Musing Mystical

✨ A Gathering Place for Magical Readers and Writers ✨

Of Blood and Bones, by Kate Freuler

Of Blood and Bones: Working with Shadow Magick and the Dark Moon, by Kate Freuler
Llewellyn Publications, 0738763637, 312 pages, July 2020

“… we all have a dark side. It’s part of who we are. Even the most peaceful of light workers casts a shadow. We all possess the ability to hate, to be angry, to be bitter, and to want revenge….if we can acknowledge our own darkness honestly, we can control it and channel it into something productive…”1

Of Blood and Bones: Working with Shadow Magick and the Dark Moon by Kate Freuler is a highly recommended title for any who want to deepen their practice of witchcraft and magick in a more balanced and polarized way. Much has been written about the power of moon magick in its more traditional phases; the dark moon always being cloaked in mystery and more of a one-sided stance on how to use its energies. Ms. Freuler faces the topic of dark moon magic head on and begins a dialogue of understanding of its subtleties in a way that leads the reader towards deeper exploration of the dark moon tides within oneself and its inherent support of shadow magick and workings.

As the title suggests, this is not your ordinary book about moon magick, traditional shadow work, or darker Deities. This is an exploration of calling forth the shadow that is cast from a brilliance of polarized light and learning to navigate the terrain as you claim your own dark nature as a source of power. The tools employed on this journey are literally of blood and bone, ashes, remains, rust, decay, debris and more. Their uses and many of the more maligned and misunderstood practices associated with the work of dark magick such as cursing, hexing, blood magick, and others is given the proper context for use. Freuler honors the ethics surrounding the choice and provides enough information to allow the reader to explore these practices using free will and holding the intention of seeing the bigger picture.

Of Blood and Bones is separated into five parts and fourteen chapters. It is written in a way that provides the reader with the tools to go about the work of inner reflection early on in the reading so that ultimately this more informed way can be carried into the outer expressions of that practitioner’s craft. A disclaimer section at the beginning of the book sets the appropriate tone for what follows and lends itself to the example of offering due diligence around the forthcoming subject matter, some of which involves the legality and proper obtaining of the ingredients used.

The spellwork contained in each chapter holds true to the intention of breaking through the hesitancy around workings of a darker nature. Materials used, the how, and the why are all very carefully outlined providing multiple layers of discernment to be developed by the practitioner about their use and when they would be needed. A Spell Index at the end of the book provides easy reference without the need to search through the chapters. Recommended Resources and an ample Bibliography conclude the book, pulling everything together in a user-friendly way from start to finish.

The introduction, “It’s Not All Love and Light,” prepares the reader to take a look at all of the aspects of witchcraft and magickal workings. The reader is reminded that there are aspects of light and dark in all endeavors and for a synthesized and whole practice to develop we have to embrace all of the polarities within our practice. Ethics takes center stage throughout the book and the encouragement to allow those darker aspects that we all possess to come forward to be dealt with and acknowledged is the underpinning of becoming more informed in our practice.

“To be truly connected to nature, the seasons and the cycles of life, we must be balanced; we must acknowledge, accept and embrace the darkness of our spirits as fully as the light parts. This doesn’t mean that we should indulge in negativity and harmful behavior but rather accept these traits as guides and teachers in our personal growth. From there we can transform our lives…”2

“Part 1: Shadow Work and the Dark Moon Current” and the chapters contained within give a very through overview of everything that is needed to begin this journey of dark magick. Listings of Deities aligned with dark magick, moon tides, incense recipes, altars and rituals of dedication provide the reader with ample information to proceed more informed than when starting, now knowing that this work is deeply transformational and to expect to emerge from the dark forever changed.

“Part II: Blood and Bones” exposes the reader to the old ways of the craft and the repurposing of objects for magick, knowing their inherent power. Body fluids such as blood, semen, urine, menstrual blood, and saliva carry powerful and potent magick. Additionally, living a life very close to nature, animal parts were often employed in spells and rituals; their power derived from the earth itself and the specific energy that a particular animal carried. There were no magick stores and everything was seen as sacred and holding its own mantle of power.

“These (subjects) that people find so terrifying make up our very life energy. Blood, semen, urine, menses, bones, and even saliva are literally at the core of survival. Their presence creates life, and their absence takes life away. So, while these topics can be gory, gritty and gross, they speak to people on a primitive level as old as the earth…”3

“Part III: The Forbidden Craft” hones in on some of the more controversial topics surrounding shadow magick. Had the strong component of ethics that flowed through the book not been abundantly present, misunderstanding of the intention and the ultimate categorizing of this book with others that are wholly about revenge, retribution, misplaced power, and harm could have become a lost moment in discernment around what is not so clearly black or white, good or bad, or able to be defined by any of the usual semantics used. Curses, hexes, bindings, death magick, and more are fully discussed from the perspective of when these methods would be appropriately used and the greater ramifications surrounding the intention and its greater energetic effects on both the practitioner and the recipient.

“Chapter 8: A Witch’s Curios” offers the reader an inside look at some of the tools such as broken mirrors, rusty nails, bullet casings, graveyard dirt, hair and nails, and more that typically are not incorporated into spellwork. These are the objects of magick that lay discarded or of fearsome touch: all that lay at the threshold of death and all that are the necessary unwanted reminders of something not entirely of the light. The use for these objects and energies they carry are outlined and spells using items such as these are included. The ethical and legal aspects of collecting graveyard dirt or obtaining some of the other items is thoroughly discussed for informed decision in acquiring and using these as part of your magick.

