Books
Twisted Trunk Books
Yakṣiṇī Magic
Yakṣiṇī Magic is the first extensive treatment of Tantric texts dealing with practices that relate to the Yakṣiṇīs, an ancient class of female spirit beings often described as “fertility deities” and said to inhabit wild places, plants, and trees. Drawing on a wide range of tantric textual sources, many of which are presented here for the first time summarised into English, Mike Magee examines the various practices through which a tantric practitioner could propitiate these powerful, fierce, and sometimes jealous female spirits. Yakṣiṇī Magic affords us a fascinating glimpse into this hitherto unexplored aspect of the tantric world.
With a frontispiece by Jan Magee, internal artwork by Maria Strutz, and a foreword by Phil Hine, Yakṣiṇī Magic includes an extensive appendix giving the Yakṣiṇī-related text of eleven tantric texts in Sanskrit and Romanized Devanagari. 176 pages, illustrated.
“We know that trees hold a sacredness, embody a living mystery. Mike Magee’s study of the Yaksinis brings this mystery to life, with vivid descriptions and powerful mantras of the spiritual beings that have always been associated with the natural world. For the scholar as well as the sadhaka, Magee’s book is a welcome and needed exploration of the world of Yaksinis. No matter where you may be, after reading this book you may never look at a tree the same way again.
Gregory Peters, author of The Magickal Union of East & West.
Yakṣiṇī Magic is available from Amazon.
Kālī Magic
Kālī Magic brings together Mike Magee’s decades of experience in translating and elucidating tantrik texts. The first section—Sadhana—explores the ritual worship of Kālī through mantra, her various aspects, and her yantras. The second section—Tantras—includes new English translations of the Mātṛkābheda, Toḍala, and Yoni tantras, plus two Kālī Upaniṣads and abstracts of ten tantras related to the worship of the goddess. With a comprehensive bibliography and glossary of key terms, Kālī Magic will be of great value to devotees and scholars of the goddess alike. Frontispiece and internal artwork by Jan Bailey, Foreword by Phil Hine. 322 pages, illustrated.
“An exceedingly valuable resource for those brave enough to plumb the liturgical details of Kali worship. Thematically organized while consisting substantially of translations from Sanskrit scriptures, this is less a how-to guide than a survey of major tantric ritual components as presented in medieval sources. Three newly translated tantras and summaries of ten more round out the book, alongside copious illustrations and a lightly but helpfully annotated bibliography. Dive in!”
Joel Bordeaux (International Institute for Asian Studies/Leiden University)
Kālī Magic is available from Amazon.
Acts of Magical Resistance
Magic is a radical act against reality. Magic always has an agenda – whether it’s a desire to ensure the welfare of those we love, to protect our communities or achieve transformation despite seemingly impossible circumstances. However, all this magic does not happen divorced from the constant political context of our lives. In a time when wearing a T-shirt can get you arrested in London, appearing in drag is illegal in Tennessee and fascism is knocking at the door in hundred new ways, the art of magical resistance has never been more important.
Addressing not only the often occulted history of the subject, but also the practicalities of magical activism and ritual routes to resistance, Phil Hine has delivered a timely and powerful guide on a key area of occulture. Drawing from intimate personal involvement of himself and others in magical resistance across four decades, Hine explores a diverse range of techniques and approaches to resist oppression and achieve change.
Acts of Magical Resistance is a celebration of the subversive power of enchantment. An inspiring call to action, it offers vital insights into Mass Rituals, the psychology of effectively countering institutions and the liberation that comes from carving space for wonder.
Acts of Magical Resistance is available from Amazon in print or digital editions.
