The following reviews are books are more broadly Earth-based, polytheistic, and folk magick traditions not specific to Wicca. The focus of these titles typically involve general witchcraft, traditional paganism, Druidry, heathenry, and folk magick. Books are listed alphabetically by author's last name.
If you're trying to find a book containing information on Witchcraft and/or Paganism and don't see it here, try the other Pagan Book Reviews pages.
Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshipers, and Other Pagans in America Today
Margot Adler
(Expanded and revised edition) Not a book for the light reader, but definitely worth the reading. A lot of useful information on various parts of Paganism. Well researched and put together. While Adler uses the terms witchcraft and Wicca interchangeably majority of the time, she explains that she is using witchcraft to refer to Wicca, and at no point claims that Wicca is the only form of or religion that uses witchcraft.
Touches deeply on Pagan paths that are often misunderstood or are (were) seen in a negative light by fellow Pagans. This book does receive some bad marks on including outdated information. This is because of the fact that the book was put together in the '70s. The revised edition includes end notes on almost every chapter and includes extra information. Even some of the updated parts are outdated now, as the revised edition was published in 1986.
Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide to Meditation, Magick & Manifestation
Mat Auryn
This book released in February 2020. By the time I purchased in June, it was already on its third printing and for good reason! I was previously familiar with Auryn through his Patheos blog, For Puck's Sake, and Twitter, but this book just elevated me to fan girl status.
The best way for me to describe this book is like a modern-day Cunningham: enjoyable to read, easy to understand, practical exercises and tips to apply to your practice, and a valuable reference to keep on your shelf for the rest of your years no matter how experienced you are or become.
As of the time of this review, I've been studying and practicing Witchcraft for 20 years. Psychic Witch is clearly written as an introduction, and yet there was still plenty for me to learn even with two decades already under my belt.
Auryn found a way to consolidate topics that other authors have written more extensively on in the past while somehow explaining them in a way that's even easier to understand than the predecessors. Throughout the book, Auryn has done a fantastic job of referencing those other books so that you're already pointed in the right direction for more information.
I certainly recommend this book for all practicing and aspiring Witches and, for those newer to this path, start here.
Mastering Magick: A Course in Spellcasting for the Psychic Witch
Mat Auryn
As the second book in the Psychic Witch series and given my review of Auryn's first book (see above), I had a good laugh when I saw that the book opens up with an "In Memory of..." for Scott Cunningham. I found this very fitting and glad to see the relevant quote included.
Where Psychic Witch set the foundational stage for psychic-based witchcraft, Mastering Magick provides practical guidance and exercises for applying psychic witchcraft to hands-on spellcraft. This book deviates a little from the style of the first. Given the in-depth nature of the topics, Auryn taps other witches to provide their input and practices. Combined with his easy-to-understand style that makes complex witchcraft accessible to others, these contributors help to deepen readers' learning experience. This book is such a deep-dive into practical application that I might encourage those completely new to witchcraft to stick with the first book while exploring different topics for a little while before digging into this book.
The Psychic Art of Tarot
Mat Auryn
For any Auryn fans expecting this book to be a continuation of the Psychic Witch series, I would argue that this is a stand-alone. This is 100% a book for Tarot readers (pros, "just for me's", and dabblers). If you don't already have a passion for Tarot or the inexplicable draw to the cards (pun intended), you might find this one too much. But if you have any interest in Tarot at all, then you are going to love this book!
I'm not sure how well I can explain just how much I love this book. Having had well over two decades of study and practice of Tarot prior to readings Auryn's book, I wasn't expecting any major revelations. Given my Psychic Witch fan-girl status, I certainly expected another great read. But Auryn's deep-dive into the psychic nature of Tarot blew me away!
Similar to Psychic Witch, this book weaves many practical exercises into every section. Some sections and exercises weren't particularly new to my experienced self, though I appreciated Auryn's take. And as an intuitive tarot reader, I greatly appreciated that this book has entire chapter dedicated to the topic. Other exercises took me exactly where I needed to go. The experience of reading this book was a vital stepping stone to deconstructing the block that's kept me from reading professionally for years.
If you have any interest in Tarot at all--no matter your level of skill and experience--you need to give this Tarot book a read!
Blackthorn's Botanical Brews
Amy Blackthorn
This book is jam-packed with quality information. I'm not a big drinker (ignoring my early 20's, of course), so I personally didn't connect with everything contained within. That said, I found the chapters on spirits (the liquid kind) interesting, and Amy definitely helped reshape my thinking around liquor. She includes plenty of tips and guidance on how we can add magick to any and all beverages, so there's something for everyone.