“In the dark witch’s cabinet there are some things that are repulsive, some things that smell yucky, some things that are frightening, and some things that society as a whole just wants you to ignore. Grab your hand sanitizer and come on in…”4

Of Blood and Bones is a book that will definitely evoke strong opinions about its content. Much of what is provided would be considered by some to be less than wholesome magick, while I suspect others will delight in adding new perspective and tools to a practice that is already dedicated to shadow magick. What cannot be denied is that the compilation of this work clearly shows knowledge by Freuler of all aspects of a balanced practice of magick and respect and reference for those less mainstream practices. We are part of the natural world that at times can be uninviting, messy, unforgiving, overtly blunt, and all together disruptive in its nature. And, this is what makes for a practice that is fully integrated into both the decay and the new life that are part of a continual cycle of being.

There is more that I could say about the details of this book, but it would be a disservice and muddy the intent. This is work (and reading) that must be absorbed through experience and claimed by trial and error. This is a power and way of working that is ancient in all of the ways of that simple word, and so the inroads and understands go deep and reach far. There is much to digest in this book, but with each doing and reading, another mystery within the reader will be revealed — another option for practice will be shown. A deepening of connection to the world and work as co-creator of that light and dark will become who you truly are as a witch.

“As you emerge from your shadow work, you may find that everything around you seems different. This is because you are different. Your perspective has deepened and expanded, balancing the light and the dark…”5

Stars and Stones, by Peter Stockinger

Stars and Stones: An Astro-Magical Lapidary, by Peter Stockinger
Mandrake, 1906958734, 164 pages, May 2016

I recently began a medical astrology herbalism course with Judith Hill and Matthew Wood. As I learn about the physicians of the Renaissance, specifically the way they were all master astrologers, I just discovered in addition to plant remedies, they knew how to use the properties of gemstones to facilitate healing and create magical talismans.

Seeking more information, I turned to Hill’s book Astrology and Your Vital Forces, however the Jyotish description of the use of gemstones wasn’t fulfilling enough for me, as I was hoping to not only to remedy the chart but also use the talismans in my magical workings. Luckily, Stars and Stones: An Astro-Magical Lapidary by Peter Stockinger fills in all the missing gaps I’ve been curious about and truly fits my needs for learning more about this subject.

Written in the introduction, Stockinger’s main reason for writing this book “was to reintroduce the reader to the idea of correspondences and correlations between planets and gemstones.”1 And let me tell you, Stockinger does just this with thorough detail and enough clarification to not overwhelm someone new to this topic.

To begin, Stockinger delves into the planets and their elemental constitutions, which are the foundation of the Universe. Each planet corresponds to one element, and Stockinger provides detail for the attributes of the planet and their element. For instance, Mars is hot and dry, which is attributed to the element of fire.2

The four elements are each associated with a temperament: choleric (fire), melancholic (earth), sanguine (air), and phlegmatic (water). While there have been various methods of calculating a person’s temperament, Stockinger draws from Ferdinand Resberger’s astrological textbook Astronomia Teutsch to teach the reader how to find their own.

This wasn’t the easier endeavour, but after about a half an hour of calculations, I determined all of my temperaments were almost equal, with choleric and phlegmatic having a score of just one higher than melancholic and sanguine. Stockinger made the calculations accessible by clearly starting which zodiac signs correspond to the element or temperament for each stage of the process so one is not having to memorize it all before or consistently reference back to the previous material.

The next chapters are detailed explanations of the planets, zodiac signs, and astrological houses respectively. All the information is the traditional descriptions from Renaissance astrology. I especially enjoyed Stockinger including the diseases associated with the planets and the illnesses associated with the signs of the zodiac. There also are images for all the planets and signs too, which are nice visuals to break-up the dense material.

Additionally, Stockinger includes a list of the body parts associated with every sign and tables of essential dignities and accident dignities according to William Lilly’s Christian Astrology. This introduction concludes Part 1.

Part 2 of the book “Planets, Crystals, Gemstones & Metals” was exactly what I had been looking for in my quest for information. Stockinger sets the stage with a history of the healing properties of crystals and different works about them, such as Abbess Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica and Al Biruni’s Book of the Instructions in the Elements of the Art of Astrology, both published in the 11th century.

“Since the dawn of time, gemstones and crystals have fascinated humans, by their mysterious sparkle, their beautiful colours and their intriguing shapes and symmetries.”3

There is also ample information about the planets and their corresponding metals. Based on the idea that everything emits light when heated, there is a table that shows the wavelengths of color in the visible spectrum. The metals’s emissions spectrum is how the corresponding color is determined. There is ample detail about the correspondence of the seven visible planets, corresponding color, and corresponding metal.

For instance, for the Sun, whose corresponding metal is gold, Stockinger states, “On the physical level, gold helps the body to maintain circulation and it is responsible for the regulation of the impulses in the nervous system.”4 Once again, there is the inclusion of some medical astrology too.

The next chapter, “Planets & Gemstone Remedies,” was my favorite. In this section, Stockinger goes planet by planet giving an extensive overview of each planet (diseases associated with them, corresponding body parts, dignities and disabilities, and more!) and provides gemstones to remedy their effects. For instance, jet and black onyx are recommended to remedy Saturn, while carelin, garnet, haematite, and jasper are prescribed for Mars.

Stockinger provides a detailed history of each crystal and gemstone, along with information about it’s color and hardness. He explains in detail what aspect of the planet the crystal or gemstone remedies and it’s most effective uses. One example is selenite for working with the moon, for it is considered a “holy stone” that helps cleanse and purify emotions.5 It also provides protection against epilepsy and insanity, while repelling negative energies.

Reading through all the crystals of each planet has been immensely useful when deciding which stones to work with in order to produce certain effects. Reading through the case studies in the book helped me to further understand how gemstone can be used to enhance or counter certain energies at play in my astrological chart.

