The Varieties of Magick
ot everyone practices magick in the same way. Different groups, and individuals, in different locations practice magick differently. For convenience, we can define and consider here five major styles: nature magick, intrinsic magick, ceremonial magick, hermetic magick, and kitchen witch magick. The following chapters will explore the first three of these in depth.
Styles of Magick
Nature magick is practiced outdoors when possible and emphasizes attunement with earth and wind and water, with plant devas and animal spirits, and with the cycles of the moon and the seasons. Its ritual tools may be rough and simple—a stick for a wand, a handful of stones for divination, or some herbs for healing cut with a flint knife at the full moon. Such skills as herbalism, weatherworking, and shapeshifting can be classified as nature magick.
Intrinsic magick aims at dispensing altogether with material accessories and achieving its results by mental, psychic, and spiritual development alone. The tools used are the mind, the emotions, the voice, and the body and its energy field. (The term “intrinsic magick” evolved from a discussion on the Ardantane Internet list, when some of us realized that there was no single, universal term for “propless” magick. We hope this terminology fills a void in the field.) A subset is called “inner magick,” and another, “virtual magick.”
Ceremonial magick goes to the other extreme: Stewart Farrar explains that ceremonial magick “involves the extensive use of symbols, colours, perfumes, music, and so on, to put yourself in tune with a particular and precisely defined aspect”[1] of divinity. It is occasionally called “high magick” (though “high magick” usually refers to theurgy or magick performed for the purpose of spiritual development, as opposed to thaumaturgy or “low magick” done for mundane or material goals).
Hermetic magick is a combination of philosophy and magick in which knowledge is seen as the direct link to the divine. This can be practiced with full ceremonial regalia or by using the mind alone.
Kitchen witch magick: There is yet another style that cannot be neatly placed in any of these categories. Sometimes it is called “kitchen witch magick.” This does not refer to the little dolls that hang over the stove to keep soup from burning. A kitchen witch uses magick (thaumaturgy) to help handle the details of daily life—for example, to keep a household running smoothly. The ritual tools of this practice are the tools of everyday life: a paring knife for an athame, a carved potato for a healing poppet. Rituals are simple, almost casual, in appearance.
Where does Wiccan magick fit in this spectrum? Though it is mostly sympathetic[2] and nature magick, it can span the whole range of styles and aims. Some Witches are at their best under the sun and moon, in field or forest or herb garden; others experiment with blending ceremonial magick and sophisticated communications techniques. Still others delve deeply into pathworking, meditation, and trancework, similar to the disciplines of rajah yoga. Some shift from one style to another, depending on circumstances and the nature of the work at hand.
Just to make it more interesting, you can practice any style of magick as a “virtual” or inner working. For a ceremonial ritual, go into your mind and vividly imagine putting on your robe, casting the circle, smelling the incense, and so on. For an inner working, you can still breathe to raise energy, imagine vibrating the names of deity, and see yourself in your mind assuming a sacred posture or whatever you might normally do. For a nature rite, visualize yourself in the forest, feel the moonlight on your skin, hear the wind moving through the trees, call your animal ally mentally. In this way, you can work magick anywhere: riding a crowded subway, sitting at your desk, on an airplane flight.
Of course styles can be blended; there is no special virtue in working “pure” nature (or whatever) magick. If you are drawn to the powers you feel outside under the moon, but you want to take your elegant, artistically crafted athame with you—fine. If you normally like the simple “kitchen witch” magick of hearth and home, but get the occasional urge to dress up and do a really elaborate series of Golden Dawn ceremonies, there is no Board of Magickal Correctness to stop you. Try all the styles, and use the one or the combination that works for you.
What Kind of Magician Are You?
(MSAT: Magickal Style Aptitude Test)
No single style of magick is “better” than another, or right for everyone. If you would like to get a preliminary idea of what might suit you, take the little quiz that follows.
