Ritual Body Art – Charles Arnold

January 3, 2007 at 5:42 pm (Artwork, Books I Didn't Care Much For, Neopagan Subculture)

Ritual Body Art: Body Painting for Ritual & Magic
Charles Arnold
Phoenix Publishing, 2001
176 pages

When I first got this book I thought it was going to be a hell of a lot more advanced than it is. Instead, it’s useful only because it draws together a whole bunch of magical correspondences, which you could get out of a collection of Cunningham’s books.

This isn’t to say there isn’t any good material in it. If you’re new to paganism and don’t know much about correspondences, and want to play with body art a bit, this is a good book for you. The chapters mainly deal with color symbolization, oils, materials you’ll need, props and jewelry, and some common symbols you may want to try using. There are also some suggestions on how to tailor body painting to different Sabbats and Esbats. In short, it’s a very basic how-to-get started guide.

The examples are rather limited, and divided sharply by a polarized view of male and female–there’s a lot of “male this” and “female that”, and, in addition, are heavily fertility-based, particularly for women. Pregnancy and childbirth get a lot of time, especially in the photos in the center. And his only body art for a woman who has had an abortion involve tears of mourning and a bloodstained hand–in fact, it’s the exact same design as miscarriage except for the bloody hand. How about an abortion design of rejoicing in one’s own choice, maybe with an Artemisal motif? Granted, the reader can certainly create new designs, but couldn’t the examples have been a little more imaginative and varied?

I’d really only recommend this book to beginners who don’t have the cash to pick up a few books on correspondences and symbols. It’s a good pocket guide, but nothing I’d be running out to buy.

Two pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

3 Comments

The Virtual Pagan – Lisa McSherry

January 3, 2007 at 5:37 pm (Neopagan Subculture, Technomagic)

The Virtual Pagan: Exploring Wicca and Paganism through the Internet
Lisa McSherry
Weiser Books, 2002
192 pages

This is one of those books that has a definite audience. While most of the information in it will be familiar to the majority of people reading this review, there are people for whom it is perfect. Those people are the ones who may or may not be new to paganism, but who are relatively new to the Internet.

The general overview of the book is that it’s Wicca 101 + Internet 101 – the pagan internet 101. McSherry explains the basics of both Wicca and getting online with excellent detail–she thinks of pretty much everything. It’s a good beginner’s book just for that material.

However, where this book really shines is in online group dynamics. It’s obvious she has the experience she claims, as her writing is thoroughly backed up by anecdotes. She’s careful to explain how online communication differs from in-person communication, how misunderstandings can arise even easier, and how to deal with a setting that is more easily left than a HPS’ home. She also guides the reader through reasons to (or not to) join up with an online group.

I only have two very minor quibbles. First, she uses Wiccan and pagan interchangably, and on p. 9 says that all pagasn follow the Wiccan Rede. That’s not so–I and many other pagans follow neither the Rede nor any ethical statement like it. The other minor gripe is on p. 45, she says not to follow any group that accepts outlandish things like pop culture entities and the Illumunati as “truth”. As someone who has worked my fair share of pop culture magic (and who is married to Taylor Ellwood, author of the book, Pop Culture Magick) I do have to disagree that modern mythology is less effective *in practice* than ancient mythology. If we can use modern ritual tools to work with ancient beings, we can also use modern (and ancient) technology to work with modern mythology.

However, those two points are two very minor disagreements I have, and they do not take aweay from the quality or purpose of the book. If you know somebody who’s just getting online, and they’re pagan (new or not) pickup a copy of “The Virtual Pagan” for them. I really wish I’d had this back in the mid-90’s when I first discovered paganism and the internet about the same time, becuase it *really* would have made my introduction a lot smoother–and probably helped me to avoid some of my early flame wars!

Edit, 12 February 2007: Lisa emailed me this response to my quibbles ‘n bits (she is a nifty person, by the way :):

“The first one was the result of a young writer getting a tad steam-rolled by a publisher. In retrospect, I didn’t think it through and I let them make an editorial decision I now regret.

