Watkins Books

"Don’t steal this Book if you do I will Beat your Brains Out"...

Have you ever wanted to protect your books from forgetful borrowers, merciless page-folders or outright thieves? Perhaps you have even wished harm on those who have damaged your books, but would you threaten them with hellfire, hanging or the plague?

This book contains a collection of some of the most ferocious and humorous book curses ever inscribed, from fearsome threats discovered emblazoned on stone monuments from the ancient Near East, to elaborate manuscript maledictions and chilling warnings scribbled in printed books.

Book curses are entertaining writings in themselves, but they also offer a tantalising insight into how passionately texts and books have been valued by their owners and readers over the centuries. Here you will find an engaging introduction to the history and development of the book curse and perhaps some inspiration to pen a few of your own.

Now available in our London store, as well as via our webshop: https://shop.watkinsbooks.com/products/book-curses-by-eleanor-baker?_pos=1&_sid=5d594de0d&_ss=r

This Thursday we have the pleasure of hosting Jonathan Allen, who will discuss Austin Osman Spare's Tarot deck, which has recently been brought back to life by Strange Attractor!

Talk is FREE and starts at 5pm.
Copies of the deck and the book 'Lost Envoy' will be available during the event.

For more information: https://www.watkinsbooks.com/event-details/lost-envoy-the-tarot-deck-of-austin-osman-spare-jonathan-allen

On Saturday, 9th November, our in-store reader Wendy Erlick will be hosting a Past Life Regression Workshop alongside our team member Yvie Sanchez, a trained past life regression therapist.

The workshop can be attended both in person, at a venue in close proximity to Watkins Bookshop in London, as well as via Zoom. For more information and to book a slot, please visit: https://www.celestialcoaching.co.uk/shop

Happy Day of the Dead everyone, or Dia de los Mu***os or Tutti i Morti! 💀 🌺
It’s a day of remembrance and love, cleaning and honoring. What did you do today to celebrate your beloved departed? Did you grab your marigolds and candles? Did you make any sugar dolls? Any graveyard visits? We welcomed these wonderful skulls, courtesy of , that are now available for sale in-store, uniquely handmade by a trusted artisan.

Happy Dīpāvalī to everyone - The festival of lights, firecrackers and New clothes, jewelry or all things that add value to us and welcoming the Goddess of every kind of wealth - Mahalakshmi. Indeed is the festival of light and Sound by illuminating the right way forward , letting go and ring in the sound of firecrackers which helps in dissonance created all year round. Key is of letting go for the negativity accumulated for the year, is upon us. Divine Vedic wisdom from in-house Vedic consultant Sonal Vedic Astro Essences .
Although it begins Dīpāvalī is literally celebrated from 5 days before the actual Diwali which is October 31st. The last three days are particularly important. Another thing that is important is to be able to not recycle old things/gifts to farm to other people. That’s not a great energy to circulate last 5 days leading to Diwali.
Dīpāvalī is celebrated on the Chaturdashi fourteenth day of the dark half of Kārtika 30th October 2024.It is when the Sun and Moon is in Libra (New Moon) when Sun is debilited. This makes Saturn very very strong, as it is the exaltation of Shani. It is for this reason, that bathing ritual on the day of Amavasya is a must, before Sunrise. After massaging with Sesasme oil, as Sani resides in sesame oil which will cleanse of all negative energies in the body to cleanse with Ganges water which is Lakshmi herself is a must. The difference you may feel in this ritual is at par with none, as this really pleases Shani and helps his best friend Shukra charya to help with cleansing. Nothing pleases Maha Lakshmi more than cleaning and purity.
That is also the reason the importance of getting rid of old brooms, old boxes, kitchen broken utensils or broken cutlery etc. This is important. And the other thing of importance is of ensuring that the bedrooms and bed linen are clean and washed well every few days. To make one’s bed well and beautifully will please Mahalakshmi. Three things need to be always kept pure, garments one wears, bed linen and food containers and food.
Interesting that we are always talking of purity and cleanliness of all sorts, as all the three goddess, Saraswati, Durga and Maha Lakshmi, will bless only if you administer cleanliness.
Any sadhanas will only be sidh (manifest) if you have the power of deep clean in oneself, in one’s mind and body.
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता।
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना॥
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता।
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
yā kundendutuṣārahāradhavalā yā śubhravastrāvṛtā
yā vīṇāvaradaṇḍamaṇḍitakarā yā śvetapadmāsanā .
yā brahmācyuta śaṃkaraprabhṛtibhirdevaiḥ sadā pūjitā
sā māṃ pātu sarasvati bhagavatī niḥśeṣajāḍyāpahā ..1..
Sarasvatī, Bhagavatī, is of fair complexion like the necklace which is as white as the jasmine, moon and snow, who is dressed in white clothes, whose hands adorn the divine vīņā, who is seated on a white lotus, who is always worshipped by Gods like Brahmā, Vişnu, Śankara. May she, who removes the darkness of ignorance, protect me!
https://circleofdivineastrology.com/jyotisha-behind-dipavali-festival-of-lights-to-get-rid-of-negativity-and-problems/