1. You prefer to perform magick wearing:
A. Whatever you have on at the time
B. Your special magickal robe and cord
C. Nothing at all
D. Jeans and a t-shirt, barefoot or in sturdy shoes
2. If you need to cut something during a spell, you are likely to reach for:
A. A paring knife from the kitchen drawer
B. Your custom-made bolline with the silver blade
C. Nothing, since the cutting happens in your mind
D. A sharp stone or your pocketknife
3. The best lighting for ritual would be:
A. The electric lights in your house
B. Your Lamps of Art in the silver candlesticks
C. No light is really necessary
D. Sunlight, moonlight, or starlight
4. For magickal help, you might call upon which one first?
A. The spirits of your home and hearth
B. A spirit guide, angels, or a discarnate sage or priestess
C. Your inner archetypes or levels of Self
D. Animal spirits, allies, or nature devas
5. The best timing for a spell? You would check:
A. For a time when the kids aren’t around
B. The astrological energies of the planets
C. Your own biorhythms
D. The phase of the moon and time of day or night
6. If there is sound in your ritual, it’s probably:
A. You singing as you do household chores
B. Appropriate recorded music
C. Your voice vibrating god names or chanting
D. The wind or the sound of a nearby stream
7. You really enjoy:
A. A clean, attractive home and your family enjoying health and harmony there
B. Beautiful costumes, meaningful symbols, and well-crafted ritual tools that lift your thoughts to a higher spiritual realm
C. The feeling that you can wield your own energies, will, and imagination to shape reality and change the world
D. Being outdoors, because that’s where power and beauty and freedom live
SCORING:
Mostly As? You lean toward the kitchen witch style.
Mostly Bs? You’re drawn to ceremonial magick.
Mostly Cs? You’re inclined to be an intrinsic magician.
Mostly Ds? You’re primarily a nature magician.
Some Magickal Traditions
Throughout millennia and around the world, many cultures have developed systems of magick that reflect their own traditions and one or more of the styles we have discussed. Let’s briefly explore some of those systems, concentrating on those that can be studied by Western readers because materials or teachers are available to us.
Shamanism
Varieties of shamanism are practiced among the Native nations of both American continents, by the native peoples of the far north in Europe, and in Asia. In recent years, shamanism has been “discovered” by many New Age folks in the United States, thanks to books by Carlos Castaneda, Michael Harner, and Lynn V. Andrews.
In The Way of the Shaman, Harner says that “a shaman is a man or woman who enters an altered state of consciousness—at will—to contact and utilize an ordinarily hidden reality in order to acquire knowledge, power, and to help other persons.”[3]
One of the key skills of a shaman is the ability to go into trance and make a journey to another world, usually the “upperworld” or the “lowerworld”; some shamans accomplish this through the use of drumming or drugs, while others rely solely on a mind that is simultaneously disciplined and very free. Once in the otherworld, the shaman might discover (or retrieve) a power animal spirit or do healing work.
The equipment of a shaman might include drums and rattles, which are rhythmically sounded in order to help induce trance, and various medicine objects, such as crystals, shells, and roots, which may be the material-plane homes for various helper spirits.
Wicca
Wicca is a spiritual path that includes reverence for nature, a deep connection with the cycles of the moon and seasons, and celebration of an immanent Goddess and God. Wiccans consider themselves Witches and practice witchcraft, or the magickal traditions of old Europe, though only for benevolent purposes. The primary ethical guideline, the Wiccan Rede, states “An ye harm none, do as ye will.” This translates roughly to “As long as you harm no one, including yourself, follow your true will (the divine Spirit within).”
There are many variants or traditions of Wicca throughout Europe, North America, and Australia/New Zealand. These include Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Faery, Georgian, Pagan Way, McFarland Dianic, Re-formed Congregation of the Goddess Dianic, New Reformed Order of the Golden Dawn, Reclaiming, New England Council of Traditionalist Witches, Ladywood, and many more.
The magick of witchcraft probably began with shamanic practices and sympathetic magick focused on survival: successful hunting, good crops, and healthy babies. However, over the years Wiccans and other witches have been exposed to many other systems of magick, and today they use everything from Qabala to tarot to a simplified ceremonial magick.
Central to much Wiccan magick is the concept of polarity: creation comes from the interaction of Goddess and God, female and male, darkness and light, receptivity and initiation, and so on. The majority of covens are led by a high priestess and a high priest, include members of both sexes, and perform a symbolic Great Rite (union of male and female) within the magick circle. But within many feminist Dianic, all-female covens, the Goddess is seen as incorporating all possibilities and the masculine divine is de-emphasized.
In recent years, however, the focus on male-female balance and fertility has expanded to also emphasize a balance of the polarities within each individual, by cultivating the hieros gamos or sacred marriage. It is generally recognized that gay men and lesbian witches can practice polarity magick without having members of the other sex present, though many gay Wiccans mingle happily in covens with their straight brothers and sisters.