I am looking forward to creating a talisman too from the information I’ve gleaned from this book. Stockinger shares his knowledge on fifteen fortunate fixed stars along with their corresponding sigil (so immensely helpful!), and he shares how to create a fixed star ring for success. He also shares images of the planets and constellations that can be used to enhance a gemstone’s effect, such as a swan for the Cygus constellation and a whale for the Cetus constellation.

Finally, the appendices have a wealth of well-organized content that is immensely useful. There is a Therapeutic Index that has a disease, illness, or circumstance one might want to remedy and a corresponding gemstone, a table of fixed star correspondences, and Agrippa’s planetary glyphs.

All in all, Stars and Stones is a wonderful resource for those interested in learning more about the relationship between astrological energies and crystals, gemstones, and metals. I love how it perfectly blends the stars and earth to facilitate integral healing through one’s chart. I haven’t ever found a book as comprehensive, accessible, or useful as this one on this topic. For those who are looking to incorporate a new dimension into their astrological practice, or perhaps even expand their knowledge of crystals and their healing properties, this is absolutely a book to check out.

The Ways of the Water Priestess, by Annwyn Avalon

The Way of the Water Priestess: Entering the World of Water Magic, by Annwyn Avalon
Weiser Books, 1578637249, 238 pages, January 2021

The Way of the Water Priestess: Entering the World of Water Magic is a profound initiation. As you dive in, author Annwyn Avalon makes clear the distinction between being initiated into a lineage and going straight to the source of your own channel with spirit, your own intimacy with water. This is a sacred text that attunes you so deeply to what you are mostly made of. 

Avalon is a water priestess and a water witch. She is the founder of Triskele Rose,  an Avalonian witchcraft tradition. This book called to me because I wanted to deepen my relationship to water as an act of devotion.

“The work of a water priestess is expressed in various sacred practices like enchanting the waters, facilitating rituals, creating healing ceremonies, and preparing sacred baths.”1 

Each of these rich chapters had me diving into portals of sovereignty and healing. Avalon does a fantastic job weaving together concrete practices, lineages and history, as well as myth and story. In my personal practice, this book was the first step in so much unfolding. I embraced her invitation to me, “While you cannot initiate yourself as a priestess, you can dedicate your life to the sacred waters.”2

For me, this began with building my own water altar. This first step has been potent in my work as a priestess.  And when I say priestess, I mean  being willing to show up and do the work in devotion to tend and clean the altar; to center your acts of service to the water. 

The Way of the Water Priestess is created in such a way as to offer us that sacred journey of initiation, pulling on deities and archetypes, myths, as well as daily devotional practices. This book is beautifully written with a wealth and depth of knowledge. All geared towards you, discovering your own information. Avalon creates a framework for you to foster your own intimacy with the waters. These are concrete and specific tools to connect you to your path. 

My daily devotional, as Avalon calls it, with the water has deepened. Avalon offers prayers to help guide you through every step of the journey. There’s such an incredible wealth of knowledge, rooted, most particularly like Celtic and Roman traditions. I have found myself turning to this book over and over as I’ve struggled with my human being life. “You will find that the lesson of the river is different from the lesson that floral water, a sacred bath, or a gem elixir might teach you.”3 I so appreciated being guided to discover my own sacred relationship with the river, allowing it to be my guide in surrender and flow. 

I drink so much water every day. I’ve experimented with some of the ways that Avalon offers us to bless the water. “Sound is also a good way to create healing water… You can simply start with your voice and tone the water with vowel sounds.”4 You can find a beautiful water prayer on that same page. I love this practice as a way to begin my morning and set intention for my day. The more I’ve dedicated myself to this practice, the more I’ve found my words to honor and bless the water I put in my body. My stepdaughter’s favorite practice is to charge her water with the full moon. 

Avalon’s way of being in deep ritual practice with water is an invitation to reclaim your sovereignty through devotion and service. 

“As priestesses, it is vital that we honor the water and spirits we work with. But we must also become trusted conduits for their energies by living in sacred union with them and tending their temples–our own physical temples, the temple of our bodies, and the natural temples where the water flows. When in these states of sacred union, we become a vessel through which the spirit can speak.”5

This book serves such a depth and breadth of wisdom as to belong on every bookshelf, from novice to maven water carrier. It accessibly unpacks fundamentals like working on the holy days of Beltane, Samhain, and the like. It explores the art of ritual, water divination, and the path of the priestess. For those steeped in their own traditions and lineages, it offers context and spell work. 

If you are looking for your activism in this world, I invite you to welcome your devotion and service to water as being a part of how we collectively transform the world. I feel so much more able to hear the message of the water for me in encountering these practices and tools, and the power that comes when approaching this work as a devotee. As a being in service to something so much greater than myself. Everything you need to start is in The Ways of the Water Priestess.

Crystals and Numerology, by Edita Wuest and Sabine Schieferle

Crystals and Numerology: Decode Your Numbers and Support Your Life Path with Healing Stones, by Edita Wuest and Sabine Schieferle
Earthdancer Books, 1644112731, 160 pages, February 2021

I have been absolutely delighted this past week incorporating crystals into my numerology studies! Crystals and Numerology: Decode Your Numbers and Support Your Life Path with Healing Stones by Edita Wuest and Sabine Schieferle has given me practical ways that I can enhance and remedy my numerological energy with crystals. And for those of you who are new to numerology, don’t fear, the authors do a wonderful job of making it easy and accessible to understand and discover your sacred numbers!

As soon as I picked up the book, I loved the interior design. It has bright colors that highlights pieces of information, making it easy to absorb the material, and includes pictures for all the crystals described. I enjoy being able to see the crystal while learning about its energetic properties. This is a book I would keep on my coffee table for guests to pursue because it is both informative and beautifully made.

Whether you are wanting to learn more about numerology or crystals, this is a book that will be immensely useful because it gives background information on both. First, the authors share how numerology can be used to reveal many things about someone, including their professional life,  life perspective, life’s mission, and timing of change. Detailed is how to calculate one’s personal numbers. There are nine different calculations provided, which each reveal a facet of oneself.

