of Andrew Lang's fairy books.It is a perfect book if you want to read to your child, or if you just like to read fairy tales. The book contains 59 black and white illustrations, and 35 short stories, ranging in length from a couple pages to about 20.The fairy tales include:The Impossible Enchantment, The Story of Dschemil and Dschemila, The Story of the Queen of the Flowery Isles, The White Wolf, Bobino, The Sunchild, The Unlooked-for Prince, annetella, Prunella, and many more.
I loved it

Wonderful book
I love all the fairy books by Andrew Lang (red, orange, olive, crimson, grey, yellow, blue,etc). They are well written, exciting, and captivating. If you like fairy tales at all you must try one of his books. ... Read more

Product Description
In this book, Stuart McHardy investigates the widespread phenomenon of the Nine Maidens – druidesses, seeresses, saints, spirit beings and priestesses of the Mother Goddess. For at least 15,000 years, the Nine Maidens have been remembered and celebrated in folklore, legend and myth. Time and again they are linked to major goddesses, gods and heroes. Found across the globe, the Nine Maidens may represent one of the world’s most ancient institutions. The analysis of these fascinating female groups is perhaps the first stage in a startling new interpretation of human history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Enjoyable
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because McHardy found his maidens in the West (Europe, et al) and the Siberian shamans have their nine maidens too; I suppose his plate was full and he wanted to get his book into print but tying the two together would have made a better book-maybe he can write a sequel. There, I just dumped a load of work in his lap-sorry Stuart. ... Read more

Product Description
As the Roman Empire crumbles, the Catholic Church fills the power vacuum by launching attacks on classical culture. Books are burned. Women are restricted from traditional occupations. The lives of pagans and Jews are imperiled. The Dark Ages loom.

But two women, Glenys, a Celtic herbalist and healer, and Hypatia, teacher, philosopher, mathematician and the last librarian of the great library at Alexandria, resist. Though one is branded a sorceress and the other an idolator, they refuse to submit to the demands of the state-sanctioned religious leaders. Their struggle culminates in the cataclysmic events of Lenten week in 415 A.D.

Can anything be preserved? ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Rather than focusing purely on Celtic mythology, Wittaexamines the cultural aspects of Irish paganism and serves as atextbook for the practice of the old religion of Ireland. It's clearlywritten, well detailed and researched with a fair bibliography plushistory, spells, rituals, sabbats and more. The author supplies a listof resources for hard to find herbs, ritual tools and other importantimplements. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (48)

Uh-uh. Don't bother.
Not fond of this one, to be completely honest. The Irish information was remotely interesting to read through, but all it looks like is a Wicca-repackaged-replaced-with-t's book with an Irish flavor. It was so disappointing that a bug crawling on the wall next to me was more interesting than paying genuine attention to the book. I dutifully read through it since I got it as a gift and kept waiting for -one sentence- to jump at me saying 'Hey, this is worth my time!'.

If you're really interested in Irish culture and bringing it into your craft, you'd be better off studying mythology, history and other books, not this thing.

My fault for reading it all the way through. Wish I could give it some glowing tidbit of praise to make it worth one's time, but... nope, sorry, can't do it.

Irish, this is not!
To start off, there is no 'W' in Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge) so attempting to claim this is an "ancient Irish tradition" using a word that isn't remotely Irish should give the first clue to the authenticity.
Anyone looking for insight into Irish paganism should look to the history and the mythology (Tain Bo Cuailgne and Cath Maige Tured). There is plently of literature about the history and archaeology of Ireland (Pre-Christian Ireland and The History of Ireland). Your best bet would be to stay away from new aged ideas of what Irish celtic culture should have been and stick with what it actually was. One can not base a religious choice on 'shoulds.'

Edain McCoy didnt dig deep
This book would be good if Edain would have dug a little deeper.I am interested in Witta but can't seem to find much on it other than this.Knowing what I about Ireland and the rich history this feels more like a shallow grave.

Nope, get something else
Now, I enjoyed this book immensely though it is, in my opinion, quite feminist. I always strive for a balance and this appears to be a bit out of balance but if that's your thing you may dig this book.

