The Magic of Menhirs & Circles of Stone

Have you ever wanted a sacred site in your own back yard? This book and DVD (packaged as a set) will help you to achieve that dream. Alanna Moore is an Australian writer and film maker who looks at ancient traditions, dowsing techniques, and places of power around the world. She’s put together this book and film for those who are interested in stone circles, earth energies, and learning how to recognise and create spiritual places in our environment.

The book is the first in a series of guidebooks, and it’s called A Little Geomantic Guidebook to The Magic of Menhirs and Circles of Stone. It is only 35 pages in length (spiral bound), but it is a useful addition to the excellent reference book Divining Earth Spirit, published by the same author earlier in the year.

Chapter one gives us a history lesson on the ancient uses of places such as Stonehenge. It also looks at the link between the stones and healing energies, and fairy traditions too. The concept of creating your own stone circles, and the making of medicine wheels using big stones or small pebbles, features further along in the book, but don’t skip any chapters in your haste to renovate the back garden, it’s all worth reading.

Sites created by the methods in this book are said to generate new ley lines as soon as people “began to use these constructions meditatively.” But Alanna points out that setting up stone circles can also attract unwanted energies, so be careful where you build them, as underground streams may be attracted, and their energies can be harmful if they pass under your home.

A few pages are devoted to labyrinths (geometric patterns created from hedges, stones, mounded earth, etc.) and the transformational effect of walking a labyrinth is described in detail. These patterns are linked to the ancient practices of initiations and shamanic journeys, and provide the opportunity for a blissful inner journey.

The book is well illustrated with photographs, and there are line drawings that clearly show how to draw or build your own labyrinth. The author’s aim in publishing this series is to give “practical information on the spiritual and energetic aspects of environment”, and this has been easily accomplished with this compact volume on geomancy.

Megalithomania is the companion DVD to the book reviewed above, and is part three of the Geomancy Today film series. It looks at the stone circles in England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are over 9,000 stone circles through the British Isles, and it’s nice to see images of famous structures such as the Stone of Destiny at Tara in Ireland, and the stones that surround the village of Avebury.

Significant, natural formations in New Zealand and the Nimbin Valley are shown, as well as sacred stones of Central Australia. Touchstones are explained (the place where you respectfully introduce yourself to the spirits of a sacred site) and Alanna also shows how to create modern stone circles that can enhance the energy of an area, and attract nature spirits.

The DVD is fairly short (32 minutes) but it covers lots of interesting areas. The retail price for both items together is only AUD$24, and this includes postage and handling. It’s good value, and it will encourage you to create your very own labyrinth or stone circle in your backyard. I’d love to tell you more about this book and DVD set, but I have to go and collect some stones for my circle!

Author: Alanna Moore
Published by Python Press
PO Box 929 Castlemaine, Victoria, 3450
Email: info@geomantica.com
www.geomantica.com

Listen People, Speaking Earth

Who are contemporary Pagans and what do they do? Graham Harvey’s quest to find this answer has resulted in an informative book that covers the history and modern practices of Druids, Heathens, Shamans and Wiccans. Back in 1997, Adelaide’s Wakefield Press published Listening People, Speaking Earth, and it is the best reference book on Paganism that I’ve seen in a long time. Graham Harvey is a British lecturer in Religious Studies, and he’s been very thorough in this extensively researched account of our spiritual path, even including Australian magical methods.

It’s obvious that Paganism is more than an academic interest to this author, and although he doesn’t relate his own experiences in this book, he definitely associates on a personal level to the subject matter. He thinks of Pagans as “people who consider the world to be alive, they are listening to a speaking earth.” He shows that Pagans have a sense of reverence even for the mundane world, and his expression of this is almost poetic... “Sacredness collects as if in pools and sometimes splashes over into the ordinary, everyday parts of life.”

In this book, Harvey explains how Pagans honour Earth, the seasons, spiritual folklore and life itself. He also acknowledges the underlying humour that many Pagans have, so there are plenty of Terry Pratchett quotes liberally sprinkled around. He notes that Pratchett’s Discworld series is filled with Pagan references... “with its deities, its ordinary magic, animism, frequent synchronicities and meaningful encounters, its general earthiness, enchantment and diversity...”

After looking at Shamanism too, Harvey ponders... “Is Paganism, therefore, a monotheistic or a polytheistic religion? Or is it possible to be an atheist Pagan? Is animism a better label for Pagans than theists? It will be no surprise by now that Pagans can affirm all these options and more. Indeed, they can affirm several of them at once.” Yes Graham, we are a very diverse mob, and this is one of the most cherished aspects of Paganism for us. As tricky as this concept must be to an academic, to his credit, Graham Harvey accepts this uncommon view of deities as an intrinsic part of contemporary Paganism.

