Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells by Judika Illes

Without a doubt this is the Larousse Gastronomique of the modern witchy world. Two children and many years later, I still search and research, impressed and empowered by thousands of years of women's inventiveness, endurance, defiance and humor.

I went searching for other avenues, gentle Earth and female-friendly solutions and found them: a vast repository of women's wisdom. Originally stimulated by own reproductive challenges, I was frustrated by the medical options offered to me. My special passion for almost fifteen years has been magical and traditional approaches to fertility. I served on the faculty of the Australasian College of Herbal Studies as an aromatherapy tutor, teaching the certification program. Many are powerful aphrodisiacs and may be used to enhance health, beauty and peace of mind.įollowing over a decade of independent study, I earned a certificate in therapeutic aromatherapy. Essential oils are perhaps the purest, most potent expression of a plant's power and play a profound role in rituals, potions and spells. Modern aromatherapy, with its roots stretching back to ancient China, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Middle East, is the manipulation of essential oils for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. (Essential oil of frankincense, to be exact, still a favorite.) Essential oils are not true oils but potent plant extracts. True love's arrows pierced my heart yet again when I first encountered a vial of essential oil. I wrote and edited the Ancient Beauty Secrets section for the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism's monthly online magazine, which integrated modern aromatherapy with ancient methods of body care and decoration. I've also been a blues and free-form rock and roll disc jockey, a corporate travel consultant specializing in the Caribbean, a skin-care and cosmetics consultant, and a teacher of mythology and multicultural studies. Although I do practice other forms of divination, tarot remains the foundation of my practice.Ī lifelong pursuit of metaphysical wisdom followed and continues: astrology, mythology, Kabbalah, the Egyptian mysteries as well as spiritual, magical and healing traditions from all over Earth but particularly Africa and Asia. Born in New York City, my metaphysical career began early: My first encounter with tarot cards at age six was also my first experience of love at first sight! That passion still burns true.

Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells by Judika Illes