Wiccan magick includes reclaimed European folk magick; newly created techniques based on psychology, art, and electronics; and systems borrowed from other cultures (living and dead) around the world. It has been said of the more eclectic Wiccans that they will try any magickal technique that is ethical and doesn’t run away.
Norse Magick
It is likely that Norse magick evolved from a shamanic tradition similar to that of the Innuit and the Lapps, and then was influenced by Celtic cultures to the south. In its early form it was nature-oriented and included such skills as weatherworking and partnership with power animals.
Animals important to the Norse included the bear, the wolf, and the raven. Norse adepts apparently knew how to shapeshift, or at least consciousness-shift, into animals; the “berserkers” are the best-known example of this skill. “Berserk” comes from the Norse words bar sark, meaning “bear shirt”; the berserkers were warriors clad in bearskins who could enter the consciousness of a bear and fight with all the ferocity of which that animal is capable.
In its later stages, Norse magick and religion included a well-developed bardic tradition. The power of letters was recognized—it is said that Odin voluntarily sacrificed himself, hanging on the world ash tree Yggdrasil for nine days and nights, in order to gain mystical knowledge of the runes. Even today, divination with runes is popular, nearly rivaling the tarot. The Norse oral tradition embraced epic poetry and history (such as the Eddas), and also included spoken charms and incantations. Religious amulets and talismans such as Thor’s hammer were also common.
One of the most powerful and moving traditions in the north was the seidhe, in which a priestess entered deep trance and then spoke for the gods. Modern Asatru priestesses are reviving this skill.
Huna
On the other side of the planet we find Huna, the traditional psychospiritual system of Hawaii. We owe much of our knowledge of this nearly lost tradition to Max Freedom Long, who arrived in Hawaii as a young teacher in 1917. A student of world religions, Long became fascinated by the mysteries of Huna and eventually discovered many of the keys to its effectiveness.
According to Long’s research, there is reason to believe that Huna is extremely ancient, with roots that go back to the ancestral cultures of the Berbers in North Africa. At some point in prehistory, the ancestors of the Hawaiians apparently migrated eastward, first to India and then to the Pacific.
Along the way, the pure magick and spiritual teachings of Huna were subordinated to the trappings of institutionalized religion. When the chief priest learned through his psychic abilities that Christian missionaries were coming to Hawaii, he assumed they were representatives of a faith more pure and powerful than the existing native religion. Figuring that this was a great opportunity (with the aid and example of the new teachers) to re-create the original magick and spirituality of the Hawaiian people, he led a movement to cast down the temples and dismantle the religious bureaucracy.
When the missionaries arrived, they found the native religion in disarray and lost no time in exploiting the situation. By the time the remaining Hawaiian spiritual leaders realized that the missionaries knew nothing of magick and had no interest in the mysteries of the human spirit or psyche, Huna as an organized religion had almost ceased to exist.
When Long came on the scene nearly a century later, he could find no kahuna priests or priestesses who were willing to tell him about their ancient traditions. By using the Hawaiian language as a key, he nonetheless was able to re-create the basic knowledge at the heart of Huna magick.
Without going into great detail, we can say that, according to Long, the kahunas understood the three major aspects of the human spirit in a way that was not even approximated by modern Western philosophers until Freud—and Freud’s theories are crude compared to the elegant and practical model on which Huna is based. This understanding allows the kahuna to use spiritual energies to heal (or harm) at a distance, view distant events, telepathically project messages, or “firewalk” on burning lava, among other skills.
Today it appears that Huna may be experiencing a renaissance in the islands, similar to that of Wicca and various Native American religions on the mainland. Whether it is being energetically perpetuated by surviving lineal descendants of traditional kahunas fully trained in the ancient arts, or whether it is being re-created by young Hawaiians with a keen interest in their culture is not entirely clear. But at the very least, some part of this magickal system of great insight and power is still available to serious students of magick.
Alchemy
This ancient art, which combines chemistry, philosophy, and magick, was practiced on many levels, by the most spiritual, high-minded, and well-educated individuals, as well as by charlatans.