Animism is a subject that Graham Harvey becomes quite fond of. A section of this book is devoted to an exploration of this concept, and in 2005 he wrote a complete book on the subject. “Many Pagans are animists, asserting that everything that exists is alive,” he observes. “Words like ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’ are not always useful, but are attempts to say what it is about something which makes it alive. Rocks do not breathe, trees do not speak English, hedgehogs do not preach sermons, mosquitoes do not seem to theorise, clouds do not seem to aspire to immortality. So what does it mean to say that they are all alive?” He also writes.... “Like other aspects of Paganism, animism should not be considered a belief, but an exercise or way of life. It is a theory which is acted on and tested out, an approach or path which is walked.”

This is a broad introduction to the trends of contemporary Paganism, but it is also much more than an academic listing of Pagan topics. Harvey has spoken to the people involved in these areas and has empathised with their beliefs, and in reading between the lines, he has probably experienced the spiritual connection of many of these paths himself. It’s obvious that this researcher has been listening to the people involved in Paganism, and has truly understood the words of the Speaking Earth.

Author: Graham Harvey
Publisher: Wakefield Press, 1997
ISBN: 1-862544-03-4
Price: AUD $29.95

Jitterbug Perfume

Rude, irreverent, and pagan to its core, “Jitterbug Perfume” is the perfect escape from the mundane world. I first read this book in the early 1990s, and I really enjoyed its mythological themes. A few weeks ago I noticed it on my bookshelf again, and I realised that a dose of its gentle absurdity was just what I needed. This book, and many other titles by the author Tom Robbins, can still be found in bookshops, which indicates that many other readers also feel the need to acquaint (and reacquaint) themselves with his clever writing.

Jitterbug Perfume is the tale of King Alobar and his quest to evade death. Alobar makes it quite clear that he doesn’t fear death, he merely resents it! He says, “Everything must die, apparently, and I am no exception. But I want to be consulted. You know what I mean? Death is impatient and thoughtless. It barges into the room when you are right in the middle of something, and it doesn’t bother to wipe its boots.”

The other main character in this novel is the Horned God Pan. His entourage of nymphs make an appearance too. Tom Robbins is someone who obviously knows a great deal about the Old Ways, and although he writes about these subjects with a sharp sense of humour, he also does it with an eye for detail that leaves us in no doubt that he harbours an affinity for gods, metaphysics, divination, and spirituality. He’s also keen on vegetables. You’ll understand what I mean when you read the first page. And it’s obvious that he has a deep disdain for fundamentalism of any kind.

The writing style of Tom Robbins is unique. His books are filled with bizarre similes and playful descriptive prose that had me chuckling out loud as I was reading. And he often talks to the reader as he’s describing events that are unfolding, which feels a bit odd at first, but you soon get used to it.

If you are offended by sexual references (after all, this story features Pan!) or if you don’t like to have your way of thinking challenged by satire (and satyrs!) then read a Harry Potter book instead, but if you don’t mind some ribald reading material that is as mischievous as the Goat-footed God himself, then grab a copy of this book as soon as you can.

The last three words left me with a smile on my face, one that stayed with me long after the book was reluctantly closed. And when that smile did wear off, I was found hunting through my bookshelves for another Tom Robbins book, so that I could enjoy more of his wonderful wit and numinous nonsense.

***

Post Script: In my library I just found another Tom Robbins book called “Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas” and after a quick flick through it, I noticed that it was all about Tarot, frogs, and a monkey that happens to be a born-again Christian. I’m hooked already!

If Trees Could Speak

“The ancient, the young,

those teetering on the brink of death,
the tallest, the endangered -

they all have stories they could tell.”

The subtitle of this book is, “Stories of Australia’s Greatest Trees”, and this repository of knowledge about our most significant trees is a true gem. It was written by Bob Beale, a science and environment journalist with an impressive list of awards and credits attached to his name. Bob takes us on a journey across this beautiful continent, finding trees that act as memorials to significant events, or ones that are noteworthy for their own accomplishments in size or age.

Some trees are revered simply because they provided shelter and building materials for the earliest European settlers, while others inspired poets and artists, but all are indelibly linked to our heritage. Some of the historical trees that are mentioned in this book include The Tree of Knowledge (political site, Barcaldine, Qld), The Old Gum Tree (Proclamation site, Glenelg, SA), and The Dig Tree (Burke and Wills expedition, Qld). The world’s oldest, the tallest, the widest - descriptions and locations of these record holders are also lovingly detailed and photographed in this book.

