Showing titles in Customs & Traditions

For millennia, people considered dragons to be real, and the vivid lore of dragons has touched societies from Central America to Europe, and from Egypt to China. The popularity of dragons can easily be assessed by the number of motion pictures that include them as an integral part of their narrative, from the friendly dragons of children’s cartoons to the monsters being bred underground to unleash their horrors on humanity.

The Book of Tea (1906) by Okakura Kakuzō is a long essay which examines the role of chadō (Teaism) in the aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese life. The author explains Teaism as “a philosophy founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence”. Originally written in English for a western audience, the essay deals with the spiritual traditions of Zen and Taoism, as well as the secular side of tea in Japanese life.

For those who choose to break out of the confines of all-inclusive tourist resorts, Culture Smart! Dominican Republic offers a tantalizing insight into this warm, vital, and intriguing people. It takes you on a journey from the unspoiled coastline to the agricultural interior, to the imposing mountains, and to the hamlets where time appears to have stood still. It then catapults you into the 21st century, through poverty and opulence, to the hustle and bustle of the large cities and the lifestyles of the luxury coastal tourist resorts.

A beloved legend of all time, Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood tells the compelling tale of the brave, good-humored outlaw and his cohorts Friar Tuck, Little John, and Will Scarlet, as they cavort about Sherwood Forest.

" Je me souviens du soulagement ressenti une fois le rituel terminé. J’avais osé demander de l’aide à plus grand que moi. Un “plus grand” abstrait, que je ne pouvais pas même nommer. J’avais osé mon premier rituel. " Il en est ainsi des rituels : ils marquent les esprits car ils associent une intention libératrice à une action qui a du sens. Ils agissent sur un autre plan, plus subtil, une autre dimension, plus spirituelle.

In this practical guide, Jon G. Hughes shares ancient secret Druidic techniques of divination passed down to him across five generations in an unbroken lineage of influential Welsh Druids.

In the last 50 years, folklorists have amassed an extraordinary corpus of contemporary legends including "the Choking Doberman," "the Eaten Ticket," and "the Vanishing Hitchhiker." But what about the urban legends of the past? These legends and tales have rarely been collected, and when they occasionally appear, they do so as ancestors or precursors of the urban legends of today, rather than as stories in their own right. In The Nail in the Skull and Other Victorian Urban Legends, Simon Young fills this gap for British folklore (and for the wider English-speaking world) of the 1800s.

From the New York Times bestselling authors of Glory, Kahran and Regis Bethencourt of CreativeSoul Photography, comes Crowned, a collection that completely reimagines how we see our favorite and most beloved childhood fairy and folk tales. This collection features classic fairy tales, African and African American folklore, and exciting new classics–brand new stories created by Kahran and Regis.

Have no idea where to start? Or maybe you have an idea but could use some great insider tips? Well, read on! You see, we know your trip begins before you even book your flight, and this guide is chock full of dynamite tips on everything you need to know before you go and much, much more!

The mythologies of the world are collective cultural dreams, and as such should be analyzed first from cultural perspectives. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, however, mythologies reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger trans-cultural issues such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept. World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction is organized around the universal motifs.

In The Stories We Tell: Mythology to Make Sense of Modern Lives, renowned mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik presents 72 tales from India’s rich treasure of myths and legends. These stories, ranging from folk tales in Andhra Pradesh on Lakshmana to Vedic stories on Indra, urge you to reconsider ideas of good, bad, love, faith and culture.

From the rolling hills of the Pocono Mountains to the eerie depths of abandoned coal mines, this gripping collection of true stories of encounters with the supernatural will leave you questioning the boundaries of reality itself. Delve into the chilling specters that roam historic Gettysburg, read first hand accounts of extraterrestrial encounters in the mysterious Allegheny National Forest, and travel to the heart of Amish country, where even the most devout are not immune to the inexplicable.

Whether as wine, beer, or spirits, alcohol has had a constant and often controversial role in social life. In his innovative book on the attitudes toward and consumption of alcohol, Rod Phillips surveys a 9,000-year cultural and economic history, uncovering the tensions between alcoholic drinks as healthy staples of daily diets and as objects of social, political, and religious anxiety.

Los mitos griegos no son solo historias: son ventanas abiertas a las creencias, las luchas y la sabiduría de un mundo antiguo. Estos relatos atemporales dieron forma a la sociedad de la Antigua Grecia y aún resuenan hoy con lecciones sobre la vida. Si te fascinan los dioses, los héroes legendarios o los misterios del mundo antiguo, este libro da vida a estas historias. También te ayudará a descubrir las lecciones de vida más profundas que estos mitos ofrecían a los antiguos griegos, facilitando la conexión con la sabiduría oculta en sus relatos.

Ancient Mesopotamia history is defined by several key inventions that impacted the globe, including the concept of time, algebra, the wheel, sailboats, maps and writing. Another characteristic of Mesopotamia is the shifting succession of governing bodies from various regions and cities that seized power over a period of thousands of years.

Are you ready to be scared? Pennsylvania is filled with phenomena science cannot explain. Houses in which the floorboards creak and door open on their own, battlefields where fallen soldiers walk again, strange sounds coming from the forest, spooky lights in the sky, and much more. Renowned paranormalist Tony Urban has collected over 25 tales of the unexplained from one end of PA to the other.

Atlantis - the mythical city that was first mentioned by Plato in his Timaeus and Critias. While largely believed to be fictional, Atlantis has made its way into literature and manages to flourish over the years. Through time, the myth became a legend that eventually enticed individuals to delve into this ancient city and find out whether Plato's references are mere fiction or actually a fact.

Maat is an ancient Egyptian goddess who represents truth, justice, and balance. She is often associated with the concept of Maat, which is the principle of truth, order, justice, and balance in the Universe. Followers of Maat believe that it is our responsibility to uphold these principles in our own lives and in the world around us.

Discover Ancient Greece and Rome like never before with this compendium that begins with creation myth of Uranus and Gaea and includes descriptions and tales of gods both major and minor, as well as mythical creatures and other divinities. Author and scholar E.M. Berens also details how the people of ancient Greece and Rome worshiped, covering sacred sites and customs, as well as their significance. Berens's seminal work offers something for anyone interested in Greek and Roman mythology, whether they are just beginning to learn or are looking to add to already established knowledge.

Women today are banding together in magical ways to celebrate and encourage one another, and many are turning to the sacred goddesses of the past to guide their way. Your Goddess Year provides a calendar of 52 goddesses along with fascinating background information, herstory, and reasons why invoking her power can strengthen and benefit you in your day-to-day life.