Llewellyn Worldwide
Encyclopedia
Llewellyn Worldwide (formerly Llewellyn Publications) is a New Age
publisher
, currently based in Woodbury, Minnesota
, a suburb of St. Paul. Llewellyn's mission is to "serve the trade and consumers worldwide with options and tools for exploring new worlds of mind & spirit, thereby aiding in the quests of expanded human potential, spiritual consciousness, and planetary awareness."
. At first, the company concentrated exclusively on Astrology, in the form of both books and annuals. Later, Llewellyn began to branch out into other New Age topics, such as alternative healing, psychic
development, and earth-centered religions
, among others. Llewellyn Publications grew steadily and was moved from Portland to Los Angeles, California
in 1920. Owner and founder Llewellyn George died in 1954. The company was bought by Carl L. Weschcke
in 1961, who moved the headquarters to St. Paul, Minnesota.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Llewellyn published books from authors such as Dion Fortune
and Aleister Crowley
writing on occult
and other topics. Carl Weschcke founded a series of Gnostic Aquarian
Festival
s to help create a broader audience. Llewellyn went on to publish books such as Scott Cunningham
's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and Raymond Buckland
's Complete Book of Witchcraft. The company also expanded into tarot
decks, magical "kits" and materials for younger readers.
Declines in sales figures in 2001 spurred the company toward layoff
s and a restructure of its sales and marketing departments in 2002. By the end of 2003's fiscal year, the company rebounded with $16 million in gross sales. In July 2005, Llewellyn moved its offices from St Paul to its current offices in the local suburb of Woodbury. Today, the company features a wide offering of books by such noted authors as Michael Newton
, Donald Michael Kraig
, and Karen Mehringer
, as well as the best-selling Llewellyn Guides.
President and Publisher Carl L. Weschcke enthusiastically hails the new location in Woodbury as "opening a new chapter" for Llewellyn's growing book business. "Books are the building stones of our culture and each generation adds to the edifice."
New Age
The New Age movement is a Western spiritual movement that developed in the second half of the 20th century. Its central precepts have been described as "drawing on both Eastern and Western spiritual and metaphysical traditions and then infusing them with influences from self-help and motivational...
publisher
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
, currently based in Woodbury, Minnesota
Woodbury, Minnesota
Woodbury is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, and is a suburb of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. It is situated east of Saint Paul along Interstate 94...
, a suburb of St. Paul. Llewellyn's mission is to "serve the trade and consumers worldwide with options and tools for exploring new worlds of mind & spirit, thereby aiding in the quests of expanded human potential, spiritual consciousness, and planetary awareness."
History
Llewellyn Publications was formed in 1901 by Llewellyn George, in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. At first, the company concentrated exclusively on Astrology, in the form of both books and annuals. Later, Llewellyn began to branch out into other New Age topics, such as alternative healing, psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
development, and earth-centered religions
Earth religion
Earth religion is a New Age term used mostly in the context of Neopaganism.It is an umbrella phrase that is used to cover any religion that worships the Earth, Nature, or fertility gods and goddesses, such as the various forms of goddess worship or matriarchal religion. Some find a connection...
, among others. Llewellyn Publications grew steadily and was moved from Portland to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1920. Owner and founder Llewellyn George died in 1954. The company was bought by Carl L. Weschcke
Carl L. Weschcke
Carl Llewellyn Weschcke is a businessman and president/owner of Llewellyn Worldwide since 1961. He received nationwide media attention when he bought the supposedly haunted Summit Avenue Mansion in St...
in 1961, who moved the headquarters to St. Paul, Minnesota.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Llewellyn published books from authors such as Dion Fortune
Dion Fortune
Violet Mary Firth Evans , better known as Dion Fortune, was a British occultist and author. Her pseudonym was inspired by her family motto "Deo, non fortuna" , originally the ancient motto of the Barons & Earls Digby.-Early life:She was born in Bryn-y-Bia in Llandudno, Wales, and grew up in a...
and Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
writing on occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
and other topics. Carl Weschcke founded a series of Gnostic Aquarian
Aquarian
Aquarian may refer to:*Aquarius , a sign of the zodiac*Aquarian Illusion, a magic trick*Aquarian Tabernacle Church, a wiccan church*The Aquarian Foundation, a spiritualist church based in Seattle, Washington...
Festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s to help create a broader audience. Llewellyn went on to publish books such as Scott Cunningham
Scott Cunningham
Scott Douglas Cunningham was a U.S. writer. Cunningham is the author of several books on Wicca and various other alternative religious subjects....
's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and Raymond Buckland
Raymond Buckland
Raymond Buckland , whose craft name is Robat, is an English American writer on the subject of Wicca and the occult, and a significant figure in the history of Wicca, of which he is a High Priest in both the Gardnerian and Seax traditions.According to his written works, primarily Witchcraft from the...
's Complete Book of Witchcraft. The company also expanded into tarot
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
decks, magical "kits" and materials for younger readers.
Declines in sales figures in 2001 spurred the company toward layoff
Layoff
Layoff , also called redundancy in the UK, is the temporary suspension or permanent termination of employment of an employee or a group of employees for business reasons, such as when certain positions are no longer necessary or when a business slow-down occurs...
s and a restructure of its sales and marketing departments in 2002. By the end of 2003's fiscal year, the company rebounded with $16 million in gross sales. In July 2005, Llewellyn moved its offices from St Paul to its current offices in the local suburb of Woodbury. Today, the company features a wide offering of books by such noted authors as Michael Newton
Michael Newton (hypnotist)
Michael Duff Newton, Ph.D. is a certified hypnotherapist, a member of the American Counseling Association and founder of The Michael Newton Institute for Life Between Lives Hypnotherapy . He is an author of books on past life regression...
, Donald Michael Kraig
Donald Michael Kraig
Donald Michael Kraig is an American occult author and practitioner of ceremonial magic. Kraig has published six books, including his 1988 introduction to ceremonial magic, Modern Magick...
, and Karen Mehringer
Karen Mehringer
Karen Mehringer, M.A. , is an author, public speaker, psychotherapist, and founder of Creative Transformations – an organization whose stated purpose is "to help people awaken, live with purpose, and realize their dreams." She is the author of the self-help book Sail Into Your Dreams: 8 Steps to...
, as well as the best-selling Llewellyn Guides.
President and Publisher Carl L. Weschcke enthusiastically hails the new location in Woodbury as "opening a new chapter" for Llewellyn's growing book business. "Books are the building stones of our culture and each generation adds to the edifice."