Behaving As if the God in All Life Mattered – Machaelle Small Wright

July 30, 2008 at 4:18 pm (Elemental Magic, Environmentalism, New Age)

Behaving As if the God in All Life Mattered
Machaelle Small Wright
Perelandra, Ltd., 1997
270 pages

I think what I was expecting in this book was an exploration of animism and consideration of living beings other than our own–but more in the format of When Elephants Weep. Instead, this book is part biography, part New Age animistic philosophy text. It’s not what I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway.

Much of the book is about Wright’s life history–her rough start after her parents divorced and indicated that neither one really wanted her, her eventual ensconcement into a Catholic girl’s high school in which social politics were the name of the game, and how she managed to find a good relationship nonetheless that eventually helped bring her to Perelandra, an eight acre piece of land that became the setting of her work with Devas, the spirits of nature. While I normally am not a big fan of biographic storytelling as a primary teaching device, I found that I really got into her background story. I also found that her transmissions of lessons from the Devas were well-interspersed with the story.

Her conception of Devas is very similar to my conception of totems–archetypal beings that watch over an entire species, and are independent beings rather than figments of the imagination. While her experiences are positive, and she seems to believe that one’s experiences with Devas should never be negative, overall, I found I agreed with a lot of what she was saying. I sometimes looked askance at some of her claims about the actions of the Devas–for example, there were a few anecdotes where garden pests were wreaking havoc, but after she talked to their respective Devas they’d miraculously disappear or move off to somewhere else (within hours).

If you don’t have a lot of tolerance for New Age-flavored writing, this may be a bit saccharine for you at times. However, it’s a great story, and inspiring in a lot of ways.

Four pawprints out of five.

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The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick – Judith Hawkins-Tillirson

June 9, 2008 at 3:54 pm (Alchemy, Elemental Magic, Herbalism, Magical Correspondences, Qabalah)

The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick
Judith Hawkins-Tillirson
Weiser Books, 2007
126 pages

I am really excited about this book–and it takes a lot to make that happen these days! Usually what it takes is somebody writing something that fills a particular niche, or explores something different, or otherwise manages to stand above the crowd. Judith Hawkins-Tillirson has managed to provide a book on herbal magick that will appeal to practitioners both of “low magic”–witchcraft and related practices–and “high magic”–ceremonialism and ritual magic.

Now, for myself, most of my magical experience and knowledge of herbs comes from the likes of Cunningham, books that do a lot of research on other books that do a lot of research, and eventually come down to the original texts from whence most herbal correspondences in formal magic come today (as well as various bits of folklore of dubious origin). What Hawkins-Tillirson has done is gone directly to the original sources, starting with Crowley’s 777 as well as other Qabalistic and related sources, and ferreted out the bare bones of herbal correspondences. She then provides us with concise (as the title suggests) yet meaty entries for herbs associated with the various planets, the Sephiroth and paths of the Tree of Life, and the classic elements. What this leaves us with is a handbook for those who don’t really want to go through all the trouble of reading through countless texts on ceremonialism, but who do want a more solid background to their herbalism than “Someone way back when once said….”. This makes the text appealing both to detail-oriented folk who are sticklers for proper research, and to more free-form practitioners who want information they can apply to their own works.

Anyone who knows me should be impressed by now that I’m speaking well of a book of correspondences–this is one of those “blue moon” occurrences! However, that’s not all this book offers. The last few chapters are dedicated to practical applications of the knowledge that’s been provided, including equipment, techniques, and considerations to keep in mind when making everything from tinctures to poppets. They’re not lengthy chapters, nor should they be considered the only source you will ever need for creating these things. However, for those who already have a decent background in the hands-on aspects of, say, making a pouch and stuffing herbs in it, these chapters draw clear connections between the theoretical material described in the first part of the book, and how they may actually be used.

Finally, I have to give the author huge kudos for the last chapter, “Franz Bardon and Herbal Magick”. Bardon is one of those magicians who has received a lot less attention than he deserves, and I was delighted to see her discussing his techniques of fluid condensing. While I haven’t worked a lot with Bardon’s material, my husband has, and no doubt as soon as I finish this review he’ll be spiriting the book away for his own purposes!