For many alchemists, the literal goal was to transmute base metals into precious ones by use of a constructed substance called the Philosopher’s Stone, or to create the Elixir of Life, a liquid that might prolong life or even confer immortality. For others, these goals were only symbolic of the true quest: to perfect oneself spiritually. Alchemy was simply a series of principles and processes that could lead toward the goal of purifying the soul and distilling the divine essence from crass humanity. In this sense, alchemy, with its emphasis on the magician’s spiritual development, is a form of theurgy or high magick. Some who practiced alchemical techniques, however, were motivated only by greed. They dreamed of unlimited supplies of gold and immortal lives in which to spend it. Others were out-and-out fakers, who had given up serious research but knew enough lore to impress wealthy and gullible patrons into parting with large sums—“just to set up the apparatus and get started, you understand.”
Over the centuries, alchemy evolved a vast and colorful vocabulary to describe the elements and processes involved; old manuscripts mysteriously discuss “the green lion,” “the silver lady,” and “the crow’s head of black blacker than black.” Though many of these terms refer to rather prosaic materials and chemical operations, others refer to important magickal and spiritual processes. For example, the hieros gamos or “sacred marriage” refers to the harmonious union of the feminine and masculine polarities within a single individual’s psyche (see “The Sacred Marriage” in chapter 10).
Alchemy was certainly the parent of modern chemistry, and as a spiritual and philosophical discipline it is still practiced today.
Brujaría (Bruheria, Brujeria)
This is a body of religious and folk magick practices that blends Roman Catholicism and the Aztec goddess faith, and it has been influenced by other traditions, such as spiritism, Santería, and ceremonial magick. It is common throughout Mexico and the United States among the Hispanic population. Practitioners are called brujas if female, and brujos if male.
Brujaría is centered on the worship of Our Lady of Guadalupe, an aspect of the Virgin Mary who first appeared to an Indian convert in 1531. Though its adherents consider themselves Catholic, there is evidence to suggest that Guadalupe may be a “new” incarnation of Tonantzin, a powerful, beloved Aztec mother goddess. In any case, the faith is very Goddess-oriented and moon-oriented, though Jesus and a variety of saints are also important to it.
Small groups of devotees, usually all women in the U. S. branches, gather at the bruja’s home at new and full moons in a room specially prepared as a temple. These cofradias generally number thirteen or fewer. The resemblance to Dianic Wicca is not accidental: Brujaría is a living religion, growing, changing, and borrowing constantly.
Magickal techniques in this system include the use of herbs, tarot, candles in many shapes and colors, astrology, prayer and incantation, and blessed medallions depicting saints or Guadalupe in her various aspects.
Qabala (Kaballah, Cabala, Cabbalah, etc.)
Those familiar only with the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform traditions of Judaism may be surprised to learn that this religion has a fourth branch, which is both more mystical and somewhat more inclusive of the feminine principle than its cousins.
The Qabala is “a medieval and modern system of Jewish theosophy, mysticism, and thaumaturgy marked by belief in creation through emanation and a cipher method of interpreting Scripture,” according to Webster’s. In point of fact, its roots go back far earlier than the medieval age, though it did flourish during that era, and oral tradition suggests that Witches and Jewish Qabalists may have helped one another (and shared their magickal systems) during times of persecution.
Of central importance in Qabalistic magick is the Tree of Life (see next page), a symbol that may be likened to a spiritual map of reality. It consists of ten sephiroth, which are aspects of divine manifestation on different levels, ranging from Malkuth on the bottom (the material plane) to Kether on the top (the Crown, Supernal Light). Connecting the sephiroth are twenty-two paths; exploring these connections, or “pathworking,” is an important exercise for Qabalists.
The names and titles of the Hebrew God, especially the Tetragrammaton (YHVH, later anglicized to Jehovah), are considered extremely significant keys to magickal power and are used extensively in invocations, talismans, and so on. One technique is intoning or vibrating the names of God; for example, one may stimulate the chakras with an exercise called the Middle Pillar (see exercises at the end of chapter 8).
It is interesting that Qabalistic philosophy accepts feminine aspects of divinity, embodied especially in the Shekinah and in Binah on the Tree of Life, much more than do the mainstream divisions of Judaism.
Voudun (Vodun, Voodoo)
Voudun comes from a word meaning “God” or “spirit” and refers to a religious and magickal tradition that began in Africa, spread to the West Indies and the United States with the importation of slaves, and blended with Catholic Christian beliefs. It is practiced in the southeastern U. S., Cuba, Trinidad, and Brazil, and it is the major religion of the island of Haiti.
The supreme deity is Bon Dieu, the “Good God.” There are many other gods and goddesses in the pantheon, such as Ogun, Papa Legba, and Erzulie, in addition to many lesser gods, saints, and spirits, called loas—spirits of earth, fire, wind, rain, the jungle, old age, death, and more.
