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Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, The Ritual Magic Workbook (York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1998) pp.256, paper, $14.95, ISBN 1-57863-045-2.
From the very beginning, the Foreword by author J.H. Brennan, this book stresses the care and dedication necessary to become an Adept in the Craft. It is packed with useful information, recommendations for further reading, and instructions on the how and why things are what they are.
The author has life-long experience in what she writes, making it all the more authoritative. Hers is a decidedly British outlook, which gives it a lighter tone than some more scholarly texts. As she divides the year into monthly exercises, she emphasizes the hard work involved in learning the Path of the Hearth Fire - making the Craft part of one's everyday life.
She discusses the Threefold Law of Ritual (Motive, Method and Meaning) in great detail, as she does with the decoration of one's own "temple", the making of one's ceremonial robe and tools, and the importance of properly opening and closing a ritual. She even recommends giving the temple and oneself a month off from ritual work each year, because of the hard work and output of energy.
The rituals included are designed for solitaries or groups of up to five people. The author warns against training more than five people, unless one is already a Master, because of the potential dangers involved. In the latter months of the year, she looks at extending the magical range, scrying, astrology, mantras and psychic defense. The book is truly well-rounded and thorough.
There may be points in the Workbook which are not of interest to certain readers. It will not hurt to learn a bit about them, however, even if they do not become part of the individual's own path. And, from the extensive list of other authors cited, be prepared to read a lot more than just these pages over the course of twelve months. If nothing else, it will make for more enlightened conversations about Paganism with one's friends!
It is difficult for many to embrace sex magick as a method of divine connection, whether the goal is astral work, scrying or ritual energy demands. In an attempt to integrate this powerful tradition into the mainstream magickal mindset, Donald Michael Kraig has penned Modern Sex Magick: Secrets of Erotic Spirituality.
Despite an oversimplification of Crowley's "IX Emblems of Mode and Use" and no commentary on altering and experimenting with the human aura in relation to sex magick, Kraig succeeds in linking divine and sexual energies and revealing their inherent potency in terms that avoid the recondite allegorical trappings of alchemy and related traditions. His methodology, much of which draws on the classical texts - excluding Tantra - is smoothly inclusive, and his cynicism is refreshing. No secrets from the lost continents or reconstituted pseudo-mysticism here - just a practical, creative guide for the active magickal practitioner. But, just as the West continues to ignore the dualism inherent in the Hermetic maxim "That which is above is like that which is below", Kraig's efforts to present the erotic essence of sex magick in pragmatic terms self-destructs due to his decision to include the easily misinterpreted, pop culture fantasy feeding "Level Three" material (worse yet, you have to get through this section to reach his commentary on Crowley's key technique of eroto-comatose lucidity). Sexual magick is a technique, a means toward a goal, not the goal itself. Many who flip through the book will purchase it for the wrong reasons, while chapters eight, nine and ten may unnerve many with a sincere interest.
Pascal Beverly Randolph (trans., ed., and intro. by Robert North), Sexual Magic (first comp. English ed., 1988) pp. 142, paper, $14.95, ISBN 0-939708-26-4
Despite the lateness of the English edition, this material was circulating amidst the German sex-magic circles as early as the 1860s (keep in mind Randolph died in 1875, the year that Eliphas Levi died and Aleister Crowley was born). It's a key text colored by the infectious nature of the scientific advancement that characterized the enlightened thought of the age (but don't be quick to discount all of his learned assertions). A must-read for any practitioner.
*****
Louis T. Culling, Sex Magick (Rev. ed. of A Manual of Sex Magick, 1971; 1992) pp. 147, paper, $7.95, ISBN 0-87542- 110-5
A Crowley-based theorist, Culling presents straightforward rituals and forthright notes set within a convoluted, demanding three-degree system. It amounts to many interesting observations and experiential epistles imbedded in a thick literary soup rife with tantric and psychoanalytical allusions. Good for the scholar or library-building expert.
*****
Frater U:.D:., Secrets of the German Sex Magicians (1991), pp. 222, paper, $17.95, ISBN 0-87542-773-1
Presented here are the very occult means that prompted the heads of the German sex magic orders to confront Crowley on the grounds of revealing the most potent system of magick available to the masses. Inclusive, objective and detail oriented on every level - physical, mental and spiritual. Suggestive enough to eliminate any metaphorical queries, modern enough to include chaos magick theory. An excellent working manual for the intermediate.
Having seen Ms. Curott interviewed last Halloween on the evening news, this book comes as no surprise. It is a chronicle of her own coming to the Craft, beginning with dreams of participating in coven rituals, and recurring images of Isis.
There is a lot to be said for books of this sort, especially how they explain to non-believers that Wicca is not Satanism. As Curott discovers this herself, she makes it clear to others.