As I said, this is not the do-all and end-all of herbal magic. However, the bibliography is substantial, and there are wonderful endnotes, a huge amount for a book of this length. Hawkins-Tillirson has certainly done her homework, theoretical and practical, and I am highly impressed by this text. If you have any interest in herbal magic whatsoever, even if it’s just as components in spell pouches, you’ll want to pick up a copy of this text.

Five enthusiastic pawprints out of five.

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Sea Witch – Wendy Joubert

June 7, 2008 at 3:06 pm (Elemental Magic, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Sea Witch
Wendy Joubert
Self-published, 2008
192 pages

There have been a handful of books on ocean-related magics to come out recently. Now that I’m living within a reasonable distance from the Pacific Ocean, I’ve been taking more of an interest in this area of elemental magic. So I was really looking forward to reading this particular text. It turned out to be a real mixed bag, with some good points, and some areas that could use some work.

I’ll start with the strong points. It is very clear throughout the book that the author loves the ocean, and everything about it. It’s also obvious that she’s done a lot of work magically and spiritually with this particular ecosystem, and she writes from her heart. She’s very considerate of the natural environment, reminding people to not kill animals just for their shells, and including environmentally friendly spell components. She covers a lot of territory, from shells and sand in magic, to the connection between the Moon and the Tides in sea witchery, and even some assorted bits of old lore about the sea. There’s a lot of neat stuff in this book, and I learned a bunch of interesting tidbits on a variety of subjects. The illustrations are lovely, and it has one of the most attractive cover photos I’ve ever seen. It is a book that has been written with a lot of love and a lot of passion for what the author does, and that really comes through in the writing and the energy of the work.

Unfortunately, the book falls into a lot of the problems that self-published works often do. While there aren’t a load of typos and mistakes, the book is in serious need of editing. The biggest problem is organization; the chapters don’t segue well from one to the next, and the order seems a little arbitrary in places. Additionally, the content could use a lot of filling out (but not filler!). A lot of the chapters are very sparse on information, except where the author goes into correspondences–and even with the correspondences, more background information, such as how she developed her information, would be useful. Here are some things I’d like to see:

–More of her personal background, how she developed her relationship to the sea.
–More elaboration on how someone may develop their own relationship to the sea, and more elaboration on what landlocked folk may do as a substitute.
–More information on magic with the moon and tides
–A better organized single section on historical sea witchery and other nautical history that is considered relevant, and why it’s relevant to modern practice, rather than having historical information scattered in a couple places. Also, citations for where she got specific bits of information would be helpful.
–More information that isn’t just correspondences and spells; discussion of the reasons for working with the sea, as well as the need to connect with it for spiritual and even ecological reasons. Also, reasons for including the correspondences that are there, why they’re important, how to work with them for more than spellwork.
–Less of the Wicca/magic 101 material; we don’t need to learn all over again how to cast a circle or write a spell.

Basically, where the book is right now is primarily a book of somewhat scattered correspondences and pre-crafted spells. As I said in the beginning, there are a lot of really neat ideas, and this isn’t just something someone wrote to make some extra cash. Unfortunately, self-publishing is a tougher prospect than a lot of would-be authors realize. If the author hired a good editor to help with the organization and fleshing out the content more, I think this could be a really awesome book. As it is, I think it has a lot of good potential, and just needs some help with the polishing.

Two and a half pawprints out of five.

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Weather Shamanism – Nan Moss with David Corbin

June 2, 2008 at 8:17 pm (Eco-Magic, Elemental Magic, Shamanism)

Weather Shamanism: Harmonizing Our Connection With the Elements
Nan Moss with David Corbin
Bear and Co., 2008
258 pages

Now that I’m telecommuting instead of commuting to a workplace via public transit, I’m not reading as much as I used to (plus I admit to having been reading more comic books from the library than usual, now that I have the time to go!). However, I picked up a copy of Weather Shamanism, a book I’ve wanted to read since I first heard about it last year. I just finished it off, and I’m rather pleased with the result.