On to the bad stuff... There's absolutely no historical data to back this book up. As near as I can tell it's a total lie. Wicca (or if you choose to disguise it as "Witta") is not 1000 years old. It's not even Celtic. It's barely 50 years old and wasn't founded with anything to do with Celts. See my website www.linesofthedragon.com

Imaginary history
This book is ridiculous.It is full of absurd historical inaccuracies and blatantly false information regarding Paganism in Ireland.Read this book for a laugh, not a religion.It's an anthropological atrocity. ... Read more

Product Description
US Army, Technical Manual, TM 5-4310-352-14, COMPRESSOR, AIR, RECIPROCATING, ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN, RECEIVER 2 HP, 5 CFM, 175 PSI, INGERSOLL-RAND MODEL CM234F2, (NSN 4310-00-604-4368), military manauals, special forces
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Product Description
Modern Wicca is a vibrant, uplifting nature religion practiced by hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone. But wearing "witchy" jewelry and casting a few spells does not make one a witch, for Wicca is a lifestyle and those who walk its path have solemnly dedicated themselves to the service of the Goddess and God.

Wiccan Beliefs and Practices was written for the solitary witch or non-traditional small coven. Written by a Wiccan High Priest and retired aerospace engineer, Wiccan Beliefs & Practices includes crucial information not found in other introductory Wiccan books, including:

• Ethics of a Witch, including the Code of Chivalry
• How to write and develop your own spells and rituals;
• The physically-challenged Witch
• Out of the broom closet: is it right for you?
• Know your rights: the legal protection of Wicca as a
   legitimate religion

Author Gary Cantrell speaks from personal experience with Wiccans of all ages and degrees of physical ability, bringing you an earnest examination of modern Wiccan beliefs and a practical guide to the Craft of the Wise.

In the following excerpt, the author explains why he chose to "come out of the broom closet."

I elected to reveal my practice of witchcraft publicly simply because I personally feel that the time for intentionally hiding ourselves has come to an end. We are practitioners of a kind, gentle, and peace-loving religion. We are not the bloodthirsty or depraved, orgiastic fanatics all too often portrayed by the entertainment and news media. The general public has been misled about witchcraft for over a thousand years, and now with our numbers reaching an all-time high, possibly in excess of one million people worldwide, we need to stand up and set that record straight.

We are out there by the hundreds upon hundreds of thousands. We are in the arts, the sciences, and the humanities. We are law enforcement officers, engineers, builders, doctors, and farmers. We are a legally recognized religion under the protection of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and our isolation from the rest of the religious community should and must come to an end. With the phenomenal growth of witchcraft since the 1970s and with the free and easy interchange of information afforded to us by things like the Internet, that time will come to pass and it will happen soon. It may be happening now.
Amazon.com Review
Those who are just starting out in the craft may find this how-to book on Wiccan rituals, spells, and tools useful.Gary Cantrell, author of Outof the Broom Closet?, is the first to admit that this book is geared forbeginners and may be redundant for long-time practitioners. That said, Cantrell has done a masterful job of defining the roots of Wiccaand helping readers establish their own approach to a diverse and ancientcraft. For instance, some may be drawn to the more nature-oriented Celtictraditions, while others may be attracted to the more feminist Dianicapproach. He also offers a strong chapter on ethics and purpose, debunkingthe depraved devil-worshipping, blood-sacrificing, black-magic stereotypesattached to witches. Mostly, Cantrell emphasizes how to get started(suggesting essential tools, such as altar cloths and candles),techniques for purifying an area, and how to conduct an assortment of ritesand spells. "The art of working a spell, or casting a spell, or makingmagick is serious work," he cautions. "It is not something that can beapproached lightly, casually, or flippantly ... You will be bending and shapingenergies that will, without question, have an impact on the world aroundyou...." Passages such as this one prove Cantrell to be a responsiblenarrator, someone who is dedicated to offering accurate knowledge whilealso encouraging newcomers to carefully monitor their Wiccan ethics andintentions. A welcome addition to the voices of Wiccan wisdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

The Book I Keep Going Back To
Most Wiccans I know give praise to Cunningham's "Wicca For the Solitary Practitioner" which I find unorthodox and terrible for the beginner or anyone else. This book by Gary Cantrell should rightfully take its place as THE beginner book for Wicca. Not only does he provide ample information for solitaries but he also provides options for covens. Awesome! Cantrell provides solid information and practices that will prove to be an excellent core to your Wiccan growth. If I could only have one book, this would be it.

Cudos for Gary Cantrell
For anyone learning the world of Wicca this is the most comprehensive book I've read so far, for both coven and solitary practice.Gary Cantrell writes in a very simple and concise form that is easy to understand and gives you the best overview of the many aspects relating to Wicca.Well worth adding to your library.

Interesting
Before I review, I feel I have to certify a few things:I'm not a Wiccan, nor am I considering it.I thought this might be an interesting read during the Halloween season (love Halloween, love spooky Halloween material).Instead, this book is intended for the newbie Wiccan contemplating practice as a Wiccan.If that were me, it would have been great.It's content is clear, easy to follow, and supportive for a student of the religion.

