📝 Spells8 Book Club XXVIII - Readers' Reviews!

[BryWisteria]

Wishing a very warm welcome to all of the Witchy Readers!

The latest reading period for Book Club [May 19 - Jun 16] has now ended - thank you to everyone who joined in!

Members & Their Books This Reading Period:

• Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
  @BryWisteria

• Brigid: History, Mystery, & Magick of the Celtic Goddess by: Courtney Weber
  @Susurrus

• The way of the witch by sally morningstar
  @tracyS

• The Path of the Sacred Hermit by Avallach Emrys
  @MeganB

• Pan: Dark Lord of the Forest and Horned God of Witches by Melusine Draco
  @Amethyst

• The Psychic Witch by Mat Auryn.
  @Phoenix_Rose

• The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
  @Phoenix_Rose

• Abramelin the Mage
  @Wysteria_Norn

• Witchcraft Today By Gerald B. Gardner
  @TheMuslimWitch

Even if you are not listed above but you read a book during this reading period/ you decided to read a different book than listed- you are very welcome to share and discuss here too!

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Time to share your thoughts with your coven!

This discussion post will serve as a place to share your thoughts and opinions on the book you chose.

• If you loved your book and think everyone should read it- awesome! Talk about your favorite points or something you learned.
• If you didn’t connect with the book- consider explaining why it wasn’t for you.
• Absolutely hated your book of choice? Warn others to stay away!

This is a great place to share your love for books and find recommendations for new books to read

Picture from Pixabay

Your book review can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like

If you’re not sure what to talk about, here is a suggested format you can use. Feel free to write as little or as much as you’d like!

Book Title and Author:

Status? : Finished / Still Reading

My overall rating of the book : ???/10

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?:

My personal thoughts/opinions:

An interesting quote from the book: " "

All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes / No

Remember that your review is uniquely yours- this is a chance to let your opinions and voice be heard

Please keep in mind that others may have opinions that differ from yours- when responding to the thoughts of others please always show respect! Remember that 100 people will read 1 book and have 100 different experiences. That’s what makes sharing interesting

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What if I didn’t finish my book / joined late?

No worries!

You are welcome to share your thoughts about the part you have read so far. If you joined the session late and have just started, feel free to talk about your expectations for your book. You can continue reading it into the next reading period.

And whether you read a book or not - you are very welcome to jump in and discuss what others share about their books!

Picture from Pixabay

Deadlines and Dates

You have 5 weeks to share your thoughts and discuss (until the next Readers’ Review Post appears in the forum!)

Deadline for Reviews for this Session: Friday, July 21

While you have plenty of time for reviews, know that the next reading period will begin in one week:

The Next Reading Session will Begin: Friday, June 23

On this day a post will appear where you can announce your next book (or continue with your current reading!).

Until then, you can find more info about the club in the Book Club FAQ.

Picture from Pixabay

It can be hard to find the time and motivation to read on your own- hopefully book club helped provide a bit of motivation and that it led to some wonderful new knowledge and discoveries in your Craft

Thanks again for joining in and being a part of Book Club! I am so excited to read your thoughts and learn more about the book you spent time with

Blessed be!

[Wysteria_Norn]

Book Club Entry – Abramelin the Mage Dehn and Guth Edition

“Nobody has been able to know or understand the principles and origins of the wisdom of Adonai; the creator of all things, who is a zealous god, has retained this for himself. He wishes that we humans enjoy the fruits but asks we neither touch the stem nor dig out the roots” (pg. 111).

Relevance to practice: 5/5

Educational and interesting: 5/5

Easy to read: 5/5

Interesting feature: I wanted to read this particular translation because it differed from Mathers’ in important ways and is considered the more accurate of the two. It is a famous book considered to be a must for every witch, alchemist, shaman, sorcerer/warlock, historian, occultist, etc.

This translation starts as a book within a book, not unlike the Black Books I reviewed last time. A trend of mine? I hope not! Lol. What makes this book a legend in witchcraft is that it is one of the few surviving texts dating from the 14th century that is, not only completely authentic, but describes in great detail the toils and hardships the author went through to achieve magical, alchemical or paranormal knowledge. This book is a precursor to Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, etc in that it is both a detailed journey and a grimoire.

Abraham lost his father and spent the remaining 13-15 years on a quest in search of his Holy Guardian angel and intimate knowledge of the godhead. Psychologically, he was searching for a replacement father figure. Spiritually, he succeeded in attaining communion with his Holy Guardian angel after 18 months during which he strictly adhered to the steps delineated by Abramelin the Mage. This book is the legacy Abraham intends to leave his second son, Lamech upon his death.

