(Part 2) Best witchcraft religion & spirituality books according to redditors
We found 300 Reddit comments discussing the best witchcraft religion & spirituality books. We ranked the 129 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
29. The Wicca Bible: The Definitive Guide to Magic and the Craft (Mind Body Spirit Bibles)
2 mentions
> What do most people today have in mind when they say that they want their partner to be "faithful"?
Bit of a silly question. One usually doesn't demand a partner be faithful with no other factors. It's a mutual exchange of trust between partners agreeing to be faithful to each other. But the doll here represents a desire to control another person without their consent.
I don't think it's "horrible", it's just typical desperation from lonely people. The modern equivalent is the self-help section in the book store, "How to make him fall in love with you." #1 #2 #3 #4 [on and on]
Of course, we still have "magick"-based superstition...
For reliable sources:
High Magic's Aid by Gerald Gardner
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by Charles Godfrey Leland
1: Witchfather: A Life of Gerald Gardner: Into the Witch Cult by Philip Heselton
Lid off the Cauldron by Patrica Crowther
The Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton
Foundations of Practical Magic: An Introduction to Qabalistic, Magical and Meditative Techniques by Israel Regardie
A Witches' Bible by Janet and Stewart Farrar
Witchcraft for Tomorrow by Doreen Valiente
Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts by Donald Michael Kraig
Magical Power For Beginners: How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work by Deborah Lipp
Fifty Years Of Wicca by Frederic Lamond
For essential materials,
-An athame
-A wand
-A pentacle
-A chalice
-Incense and censer
> Would I be considered a true Wiccan if I hid it from those around me?
Yes, you would be considered a "true Wiccan." Most Wiccans since the inception of Wicca kept secret the fact they were witches. It's only in very recent times that people are so forward about the fact that they're witches. I myself keep it pretty well hidden. Only those in my coven and my closest loved ones know that I'm Wiccan.
>When choosing a patron/matron do you pick from literally any gods/goddesses?
The concept of a patron/matron deity is relatively new to Wicca. Originally, the Goddess worshiped by the Witches was the Lunar Goddess of Fertility - often called Diana, Aradia, Hekate, Isis, the Queen of Elphame, etc. The original God worshiped by the Witches was the Horned God of Death and Resurrection - often called Pan, Cernunnos, Janicot, etc. However, in recent times, Wiccans (myself included) have begun working with all types of Pagan deities. So in short, yes, you can pick any god or goddess you feel a connection with.
> Can you celebrate the Wiccan holidays and still celebrate things like Christmas?
Yes, most Wiccans still celebrate cultural holidays such as Christmas.
Ok I haven't read this book personally , but it was written by a witch that I follow: Blackthorn's Botanical Magic
A link to her online shop
This is an occult blog that has a lot of esoteric info on different occult topics.
Edit: I don't have any specific gem-related websites, but I do LOVE the show Steven Universe where he saves the world with the Crystal Gems :D it's kind of my current favorite modern mythology and the personification of each gem is not insignificant when it comes to their derived meanings.
Hoodoo is a folk practice, not a closed tradition. It has its roots in West African native religion, and has been highly influenced by other cultures such as the Germans, Jews, and indigenous Americans. It is truly a uniquely American conglomeration, and white folks have always practiced hoodoo. Dr. Buzzard, one of the most famous rootworkers, was in fact white.
I'm going to say this and probably step on toes for a lot of reasons, but if you are interested in learning more about conjure I feel these are things you should know going ahead. A lot of the criticism I see towards white people practicing hoodoo is that many of them are Wiccan, or eclectic Wiccan, who have little to no issue in taking things (dare I say appropriating them?) from all kinds of traditions with no regard to their cultural context or background. Traditional hoodoo is very Christian, and there are also plenty of people that ignore that fact. On the other hand, as someone who has been practicing hoodoo for many years, I've also seen an uptick (at least online) of new POC hoodoo practitioners who are finding their roots, and many also feel the need to bash white practitioners. There is more than one hoodoo online space I've had to leave because it's become less about the work and more about how much white people suck.
If you are truly interested I encourage you to keep exploring and be respectful. You can check out Lucky Mojo, the website of which contains a virtual book of information, and the books Working Conjure and Conjure In African American Society. The second is not so much about workings as it is about the history, which is important to know. Keep in mind, there is also not one way to practice hoodoo, as a folk practice it has quite the variety. New Orleans Voodoo / Hoodoo is its own animal, Texas Hoodoo has their own ways of doing things, and the list goes on.
Good luck and godspeed.
That's hilarious. I did the same thing but with some fluffy Wicca book I found at a library book sale. I went through it page by page and corrected all the errors, assumptions, and outright lies. I will admit I was also quite liberal with my critiques of the author.
The passage in particular that prompted this was were she gave the cliche railing against "black magick" and then spent a few pages on the usual diatribes about balance and how "everyone has a dark side". Then she proceeded to gloat about how her dark side is a terrifying sight to behold and how those who crossed her paid for it. Ooh, scary!
In another one she gave suggestions on how to hide your altar and tools from those who might persecute you. She used a stint in Egypt and how she hid her tools from her servants as an example. The portrait she painted of the servants is nothing less than what you'd expect from an overly-privileged asshole.