The content is heavy on the underlying belief system and how to incorporate practice into a modern practictioner's life.The author includes descriptions of rituals, the significance of the seasons, the significance of the moon's cycle, some of symbolism, and tools used in typical rituals.The author presents the subject matter as introductory, not comprehensive; although he suggests additional reading material for the serious student.

It was a well-organized and also offered an "inside" view of the religion as told by a practitioner.

An Excellent Resource
This was the first book I read on Wicca, and it has been an invaluable resource for me. It gives a broad spectrum of information on the religion, without the information being overwhelming.

A Very Good Rede!
After reading some of the reviews, I was prepared to be a bit disappointed. I wasn't. The author took a personalist, non-dogmatic, and eclectic look at the Wicca of his experience, and presented it in a very down-to-earth manner. This volume served as an introduction for me, so I can see how those more advanced readers in Wicca might want to go elsewhere. They would miss out on the author's spirit of adventure, as well as his humour and solid common sense, however, and that would be a pity.

A blessing here is that the author was not a pompous windbag, like some religious writers I've come across. Perhaps his career in a scientific industry helped out there. The only downside for me was that, in order to be very clear about what he was explaining, the author was somewhat repetitious in places: I can live with that. The pity of it is that the author has since died (or gone to "Summerland"), and we'll sadly have no more books from him. If someone asked me to suggest ONE (non-flakey)book to read as a good introduction to Wicca today, this would be it. ... Read more

Product Description
NOTE:::: Thayne Hudson is the penname for Essa Adams. . . also refer to 2010 KINDLE and paperback editions.

What would you do if you realized you married your best friend’s soul mate?If your sacred work petrifies you because you have visions of consequences in past lives?What becomes of your soul group if you do not keep your promise this lifetime?

A BREATH FLOATS BY is an astonishing, gentle love story examining strong currents beneath the thin veneer of modern life.Where the reader is barely aware they walk at the edge of the Veil of Life.

Lindsay's change of life has hit the fan.Since childhood, she has been terrified to begin her true life work and her reprieve has ended, obviously.Just when she learns her husband, Sam, is terminal.She is taken underwing by someone she would rather not know and realizes, too late, that the woman is vying for his heart.Beyond forgivable.Through it all, Lindsay realizes her soul group needs her more than she needs them, especially her husband's best friend, Daniel.

Lindsay, Heather Laurel, Gooee, Sam and Daniel are strong, genuine characters, well over forty, dealing with divorce, security, forgiveness, faith, death, the afterlife.They bring enough baggage from other incarnations to send a little fur flying this time around.However, they find their greatest challenge is the raw honesty required to face the complexity of their love affairs. The truth of love holds their answer.

A timely romance in Door Country of the Great Lakes Region, where a swirling, spiritually-charged world is exposed.

The light supernatural underscore of this women's fiction is comparable to the soft edges of spiritual cinema... the spirituality metaphysics in the Dragonfly with Kevin Costner; the connection with the Mystery of the Divine in August Rush; the soul group connection of the epic television drama LOST; the devoted friendship and humor exemplified in Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood.If you enjoyed one of these, this modern story has something to offer.

During our era of spiritual awakening, despite belief in reincarnation, readers exploring transformation and soul-growth may never again view a coincidence in the same light.

A BREATH FLOATS BY.Where spiritual answers sometimes come with unrelenting force.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ESSA ADAMS - The author is a life path consultant, preparing guidance charts that integrate each client’s astrological ascendant, soul type and birthdate numerology.Her written personal explanation of a client’s compilation highlights life path issues, inner gifts, and can give fuller understanding to one’s direction and purpose.She also gives dream interpretation to a few people a month. . . when something to offer is given to her, the connection is made.

She lives with her husband, their Newfoundlands, pet skunks and an ancient cat in the Northwoods.She enjoys gardening, birding, rowing, bicycling, reading and remains a devoted fan of LOST, Northern Exposure, Brothers and Sisters, and CASTLE.When not writing novels and compiling her client’s charts, she is writing short-shorts for her blogs::: Women's Fiction Blog, Age of Menopause, Pet Skunks for Sale, the blog for ESSA Books and The Right Environmental Choice Blog.With her husband, she manages their environmentally-correct AMSOIL and NEWAYS businesses.

Life has been arranged so Essa will be able to write until she dies.Writing is bliss, so it's all good.

You are invited to correspond with Essa through her websites.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Transformation of a Woman through Love
I read "A Breath Floats By"almost all in one sitting. It's a story of friendship with paranormal elements and a positive outlook.

Love takes many forms in this story. There is relationship love, friendship love, and family love. The story is a journey of a woman, Lindsay (Clara Rose), discovering how to be her authentic self, and the changes this brings to her life.