Bob Beale’s environmentalist background reveals itself throughout this book, and is particularly evident in passages such as, “We should be more conscious that chainsaws, bulldozers and herbicides have given us a greater life-and-death power over our trees than at any previous time in history. They can do without us; we cannot live without them.”

His scientific nature is shown in the chapter on the Wollemi pine, where he gleefully recounts the tale behind the 1994 discovery of this species of conifer, which was thought to have become extinct millions of years ago. His infectious enthusiasm runs even more rampant when describing King’s Holly in Tasmania, the world’s oldest living tree, which is at least 43,000 years old! Some scientists suggest that it may even be 130,000 years of age, which means that it has survived the last ice age, and countless floods, fires and droughts.

The spiritual aspect of trees is also referenced in many chapters. This includes aboriginal lore that sees trees as heroes, demons, or watchful spirit figures. Aboriginal myths about the origins of certain trees are also told. In one chapter, trees that marked initiation sites are noted for their carvings of animal totems, the sun and the moon. Other trees are seen as pathways that were used by the sky-heroes to visit Earth during cultural ceremonies. Unlike many writers and anthropologists, Bob Beale observes this with reverence, emphasising the sacredness of such rites.

The relatively modern times of the 1800s have also seen some magical customs associated with Australian trees. In Sydney there was a Wishing Tree, at which young ladies were “performing certain rites to summon up the mystical spirits” that dwelt in the tree. Girls made a wish and circled around it “three times forwards then three times backwards.” At this site, there is now a statue of a female figure, which bears a plaque that reads, “I wish”, and visitors still place flowers there.

In the 1930s, in Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens, a tree was given special status as a Fairy Tree. In the stump of a tree, artist Ola Cohn carved and painted an assortment of native animals, surrounded by fey folk. Among the sculpted bats, kookaburras, lizards, spiders and kangaroos, are various fairies, pixies and elves. A hollowed area in the trunk has been filled with gifts of flowers. Letters to the fairies have also been left there by kids (big and small) detailing their wishes. Cohn said that this tree was, “for the fairies and those who believe in them, for they will understand how necessary it is to have a fairy sanctuary - a place that is sacred and safe...”

If you have an affinity for majestic trees, and a liking for quirky details, you’ll love this book. It’s exceptionally well-researched, skilfully written, and beautifully presented. It’s a pity that a better quality paper wasn’t used though. The photographs would have been stunning if they had been reproduced faithfully on glossy paper. As it is, this is well laid out and has a nicely designed feel to it, making it a lovely reference book, but it could easily have been a glorious coffee table book that you would have been proud to leave on display.

This is a brilliant book that links Australian trees to our history and spirituality. It will definitely change the way that you look at the trees in your own neighbourhood. If trees could speak, they’d say “Thank you Bob Beale, for listening to us, and for telling our stories.”

Author: Bob Beale
Published by: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781741142761
Size: 19 x 25 cm, 245 pages
Price: AUD $39.95

High Magic 2

I have to confess - I haven’t read the original book “High Magic”, but I hear that its 422 pages covers nearly everything an aspiring occultist and ceremonial magician would want to know about the Magical Arts. So what could be better than that? Well, an advanced guide of course! This time Frater U. D. has given us another 464 pages on subjects such as Practical Mirror Magic, Sigils, Combat Magic, and Demonic Evocations.

This companion volume concludes a detailed exploration of Western and Eastern magical systems. In his section on yoga postures, mudras, and the chakras, he rightly suggests that many New Agers (and Pagans) only have an understanding of these topics from a Western perspective (derived from Theosophy) and they are totally unfamiliar with alternative systems. In this book he rectifies this thinking and explores the origins and practical applications of these areas.

Unlike many books on the Kabbalah, which only offer a philosophical viewpoint to this subject, Frater U...D... has written many chapters on the uses of the Kabbalah tradition in magical practices. These chapters detail the use of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life as a “supermatrix” and as a “cosmic structural scheme that both magicians and mystics alike can use to define and control every aspect of their lives.”

Another interesting chapter promotes Shamanism as “the mother of all magic”. It details shamanism from an historical context; it looks at life from a shamanistic point of view; and it examines the way shamans manipulate energies and spirits.

A strange but interesting inclusion in this book is the information on Magical Orders. The author traces the spurious history and evolution of organisations such as The Rosicrucians and The Golden Dawn. As the author points out, “It’s one of the typical characteristics of dogmatic magic that great value is placed on legitimacy through an old tradition that can be proved in one way or another. Many dogmatists still believe that old is the same as true.” The author suggests though, that despite reconstructing and inventing much of their magical practices, various magical orders also provided a significant contribution to the world of the Magical Arts. I guess these chapters help to eliminate any unsubstantiated and glorified views of occultists and their organisations, and they provide more of an incentive to the individual to concentrate on developing power from their own personal experiences.

