Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

Author Archives: Sarrah October Young

About Sarrah October Young

Sarrah October Young is a writer and practising witch who wished she could do stand-up comedy. When she isn't writing or witching, she can be found posting about her cats on IG @therealoctober.

Sex Witch, by Sophie Saint Thomas

Sex Witch: Magical Spells for Love, Lust and Self-Protection, by Sophie Saint Thomas
Weiser Books, 1578637201, 240 pages, February 2021

The idea of a powerful woman, who is sexually liberated and enjoys her own pleasure, has always been seen as taboo and a threat to those who would seek to subjugate her. In Sex Witch: Magical Spells for Love, Lust and Self-Protection, Sophie Saint Thomas takes us on a journey of self-discovery that ultimately treads the path of self-empowerment and pleasure, with plenty of naughtiness along the way.

Saint Thomas has written about sex and the occult for years in various roles at many publications. Her distinct writing style immediately makes you want to call your friends and put her on speakerphone, which is ridiculous because this is a book. After reading this though, I know what my close friends are getting for their respective festive holiday seasons and it isn’t going to be fruitcake. 

Saint Thomas makes sure the reader knows what they are getting into right off the bat in the introduction, where she describes a candle magick session for love involving a red, penis-shaped candle and a conjuration of Lucifer. While the spell didn’t go precisely as planned, she did point out the red flags she discovered in hindsight and that’s very helpful for those of us who tend to plunge ahead with only a loose idea of how it should go. The reinforcement of preparation and self-awareness is refreshing, as some authors merely give you the spell and leave you to it. Saint Thomas doesn’t and says, “To manifest what we want, we must integrate knowledge and reason. We can’t just dance under a full moon.”1

Saint Thomas writes through a lens of someone who has been there, done that, and is now sharing what she has learned. From the table of contents, a pattern emerges: the journey begins with the basics covered off in Magickal School and Sex Ed. From there, we head into subsequent chapters on self-love, seduction, and sex. Once the basics are established, we move into deeper waters of seduction, sex, love, protection. The last two chapters are perhaps the most powerful: revenge and healing. To be clear, the section on revenge isn’t about hurting your ex because they left, it’s about obtaining revenge through healing yourself and being successful, which is much better in my opinion.

The order of the chapters makes perfect sense: you need to learn how to walk before you can run. In Chapter 1: Magickal School, Saint Thomas says that “… sex magick is not just spells for attracting more sex. Sex magick is harnessing your orgasms for manifestation.”2 She also touches on Chaos Magick, which is something I personally ascribe to, as well as sections on colour correspondences and, of course, candle magick. This section is truly meant for those at the start of their magical journey, with instructions on how to cast a circle and what the four elements and their correspondences are. Still worth a read as far as I am concerned, as each interpretation reveals new knowledge.

The detail that Saint Thomas goes into is staggering. While undoubtedly meant for those not familiar with witchy terminology or supplies, Saint Thomas goes above and beyond to include nuanced tidbits for even the most seasoned of witches. I could literally write an entire review about the first chapter but since that’s not why you are here, I will tear myself away from it and move on to the rest of the book.

Subsequent chapters dealing with self-love, seduction, and sex are well written and fulsome. It would be easy to get lost in this book except for the fact that there are many spells sprinkled throughout that makes the reader want to stop and try them out along the way. There is a lot of Shadow work in here, especially in the Self-Love chapter.

There is one particular spell I tried out on page 88 called Break Toxic Cycles. It’s a cord cutting ritual involving a length of black string. You basically tie knots as you call out patterns you want to break. Things like “I ignore red flags” and “I expect people to change” and such. You go down the length of the string, calling out patterns and making knots, until you’ve called out all patterns. This is where it gets interesting: you tie the ends together to form a loop and drape it over your hands like shackles. You are encouraged to feel how toxic the patterns are, and then taking scissors, snip between each knot, freeing yourself. Take all the bits of string and knot and burn them, removing the residue from your home once done.

