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The Witch at the Forest’s Edge, by Christine Grace

The Witch at the Forest’s Edge: Thirteen Keys to Modern Witchcraft, by Christine Grace
Weiser Books, 9781578637584, 224 pages, November 2021

“I stand in the meadow, at the forest’s edge. One step forward and I will straddle the boundary between fading light in the swaying grass and rich darkness in the woods. One more step and I will be immersed in the nighttime world of southern, hardwood forest. My home lay behind me, the wild magic ahead. I am the witch at the forest’s edge.”1

The Witch at the Forest’s Edge: Thirteen Keys to Modern Witchcraft by Christine Grace is an immersive and deep dive into the world of the modern witch. Grace’s theology studies shine through with informed practices and cross section references to other spiritual practices. The philosophies and method of study contained within this book provide the reader with a sampling of the tried and tested teachings that are foundational within The Forest’s Edge Tradition, co-founded by Grace in 2011. 

“The essence of the Forest’s Edge way is to honor the specificity of the individual, while holding that each witch is fully themselves only within the web of human and other relationships in which we live and have our being.”2

I appreciated the “How to Use This Book” and “Self-Assessment” sections of the Introduction. Knowing the “how” and the “why” align deeply with the overall intentions of this book. These emphasize the ultimate goal of the modern witch to develop as one who finds their way through deep reflection, deep practice and a slow and often self-guided approach to cultivating the individual’s personal growth in the practice of witchery. All of the tools required for that intention are found within the pages of The Witch at the Forest’s Edge: Thirteen Keys to Modern Witchcraft.

The book is separated into thirteen chapters. The formatting of these chapters allows the reader to flow easily through a methodical and well-designed approach towards cultivating their own practice of modern witchcraft. “Communing with Spirits” (chapter two), “Cultivating Spirit Senses” (chapter four), “Divination” (chapter eight) and “Spellcraft” (chapter twelve) are some of the topics included for deeper exploration.

Additionally, each chapter contains sections with related content for reflection and another for actual practice. The “Resources” that conclude the book are thoughtfully aligned by chapter and rich in specifically curated titles of depth and substance.

Grace offered some practical insight in chapter one, “Worldview and Spirituality”, which spoke as a lovely fusion of her spiritual practice and her training as a counselor:

“It is one thing to give an intellectual assent to the ideas and practices outlined in this book. But will you do the work? . . . In order to identify and develop perceptions of the sacred and the many influences at work in ourselves, and our environment, we need both study and practice.  Once a practitioner has actually experienced something that they learned or formed in study, it takes on new life and deeper meaning unique to that individual. Without study, we may not be inspired to practice with depth; without practice, we cannot fully understand our study.”3

This approach is clearly evident throughout the pages of The Witch at the Forest’s Edge; each chapter is complete with opportunities for study of the related skills and guidance for practice of these newfound concepts. As stated by Grace, the power lay in the interweaving of the two as the reader begins to build a strong foundation of witchery. 

I was particularly drawn to chapter seven, “Hedgeriding”.

“Hedgeriders follow in the ancient tradition of magical practitioners who live with one foot in this world and one foot in the Otherworld. The Otherworld is the multilayered realms of fae, ancestors, gods and innumerable other spirits. Hedgeriding is a means to release part of our consciousness from this world and travel, spiritually, into the Otherworld to engage with spirits, gather new knowledge, hone magical skills and create change.”4

There is an abundance of information about the use of the word “hedgeriding” in this chapter, both in general terms and as it applies to The Forest’s Edge tradition. And, with the primary focus being that of moving between the worlds and liminal space, this chapter is ripe with suggestions for the practice of hedgeriding through guided meditation and visualization and incorporates a step by step process to allow the reader to find their correct path of resonance into the astral:

“At its core, hedgeriding is a deeply altered state of consciousness and both mental and physical.”5

Another chapter of note was chapter thirteen, “Magical Ethics”. There is much debate in the pagan community about the ethics of baneful magic and the harm or healing it may do, if thought ethical to practice at all. This chapter speaks clearly to what the responsibilities and the allowing of free will, individual power and choice are for those who embrace a witchery that is rooted in traditional witchcraft as practiced by The Forest’s Edge tradition.

“Traditional witchcraft does not forbid any spellcraft or magical practices. We cultivate the skill to both hex and heal as needed, as all of existence contains this sort of ebb and flow.”6

There is a generous amount of thought provoking statements and the “Reflection” section of this chapter is one that should be given deep consideration in the formation of the individual’s personal ethics. This is preceded by Grace providing the reader with “An Ethical Structure”, that allows for a methodical approach to ethics within the craft and ways of organizing your thoughts.  

The closing section of the book feels like a loving gift of support and encouragement from Grace to the reader. She offers a bolster of confidence that is infused with the underpinnings of some of the philosophies presented throughout her book; there is no right or wrong way of practice, the work of the craft is demanding and difficult, and although at times progress may feel slowed, the path of the witch is always rewarding when you remain true to yourself. 

“Don’t fear the cycles of practice. The time and energy that you devote to your craft will wax and wane and shapeshift through the seasons of your life.  It doesn’t make you less of a witch. You are just living the cycles, like the rest of nature. The magic is yours, a witch unto yourself. You are beholden to no one but connected to many as you stand at the forest’s edge.”7

The Witch at the Forest’s Edge is a handbook into the world of modern witchcraft founded on the teachings of a practicing tradition. Regardless of what or if the reader claims as their own practices within the craft to explore and build upon, the take away from the reading of this title is one of greater clarity about the possibilities of taking the journey of the Witch.

As is true of the mysteries of weaving one’s magic, the content is layered between word and practice, between experience and integration; and, as such it should also be understood that a single reading of The Witch at the Forest’s Edge provides only one layer of understanding. This is a title that will become the reader’s reference guide. Much like fine wine, as the studies age, so does the deepening of the practice, becoming the way in which (Witch) the practitioner lives their magical and mundane life.

The Wanderer’s Tarot, by Casy Zabala

The Wanderer’s Tarot, by Casey Zabala
Weiser Books, 1578637597, November 2021

There is room for everyone to improve in life, but sometimes we don’t know where to start. The Wanderer’s Tarot by Casey Zabala appears to be an amazing jumping-off point for this particular activity; only time will tell, and I doubt time will prove this observation wrong. Casey Zabala is a creator after my own heart, believing in divination as a means of healing self-discovery and personal empowerment. Her deck, The Wanderer’s Tarot, is a tool I will be keeping in rotation for a long time.

This box is just superb! The design is simple, but the sleek all black design with white text is inviting. The artwork present is barebones, but alluring. The picture on the back made me immediately paw through the cards to see which card art inspired it (it’s the Wanderer of Stones).

The spine is completely blank: there’s no name, no doodles, just black inky nothingness, which I only see as an issue if you display your decks on a shelf of any kind with spines facing out. But then again, you could resolve this issue with a sticky tab or, dare I say, writing on the box yourself! The opening mechanism is a hinge style clam-like lid. Now, I wouldn’t go shaking it about, but it stays quite secure. I would trust this box to protect the cards on the go if you take a deck with you.