For instance, the life path number is used to determine one’s destiny and purpose, while the heart’s desire number gives insight into our core emotions and feelings towards others. There are charts and detailed explanations on how to calculate all these numbers by hand. I spent close to an hour decoding the numbers for my husbands and I. While it wasn’t tough, it did require focus because there was a lot of adding involved!

Next, the book moves into how to do healing work with the crystals. Based on the principle that crystals hold vibrational energy, the authors share methods of connecting with the healing properties of crystals that can easily be incorporated into the reader’s daily life. Some of these ways are holding crystals while repeating affirmations, drinking water that’s been infused with crystal energy, and wearing the crystals as jewelry. There is a description of the spiritual energy of colors too, which adds to understanding the energy of the crystals.

Now that the reader has discovered all their numerological codes and learned the basics of crystal healing, the book moves into chapters on each number 0-9. In every chapter, there is a numerological overview of the energy of the number and provide crystal recommendations to balance the energy. It describes the number’s symbolism, talents and abilities related to the number, weaknesses of the number, and ambition related to the number. For every aspect of the number, there is a crystal to either boost the positive influence of the number or balance the weakness.

For instance, I am a 3 life path. My number one bad habit is starting projects and then getting distracted. I always have about five different things I am working on at once, yet rarely do I see things through to completion. Clearly I immediately resonated with reading, “In their desire to be free, threes are extremely wasteful of their energies: they are soon enthused and start many more projects  than they actually complete.”1 This is undoubtedly so, and you can even ask my mother who chides me whenever I eagerly take on something new with little thought or hesitation due to my excitement.

I discovered that malachite, obsidian, and covellite can balance out my energetic tendencies. This was very interesting because I’ve always felt drawn to malachite and obsidian quietly naturally. They’ve remedied my energy and brought a sense of protection, calmness, and tranquility to my life previously. This was a great reminder to wear my jewelry with these stones more often, especially when I am feeling stretched too thin with projects to come back into my center. Then I had never heard of covellite before, so this was a chance to learn about a new crystal to incorporate into my collection.

At the end of each section are affirmations for the number, additional crystal recommendations, and a description of the healing effects on the body of every crystal listed in that chapter. Sticking with the example of number three, for malachite, the authors describe how it can ease cramps and be treatment for headaches, along with other physical healing properties. I really appreciate this additional section because it adds another layer of knowledge about the healing power of the crystals, showing how they are effective on both a spiritual and physical level.

After going through numbers 1 to 9, the authors provide a section on 0. While I’m not sure anyone can be a 0 path, it can be factored into their numerological energy. As I’ve mentioned I’m a 3 life path, but when the numbers of my birthday are added together it makes 30. This bolsters my 3 with the energy of 0. I was surprised to read this section and discover that watermelon tourmaline is crystal that boosts talents and abilities for 0, as I just purchased a watermelon tourmaline ring I felt “called to” this past weekend and immediately loved the energy I felt when wearing it. Such a synchronicity! Once again confirming for me the accuracy of the author’s crystal recommendations based on my own personal experience.

The book’s appendices includes a meditation to connect with one’s numerological crystals, creating a crystal circle for energy healing, and creating a numerological crystal installation to bring in the energy. I look forward to practicing all of these once I get a few more of the crystals recommended for my unique numerological signature.

All in all, Crystals and Numerology is filled with practical wisdom on how to do energy work incorporating these two modalities. I have enjoyed it immensely and planning on referencing the book when deciding which crystals to work with. I recommend this book to those who enjoy working with crystals, are interested in discovering more about their personal numerology, and are inclined to practice energy healing. This book is sure to provide insight into the numerological energy of your life, while offering guidance on how to effectively engage with it for prosperity, purpose, and pleasure!

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.

Personal Magic, by Marion Weinstein

Personal Magic: A Modern-Day Book of Shadows for Positive Witches, by Marion Weinstein
Weiser Books, 978-1578637195, 240 pages, 2021

Personal Magic: A Modern-Day Book of Shadows for Positive Witches is the personal grimoire, or “Book of Shadows,” of Marion Weinstein (1939-2009). Weinstein was one of the founders of the modern witchcraft movement, an author, teacher, and media personality. She was the first to coin the phrase “positive magic” and has authored a book by the same name, as well as a number of books in the self-help genre, including books about miracles, magic, and divination methods such as tarot, and the I-Ching. This current edition was originally published under the title Earth Magic in 2003, and then updated and published again under that title in 2008. 

Weinstein’s books are considered classics, and several have been republished under different titles, which makes book buying confusing at times if one hasn’t researched whether or not this is previous material being marketed under a new title.

I had a love/hate relationship with this book (well, okay maybe not so extreme, perhaps a like/dislike relationship) at first because so much of it seemed dated to me. In fact, the datedness was why I began looking into whether this was new material, especially once I looked up the author’s bio and saw that she had died in 2009. Witchcraft and magic seem to be having a renaissance in the last few years and perhaps this re-release is an attempt to capitalize on this current trend.

There were several times when the old-fashioned manner of her words carried a loveable quirkiness that I found quite endearing – such as a short section near the very beginning of the book titled “The Inner Bell,” which the author explains is “one’s inner sense of truth and deep knowing which we all possess.’1

Something that also stood out to me immediately is that Weinstein’s “witch” definitely has a narrow, more classic definition that aligns with Goddess worship or paganism (this volume was originally titled Earth Magic), while currently the word “witch” has assumed a very wide meaning that often includes all manner of witches, magicians, and new age practitioners.

