Where would you go if you had a magic carpet? Take the journey of a lifetime and explore 19 real-life, off-limits locations... Whether you'd prefer to visit a volcano, do some supernatural sightseeing in Area 51, take a tour of the remotest island on Earth, or plunder the Secret Archives of the Vatican, the magic carpet will cover the four corners of the globe - and reveal hundreds of hidden secrets in between!

The photographer Tomás Mícek focuses on magical places brought forth by that great artist Mother Nature, places whose fantastic formations can most certainly compete with our sacred buildings and spaces.

The ways of magic are revealed in nature...The secrets are written in meandering streams and drifting clouds, whispered by the roaring ocean and cooling breeze, echoed through caves and rocks and forests. When you draw a heart in the sand, call on the four winds for assistance, or ask the rain to wash away a bad habit, you are practicing earth magic. By working in harmony with nature, we can transform ourselves, our lives, and our world. This tried-and-true guide offers more than one hundred spells, rites, and simple rituals you can perform using the powerful energy of the earth. Scott Cunningham was a greatly respected teacher and one of the most influential members of the modern Craft movement. A practitioner of elemental magic for twenty years, he wrote more than fifty books, including the seminal Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.

At once joyous and somber, this thoughtful gathering of new and selected essays spans Kathleen Dean Moore's distinguished career as a tireless advocate for environmental activism in the face of climate change. In this meditation on the music of the natural world, Moore celebrates the call of loons, howl of wolves, bellow of whales, laughter of children, and shriek of frogs, even as she warns of the threats against them. Each group of essays moves, as Moore herself has been moved, from celebration to lamentation to bewilderment and finally to the determination to act in defense of wild songs and the creatures who sing them. Music is the shivering urgency and exuberance of life ongoing. In a time of terrible silencing, Moore asks, who will forgive us if we do not save nature's songs?

Constructing a functional system of magic that helps readers suspend disbelief is a crucial part of worldbuilding in the fantasy genres. Yet creating a believable, compelling and original fictional universe can be daunting. To help inspire writers, this guide provides an overview of how magic has been understood in history and used in myth, legend and modern fiction. Different forms of magic are explored and a broad range of stories--from Nordic myths to modern novels--are described and referenced. Discussion explores how magic as a concept shapes, and is shaped by, fictional worlds and societies.

A celebration of Superman's life and history?in time for his 75th birthday How has the Big Blue Boy Scout stayed so popular for so long? How has he changed with the times, and what essential aspects of him have remained constant? This fascinating biography examines Superman as a cultural phenomenon through 75 years of action-packed adventures, from his early years as a social activist in circus tights to his growth into the internationally renowned demigod he is today. Chronicles the ever-evolving Man of Steel and his world?not just the men and women behind the comics, movies and shows, but his continually shifting origin story, burgeoning powers, and the colorful cast of trusted friends and deadly villains that surround him Places every iteration of the Man of Steel into the character's greater, decades-long story: From Bud Collyer to Henry Cavill, World War II propagandist to peanut butter pitchman, Super Pup to Super Friends, comic strip to Broadway musical, Lori Lemaris to Lois & Clark?it's all here Affectionate, in-depth analyses of the hero's most beloved adventures, in and out of the comics?his most iconic Golden Age tales, goofiest Silver Age exploits, and the contemporary film, television, and comics stories that keep him alive today Written by NPR book critic, blogger, and resident comic book expert, Glen Weldon

A practical guide to pathworking and other esoteric techniques from the ancient mystery schools predating Christianity • Explains the dynamics of both group ritual and solo practice • Shows that temples of high magic are not mere physical structures but inner edifices created by sustained meditative practice • Explains why this practice is sometimes called the Yoga of the West Before the advent of Christianity, early civilizations had, at the heart of their spiritual traditions, mystery schools that offered a corpus of training methods in what is now called magic. The persecution of heresies that followed the establishment of Christianity as Rome’s state religion, a persecution that reached its high point during the Middle Ages, forced the degradation and disappearance of this training system. While the knowledge of these mystery traditions--jealously guarded by secret societies--has begun to emerge, the actual techniques and practices of spiritual magic have remained hidden. The Temple of High Magic provides the practical knowledge of these techniques for modern spiritual seekers who wish to incorporate the proven esoteric techniques of the magi into their lives. This book explains the dynamics of group ritual and solo practice as well as the critical role played by the kabbalistic tree of life--the key to inner knowledge. Ina Cüsters-van Bergen shows that temples of high magic are not mere physical structures but are the inner edifices willed into being by a sustained meditative practice and pathworking, using key symbols from ancient Hebraic and Egyptian traditions. Sometimes called the Yoga of the West, this spiritual magic is a system of esoteric development that seeks to create full union between the magician and the divine.