Now onto the cards themselves. The card stock is great. They have a good amount of give without feeling thin and aren’t obnoxiously thick, I have small hands so card sizing is very important to me in a deck. If I can’t shuffle the deck, I’m less likely to use it and will then feel bad about neglecting it.

The cards were thankfully held together not by plastic but rather by a simple black paper band that I was able to slide back on after removing if I was careful… up until the point where I stepped on the band like a goofus. Off topic, so let’s get back on track with the edges of these bad boys. They are so shiny! I have in the past gone out of my way to color the edges of some of my other decks, but these cards came pre-treated with a shiny silver, and I am in love to a degree.

On flip through, the cards stuck together much more than usual, and my hands came away with a faint dusting of silver the first few times of handling. This silver is a gorgeous contrast to the solid black background of these cards. The backs lend themselves well to reading reversals. The circle in the middle with lines radiating off of it gives me “light at the end of the tunnel” vibes, and I like that a lot. These cards are a bit wider than your standard deck but it is still very shuffle-able.

Reading with these cards is a bit tricky though. The numbering for both the majors and the minors are not consistently placed, so I find myself looking for the numbers or names on some cards. I do, however, appreciate that the majors don’t use the traditional roman numerals and the minors are denoted by tally marks only.

It makes you think a little when doing a reading, and that’s kind of the whole point of the deck: diving deeper into the mind and self to better your existence. The minor arcana is drawn in a very pip like style which, in my mind, would prove a bit hard for a new reader to understand as there isn’t any of the traditional RWS context images to help them out.

We’re gonna talk about that smell now. This is my biggest problem with this deck. Trying to riffle shuffle them the first time made it more obvious than when just holding it. If smells trigger any issues of yours, let these cards air out. Set them on a window sill or a table spread out for a few days, otherwise you will not have a fun time. Do the same with the box, leave it open before storing them.

Enough tough talk, let’s look at the guidebook. The book isn’t so much a book as it is a pamphlet with quick info on the cards. Zabala makes it pretty clear that we’re supposed to sit with these cards and come up with our own personal meanings and really suss out how these cards make us feel when they come up, rather than treat the guide like it’s some kind of god.

Our major arcana cards get a few keywords apiece, which is pretty standard fare. The minor arcana got an interesting treatment though. The only bits that get any kind of in-depth meaning is the suits and court cards, as they were changed for this deck. Pentacles are now Stones, Swords are Knives, Wands to Feathers, and Cups to Moons. There is a short explanation of each of the suits on their own panel.

But the truly interesting part is how the numbered minor arcana are treated. We get a numerology cheat sheet of sorts that we have to pair with the traits of the suits to get our meaning. The courts are a bit tricky; they feel like their own entity completely divorced from the RWS courts. I couldn’t figure out a one-to-one correspondence, so here they are for you to decide: Philosopher, Goddess, Prophet, and Wanderer. I won’t say anymore on them as I feel you should pick up this deck to sate that curiosity and support the creator yourself.

There is an option to purchase a more in-depth book from their shop for $20 USD. I would suggest picking up the book with this deck, even though I haven’t had a chance to read it yet. In the description of the item it says there are spreads, in-depth meanings plus reversals, and a brief history of the tarot in the big book. As of writing this, the full guidebook is out of stock on Zabala’s shop, but here’s a link to the book itself anyway for your viewing pleasure.

The sheer amount of self-reflection I’ve been forced to do with this deck is unreal. From the moment I pulled my first card, it was already reading me to filth. There is a brutal honesty in these cards that most of my other decks also have with me, so I guess that’s just how I get messages best. Tell me straight up — no sugar coating, hit meh!

While I don’t feel any more connected to the wider world around me through the work I’ve done with these cards, I feel more grounded in myself. I’m setting down roots that I need to start reaching for the cosmic truths this deck wants to throw at me. So, if you pick this one up, get ready for a journey cause you’ll be going on one whether you think you want to or not.

The Wanderer’s Tarot holds lessons that I think everyone should hear regardless of how you identify, and I would love to say everyone should pick up a copy, but I can’t. Are you open to looking into yourself? Can you admit to yourself that things need to change and are you capable of enacting those changes? If the answer to any of those questions is “no”, then this is not for you at this time. This change is what the deck wants for me and what it will want for you. It will make you think, it will tell you the same thing as many times as it takes to get you to do something about it. It will fight you FOR you to ensure growth is happening.

Wild Soul Runes, by Lara Veleda Vesta

Wild Soul Runes: Reawakening the Ancestral Feminine, by Lara Veleda Vesta
Weiser Books, 9781578637393, 208 pages, May 2021

Lara Veleda Vesta’s book Wild Soul Runes: Reawakening the Feminine is not just another book that lists the various runes and provides meanings for them. Well, it does, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that this is “just another book” about runes, because it isn’t. This, my friends, is a 33-week course disguised as a book and is almost impossible to put down.

Vesta is an artist, author, storyteller and educator transforming chronic illness into a path of healing and reclaiming. The author and illustrator of The Moon Divas Guidebook and The Moon Divas Oracle, Vesta is currently working toward her PhD in Philosophy and Religion while exploring ancestral connection and disability as initiation. Wild Soul Runes is a journey towards a deeper understanding of runes and their magic, as well as an opportunity to reconnect with ancestral energy while exploring personal sovereignty within the framework of spirituality.

Personally, runes have always both fascinated and bewildered me. I want very much to connect with them but have found it difficult, as there are so many books and courses that provide conflicting information on how to interpret, when to read, and even how to choose a set. Vesta’s book doesn’t provide a set series of steps to follow; instead, she offers “a scaffold, information, recommendations, and a theory based in my own ritual relationship with the runes.”1 How refreshing!

What I love about this book is the sense of inclusion: Vesta believes that all people should have access to runes and their teachings:

“The basis for this practice is the belief that we can all receive direct, divine information. It is not just for a few special people – it is the birthright of all humans. We are so inured to the idea that information must come through specific authorities, we have forgotten how to cultivate our own inner knowing, activate our ancestral magic, and believe in this direct communication.”2

The first section of the book is simply titled “Beginning the Work” and sets out the framework for the teachings. Set over the course of 33 weeks, Vesta recommends working with one rune per week and describes the practice as something that “consists of building a rune altar each week, examining the ancient rune poems, investigating personal translation, employing meditation and sacred art practice, and toning the runes in a rhythm.”3

Vesta also speaks to the importance of a daily ritual and recommends starting with ten minutes a day. She says that this amount of time can expand as needed but starting with a non-negotiable time frame of ten minutes is necessary for consistency. She also acknowledges that working with the runes requires a certain amount of personal alignment and clarifies:

“If you have things in your life that are out of integrity, places where you are not being honest; are resisting change; or are not letting go based on fear, guilt, shame, or another patterned emotion, the runes will seek to clarify your path before deepening into relationship.”4

That gave me pause. When I looked back at the times I tried working with runes, I realized that those were the times in my life where I was struggling to bring an aspect of my life back into balance. In one case, I was working a job that paid well but didn’t fulfill me. I felt heavy each day going into work, and while I was good at my job, I felt empty. Looking back now, it makes sense that the runes would want a safe foundation upon which to build, something I didn’t have at that time.