I’ve been in therapy for a few years now dealing with my own baggage and trying to free myself from toxic patterns that keep plaguing me. I did this spell during the waning moon and although there was no bolt of lightning at the end to show that I’d broken each pattern, there was definitely a lightness within me that hasn’t been there in some time. Simple, effective, and to the point spell casting is my jam, and this book is full of spells like that one.

Sex Witch would do well in the hands of someone who isn’t afraid to explore their sexuality or who is firmly grounded in who they are sexually. There is no room here for kink shaming or slut shaming: it’s all pleasure and it’s all normal. I especially love how Saint Thomas just dives right in and talks about things like drugs and threesomes and how to protect yourself against STDs. She completely understands that while some will be attracted to the book based on how much sex they think they might be able to conjure, others will read it and understand the nuanced messaging around self-love, protection, and freeing yourself from the expectations of others, both inside and outside of the bedroom.

Badass Ancestors, by Patti Wigington

Badass Ancestors: Finding Your Power with Ancestral Guides, by Patti Wigington
Llewellyn Publications, 9780738764986, 312 pages, 2020

Within minutes of picking up Badass Ancestors: Finding Your Power with Ancestral Guides by Patti Wigington, I felt compelled to reactivate my ancestry.com account. As someone interested in working with ancestors, I found this book to be helpful in clearing away the noise and getting down to it. Wigington’s book clearly outlines the process of researching personal genealogy as foundational work to learn about one’s ancestors in a meaningful way. Building on this, the research done in finding/naming dead relatives encourages one to honor and work with them in personal practice.

The author of several books on the topic of witchcraft and Wicca, Wigington includes examples of her own application of the processes described in the book using Pagan contexts. I have an appreciation for the depth of historical research Wigington included in the book — a nod to the author’s B.A. in History. She uses her background in history advantageously, as the chapters around veneration in world cultures is thoroughly detailed and well laid out. 

Wigington goes out of her way to make sure that the reader does not feel less than perfect if they don’t know their personal lineage. She understands the various challenges many people face while trying to discover their personal ancestral background and offers concrete resources and processes to help find answers. Her step-by-step process of using various websites to collect data and using charts and spreadsheets to keep track of it all might seem a bit daunting at first, but it quickly becomes clear that her suggestions work and make the task of discovering and cataloguing ancestors a bit less arduous.

She begins the journey by explaining various practices around the world, effectively linking different cultures to show how connected we are as a species. This leads beautifully into the chapters dealing with finding your own people and building an altar so you can work with them, and also contains various meditations and rituals for both honoring and working with the ancestors you choose to involve in your practice. I have to admit though, I jumped ahead of all of that to get to one chapter in particular: “Problem Ancestors – You Can’t Choose Your People. “

In this chapter, Wigington tackles the very delicate subject of ancestors who might be very powerful and well positioned to provide assistance, but due to their actions in life might not be welcome at your table. She is remarkably open when speaking about her own personal ancestors and the lasting effect their actions have taken on her family, which is encouraging for those who are curious about their lineage but might not be ready for what they find. On a personal note, I found this chapter to be one of the best as I have struggled with the ethics of working with ancestors based on what they have left behind as their legacy. It’s not always great, and Wigington reminds us that, much like how we can choose to deal with the living, engaging with the dead is a personal choice that we are each free to make for ourselves.

Throughout the book, Wigington provides a variety of sample rituals that could be used to call in ancestors, honor them, or just thank them for being part of the family. I subscribe to the belief that one person’s rituals might not work for another, but I could absolutely see how these would be effective in approaching ancestors with a view to building a relationship. Understanding that respect is key is helpful to those who might not be fully aware of what they are potentially getting themselves into.

While the book is appropriate for anyone who might be interested in contacting and working with ancestors, certain sections seem to be aimed towards those just beginning their journey, while others are clearly meant for those who have established solid relationships and want to deepen their connections. There is also a section of recipes that could be used when providing offerings to ancestors based on some rough cultural assumptions and time periods, which I highly appreciated as it gives a good starting point for those just entering into this practice. 