Blackthorn's Botanical Wellness: A Green Witch's Guide to Self-Care
Amy Blackthorn
Now this botanical book of Amy's definitely fit my witchy needs! It probably helped that Botanical Wellness came out while I was [over]working as a public school science teacher, [over]burdened with unending contractual obligations and [unrealistic] expectations, stretched to the point that there was no time, energy, or space for anything else in my life. As someone with decades-long chronic pain issues--a mix of diagnosed and who-the-heck-knows-what's-going-on-because-even-the-pros-are-stumped--I greatly appreciate Amy's approach to incorporating self-care into our complicated, busy lives.
When I realized leaving the classroom was paramount to restoring my health and well-being, Blackthorn's Botanical Wellness was (and still is!) a friend in my burnout recovery journey. Amy provides us with such a wonderful array of easy-to-implement practices and guidance on herbal uses that there's something for everyone to apply to our situations, even as dumpster fires rage around us.
And I cannot understate how much I love the chapter on Tarot. Not only does Amy help us to make sense of the cards within a wellness focus, she also provide valuable Tarot spreads we can use for the journey. To be fair, I might be biased given that I'm a Tarot reader who specifically helps people to embody the messages of the cards in an effort to recover from burnout and empower them toward healthier futures, but I will gladly admit that Blackthorn's Botanical Wellness is worth the full cover price for the Tarot chapter alone.
Sacred Smoke
Amy Blackthorn
A book that is some how short and quick to read while jam-packed with accurate and easy-to-reference information that helps me to up my spiritual practice game? Win! As a fellow Delaware witch, I was already a fan of Amy just as a human being. Now, I'm in love with her way of simplifying what the rest of us have a tendency of overcomplicating.
In Sacred Smoke, Amy manages to touch on all things smoke cleansing: clearing up misconceptions, addressing appropriation, educating us on overharvesting, best herbs and resins for all the things, and very do-able practices no matter our circumstances. How she did so in a (very pretty!) 145 pages is beyond me--says the verbose one... But I'm certain I'll be keeping this valuable book for life.
Buckland's Book of Gypsy Magic
Raymond Buckland
For anyone who has tried searching around for information on gypsies, their traditions, superstitions, and forms of magick and been disappointed, this book will bring much needed relief. All in one space, you can grasp the basics of gypsy heritage, lifestyle, and cultural norms.
Buckland presents the magick and spells in such a way that you get a feel and understanding for how and why it shaped the way it did for the gypsies. He also paints a clearer picture to explain why non-gypsies hold the negative views they do and the clever and mundane reasons for why they focus on some crafts and divination techniques over others.
I personally loved the added touch of superstitions as side-notes throughout. Great for anyone who is curious and knows little to nothing of gypsies and gypsy lore.
Practical Candleburning Rituals
Raymond Buckland
Contains some unethical spells, but some of the others can prove useful if they reach out to you. Buckland claims the unethical spells are included for historic value, but there's no proof--even alleged proof--of dates provided for any of the spells. Provides both "Christian" and "Old Religion" version of each spell, which seems to demonstrate that magick isn't tied to any one religion as Buckland explains in the introduction. Does contain some good information specific to the use of candles in magick, although the symbolism of colors seems somewhat outdated.
Celtic Magic
D.J. Conway
The tables of correspondences are worth the price and accurate. It is informative and useful to the beginner. There are a few problems, however. The book seems to make the God seem like an assistant of little importance compared to the Goddess (a fault found in number of books, to be fair). The book can sound a little too exacting at times.
Generally speaking, the history isn't too far off the mark. However, once you analyze the details, you begin catching onto the inaccuracies. For example, I don't understand the comment about St. Patrick being responsible for the burning of Pagan documents as it was thanks to the actions of St. Patrick that much of Pagan literature, such as the Greek and Roman tragedies--which were being destroyed across Europe at the time--are available to us today.
Magical Herbalism: The Secret Craft of the Wise
Scott Cunningham
Contains information and ideas for the magickal uses of herbs. Easy to read and great for learning to begin incorporating herbs into magick. It lists examples for spell ideas using herbs for a variety of uses (love, protection, success, etc.). Also includes ideas for oils, incense, and your own magickal herb garden.
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
Scott Cunningham
(Sequel to Magical Herbalism.) A good read and nice resource. Includes detailed information on a large variety of herbs, including other names, associations, folklore, and magickal uses. There are pictures (not photographs) for almost every herb listed. It focuses more on the magickal use of herbs than the medicinal uses (as Cunningham states in this book, there are already plenty of great, informative books with that focus). Has a very useful cross-reference index.