The second. . . well. . . all I can say is that I HADN’T heard of anyone even vaguely respectable working with pop culture. I certainly wouldn’t say anything like that now. (Although, I still think people who buy into conspiracy theories and secret groups like the Illuminati are more likely in the ’10 foot pole’ category than trustworthy. J )

Far be it from me to shit on modern magic!”

So there you have it!

Five 1337 pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

Leave a Comment

The Oak King, the Holly King and the Unicorn – John Williamson

January 3, 2007 at 5:33 pm (Animal Magic, Artwork, Mythology, Paleopagan Cultures)

The Oak King, the Holly King and the Unicorn: Myths and Symbolism of the Unicorn Tapestries
John Williamson
HarperCollins, 1987
260 pages

This book is a must-read for neopagans. Williamson details a large portion of medieval symbolism that, while superficially Christian, is at the core Greek, Roman, or Northern European in origin, shown through the multilayered iconography of the seven Unicorn tapestries.

He draws from sources thst are generally respected, if sometimes somewhat dated–Frazer, Campbell, Eliade, Graves–as well as lesser known scholars like Ananda Coomeraswamy. This is academic work, not neopagan, though the writing style is incredibly accessible.

Of particular note are the ways the author traces the nonmedicinal meanings of herbs and other plants and why those traits are applied to animals as well. There are some definite surprises–even the Unicorn represents a multitude, from Christ to other dying vegetation deities, from the Sun to the Moon. He weaves in the cycle of the Oak King and the Holly King, supported by the constant presence of those plants in the tapestries at key points. This is sure proof of that particular motif so beloved by many neopagans.

My only complaint is that he recycles quotes throughout the book, but this is an incredibly minor stylistic detail compared to the solidity of the text. This book is essential for those curious about the origins of herbal and animal properties from medieval times, as well as proof of the Oak King/Holly King symbolism as something older than the 20th century.

Five pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

Leave a Comment

The Second Circle – Venecia Rauls

January 3, 2007 at 5:29 pm (Neopagan Subculture, Wicca and Witchcraft)

The Second Circle: Tools for the Advancing Pagan: Tools for the Advancing Pagan
Venecia Rauls
Citadel, 2004
240 pages

This is one of several books on Paganism 201 that have come out recently. It’s definitely recommended!

The comparison of the pagan path to the progression of apprentice – journeyman – master is aptly utilized. I’m also very impressed by the book chapter, wherein Rauls shows the reader the many different avenues that can be travelled outside of the metaphysical section. That’s where paganism 201 can really be found!

I’m also fond of all the Jungian imagery she brings in. She talks particularly about his concept of synchronicity, and how it relates to magical practice. Definitely another good lead for the intermediate seeker.

And I do have to give her two thumbs up for explaining the differences between pets and familiars. Her discussions on magic, particularly how deities aren’t always necessary, and the ethics of magic, are also highly recomended reading!

I do have a few complaints. On p. 24, she says that all alchemical texts were really just referring to sex–in actuality, sex is just one way alchemy can be interpreted; the original alchemists were speaking both of the literal physical components as well as personal enlightenment. Also, I think her chapter on omens and synchronicity shpuld have warned that people very easily can create self-fulfilling prophecies, *looking* for ways to prove what they *think* (subconsciously) will happen and ignoring other signs (ie, anything long and cylindrical being called a cigar).

In her section on visiting magical spaces created by others, either ancient or modern, she neglected to tell people not to mess with others’ ritual areas–ie, if you see a sand painting by a modern Native, don’t add things to it just because you think you should! And, on p. 134, she says that animal sacrifice is illegal. It is, in fact, legal, according to the 1993 US Supreme Court ruling 508 US 520, the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye vs. City of Hialeah. Also, she harps on the “evils” of illegal drugs (and some legal, such as salvia), but then advocates the use of legal drugs for magic–including alcohol. A drug is a drug, and all drugs can cause a useful state of consciousness, depending on dosage. The reason so many people overdose or have bad trips is because of misinformation, which perpetuates the bad stereotypes.