I was a bit concerned that this would be a text on how to control the weather, a modern-day mix of spirituality and human-centric overpowering. However, I was pleasantly presented with a book full of concern for the impact we’ve already had on the atmosphere and the Earth, how this has affected the weather, and how further manipulation is not the answer. Nor is the power placed entirely in our hands; the authors focus on working with the spirits of the weather–not ordering them about, but aligning ourselves with them, and learning to see the bigger picture even when our immediate needs may not be being met.

The bulk of this book is theoretical in nature. It is not a “how-to” book with a bunch of exercises and rituals and prayers. I was quite thankful there wasn’t some dictionary of weather spirits, talking about the personality of cloud spirits or the favorite offerings of rain spirits–the authors stress building your own relationships with the weather spirits, which I very much support. Also the authors seem to go on the basic assumption that the reader will already have a decent understanding of shamanism, particularly core shamanism which is the foundation of their own practice. Therefore, this is not a shamanism 101 text.

I think my only complaint is that there’s too much theory; while the authors do a good job of explaining things like respect and power, animistic perspectives, and the nature of certain weather spirits in particular, as well as share a lot of anecdotes (their own and others’), they could have gotten their points across effectively in a lot less space. Really, it’s only the last few dozen pages where there’s any explanation of practical applications beyond anecdotes. My favorite chapter was probably the second to last, the one on healing with weather. And yet, there was so much more they could have described. The book spends a lot of time setting up the stage, for a comparatively brief “performance”. While I don’t expect a bunch of precrafted rituals, it felt at times like they were making the same general points again and again in different words. I would have liked more specific information on practical applications and considerations.

Still, this is a very worthy text, especially for being the first of its kind, and I would definitely recommend it–I am most assuredly hanging onto my copy, because I learned quite a bit that woke me up to the reality of weather spirits, and since I started reading it I’ve been much more aware of them in my everyday life. Thank you to the authors for providing this text.

Four pawprints out of five.

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An Enchanted Life – Patricia Telesco – May BBBR

May 24, 2008 at 8:05 pm (Bargain Bin Book Reviews, Elemental Magic, Magical Correspondences, Magical Theory, Wicca and Witchcraft)

An Enchanted Life: An Adept’s Guide to Masterful Magick
Patricia Telesco
New Page, 2002
224 pages

This is one of a number of books that have come out in recent years that have attempted to break beyond the paganism/magic 101 barrier. Rather than giving all the answers, Telesco instead works to give the reader a lot to think about–something that’s exceptionally important when moving beyond the basics.

There are dozens of incredibly useful exercises in the book. Some involve self-questioning and reflection; others provide the reader lessons in shifting perceptions. They’re much more in-depth than yet another pile of precrafted spells and rituals, and the reader who makes use of them won’t be disappointed. The first two chapters of the book deal mainly with perceptions and awareness, as well as working more with all five senses, not just sight, our primary sense.

The rest of the book is dedicated to four different archetypes–the Healer, the Teacher, the Warrior and the Visionary. Now, this is just a personal preference, but I’m not really fond of directing people towards specific roles. While I understand the reasoning behind promoting archetypes as templates of the self, the problem is that people have a tendency to lock themselves firmly into those archetypes, newbies especially. I think, perhaps, it would be wiser to offer up archetypes, but then encourage the reader to learn to take them all on, rather than sticking with whatever “element” or “role’ they feel they fit the most. IMO, the more advanced you get, the more adaptable you may need to be (even as you may have your specialties).

I wouldn’t call this an advanced text; rather, it’s intermediate-right-after-the-basics. It’s the kind of book you give to a person when they’re just beginning to branch out from learning about the Sabbats, and correspondences, and some of the more common deities and spirits. Despite my qualms about the archetypes, I do think it’s a great text for bridging the way between basic and intermediate magical work, and the wealth of information and exercises in the text is the real strength of this book.

Four pawprints out of five.