In writing this book, Vesta felt called to look up certain words to get a sense of what the runes were trying to say. This is partly where some of the confusion comes from across multiple sources of information, as there is no dictionary and the language most of the reference materials are written in does not exist anymore. Vesta explains:

“There is no definitive source that spells it out clearly. We are missing the historical context of the runes, the culture and society from which they came. Our source materials have been mostly rewritten and translated. Those translators – even those with a deep understanding of ancient grammar and culture – still rely on inference and, like so much in translation, judgment. In translation a word may have many meanings, so a translator makes a judgment based sometimes on deep knowledge but other times for poetic purpose or personal interpretation. When we read a translation, especially of an ancient primary source in a language no longer spoken – like Old Anglo-Saxon – we are reading such an interpretation.”5

This book has done a lot to dispel some of the confusion I’ve had around runes and why I’ve felt that they don’t like me. While I haven’t had a chance as yet to go through the 33-week course, I do plan on doing that, as I feel a pull to access some of my deeper ancestral knowledge and recognize this path might be a good way to establish a connection. 

Written in a comfortable, easy to read voice, Vesta has done a great job in making the sometimes confusing and temperamental divination system known as runes more accessible. For me, Wild Soul Runes has opened my eyes to a gentler way to access my personal gnosis and to not take it personally when the runes decide that today isn’t the day to solve every single one of my problems. This book is perfect for someone who seeks to connect to the runes and wants to explore that possibility using a slow-paced, buildable process that empowers as well as educates. 

Hoodoo Justice Magic, by Miss Aida

Hoodoo Justice Magic: Spells for Power, Protection and Righteous Vindication, by Miss Aida
Weiser Books, 1578637562, 288 pages, November 2021

Why do so many magical practitioners shy away from getting their hands dirty with messy spellwork – the spellwork meant to curse, hex, harm, and eliminate those who perpetuate injustice? I am not a Hoodoo practitioner, nor do I lean towards baneful magic, but Hoodoo Justice Magic: Spells for Power, Protection, and Righteous Vindication by Miss Aida was calling to me. I felt the need to add some protection to my arsenal of magic, and by selecting this book, I was given an entire army of spells, metaphorically speaking, to fight for and defend myself.

Reading the contents of this book made me feel tough as nails. And this armor was probably necessary, as it can get pretty gruesome. Miss Aida is fierce, and she doesn’t pamper her readers with gentle counsel. You really need to be ready to delve into gritty topics of body fluids and revenge, but with her guidance you’ll have enough know-how to implement successful spellwork.

But what gives grounds for the use of justice magic? Miss Aida explains:

“Sadly, not everyone is guided by moral principles but instead may value power, status, wealth, notoriety, and/or gratifying their own desires. These people believe they are entitled to whatever they wish without having to work for it, and they can and will act out that belief at any cost and without regard for others. They are immoral people.”1

Therefore, those who suffer the consequences of these people need to have their own means of defense and protection. Reading this introduction to the text was a reminder to me that sometimes magical means are necessary to combat injustice, and I appreciated the list of “Immortal Tactics” that describes how this injustice is perpetuated, ranging from deception to theft to physical and emotional abuse.

However, even though I’d come to see the necessity of justice magic, I will admit opening to the concept and spellwork took a bit of de-conditioning. The idea of the meek inheriting the earth and turning the other cheek seems to run deep in my psyche, and though some might deny it, I believe this is true for many magical practitioners.

Miss Aida turned these notions upside for me by including many psalms and prayers, such as The Apostle’s Creed and Hail Mary as part of the spellwork. She notes that retributive Psalm 109 is estimated by historians to date back to 1060 BC, and therefore concludes “The proof of magical payback is right in our very own Holy Bible.”2

Despite being raised Catholic, as I read these verses through a justice magic perspective, for the first time I began to feel the strength and agency within the words. There’s even a section in the chapter “Spells for Justified Curing and Hexing of Your Enemies” that describes how to curse through prayer!

These aren’t the only tools Miss Aidea provides for justice magic though – oh no, this book is filled with tips and techniques ranging from candle magic to insect magic. (Yes, insect magic! I had never realized the power ants have to destroy relationships with the proper spellwork.) Her advice on candle magic is some of the best that I’ve ever read, and the book is honestly worth reading for that chapter alone.

Constantly while reading, I was reminded of the necessity of working with what’s available as a foundation in Hoodoo tradition. While some spells require a bit more preparatory work or specific ingredients, Miss Aida gives tons and tons of options for achieving one’s means quickly and with what is on hand. However, this doesn’t mean this type of magic should be performed willy nilly or immediately just because one feels slighted.

Miss Aida gives plenty of caution about how spells can misfire, including situations where her own spellwork has led to unintended outcomes. With the nature of this type of justice magic, permanent physical damage, even death, can result. Miss Aida reminds practitioners the retaliation should always be equal to what is being done by the perpetrator, and that it is best to wait while deciding if the magic is worth one’s time, energy, and supplies before casting any spells.

These bits of guidance from Miss Adia, along with detailed advice on how to prepare one’s magical space for the work and clear energy afterwards, go a long way in keeping practitioners safe while engaging in this work. I particularly enjoyed the chapter “What’s Your Strategy?” where she lays out seven steps for this work, which help one to discern how and when to pursue justice magic.

Miss Aida covers a lot in these steps, from proper timing to do’s and don’ts of summoning entities. She also does a great job conveying the importance of intention and provides prompts for one to consider when crafting their petition or request to make it as specific as possible, leaving little room for unintended consequences.

I don’t think of myself as a very spiteful person, but reading through some of the spells, such as “Gag the Gossip” and “Dog Doom”, which includes dog poop as a spell ingredient, got me thinking about some people I’d like to try these out on. Honestly, I probably won’t perform them in the near-future, but just knowing I can always pull from this book makes me feel more confident that I can take care of myself through magical means if necessary.

Hoodoo Justice Magic seriously seems to have a spell for just about every defensive, protective, and vengeful aim one might want to pursue. Chapter topic includes sending enemies away, binding enemies, cursing and hexing, and breaking up relationships. But it’s not a “how-to” manual. Miss Aida writes as though she’s right there next to you, giving you small tips and reminders from her personal experience.

One example of this is when writing about a sweetening spell, she describes how it might make one have positive feelings or thoughts towards you, but it doesn’t necessarily promote action and therefore additional spellwork may be required. That little gem of wisdom is valuable to know if one chooses to do that type of spellwork.