Unfortunately, some of the verbatim conversations seem almost unreal. Reflecting back 20 years, it would be almost impossible to remember each word spoken, unless they had been recorded on tape. She uses "composite characters" and recreates events to protect the actual participants, which detracts from the story, as well.
Yes, Ms. Curott has come out of the "broom closet" while others remain firmly entrenched therein and feel the need for this kind of protection. But, as in the case of Christian martyrs and others who have died for their beliefs when persecuted by others, we all need to be willing to sign our names, be photographed or speak publicly of what we elieve. Until we do, the stereotypes about "what we have to hide" will abound, whether books like this are published or not.
For a fictional work, the author obviously did a lot of factual research to make her portrayal of Aleister Crowley and other people in his life relatively accurate. If his behavior was such, it is no wonder he was called "The Beast" by many.
The story involves the MacCallum family, primarily Bridget - the matriarch - and her great-granddaughter, Dierdre. In the early 1900s, Bridget and her friends were very close to Crowley; he even rented an apartment in Bridget's house on Washington Square for a time. His drive to incorporate sex magick into practically every aspect of his life leads Crowley to offer Bridget a gift - a door to the past. They create this door through sex magick, which can be used to travel back in time to warn people of impending death or catastrophic events.
Bridget learns that the door is not so much gift as curse. She prevents the death of her mother and two brothers, but only by three years. Her father's suicide, she learns, is only postponed, as well. In the interim, the victims of these "extended lives" suffer from horrendous nightmares.
As Bridget ages into the 1990s, Dierdre learns of the door. She also learns that, as a child, her great-grandmother had escorted her back in time to provide these warnings to other family members. The realization disturbs her.
The book if filled with delightful characters, suspense and romance. Some of the sexual encounters are described in lurid detail, but that seems to be the trend.
The only disconcerting things I found were the frequent typographical errors and misspellings (i.e. "alter" for "altar"), and the fact that Bridget's journal entries, as Dierdre reads them, drag on too long, though they are not uninteresting.
Rich in history, with an unexpected ending, this is one for a quiet evening.
Written by a fourth generation psychic, this book explains the process and symbols of reading grounds in a coffee cup. Similar to reading tea leaves, little has been written about this form of divination, however.
In our modern era of automatic coffee makers and espresso machines, not many coffee grounds make it to the bottom of a cup. In her explanation of the procedure, Sophia recommends adding a pinch of grounds to the coffee prior to drinking. As the individual drinks the coffee, he or she should concentrate on the questions for which answers are sought. When the cup is mostly empty, the last drops are swirled three times counterclockwise, leaving the residue of grounds visible. The bottom of the cup represents the past, the sides are the present, and the top is the future, according to the author.
While informative, the popularity of this form of divination is doubtful. In these pages, it is written, "All you need is an empty coffee cup, imagination, and this book. The only other thing you need is an open mind." If a book can provide psychic powers to those who may not have the "gift", then so be it. Not everyone, however, can do accurate Tarot readings, or scrying, or palmistry. The same must be said of this - it takes innate ability. I don't foresee countless enthusiasts setting up shop to do coffee ground readings, unless it is at the back of an espresso café.
Tracy Porter, Tarot Companion: An Essential Reference Guide, Llewellyn Publications (2000), Paperback, 242 pages, ISBN: 1-56718-574-6
Tarot Companion is a useful reference source for someone who is learning the Art of reading and interpreting the Tarot. The beginner will get a good foundation with the traditional meanings of the cards, which are accompanied by illustrations. The book can easily make a beginning reader an expert by providing comprehensive comparisons between the symbolism of the Tarot and astrology, runes, I Ching, Numerology, Cabala, Chakras, and Colors. You can easily look up symbols and meanings of the cards in a symbol dictionary and learn how to interpret the timing of events. Twenty illustrated Tarot spreads are also included to give insight into almost any situation. This book is an excellent reference for the beginner or the experienced Tarot reader.
- Qetesh
John Michael Greer, Natural Magic: Potions and Powers from the Magical Garden, Llewellyn Publications (2000), Paperback, 299 pages, ISBN: 1-56718-295-x
Natural Magic is far more than just another spell book. I was impressed that the author explained the philosophy behind natural magic and incorporated correspondences and ritual timing, as well as how to practice and use natural magic effectively. There is an extensive encyclopedia of herbs, stones, and crystals that lists among other things: safety issues, parts used, magical uses, and more. The book also explores making essences, floor washes, candles, soap, incense, amulets, oils, harvesting herbs, planting, and alchemy. This book is wonderful for those wishing to explore and understand the world of natural magic and is a valuable reference source.
- Qetesh
