Showing results for "Earth" in Customs & Traditions

"A treasure trove of practical magic for both novices and more experienced practitioners . . . beautifully crafted spells that invoke the alchemy of possibility." —PanGaia A leaf from an oak tree . . . a wildflower . . . water from a sparkling stream . . . dirt from a cool dark cave—these...

J.R.R. Tolkien's novels of Middle-earth—The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Silmarillian—have become some of the most famous, and most beloved, literary works of the twentieth century. Even if you've never read the novels and have only seen the films, you know that the world of Middle-earth is a complicated one. What you'll find in The Oigins of Tolkien's Middle-earth For Dummies is a basic guide to some of the possible linguistic and mythological origins of Middle-earth, plus a rudimentary analysis of its many themes and lessons for our world.

Why were Prometheus and Loki envisioned as chained to rocks? What was the Golden Calf? Why are mirrors believed to carry bad luck? How could anyone think that mortals like Perseus, Beowulf, and St. George actually fought dragons, since dragons don't exist? Strange though they sound, however, these "myths" did not begin as fiction.

Original tales inspired by Native American and Norwegian folklore that highlight the wisdom of the divine natural world Shares unique stories about Earth Medicine and animal magic, inspired by the author’s unusual Native American (Hopi) and Norwegian upbringing Interwoven with ancient...

Terry Pratchett joins up with a leading folklorist to reveal the legends, myths and customs of Discworld, together with helpful hints from Planet Earth. Most of us grew up having always known when to touch wood or cross our fingers, and what happens when a princess kisses a frog or a boy pulls a...

An extraordinary compilation of legends and rituals about nature's ever-present signs. From the birds that soar above us to the insects beneath our feet, Native American healer Bobby Lake-Thom shows how the creatures of the earth can aid us in healing and self-knowledge. “There are ancient...

Icelanders believe in elves. Why does that make you laugh?, asks Nancy Marie Brown, in this wonderfully quirky exploration of our interaction with nature. Looking for answers in history, science, religion, and art—from ancient times to today—Brown finds that each discipline defines what is real and unreal, natural and supernatural, demonstrated and theoretical, alive and inert. Each has its own way of perceiving and valuing the world around us. And each discipline defines what an Icelander might call an elf.

The Follow-up to the Award-Winning The Wisdom of Hobbits, Mimetic Theory & Middle-earth: Untangling Desire in Tolkien's Legendarium, by long-time author Matthew J. Distefano, delves deeply into J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, using René Girard's mimetic theory as the primary lens through which to view the good professor’s legendary texts.

Explore the eerie intersection of global folklore and psychology to discover why restless spirits haunt human history. Whether you are embarking on a solitary late-night commute or navigating the heavy fog of grief, this atmospheric journey transforms supernatural myths into a profound study of...

Most exopolitics books focus on the human politics of dealing with extraterrestrials, but what about the exopolitics of the aliens themselves? We treat them as enigmas as if we didn't have a clue as to their motives, but the primary extraterrestrials who colonized our entire planet thousands of years ago left a rich history of their activities and motives. We interacted with these beings, and we knew them well. Have a look at the exopolitics from the other side.

You scream, but no one hears you. The coffin swallows every sound. The soil presses down, heavy and final. Your chest burns, your arms cannot rise, your legs cannot move. Death is not a quiet sleep — it is a prison without escape. For centuries, people have feared one fate above all others: being buried alive. From ancient myths and medieval plagues to safety coffins, graveyard bells, and real-life cases of the “dead” awakening beneath the earth, this book uncovers the chilling history of premature burial. Step into the shadows of folklore, superstition, and science.

Explains how dragons and serpents are bearers of the elemental and archetypal energies of the Earth Examines myths, legends, and symbols of dragons and serpents in many cultures, including their positive associations in Asia and their often misinterpreted negative meanings in...

My grandmother was the greatest storyteller I have known. In her soft voice, she spoke of heroes and giants, of evil deeds and of mysterious spirits. Sometimes her stories were short, others epic, but she always managed to hold my brother and me completely under her spell. She seemed to have an infinite supply, at times telling a tale of the West Coast peoples and then a story from the prairies, the East, or lands in the north.

In The New Dawn on Planet Earth the reader is drawn into Lanti's surreal journey as she first reconnects with her grandfather, Bear Hawk, for the first time since childhood. The heartfelt and emotional reunion between Lanti Unti and Bear Hawk draws the listener toward the incredible revelations shared as they explore life's philosophies through phenomenal experiences that change everything.