Weinstein wrote her first book of shadows in 1979 and intended it to be seen by a much smaller audience. It was her own personal grimoire and she only wanted it to be seen by other witches. But she was a media personality hosting a radio show, Marion’s Cauldron, for fourteen years, and as her audience and notoriety grew, she began to publish her works to a wider readership.

As the title states, the author is very pointed and deliberate about her magic being positive. She stresses this again and again. 

Being the author’s personal grimoire, the examples in the book use her own personal deities – Diana, Selene, Hecate, Kernunnos, and Pan, in all the blessings, spells, dedications, consecrations, and alignments. However, she does include a list of dozens of other popular deities should the reader want to explore other options.

The book is divided into three parts (Primary Work, Advanced Work, and Afterward), which makes it practical for any level of practitioner, from the complete novice to the adept. The novice will find a veritable “how-to” guide to a well-structured practice and the adept will find a multitude of basic ideas that serve as powerful reminders along with numerous creative ideas that may serve to invigorate a stagnant or lackluster practice. The author is also careful to remind the reader that one’s practice is personal, and that each person is permitted to choose elements of their practice that are appealing to them. 

Part One of the book, Primary Work, focuses on “the basics” including deities, tools, how to form a coven (as well as how to work without one), holidays, working with the moon phases, and even how to contact the departed. Also included in Part One is a very comprehensive chapter on Protection Magic that I found to be one of my favorite parts of the book. Part One closes with a short chapter titled “Ritual,” that includes a few important rituals such as the blessing of a new baby, handfasting, and calling in the four directions. 

As a precept, all magic concerns both “inner” work and “outer” work (As above, so below, as within, so without.) Part One is mostly focused on the outer work, with reminders and teachings on how this primary work connects to our inner world, beliefs and energy.

Part Two, Advanced Work, focuses more on the inner work such as how to work with different aspects of our selves, and how to use visualization. The last chapter in Part Two, Advanced Manifestation, was another part I found exciting as it was explicit about the idea that our Magic is found within, that we are the magic. “Yes, it’s true that magic can actually transform matter and energy from one state to another, or make things seem to appear and disappear. But far more important is the fact that magic transforms the magician.”2 

Part Three, Afterward, is the part I found most fun to read, as it covers some ideas that are exciting to me personally as a magician, such as morphogenetic fields, our true selves and the roles we play, ethics, and serving the community.

The information in Personal Magic is extremely practical and written in a concerned and caring voice from someone with decades of experience. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in positive magic or witchcraft, with the caveat that it is not new material.   

Meditations for the Soul, by Neale Lundgren

Meditations for the Soul: Pathways and Practices to Strengthen Your Soul for the Journey Ahead, by Neale Lundgren, PhD
Llewellyn Publications, 90738764306, 236 pages, December 2020

Meditations for the Soul: Pathways and Practices to Strengthen Your Soul for the Journey Ahead by Neale Lundgren, PhD is a beautiful little book that fits comfortably in your hands. The cover artwork is inviting and a soothing image of water colored birds on tree branches. Before you open the book, the heart, mind, and soul are engaged in its simplicity and inviting visual presentation. 

Everyone is a seeker. Everyone longs for a soulful purpose that sets the heart ablaze… We are seeking to make sense of life. But, we will find it difficult to make sense of life until we have made sense of the soul…1

These words are shared on the first page of the introduction and set a very clear path that Meditations for the Soul will offer more than your standard collection of thoughts and affirmations that make the reader “feel good” without addressing the beauty of cultivating a practice of deepening the connection to the gifts of the soul. The reader is guided towards a space of being both a student and a teacher of the soul’s lessons as a (or many) lifetime’s pursuit. The inclusion of a robust Recommended Reading list and a Glossary at the end of the book also support a tone of learning, exploring, and engaging in an active way. 

Meditations for the Soul is separated into thirty chapters that are further organized into three parts. Each chapter provides a bite-sized offering that includes an introduction to the purpose of its work and concludes with a “Soul Journey.” This begins as a brief guided meditation and flows into an “Awakening Exercise.” 

The content, although brief in words, speaks directly to the soul of the “seeker” as a tome of great wisdom. I appreciate the designation of “seeker” Lundgren uses throughout. It engages the reader in a deeper way and implies that awakening to our purpose at the level of the soul requires a commitment that extends well beyond doing a specific set of exercises or contemplative work. To be a “seeker” is to always be actively inquiring and doing in a way that is infinite in its possibilities.  

It is evident in the offerings throughout Meditations for the Soul that Lundgren brings a perspective of both analytical academia and practical experience. This is supported in his sharing of his personal journey to the soul from successful musician to time spent at a monastery as the result of a back packing trip through Europe and the eventual attainment of a degree as a psychotherapist. Lundgren addresses the needs of the soul for reflective and inward journey as well as the practical outward actions and exercises required to bridge the spiritual and the material expressions of the soul’s work. 

The purpose of this book is threefold; to provide you with ways to connect your body and mind to the senses of your soul; to give you strengthening practices and pathways for your soul’s journey through the material world; and to impart to you teachings based on ancient wisdom that will help you bring more soulfulness to your relationships with others…2

Each of the three parts of the book carefully aligns with one of the principles of Lundgren’s threefold purpose and builds one upon the other. “Part One: Awakening to Soul in the Material World” provides the reader with an introduction to the work of revealing and collaborating in awareness with the soul and its purpose in the realm of material and physical existence.  “Chapter 2: The Seeker Awakens” will definitely appeal to those drawn to the psychoanalytical process. 

The seeker’s journey proceeds in gradual awakenings, along with many stages and trials. These are questions you can ask yourself to help you figure out where you might be… Let these serve as useful indicators of the adventure of soul that lies ahead…3

The questionnaire that followed served both as an eye-opener and a space of claiming the journey as your own unique experience. Anything that allows you to know more about yourself will be an opportunity of growth wherever it is applied. I found this to be an insightful tool of first steps.

