Fictional Practice: Magic, Narration, and the Power of Imagination

Fictional Practice: Magic, Narration, and the Power of Imagination

Author:

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2021-09-27

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 9004466002

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Tying on case studies from late antiquity to the 21st century, this is the first volume that systematically explores the inter-relationship between fictional narratives about magic and the real-world ritual art of practicing magicians.


Book Synopsis Fictional Practice: Magic, Narration, and the Power of Imagination by :

Download or read book Fictional Practice: Magic, Narration, and the Power of Imagination written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2021-09-27 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tying on case studies from late antiquity to the 21st century, this is the first volume that systematically explores the inter-relationship between fictional narratives about magic and the real-world ritual art of practicing magicians.


Storytelling and Collective Psychology

Storytelling and Collective Psychology

Author: Darren Kelsey

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2022-04-21

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 3030936600

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This book examines the work of psychological illusionist Derren Brown to understand the significance of storytelling and ancient philosophy in our society. Reflecting on the social disconnection and political polarisation of recent times, Darren Kelsey considers how we can rebuild a sense of collective cohesion and common good, weaving together contemporary psychology with ancient Stoicism to cut through the noise of modern life. Kelsey shows that Brown is more than a stage performer: he’s an enlightened magician who offers us guidance for navigating the challenges life throws at us, using his skills and wisdom to help us better understand ourselves and enable human flourishing. In this rigorous examination of Brown’s work, Kelsey makes a compelling case for paying closer attention to our personal, cultural and political stories and beliefs to help create a better future – for ourselves, our communities, and the planet.


Book Synopsis Storytelling and Collective Psychology by : Darren Kelsey

Download or read book Storytelling and Collective Psychology written by Darren Kelsey and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-04-21 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the work of psychological illusionist Derren Brown to understand the significance of storytelling and ancient philosophy in our society. Reflecting on the social disconnection and political polarisation of recent times, Darren Kelsey considers how we can rebuild a sense of collective cohesion and common good, weaving together contemporary psychology with ancient Stoicism to cut through the noise of modern life. Kelsey shows that Brown is more than a stage performer: he’s an enlightened magician who offers us guidance for navigating the challenges life throws at us, using his skills and wisdom to help us better understand ourselves and enable human flourishing. In this rigorous examination of Brown’s work, Kelsey makes a compelling case for paying closer attention to our personal, cultural and political stories and beliefs to help create a better future – for ourselves, our communities, and the planet.


The Routledge Handbook of Fiction and Belief

The Routledge Handbook of Fiction and Belief

Author: Alison James

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-12-22

Total Pages: 815

ISBN-13: 1000993361

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The Routledge Handbook of Fiction and Belief offers a fresh reevaluation of the relationship between fiction and belief, surveying key debates and perspectives from a range of disciplines including narrative and cultural studies, science, religion, and politics. This volume draws on global, cutting edge research and theory to investigate the historically variable understandings of fictionality, and allows readers to grasp the role of fictions in our understanding of the world. This interdisciplinary approach provides a thorough introduction to the fundamental themes of: Theoretical and Philosophical Perspectives on Fiction Fiction, Fact, and Science Social Effects and Uses of Fiction Fiction and Politics Fiction and Religion Questioning how fictions in fact shape, mediate or distort our beliefs about the real world, essays in this volume outline the state of theoretical debates from the perspectives of literary theory, philosophy, sociology, religious studies, history, and the cognitive sciences. It aims to take stock of the real or supposed effects that fiction has on the world, and to offer a wide-reaching reflection on the implications of belief in fictions in the so-called “post-truth” era.


Book Synopsis The Routledge Handbook of Fiction and Belief by : Alison James

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Fiction and Belief written by Alison James and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-12-22 with total page 815 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Routledge Handbook of Fiction and Belief offers a fresh reevaluation of the relationship between fiction and belief, surveying key debates and perspectives from a range of disciplines including narrative and cultural studies, science, religion, and politics. This volume draws on global, cutting edge research and theory to investigate the historically variable understandings of fictionality, and allows readers to grasp the role of fictions in our understanding of the world. This interdisciplinary approach provides a thorough introduction to the fundamental themes of: Theoretical and Philosophical Perspectives on Fiction Fiction, Fact, and Science Social Effects and Uses of Fiction Fiction and Politics Fiction and Religion Questioning how fictions in fact shape, mediate or distort our beliefs about the real world, essays in this volume outline the state of theoretical debates from the perspectives of literary theory, philosophy, sociology, religious studies, history, and the cognitive sciences. It aims to take stock of the real or supposed effects that fiction has on the world, and to offer a wide-reaching reflection on the implications of belief in fictions in the so-called “post-truth” era.