A Voudun priest is called a houngan, and a priestess is a mambo. With the other worshipers, hounci, they meet in a chapel, known as a hounfor.
At the rituals, prayers are offered to the gods and spirits; then the houngan or mambo will draw a veve, or sacred symbol, belonging to one of the deities. There will be drumming, with certain drum rhythms specific to particular loas, and ecstatic dancing until participants enter a trance and are possessed by the deities or loas. A person so possessed is known as the cheval or “horse” of the loa in control. This state may last for a few minutes or several hours, and the incarnate deity may give counsel, heal, sing, and dance during that time.
Voudun practitioners also practice communication with the dead and use spells to protect themselves against negative magick. Like shamans, they may also induce various spirits to take up residence in material objects, which are kept in gourds or jars on the altar.
Voudun has been much maligned in cheap movie thrillers and novels, but for many people it serves as a positive and effective form of religious expression.
Western Ceremonial Magick
The history of Western magick reached a turning point in 1887, when a Rev. Woodford found a mysterious manuscript and shared it with Dr. W. Wescott, a Rosicrucian friend, and with S. L. MacGregor Mathers, a prominent occultist. Enthused about the rituals and lore deciphered from the document, they founded the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, based on Rosicrucian teachings, Qabalistic magick, Egyptian religion, and the creativity of its members, which drew these diverse threads together into a unified whole. During the brief years of its existence, the Golden Dawn included such well-known figures as poet William Butler Yeats, author Algernon Blackwood, and the controversial Aleister Crowley; its influence continues in magickal lodges today.
The aim of the Golden Dawn initiate, as described in the oath of the Adeptus Minor, was to
apply myself to the Great Work, which is to purify and exalt my Spiritual Nature so that with the Divine Aid I may at length attain to be more than human, and thus gradually raise and unite myself to my Higher and Divine genius, and that in this event I will not abuse the great power entrusted to me.[4]
The Golden Dawn was known for its complex hierarchy: initiates passed through several grades within two orders, earning the titles of Zelator, Theoricus, Practicus, Philosophus, Adeptus Minor, Adeptus Major, Adeptus Exemptus, Magister Templi, and ultimately Ipsissimus. The Third Order was composed of the Secret Chiefs, the legendary adepts who had achieved immortality and magickal powers beyond the comprehension of ordinary folk.
Temples were established in England, Scotland, and Paris; in time, Wescott was elected Supreme Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and left the Golden Dawn. S. L. MacGregor Mathers took control and administered the Order in an increasingly authoritarian manner. Beginning about 1900, the organization began to suffer internal conflict and soon splintered into several factions. The Golden Dawn teachings, however, remain a model for many ceremonial magicians throughout the Western world.
Among other skills, the Order taught divination through geomancy, tarot, scrying, and clairvoyance; the use of talismans, sigils, and telesmatic images; Enochian invocations; Qabalistic pathworking; and astral projection, all of which are well beyond the scope of this book.
Other Magickal Traditions
We have touched upon several important magickal traditions in use today, but many others are still practiced, and even more have been lost in the sands of time. What magick might have been known to the shamans of Europe’s Ice Age, or to the priestesses of ancient Sumer, or to the magicians of the East African empires? Perhaps someday we shall know—either through archaeological breakthroughs, past-life regression, or a form of trancework or astral travel that transcends time. Until then, we must content ourselves with recent or living traditions.
Such traditions are varied and numerous enough to provide lifetimes of study and practice. In addition to those already discussed, there is Santeria of Cuba and now the United States; Candomble, Xango, and Macumba of Brazil; and Chinese magick (some of it Taoist in origin), including astrology, I Ching divination, and feng shui, which might be defined as the art of aligning human structures in harmony with earth energies.
There is Egyptian and Thelemic Current magick, the arts of the Druids, and the hereditary skills of the Gypsies or Romany peoples. In India, the line between the yogic disciplines and magick is vague indeed, and in Australia the Aborigines still perform their ancient dances and ceremonies. The magick of some Native American nations, such as Seneca stone reading, survive in scattered areas here and there. In a thousand places around this planet, in deserts and rain forests, on islands and on arid mountain plateaus, the religious systems of myriad people still include the magickal arts.