There is a love triangle (really a rectangle!) and the love story is part of what kept me reading forward. Lindsay is dedicated to her husband Sam; but her dedication may be holding both of them back. There is also Daniel, best friends with Sam, and long-time (forever) love of Lindsay. I am honored to read a love story with real emotion in it, some sexy scenes; I feel for and identify with these characters.

This book is written with a pure heart and a compelling plot line. There are strong women characters here too --a nosy neighbor who becomes a friend, a psychic friend who is always a bit of a rival, a death doula with an amazing gift, and a troubled tough woman with a strong and sensitive heart.The female friendships in the book play an important part in the transformation of Lindsay into the person she was meant to be.

I admire that the author has a strong sense of loving and accepting people of all sizes without any preachiness or pushiness. These characters feel genuine for many reasons. (I also loved the skunks and the Newfoundlands in the book; described particularly well and they give a specific feel to this place and these people)

For anyone interested in love, transformation, soul-growth, with an open mind and an open heart.

I Want More
Loved this book.The characters are like women I know in real life.Would love to see a follow up book.. or maybe two or three?? :)

I loved this book...
Too infrequently, you will find a novel in which one or more of the key players are, well, on the hefty side.In real life, half of us are "substantial", with weight and girth well above current government guidelines for a standard person, yet in films, TV, theater, and yes, in fiction, hardly anyone is.What's wrong with this picture?But ample body size in some of Hudson's main characters, while a pleasant experience for me, is not the main point of this book.Thankfully, the size of some of the participants is of secondary importance.Body size is simply treated as just another physical characteristic, which is what it is.What is important, and fascinating, is their relationships with one another, including their souls.How one character meets another, and comes to feel that they have known the other before; or one person can love another for years, and yet not feel consummated, in all the senses of the word.Why body size is incidental to, and a bit player in the meaningful lives lived by these people. How soul and memory play a supremely important part in the loves of real people, if they will only pay attention.

When measured by that yardstick, I am sorry to say that many novels, even best sellers, often seem shallow by comparison.

Bill Fabrey
Woodstock, NY, USA ... Read more

Product Description
In this exhaustively researched work John Grigsby reveals how behing this medieval tale lies the dim remembrance of a cult of human sacrifice that forms the backbone of Pagan Celtic religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Went looking-
After I read John Grigsby's BEOWULF AND GRENDEL,which I thoroughly enjoyed, I thought I would check out his other book. As a person who loves the Arthurian legend and related topics, this book is a must for background material regarding the history and mythology which led to the "grail" stories.The universal themes played out in the search for the grail stories, whether it is Arthur and his knights, The Da Vinci Code, or Indiana Jones, are a source of fascination to me and John's book lends serious archeology and known or suspected reality to it. I highly recommend his books to folks interested in the Grail legend!

The Celtic Mysteries
Many years ago, W.Y. Evans-Wentz theorized that the ancient Celts may have held mystery rites, similar to those of the Greek Eleusis, in which they made a visionary journey to the lands of the dead.John Grigsby's fascinating book, to me, is the fulfillment of that theory.With archaeological and mythological evidence in abundance, Grigsby puts together a theory of what such mysteries might have been like.

He begins by wondering why the Celts practiced occasional human sacrifice.This is often a divisive issue.There are two general ideas about Celtic human sacrifice.One is that the Celtic lands were drenched in sacrificial blood and lit constantly by the fires of burning wicker cages full of unwilling victims.The other is that the Celts were peaceful tree-huggers who wouldn't hurt a fly.It's most likely that the truth is in the middle, and it's this middle road that Grigsby takes.His theory is that *in general* Druidic rituals involved either metaphorical deaths a la Eleusis, or animal sacrifice, but occasionally when severe problems cropped up, a human being consented to be a "bridge" between the living and the dead.To die, basically, so that his people could call his spirit back and ask it questions about what it had seen on the other side.

He gathers evidence from anywhere he can get it.The victims were sometimes painted green--so he goes to the myths and looks at the Green Knight story.They often had traces of the poisonous, hallucinogenic fungus ergot in their stomachs--so he makes comparisons to the Greek mysteries, where ergot in small doses may have facilitated the visions seen by the initiates.He looks at the stoneworks of the earlier peoples of Britain, since they may have been related to an earlier form of the cult.What emerges is a tantalizing speculation about Celtic/Druidic religion.I couldn't put it down--Grigsby has enough hard evidence to appeal to my left brain but also has the gift of interesting prose, to satisfy the right half.If Robert Graves had made coherent sense, he might have written this book. ... Read more