Where her expertise really shines in the area of using ingredients for spellwork that are often considered taboo, such as bodily fluids or excrements. From vomit to semen, Miss Aida teaches how these can be potent facilitators of energy for magic. And she really ensures, to the best of her ability as an author, that a practitioner will not harm themselves in the process of performing justice magic.

When discussing gathering items that contain the DNA of one’s target of the spellwork, she reminds the reader to never let the item also have their own DNA on it. Other practical tips include how to obtain, refrigerate, and store secretions. It’s all quite interesting, especially the section on dominating others through your own urine. There’s even a good deal of information on how to gather graveyard dirt.

While all these items are common for Miss Aida’s Hoodoo practice, for me this opened up a whole new world. While at times I felt a bit icky about things, reading about how to use natural waste and human fluids in my magic actually made me feel more at ease with my own human nature. I found myself saying “Yuck!” less and instead wondering, “How could I use this as a magical ingredient?” It’s really eye-opening to see how much goes to waste that holds magical potency. Miss Aida has a way of shining light on the magic within the mundane.

All in all, Hoodoo Justice Magic is a book I am thrilled to add to my collection. It’s out of my comfort zone in so many ways, but Miss Aida has done a wonderful job of making the spellwork accessible to all levels. I feel like I will be less scared to shy away from needed confrontation and more willing to take justice in my own hands when necessary because of the knowledge this book has given me. It’s by far the best book on defensive and protective magic that I’ve ever read, and I highly recommend it to those seeking to expand their repertoire of spellwork.

Earth Energy Meditations, by Susan Shumsky, DD

Earth Energy Meditations: Awaken Your Root Chakra – The Foundation of Well-Being, by Susan Shumsky, DD
Weiser Books, 978 157863 703 4, 224 pages, 2021

In her book Earth Energy Meditations: Awaken Your Root Chakra – The Foundation of Well-Being, Susan Shumsky sets the stage for personal work on a level that is both sustainable and achievable. A highly respected teacher, author, and founder of Divine Revelation, Shumsky’s goal is to educate those who feel called to explore their chakras and learn how to both bring them into and keep them in balance. Beginning with the first chakra, known as the root chakra, Shumsky shows how to reconnect with the earth and humanity through a series of readings and meditations.

Real talk: I have a hard time with meditating, simply because of the guilt that arises each time I try and sit and do ‘nothing’. I think we all have a degree of that sense of ‘I should be doing something productive instead of sitting here breathing’ and for me, I find I spend more time fighting that than actually visualizing the sphere of light or whatever I am supposed to be focused on. I do my best to stick with it as I understand the benefits, but I’ve never been able to do it for any great length of time.

Knowing this, Shumsky chose to take a different approach using the introduction section of the book. She explains that the book contains a series of guided meditations, carefully written out with pauses built in and encourages the reader to record their own voice. Jumping ahead in the book is discouraged, however. Shumsky says, “The book is written in a particular order to help you gain increasing strength and integrity. So it is best to practice these meditations in the order they are written.”1

Despite that, there is a provision for those who wish to explore a specific topic in their meditation, and Shumsky encourages focusing on the related chapter. With chapters on such topics as healing ancestral entities, developing inner wisdom, and living your truth to name a few, it’s easy to see how one might want to dive into a later chapter that could offer more of a robust lesson in meditation.

Personally, I did something I never do: I started at the beginning and worked my way through the book as directed. I recorded my own voice as suggested and did my best to try and relax and breathe through the various stress-filled moments where I felt like I should be doing laundry or cleaning or something more important. I think a big part of meditation is learning how to put yourself first, and that idea of putting myself before other things been something that has not come easily or naturally to me.

One meditation that completely resonated with me to the point of tears is around releasing your false self. Shumsky says:

“Human being generally identify themselves with the false self, a.k.a. the ego – limited and bound by ignorance. When I say “ego”, I am not referring to “egotism” or being “egotistical”. I am referring to how you define yourself, i.e, who or what you imagine yourself to be.”2

After the passage, Shumsky then asks the reader to record the affirmation that follows in a strong voice with conviction and I have to tell you, this specific affirmation worked wonders for me. I am not much for the ‘love and light’ crowd as I feel deeply that things need to be balanced and too often we strive for that balance on the side of lightness. There is something to be said for coming to a deep realization that we are beyond what our conscious mind believes.

Meditating and working with the root chakra unlocks a bunch of hidden stuff that can either be allowed to overtake you or can be used to gently strip away that which is no longer needed. Personally, I like shadow work in all forms and I liken this book to that practice completely. Learning how to connect and ground through simple mantras and other techniques is incredibly helpful for times when I need something concrete to hold onto. In the middle of a panic attack, I don’t have to think about too much outside of deep breaths and palms pressed together. That to me is a comfort. As I become more practiced, perhaps other techniques will surface for me to use but for now, this works brilliantly.

Shumsky writes with a practiced ease and answers questions you didn’t know you had until you started reading. Her style is open and gentle and is both accessible and reachable in terms of who can practice. There is no feeling of needing to catch up nor is there any shaming if you aren’t able to perform the simplest of meditations. This is meant for the reader to experience as they will and is not meant as another tool with which to beat yourself up over.

Anyone interested in learning chakras but feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing would do well to read Earth Energy Meditations. I am very much for foundational readings, and, as this book covers the root chakra, this is a great place to start. The writing is approachable and the book itself set up into chapters that clearly identifies what specific area is being explored. I would caution that some of this work gets a bit heavy and if you find yourself sinking too deeply, there is no shame in reaching out for help. Asking for guidance is an act of bravery and does not mean you are unable to look after yourself. We all need help from time to time and the best way you can show yourself how much you love yourself is by getting the help you need.

The Relative Tarot, by Carrie Paris

The Relative Tarot: Your Ancestral Blueprint for Self-Discovery, by Carrie Paris
Weiser Books, 1578637627, 96 pages, 82 cards, November 2021

Ancestry has been a prominent theme for me this November. I’ve taken an ancestral astrology class, while also curating book club questions on Hiero for Badass Ancestors. The Relative Tarot: Your Ancestral Blueprint for Self-Discovery by Carrie Paris came along in perfect harmony with these other happenings. So far, it’s one of the most unique tarot decks that I’ve ever worked with. I’m just loving the bridge it opens between past, present, and future.

And this is exactly what Carrie Paris does best, as her work often allows for divination across the barriers of time and space. She holds a Masters in the Cultural Study of Cosmology and Divination from the University of Kent, UK. Paris also has recently published Generations Oracle with Lisa Bonnice, which uses casting pieces, such as charms and coins based on the Lenormand Oracle, and a pendulum to connect with ancestors.

One of my favorite divination systems created by Paris is the Magpie Oracle, which uses small charms to cast divinations. I’ve always found her approach to divination very out of the box. It’s refreshing to have new ways to connect with spirit, and it’s clear Paris puts a lot of thoughtfulness into her creations.