The Tree of Life and its ten sephiroth, twenty-two paths, and three pillars
Much has been lost, but much survives, and it requires great self-discipline for the novice to focus on mastering the basics of one tradition before beginning to explore others. Mastery is important; merely dabbling in anything that strikes your fancy will lead to a great collection of lore-fragments, along with very little power or skill. The best approach to magick is to focus on one system until it is second nature to you, and only then enrich your practice with the knowledge and techniques of other systems.
Connecting with the Magick of an Era or Culture
For many, the choice is easy: they want to learn the magick, myths, and traditions of their ancestral culture. For example, Jon says, “I’m Polish, and it’s really exciting for me to read about the folk magick of ancient Poland . . . and even the archaeology of that region before Poland existed. It makes me feel connected to my roots, my ancestors.”
Wonderful for Jon, but . . .
- what about someone who is of mixed heritage? If you’re part
German and part Pawnee . . . or a “Heinz 57” European . . . or
Vietnamese-American . . . where does that leave you? - what about someone who doesn’t have much information about their roots? A lot of African-Americans know, of course, that their ancestors came from Africa, but there is a huge difference between the Yoruban civilization, the Bantu, the Ashanti, and the Dogon, to mention a few out of hundreds!
- what about someone who knows their cultural heritage, but is emotionally drawn to a completely different culture? What about the Caucasian who feels an affinity to certain Native American traditions, or the black guy who really likes the Norse-Asatru traditions, or the Lakota woman who is attracted to Chinese Taoism?
Once again, we are fortunate: no Magickal Correctness Police in sight! Follow your heart. If you are sincere in your interest, the magickal group or community in question may welcome you as a fellow traveler on that particular path.
However, one cautionary note: if you are interested in learning the traditions of a living culture, don’t just copy their ways without training or permission. Go to a respected teacher or elder of that tradition, explain your sincere desire to learn about their magick and/or spirituality, and humbly ask if you may receive their teaching. If they turn you away, keep looking for a qualified teacher of that path; and meanwhile work as a solitary as best you can.
What if there is no living teacher because the culture has long since passed away? The magick and spirituality of ancient Sumer may draw you, but if you go to Sumer (now modern Iraq), you won’t find many people following that path today. Still, you can contact the priesthood on the astral planes, and ask for help on your journey; and then do the research to rediscover and re-create what you can of those ways. Through the Internet you may be able to find others who share your interest.
Exercises Toward Mastery
1: Choose a Style of Magick
Take the little quiz earlier in this chapter, and think about the results. Imagine yourself working each different style: nature magick . . . intrinsic magick . . . ceremonial magick . . . kitchen witch magick. Which feels most comfortable to you? Which feels most powerful to you? Which feels most challenging to you?
2: Read About a Tradition of Magick
Of those listed here, which tradition intrigues you the most—Wicca . . . Shamanism . . . Norse magick . . . Huna . . . Alchemy . . . Brujaría . . . Voudun . . . Qabala . . . Western Ceremonial magick? Pick a book from the Recommended Reading list in appendix IV, check it out from your local library (using interlibrary loan if necessary), and read it.
3: Research a Well-Known Magician
Choose one from the list in appendix VII, and do some research on the Internet. Write a short biography. Think about that person’s life; what do you admire, and was there anything from their life that you would want to avoid? Was their life a shining example or a cautionary tale?
Blesséd be.