While ancestral work itself isn’t necessarily light and fluffy, the topic of personal legacy and arrangements to be made for our own demise is not usually discussed or included, and I firmly believe it should be. I was delighted to find the final chapter titled “Your Badass Legacy” deals with things like providing clear funeral instructions including a living will, keeping detailed journals, and things of that ilk to help your descendants understand your life. Subsections on knowledge sharing, family heirlooms, journals and diaries, and recipes and traditions all provide excellent suggestions on how to get started building a snapshot of your life for future generations. Wigington even includes a piece about digital legacy, something that anyone with a Facebook page or Twitter account needs to take into consideration when end of life planning. 

Wigington does a remarkable job of navigating the various levels of knowledge and provides an incredible amount of information in a way that is not overwhelming. I have been researching my family on and off again for some time and was happy to see that the resources cited pretty much matched what I’d discovered. Having said that, there is so much in this book that I didn’t know and I appreciated the opportunity to learn new things.

One thing in particular that leaped out at me was the idea of appealing to archetypes instead of actual ancestors when you can’t find your people. For me, the idea of substituting an idea of an ancestor in place of the actual ancestor was eye opening. I have been struggling for years to figure out how to fill in the gaps on my father’s side, since I have no contact with that side of my family and no way to get information. Using her suggestion of researching archetypes from my genetic heritage was brilliant and helped me to finally stop feeling like I’d failed by not being able to fill in those gaps on the tree. 

This book really introduced me to how I could work with my ancestors, despite not knowing who they are or where they might be from, and gave me a foundation upon which I can create my own ancestral practice moving forward. One of the better books on this topic, I would recommend Badass Ancestors for anyone wanting to start building relationships and connecting with their ancestors in a low stress and highly effective way.

Existential Kink, by Carolyn Elliot

Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power, by Carolyn Elliott, PhD
Weiser Books, 9781578636471, 224 pages, 2020

How much of our behavior is driven by our sub- and unconscious minds? In Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power, Carolyn Elliott, PhD, explains why we are drawn to specific situations and provides clear guidance on how to harness that energy for better uses. As an author and teacher who specializes in helping people achieve dramatic positive change in their lives through shadow integration work, Elliott has been practicing what she preaches and is proof that her method works. But what exactly is Existential Kink?

Developed by Elliott through many years of teaching her courses, Existential Kink (EK) is “an amazing, rapid-shadow integration process”3 and a “specific meditative practice … that’s all about dissolving negative patterns by being willing to uncover and celebrate the previously unconscious pleasure that we actually – paradoxically – derive from those patterns.” 4 Elliott earned her PhD in Critical and Cultural Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, during which time she immersed herself in psychology. The result of her deep dive into psychology led her to realizing one very important insight. She explains that “by recognizing and empowering the darkness of my shadow and in the end taking “pleasure” in my yucky stuff … I could completely integrate my “good” self with my “bad” self and become a whole person.” 5

As you might expect, Elliott’s method for shadow integration is not for the faint of heart. While most self-help books focus on the visualization aspect of manifestation, Elliott realized that what’s actually needed in order to break free of specific unhelpful patterns is an excavation of the psyche. To walk the reader through the process, she has separated the book into three parts that deal with existential basics, getting kinky (more on that later), and questions and answers. Interspersed throughout the sections are specific lessons that help define the practice, provide valuable information in relation to EK, exercises for the reader to engage in the material, and interludes that detail personal stories of transformative experiences had by both the author and those who have taken her courses or been coached by her.

A big chunk of the book lays out the basics, including an interesting take on the legend of Persephone. I won’t ruin it for you because I feel everyone who feels stuck in some sort of recurring negative patterns needs to read this book, but suffice to say, Elliott’s spin resonates deeply. She states that the Persephone/Hades myth is not of two separate people, but of one all powerful being who chooses to experience both positive (Persephone) and negative (Hades) aspects of the human experience. This idea of bringing together both halves of ourselves (positive/light and negative/dark) is the very essence of the work Elliott describes in this book.