Occult Roots of Religious Studies

Occult Roots of Religious Studies

Author: Yves Mühlematter

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2021-06-08

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 3110660334

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The historiographers of religious studies have written the history of this discipline primarily as a rationalization of ideological, most prominently theological and phenomenological ideas: first through the establishment of comparative, philological and sociological methods and secondly through the demand for intentional neutrality. This interpretation caused important roots in occult-esoteric traditions to be repressed. This process of “purification” (Latour) is not to be equated with the origin of the academic studies. De facto, the elimination of idealistic theories took time and only happened later. One example concerning the early entanglement is Tibetology, where many researchers and respected chair holders were influenced by theosophical ideas or were even members of the Theosophical Society. Similarly, the emergence of comparatistics cannot be understood without taking into account perennialist ideas of esoteric provenance, which hold that all religions have a common origin. In this perspective, it is not only the history of religious studies which must be revisited, but also the partial shaping of religious studies by these traditions, insofar as it saw itself as a counter-model to occult ideas.


Book Synopsis Occult Roots of Religious Studies by : Yves Mühlematter

Download or read book Occult Roots of Religious Studies written by Yves Mühlematter and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2021-06-08 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The historiographers of religious studies have written the history of this discipline primarily as a rationalization of ideological, most prominently theological and phenomenological ideas: first through the establishment of comparative, philological and sociological methods and secondly through the demand for intentional neutrality. This interpretation caused important roots in occult-esoteric traditions to be repressed. This process of “purification” (Latour) is not to be equated with the origin of the academic studies. De facto, the elimination of idealistic theories took time and only happened later. One example concerning the early entanglement is Tibetology, where many researchers and respected chair holders were influenced by theosophical ideas or were even members of the Theosophical Society. Similarly, the emergence of comparatistics cannot be understood without taking into account perennialist ideas of esoteric provenance, which hold that all religions have a common origin. In this perspective, it is not only the history of religious studies which must be revisited, but also the partial shaping of religious studies by these traditions, insofar as it saw itself as a counter-model to occult ideas.


Magic and Witchery in the Modern West

Magic and Witchery in the Modern West

Author: Shai Feraro

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-06-26

Total Pages: 265

ISBN-13: 3030155498

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This book marks twenty years since the publication of Professor Ronald Hutton’s The Triumph of the Moon, a major contribution to the historical study of Wicca. Building on and celebrating Hutton’s pioneering work, the chapters in this volume explore a range of modern magical, occult, and Pagan groups active in Western nations. Each contributor is a specialist in the study of modern Paganism and occultism, although differ in their embrace of historical, anthropological, and psychological perspectives. Chapters examine not only the history of Wicca, the largest and best-known form of modern Paganism, but also modern Pagan environmentalist and anti-nuclear activism, the Pagan interpretation of fairy folklore, and the contemporary ‘Traditional Witchcraft’ phenomenon.


Book Synopsis Magic and Witchery in the Modern West by : Shai Feraro

Download or read book Magic and Witchery in the Modern West written by Shai Feraro and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-06-26 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book marks twenty years since the publication of Professor Ronald Hutton’s The Triumph of the Moon, a major contribution to the historical study of Wicca. Building on and celebrating Hutton’s pioneering work, the chapters in this volume explore a range of modern magical, occult, and Pagan groups active in Western nations. Each contributor is a specialist in the study of modern Paganism and occultism, although differ in their embrace of historical, anthropological, and psychological perspectives. Chapters examine not only the history of Wicca, the largest and best-known form of modern Paganism, but also modern Pagan environmentalist and anti-nuclear activism, the Pagan interpretation of fairy folklore, and the contemporary ‘Traditional Witchcraft’ phenomenon.


The Path of Desire

The Path of Desire

Author: Hugh B. Urban

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2024-03-21

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 0226831116

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A provocative study of contemporary Tantra as a dynamic living tradition. Tantra, one of the most important religious currents in South Asia, is often misrepresented as little more than ritualized sex. Through a mixture of ethnography and history, Hugh B. Urban reveals a dynamic living tradition behind the sensationalist stories. Urban shows that Tantric desire goes beyond the erotic, encompassing such quotidian experiences as childbearing and healing. He traces these holistic desires through a series of unique practices: institutional Tantra centered on gurus and esoteric rituals; public Tantra marked by performance and festival; folk Tantra focused on magic and personal well-being; and popular Tantra imagined in fiction, film, and digital media. The result is a provocative new description of Hindu Tantra that challenges us to approach religion as something always entwined with politics and culture, thoroughly entangled with ordinary needs and desires.