The final one of was her treatise on "sexual healing". She basically describes it as fucking people because you feel bad for them. Much like every other topic she covered, this ended with a personal anecdote about how awesome she was and how many dude's had become obsessed with her because of her magick vagina or something.
I then dropped it off at the book-share shelf at a local coffee shop. I really hope someone out there enjoyed my effort, lol.
This one is more my style.
It's the Winter Solstice, so that's probably why your searching isn't turning up anything. You are so thoughtful to do this for her! What to get her obviously depends on her personality and interests, so if you could tell us a little bit more about her in general that would probably help.
Not knowing what kind of things she already has does make it difficult to recommend things, but I'm going to link you some books that are of general interest but not the kind of thing that most folks already have in a basic library, if that makes sense.
The Return of the Light and In the Light of the Moon are two charming little books full of stories from around the world about the Winter Solstice and the full moon, respectively.
The Charge of the Goddess - The Poetry of Doreen Valiente is a small volume of poetry by one of the most influential women in Wicca.
The Circle Within is a thoughtful, down-to-earth guide for better incorporating Wicca into one's daily life. Very helpful.
The Earth Path is perfect for the ecologically-minded. It shows witches how to really get out in nature and experience it.
A Book of Pagan Prayer is a plain little book packed with a huge variety of prayers and information on creating them.
These are all must-read books:
Amy Blackthorn just released a botanical book...
I consider myself both an Asatruar and a Wiccan. I'm one of those "Wiccatru" that are so frequently bitched about. I worship Freyr and Freyja in both Wiccan circles and in traditional Asatru style ritual.
I have a few suggestions for you.
First off, get Norse Magic and Herbal Healing - it's a book of spells, charms and herbs from 1500. Reading that can show you new ways to approach doing magic from a Norse perspective.
Another magic that is practiced among some heathens is low or folk magic, specifically Pennsylvania Dutch Powwow or Hoodoo. Hex and Spellwork is a good book on this topic.
Get closer to Freyja. She is the guardian of witches and wise women. Ask for her guidance. She will never steer you wrong.
Someone I used to follow for witchy stuff back when I was on Tumblr published a book in 2017
Grovedaughter Witchery: Practical Spellcraft by Bree NicGarran
Not a lot of reviews on Amazon, but all of them seem to be 5 stars
Scott Cunningham is a great author and his works are considered modern classics! If you'd like, I wrote this book and you're welcome to critique the heck out of it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFKNJV6
I suggest the Wicca Bible and Cunningham’s encyclopedia of magical herbs to start. If possible, have them mailed to a friend’s house or a PO box.
https://smile.amazon.com/Wicca-Bible-Definitive-Spirit-Bibles/dp/140273008X/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=wicca+bible&qid=1568859279&sr=8-2
https://smile.amazon.com/Cunninghams-Encyclopedia-Magical-Llewellyns-Sourcebook/dp/0875421229/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=cunninghams+encyclopedia+of+magical+herbs&qid=1568859312&sprefix=cunningha&sr=8-2
Remember that this is an earth-based faith. We mostly use our powers for the good of the world environment. If you cast selfishly, you won’t see the results you want.
I've been really enjoying Witchery by Juliet Diaz, Grovedaughter Witchery by Bree NicGarren, and Weave the Liminal by Laura Tempest Zakroff! The Hearth Witch's Compendium is also a really good resource for more kitchen-based witchcraft.
Here's the current book I am reading: Balkan Traditional Witchcraft by Radomir Ristic
And the last book I read: John George Hohman's Pow-Wows, or a Long Lost Friend
> Could hoodoo be a good fit do you think?
Possibly. I think it really depends on you and your attitude about African Americans. Hoodoo is African American folk magic. It was created and promulgated primarily by black people, and it is an important part of black culture in America. If that's not something that you can appreciate and respect, than hoodoo is not a good fit for you.
Another thing that matters, I think, is your attitude about Christianity (and other Abrahamic religions). Hoodoo is largely Christian. The Bible is used as a grimoire. Many of the incantations are Psalms. If you are intolerant of Christians, and/or you can't wrap your head around and respect the concept of Christians practicing magic, then hoodoo is not a good fit for you.
But, if you're not a racist or a religious bigot, than I don't think it's really a problem. Hoodoo is not a closed tradition. There is history of cultural exchange between black and white folk magic practitioners in America, especially between members of the black community and the American Jewish community. Historically, many of the spiritual supplies marketed towards the black community (like what is now sold on luckymojo.com) were produced by Jewish chemists. And several classic hoodoo books were written by Jewish authors publishing under a pseudonym.
> I grew up in the south and feel more of a connection with this than my own background.
I know what you mean. Most of the magical traditions of white Americans have been broken. At this point, hoodoo seems to be the most robust and best preserved system of English-language American folk magic. Hence, it is the most accessible. But you may also enjoy learning about German American folk magic, called powwow or braucherei. Also Appalachian folk magic, AKA granny magic. You might also enjoy this book: Balkan Traditional Witchcraft, for learning about contemporary Eastern European witchcraft.