Elliott doesn’t try to smooth anything over; she is quite emphatic about how hard this work is and states clearly that most people are not able to do this kind of deep shadow work because of the trauma is brings up. In addressing that, Elliott goes out of her way to mention her own mental health journey to illustrate how deep the work is and also how rewarding. There’s a level of comfort in knowing that others have successfully travelled this path and reading their experiences is helpful in setting personal expectations. Similar to physical exercise, you will get out of this book exactly what you out in terms of steadfast work and deep introspection.

So how exactly does one conduct this type of work? This is where the kink part comes in: Elliott maintains that by “getting off” on our dark desires (things like scarcity, feelings of not being good enough, seeking out those who keep us small, etc), we give ourselves permission to enjoy the sensation of being bad. We often forget that we can choose how to experience sensation, be it a gentle stroke of a lover’s hand or a rap on the knuckles for taking too many cookies. Elliott states that choosing each sensation to be pleasurable, no matter what it is, primes the consciousness for accepting its darker sibling nestled in the subconscious. And that is precisely what we need if we are to fully integrate our shadow selves into our conscious selves.

Shadow integration sounds like a lengthy process, but Elliott’s book is full of testimonials of those who have done the work and seen results within a short amount of time. Elliott refers to this specific work as solve et coagula: “to first utterly dissolve (solve) an existing form and then to carefully bring the dissolved and purified elements together again (coagula) in a whole new … permutation.”6 In terms of timing and success, I think it depends on how willing you are to burn it all down: this is serious psychological work and whenever you muck about in the mud you will get dirty. Is it worth it? I think so, but if you are experiencing some mental health issues around trauma or depression, you might want to think twice before starting this type of exercise.

Full disclosure time: I have taken a couple of Elliott’s courses and this book is a wonderful accessory to the information already provided through the lessons. Personally, I think everyone can benefit from a little soul searching, especially when it means that you can potentially dump some of the unhelpful patterns that you’ve been stuck with through adulthood. By choosing to break down our inner psyche and fully examine our desires, and then completely accepting them as a vital part of ourselves, we can reconnect our divided wills and reunite ourselves in a way that helps us move forward with less baggage and more happiness. Honestly, the sheer delight of being able to accept personal darkness as an integral part of the whole is what pushed me forward into pursuing this type of integrative work.

While Existential Kink is geared towards those who might lean towards the left-handed path in magical terms, the concepts presented are easy to digest and relatable. I personally would not recommend this book to anyone who has strong religious views as it might be potentially upsetting to them to see their doctrines disassembled and reformed into a new version of reality. Although, come to think of it, leaning into discomfort is kind of what this book is about so perhaps Great-aunt Martha should get a copy.

Esoteric Mysteries of the Underworld, by Jean-Pierre Bayard

Esoteric Mysteries of the Underworld: The Power & Meaning of Subterranean Spaces, by Jean-Pierre Bayard
Inner Traditions, 978-1644110621, 320 pages, 2020

One of the first things I noticed about Esoteric Mysteries of the Underworld: The Power & Meaning of Subterranean Spaces was how incredibly dense it is. This book is not a light read; it’s meant for those serious about exploring the hidden symbolism and meaning found in the deepest recesses of the Earth. Perfectly poised to craft such a tome, Jean-Pierre Bayard was a prolific esoteric scholar and authored more than 50 books on topics such as Rosicrucianism, secret societies, symbolism, and the spiritual aspect of Freemasonry. Bayard passed away in 2008 leaving behind a legacy of gorgeous writings that are multilayered and diverse in their objective to share his vast knowledge. This specific book explores the spiritual aspects of the underworld; with many ancient cultures sharing similar beliefs around the power of underground spaces and natural rock formations, Bayard weaves together the similarities in a way that breathes life into these places often thought devoid of life.