Finally, I really didn’t like the final chapter. She talks about “roles” within paganism, such as healer, warrior, bard, oracle, etc. I think this gives the idea that you *have* to specialize in something–I tend to agree with Robert Heinlen: “Specialization is for insects”. We are all healers, warrior, scribes, and oracles–and whatever else we need to be.

However, overall, I would recommend this book to someone looking to branch out. I’ve been a pagan and a magician for a decade, and I really could have used this book about 7 years ago. This is an incredibly realistic look at what options are available to the intermediate pagan, without a ton of fluff and filler. It even got me thinking some about where I am now–and that says to me that it’s a worthwhile read for anyone, just to get you thinking about your path and where you are on it. I’d especially pick it up if I was feeling stuck or discouraged–there are some really good ideas in here!

Four pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

1 Comment

Real Magic – Isaac Bonewits

December 30, 2006 at 1:48 pm (Magical Theory)

Real Magic
Isaac Bonewits
Weiserbooks, 1989
282 pages

This is one of those books that I’ve been meaning to read for years. I kept having people tell me what a good book it was (or, occasionally, not so good) and it remained on my very long to-read list until recently. What’s funny to me is the synchronicity involved; I believe that if I’d read it earlier in my magical career, it might not all have sunk in so well. Yes, it’s an introduction to magic, but it’s an interdisciplinary one, and having a practical background in magic actually made some of the concepts even more understandable to me, believe it or not.

What Bonewits did was create a guide to magic for the non-magician as well as the magician, the pagan, and the candlestick-burner. It’s almost entirely theory, but he explains it in terms of science, psychology, religion, as well as magical practice itself, among others. Much of it comes from his gaining a bachelor’s degree in magic (which I think is pretty cool, myself), and the ability to research shows. It’s a solid work, and well worth the read.

Once again I must comment on his tone. In the preface to this edition he apologized for “rampant egotism”. I’m not sure if he toned it down in this edition or not, but I have to say that this is part of what makes reading his work so much fun! Sure, it annoys some people, but I love every minute of it just because it is full of so much nerve and guts and gall and all that. Additionally, the peppering of puns left me laughing (and occasionally groaning).

The book is a bit dated; the emphasis on parapsychology and psy research is nowhere near as prevalent in the magical community as it was in the warly 70’s when the book was first written. And there are a few political and other current event mentions that also place the book in another decade for just a moment–for instance, if you were to toss someone into Lake Erie now, at least they would sink (though they might develop a lovely skin rash, and don’t drink the water!) But these are very small details and they don’t detract from the quality of the book as a whole.

Overall, this is a highly enjoyable read. I’d recommend it as a gift to non-magical folk who are interested, or who need an example of a book on magic that A) isn’t all dark and scary and cultish, and B) isn’t all sparkles and pixie dust and unicorn giggles. I’d also recommend it to any magical practitioner who hasn’t read it yet, simply because if you’re like me, you’ll find something that either really speaks to you, or you’ll learn something you didn’t know. And it is a seminal work in the field of modern magic, worth reading simply for the historical value (well, recent history anyway).

Five pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

Leave a Comment

Enchanted Cat – Ellen Dugan

December 29, 2006 at 11:30 pm (Animal Magic, Mythology, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Enchanted Cat: Feline Fascinations, Spells and Magick
Ellen Dugan
Llewellyn, 2006
165 pages

This is one of several books on the market that specifically deal with cat magic. Unfortunately, so far from what I’ve seen they all seem to follow the same basic template and include the same basic information. This newest one is no exception.

Granted, there’s only so much material on the topic, and Dugan does make a valiant effort to make this book stand out. It’s more practical than some of the other books on the topic, involving more spells and simple rituals. Of course, some of the connection these spells have to cats is a little stretched–a number of the spells simply have a few cat hairs involved.

Additionally, she has one of the better chapters on feline familiars from a practical standpoint. She explains some of the ways you can actually work magic with the cat, and gives us more than just a naming ceremony and a blessing. The feline power animals chapter has some decent working material in it as well, though it shouldn’t be taken as a substitute for an entire introductory book to totemism.