The methodology for The Relative Tarot is just as unique. Paris asked her readers to send her photographs of their ancestors, and thus this deck was born of their images and stories. Initially, she planned for it to only be Majors and Court cards, but she received so many portraits and requests to be included that she decided to also include the Minor cards as well.

A sturdy box holds the cards. It has a side-flap for easy opening. Right when flipping it open, a mysterious woman with a mask and wings catches the eye, piquing intrigue and igniting curiosity in the reader. The potency of the deck can be felt as a glittering shimmer of magic that is decades old, now recreated to continue to flow through the veins of time.

The cards are absolutely stunning with their golden edges and beautifully crafted imagery. Old photographs are laid over colorful starry backgrounds with traditional tarot symbolism intermixed too. They feel of a different time, and this out of the ordinary sensation heightens the connection to the slip-space in the cracks of time, where intuition shines.

As I look through the cards, I wonder who these people were and what their story was. It’s like discovering a treasure chest of photographs in the attic, enchanted with memories, hopes, and wishes. You can see the personality of all the ancestral relatives on these cards shining through the looks in their eyes.

I am someone who enjoys historical non-fiction books because I enjoy the sensation of putting myself in someone else’s shoes and seeing what their life was like to live. I listen to their story and then integrate it into my own life, filled with the wisdom of those I have taken the time to learn more about. I feel like this deck gives me the ability to do this, only now these relatives are guiding me in regard to my spiritual path and potential future outcomes.

However, The Relative Tarot is not like a usual tarot deck, and as soon as you look at the guidebook you will see this. This deck is intended to help the reader “to create a divine Tarot Blueprint that will illuminate who you are, and what you’re here to do.”1 Paris writes this deck was created to experience your soul’s truth through an ancestral filter, helping one to see how ancestral influence is affecting one’s personal evolution and ancestral line.

Paris uses three types of cards for this ancestral and self-discovery method: Birth Cards, Annual Cards, and Significator Cards. Birth Cards are Major Arcana cards that represent one’s soul expression, including their personality, core ideals, challenges, unconscious urges, and ancestral agenda.2 Annual cards are also Major Arcana cards, but these change each year, offering a glimpse of the energies of the upcoming year, including opportunities for growth and key lessons. Then Significator Cards are Court Cards that connect the reader to their ancestral imprint, showing what might be impacting our choices and behavior.

To make it easy to navigate these calculations, Paris provides detailed instruction on how to find your cards through numerology. Then the Major and Court Cards in the deck are labeled with numbers to make pairing the cards together easier. The bottom left show the Birth Card numerological patterns and the bottom right indicates the corresponding Minor Arcana Cards with that Birth Card pattern.

For example, my Birth Card pattern is Universe, Hanged Man, and Empress. This pattern pairs with all the 3s in the Minor Arcana. However, it goes even deeper than this because within the Birth Card pattern, there can be shadow cards, whose energy is often unconscious or not tapped into.

To be honest, at first I found the entire system a bit confusing. I had to really concentrate and do the calculations and read the guidebook thoroughly for about an hour to start understanding this system. But Paris does a fairly good job of making this complex system approachable for readers. There’s even a Blueprint Review on pages 50-51 of the guidebook that is a fill-in-the-blank page for all the calculations.

In the end, I did get a lot of meaning out of using this process to learn more about my soul’s path and ancestral influences in my life. I think it would be especially helpful if readers also used this deck in combination with Mary K. Greer’s Archetypal Tarot, which focuses in-depth on birth cards. It’s also worth noting, this system is very different from simply doing tarot spreads to learn more about your ancestors, such as the process described in Ancestral Tarot by Nancy Hendrickson.

While this deck is phenomenal in what it offers, readers should be aware that it doesn’t give any descriptions of the tarot cards in the guidebook. For this reason, I recommend it to more experienced readers that are already comfortable with the traditional meanings of each tarot card, in case they want to use the deck to do spreads or read for others.

But it’s for this same reason that I DO recommend it to advanced readers because it’s a deck tailored to a different system of reading that can yield rich insight. Even though it takes a bit of time to learn it, I think once the general meaning of the Birth Card, Annual Card, and Significator Card is understood, this becomes a potent way to connect more deeply to one’s soul purpose, current lessons, and their ancestral line.

One last thing that really impressed me about the deck was how Paris designed it to have 82 cards, and this isn’t because she added new cards. Rather, Paris offers a much-needed option for tarot decks: the choice of three Lovers cards (one male/female, one female/female, and one  male/male). I thought this customization was just lovely to make the deck more inclusive to all relationships. Then Paris also allows readers to decide if they want Strength and Justice in the Major Arcana to be 8 and 11 or 11 and 8, depending on the system of reading they use.

All in all, The Relative Tarot is a really neat deck to add to one’s collection, especially for advanced readers or those interested in learning more about their ancestral line through the cards. The imagery is stunning and the process of reading with these cards is rich and potent with soulful wisdom. Paris has made a timeless deck that moves us into the liminal realm where our ancestors can speak to us and our intuition can be heard; past, present, and future weave together to open a portal for spiritual discovery and integration.

Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, by Brian Cotnoir

Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work, by Brian Cotnoir
Weiser Books, 1578637473, 160 pages, July 2021

Alchemy has been beckoning to me for quite some time, yet it was hard to know where to get started exploring such a vast art with centuries of history. Where should I start? What essential things should I know about this work? How can I implement this into my daily life? These questions and more were all answered in Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work by Brian Cotnoir. In this extremely useful guidebook, Cotnoir does a wonderful job of contextualizing alchemy and providing a foundation one can start their journey from.

To begin, Cotnoir offers the motto of the Mutus Liber of 1677: “Ora, lege, lege, lege, release, labora et invenies. “Pray, read, read, read, reread, work, and you shall discover.””1 He reminds the reader that “alchemy is a living process and is always working with living substances.”2 It very much feels like this sentiment has been imbued into the book itself, which seems to have a potent energy to it, similar to that of a well-used grimoire.

This could be because the book is a compilation of so many different alchemist’s work along with pictures, tables, and illustrations of different cycles adding to the substance of the text. Practical Alchemy is definitely a good starting point for one’s own research for this reason. Cotnoir does a good job of showing how alchemy has evolved by looking at the different approaches to it over the centuries, and therefore, this range of various references does not feel generalized or superficial. If anything, it demonstrates an excellent weaving together of a huge body of knowledge to show it’s evolution through time.

What I most appreciate about Cotnoir’s writing is that it’s not cryptic, nor intended to conceal. As he describes, alchemy is filled with “ways[s] of concealing from fools the precious knowledge of transmutation.”3 While I certainly appreciate the lengths alchemists took to conceal this esoteric knowledge, it nevertheless makes it a daunting task to start putting together the different pieces of the puzzle. Cotnoir is such a kind mentor, describing how the information was obscured, such as in different texts or by switching the names of materials, and provides guidance on how to overcome these barriers when undertaking your own alchemical work.