Book Synopsis The Path of Desire by : Hugh B. Urban

Download or read book The Path of Desire written by Hugh B. Urban and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2024-03-21 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A provocative study of contemporary Tantra as a dynamic living tradition. Tantra, one of the most important religious currents in South Asia, is often misrepresented as little more than ritualized sex. Through a mixture of ethnography and history, Hugh B. Urban reveals a dynamic living tradition behind the sensationalist stories. Urban shows that Tantric desire goes beyond the erotic, encompassing such quotidian experiences as childbearing and healing. He traces these holistic desires through a series of unique practices: institutional Tantra centered on gurus and esoteric rituals; public Tantra marked by performance and festival; folk Tantra focused on magic and personal well-being; and popular Tantra imagined in fiction, film, and digital media. The result is a provocative new description of Hindu Tantra that challenges us to approach religion as something always entwined with politics and culture, thoroughly entangled with ordinary needs and desires.


Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

Author: Susanna Clarke

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2010-06-05

Total Pages: 1098

ISBN-13: 160819535X

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In the Hugo-award winning, epic New York Times Bestseller and basis for the BBC miniseries, two men change England's history when they bring magic back into the world. In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806, most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England - until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers and becomes an overnight celebrity. Another practicing magician then emerges: the young and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's pupil, and the two join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wild, most perilous forms of magic, and he soon risks sacrificing his partnership with Norrell and everything else he holds dear. Susanna Clarke's brilliant first novel is an utterly compelling epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two magicians who, first as teacher and pupil and then as rivals, emerge to change its history.


Book Synopsis Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by : Susanna Clarke

Download or read book Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell written by Susanna Clarke and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2010-06-05 with total page 1098 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Hugo-award winning, epic New York Times Bestseller and basis for the BBC miniseries, two men change England's history when they bring magic back into the world. In the midst of the Napoleonic Wars in 1806, most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England - until the reclusive Mr. Norrell reveals his powers and becomes an overnight celebrity. Another practicing magician then emerges: the young and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell's pupil, and the two join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wild, most perilous forms of magic, and he soon risks sacrificing his partnership with Norrell and everything else he holds dear. Susanna Clarke's brilliant first novel is an utterly compelling epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two magicians who, first as teacher and pupil and then as rivals, emerge to change its history.


Hecate's Fountain

Hecate's Fountain

Author: Kenneth Grant

Publisher: Skoob Books Pub Limited

Published: 1992

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 9781871438963

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Book Synopsis Hecate's Fountain by : Kenneth Grant

Download or read book Hecate's Fountain written by Kenneth Grant and published by Skoob Books Pub Limited. This book was released on 1992 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


Travellers in Magic

Travellers in Magic

Author: Lisa Goldstein

Publisher: Open Road Media

Published: 2014-10-21

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 149767364X

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Fifteen stories of ordinary lives that take fantastic turns Robert never quite feels at home with Cassie’s family, a gang of eccentrics including a reptile smuggler, a worshipper of Osiris, and an old woman who believes her photographs can see into the future. When he breaks up with Cassie, she is so upset that she gives him the most terrible thing she can offer: an envelope of her grandmother’s photos, which show in detail the path that Robert’s life will take. At first, this vision of the future gives him strength—but soon it becomes a prison on glossy paper. A Nebula and Hugo Award finalist, “Cassandra’s Photographs” demonstrates all the power of Lisa Goldstein’s imagination. Whether she is writing about shape-shifting aliens or kind-hearted ghosts, Goldstein’s fantasies remain grounded in reality, supported by the kind of crystalline prose that takes a lifetime to master. This collection also includes the Nebula Award finalist “Alfred.”