But for the most part, she falls back on the usual–cat mythology and lore, cat correspondences, and even cat astrology and feng shui. It seems like she was really fighting for content here. And she falls back on the idea that certain colors of cats are better at specific types of magic–if that were true, then shouldn’t red-headed people be better at some types of magic than blondes and brunettes?

This would be a cute book to give to your friend who likes cats quite a bit and is just getting started in witchcraft. It’s a 101 book and it’s limited by its subject matter. It stands out in some ways from similar books on the market, but it’s nothing earth-shaking.

Three and a half pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

1 Comment

Your Magickal Cat – Gerina Dunwich

December 29, 2006 at 11:18 pm (Animal Magic, Mythology, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Your Magickal Cat: Feline Magick, Lore and Worship
Gerina Dunwich
Citadel, 2000
169 pages

In recent years there have been several books out detailing the magical and religious lore surrounding cats throughout history. This is one of the older ones, though not the first. However, it follows pretty much the standard formula–after all, there’s really only so much you can dig up on one particular animal. Cats seem to get all the books, though, simply because they’re the animals most associated with witches, the target audience.

The book is about 2/3 mythology, folklore and superstitions from various cultures. There’s the prerequisite discussion on Egypt, Bast and Sekhmet, as well as the Inquisition-era feline familiar. It’s pretty standard material that you’d find in just about any book on animal mythology; the one advantage is that it’s all collected in one place.

Dunwich does add some of her own original work throughout the book, mostly consisting of–you guessed it–spells. Her chapter on familiars isn’t particularly practical, though she does mention that not all pets a witch owns are familiars. Still, most of the information is vague, and a large portion of the chapter deals with how to name your familiar.

The chapter on feline totems is similarly basic, and this is one of the downfalls of the glut of 101 material–it skims over a bunch of topics without really going into any real depth. There’s really not enough in any of the “practical” material to really do much of anything beyond a couple of spells.

Then there’s the cat astrology section. Dunwich basically takes sun sign astrology and turns it into a kitty horoscope. You don’t need astrology to tell you what sort of personality your cat has–that’s what observation is for.

Overall, I’m not particularly impressed. The research on the historical end was good, but the practical material left a lot to be desired. Get it if you need a quick reference to feline lore, but otherwise feel free to spend your money on toys for your cat instead.

Three pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

Leave a Comment

The Science of the Craft – William Keith

December 24, 2006 at 3:43 pm (Magical Theory, Science)

The Science of the Craft: Modern Realities in the Ancient Art of Witchcraft
William Keith
Citadel, 2005
256 pages

In recent years there have been a number of books using quantum physics to explain the way magic works. Of all of the ones I’ve read, this one lays it out most plainly and simply–but it’s got some serious material!

The writing is conversational, and communicates the ideas effectively. Keith shows us how quantum physics works, with highlights on key experiments from the Renaissance onward that build up to our present understanding. These are then woven into magical practice, explaining just what it is that makes magic work on a quantum level.

My only question is why he didn’t refer to Chaos magic more, particularly Peter J. Carroll’s “Liber Kaos”. While he does discuss Chaos magic, it doesn’t seem like he quite gets what it is. “Liber Kaos” probably would have made that a different section, but this is a small complaint overall.

I highly recommend this book to any pagan, magician or other magic worker, especially if you’re more of a right brained person who finds hard science a little puzzling.

Five pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

Leave a Comment

Can Animals and Machines Be Persons? – Justin Leiber

December 24, 2006 at 3:38 pm (Animal Magic, Philosophy, Psychology)

Can Animals and Machines Be Persons?: A Dialogue
Justin Leiber
Hackett Pub. Co. Inc., 1985
70 pages

Here’s yet another member of my Top Ten Most Underappreciated Books on Animal Magic.

This is a book I think should be required reading for being human. Set up as a very plausible fictional United Nations debate, it presents a philosophical dialogue concerning whether or not animals and technology (especially artificial intelligences) are people, and therefore possess intrinsic rights (such as the right to live). The debate centers on a chimpanzee and an AI who are on an otherwise abandoned space station that scheduled for destruction–with them still on it.