Practical Alchemy is divided into two parts: “Theory” and “Practice”. The first section, “Theory,” covers topics such as the elements (and how their rotation is integral to alchemy), the Three Principles (Mercury, Sulphur, Salt), prima mater, alchemical cosmology (planetary spheres, fixed stars), alchemical timing (lunar months, planetary hours, ways to divide the year), interrelation of micro- and macrocosmic, and the inner work to achieve gnosis. The section concludes with the tabula smaragdina, or “The Emerald Tablet”, translated in both Latin and English.

I was happy to realize that being an astrologer already has prepared me for certain aspects of alchemy, such as planetary days and hours and lunar months, which I had never realized were components of an alchemical practice. I appreciated the historical information about how these aspects of alchemy blend together to be part of the greater cosmology. To be honest, it’s only recently I had the realization that I can break free from current cosmology, as in I can explore beyond the Big Bang theory.

With all the advances since medieval times, I sometimes think that former cosmologies are written off as primitive or no longer relevant, but I feel like shifting the paradigm to embrace an alchemical mindset about the world is an important part of getting started on this path. Cotnoir gently guides readers into expanding their perception by detailing how other alchemists came to understand the world in this way through time and provides a wonderful overview of alchemy’s foundation as a living body of knowledge.

The second part of the book, “Practice”, is where I started to feel simultaneously in over my head and astounded that there’s so much for me to learn. 

“Here we enter into the body of alchemy–the physical process. Nature must lead both in material and in method. Nature is your true book. Study it well.”4

In this section, Cotnoir delves into many ways to manipulate matter through rotating the elements, from calcination to dissolution and fermentation to sublimation. Up until now, I primarily have related to the spiritual dimensions of these techniques, but this section brought them to life in the material world for me. I began to notice the relationship between alchemy and chemistry and think about how I might go about doing some physical alchemical experimenting. Let’s just say, if you saw my holiday wish-list, you’d think I was setting up a small lab, which in many ways it seems like I will be in order to pursue alchemy on this level.

Cotnoir suggests starting with the basics: water, wine and vinegar, and Salt of Tartar. For each one, he provides detailed instructions about the process, including temperature needed and amount of time required for steps. From there, he describes how to distill water, wine (to make Spirit of Wine, followed by instructions on how to rectify this), and vinegar. For further work, Cotnoir describes the process of creating Archaeus of Water, Angel Water, and Spirit Wine of the Sages. He also includes directions to purify salts using calcification, crystallization, and sublimation.

One of my favorite chapters came next, “The Herbal Work”, in which Cotnoir details how the Three Principles can be obtained by plants through fermentation, distillation, and calcification. “The herbal work consists of separating the Principles, purifying them, and then recombing them.”5 The process of doing this is called spagyry. Cotnoir once again provides thorough instructions. This time he describes how to create spagyric tinctures, herbal Magistries, and spagyric Plant Stone. Furthermore, he provides background information on how to use these plant-based alchemical preparations as medicines and initiatory substances on one’s alchemical journey.

The rest of the book includes information on working alchemically with minerals, aurum potabile, the Opus Magnum, and a highly informative appendices. The appendices cover laboratory safety and equipment, more techniques (including information for making essential oils), and a long lists of plant correspondences for all seven planets. Cotnoir makes it very easy to find what one is looking for in the book, and the resources are so incredibly useful as reference. 

For those who do feel the tug to learn more about alchemy, I highly recommend following the calling to read this book. It’s a must-have for beginner alchemists, and I’m sure it would be enjoyed by someone who’s been alchemically experimenting for some too. The recipes alone make it worth adding to one’s book collection! I am eager to begin my journey into the physical side of alchemy, more assured than ever before from the information in this guidebook.

I believe Practical Alchemy will naturally draw readers ready for its information at the right time. And honestly, there’s no rush for the Great Work. It would be highly discouraged to start upon this work if one did not truly feel ready for what it may yield. Preparation is an important part of the alchemical process. Reading Practical Alchemy was a fantastic way to gain the preliminary information needed, as well as the confidence, to move forward on this path. Cotnoir has done a truly exemplary job of writing a useful, relevant guidebook packed with practical information.

Manifestation Magic, by Elhoim Leafar

Manifestation Magic: 21 Rituals, Spells, and Amulets for Abundance, Prosperity, and Wealth, by Elhoim Leafar
Weiser Books, 9781578637423, 192 pages, July 2021

In Manifestation Magic: 21 Rituals, Spells, and Amulets for Abundance, Prosperity, and Wealth, Elhoim Leafar truly delivers on his description of this book as “a practical guide to prosperity magic using amulets, talismans and rituals.”1 This wonderful book is written in three parts:

  1. Magic & Sorcery
  2. Abundance, Prosperity and Wealth
  3. Desires, Wishes and Spells

Born in Venezuela into a family of healers, Leafar draws on his spiritual and magical traditions to not only live an abundant life, but to also share his tools and tips for the reader.  In 2015, he left his native country and moved to New York City with only one suitcase and $15. Five months later, he signed a contract with a publishing firm and published his first book Wicca! Love & Soul.  He has published books in both English and Spanish.

I was interested in this book because I began investigating magic and forms of manifestation over the past two years.  The title was intriguing, as well as the number of rituals and spells that the author promised to provide. 

The book is very easy to read and  I found it both entertaining and educational.  Leafar’s style is down-to-earth and he speaks to the reader as if you were sitting across a table enjoying a coffee or meal.  He shares information from his heart and you can tell that he has years of experience with the tools he shares. He begins by explaining the difference between magic and sorcery, which forms the baseline for the book:

“For many theorists, sorcery includes a group of knowledge, practices, techniques and tools for studying magic.  I propose to use the study of magic for the theoretical and sorcery to refer to the practical application of this knowledge.”2

He goes on to say that it is as important to “unlearn” ideas as it is to learn new ones. I love the idea that you come to this practice with a beginner’s mind and see magic and manifestation with new eyes.  He goes on to say that “your magic skills work like a muscle.”3  He recommends that you use the visualizations and tools regularly and even goes so far as to recommend how often to utilize certain techniques. 

There are many great visualization exercises throughout the book. The one called “Visualization Magic”4 will help you start your adventure. I recorded the visualization exercise sat on my back patio and enjoyed the sounds of nature while I listened to the recording.  I felt closer to Mother Nature and began to feel my own innate power connecting with the earth and coursing back up through me. 

In the next section, Leafar lists the tools that you will want to use for manifestation, each of which symbolizes an element. These include a cup or chalice for water, a cauldron for earth, candles for fire, and so on. Along with this list, which includes tips on choosing and using each tool, Leafar also provides a “Consecration Ritual,” in easy steps.

Leafar recommends that you create your very own “Personal Book of Magic.”5  Whether you use a simple spiral notebook, a journal or a folder on your laptop, he lists the ways that this chronicle of your magic journey can aid your growth, as well as celebrate your accomplishments.

