The hidden charms of occult books

Life Lit |

William Kiesel grew up in an era of great libraries used. Shorey, the old hiking book store downtown Seattle. David Bowie and Ishii & Company in Pioneer Square.

Shops with piles of used books that seemed to last forever treasure houses were Kiesel, White Center native and 1988 graduate Evergreen High School, who could simply not enough books. Especially old books. Kiesel was developed at an early stage on - he remembers one of the first illustrated editions of "Alice in Wonderland" he found at the site of an aunt as a child. He recalled thinking: "Now it's a real book."

As he developed a working knowledge of rare and used books, he began to study ancient books, including volumes on alchemy, the combination of science, physical medicine and magic that preceded the development of modern chemistry. "I liked the fact that they were filled with symbols and myths," he recalls. "In the 16th and 17th century, the bookmaking reached a high level of art."

Alchemical books inhabit a sub-category of books on the occult - the magic of books, books on astrology, books on systems of witchcraft, metaphysics and alternative-belief, including Hermeticism, a vision the world based on Greek and Egyptian writings. Embedded two-way books, puzzles, riddles. Books seen by some as talismanic objects with their own power.

For the dominion of the Catholic Church of Europe, the editors have taken their lives in their hands by printing. "The Inquisition began crack ... They are afraid of (written) would deny the existence of God, "said Keisel.Some of those who insisted were burned at the stake.

Kiesel spent years studying the books and worked in the company use and rare-book and as a bookseller on the Internet (he still works part time at Magus Books in the University District). It even has its learning for some time with a binder.

Today it is parlayed his passion into Ouroboros Press (www.bookarts.org), which specializes in high quality new editions of old books and the occult (the ouroboros word refers to an ancient symbol of rebirth and renewal, that of a snake swallowing its tail).

Editor of the Ourobos, Kiesel is also a key organizer of the Third Annual Conference of the book esoteric to be held at Seattle Center on September 10 and 11 and possibly the largest gathering in the country for aficionados of books occult.

Thank you to "The Da Vinci Code" and the Harry Potter books, the 21st century has been reintroduced to the old signs, symbols and magic. (Kiesel JK Rowling gives credit for "homework.") Hard-core fans of the original material are thinner on the ground - the conference last year attracted 120 ticket buyers. But they came across .This year, collectors and exhibitors will travel from as far away as New Zealand to attend.

Edge of the Circle Books Newsletter: EDGE OF THE CIRCLE BOOKS ...

Edition of the Edge of the Circle Newsletter. This newsletter has come about as an effort to reach out to the Pagan/ Occult community (particularly in Seattle where we are based) to inform the community of what events are happening at our store. I've got great plans for this newsletter. Hopefully, as time goes by, it will only get bigger and better. Without further ado, welcome, and enjoy. The traditional cimaruta is fashioned after the image of a sprig of rue, which is an herb that is highly featured in Italian magic and lore. The branch of the rue is divided into three stems symbolizing the triformis goddess Diana. Rue is one of the sacred herbs of this goddess. Various charms appear on the rue design and each one bears its own meaning . The primary symbols are the moon, serpent, and key. These represent the goddess in her triple form as Hecate (the key), Diana (the moon) and Proserpina (the serpent). The cimaruta is a very old charm rooted in the lore of the Old Religion of Italy. Like many of the lasting ancient symbols and beliefs the cimaruta design eventually took on symbolic elements of Catholicism. One example of a Christian addition to the design is the appearance of "the sacred heart" of Jesus. However, ancient Roman charms did include a heart symbol, which may indicate that the heart on the cimaruta is a later Christianization as opposed to an entirely new creation. Are you living in—or moving to—a small community and wondering how you'll fit in, connect with other Pagans, and live your beliefs in peace? This wonderfully unique book is filled with ways to nourish your Pagan soul in small towns, suburbs, and any place outside the city limits. Along with Bronwen Forbes' own experiences, Pagans from close-knit communities across the country offer hard-won wisdom and advice on all aspects of staying true to yourself and your spirituality. The contents of the Book of Eibon are primarily the work of Clark Ashton Smith, one of the most famous authors of Weird Tales and the inventor of the Book of Eibon, as well as Lin Carter, esteemed fantasy and horror editor. Robert Price, Richard Tierney, Joseph Pulver, and a number of other authors have helped complete the text, resulting in a tome that reveals all the secrets of the Cthulhu Mythos, from the history of the first alien races to come to Earth, to the histories of the Elder Magi of Hyperborea, and the and the story of Eibon's life and death.

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