This book called to me instantly, as the myths of humans and demigods traversing through the underworld on their various journeys to find themselves is an appealing theme. Included with this thematic exploration of myth, symbology, deities, and beliefs is a guide to the spiritual energies that ebb and flow beneath our feet. Reading this book caused me to become more aware of my surroundings and to pay attention to subtle shifts in energies around me, as often they are telltale signs of things to happen. Not to say I accurately predicted lottery numbers; this was more of an awareness of present energies and their patterns. Birds suddenly flocking around me signaling an approaching predator (a cat), a squawking crow alerting me to a changing traffic light, and so on. Situations like this may seem mundane, as most of us have experienced some form of what I mentioned at some point, but when taken in a spiritual light as a form of an all-encompassing connection it becomes so much more.

The book is separated into two parts: “The Symbolism of the Underworld and the Cave” and “The Cavern.” Dealing with topics such as telluric currents, underground water, underground gems and so on, the book lays out very detailed explanations of each topic and why it’s relevant. The meaty stuff is where I turned to first: underground temples, initiatory passageways, underground labyrinths, and more. This is why you buy this book: these topics are so thoroughly explored you feel as thought you’ve just earned a degree. Bayard references his previous books as additional sources of information, not out of megalomania but because he really does know that much about these things. There is no bravado here, it’s all just information presented in a very high level manner that is a joy to read. An in-depth bibliography, endnotes presented by chapter, and two appendices (one listing definitions from the Mytho-Hermetic Dictionary and the other a two page piece on Hollow Earth Mysticism) are nice additions to the book. These provide great resources for those who may require further explanation. I love when writers include their notes on the resources they used and referred to in their work as quite often it leads to discovering more information and new writers. Everything is connected.

Perhaps my favorite section of the entire book is lucky chapter eight, “Descent Into Hell.” This chapter delves into the notion of hell. It does not focus on the Christian aspect of the region, but instead goes into vast details about the symmetry of the place as an idea — one that is described using similar vernacular across various cultures and time periods. I appreciated this shift away from the whole “lake of fire and eternal damnation” imagery immensely. Bayard explains his choice to explore other aspects of the realm by reminding the reader that this has already been explored in a previous book. Again, this does not come across as bragging, merely a statement that if one wishes to know more about that specific topic, there is another book by the same author that could give you what you are looking for.

What I also love about this book is how Bayard takes all of this information and somehow manages to not only make it interesting, but to also leave space for the reader to question. There is no feeling that the material presented is the final word on any of the subjects contained within: this is more of collection of writings on a variety of topics that all have an esoteric thread linking them to one another. Each section blends seamlessly into the next and there is enough information in each section that links to the next, something that I found kept me on track and engaged despite the vast amount of information being presented.

Bayard’s style of writing might be off putting to some who may be used to more humor in their reading material. He writes in a tone that imparts the information in a very straight forward way, almost like a lecture but with more depth. Personally, I found his voice to be very to the point and without any frills, something that is rare when dealing with esoteric topics. I will admit I haven’t delved too deeply into the topic of the underworld previously, as it seemed unavailable to me, and now after reading Bayard’s Esoteric Mysteries of the Underworld, I think I am ready to have another go at it.

The Call of Intuition, by Kris Franken

The Call of Intuition: How to Recognize & Honor Your Intuition, Instinct & Insight, by Kris Franken
Llewellyn Publications, 978-0738765938, 256 pages, 2020

Trying to find that elusive unicorn called work-life balance has many of us burning out and not able to focus on the task at hand. Attempting to find time for ourselves, while also taking care of others, and in some cases juggling a job has many of us cut off from ourselves and our intuition. Finding a pathway back to ourselves in terms of honoring our vast inner worlds is precisely what Kris Franken sets out to do in her beautiful book The Call of Intuition: How to Recognize & Honor Your Intuition, Instinct & Insight. In this book, Franken sets out workable sections on how to reconnect with our inner selves, and it couldn’t come at a better time.