I was particularly interested in the chapter that covered using the sun, moon, and planets in magic. As an astrology student for the past 15 years, anything that touches on the stars and planets interests me. Leafar’s explanation of when to work with solar energy and when to call on the moon’s magic really hit home for me. He also had brief information on the moon in each of the 12 signs and how that sign’s energy might contribute to your spells or works.

He gave an example of using the moon phases and days of the week for a healing ritual for two sample clients. It helped me to see the importance of working with the phases of the moon and days of the week to “greatly increase your results.”6 Leafar also talks many times about the importance of clarity regarding your intentions.  This is a critical element, not only for rituals and spells, but for your life.

Next, he covered the energy of the days of the week, various Gods and Goddesses, colors, and crystals.  I feel that he presented a very good foundation for the next section, where he goes into background information for abundance. My favorite passage from this section:

“Every time something good happens in your life, every achievement, every joy, every celebration, let it flow and memorize how it feels. Once you have memorized it and embraced it, you will have filed it in your brain and in your soul and enriched yourself with this emotion.”7

In the section Rituals & Spells, Leafar shares 21 rituals for abundance.  My favorite was the Scroll of Abundance. I’m looking forward to seeing how my scroll works on a long term goal. 

Lastly, Leafar shares several prayers that can uplift you and work to call on Divine support.  My favorite was the “Daily Prayer to the Spirit of Prosperity that Rules the West,” which starts with:

“Oh great spirit of prosperity that everything you touch prospers and grows . . .”8

Everything in this book, from the spells to the prayers comes from the heart of this magician and flows like a beautiful river. This book is best for the student of magic, whether a beginner or someone who has practiced spells for a few years.  It is easy to read and comprehend, and many of the rituals and spells are shared in step-by-step processes that anyone can follow. I really enjoyed his writing style and how he shared his knowledge and years of experience with magic.

I look forward to continuing my work with the spells and rituals from Manifestation Magic. I’ve already received a few ideas about modifying the altar I have in my office, as well as continuing my work with the moon in various phases and zodiac placements.

Yemaya, by Raven Morgaine

Yemaya: Orisha, Goddess, and Queen of the Sea, by Raven Morgaine
Weiser Books, 1578637430, 208 pages, September 2021

Back in May, sitting atop a small mountain in Joshua Tree National Park and meditating as the sun rose at dawn, the word “Yemaya” came through the silence. Instantly, I felt a sense of peace rush through me. I knew Yemaya was a great ocean goddess, but that was my extent of knowledge about her. When I returned home after this experience, I followed an intuitive nudge to bring some cowry shells down to the ocean and honor Yemaya, thanking her for the beauty of the ocean that I enjoy and the calmness that it brings me.

While I felt a call to continue developing this relationship and explore this quiet prompting from either my intuition or the Universe (not sure!), my summer travels took me away from my home on the California coast and into the canyons of Utah, woods of the Sequoia trees, and cities of the east coast from Philadelphia, PA to Providence, RI. Within my heart though, I kept remembering Yemaya and doing my best to connect with her energy wherever I went.

Now that I’m settled into my daily routine again, back to combing the beaches for seashells and spending my weekends reading on the beach, I felt ready to explore this budding relationship a bit more. However, I will admit I didn’t know exactly where to get started. The Orishas have always felt unreachable for me, a white American woman with European ancestry, due to their African heritage. I am well aware of the training and dedication that goes into becoming a devotee of the Orishas, and I also know how inaccessible these traditions can be to outsiders.

Therefore, you can only imagine my joy in discovering the recently published book Yemaya: Orisha, Goddess, and Queen of the Sea by Raven Morgaine. It was all I’ve been searching for and more!

Morgaine is a spiritual artist who has dedicated his life to Yemaya. He practices Candomble, New Orleans Voodoo, Santeria, and witchcraft. He also owns his own shop, Familiar Spirits, in Coventry, Rhode Island. Most of all, he’s an incredible storyteller that brought all facets of Yemaya to life in this wonderfully written book. His inclusion of practical wisdom, anecdotes, recipes, recipes for making oils and candles, along with plenty of Orisha stories made my connection to Yemaya so much more tangible and alive.

In fact, there were times reading this book when I would put it down and have my thoughts be washed away in feelings of love, tenderness, and security. It felt as though I was coming home to a mother who wanted nothing more than to make me feel loved, nurtured, and supported. While I am only in the beginning phases of building my altar and figuring out what this relationship is going to look like in my life, Yemaya assured me this pathway is open to all and that I will find my way.

Filled with his own written prayers, blessings, and spells, this entire book is imbued with Morgaine’s energy in the best way possible. His love and reverence for Yemaya streams through every word written, from warning those seeking to develop a relationship with Yemaya about what she does not like (never put metal on her altar or use it as a ritual tool, also she’s not a dog person!) to all the ways one can win her favor (beautiful combs, pearls, mirrors, white roses). Morgaine does not cut a single corner in laying out the foundation for establishing a relationship with Yemaya, and he happily delves into stories to illuminate the meaning behind why the practices are done the way they’ve always been done.

I truly loved learning more about many Orishas, from Yemaya’s younger sister Oshun to Shango and Eleggua. Morgaine’s writing was one of the most inviting introductions to the Orishas I’ve ever come across, and for the first time, I felt welcomed to partake in and honor these gods and goddesses.

Though, I will also admit, Morgaine’s solemn warning of what is involved in creating and maintaining a relationship with Yemaya is both awe-inspiring and a bit nerve-wracking all in one. More than anything, he conveys that she is not a goddess to call upon on a whim or to instantly demand quick results from. She is royalty, and thus she wants to be treated with respect, care, and devotion. She enjoys her lavish praise and will actively pursue what she wants, letting the practitioner know what does and does not please her.

The experiences shared by Morgaine of working with Yemaya for over 35 years made me realize just how misconstrued my previous assumptions of this great ocean goddess had been. I particularly enjoyed how he went through all the different facets of Yemaya, naming each one and sharing a bit of background information related to that incarnation of her, so that a more well-rounded picture of her was painted.

Morgaine openly shares trials from his own life, from despair at the end of an abusive relationship to being evicted at a very sensitive time in his life following his brother’s passing, to show readers Yemaya’s ever-present compassion for her children. Likewise, he also recounts times where she graced him with her presences, highlighting that Orisha gods and goddesses are more than just abstract energies; they are dedicated protectors, guardians, and way-showers of the natural world and humanity.

What has me most inspired is the descriptions of how to build an altar. I am looking forward to creating the time and space to do this soon. I knew I had been collecting seashells, sand dollars, and mermaid figurines for something! And thanks to the wisdom Morgaine has imparted in Yemaya, I also plan on creating cleansing and protecting my house as well.

Once again, I must impart how thorough Morgaine is in his details of doing these things. He even describes how it’s good to have an altar with drawers to store sacred objects, where to find affordable old furniture, and how to cleanse the furniture. At other times, Morgaine reminds the reader to use a dust mask or that a certain spell might smell weird, but that’s okay. His conversational writing style makes it feel like I am directly receiving this valuable information from a beloved teacher, mentor, and friend.