If you're looking for some uncanny HORROR stories for the season, we've got you covered!
The shelves in our Fiction section team with gothic classics, folk horror, occult novels, mind-altering sci-fi, ghost stories and macabre folktales!

Halloween is now in full swing here at Watkins Books!

We now have David Chaim Smith's new book METATRON'S LADDER available in both paperback and hardback!

If you're able to come by our London store, you'll find it in the Kabbalah section, but you can also order it straight from our webshop: https://shop.watkinsbooks.com/search?type=product&q=david+chaim+smith

Just in from Lazarus Press:
THE DEVIL IN THE 19th CENTURY, in paperback, hardback and deluxe editions!

You can now find these in the SECRET SOCIETIES section in our London store, as well as via our webshop: https://shop.watkinsbooks.com/search?type=product&q=leo+taxil

130 years ago a French journalist convinced the Vatican that a secret Luciferian cult, hidden at the heart of Freemasonry, was plotting the birth of the Antichrist and the destruction of the Catholic Church.

These dastardly Masons took their marching orders from Satan himself—who appeared in the flesh to his Antipope Albert Pike, every Friday at three o’clock in the afternoon, in Charleston South Carolina.

This journalist’s name was Léo Taxil. It was the hoax of the century.

Secretly written by Taxil, Le Diable au XIXème Siècle is the purported witness account of the mysterious “Doctor Bataille.” Part travel journal and part investigative report, filled with satanic schemes and a rich cast of shady characters, it is a thrilling, lurid, and sensationalist read.

There has never been an English translation… until now.

We're happy to now have THE MOON & SERPENT BUMPER BOOK OF MAGIC by Alan Moore and Stephen Moore, as well as Alan's new London-based novel THE GREAT WHEN, in stock.

We were also excited to find that Watkins Books got a mention in the novel... ;)

Happy Full Moon Śarad Pūrṇimā which occurs in the Lunar month of ‘Aswin’ occurs on 17th Oct 2024. It is also the day Sun enters sign of libra – Sankranti dosa, making this Pūrṇimā a little problematic. This Full Moon is in the Fixed Star of Revati, (begins on 16th October in evening Pūrṇimā Tithi) eventually, culminating in Ashwini traversing all the gandanta degrees.
The Full Moon often set the trend and flavour for the month, and this entry of Sun in 0 degrees of Libra in its debility on the day of the full moon, which the Moon itself is cross gandanta, extremely karmic degrees from Pisces Revati to Aries in Aswini Nakṣatra.
From the Vedic Wisdom of the Fixed Stars Nakṣatras for week of October 16th 2024 from Vedic consultant Sonal Vedic Astro Essences . The falls under the Sidereal Indian zodiac of Indian zodiac: 16°40'–30° Meena
Western zodiac: 10°26'–23°46 Aries;
According to the Devi Bhagavata Purana, Revati is associated with Shasthi Devi, an aspect of Prakriti. Revati constellation is where Venus finds its peak exaltation and Sashti tithi meaning the 6th is also associated with Venus, plus numerological speaking it is also the number for Venus. Hence as Venus is associated with ojas and semen, Revati was revered as the deity of children who was worshipped by childless couples, offered veneration on the sixth day after a child's birth. Due to her later association with fortune and wealth, Revati was assimilated as a form of Lakshmi, symbolic with her marriage to the avatar of Vishnu, Balarama. According to the Balabhadra Mahatmya, Revati is an incarnation of Nagalakshmi, the consort of Shesha.
The Story of Revati as per Vishnu Purana
Revati was the only daughter of Kakudmi. Feeling that no human could prove to be good enough to marry his lovely and talented daughter, Kakudmi took Revati with him to Brahmaloka—abode of Brahma.

