Jon Hanna - Vs.: A Collection of Essays on Duality and Conflict in Magick, Mythology and Paganism

DUALITY AND CONFLICT

IN MAGICK, MYTHOLOGY AND PAGANISM

With essays by

Chrissy Derbyshire, Diane M. Champigny, Ellie Horne, Emily Carding, Gareth Gerrard, Guy Gaunt, Jon Hanna, Jonathan Carfax, Karen F. Pierce, Katherine Sutherland, Katie Gerrard, Kim Huggens, Magin Rose, Melissa Harrington, Michael Howard, Payam Nabarz, Rachel Donaldson, Sophia Fisher, Sophie Nussle, Trystn M. Branwynn and Vikki Bramshaw

Edited by Kim Huggens

Published by Avalonia

www.avaloniabooks.com

Published by Avalonia Ltd

This Kindle Edition, March 2022

ISBN: 9781905297368 (paperback)

VS.: DUALITY AND CONFLICT

IN MAGICK, MYTHOLOGY AND PAGANISM (ANTHOLOGY)

Copyright Kim Huggens (ed.) 2010

Individual authors and artists retain the copyright to their original work.

Cover image: Polarity by Emily Carding 2010

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BM Avalonia, London, WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom
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Vikki Bramshaw is a priestess and author of esoteric initiatory witchcraft. Having trained for 10 years under respected elders, she now runs her own working group in Hampshire. Just some of her passions are theurgy, initiatory rites and Hellenic and Sumerian mythology. Her first book, Craft of the Wise: A Practical Guide was released with O-Books (John Hunt Publishing) in 2009, and her essay 'Swaying with the Serpent: A Study of the Serpent Girdled Hekate' , features in Hekate: Her Sacred Fires edited by Sorita D'Este (Avalonia Books, 2010). In addition to her magical training Vikki successfully completed several courses as part of her ongoing research, including The Origins of Human Behaviour with Oxford University. She is also a trained Holistic Healer with the Scottish Healing Association, and is currently studying counselling & transactional analysis with Peter Symonds College of Winchester. Also see: www.vikkibramshaw.co.uk

Trystn M Branwynn was born in St. Louis, MO, in September 1967. His parents moved across the country keeping up with (first) his father's military duties and later second career. He began to display a fascination for the Occult in his mid teens and had several experiences that served to propel him further along this road. At the age of 17 he entered the U.S. Marine Corps, and while in the service was drawn strongly to the work of Aleister Crowley. It was during this phase, in 1987, that he met the Magistra of a small Traditional group that met in Carlsbad, CA (he was stationed on nearby Camp Pendleton) and began the learning and working process that has since defined his life. He currently resides in the state of Washington with a Siamese cat The True Imperial Scion - Josephine, a Betta Tart, and two rabbits, Peony and Zen. He has served with two Cuveens, and married and divorced three times, and now prefers to spend his time working - both at Magic and at his day job, fishing for salmon, and enjoying life.

Emily Carding lives in Cornwall with her amazing husband, ethereal daughter and the glorious Albus Dumbledog. Here she creates various offerings, such as The Transparent Tarot , The Transparent Oracle , and The Tarot of the Sidhe for Schiffer Books. She has also contributed book covers, articles and artwork for several previous works from Avalonia Books. To date these titles include Towards The Wiccan Circle (Cover), Both Sides of Heaven , (Cover and article - The Salvation of the Sidhe , From a Drop of Water (Article Nimue: The Archetypal Priestess ), and Hekate: Her Sacred Fires (Cover, Article - Painting Hekate and internal illustrations). Emily speaks at specialist Tarot events around the world and also works as a storyteller, the perfect combination of her experience in Theatre and knowledge of folklore, myth and magick! She is currently working on lots. You'll just have to wait and see Her website can be found at www.childofavalon.com

Jonathan Carfax has gotten to thinking about the Jewish mystical concepts on reincarnation into inanimate objects, because he is sure a nice mahogany hat stand may be a future incarnation. When he isnt wearing the Phrygian cap associated with the Qabalistic Society of Guardians, he likes to sport a moushwa headscarf as an initiate of the Puerto Rican vodou-espiritismo tradition of Sanse. And while many Freemasons dont wear stylish top hats anymore, as a Past Master of an esoterically minded Lodge in Sydney, he would if he could. Probably just as well, as being the co-editor of Absinthe.com.au, documenting the history of la Fee Vert in Australia, requires practical research that does not permit the sort of vertical stability conducive to the wearing of hats (lampshades possibly excepted). Jonathan resides amongst the idyllic vineyards of the Adelaide Hills in South Australia with his partner, son and three cats. None of his cats wear hats, much the pity.

Diane M. Champigny (Thea) is a 3rd Degree High Priestess and Lineage Elder of the Alexandrian Tradition of Witchcraft. She is an active member of the Society of Elder Faiths and has served as a Ritualist and Workshop Facilitator for the Wiccan Educational Society, a Global Pagan Community. Thea is also a Trance Medium, Occult Bibliophile and contributing author to the books Priestesses Pythonesses Sibyls , From A Drop of Water and Hekate: Her Sacred Fires published by Avalonia. Inquiries may be directed to PriestessThea@hotmail.com or visit

www.myspace.com/PriestessThea

Chrissy Derbyshire is an author and teacher living in Cardiff. She is a keen lifelong student of folklore and mythology. Her first book, Mysteries , was published in 2008 by Awen Publications. It is a selection of poetry and short stories, structured to mirror a descent into and emergence from the Underworld. She was the winner of the Mercian Gathering Bardic Contest 2006, and most recently contributed an essay to the Avalonia Books anthology, From a Drop of Water .

Rachel is a mountain climbing, yogic philosophising, wild food foraging Wiccan who lives in Kent, UK with her partner and their cat (who thinks he is a bear). She has taught yoga for six years and has a passion for yoga philosophy. She previously contributed to the anthology From a Drop of Water (Avalonia, 2009).

Sophia Fisher has previously published an article with Avalonia books. She is a 'caballo des mysterios' in 21 Divisions Vodou and is also initiated as Hounsi Lave Tet in the Haitian Tcha-Tcha lineage, a proud member of Sosyete Gade nou Leve and the proprietor of Baron's Magic and the LaSirena Botanica. Mum to baby Robin and two West Highland White Terriers, when Sophia isn't working or serving the lwa she loves dancing, creative writing and watching hammy horror flicks! Also see www.baronsmagic.com and www.sirenabotanica.com, or alternatively e-mail her sophia@sirenabotanica.com