Spirits permeate our culture. We flatter a woman by calling her a goddess, a man by calling him an "Adonis." Describe being stuck in an elevator as "hell," and you've just evoked Hel, the Norse guardian of the realm of death. "Nemesis" is named for the Greek goddess of justice and vengeance. An aphrodisiac evokes the power of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and sex. And "frickin'" is not a substitute for a stronger obscenity, it's the name of another Norse goddess spelled Frika.There are spirits in pop culture, too, like Neil Gaiman's "American Gods", in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings", "The Ring" series of horror movies, in Bob Dylan's "Isis", Fleetwood Mac's hit "Rhiannon", and Shocking Blue's "Venus in Blue Jeans". Even in prison, inmates tattoo Our Lady of Guadalupe on their backs, because no one would stick a knife into Our Lady, would they? Spirits permeate every corner of our culture, and the "Encyclopedia of Spirits" explains who they are and how we can persuade them to help us land a job, find our true love, conceive a child, protect our distant loved ones, or heal our ailments.

Spirits permeate our culture. We flatter a woman by calling her a goddess, a man by calling him an "Adonis." Describe being stuck in an elevator as "hell," and you've just evoked Hel, the Norse guardian of the realm of death. "Nemesis" is named for the Greek goddess of justice and vengeance. An aphrodisiac evokes the power of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and sex. And "frickin'" is not a substitute for a stronger obscenity, it's the name of another Norse goddess spelled Frika.There are spirits in pop culture, too, like Neil Gaiman's "American Gods", in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings", "The Ring" series of horror movies, in Bob Dylan's "Isis", Fleetwood Mac's hit "Rhiannon", and Shocking Blue's "Venus in Blue Jeans". Even in prison, inmates tattoo Our Lady of Guadalupe on their backs, because no one would stick a knife into Our Lady, would they? Spirits permeate every corner of our culture, and the "Encyclopedia of Spirits" explains who they are and how we can persuade them to help us land a job, find our true love, conceive a child, protect our distant loved ones, or heal our ailments.

Judika Illes's interest in the metaphysical began with her first tarot card reading at age six. A lifetime pursuing and researching that interest ensued: astrology, mythology, Kabbalah, the Egyptian mysteries as well as spiritual, magical and healing traditions from all over Earth. She is a spell collector, fortune teller, psychic practitioner and spirit worker, certified aromatherapy consultant, independent scholar, writer and teacher. Her spiritual vision incorporates the application of Earth's ancient magical and therapeutic traditions for the fulfillment of modern needs and desires. Illes is the author of the Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells and Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft (both were One Spirit Book Club Selections), and Pure Magic.