It’s a very quick read–I finished it in less than an hour. However, that’s because the writing is exceptionally well-done; the points are solidly made, but the format–conversation–allows them to flow smoothly. Every one of the seventy pages conveys the importance of the ideas at hand.

The author doesn’t favor one side or the other; he argues both viewpoints well, showing both the merits and flaws in each. In addition, some interesting parallels are brought up–for example, how in many cultures women weren’t even considered “people” until recently. And there are some excellent ruminations on the nature of consciousness.

This is probably one of my favorite quotes:

“The multicellular organism is just an extreme example of [a collective individual]. Each cell carries on a miniature life, but the collective is so obviously the subject of biological generalizations that we see it as an organism much more than we see the individual cells as organisms.” (p. 48)

Overall, this is a necessary addition not only to the animal magician’s library, but anyone else who has the capacity to read English.

Five pawprints out of five.

Want to buy this book?

Leave a Comment

Medicine Cards – Sams and Carson

December 24, 2006 at 3:31 pm (Animal Magic, Books I Didn't Care Much For, Divination, Native American cultures, New Age, Paleopagan Cultures)

Medicine Cards: The Discovery of Power Through the Ways of Animals
Jamie Sams and David Carson
St. Martin’s Press, 1999
240 pages plus cards

Note: This review primarily covers the book itself, since the book is necessary for deciphering the meaning of the cards as the authors created them.

Now I know why people warned me about this book.

This is one of the worst cases of cultural appropriation I’ve seen yet. From the overuse of “Medicine” and “Great Spirit” to the assertion that this is genuine Native American spirituality, the whole book is one big hyperromanticization of the “Noble Savage”. This is the idea that all Native Americans were and are still completely entwined with nature in everything they do, and everything is mystical and amazing and there’s of course NO problem whatsoever and everything is hunky-dorey (just ignore the problems on the reservations and in the U.S. legislature, folks!)

One of my biggest problems is that the authors keep referring to “Native American” this and that. However, they’re not specific about what tribe they’re talking about. On page 221, where the bios are, the authors have between them (or so they say) Cheyenne, Crow, Sioux, Seneca, Mayan, Aztec and Choctaw learning and/or influence. Well, that’s a pretty wide variety of individual cultures there, not to mention the subdivisions within each of those tribes! I don’t believe I saw one single instance in the entire book where they referred to a specific tribe. There is no such thing as “Native American” anything–each tribe is a separate culture, not one big homogenized mass.

Of course, not only is the book lacking in-text citations, there’s not even a bibliography. How are we supposed to know where they’re getting their information? Just saying that “I learned it from so-and-so” isn’t good enough.

Additionally, there’s no indication that any of the tribes whose beliefs the authors are supposedly writing about are actually benefitting from the book and deck. Plastic shamanism as its best.

Feel free to read on for some specific examples….

“Every person has nine power or totem animals” (18)

Of course, they don’t say where they got this piece of rather generalized information.

Page 23 has a bunch of questionable mythology about how Native women are all incredibly intuitive and only men have egos.

p. 27 has a *Druidic* card layout (or so they say). What is this doing in a book that’s supposedly on “Native American totemism”?

“Thoth, the Atlantian who later returned as Hermes” (61)

I think that speaks for itself.

“Long ago, in tribal law…” (69)

Which tribe?

“This operation [of always paying for magical servies] is known as the law of the Lynx people, and is practiced by Native American. Gypsy, Sufi, and Egyptian cultures, among others. (109-110)

I’d say where they’re getting their information, but it wouldn’t be polite.

“All of our petroglyphs speak of the Motherland, Mu, and the disaster that brought the red race to North America…” (201)

Again, going to let this speak for itself.

I think you get the picture.

I do have to say that within the individual entries on different animals there are some motes of really good information. However, they’re buried in so much questionable material that I had to stop myself from throwing this book across the room a number of times. If you can swallow pseudo-Native garbage, go for it. Otherwise, avoid.

One plastic-coated pawprint out of five.

Want to buy this book/deck?

6 Comments

« Older entries Newer entries »

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started