Earth Power
Scott Cunningham
Original Review: A wonderful book that provides information and techniques to getting in touch with and performing magick through nature. This book presents natural magick in a light so that anyone of any faith can utilize it. It's easy to read and provides a number of spells for one to use.
By today's standards, some might think this book too simplistic and not going enough in-depth, but when it was written in the early 1980's, it was a one-of-a-kind focus on the Elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water and provided a fantastic introduction into beautifully easy and simple forms of nature-based magick. Revisiting this book nearly 20 years after my first read-through was a delight!
My magickal style of the past couple decades has mostly been on the folksy side of things, drawing on the barest of ceremonial elements of ritual for only bigger occasions. My day-to-day magick, then, is almost entirely of the sort of natural magick introduced in this book.
Today, while we're so focused on digging deeper into our psychic abilities, energy workings, skills specialization, magickal theory, quantum realms, multiverses, etc., it's nice to just go back to the basics where magick begins: In the simple acts. Earth Power--in addition to being a short, pleasant read--is the perfect intro into these easy-to-apply practices and connecting more deeply with the earth and nature through the Elements.
Earth, Air, Fire & Water
Scott Cunningham
Original Review: (Sequel to Earth Power.) A wonderful book that provides techniques to performing magick through natural resources. It's easy to read and provides even more spells for one to use. Also includes a wonderful chapter regarding how to write your own spells.
If Earth Power is "intro to natural magick" then Earth, Air, Fire, & Water is "natural magick 101." In the years between the two books, Cunningham considered the feedback, criticism, and questions from Earth Power and incorporated them into this book.
By building on the foundation set in the previous book, he goes more in-depth on the subject and--through sharing even more spells--gives more detail in the how and why of the techniques used. Here, you'll find more a guide for natural magicians than just a spell book. The chapter on constructing your own natural magick spells is like a mini-class to get you started on customizing your own techniques.
The Magical Household: Empower Your Home with Love, Protection, Health and Happiness
Scott Cunningham & David Harrington
Over years of research by both men and through Scott's easy-to-read writing-style, Cunningham and Harrington provide a plethora of cultural practices and rituals (some of which were clearly superstitious in nature) revolving around the home and everything in and surrounding it. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of the home, from the doors and windows to garages, from pets to gardens, and from protection to family altars.
You'll learn the basic symbolism of the home in relation to the spiritual side of things (such as doors/thresholds being connected to the spirit world or the hearth as the center of the home) as well as various tips, tricks, and old practices of increasing health, prosperity, and happiness in the home. Not restricted to any one faith, anyone can enjoy reading through this one whether just to learn or to apply some of the practices described.
Authors D - F
The Witches' Book of the Dead
Christian Day
A delightful read. Day does his research and provides plenty of historical information throughout the book. Also throughout, you'll find his uplifting sense of humor, something much needed when discussing the serious topic of communication and work with the spirits of the dead. The book starts off with some basic information to serve as a sweet and simple introduction into the material before getting into the heart of the subject.
The exercises prove to be valuable to the natural medium in search of information for what is going on and how to get started with their gifts. There are also great examples and suggestions for ways to honor the dead in daily life as well as during special occasions such as Samhain. Definitely worth reading for any Witch, regardless of whether or not necromancy is an intended specialty.
Sacred Paths for Modern Men: A Wake Up Call from Your 12 Archetypes
Dagonet Dewr
Although short and to the point, Sacred Paths for Modern Men has instantly moved Dewr to my favorite writers list. Great sense of humor, a little (okay, maybe a lot) nerdy, and completely honest. The book includes information on 12 male archetypes, provides practices and rituals, and serves as a potential guideline for starting what I would call a men's mystery group aimed toward reclaiming individual and group male power.
As a woman, I can't say how deeply this book will help men, but I've benefited greatly. I found this book hidden among others of much larger size at a time when I was suffocating under the pressures of a raging animus. Dewr's humor and easy-reading style helped me to embrace the masculine side of myself without threatening the feminine. This book will remain an inspiration for me for years to come!
Pisces Witch
Ivo Dominguez, Jr & Mat Auryn
Who doesn't love a cutely formatted book that's great as both a quick cover-to-cover read and super helpful reference book? I enjoyed Pisces Witch for myself so much that I bought my son a copy of Scorpio Witch for him without question. (I haven't read it yet!) In addition to being written by two proven, amazing authors, this book manages to be a comprehensive guide. Like each book in the series, Pisces Witch is a deep dive into how a Pisces Sun in your natal chart relates to your witchy pursuits, strengths, and unique challenges.