I found the forward – again the book before the book, if you will – immensely entertaining as it described the steps the author took to translate the original, which in many ways differs significantly from Mathers’ beloved version. Most notably, it took Abraham 18 months to achieve union instead of Mathers’ 6 months. Also, the book itself ends on page 223 and the index continues to page 307. This continues the author and translators notes on the publication along with detailed information on archeological, geographical and historical information that is, in many ways, vital for understanding the conditions of the text and the authors life.

Witches and alchemists cite this book repeatedly, because it is technically a textbook on achieving Solomonic control over the Goetia daemons. The steps needed are listed as being oddly simple:

• Lead a devout and just life.
• Tithe. Abraham had to give 10 gold guilders to 72 people (6 * 12) to pray certain psalms.
• Abraham had to fast on three specific days – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday*** before the Sabbath (here dusk on Fri) – eating only one meal each day that contained no blood or anything dead and perform no hard work.
• On the subsequent Tuesday, confess all our sins (we witches and alchemists understand the importance of this, especially since demons are incapable of doing this!)
• Then to follow the information in the book closely – memorize it – and retain them for 72 years.

***Here I was surprised! Why these specific days? Was it simply because these days led into the Sabbath? Probably. But I couldn’t help but notice a strange coincidence. Follow me on this. The OT god is known to be El and that he had a wife named Asherah. Asherah is then removed from all mention, and instead the Holy Spirit is named as El, now Yahweh, speaks in terms on WE. Jesus stated unequivocally that one may blaspheme the Son, one may blaspheme the Father, but none can blaspheme the Holy Spirit! I’ve since taken the Holy Spirit to be Asherah pseudonym. If we then continue this analysis, Wednesday is Odin’s day. Thursday is Pors day. Friday is Frigg’s day. The Father, the Son, and the Mother (Baldur’s mother, but it doesn’t really matter so much). The symbology is the same. Fasting to learn, and in veneration to, the Father, the Son, and Mother, leading to the Sabbath – every single week. I found this to be both deeply inclusive and supportive of shadow work, shamanism, etc.

This book is a famous one and surprisingly enjoyable.

There are also some fantastic spells for healing, guarding, etc. Abraham guards against using any of them unless the initiate has met its Holy Guardian angel first to make sure the initiate is protected. When you see the simplicity of the spells, it is easy to understand that they are meant to be spoken under intimate connections and in easy speech. Therefore, I would also recommend that those trying it be seriously protected as well.

[tracyS]

Ok.Didnt get a chance to finish Morrigan, half way through Altar Within (interesting though unsure about this one), finished The Way of the Witch Sally Morningstar.
I love this book and it’s my 2nd time reading it, read it 2 years ago, which for me shows how good it is.
RELEVANCE TO PRACTICE 5/5
EDUCATIONAL 5/5
EASY READ 5/5
BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED 5/5
I like this because it can take a beginner through the craft, step by step, with spells and rituals that guide you through each stage.
The sabbatts are all talked about, the wheel of the year, moon cycles, correspondences etc but without overwhelming a beginner. Just what you need to start you off. She is Wiccan, but this is not overly emphasized, and there’s no anti to other faiths or practices, just the facts, so this book is welcoming to all witches, I found this a nice touch.
She doesn’t shy away from gentle baneful practice, like banishing, but does invoke the rule of 3. You’re guided how to connect with spirit and the different entities that live within nature, how to do divination, and see signs and omens. Again not over detailed as this is with a novice in mind.
The overall vibe of the book is to not fear the craft, to embrace it as a way of living, that can encompass your day to day.
It’s a keeper.
It’s a book I’ll go back to again and again.

[Amethyst]

Book Title and Author: Pan: Dark Lord of the Forest and Horned God of Witches by Melusine Draco

Status: Finished.

My Overall Rating of the Book: 7/10

How does this book relate to my magical practice?: I wanted to bring the Horned Lord into my practice more.

My personal thoughts/opinions: This is a great history book but there’s not much on the practice of worshiping Pan in today’s world. It’s a great history book though!

An interesting quote from this book: “In Greek religion and mythology, Pan was the god of wilderness and rocky mountain slopes, of shepherds and flocks, woodland glades and forests, hunting and rustic music, and companion of the nymphs.”

All in all, would I recommend this book?: Yes.