To follow this path further, read:
Shamanism
Shamanism: As a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life by Thomas Dale Cowan (Genealogical Services, 1996)
The Way of the Shaman (10th Anniversary Edition) by Michael Harner (HarperSanFrancisco, 1990)
Book of Shamanic Healing by Kristin Madden (Llewellyn, 2002)
Chosen by the Spirits: Following Your Shamanic Calling by Sarangerel (Destiny Books, 2001)
The Woman in the Shaman’s Body: Reclaiming the Feminine in Religion and Medicine by Barbara Tedlock (Bantam, 2005)
Wicca
Earth, Air, Fire & Water by Scott Cunningham (Llewellyn, 2002)
Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic by Scott Cunningham (Llewellyn, 2002)
The Witches’ Craft by Raven Grimassi (Llewellyn, 2002)
RitualCraft: Creating Rites for Transformation and Celebration by Amber K and Azrael Arynn K (Llewellyn, 2006)
Grimoire for the Green Witch by Ann Moura (Llewellyn, 2003)
Positive Magic: Ancient Metaphysical Techniques for Modern Lives (Revised
Edition) by Marion Weinstein (New Page Books, 2002)
Norse Magick
Northern Mysteries & Magick by Freya Aswynn (Llewellyn, 1991)
Völuspá-Seiðr as Wyrd Consciousness by Yngona Desmond (Booksurge
Publishing, 2006)
Taking Up the Runes: A Complete Guide to Using Runes in Spells, Rituals, Divination, and Magic by Diana L. Paxson (Weiser, 2005)
Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic by Edred Thorsson (Weiser, 1983)
Germanic Magic: A Basic Primer on Galdor, Runes, and Spá by Swain
Wodening (Booksurge Publishing, 2006)
Huna
Hawaiian Magic and Spirituality by Scott Cunningham (Llewellyn, 2002)
Huna Magic: Empowers You to Create Health Wealth and Relationships by John Bainbridge and Ronald Peters (Barnhart Press, 1994)
Huna Magic Plus: Adds a New Dimension to the Kahuna Secrets of Ancient Hawaii for Practical Use in Today’s High Tech World by John Bainbridge (Barnhart Press, 2004)
Huna: A Beginner’s Guide (New Ed edition) by Enid Hoffman (Schiffer Publishing, 1997)
Hawaiian Magic by Clark Wilkerson (Clark & Dei Wilkerson Publishers, 1968)
Alchemy
Alchemist’s Handbook: Manual for Practical Laboratory Alchemy by Frater Albertus (Weiser, 1987)
Alchemy Rediscovered and Restored by A. Cockren (Book Tree, 1998)
Sorcerer’s Stone: A Beginner’s Guide to Alchemy by Dennis William Hauck (Citadel, 2004)
The Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy: An Herbalist’s Guide to Preparing Medicinal Essences, Tinctures, and Elixirs by Manfred M. Junius (Healing Arts Press, 1985)
Brujaría
The Road to Guadalupe: A Modern Pilgrimage to the Virgin of the Americas by Eryk Hanut (Tarcher, 2001)
The Aztec Virgin: The Secret Mystical Tradition of Our Lady of Guadalupe by John Mini (Trans-Hyperborean Institute, 2000)
The Magic and Mysteries of Mexico: The Arcane Secrets and Occult Lore of the Ancient Mexicans by Lewis Spence (Newcastle, 1994)
Healing with Herbs and Rituals: A Mexican Tradition by Eliseo “Cheo” Torres (University of New Mexico Press, 2006)
Voudun
Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (New Ed edition) by Maya Deren (McPherson, 1983)
Vodou Visions: An Encounter with Divine Mystery by Sallie Ann Glassman (Villard, 2000)
The Book of Vodou: Charms and Rituals to Empower Your Life by Leah Gordon (Barron’s Educational Series, 2000)
Secrets of Voodoo by Milo Rigaud (City Lights Publishers, 1985)
Qabala
Simplified Qabala Magic by Ted Andrews (Llewellyn, 2003)
Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction by Joseph Dan (Oxford University Press, 2005)
Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune (Weiser Books, 2000)
Kabbalistic Handbook for the Practicing Magician by Joseph Lisiewski (New Falcon Publications, 2005)
Climbing the Tree of Life: A Manual of Practical Magickal Qabalah by David Rankine (Avalonia, 2005)
Western Ceremonial
Essential Golden Dawn by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero (Llewellyn, 2003)
Modern Magic by Donald Michael Kraig (Llewellyn, 2002)
Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie (Llewellyn, 2002)
High Magic by Frater U...D... (Llewellyn, 2005)
[1] Janet and Stewart Farrar, The Witches’ Way: Principles, Rituals and Beliefs of Modern Witchcraft (London: Robert Hale Ltd., 1984), 198.
[2] Sympathetic or imitative magick is based on connection, imitation, or correspondence. It makes use of the principle that anything owned, used, part of, or even touched by a person retains a magickal link to them even when separated from that person (such as a lock of hair on a healing poppet). Imitation involves using models, pictures (such as cave paintings or photographs), or mimicry (as in acting out a successful hunt) to affect people or situations. Correspondence is based on the concept that one can influence something based on its relationship to another thing; for example, I wear red and invoke a lion goddess to strengthen my will.
[3] Michael Harner, The Way of the Shaman, 10th anniversary edition (HarperSanFrancisco, 1990), 20.
[4] Oath of the Adeptus Minor, in various works on the Golden Dawn.