May 6, 2009

Upcoming Books

I received the latest Inner Traditions/Bear & Company catalog. Nothing directed specifically to Druids or Celtophiles, however, there were a few offerings that were of interest to me.

The Temple of High Magic: Hermetic Initiations in the Western Mystery Tradition which proclaims to be a practical guide to pathwork and other esoteric techniques from the ancient mystery schools predating Christianity. It is to be released in February 2010 and may be of interest to those on the Druid Path.

Also of interest is Shamanic Breathwork: Journeying beyond the Limits of Self which promises to help you utilize the healing power of breath to change consciousness. It includes a 60-minute CD of chakra-attuned rhythms to play during the journey. Could be good and certainly has the potential to assist in technique. To be released in December 2009.

Finally, The Return of the Dead: Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Tranparent Veil of the Pagan Mind interests me a lot. It promises to demonstrate how Medieval Christanity transformed the more corporeal ghost encountered in pagan cultures with the disembodied forms known today. Certainly I understand how the returning dead were once viewed as troublemakers, but I'll be interested in seeing how they were viewed as guarantors of the social order. To be released in September 2009.