Nigel Pennick

Our ancestors were deeply aware of the magical power of their local landscape, no matter where they lived. Every interaction with their environment from building to farming to the layout of ancient cities took into account terrestrial energies, ancestral memory and the many seen and unseen presences in Nature. They developed sophisticated procedures for orienting their living spaces and respectfully working with the magic of the landscape. Yet, much of the art of geomancy and of working with the forces of Nature has been forgotten by modern builders, architects, foresters, gardeners and homeowners. The treatment of land as mere property has led to a loss of its meaning for those who dwell upon it. Our landscape has become disenchanted. In this book, geomancy expert and scholar, Nigel Pennick, details the ancient and sacred practices of geomancy and Earth magic and reveals how we can reenchant and reconnect to the sacred landscape that surrounds us, whether you live rurally, in the suburbs or in cities. Pennick begins with a vivid look at our modern "wasteland" and what he calls "the ensouled world," with specific examples from Britain and Iceland of our ancestors' way of perceiving the world they lived in. Exploring the art of geomancy, he examines how its techniques work with ley lines, astrology and the old understanding of the four directions and the eight winds to honour a space and make it a place of power. He looks at the power of boundaries and magic circles, including laying ghosts and dismissing spirits, as well as the proper "feng shui" for cemeteries and graveyards. The author then takes the reader back into the traditional landscape to discuss magically powerful places, such as crossroads, the occult nature of the "fairground" and the mystic triangles found in what are popularly known as "no-man's lands." Revealing how the landscape can be reenchanted, Pennick shows how the magic of place is a living system with which each of us can interact.

Learn how to use the principles and practices of natural magic for personal development and spiritual empowerment <br/><br/>- Offers detailed descriptions of the magical properties of minerals, animals, plants, and the earth's cycles and how to use them in your own practice <br/><br/>- Explores the magical laws of nature and how to guide your inner energy to work in concert with cosmic energies <br/><br/>- Details how to design your own ceremonies, practice elemental meditations, and craft your own magical talismans, wands, and divining rods <br/><br/>An expert on European rural folk magic traditions, author Nigel Pennick presents a comprehensive introduction to the principles, rituals, practices, and magical tools required to draw on the magic inherent in the natural world. He explains how people throughout the centuries have built a relationship with the elemental energies around them using simple, everyday practices in order to attune themselves to nature, the seasons, and the cosmos for magical purposes. <br/><br/>The author explores earth, mineral, and plant magic as well as the magical properties of the earth's cycles and concentrated places of power within the landscape. He examines magical workings with animals, drawing on authentic traditions such as the Toadsmen or Toadswomen, whose power is given by toads, and the Berserker qualities conferred by magical bondings with wild animals like bears and wolves. He explains how to craft your own magical talismans, wands, and divining rods; design your own ceremonies; practice elemental meditations; fortify your health with herbs and crystals; and set an altar with the right food and drink for your intention. <br/><br/>Pennick also describes how the practical techniques of natural elemental magic work through interactions between the inner world of the mind and spirit, the outer world, and the otherworldly. He shows that having a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things and the inner power of these magical elements strengthens the practitioner's harmony with nature, and thus their power. By harnessing the elemental energies around us, we can work with nature for personal development, spiritual empowerment, and the successful achievement of our desires

Centuries ago the remote, marshy plains of East Anglia - the Fens - were drained to create agricultural land. However, the Fens remained isolated up until the nineteenth century and it was this very isolation that helped preserve the ancient traditions of this area, traditions ruthlessly eradicated elsewhere in the British Isles. These magical folk traditions, also, owe their survival to secret rural societies, from craft guilds and trade unions to Morris dancers and village bands. Exploring the folk customs and magical traditions of guilds and rural fraternities such as the Shoemakers and Horsemen and the secrets guarded by the Free Gardeners, Witches, Toadmen and Bonesmen, Nigel Pennick shows how the common working people of the Fens belonged to secret societies based on their specific trade. He describes the hidden aspects of rural life that most historians ignore - the magical current that flowed through the lives of working people - and gives details of the secret rites, ceremonies, oaths and initiation rituals of the guilds and fraternities to which the folk belonged. Drawing not only on scholarly research, but, also, his personal contacts within these still living traditions, Pennick explains their use of masks, black face and other disguises to avoid persecution and describes how wise woman healers and witches in rural villages were sought-after for their remedies. He shares the secrets of the toad-bone rite, which gave the Toadman control over animals and members of the opposite sex and explores the guardian spirits thought to inhabit the Fens, including those of the Wild Hunt. Providing insight into a world that has largely disappeared, one whose magic still echoes in lore and legend, Pennick shows that the rites, customs and ceremonies of guilds and rural fraternities connect individuals to a wider community and, through collective action, to the power of Nature and the Cosmos.