Every chapter provides background information paired with practical guidance, tips, correspondences, and/or easy-to-implement exercises. I personally found the chapters on the Ascendent (rising sign) and Moon signs significantly helpful. The nuanced connection of these signs to the Pisces Sun in the context of witchcraft is priceless. I lost count of how many times I giggled at recognizing myself within these pages.
If I have any complaint, it's that I'll likely keep coming back to this book again and again despite my ever-growing collection of unread books! Whether you're an Astrology buff who wants to read the whole series or astrologically clueless, go find your Witch's Sun Sign book and read it today!
Practical Protection Magick: Guarding & Reclaiming Your Power
Ellen Dugan
In the way that prevention is key for our physical health, protection is key to our magickal, spiritual, and emotional health. Complete with Dugan's unmistakable conversational style, learn to protect yourself magickally through your personal psychic strengths and weaknesses and from emotional and psychic vampires. Includes an entire chapter devoted to physical health and exercise and the role it plays in magick.
Provides information on warding, protective objects, different types of protection magick, and spells and rituals to deal with negativity that's found its way in. Great for any witch, magickal practitioner, and those who are sensitive to energy who need a crash course in protection magick and techniques.
Everyday Wicca
Gerina Dunwich
This book provides mostly correspondences and ritual ideas. Contains a few of her poems, which are rather good. And, of course, it offers several rituals/spells and days of importance throughout the year.
Sexy Witch
LaSara FireFox
I was scared to buy this book at first thinking it was just some of the usual hype. However, while at the book store, it was recommended by a gentleman who said two women in his life were very moved by it and that it is truly something all women ought to read. This book is absolutely wonderful for women. It discusses media, cultural, and personal effects on women and how it all consequently affects our treatment of our bodies.
Through seeking knowledge, self-reflection, activities, and ritual, LaSara helps us open up to ourselves and our bodies. Once we learn to accept and love our bodies (and take care of it properly), we knock down the very real barriers that keep us from being the truly spiritual beings that we are. LaSara teaches us to be comfortable with our bodies. They are sexual and we should know everything about our womanly parts and how they function. As you progress through the book, you can clearly see how the physical world and spiritual can come together. I only hope there's a man out there courageous enough to write a Sexy Witch for men.
Hexing the Patriarchy
Ariel Gore
The badassness of this book makes it totally worth your time checking out. Although the hardcover and layout is absolutely gorgeous, I still feel the price was much too steep for a book of its size and when compared with others of similar value and quality.
Still, I definitely recommend you read it if you can. I enjoyed several of the practices I've tried thus far, and the personal power oil recipe is my new favorite! I'm looking forward to trying out the spells and practices along the way.
The Druid Magic Handbook
John Michael Greer
I wasn't sure how much this book would have to offer for Wiccans. However, I personally enjoy learning about different paths and approaches and couldn't resist. After reading it, I recommend this book to any practitioner of magick. While the Druid ritual format differs greatly from that in Wicca, it's worth the study if only for the knowledge of other methods.
However, the first Part of this book is the big kicker. While meant to pertain to Druids specifically, this entire section provides information and ideas that can be valuable to anyone on a magickal path, even if only as food for thought. This is definitely a book for anyone with an interest in magick to take a look at!
The Witch's Familiar
Raven Grimassi
This book is very unethical in my most honest opinion. It starts out nicely, but by Chapter 2, it drastically goes downhill.
Implies that non-physical, spiritual familiars should be treated as mere tools and should be locked away like dangerous criminals when not in use. Also uses the Witchcraft Trials from the Burning Times to explain a lot of material. While the use of folklore is certainly valuable to Witchcraft traditions today, there's far more folklore to draw from on the topic of familiars and missing the discussion of them may help explain the shoddy ethics.
I haven't read any of Grimassi's other books, but I wouldn't recommend this one. (Grimassi follows the Stregga path more-so than the Wicca path. Difference in perspective may account for my negative review of this book.)
Strix Craft: Ancient Greek Magic for the Modern Witch
Oracle Hekataios
Another wonderful 2020 addition to witchy book shelves! As a lover of Greek mythology and my personal experiences with Greek deities, I was very excited for this book and I think it lived up to expectations. While not personally a Strix, Oracle helps to break down the nuances of ancient Greek culture and Witchcraft into digestible bits that I found very informative. While I don't necessarily agree with some bits, I think Oracle did a fine job differentiating between his personal gnosis and experiences and those that one would expect as shared among all Strix.
There were quite a few parts of the book where the information repeats nearly word-for-word and might have better been consolidated under a separate chapter or appendix and then referenced as needed throughout. However, I imagine this book was intended as a reference material: this very "con" quickly turns "pro" when you need to reference a particular ritual or spell without having to shuffle between sections to find what you need.
