The ancient Romans were responsible for many remarkable achievements—Roman numerals, straight roads—but one of their lesser-known contributions was the creation of the tourist industry. The first people in history to enjoy safe and easy travel, Romans embarked on the original Grand Tour, journeying from the lost city of Troy to the Acropolis, from the Colossus at Rhodes to Egypt, for the obligatory Nile cruise to the very edge of the empire. And, as Tony Perrottet discovers, the popularity of this route has only increased with time. Intrigued by the possibility of re-creating the tour, Perrottet, accompanied by his pregnant girlfriend, sets off to discover life as an ancient Roman. The result is this lively blend of fascinating historical anecdotes and hilarious personal encounters, interspersed with irreverent and often eerily prescient quotes from the ancients—a vivid portrait of the Roman Empire in all its complexity and wonder.

Published to coincide with the Pagan holiday Samhain on October 31st, this new title by a renowned author and Witch will appeal to spiritualists and environmentalists alike as it celebrates the eight holidays in the Pagan tradition. The Pagan origins of many of our everyday traditions, including the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, are celebrated here as holidays that spring from the seasons of the earth. Wit its practical suggestions for enjoying seasonal renewal, Celebrate The Earth blends all the richness and ancient lore of Witchcraft with how-to advice to create a modern-day celebration of nature. For each holiday, it offers instructions on: Earth magic--sample rituals, preparation, garb, herbcraft, spellcraft, and magical stones, for promoting love, romance, and healing. Holiday fare--recipes and menus to prepare. Ancient activities--crafts and games passed down through generations. Also included is a list of sources--an extensive bibliography, plus lists of specialty shops and mail order catalogs.

The simple Sabbat is a compilation of simple and very eclectic Sabbat rituals, recipes, crafting ideas and factoids that anyone can use to celebrate the eight Pagan holidays. These are rituals and ideas that any family can use yearly and are a great way to connect the seasons in nature and the turning of the Wheel. This book can be a great teaching tool for parents to use to help teach their children these special days.

Pagan food is about than just food but the spirit of the holidays, and the joy of cooking for your loved ones. Knowing all about the holidays and what they represent. In my work here I represent the entire wheel of the year with one recipe per holiday and sabbat.

• A daybook containing information about rituals and celebrations that have for centuries been associated with the changing seasons of the year. • Includes charts of equinoxes and solstices, movable holy days, and monthly lunar phases through 2033 • First edition sold more than 30,000 copies Pagan rites and festivals are at the root of many traditional holidays in the Western world. Embracing a sensitivity we have lost, the Pagan traditions emphasize mystical spirituality, reverence for the feminine principle, and the links between people and the earth. This unique daybook contains a treasury of information about rituals and celebrations that have for centuries been associated with the changing seasons of the year. Included are the observances of the ancient Greek, Roman, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse traditions, as well as Wiccan traditions and the worship of the Goddess. In The Pagan Book of Days the author provides details on auspicious and inauspicious days, holy days of ancient gods and goddesses, and the eight stations of the year (the solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days). He also includes lunar and solar charts indicating dates of major Pagan celebrations from the year 2011 through 2033. Illustrations throughout depict images from the classical and northern European traditions. The Pagan Book of Days is an enlightening way to incorporate these ancient cultural and spiritual practices and awarenesses into your daily life.

A wide-ranging, illustrated look at the history of Halloween illuminates the holiday from ancient Celtic ritual to billion-dollar industry. 32 halftones & line illustrations.

Sabbats or Wiccan holidays are timed the Earth's rhythms and seasons. Sabbats celebrate the Earth's journey around the sun, also known as the "Wheel of the Year," while Wiccans commemorate Sabbats as "Turning the Wheel." Wiccans normally celebrate eight sabbats each year. Take advantage of this great opportunity to learn all you ever wanted to know about the Wiccan & Pagan holidays. Read on to learn more!

An examination of the sacred botany and the pagan origins and rituals of Christmas • Analyzes the symbolism of the many plants associated with Christmas • Reveals the shamanic rituals that are at the heart of the Christmas celebration The day on which many commemorate the birth of Christ has its origins in pagan rituals that center on tree worship, agriculture, magic, and social exchange. But Christmas is no ordinary folk observance. It is an evolving feast that over the centuries has absorbed elements from cultures all over the world--practices that give plants and plant spirits pride of place. In fact, the symbolic use of plants at Christmas effectively transforms the modern-day living room into a place of shamanic ritual. Christian Rätsch and Claudia Müller-Ebeling show how the ancient meaning of the botanical elements of Christmas provides a unique view of the religion that existed in Europe before the introduction of Christianity. The fir tree was originally revered as the sacred World Tree in northern Europe. When the church was unable to drive the tree cult out of people’s consciousness, it incorporated the fir tree by dedicating it to the Christ child. Father Christmas in his red-and-white suit, who flies through the sky in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, has his mythological roots in the shamanic reindeer-herding tribes of arctic Europe and Siberia. These northern shamans used the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom, which is red and white, to make their soul flights to the other world. Apples, which figure heavily in Christmas baking, are symbols of the sun god Apollo, so they find a natural place at winter solstice celebrations of the return of the sun. In fact, the authors contend that the emphasis of Christmas on green plants and the promise of the return of life in the dead of winter is just an adaptation of the pagan winter solstice celebration.

A thanksgiving celebration for the second harvest Mabon—also known as the Autumn Equinox—is a time to honor the spiritual significance of harvest, sacrifice, and survival. This guide shows you how to perform rituals and work magic that incorporates the shifting balance between light and dark that reaches its pinnacle during the equinox. Rituals Recipes Lore Spells Divination Crafts Correspondences Invocations Prayers Meditations Llewellyn's Sabbat Essentials explore the old and new ways of celebrating the seasonal rites that are the cornerstones of the witch's year.

Pagan Holidays of Traditional Beliefs: The knowledge of traditions. The final four series of my short story books expressing my beliefs and understanding of God’s message to the people of the world, and the dedication of each book to my family members. These books I have dedicated to my parents, children, grandchildren and siblings. This is to keep in remembrance of what I feel to be the truth in my heart and soul. Anyone who believes as I do will know that God will judge all according to the fruits of his or her labor on earth .In all your ways acknowledge HIM and he will direct your path.