“Part Two: Strengthening Soul in the Material World” takes the reader through an exploration of the yogas Lundgren has identified as unifiers of soul and matter within the seeker. This “strengthening” is engaged through the overlay of each of the specific energies of a form of yoga. This approach also allows the reader to open to the awareness that what we as Westerners typically refer to as yoga is much more than the physical expression; but rather, a whole and unified way of being. I was particularly drawn to “Chapter 11: At the Threshold of the Paths,” the first chapter of this section.

Throughout the centuries, masters of the inward journey have provided a rich variety of practices called “yogas” for the purpose of strengthening the soul for its journey through the material world… The word itself comes from the Sanskrit juj meaning to “yoke” or to “unify”…4

This unification is expressed as the energies of the yogas of mind, heart, energy, action, integration, and more. I found this to be a powerful way of reinforcing the concept of all aspects of our being and soul are in alignment with one another, informing each in a connected and unified way.

Having built on the practices of personal revelation of and active participation in the soul’s journey, “Part Three: Bringing Soul to the Material World” engages the reader at a soul level as part of a collective of souls, each finding their own way. The encouragement here is one of continued personal work, now with the understanding that we all become the light for one another, an example and an inspiration of life as a fully integrated corporeal being of soul.

Many of the writings in this concluding section of chapters involve the pitfalls and the joys of realizing your soul’s nature. Chapter topics include stress, relationships, companionship, the language of the soul, and more. This section explores the practical nature of soul work reinforces the knowingness that soul and matter are not separate from one another. They are indeed collaborators and reflections of the other.

Meditations for the Soul is user friendly, but is not an easy read if you take the contemplatives and practices to heart and allow yourself to be open to the journey, from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed the first read through, but I will most definitely be starting at the beginning and allowing myself the space and time to fully digest the material and work with the recommendations and wisdom held between its covers. The statement below eloquently summarizes the intention of this book. They are words that should be accessed and contemplated routinely as each new journey unfolds. 

Wander, seek and find new treasures within your soul and within the souls of others. Aspire to expand your heart until it encompasses the universe. Through the refined soul senses of empathy, compassion and forgiveness, impart this healing balm to others in the world, beginning with yourself…5

The Goddess Book, by Nancy Blair

The Goddess Book: A celebration of witches, queens, healers, and crones, by Nancy Blair and illustrated by Thalia Took
Hampton Roads Publishing, 1642970203, 234 pages, April 2021

It’s not every day that I have the opportunity to invite 52 friends into my home, but that’s what happened when Nancy Blair’s book, The Goddess Book arrived at my doorstep. As I happily opened the door to retrieve the book, so too did I gladly open myself up to welcoming these goddesses into my life to share their wisdom with me. As Nancy writes in the Preface, “our Goddess heritage and her story, the greatest story never told, brought me home.”1 She continues:

“Goddess spirituality brought me home: to my Self, to the innate wisdom of my body, to our living Earth body, and the body of women’s wisdom long repressed. The return of the Goddess is a rising tide that cannot be held back.”2

I was attracted to the book as I wanted to participate in the celebration of witches, queens, healers, and crones — pretty great company if you ask me. I liked that Nancy worked with the Goddesses in a seasonal way, 13 Goddesses for each season. I read the book in its entirety, but then I focused on the Goddesses of Spring as that is the current season where I live.

I’ll keep this book out the entire year, and I plan on working with one Goddess a week based on the season to allow for a deeper relationship with each. I am really enjoying being introduced to Goddesses with whom I wasn’t aware of such as Vila (Spring), Oshun (Summer), Ungnyeo (Fall), and Aida Wedo (Winter). I also welcomed reconnecting with some of my favorites such as Tara (Spring), Selena (Summer), Baba Yago (Fall), and Brigit (Winter). 

The book has a very brief introduction for each season before profiling the 13 Goddesses. There is a short description of the Goddess followed by an exercise to work with the Goddess and a related affirmation.

Thalia Took’s illustrations remind me of beautifully colored woodcuts that greatly enhance the writings. As the author is also an artist, I thought it a great testimony to Took’s talent that Nancy chose her to illustrate the book rather than doing so herself. I absolutely loved the illustrations, some favorites were the multi-breasted Diana of Ephesus, Inanna bejeweled in stars and the moon, and Willendorf, the first time I’ve seen her portrayed in a two-dimensional with a face rather than the tiny sculpture of which I’m most familiar. 

Nancy is an artist and published author (Amulets of the Goddess: Oracle of Ancient Wisdom) who imparts a Mother Earth-based familiarity with these Goddesses in an approachable way. With Demeter, for example, we meet the Goddess whose Roman name, Cere, is where the word cereal is derived. One is encouraged to “invite Demeter to feast with you as Autumn’s light grows thin.”3 The three-line accompanying affirmation focuses on healthy food and nourishment. The illustration of Demeter shows a woman with long blonde hair resembling corn, cloaked in green.

We meet Sophia in the Winter season. As Holy Wisdom, she will “lead you to your true destiny.”4 In the Affirmation we hold “inner wisdom as my road map.”5 She is illustrated as with the almond-shaped eyes reminiscent of a Byzantine image. The yoke of her cloak is covered in similarly almond-shaped stones that mirror her eyes. 

Danu, the Great Goddess, appears in Spring. We see her in profile, rooted leaves forming her hair. All in green, her upper body and face are covered in the spirals that are most identified with Celtic art as she is the “Great Mother Goddess, from whom all Irish gods descend.”6 The affirmation calls us to embrace our power.