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Good Fortune and How to Attract It – Titania Hardie

March 31, 2008 at 9:00 pm (Divination, Elemental Magic)

Good Fortune and How To Attract It
Titania Hardie
Quadrille, 2008
304 pages plus three divination coins

I like creative reworkings of old systems (at least as long as they don’t claim to be the original!). Good Fortune is just such a book. Titania Hardie offers her own modernization of the I Ching; she argues that as the original was created in an entirely different culture, including one in which women weren’t even allowed to use it, a form friendly to both men and women was in order. I am pleased by this.

The first section of the book describes what the basic concept is, how to throw and read the coins, and the different personality types that affect the outcome of the reading. There’s also some interesting elemental correspondence worked in there as well. It was a bit complex to understand at first, but a little closer study made it make sense. The readings rely on a grid with numbers on it; the way the coins fall in six throws, and the lines created on the grid by recording these throws, determines what the answer is. With a little practice, it’s a wonderfully effective divination system.

I’m a bit on the fence about the personality types, specifically the element of birth order which is used to help determine what the dominant aspects of your personality are. According to The Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman, one’s sex isn’t as important as Hardie makes it out to be; it’s more about the interactions of the family members. Hardie covers that too, though, so it’s a more thorough view. I’m not a big fan of rigid gender/sex dichotomy, and occasionally a bit of “female-nurturing, male-doing” sentiment got to me a bit, especially with the “Mother always equals Earth and Father always equals Sky” aspect. Overall, though, personal biases aside, it adds a useful dimension to one’s reading and understanding of how who you are affects what may occur and how you react to it.

Quibbles and bits aside, I did thoroughly enjoy this book. It’s quite possibly one of the prettiest books, with some spectacular layout and design work. Don’t let the loveliness fool you, though–this is an effective system of divination suitable for anyone who resonates with it. Don’t expect classic I Ching; you’ll be disappointed. Instead, open yourself up to a new derivation that goes in some creative directions.

Four and a half pawprints out of five.

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Green Hermeticism – Wilson, Bamford and Townley

March 13, 2008 at 3:49 pm (Academic/Journalistic Approaches, Alchemy, Eco-Magic, Elemental Magic, Environmentalism, Magical Theory, Metamorphic Magic/Conscious Evolution, Science)

Green Hermeticism: Alchemy and Ecology
Peter Lamborn Wilson, Christopher Bamford, and Kevin Townley
Lindisfarne Books, 2007
206 pages

I cannot rave enough about this book. I forget exactly where I heard about it, but given the dearth of material on ecological spirituality/magic, especially outside of a shamanic or neopagan perspective, I fairly jumped at a chance to pick this text up.

This is not a how-to book, with the exception of one chapter. It is primarily rather dense and inspiring theoretical discussion of the links between hermeticism and alchemy, and the need for a more eco-friendly approach to life, the Universe, and everything. Rather than try to summarize the book as a whole I’ll go through each chapter independently.

Chapter 1 (Wilson) – The Disciples at Sais: A Sacred Theory of Earth – This was originally a paper presented by the author at a 2003 “Sacred Theory of Earth” conference. Wilson traces the influences of green hermeticism, focusing particularly on the works of Romantic scientist and hermeticist Novalis, whose novel provided the title for the chapter. However, Wilson also draws on everyone from Paracelsus to Goethe. However, the bulk of the chapter is dedicated to Novalis, and is liberally adorned with quotes from his works that aptly illustrate foundations of green hermeticism.

Chapter 2 (Bamford) – One the All: Alchemy as Sacred Ecology – Chapter 2 examines the basic philosophy and worldview of alchemy, while highlighting those portions that are particularly applicable to modern ecological concerns. It is also part history lesson, following the progress of alchemy from Egypt to the East and back to the West. And, perhaps most importantly, the idea of One the All is discussed–a deep, pragmatic awareness of the interconnection of all things. We are not merely presented with wishy-washy pleas to “all just get along”, but convincing arguments towards revamping how we approach the Universe, and ourselves and everything else as the All.