Even if you are not into the Kabbalah or Demonology, there are still many chapters to intrigue and excite the everyday reader of esoteric literature. The sections on The Magic of Ancient Egypt and the Late Classical Hellenistic Period describes these eras as the “original sources of all Western invocational magic,” and Frater U...D... gives examples of the many modern magical terms that derive from these ancient times.

Initiation is another area that is explored in this book. I like the author’s ideas concerning “how to recognise an initiate” and the difference between active initiation, and initiation through revelation. His explanation of the dependence that can result from the latter is also fascinating. But if you want to know all about that, then you’ll have to buy the book!

This book is worth buying, even if you have not previously explored Ceremonial Magic. Don’t be put off by the title, there are plenty of useful exercises and examples that will give you a taste of what High Magic all about. And even then, if you feel that this sort of magic is not your style, you’ll still find lots of techniques and experiments that will be of benefit to your own magical practices, regardless of the path that you follow.

Author: Frater U. D.
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1063-1

Haunted Earth

Peter Read is a Canberra based social scientist, and this is his third book that is devoted to the search for the existence and meaning of spirit forces in Australia. Peter interviews Australians from various spiritual backgrounds, from Witches to Buddhists, investigating their perspective of sacred space, and the circumstances in which ghosts make an appearance.

Peter wanders all over Australia, wandering around graveyards at midnight, visiting hospitals in NSW, and walking the CBD of Darwin which, he says, “holds many ghosts”.

I must admit that I was a bit bored by the book until I was about half way through, when the author began describing some of his meetings with Wiccans. He began this section by discussing the implications of having Buddhist and Hindu shrines in areas that were previously regarded as Aboriginal lands, and Peter artfully led this into the problems that witches have in imbuing their rituals with Southern Hemisphere relevance. The author had obviously done his homework regarding Wiccan practices, and spoke with some respected witches regarding their views on this subject.

The other redeeming feature of this book is some brief, distinctly Australian poems in the Japanese form of the haiku. They are exquisite examples of appreciating the moment – living with an acute awareness of the natural beauty that surrounds us.

“Mist-pockets, boulders, a magpie.
The glory of iron sheeting, rusty, corrugated.
Seen through the morning sunshine.”

“Walking all morning, Seeing nothing.
Sitting by the dam.
Hearing the wind.”

poetry by - Mark Elvin

This book explores the “inspirited” landscape that is Australia, interviewing those who were willing to talk about their “special” places. Peter Read writes about the “sacred” experiences of people from various cultures, and he details events such as the summoning of a Chinese ancestor spirit, an exorcism, and the appearance of restless ghosts from our indigenous past.

Author: Peter Read
Published by: UNSW Press

The Enchanted Oracle

When I think of magickal, gothic art that features moody deities, and other enchanted beings, I think of Jessica Galbreth’s stunning paintings.

I’ve been meaning to purchase some her artwork for some time, but now we are blessed with an opportunity to obtain some of her most beautiful images in the form of an oracle deck! The Enchanted Oracle is a book and card set that can be used for meditation, fortune telling, or communication with deity. This 36 card set contains Jessica’s favourite pieces of artwork, and some that were created specifically for this project. Each watercolour image took about a week to complete, and they are filled with symbolism and a powerful essence that is hard to define.

Some of the card’s titles are: Mother Earth, Night Queen, Green Woman, White Magick, Gothique, Temptation, Spirit of Samhain, Lavender Moon, Dragon Witch, and Autumn Splendour. All of the cards are seriously sensuous, and they express the dark beauty of the inner search that leads to enlightenment.

The book (240 pages) is an integral part of this divinatory system. Apart from giving an eloquent description of each card, we are also shown an oracular message for that image, and then there’s a suggested exercise (spell, meditation, or ritual) that can be done to enhance our lives.

Apart from the cards and book, this oracle set contains a silver bag for the cards, and a pendant that can be used as a charm or pendulum.

Barbara Moore tells us that in this book: “You will find answers. You will find guidance. You will find possibilities. You will find the goddess, fairy, and sorceress within yourself.” And I don’t doubt that for a second! I can see that this insightful oracle will make an appearance during many of my future rituals and pagan celebrations.

Artist: Jessica Galbreth
Author: Barbara Moore
Published by: Llewellyn Worldwide