Pathways Issue 3, the Beltain issue, will be available at the beginning of November 2009. I am looking for any South African Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, Magicians, Occultists that may be interested in submitting material for publication. Because Pathways is aimed at all Paths and Faiths, there is no limit to the topic that can be found in the publication, and it is open to all. The types of material that are accepted are also broad, being informative articles, artworks, poetry and prose, or anything else you can produce of an Occult or Pagan nature that you feel the South African Magical communities will benefit from. If you have an idea for a feature segment, then let me know and we will discuss it further.

Apart from getting your work published, you also have the chance of advertising yourself by having your name and contact details included on the first page in the Contributor’s Area. All Contributors will receive a free eBook of the publication. Also, if you are an advertiser who does not have an item of work to submit, but would like to get your advert into the publication, then send me an email to discuss an Ad Exchange free of charge.

Pathways 3 will also see a change in layout design, something more dynamic and appealing, so watch this space (or that one maybe), for updates. Because of these changes I would prefer to get all submissions in as early as possible, with the final cut off date being 19th October 2009, which gives you plenty of time to get your thinking caps on.

So, let’s bring something fantastic to the South African Occult and Pagan communities. Send all queries, comments and submissions to lee@rppublications.co.za

If you are on Facebook, then become a Fan of the Pathways Page – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pathways/72269339071

In Frith,
Lee ‘Red Oak’ Johnson

We will be taking pre-launch orders within the next week or two, when the fixed launch date will be announced. All pre-launch order customers will receive a signed copy of the book, so watch out for that announcement.

To give you a taste of what is to come, here is “See with me”

The mists of time drift away for a moment
and I recognize your beautiful soul
you were mine during all those eons
forever apart, together still

I look through the veils and see your origin
see the awesome energy that forged the essence of you
now I know that for eternity
I have been in love with you

Take me back in our lover’s play
to the time we have lost, while we never met
getting tangled up in one another
getting lost in finding yet

Through the hazy future mirror
I can show all this to you
Always apart, forever together
This eternal flame of love is pure and good and true

Copyright: C.M. Venter 2008. All Rights Reserved

Please pass this notice on to whoever you may feel will be interested.

I would like to thank all of the wonderful people who contributed to this issue and made this a reality.

To get your free download or purchase the paperback, go to http://rpp.comuv.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60&Itemid=67

The paperback will also be available on the Lulu Storefront in the near future. Unfortunately I encountered a problem with size and formatting when attempting to upload.

Following is a list of the content that can be found inside:

Cover photo by Nathalie Rose (photographer and model)

Five Points by Lee ‘Red Oak’ Johnson

Runeskandt by Michelle Du Plessis

Being Pagan by Christa Martin

Nemotona, She of the Sacred Grove by Helen Schuck

Pagan Child (poetry) by Carina Venter

Fantasy Photography by Michelle Du Plessis

She Watches (artwork) by Christa Heysen

There Really is a Monster Under the Bed by Dan Graham

Alban Arthuan: The Midwinter Fires by Damon Leff

The Stang and Roebuck by Lee ‘Red Oak’ Johnson

Island Healing (poetry) by Carina Venter

Pagan Freedom Day, 2009 by Christa Martin

Your Horoscope by Anastacia Sampson

Die Eeerste Fabel by Michelle Du Plessis

Witchcraft: A Study in Bias, Prejudice and Discrimination in South Africa by Damon Leff

An independent guide for South African men and women, to the most affordable and regularly available cruelty-free and eco-friendly products in current South African markets, making it easier for you and your baby to live in harmony with the Earth. And a little bit more.

Paperback (A5, 60 pages)
ISBN 978-0-9814262-9-7

http://rpp.comuv.com

Thank you for visiting.

To produce an eBook is a once off affair and so printing costs are removed and this allows the price of the eBook to reduce in comparison to the paperback version of the same book. However, in many cases, only the eBook is available with no way of comparing the cost of said eBook against its paperback cousin. Are you really getting a reduced price in all cases?

There is also the immediate access to eBooks. When you buy an eBook online, after confirming your payment you can go and download it straight away, no need to wait for the paperback to be printed and then posted to you. But do you get the same thrill when you download an eBook as you do when you get your package from the post office, tuck it under your arm, drive home, make a cup of coffee (you have to allow the anticipation to grow), sit down with the package and open it? NO, YOU DON’T. Opening that package is like opening a present at Christmas, and if you order a book a month, you can have Christmas every single month of the year.

To produce an eBook, being what it is, i.e. electronic, is obviously more environmentally friendly as you are not cutting down trees which you do when producing the paperback. This is an exceptional argument, but how many people purchase their eBook and then print it out on their home or office printer? This takes more paper, double in fact because the person is usually not printing double sided. It also becomes more costly because although the eBook may retail for a lower price than the paperback, the cost to print the eBook on the person’s printer is astronomical at the end of the day, ergo, it becomes more expensive than the paperback version of the same book, not to mention the paper that went into the notes that were spent on a ream of paper and print cartridges (unless of course you are taking advantage of the office facilities and not letting the boss know…yes, you know who you are).

Of all the people I have spoken to who may have purchased eBooks or downloaded free eBooks, I’d estimate 80% of them print the books out. Why do they do this, you may ask? After all, it is there on the screen. Well many people battle to read off a computer screen for extended periods of time. This causes eye strain, leading to headaches, the need to eventually visit the optometrist and again, more money spent on something that could have been avoided.

