The One Where I Review Books on Magick & Mystery

I’ve been meaning to do these book reviews.

Really. I’ve had a pile of books sitting on my desk (well, under my desk) for a while.

And I have a few more that are on the way.

I’m glad I got the chance to review these as they shifted some things that needed shifting. And reminded me to go back to my why.

“Wicca Journal for Beginners: With Spells, Rituals, and Remedies” and “Candle Magic Journal and Handbook”

I love Patti Wigington. I’ve been following her since my early days of witchery when I wanted to know all the things. I followed her About.com Paganism & Wicca channel (now LearnReligions.com) and many of her teachings ended up in previous books of shadows.

So, when I got a chance to review both of her recent books, I was thrilled.

Let’s start with “Wicca Journal for Beginners.” I really appreciated this book and its take on Wicca practice. One of the things I want from books today is for the reader to offer trust to the reader. While there are certainly ways to teach and to offer lists of things to know, I have learned the most from DOING. This book helps you with the doing and also with debriefing the doing.

Better said – how did things go? How did they work for you? Did you expect something different? What might you change the next time?

I think this is a terrific book for someone who is beginning and also for someone who likes to take another look at their practice from time to time. So, really, anyone who wants to nurture their magic(k).

And moving over to “Candle Magic,” this too is a journal book that gives a reader plenty of space to document what works, what doesn’t, etc. This book also includes simple instructions for candle magic, or the magic I do most often (and I’m pretty sure a lot of folks do…), which makes it an instantly valuable resource.

What I liked most about this was the questions about WHY you’re doing the spell. The emphasis on the intention and the true power behind each spell is a great reminder to everyone, whether it’s the first or the hundredth spell you’ve done.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THE THING YOU WANT TO DO?

Just as in life, if you don’t know where you want to do, you’re likely going to feel lost along the way….

A Lantern in the Dark: Navigate Life’s Crossroads with Story, Ritual, and Sacred Astrology

I’ve been following Danielle Blackwood‘s work and posts on Facebook for a while too. And I’ve been in a personal space of questions and more questions, so this book seemed divinely timed to arrive.

I’ll be honest, I haven’t made it all the way through and much of my review will lightly touch upon things likely, as my personal experiences are not necessarily something I want to share (yet/ever).

One of the things I appreciated (and apparently needed) the most was the section on astrology. I’m still pretty new (but eager) in learning about the interactions in the skies, so I was curious to know if I would understand what was being offered.

While I can’t speak to everyone’s experience, I found “A Lantern in the Dark” to be accessible and supportive. The chapter on the Uranus Opposition is really saying some things to me, so I can imagine other chapters might resonate with other age groups. By learning about the context of Uranus’ appearance and myth, I was able to give some life circumstances a little more context.

This helped my heart a bit, even if it basically said — well, this time is all about upheaval. But the next chapter offered some ways to navigate. It also confirmed some advice I’ve already been given and some dreams I’ve already had.

(Guess that means I should, I dunno, LISTEN?)

All in all, this book is a great read for tough places. And in these days, so many of us are experiencing such things. It’s always good to have a guide.

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While I’m not a person that believes everything happens for a reason, I do believe that humans (well, me) make meaning of what is happening. Thus, creating context and reason.

These books came into my life at the best time. The right time, even.

Thank you.

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