Summer introduces us to Yemaya, Goddess of the Sea. A dark-skinned woman, she is cloaked in a patterned batik fabric. Shells adorn her upper arm, neck, and ears. She is a “mother spirit: matron spirit of women, especially pregnant women.”7 Call on Yemaya to “release you from old beliefs, thoughts, or feelings that seem to enslave you and keep you estranged from your sacred Self.”8

As I said, this book will be a reference for all the seasons to connect with the many different Goddesses who support us on our path. The Goddess Book packs a lot of information and offers empowering affirmations. I recommend using this as a guidebook, inviting these Goddesses to become your companions as you move through your life and the wheel of the year. Meditate on them, embrace them, and accept the guidance they are providing. Blair and Took have done a wonderful job of depicting the many facets of the great Goddess and bringing them all to life.

The Lotus and the Bud, by Christopher Kilham

The Lotus and the Bud: Cannabis, Consciousness, and Yoga Practice, by Christopher S. Kilham
Park Street Press, 192 pages, 1620559404, January 2021

The Lotus and the Bud: Cannabis, Consciousness, and Yoga Practice by Christopher S. Kilham is a wonderful guide to deepening one’s explorations into the expanded states of consciousness offered through yoga practice. Unlike most texts on the practice of yoga, however, this one provides knowledge, methods, and advice about how to awaken one’s kundalini energy by combining yogic discipline with the mindful use of cannabis.

Kilham draws upon his decades of yoga practice and the accumulated experiences of his travels around the world to present a comprehensive look at how ganja – his preferred term for this plant medicine – is a perfect companion for fostering growth in the connection between mind, body, and spirit.

I heartily recommend this book for anyone seeking to cultivate an intimate, free-flowing connection with the Universe: to experience the unity of all that is. Yet, while The Lotus and the Bud is incredibly digestible and easy to read, its content is not intended for someone simply looking to spice up their yoga practice. The techniques and wisdom that Kilham offers are geared toward a holistic shift in one’s life.

“In my fifty years of daily practice, I have come to regard yoga as a cosmic current of pure wisdom consciousness that runs through human history. . . Yoga does not choose us because we are special in any manner, but simply suitable for the task of carrying illumination forward.”1

What Kilham presents in The Lotus and the Bud is not merely for the sake of relieving pain, strengthening the body, or calming the mind. Although the practices found in the book can accomplish these ends to a superb degree, the true power of the techniques lies in realizing ultimate oneness with the Universe, and revealing that truth through our daily lives.

He emphatically urges the reader that stepping onto the yoga mat means bringing your whole self to the party: coming to your practice with sincerity, respect, and determination. This naturally entails that you should never infuse with ganja to the extent that you lose the focus and intent of your practice. Being thoroughly baked is good for a cake, not so much for a yogi.

In the first section of the book, and scattered throughout the rest of the text, is an account of Kilham’s own yogic journey, including the insights he learned along the way from teachers, gurus, and his experiences with psychoactive substances and plant medicines. One of the most interesting aspects of this introduction to Kilham’s story is how he navigated the (sometimes treacherous) waters of gurus when he was a young man, learning to discern true teachers from self-serving frauds.

Here, and throughout The Lotus and the Bud, the reader will find many amusing and intriguing quotes about cannabis and its use. These quotes come from people spanning all of history, as well as the present day: from music icons, to U. S. presidents, to Middle Eastern folklore and mythology. My favorite is from Stephen Gray:

“When someone first smokes cannabis, and the conditions are right, something remarkable and concerning happens. . . The user is suddenly thrust upon a world of wonder, relaxation, humor, passion, creativity, and perhaps even gnosis.”2

The book winds its way through the history, cultural milieu, and spiritual significance of yoga and cannabis, each with its own dedicated section. Kilham provides a succinct overview of the chakras and the general essence of yogic practice. His purpose is not to provide a full treatise on yoga and its practice, but he does well in establishing the groundwork so that even a yoga novitiate can understand the guiding principles. In a similar vein, Kilham presents a brief, multicultural account of cannabis, its use throughout history, and defends its validity as a medicinal herb.

What I enjoyed most about these informative sections is the frequent inclusion of mythology. In fact, the reader will learn that, in Hindu culture, yoga and cannabis have one and the same origin – the god Siva. Even in ancient times, these people recognized that yoga and ganja were a match made in heaven, both presented as gifts to humanity so that we might experience “absorption into limitless and unfathomable spirit.”3

As with any mythological viewpoint, one doesn’t need to share a literal belief about the origin of these gifts, but I think it creates a beautiful link between past and present, especially after cannabis was so fiercely attacked and regulated in more recent eras. Our recent (re)discovery of the beneficial nature of ganja, in particular, and its potent combination with yoga is rightly seen as a continuation of physical, mental, and spiritual explorations that have gone on throughout human history.

Kilham also is also very good at weaving in the current scientific investigations and discoveries with the historical narrative of ganja. The recent findings about the body’s endocannabinoid system reveal that it has the ability to affect almost every other system and organ. Kilham observes that infusing ganja into yoga practice allows one to better tune in to the flow of energy within the body. Since the endocannabinoid system assists in holistic regulation of the body, Kilham thinks its functions correspond to the activity of the energetic body: notably, the chakra energy centers.

The second half of the book contains more direct guidance from Kilham about the proper attitudes and helpful techniques that will make the most of your ganja-yoga experience. One piece of advice that I’d never heard before was to focus on feeling rather than visualizing during yoga. Although visualization can be helpful in expanding your awareness of the body’s energetic flow, Kilham’s experience suggests that feeling into what’s taking place in your corporeal form is a path of direct access to your energetic state. He also covers the gamut of methods for infusing with cannabis, and presents good reasons why some are better for this practice than others.

Finally, Kilham goes through a fair number of yoga asanas, meditation, and relaxation techniques that he recommends specifically for expanding your kundalini energy. For each of these, he provides clear and simple instructions as well as a list of mental and physical benefits.