With the turmoil society is in right now where many people feeling cut off and alone due to the pandemic, this book is a breath of fresh air. Not only does Franken reiterate what we all know intrinsically in terms of being always connected to our inner guidance, she shows us how to access that well of guidance through basic exercises designed to strengthen our link to ourselves. Woven through the chapters that are simply and directly named for what they offer (“Breathe,” “Surrender,” “Connect,” etc) are wonderful self-practices in the guise of prompts designed to provoke a deeper awareness that reflects back to the chapter topic. The first one, titled Self Aware Soul Prompt, took me to a place of deep calm and serenity that I greatly needed. It also reminded me that I need to take responsibility for my own empowerment, which surprised me because I totally thought I was doing that. Guess not!

The book is written simply and is a pleasure to read. Not that it’s an easy read: whenever you deal with personal transformation books there is always an element of difficulty in that you are called to face some aspects of yourself that you thought you’d dealt with. This isn’t to say that there is an abundance of Shadow Work here; while there may be a call to do that later on your own, this book is more about re-establishing contact between you and your higher self while leaving space for miracles to occur.

Franken doesn’t make the reader wait to get into the meaty stuff. In chapter two, she deftly explains the three inner guides that influence and inform each person: instinct, intuition, and insight. This forms the basis of the rest of the book and the detail she goes into about each one of these guides is beneficial for even the most seasoned and self-aware reader. Personally, I love it when the writer tells me exactly what they mean when they use specific words, as I feel it gives me another facet to a topic I might already know something about. Take intuition and insight for example. I would have thought that these two things would be quite similar based on my personal experience. Franken explains insight as “when you receive new information that merges with what you already know and provides a new understanding or a fresh perspective.” 4 Something I now have in conjunction to these two ideas, thanks to her explanation.

The second part of the book deals with the “how-to” of reconnecting and is the real reason why you pick this book up. While the first part provides a deep understanding of intuition, insight, and instinct, the second part provides six ways to fortify the bond with self through practical, hands-on, and playful approaches. Franken encourages the reader to think of this entire section as fluid and not treat it as a solid six-step program to follow diligently. I like that she goes out of her way to state that — quite often authors mean for this to be apparent, but it isn’t always that clear. In this case, the way the book is written invites the reader to jump around and try things at their own discretion. Perfect for someone like me who gets distracted by shiny things!

I especially enjoyed the section on surrendering, as I have a difficult time letting go and releasing things that no longer serve me. Part of this is because doing so invites real and drastic change into my life, and that is sometimes daunting and scary to consider. I know — why is this my favorite part if it causes so much discomfort? It’s precisely the discomfort that attracts me. Honestly, Franken’s writing makes me feel safe to move forward with this work despite the amount of fear I feel while contemplating the changes that need to be made. Empowerment: it’s already working!

If you are looking for a book that clearly lays out the basic principles behind acknowledging and accessing your inner guidance system, pick this book up. Ditto if you already have that knowledge but are looking for ways to strengthen the bonds already in place. There really isn’t anyone I can think of who wouldn’t benefit from reading The Call of Intuition, as it’s full of wonderful insight and anecdotes that resonate with their honesty and relevance. Franken has written a beautiful book that will lead you back to your center, if you are willing to take some time and reinvest it in yourself.

Encountering the Dark Goddess, by Frances Billinghurst

Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey Into Shadow Realms, by Frances Billinghurst
Moon Books, 1789045994, 248 pages, March 2021

One of the most fascinating elements of human psychology is the penchant we have for self-reflection. In some form or another, we often delve deep within ourselves to try and find answers that we know lie deep within us. In her book Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey Into Shadow Realms, Frances Billinghurst has carved a path for us to tread in our personal search for the answers we need in order to evolve and become better versions of ourselves.