Another possible problem faced with the use of eBooks is that they are printed with black text on a white page. If you remember some time back, Google came out with a power saving search engine which was white text on a black screen. Apparently this format saves power as the white colour on a monitor takes more wattage (or something) than black on a monitor. I read many arguments against this and many for it, with people throwing around numbers after having tested the theory. Can’t say anyone really came to a good conclusion, but I do know that I used the “white on black” Google for a while and then stopped. I prefer white text on black pages when it comes to a website, but there was something unappealing about having a black Google pop up every time I opened my browser. For many people this actually causes more eye strain and if you have been reading a black page for some time and then look up, you will discover why.

So, which is better, eBook or Paperback? It still remains personal preference in many regards, but I thought a little comparative argument together with some support for the threatened paperback would be in order. I still prefer taking a paperback to bed and putting it on the bedside table when I go to sleep. I tried it with the computer, but it is way too bulky. Just a warning, be careful if you take your laptop to bed with you. I know someone who did this, put the laptop on the floor when he went to sleep (it is too big to put on the bedside table), and when he woke the next morning, forgetting about the laptop, he stepped on it and broke the screen. Again, lots of money needed to be spent. Personally I think eBooks are out to waste everyone’s money in the long run. Maybe it is the start of a new conspiracy theory.

So, support a paperback today and buy one, hell buy two or three, you won’t be disappointed. It may contain paper that was taken from a tree, but at least it will bring you incredible satisfaction and value for years to come (especially when you find it at the back of your bookshelf in a few years bringing back so many good memories, and having that wonderful old paper smell). Knowledge found on a page is merely an extension of the knowledge held within a tree. Oh I think that should be my new motto.

Lee Johnson
Red Path Publications
http://rppublications.wordpress.com
or the new site (the shopping cart is almost finished, doing extensive testing) at http://rpp.comuv.com

The Ladder of Lights (or Qabalah Renovata) by William G. Gray
(6×9, 240 pgs)
Selling in Paperback for R265.00

An Outlook on Our Inner Western Way by William G. Gray
(6×9, 164 pgs)
Selling in Paperback for R265.00

The Book of Self Creation by Jacobus Swart
(6×9, 480 pgs)
Selling in Paperback for R325.00

These books can be bought either through myself at Red Path Publications (specifically for South African customers) or from Jacobus’ Lulu Storefront at http://stores.lulu.com/sangrealsodalitypress

Also in the Book Shop at RPP is my own book, The Reality of Things which retails in paperback for R142.50 and eBook for R88.50, which is the first in the ORP Series. It is an introduction to Witchcraft and Magic and is intended for the use of the Seeker and forms the Foundation of the Red Path System. Topics covered are:

How magic and spellcraft work and how the energies are directed.
The Power within the Land.
Wyrd, what it is and how it flows.
How Power moves through the body, forming a discussion on the Heavenly Circuits and the three Cauldrons, also giving instructions on the Fire Breath.
An extensive discussion on the Pentagram and Hexagram.
Comparative discussion and instruction on Circles and Casting, including the Wiccan Circle, LBRP, Traditional Compass Round and the Medicine Wheel.
The Witches’ Foot, what it is, and instruction on how to use it as a Crossing Ritual.
General discussions and information about various aspects and entities including Thought Forms, Spirit Guides, Fae, the Fetch, Death, the differences between Wicca, Witch and Pagan, Satanism and LHP Practices, and Goetic Spirits.
Ethics with a discussion on various “Golden Rules” and Redes.
Finally, how to create an Altar and perform one-pointed meditation which will be the beginning of the magical training.

The next book will be available soon which will be the first step up the ladder to becoming an adept and will contain instruction on magic and ritual to forge the Magical Body and connect with the Power of the Land as well as how to work with sigils, servitors and many other aspects of Magic.

Don’t forget the excellent selection of books from Pendraig Publishers inclusing authors such as Robin Artisson, Veronica Cummer, Eric De Vries and Ann Finnin, as well as The Crooked Path Journals which are all packed with incredible articles pertaining to Traditional Craft. These can all be found on the website listed below.

Also to be published, starting from 1^st May is the new South African periodical covering all sorts of topics from Paganism to Witchcraft to Ceremonial Magick and Kabbalah. This will be a quarterly publication and the first issue will be available free as an eBook, with the paperback being sent free with each order of the second issue. Advertising space is available at excellent rates, contact me for prices, with a free personals classified section if anyone is in need of it. If you are a writer, author or artist, even if you would like to write short articles and not necessarily a book, then you can submit such directly to me, it is a great way to advertise yourself.

For more go to http://rppublications.wordpress.com/esoteric , or you can order outside South Africa from http://stores.lulu.com/rppublications . Alternatively, email me on rppublications@yahoo.com with your order request.

Frith,
Lee

Black on black
As the thick night drops its veil
The day creatures silence their lack
The night beasts open their sail

The smoky silence before the torment
Comes alive in the steely jaw
Before the groan becomes a torrent
And the beast hunts once more

The scents of the prey thicken
The lights to him are sin
The joyous laughs sicken
His blood starts to run thin

Watching, waiting, learning
Don’t move until you know
Hold the need and the yearning
Until it is time to make the first blow

Mouth watering,
Palms tingling,
Teeth aching,
Need waiting.

One prey moves aside
Away from the others
Slowly move beside
Blood splutters.

Need met
Pain extinguished
The blood has been let
The night relinquished.

The Crooked Path Journal Issue 4 – http://rppublications.wordpress.com/the-bookshop/esoteric/cpj04/

Masks of the Muse – http://rppublications.wordpress.com/the-bookshop/esoteric/masks-of-muse/

The Bookshop – Esoteric Section – http://rppublications.wordpress.com/the-bookshop/esoteric/

Order Form – http://rppublications.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/rpp-order-form2.pdf

Email – rppublications@yahoo.com

Skype – gmredoak