[Susurrus]

Book Title & Author: Brigid: History, Mystery, & Magick of the Celtic Goddess by: Courtney Weber
Status: Believe it or not… Still Reading but I’m more than 1/2 way through it now
My overall rating of the book: 10/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice? I work closely with Brighid as one of my deities.
My personal thoughts/opinions: I love this book & tend to get sucked in, which isn’t ideal in a waiting room or while waiting for someone However, the history that is given & different ideas for working with her in different circumstances plus breaking down her aspects into very understandable chunks, is very helpful. Anyone looking to deepen their connection with her & work with her for many different aspects of their life will be pleasantly surprised.
An interesting quote from the book: “Brigid’s plucking them out could be protecting the man from dangers he does not recognize himself, perhaps reminiscent of a sacrifice to the *Sun Gods believed to protect the community from the dangers that come from long winters. In the end, like the Earth Goddess she is, Brigid regenerates herself.” (page 109)
All in all, would I recommend this book? A Resounding YES

[BryWisteria]

@Wysteria_Norn

Book Club Entry – Abramelin the Mage Dehn and Guth Edition

Wow! Full ratings across the board- looks like you found yourself a really awesome read, Wysteria! I’m so happy you enjoyed Abramelin the Mage so much

It sounds fascinating- a story but also a textbook, an adventure but loaded with magickal history and inspiration. I sometimes have a hard time when a book is split between the original text and translators notes, but in this case it sounds like they are both full of value.

Thank you so much for sharing your review! This one sounds like a book to keep close by- I imagine you will continue to enjoy referencing it and perhaps reading it again in the future

@tracyS

finished The Way of the Witch Sally Morningstar.

There’s something really special about enjoying a book so much that you read it a second time- I know whenever I re-read a book, I’m always pleasantly surprised at the new things or new perspectives I gain from it! It sounds like it was a similar experience for you- I’m so glad you enjoyed your time with The Way of the Witch, @tracyS!

I hope you continue to enjoy your other books- I hope that Morrigan and Altar Within both turn out to be wonderful reads for you too!

@Amethyst

Pan: Dark Lord of the Forest and Horned God of Witches by Melusine Draco

An interesting one for sure! I’m surprised to hear that it’s all history and no worship ideas- as such a prominent figure in magickal history, I would have guessed that rituals and spells be intricately tied to the lore. The title (“Horned God of Witches”) seems to imply a book about magickal workings- but I guess they chose the history route! And from what you’ve said, it sounds like they did a great job on that side of things- for anyone who is fascinated by Pan/The Horned God, this sounds like a worthwhile read!

Thanks for sharing your review, Amethyst!

@Susurrus

Brigid: History, Mystery, & Magick of the Celtic Goddess by: Courtney Weber

You’re getting through it, Siofra- there’s no rush when it comes to reading! Enjoying the book and absorbing what information you can is definitely the priority. And it sounds like Brigid is loaded with helpful and inspirational ideas when it comes to working with Her.

I hope you continue to enjoy it, Siofra- happy reading!

[BryWisteria]

Book Title and Author: The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Status? : Finished

My overall rating of the book : 10/10

How does this book relate to my magickal practice?: Although it is a book of magick, it takes place in a fantasy world. This is a purely pleasure read, with perhaps a bit of magickal inspiration on the side!

My personal thoughts/opinions: I had just read the new prequel (A Day of Fallen Night- book review here) and enjoyed it so much that I had to go back and re-read the original. It is a chonk of a book, but it’s one of the rare ones where, as the pages go by, I actually found myself wishing it was longer haha.

I’ve always loved fantasy- the more magick and dragons, the better! This is a treat in the genre, with some amazing characters and skilled world-building. From the different cultures to languages, intricate plot lines and characters, and really dazzling uses of magick and spellwork- it’s just a fantastic read all around.

All in all, would I recommend this book?: If you enjoy the fantasy genre and love a good story- absolutely! This is also a great series for Pride month, as several of the main characters are LGBT+. If that sounds like your cup of tea, I think you’ll enjoy it quite a bit!

[Amethyst]

@BryWisteria

An interesting one for sure! I’m surprised to hear that it’s all history and no worship ideas- as such a prominent figure in magickal history, I would have guessed that rituals and spells be intricately tied to the lore

There were a few things about old rituals but nothing for today. I was kind of disappointed. But it’s still a good book!

[BryWisteria]

@Amethyst

I was kind of disappointed. But it’s still a good book!

Perhaps there’s another Horned God book out there with a more hands-on/ritual based approach? If so, I hope you can find it!

[Amethyst]

Thanks, love. I’ve read The Horned God of the Witches by Jason Mankey and don’t remember many rituals in it. We’ll see what else I can find.

[BryWisteria]

@Amethyst

We’ll see what else I can find.

I’ve got my fingers crossed you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for, Amethyst! (And if I happen across books that might fit the bill, I’ll send them your way!)

[Amethyst]

Thanks, darling! I appreciate that!

[BryWisteria]

@Amethyst