I would recommend this to any Witch interested in or pursuing Hellenic or Greek traditions, mysteries, and Witchcraft.
The Wicca Handbook
Eileen Holland
While this book is called the "Wicca" handbook, I think it would be better off called something else. There is information on Wicca in the beginning, but it seems mostly geared toward magick. In a handbook for Wicca, some of the spells contained within seem pointless. Holland should have saved them for a spellbook instead of putting them here.
On a personal level, I had trouble taking things seriously after page 63 where there is an invocation that starts, "Coventina, Mother of Covens..." My matron has been Coventina for several years. She is a little known Celtic deity. She has a well believed to contain healing waters and may have a connection with water nymphs. There is absolutely nothing that links her to covens.
Also, on page 60 the cutting of hair lessening a witch's power is ridiculous. Perhaps it was superstition somewhere, but it is not something believed in Wicca. We cut our hair to keep it healthy like everybody else. If Holland felt such a strong need to include this piece of superstition in her book, perhaps placing it somewhere pertinent would have worked. (It's found in a paragraph about the power of the Moon that has nothing to do with hair.)
However, I would not call this book a total waste. There is a lot of information covered in this book and plenty of correspondences for study. I personally enjoyed the Egyptian tidbits that give a more spiritual look at things I studied years ago on the culture of ancient Egyptians. Again, this book would be much better suited to a wider audience and under a different title.
Witch: A Magickal Journey
Fiona Horne
This book can be useful to both the beginner and experienced. Full of interesting ideas and information, it's worth a read. While a chapter or two may be controversial for younger audiences, it's presented in a professional and mature sense (with a touch of humor as well).
The Art of Witch
Fiona Horne
If you are looking for a short read packed with truthful Witchy guidance, this is the one for you.
Fiona's openness and honesty is refreshing. I can still recall the community backlash and shit-talking that went on after Fiona took part in the only season of Mad Mad House (which I still have never watched because it was so painfully clear from the beginning of "reality TV" that those shows are worthless for anything other than entertainment = still mostly fiction).
For anyone who that's all they remember of her, you really need to pick this up. That was years ago and Fiona has lived a full life--complete with all its challenges--since then.
In the first part of this book, she provides undeniable (if you're wise) truths and framework for living as a Witch, your Art of Witch, in the context of her own experiences. Your Art of Witch won't look like her Art of Witch just as yours won't look like mine or anyone else's. She provides her experiences to highlight the lessons learned and encourage you to find your way too.
The second and third parts are a manifesto for the Witch. As someone who's not huge on manifestos (I tend to favor a more textbook/storytelling format for the same purposes, if you can't tell from my verbosity), I wasn't as pulled in by these shorter sections, but I certainly stand in agreeance with what Fiona has laid out.
Magic When You Need It: 150 Spells You Can't Live Without
Judika Illes
I was a little worried about this book when I leafed through the contents page (I also laughed at some of the names of the spells). From a Wiccan standpoint, many of these spells are unethical and useless to a Wicca's arsenal. However, Illes is a spell collector (among other things) and as such never claims that these are Wiccan. They are simply the spells she has gathered and is now sharing. If nothing else, it's worth taking a look at.
The Source
Ursala James
The "lessons" are set up by the timing of the moon. Personally I found this to be the most beneficial way to the follow the book. As far as the story behind the information goes, no matter your take on it (and trust me, as a metaphysical-friendly psych major, romantic, witch, and skeptic, I have plenty of my own!), the important thing is that the author is sincere in her intentions.
I enjoyed the layout of the lessons and the exercises are practical and effective. For the seasoned witch, the wording may seem patronizing at first as James' intended audience is those who have little to no experience with what she dubs "the Source." Despite this, the journey presented in this book may prove useful to even the most seasoned of witches. Based on improvements I am continuing to experience in my life as a result of the lessons from this book, I can say for a fact that you get out what you put into it. A wonderful book for all!
The Crooked Path: An Introduction to Traditional Witchcraft
Kelden
Having only the here-and-there tid-bits of knowledge of Traditional Witchcraft over the years, when I finally sat down and read Evan John Jones' Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed, I got so excited I immediately went scouring for more information only to find that there wasn't much of it in the nearly 20+ years since the book had been written.
Much of what I found at that time was just bickering and teetering on (when not flat out) Witch War pointless negativity. So when I saw that Kelden had written an intro book published in 2020? Yeah, had to have it. I'm apparently not the only one, either, with the book already in its 3rd printing within months of its release.