In all, I found The Lotus and the Bud as a surprisingly comprehensive dive into the beautiful and beneficial relationship between ganja and yoga. Kilham brings a bounty of learning to the table, using both academic research and life experience to convey the wisdom found in the marriage between the lotus and the bud. Although it will take time and dedication to unlock the full splendor of Siva’s gifts, the journey sounds well-worth the effort.

Heal Your Ancestors to Heal Your Life, by Shelly Kaehr

Heal Your Ancestors to Heal Your Life: The Transformative Power of Genealogical Regression, by Shelly A. Kaehr, PhD
Llewellyn Publications, 0738764511, 191 pages, March 2021

How much power or influence do your ancestors have over your current life? Some people say that they got their talent for music from their great-grandfather, or their ability to cook from their maternal family of stellar cooks. We tend to easily attribute talents to our ancestors. But, can ancestors have a connection to a physical ailment that you have? How about a personality trait such as a tendency to worry?

In her book, Heal Your Ancestors to Heal Your Life: The Transformative Power of Genealogical Regression, Dr. Shelly Kaehr explores how working with your ancestors through past-life regression can help you heal your life. The book differs from others I’ve read on past-life regression because the focus of this book is not so much on one’s own past-life regression to one’s previous lives, but rather a past-life regression to experience what one’s ancestors experienced in their lives. “By sending healing light through the family tree, clients positively affected not only their own well-being but the lives and future happiness of everyone in their family.”1

Shelley has decades of experience as a past-life regressionist. A previously published author of Past Lives with Pets and Meet Your Karma: The Healing Power of Past Life Memories, she is well-poised to write on this topic. She developed her own method of past-life regression to connect with ancestors and to experience their “struggles and turmoil, triumphs and tragedies.”2 She writes on how we can take the knowledge gained from working with our ancestors to not only heal our current challenges, physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual but also help our ancestors heal while also helping future generations in our families to feel a light of “loving kindness.”3 Remarkably, she also details how those who were adopted can connect with their blood ancestors. 

The book is divided into three parts: Genealogical Regression Overview, Case Studies, and Guided Journeys, which contains exercises. The book concludes with a bibliography and a list of genealogical and DNA resources.

Genealogical Regression Overview is the shortest section of the book, but it formed the basis of the remainder of the book. Shelley writes about Carl Jung and the collective consciousness as well as “behaviors that seem to be transmitted through the collective consciousness and DNA…”4 For me, this section melded college psychology course work that I had long forgotten about with ancestors and past-life regression — a connection that I hadn’t made until now. As Shelley writes, “We have energetic ties to the past, where we’re consciously aware of them or not. Every single soul who has come before us and all who will continue on when we’ve crossed over are part of our cells.”5

Part 2, Case Studies, provides just that – various case studies on which Shelley has worked over the years. What was unique to these case studies, compared to those I’ve read in other books on past-life regression, is how the outcomes were related to ancestral trauma, events, and even illness. The case studies focus on physical healing, emotional, and spiritual healing, plus curses and vows. While, as Shelley notes, the “past-life regression cannot alleviate illness,” it can become “a tool to help the cognitive aspect of the client to come to terms with what’s happened and gain the strength and acceptance to accept what is and to go forward with healing intentions.”6

Two case studies especially resonated with me. The first was that of Dana who worried constantly. It was a relief to read that “some people are genetically predisposed to worry.”7 I come from a family of worriers on my mother’s maternal side. “The undercurrent of fear is a quite prevalent emotion to pass down through the generations.”8 Dana regressed to visit a great-great-great-grandfather who suffered a violent act. Through the regression she was able to bring a healing light over the man, releasing him from his pain. 

The second case study that touched me was Eugene and the Evil Eye. Shelley writes that she became involved with helping people remove curses accidentally. As a woman whose ancestral family hails from southern Italy, namely Benevento, where the witches were thought to gather, I grew up quite familiar with the curse of the Evil Eye. In my family this was nothing to be scoffed at, especially for the generations to which my grandparents and great-grandparents belonged. Through Shelley’s past-life regression, Eugene was able to help remove a family curse, which whether real or perceived was affecting Eugene. 

The final section, Guided Journeys, allows the reader to participate in exercises for their own healing and that of their family and ancestors. Shelley writes that it’s best to do past-life regressions with a professional if one is able. However, the exercises that she included in the book can be done on one’s own. She recommends recording one’s regression to listen to later. I tried a few and found it helpful to record the words of exercise in my own voice to guide myself in the process. I also recorded what I had to say during the session. While not wanting to reveal details, I found the exercises illuminating and well worth the time to invest in journeying. 

This section has three parts. There is one on working with your mother and your maternal lineage and one on working with your father and your paternal lineage. She provides ways for an adoptee to connect with one’s birth mother and birth father and also ways for one to connect with ancestors of one’s adopted mother and adopted father. The last part deals with cord cutting and soul retrieval, as well as visiting future generations of one’s part.

What I liked most about this section is that one does not enter into a past-life regression alone; one is always accompanied by an angel who provides healing light and guidance. As Shelley reminds the reader, during these exercises one encounters the higher selves of our parents and ancestors – the “most evolved aspects of their souls.”9 It removed the judgement to read:

“The higher self (of one’s parent) is calm and neutral, loves you unconditionally, and has come to your soul journey in your current life for very real and meaningful reasons that always contribute to your highest and best, even if their real-life actions don’t ways seem that way.”10

I found Heal Your Ancestors to Heal Your Life very, very interesting. It introduced me to the concept of connecting with one’s ancestors through past-life regression to assist in present-day healing. The case studies were detailed, and the exercises covered a wide range of topics. There’s something for everyone in this book who wants to dip a toe into ancestral past-life regression. I highly recommend this book to those who are just being introduced to the concept of past-life regression as well as those who are familiar with the concept.