When they arrived, Brahma was listening to a musical performance by the gandharvas, so they waited patiently until the performance was finished. Then, Kakudmi bowed humbly, made his request and presented his shortlist of candidates. Brahma laughed, and explained that time runs differently on different planes of existence and that during the short time they had waited in Brahmaloka to see him, 27 chatur-yugas had passed on Earth and all the candidates had died long ago!
to continue please go to https://circleofdivineastrology.com/happy-full-moon-sarad-pur%e1%b9%87ima-2024/

Watkins Publishing has set up a Samhain Scavenger Hunt in October.
Visit some of London's esoteric stores and venues and claim a gift at Watkins Books at the end!

This year is the first year we are marking the resetting of the Wheel of the Year with a month-long event spanning several locations across the city. Enjoy with your friends as a free Autumn activity or take your special someone on a date to see what you will discover as you walk (or bus) through the burnt orange leaves of London. Like grown-up trick-or-treating, you might return home with a bag full of goodies and surprises!

https://watkinspublishing.com/samhain-scavenger-hunt/

These lovely hardbacks from Crossed Crow Books just flew in:

🔥INVISIBLE FIRE by Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold
🌿ICELANDIC PLANT MAGIC by Albert Björn
🪶FLIGHT OF THE FIREBIRD by Kenneth Johnson

All three are now available to pick up at our London store, as well as order via our webshop: https://shop.watkinsbooks.com/collections/bestsellers/

Just in from Anathema Publishing Ltd.
SEMESILAM: The Eternal Sun by José Gabriel Alegría Sabogal
as well as the paperback edition of IAO: Ophite Iconography by the same author.

You can now order these through our webshop:
https://shop.watkinsbooks.com/collections/all

***POSTPONED***
Unfortunately, this event will be postponed for a forthcoming future date. Our apologies!

*************************

We have the pleasure of hosting an in-store event with Richard Grenville Clark, who will speak on his study of artist Frederick Carter entitled APOCALYPSE IN ENGLAND.

Up until now the mystical quester Frederick Carter has been merely a footnote in other biographies, notably those of Austin Osman Spare and Arthur Machen, who he knew and worked with. Carter’s oeuvre was formed by a plurality of influences and interactions extending to the occult, philosophy, and religion. Now he moves centre-stage to have his story told and his achievements accessed.

The event is FREE and starts at 5pm!

Peter Jenx, author of The Thai Occult books was kind enough to come by to drop off and sign some of his amazing titles!

We will make these rarities available for purchase over the coming weeks.

We're hosting no less than two book launches this week:

Tomorrow (Thursday) we have the honour of doing the online launch for Ben Edge's incredible FOLKLORE RISING (Watkins Publishing)
and on Friday, we're hosting an in-store launch for José Gabriel Alegría Sabogal's jaw-dropping SEMESILAM: The Eternal Sun (Anathema Publishing Ltd.)
Find out more here: https://www.watkinsbooks.com/events

Book launch: Semesilam - José Gabriel Alegría Sabogal | Watkins Bookshop We're honoured to host the official launch for artist and author José Gabriel Alegría Sabogal's new book Semesilam: The Eternal Sun.