Chapter 3 (Wilson) – Green Hermeticissm – Here’s where the book starts getting really good. Wilson dives deeper into hermeticism-as-ecological spirituality, and shows more examples of where the green roots in hermeticism come from throughout its history and development. However, modern implications are also discussed; I was particularly delighted by the section on mycoremeditation–cleaning up toxins through mushrooms which break down the chemical compounds–as a modern form of alchemy. There’s also a marvelous interpretation of lycanthropy as eco-magical awareness and activism, but in a way that takes animals on their own terms instead of through our usual anthropocentric perceptions. While the chapter flows from one topic to another, all together it paints a picture of a very different, much healthier way of viewing reality from what we’re raised with.

Chapter 4 (Bamford) – Quilting Green Hermeticism: A Tissue of Texts and Tracings – This chapter adds texture to the previous material. It’s a delightful collection both of Bamford’s own thoughts, and extensive quotes from various classic alchemical/hermetic texts. By far my favorite part was the section entitled “Ouroborous (‘Tail-eater’) or the Coincidence of Opposites”, an excellent tool for shattering dualistic preconceptions and tendencies towards dividing the world up just so. “Perception and Imagination” is also incredibly important in its promotion of change starting in the very way we view things; unless you are able to shift your perception, none of this will be nearly as useful. By the end of the chapter, my head was reeling from all the information and paradigm shifts, and yet I was left with a sense of a greater, all-encompassing reality–not just “out there” somewhere in the heads of strange old men tinkering with antique glassware, but “in here”, “right here”, “right now”, relevant to All.

Chaoter 5 (Townley) – The Manufacture and Use of Planetary Tinctures – I’m afraid to say that while this essay was exceptionally well-written, it seemed rather tacked on to the end of this book. It’s a practical guide to creating and using planetary tinctures, with a brief explanation of various substances created through alchemy. Do not, however, skip it just because it shifts gears. Give your mind a rest for a few days from the rest of the book, and then read this chapter as its own entity. Despite the difference in styles and focus, you can see elements of the theory of green hermeticism within the processes. In fact, try reading it once before reading the rest, and once after. What I really think, though, is that Townley should author or co-author a practical, hands-on book of green hermeticism techniques. He’s got the right idea, and if there had been more practical material in this book, this chapter would have fit in much better.

I honestly don’t believe I have done this book justice. Truth be told, I’m still digesting what I’ve read, and will go back to it numerous times to re-inoculate myself. However, I wanted to get the word out there as soon as I could, because this is by far one of the most impressive and thought-provoking texts I have ever read. I can’t speak too much as far as the alchemical/hermetic purity goes, since I’m not particularly well-read in those topics at this time. However, as a guidebook for ecological spirituality and magic, and a healthier way of being, it’s beyond essential. In fact, this is another one of those “anyone magical at all should read this” texts (I need to make a list someday….). It’s not an easy read, but it is one of the best.

Five exuberant pawprints out of five.

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The Earth Path – Starhawk

November 5, 2007 at 3:25 pm (Eco-Magic, Elemental Magic, Shamanism)

The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature
Starhawk
HarperOne, 2005
256 pages

I’ll be honest; I normally have a rather lukewarm opinion of Starhawk’s work. It’s not that it’s bad; it’s simply that I don’t connect with it the way that some other people do. This, however, is a wonderful exception to the rule that I am incredibly pleased to be able to review.

This is not a book of political action. It won’t tell you how to protest, or write letters, or reduce your carbon footprint. However, it is an incredibly valuable guide to attitudes and mindfulness. The Earth Path is an exceptional work that demonstrates to the reader how very important it is to be in tune with the environment that needs saving, and how that connection is crucial to understanding why it’s so important to be aware of and act on the problems that threaten ecosystems worldwide. In short, while activism works on the external connections, this book strengthens one’s internal connections to the Earth; properly applied, the material in this text will make it virtually impossible to ignore the impact we have on the environment. The theoretical and commentary material is punctuated by effective and to-the-point exercises designed to bring it all home in a firm, positive manner.

This isn’t, however, a funerary dirge and moan of all the horrible things we do, laying a guilt fest on the reader. Starhawk is quite clear about the fact that maybe we can’t all convert to solar energy; and she admits that even all the things she does can’t completely negate the impact she makes when she flies on planes to do speaking engagements and other activities. This is a book of “Here is what you *can* do, no matter who you are and what your circumstances may be”.