Kelden already captured my heart at Chapter 2: The Historical Development of Traditional Witchcraft. Straight-forward, factually supported by credible sources clearly identified, and honest. No judgement. No finger-pointing. No denial. If all Witches sat down and read just this chapter alone, both Traditional Witchcraft and Wicca will be all the better for it.
The rest of the book continues with this dedication to factual, honest, and judgment-free writing, giving us a much clearer understanding of what Traditional Witchcraft (versus other forms of modern Witchcraft) entails and how to practice a Traditional Witchcraft path ourselves.
I can't recommend this book enough. If you have any interest in Witchcraft, read this book.
A Witch Like Me
Sirona Knight
A very interesting book. Gets you into the minds of some of Wicca and Witchcraft's most popular authors. There's not really much else to say about it. It's kind of a like "Chicken Soup" book geared specifically toward authors who are Witches.
Mother Wit: A Feminist Guide to Psychic Development
Diane Mariechild
For most of the book, the "Feminist Guide" portion of the title is misleading. It's clear that that the intended audience is women, but people of all genders and gender identities can easily find value in the information and exercises presented.
The guided meditation exercises are some of the most beautiful I've come across, and I actively made recordings for myself as I went through the book. Especially the chapter on children's psychic development--also understood today as helping children develop healthy emotional IQs (EQs)--is particularly helpful across the board, and much appreciated as an often under-represented topic in books of this nature.
Even when the book does clearly show its feminist focus, I enjoyed it greatly. (Probably helps that the feminist "era" of this book--late 70's early 80's--is aligned with my "flavor" of feminism, if you will.) Only the chapter on Witchcraft (2nd to last) makes it really obvious that we're looking at a book with a distinct feminist audience.
Today, you might find yourself peeved by the erroneous indication of Wicca as an ancient religion or the explicit Z. Budapest influences, but, again, this is a book published in 1981. Considering the time-frame of the material, we can certainly apply context and still find value in the information presented.
The Witch's Bag of Tricks: Personalize Your Magick & Kickstart Your Craft
Melanie Marquis
An awesome read! If you've ever run into (or are currently in) that slump where your craft has somehow become too routine, too mundane, or too uninspiring, possibly even to the point of questioning why you practice Witchcraft at all, you need to pick up this book now!
In the beginning of the book, Marquis will help you understand why you are feeling as you are, help you remember what drew your to your practice in the first place, help you identify the obstacles holding you back, and give you a nudge in pursuing what makes your magickal style yours. She, then, will take you through several chapters of breaking down magick and different skills sets to better understand them, improve them, and uncover your magickal strengths.
Not only will this book help you find you sense of purpose in your magick again, it will also help you come out stronger than you were before.
Ancient White Magic: A Guide for Witches & Wizards
Paul Nicholas Mason
Even for the slowest of readers among us, this is a very short read at only 27 pages. Allegedly, this is the translation and modern adaptation of a much older text. I personally am not familiar with said text and wouldn't possess the required language-knowledge to speak for accuracy on that note. I personally am off-put by the use of the term "white magic" which has been a long pet-peeve of mine, and currently walks the fine line of racist language, but, again, given the context Mason provides and my lack of knowledge of the originating text, I can only assume the use of "white magic" is either a direct translation or Mason's best approximate estimate based on his limited knowledge of modern Witchcraft and Pagan terms as an outsider of the communities.
With all that said, the information within is a nice and brief glimpse into Witchcraft with answers to common questions, advice, and a collection of spells and prayers. This could be a good place to start if you're looking for a brief introduction for yourself or just to get a rough idea of what those who call themselves Witches and Wizards might practice.
Utterly Wicked: Hexes, Curses, and Other Unsavory Notions (2020 Edition)
Dorothy Morrison
Denver INATS 2013. I step outside with my then-boyfriend for a cigarette break where we end up in a great conversation with the most delightful woman. Before going back in, she hands us a business card.
I look down at the name, look up at her name tag, and with awe in my voice, ask, "You're the Dorothy Morrison?" The way Dorothy then blushed and responded in pure flattered delight leaves her forever immortalized in my mind as one of my favorite people alive in the world today.
Now, thankfully, Dorothy didn't ask any specifics of how I knew of her, which got me off the hook of having to admit I hadn't yet read her books (I was familiar only with her Wicked Witch Studios product line and from podcast interviews back then). Fast-forward through several years of life events and all the things to 2020 and I hear that Utterly Wicked has been republished complete with a new foreword from Amy Blackthorn.
My immediate response to the news: Yes, please!
Without hesitation, I must say that if you have any interest in magickal practice, you need this book. I'm one of those Witches who firmly agrees that "a Witch who cannot hex, cannot heal."
If you're a Witch who will gladly (or is at least open to) hexing and cursing others, Dorothy tells you exactly how to effectively.