Somehow, Morgaine finds the perfect mixture of lightheartedness and seriousness to impart these lessons with care and consideration both of Yemaya and the well-being of the practitioner. He very much wants to ensure Yemaya is honored in a way that is pleasing to her, and he also wants to make sure practitioners don’t make foolish mistakes that can have detrimental impacts. Truthfully, he’s the perfect mediator between both, an ambassador if you will, in establishing this relationship.

And what’s so special about Morgaine’s perspective in Yemaya is that it’s inclusive. For him, having a relationship with Yemaya is not limited by one’s race, gender, sexual orientation, or cultural background. He draws parallels between Mother Mary and Isis with Yemaya, as well as acknowledging that many pagans choose to work with deities outside of their own culture’s pantheon. There’s a lovely section on how different aspects of Yemaya are protectors of people of all gender and sexual orientations — Yemaya is mother to us all.

Oh, I could keep raving about this book forever! All in all, Yemaya is a wonderful book to begin a relationship with the great mother ocean goddess. Morgaine teaches the reader how to cultivate a spiritual practice dedicated to Yemaya through telling her stories with the Orishas, sharing her many aspects of self through reincarnation, what offerings she loves and what things she dislikes, and how to establish a relationship nearby or far from the ocean. The anecdotes, recipes, magical associations, and practical wisdom from Morgaine are enough to get someone started on this path for at least a few years!

Seasons of a Magical Life, by H. Byron Ballard

Seasons of a Magical Life: A Pagan Path of Living, by H. Byron Ballard
Weiser Books, 987-1578637232, 197 pages, August 2021

Take a breath, pause, and gift yourself the time to delve into Seasons of a Magical Life: A Pagan Path of Living by H. Byron Ballard. In doing so, use the wisdom shared in this book to create a guide to a more connected way of living and co-existing. As Ballard writes, “this book is an invitation to modern Pagans to return to a simpler and quieter time, either literally or virtually, through letters from a small forest-farm in the southern highlands of the Appalachian Mountains.”3

The educationally credentialed author, H. Byron Ballard (BA, MFA), is a teacher and folklorist as well as a senior priestess. Her life and work are centered in Asheville, North Carolina, where she is a co-founder of Mother Grove Goddess Temple and the Coalition of Earth Religions. 

As I read, I felt as if I was accompanying Ballard around her farm. I could smell the air, feel the weather, and taste the food offerings. I was afforded the experience of spending time with her and the life force that surrounds her in her mountain setting and, by extension, the life force that surrounds me in my setting. 

As the cover indicates, the book focuses on the celebrations, festivals, and rituals for the Wheel of the Year. It is divided into three parts. Part One is a five-chapter section that offers background essays “Animism, Mutual Aid, and Permaculture”, “Tower Time and the Conceit of the Ever-Turning Wheel”, “A Different Means to Reckon Time”, “Re-enchantment and the Uses of Magic”, and “the Good Neighbors, the Land Spirits”.

Part Two is comprised of two chapters, focusing on the Wheel of the Agricultural Year: “Winter, The Waxing Year” and “Summer, the Waning Year”. Within those chapters are the equinoxes of spring and fall. “The chapters are broken into the four seasons, with the Quarter Days a highlight within each, and include simple skills that accompany each marker of the year.”4

Part Three wraps up with “Hearth”, a “chapter on the spiritual and physical immersion into these seasons”5 no matter where one lives, rural, urban, or suburban. 

The essays offered in Part One are intended to “not only give the reader a map of (the) journey but also to introduce some ideas to better inform the journey.”6 Some essays were written as if Ballard was talking to a friend as they climbed a hill, while others unfold in a more informational manner, such as the sections on Ember Days and Embertide and Rogation Days.

As one who communicates daily with the trees and rocks that surround my house, I loved the writings on animism and permaculture. Re-enchantment? Yes, please; I could use a healthy dose of that. However, I recommend taking time to sit with what is being offered in these essays as some are more “heady” than others.

I liked how Ballard did not write about these topics in a clinical, detached manner. She walks the reader around her property as she delves into these subjects; the reader is invited to sit at her kitchen table as she prepares meals. Living seasonally, living and working by the natural light, living with the rhythms of nature. 

Wanting to not only read the book but also practice the activities offered, when I finished the section on the essays and moved to Part Two, the “Wheel of the Year”, I began reading the final chapter first, Chapter 7, “Summer: The Waning Year,” as I received the book a few days before Lammas, the Season of the First Harvest.

As with all of the sections on the Wheel of the Year, Ballard offers a letter from her forest-farm, skills to use, chores to be completed, foods for the season, traditions and celebrations, activities to do with children and other friends, an icon of the season and a concluding paragraph on season’s end.

For Lammas, in her letter from her forest-farm, she writes about how hot and dry the farm now is and surveys what is happening in the garden – an abundance of squash and tomatoes, days of “sweat and effort.”7 She offers a lesson on bread-making including the “philosophy” of kneading and sour dough. Chores such as canning and pickling are covered. Traditions and celebrations such as the blessed loaf and the ceremony of cakes and ale are introduced.

The Lammas section continues with recommended activities for Children and Other Friends, including shaping a loaf person and making corn dollies. The icon written about is Wheat as Lammas is “the first in a series of three harvest festivals that is usually dominated by bread – making it, shaping it, and eating it.”8

It concludes with a paragraph on Season’s End that encapsulates the essence of the season, for Lammas, namely looking to the “symbol of the harvest and what that means about gratitude in your life – how you express it, how you use it.”9

She asks the reader to look at the intention that was planted in the Spring — both literally and symbolically and see if the reader tended to this intention — and if it’s ready to “feed you now, that thing that you imagined planting?”10

The book’s final section delves into the aspects of hearth and homely life. She praises homeliness – simplicity in one’s home, comfort, pleasant but ordinary. She invites the reader to view the kitchen as living space for nurturing physically and emotionally. Home altars both indoors and outdoors are discussed as spiritual anchors. Ironically, while I have a home altar, I hadn’t thought of creating an outdoor altar until reading this book. She writes of – are you ready? – laundry as a meditative practice, which after reading I now understand. 

I especially love the book’s concluding lines, offered as a friend waving as you depart their home and sending you off with love:

“There is so much to do, every day, to tuck in the ends of this weaving we are creating: to observe and really see, to listen and really hear, to integrate our intuition and our Ancestral memory into a practice so practiced it no longer feels artificial. It only feels like living a good life and a full one.”11

I highly recommend not only reading Seasons of a Magical Life – but living it. For those who are looking to deepen their connection to the natural cycles of the year, this is a great book to have in one’s library. It offers simple, practical ways to engage with the seasonal energy of the year as it makes its way around the wheel of time. Many of these small practices are certain to enchant one’s life and bring a deeper sense of purpose to the small actions we do daily, fostering an appreciation of the current moment in time that is grounded yet extraordinarily magical.