Book Synopsis Travellers in Magic by : Lisa Goldstein

Download or read book Travellers in Magic written by Lisa Goldstein and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2014-10-21 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fifteen stories of ordinary lives that take fantastic turns Robert never quite feels at home with Cassie’s family, a gang of eccentrics including a reptile smuggler, a worshipper of Osiris, and an old woman who believes her photographs can see into the future. When he breaks up with Cassie, she is so upset that she gives him the most terrible thing she can offer: an envelope of her grandmother’s photos, which show in detail the path that Robert’s life will take. At first, this vision of the future gives him strength—but soon it becomes a prison on glossy paper. A Nebula and Hugo Award finalist, “Cassandra’s Photographs” demonstrates all the power of Lisa Goldstein’s imagination. Whether she is writing about shape-shifting aliens or kind-hearted ghosts, Goldstein’s fantasies remain grounded in reality, supported by the kind of crystalline prose that takes a lifetime to master. This collection also includes the Nebula Award finalist “Alfred.”


Imagination Unleashed

Imagination Unleashed

Author: Jb Malatji

Publisher:

Published: 2024-02-08

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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"Imagination Unleashed" sweeps young readers aged 9-12 into a beyond magic fantasy, spotlighting Sarah, a girl with a curiosity as vast as the universe and an imagination to match. Her discovery of a hidden attic in her grandmother's house unveils a magical library, a canvas for magical dreams and a repository of ancient wisdom. This library is not just a collection of books; it's a portal to worlds unimagined, a place where the power of imagination transforms the mundane into the extraordinary. As Sarah explores this mysterious domain, she's drawn to a book that whisks her away to an enchanted forest, alive with talking animals and mystical beings of the magic world. With every step, she's plunged deeper into an adventure that challenges her wit and creativity, accompanied by a wise-cracking bookworm whose knowledge of the magical realms knows no bounds. The magical library serves as more than just the setting of Sarah's journey; it's a beacon of knowledge, revealing that the true magic lies in the power of imagining. Guided by the guardians of this magical world, Sarah learns that her adventures are part of a grander mission: to protect the enchanted realms from threats that seek to diminish their wonder. Upon returning to reality, Sarah finds that the library's secrets extend far beyond the books on its shelves. Her encounters with the characters from these magical tomes teach her invaluable lessons about empathy, creativity, and the strength of curious little minds. The narrative weaves a rich tapestry of friendship, adventure, and the endless possibilities that lie within the pages of a book. "Imagination Unleashed" is a celebration of the power of imagination and creativity, urging its readers to dream big and embark on their own journeys of discovery. It underscores the importance of knowledge, the joy of exploring curious little minds, and the transformative potential of imagining. Through Sarah's eyes, readers are reminded that every book holds the key to a new adventure, making the magical library a gateway to infinite worlds waiting to be explored. This tale is a tribute to the dreamers, the thinkers, and all who believe in the magic of imagination.


Book Synopsis Imagination Unleashed by : Jb Malatji

Download or read book Imagination Unleashed written by Jb Malatji and published by . This book was released on 2024-02-08 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Imagination Unleashed" sweeps young readers aged 9-12 into a beyond magic fantasy, spotlighting Sarah, a girl with a curiosity as vast as the universe and an imagination to match. Her discovery of a hidden attic in her grandmother's house unveils a magical library, a canvas for magical dreams and a repository of ancient wisdom. This library is not just a collection of books; it's a portal to worlds unimagined, a place where the power of imagination transforms the mundane into the extraordinary. As Sarah explores this mysterious domain, she's drawn to a book that whisks her away to an enchanted forest, alive with talking animals and mystical beings of the magic world. With every step, she's plunged deeper into an adventure that challenges her wit and creativity, accompanied by a wise-cracking bookworm whose knowledge of the magical realms knows no bounds. The magical library serves as more than just the setting of Sarah's journey; it's a beacon of knowledge, revealing that the true magic lies in the power of imagining. Guided by the guardians of this magical world, Sarah learns that her adventures are part of a grander mission: to protect the enchanted realms from threats that seek to diminish their wonder. Upon returning to reality, Sarah finds that the library's secrets extend far beyond the books on its shelves. Her encounters with the characters from these magical tomes teach her invaluable lessons about empathy, creativity, and the strength of curious little minds. The narrative weaves a rich tapestry of friendship, adventure, and the endless possibilities that lie within the pages of a book. "Imagination Unleashed" is a celebration of the power of imagination and creativity, urging its readers to dream big and embark on their own journeys of discovery. It underscores the importance of knowledge, the joy of exploring curious little minds, and the transformative potential of imagining. Through Sarah's eyes, readers are reminded that every book holds the key to a new adventure, making the magical library a gateway to infinite worlds waiting to be explored. This tale is a tribute to the dreamers, the thinkers, and all who believe in the magic of imagination.