If you're on the healing side of the scale, Dorothy provides the details on uncrossing and removing hexes (the blue uncrossing bath is easily my new favorite), which is, in my mind, a requirement for the healer's repertoire.
Even if you've absolutely zero interest in and your personal ethics and beliefs refrain entirely from hexing and cursing, the knowledge in the book is invaluable as part of your protection magick. If for no other reason, Dorothy bravely (and unapologetically) explains clearly why returning energy back to the sender is the worst kind of nonsensical poor excuse for protection.
No matter how long you've practiced magick, Dorothy has something in this book to fill in the gaps you didn't even know you had, and all with her delightfully beautiful sense of humor and personality shining throughout.
The Gates of Witchcraft: Twelve paths of Power, Trance & Gnosis
Christopher Penczak
I'm not sure why this one sat on my shelf for as long as it did. I picked up my copy years ago at INATS in Colorado after Penczak won a COVR award for it. By the time I read it, I found myself initially bored with the volume solely because there wasn't anything new to me. But once I started hitting chapters for the "gates" that I don't (or typically don't) work with, the value of this volume became clear.
My initial reactions make sense when I consider that the background information at the beginning and the first half of gates were those I had already studied and/or regularly practiced for over a decade before this book was published. About half-way through the book, I reached the breakdown of the practices and techniques that I didn't study--or that I've never personally been drawn to. This was where I realized this book is fantastic and deserved the award. By the time I reached chapters covering topics of familiarity again, I held a new perspective on the presentation of the content, even if I personally didn't walk away with anything new. I now appreciate this approach to different Witchcraft practices as gates, with many paths leading to the same goals.
Penczak, despite presenting "basic" information for these Gates, provides details that anyone unfamiliar with the topic can readily understand. He blends what is known with his own experiences and views so that readers get more than one perspective on each topic. Readers new to a topic will walk away with a strong "jumping off point" for researching further. Those already familiar with the topics will find value in different perspectives, techniques, or recipes. The book can serve as reference volume, referring back to it for those less familiar topics or when you're about to delve into a new area of study. Perhaps the most valuable aspect is the appreciate you'll gain for the different styles and techniques that various witches choose to make core to their paths. All roads leading us to where we need to go...
The Mighty Dead
Christopher Penczak
At a time when books about the dead, ghosts, spirit communication, and necromancy seems to be increasing in popularity again, it's always refreshing to see a Witchcraft-oriented approach that takes away the fluff, over-simplification, and dramatization so common among more mainstream metaphysical circles.
This is not one of Penczak's easier to read through books. He covers a wealth of in-depth information while attempting to keep it short and simple. As a result, the information is a lot to take in. This book will get you started working with the Mighty Dead and ancestors and then serve as a sort of reference book from then on. I definitely recommend it!
A funny thing happened as I read this book (over the course of two years!). Every time I read a little, something came up and I'd either go off exploring other faiths with common influences or pick up other books. Now I frequently get distracted and read multiple books at once, but this was noticeably different. It's always tied to this book somehow; either something read earlier on or yet to read. I'm curious now if others had the same experience. Is it an individual path thing? Or has Penczak weaved a little magick into these pages?
Morgan Le Fay's Book of Spells and Wiccan Rites
Jennifer Reif
No, this book isn't claiming to be an actual spell book from Morgan Le Fay. Instead, all the rituals by the author are supposedly inspired by the Arthurian Legend figure. I bought this book for the beauty of the rituals. No other reason.
The first chapter of history is useless. Considering her sources, it makes sense, as they all were written during the time when people still believed the mythological version of Wicca's history. For this, shame on the author for producing a book in 2001 with theories that were long before proven false.
Also, there's no need for these rites to be called Wiccan as they aren't Wicca specific (back cover even says, "so that any reader may use them immediately, even without prior Wiccan experience.").
All rituals are directed towards at least one specific deity without any info on the deity. Personally, I think it's worse to call upon a specific deity you're not familiar with than to keep it to your own personal deities. As such, I recommend "any reader" that will "use them immediately" to do research and study the God/Goddess in question beforehand.
Again, I recommend this book solely based on the beauty of the rites.
Secrets of Magical Seals
Anna Riva
I picked this one up in the hopes of finding some inspiration for sigils. Instead, I found myself giggling quite a lot with this book. It's super short, primarily meant to be a quick reference of various images that can be used in magick.
Anna doesn't even blink at explaining the "black magic" uses (this book was first published when categorizing paths, styles, and intents as "white" vs. "black" was the norm). Yet, even after giving you a great breakdown of all the negative-intention ways you can use a particular seal or set of seals, she does encourage the use of "white magic" only.
