Few religions are as misunderstood as Afro-Caribbean traditions like Voodoo, Yoruba, Candomble, Shango, Santeria, and Obeah. Even the most wide-ranging books about Paganism rarely include a discussion of the African earth religions.

"Throughout Africa and beyond in the Diaspora caused by the slave trade, the divine feminine was revered in the forms of goddesses, like the ancient Nana Buluku; water spirits like Yemaya, Oshun, and Mami Wata; and the warrior Oya. The power of these goddesses and spirit beings has taken root in the West. This book shows us how to celebrate and cultivate the traits of these goddesses, drawing upon their strengths to empower our own lives"--

In these times of intense turmoil, people of African descent are facing serious threats and challenges to their well-being. The ability of the Black community to call on the spirits and ways of its ancestors is crucial to its continued strength. Nearly 20 years have passed since the first printing of this landmark book by renowned scholar and practitioner Lilith Dorsey, and there is still a great need for more accurate and respectful information about African Traditional Religions that have been misrepresented, misunderstood, maligned, and mocked by popular media and the public. This revised and expanded edition provides a helpful introduction to African diaspora religions, a guide beyond the basic tenets to the vibrant, living spirit world of these peoples, and a much-needed key to protocol and proper etiquette, while clearing up common myths about Haitian Vodou, New Orleans Voodoo, Santería (Lucumí), and other practices that stem from misconceptions about possession and sacrifice. New material includes guidance for activists to empower their work for social change with the fierceness, tenacity, and wisdom of their ancestors, as well as never-before-published recipes handed down through the generations, personal spells and charms including root magick for protection and protest, and devotional rituals you can perform yourself. This book stands as a survey of meaning and veracity in a set of religious worlds where secrets are often best kept secret, and teachings are almost always oral and ethereal.

The first entry in Llewellyn's exciting new Elements of Witchcraft series, Water Magic reveals the amazing possibilities of using water in your modern practice. Once you learn to access the enormous depths of this life-giving and powerful element, it will enhance your magic and help you grow into a better version of yourself. Cleansing and strong, the power of water is all around you and in you. Lilith Dorsey presents many ways to incorporate water into your magic, from washes and baths to spells and rituals. Discover how to use the symbols of water in your magical workings. Learn the histories and wisdom of rivers, lakes, and oceans, as well as water's relationship to the wheel of the year. Explore water and its manifestations in mythology and lore and meet the gods and goddesses who rule over the element.

A magical mystery tour of the extraordinary historical characters that have defined the unique spiritual landscape of New Orleans. New Orleans has long been America’s most magical city, inhabited by a fascinating visible and invisible world, full of mysteries, known for its decadence and haunted by its spirits. If Salem, Massachusetts, is famous for its persecution of witches, New Orleans is celebrated for its embrace of the magical, mystical, and paranormal. New Orleans is acclaimed for its witches, ghosts, and vampires. Because of its unique history, New Orleans is the historical stronghold of traditional African religions and spirituality in the US. No other city worldwide is as associated with Vodou as New Orleans. In her new book, author and scholar Denise Alvarado takes us on a magical tour of New Orleans. There is a mysterious spiritual underbelly hiding in plain sight in New Orleans, and in this book Alvarado shows us where it is and who the characters are. She tells where they come from and how they persist and manifest today. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints shines a light on notable spirits and folk saints such as Papa Legba, Annie Christmas, Black Hawk, African-American culture hero Jean St. Malo, St. Expedite, plague saint Roch, and, of course, the mother and father of New Orleans Voudou, Marie Laveau and Doctor John Montenée. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints serves as a secret history of New Orleans, revealing details even locals may not know.

This is really “the big little book of love magic.” Magical maven Lilith Dorsey has packed into this fun, informative, and practical book over 250 spells, potions, rituals, and recipes devoted to all facets of love and sex. Based on years of magical experience and prodigious research, this book includes sections on such topics as self-love, marriage, fertility, erotic adventures, the ethics of love magic, and more. The spells are drawn from a wide diversity of magical traditions and focus on an equally diverse situations. There are spells for finding love, keeping love, and healing yourself so that you are ready for love. The book also includes rituals for invoking goddesses of love. Dorsey considers and discusses all facets of the romantic experience. Let's face it we are obsessed, inspired, delighted, and in love with love. And here is the go-to book for every spell you will ever need for finding and keeping romance, passion, sex, marriage, fertility, and love in your life. Rooted in serious scholarship while still exploring the weird, wild, and wonderful side of love magic, this book provides expert advice and genuine spells that work to bring you your heart's desire.

Black Magic looks at the origins, meaning, and uses of Conjure—the African American tradition of healing and harming that evolved from African, European, and American elements—from the slavery period to well into the twentieth century. Illuminating a world that is dimly understood by both scholars and the general public, Yvonne P. Chireau describes Conjure and other related traditions, such as Hoodoo and Rootworking, in a beautifully written, richly detailed history that presents the voices and experiences of African Americans and shows how magic has informed their culture. Focusing on the relationship between Conjure and Christianity, Chireau shows how these seemingly contradictory traditions have worked together in a complex and complementary fashion to provide spiritual empowerment for African Americans, both slave and free, living in white America. As she explores the role of Conjure for African Americans and looks at the transformations of Conjure over time, Chireau also rewrites the dichotomy between magic and religion. With its groundbreaking analysis of an often misunderstood tradition, this book adds an important perspective to our understanding of the myriad dimensions of human spirituality.