It’s a very thoughtful work, as well. I’m particularly fond of the chapters dealing with individual elements. This book actually came at the perfect time; as a part of my personal path, I’ve been dedicating a month with each of the traditional four elements in turn. I just happened to be at the very start of my Earth month when I read this; I read that chapter, and I’m saving the other three for required reading at the beginning of the other three months, as they’ll make wonderful introductory material to my work.

I absolutely love The Earth Path; this and James Endredy’s Ecoshamanism are the sine qua non of spiritual ecology (or ecological spirituality, if you prefer). In fact, the two books make a wonderful complement to each other, and I highly recommend them to anyone with any interest in magic and/or environmentalism. This includes people of all sexes; while the material is based somewhat on eco-feminism, there is nothing in here that prevents those who do not identify as women from working with it. In short, an effective guidebook for anyone.

Five green pawprints out of five.

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City Magick – Christopher Penczak

July 31, 2007 at 8:28 pm (Elemental Magic, Technomagic, Wicca and Witchcraft)

City Magick: Urban Rituals, Spells and Shamanism
Christopher Penczak
Weiser Books, 2001
302 pages

One of the advantages to being a bibliophile who marries or moves in with a bibliophile is the combination of libraries. Selling off the duplicate copies makes room for more books, and you get to read books you might never have had a chance to see otherwise. City Magick is one of the books that Taylor brought into our mutual library, and it’s my latest commuting conquest.

Having been raised in a rural area, it’s taken some effort to adjust to living in the city. Granted, Portland is pretty green, with a lot of parks in the city proper. However, I’ve also lived in places where it wasn’t so easy to get to greenspace. While I was somewhat aware of the magic of manmade objects and creations, I wish I’d had this book around to give me some extra ideas–I definitely would have coped a lot more quickly!

Penczak does a great job of taking basic (and some intermediate) magical practices and making them relevant to the land of concrete and steel. From an absolutely wonderful section on the sometimes neglected urban totem animals, to a recreation of the tree of life as a skyscraper (complete with mental picture of Spider-man as a shaman), he demonstrates that the concepts often found in green nature-based practices can also be adapted to more “artificial” environments. And that’s one of the really beautiful things about this book; it reminds us that even though the components may have been altered somewhat, everything came from nature and is subject to it. Of course, Penczak doesn’t ignore the fact that manmade creations have done harm to nature, both green and otherwise. However, he offers a realistic resource for those who do choose to (or must) live in an urban area.

There’s a nice dash of Chaos magic in here, too. I thought his variations on sigils were wonderful, especially those appropriating graffiti. It’s proof that subversion is pretty well universal, and the graffiti that’s used to mark territory or deface public property can also be taken and reworked for personal magical purposes. And he has a nicely flexible perspective on deities and other denizens, particularly those of pop culture, the modern mythology of the city. I add bonus points for open-mindedness!

Overall, this is a great book, especially for someone who’s still getting their feet wet in magical practice but thinks s/he has to be out in the middle of a field. As I said before, the basics are covered, but there are plenty of suggestions for expansion into intermediate territory. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I have some ideas for the next time I’m out wandering in downtown Portland.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Practical Solitary Magic – Nancy B. Watson

January 23, 2007 at 7:41 pm (Elemental Magic, Magical Theory, Qabalah)

Practical Solitary Magic
Nancy B. Watson
Weiser Books, 1996
288 pages

A good friend of mine first recommended this to me a few years back, and I’m glad he did!

This is a wonderful guide to elemental magic–not just how to evoke sylphs, gnomes and the like, but working with the elements internally as well as externally. She opens up with a common-sense guide to general magical practice, including affirmations, deities and other entities, and ethics. She then goes on to explore both internal and external elements, going beyond Paracelsus and into psychology.

It’s an incredibly thorough work, more from a magical that a worshipful point of view. I highly recommend it as a basic multi-purpose guide to magic for those who like the natural feel of paganism but want more practicality than burning a candle.

Five pawprints out of five.

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