Most of the images didn't speak to me personally and many were far too complex for incorporation into an individually-made sigil, but I suppose the book would be useful to others, perhaps those more into ceremonial or other paths that make use of seals on the regular.
The Witch's Journey: Cutting the Cords of Christian Dogma
Elaanie S
This is an absolute must-read. I can't say that enough. The overall message of questioning, compassion, education, and being true to who you are while respecting others no matter where they are in their path is a much needed voice in our day and age.
I loved reading The Witch's Journey. It was a bit of shocker for me to realize I still had processing to do. Elaanie opens her heart and shares her past with us. Her struggles, fears, confusion, happiness, and pain. All of it is familiar ground.
And her "no BS" approach to breaking down the questions and accepting the answers even though they went against everything she had been taught and knew (and were definitely not popular to know) is perfect. But she doesn't just present this material as "Here's what I found. Now believe what I've told you." She merely provides a concise glimpse into what she found and invites you to go beyond her words to see for yourself.
This book serves as a piece of storytelling to help us connect, a call for critical thinking and the need to evaluate our needs and examine our personal beliefs, and a quick reference for basic (but common) beliefs of Christians and Witches. She touches on "hot button" items as well as commonly asked questions and areas of struggle.
Witch, Pagan, Christian, or anyone else of any or no religion living in a predominately Christian-based culture will benefit greatly from reading this book.
Money Magic: A Handbook of Spells and Charms for Prosperity
Patricia Telesco
Sometimes, we just need a good ol' fashion spellbook. Telesco holds nothing back, diving right into doing some money magic. As the book progresses, she does provide more details, background, and quick-reference appendices to make our lives easier. Some of the chapter quotes choices struck me as odd choices, given the content and context of the book. Other than that, though, it's a nice, quick read. Later chapters provide enough depth for those newer to magickal practices, and it makes for a good reference for some prosperity/money-specific correspondences for everyone.
Magical Housekeeping
Tess Whitehurst
A fantastic book with wonderful tips and advice to get the clutter out of your home and life. Whitehurst provides a wide variety of techniques to get you started on finding your way to clear the clutter, cleanse the energy, rearrange for specific intents, and keep it all clean, clutter-free, healthy, and prosperous! She discusses several tools and allies to utilize along the way.
The Faeries' Guide to Green Magick from the Garden
Jamie Wood and Lisa Steinke
This book is just as delightful as the artwork is beautiful. It's a short read with a few introduction paragraphs giving some background on garden/herbal/green magick, the fae, and the concept behind fae energy contained within plants.
The authors clarify that the depictions within Lisa's artwork are not what faeries actually look like, but, rather, a human expression of the energy of the fae within each of the 33 common herbs discussed.
Perhaps what I enjoyed most is that each herb is not accompanied by the same reiterated uses. Instead, the authors give a unique something for each herb; a meal for one herb, a body oil for another, incense ideas, liqueur, make-up, foot bath, shower gel, even a ritual, guided meditation, and tea blend.
Although only one thing is offered for each of the 33 herbs, this method of a different use for each one opens the mind to a large variety of magickal uses for herbs beyond just making teas, oils, and incense mixes. This also allowed the authors to incorporate brief discussions of various magickal and metaphysical concepts that go beyond herbs.
Even if you aren't big into herbs and don't see yourself dedicating to a path of green magick, you'll get your money's worth out of this book nonetheless.
Sigil Witchery
Lara Tempest Zakroff
Finally! A system of sigil-crafting from a no-non-sense, creatively fun, and easily available to all for modern witches. For those of us who struggle with drawing and can get tied up on how to make those left-over letters from a phrase intention into a symbol representing said intention, Zakroff's system is a breath of fresh, anxiety-free air.
You don't have to be an artist to create sigils! After walking you through the history of symbols representing entire words and thoughts, this book will help get you started on devising our own symbolism along with scenario exercises for how you can put those symbols into your sigils. Zakroff additionally gives you many examples of how you can then put that sigil into use both generally and specific to the practice scenarios.
I loved working through the scenarios. It was a great way of seeing how my mind differs from as well as relates to others in terms of what symbols I tried to use to represent different ideas. It also became obvious that crafting a sigil can take only minutes! Or, some things might require a bit more time, focus, and working through to get that consolidated sigil needed to tackle more complex intentions. This has been a great reminder to consider different ways of seeing the world (what simple-to-draw image comes to mind when I think of the world "clarity" or "serenity"?). I'm looking forward to upping my sigil game utilizing this system, and highly recommend you give Sigil Witchery a try, too!
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