An experienced writer on this topic, Billinghurst is an initiated witch, ritualist and healer, and runs workshops on metaphysics, mythology, and the occult. Billinghurst thoughtfully divides the book into three parts which make perfect sense if you are new to the idea of Shadow Work and the Dark Goddess Herself. Bundling information together in this way is extremely helpful if you are familiar with the work and want to jump past the background information.

Personally, no matter the topic, I almost always read the intro sections provided because I feel they form the basis or foundation of what the writer is actually trying to get across. Knowing where Billinghurst sits in terms of who she feels the Dark Goddess is and how she perceives Her is valuable information to me and helps me to expand my own knowledge. No matter your knowledge level, I highly recommend reading the introduction section to ensure you gain the same insight.

Billinghurst provides substantial background on the origin of the Dark Goddess and challenges our collective fear of the darkness by stating that:

 “Darkness holds the peace which is reflected by the mother’s womb from which we all are born, and the earth’s tomb into which we eventually return. From darkness we are born and, in effect, into darkness we will all return.”7

By making such comparisons, she is effectively building the case for why we should embrace the darkness and perceive it as a helper rather than something to be feared. She also makes a valid point about balance that I happen to agree with: the need to have both light and dark in one’s life is essential for forward movement and growth, whereas too much of either is potentially limiting.

The section titled “Meeting the Dark Goddess” caught my eye straightaway, with Billinghurst delving into thirteen different representations of the Dark Goddess. She weaves together aspects of the Dark Goddess from across a variety of practices and belief systems, something that is often attempted but poorly executed.

Here, Billinghurst respectfully offers her views on 13 different representations of the Dark Goddess and offers ways in which to work with them. There is a sense of reverence that is felt through her writing about the various aspects and she alludes to deeper works that might be of interest to those wishing to go even further down the rabbit hole of history, myth, and folklore in connection with the Dark Goddess. 

The final section is about working with the Dark Goddess and there is no shortage of caution expressed by Billinghurst. She doesn’t shrink back from exploring the enormity of working within the Shadows of ourselves nor does she try and pretty up the process to make it more palatable. Shadow Work is intense, uncomfortable, and life-changing and just because you’ve dipped your toe into this work one or twice does not mean you are free from the gaze of the Dark Goddess. If anything, doing this work puts you on the radar, so to speak. Billinghurst feels the same, saying

“Just because you have worked with the Dark Goddess once or in one format, or even under the guidance of one particular teacher does not mean you have completely embraced all of your shadow qualities and therefore no longer need to undergo such work.”8

What really impressed me with this book is the appreciation for, and acknowledgement of, the fact that just because you are immersed in an excavation of the soul through shadow work, it doesn’t mean you neglect the lighter aspects of the Goddess. These labels we give to the goddess helps us to navigate through the various lessons that are provided through the interaction we have with her, but we need to understand that when you work with an iteration of the Goddess, you end up getting all of Her and not just the parts you think you need. Billinghurst expands on this this by saying, “Working with the Dark Goddess does not necessarily mean you are not working with a lighter aspect of the goddess, the divine feminine, either.”9

This means to me that while we have lots of fancy descriptors for whichever iteration of the Dark Goddess we happen to be working with that correspond to the qualities we feel we need to access at this time, we also have access to the rest of Her too. Doing Shadow Work with a Dark Goddess is not like feasting at a buffet: you have to acknowledge and accept that you will see all sides of the Goddess and adjust accordingly. Personally, working with a Dark Goddess always brings me closer to the part of me that needs softening. Working with a Goddess such a Morrigan brings about a lot of fire and intensity, but after that dies down there is a sense of peace and stability that follows that my soul craves while I am doing this work.

Whether you are familiar with Shadow Work or just contemplating starting, Encountering the Dark Goddess is an excellent guide on how to dovetail an iteration of the Dark Goddess into that work. Full of useful information on a selection of Dark Goddesses, as well as personal stories and poems, this book is going to remain on my shelf to be pulled down often for both reference and for the deeper work that the second half of the year brings.