The Following list is taken from the Witches & Warlocks FB page. (This is Christian Day's group)
Witches and Warlocks Recommended Reading List
This is a collection of books recommended by our admins and participants in the group. Books must be approved by the admins so if you'd like to see one added to the last, please post it in the comments at the bottom of this list and, if it's something we think is appropriate, we'll add it! We provide links to Amazon so folks can read more about the book but we encourage you to shop at your local occult shop whenever possible! :)
BEGINNER'S WITCHCRAFT BOOKS
Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
by Raymond Buckland
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0875420508
Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America
by Margot Adler
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0143038192
Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch: Mastering the Five Arts of Old World Witchery
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635500
The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation and Psychic Development
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738702765
The Kybalion: The Definitive Edition
by William Walker Atkinson (Three Initiates)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1585428744
Lid Off the Cauldron: A Wicca Handbook
by Patricia Crowther
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1861630328
Mastering Witchcraft
by Paul Huson
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0595420060
Natural Magic
by Doreen Valiente
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0919345808
Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick
by Ellen Dugan
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738709220
Old World Witchcraft: Ancient Ways for Modern Days
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635055
The Outer Temple of Witchcraft: Circles, Spells and Rituals
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738705314
Power of the Witch: The Earth, the Moon, and the Magical Path to Enlightenment
by Laurie Cabot
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385301898
Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation
by Silver RavenWolf
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738703192
Spirit of the Witch: Religion & Spirituality in Contemporary Witchcraft
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738703389
Witch: A Magickal Journey
by Fiona Horne
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0007121326
Witchcraft for Tomorrow
by Doreen Valiente
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0709052448
Witchcraft Today
by Gerald Gardner
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806525932
The Witches' Craft: The Roots of Witchcraft & Magical Transformation
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/073870265X
The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill
by Robin Artisson
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982031882
WITCHCRAFT HISTORY AND RESOURCE BOOKS
Aradia or The Gospel of the Witches
by Charles Godfrey Leland
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982432356
Encyclopedia of Mystics, Saints & Sages: A Guide to Asking for Protection, Wealth, Happiness, and Everything Else!
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0062009575
The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca
by Rosemary Ellen Guiley
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0816071047
Etruscan Roman Remains
by Charles Godfrey Leland
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1494302519
The God of the Witches
by Margaret Murray
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0195012704
The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, The: From Hexes to Hermione Granger, From Salem to the Land of Oz
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578634792
ADVANCED BOOKS ON WITCHCRAFT AND MAGIC
Blood Sorcery Bible Volume 1: Rituals in Necromancy
by Sorceress Cagliastro
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935150812
The Deep Heart of Witchcraft: Expanding the Core of Magickal Practice
by David Salisbury
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1780999208
Teen Spirit Wicca
by David Salisbury
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1782790594
Enchantment: The Witch's Art of Manipulation by Gesture, Gaze and Glamour
by Peter Paddon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1936922517
Initiation into Hermetics
by Franz Bardon
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1885928122
Letters from the Devil's Forest: An Anthology of Writings on Traditional Witchcraft, Spiritual Ecology and Provenance Traditionalism
by Robin Artisson
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500796360
Magical Use of Thought Forms: A Proven System of Mental & Spiritual Empowerment
by Dolores Ashcroft-Nowick and J.H. Brennan
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567180841
Magick in Theory and Practice
by Aleister Crowley
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1500380679
The Plant Spirit Familiar
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982774311
Protection and Reversal Magick
by Jason Miller
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1564148793
Psychic Self-Defense
by Dion Fortune
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635098
The Ritual Magic Workbook: A Practical Course of Self-Initiation
by Dolores Ashcroft-Norwicki
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578630452
The Roebuck in the Thicket: An Anthology of the Robert Cochrane Witchcraft Tradition
by Evan John Jones, Robert Cochrane and Michael Howard
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1861631553
The Satanic Witch
by Anton Szandor LaVey
http://www.amazon.com/Satanic-Witch-Anton-Szandor-LaVey/dp/0922915849
Shadow Magick Compendium: Exploring Darker Aspects of Magickal Spirituality
by Raven Digitalis
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VS0N5K
The Tree of Enchantment: Ancient Wisdom and Magic Practices of the Faery Tradition
by Orion Foxwood
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578634075
The Underworld Initiation: A journey towards psychic transformation
by R.J. Stewart
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1892137038
HERBALISM, CANDLES, INCENSE, OILS, FORMULARIES, AND STONES
A Compendium of Herbal Magic
by Paul Beyerl
http://www.amazon.com/dp/091934545X
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
by Scott Cunningham
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0875421229
The Enchanted Candle: Crafting and Casting Magickal Light
by Lady Rhea
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806525789
The Enchanted Formulary: Blending Magickal Oils for Love, Prosperity, and Healing
by Lady Maeve Rhea
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0806527048
Incense: Crafting and Use of Magickal Scents
by Carl F. Neal
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738703362
Magickal Formulary Spellbook Book 1
by Herman Slater
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0939708000
Magickal Formulary Spellbook: Book II
by Herman Slater
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0939708108
SPELLCASTING AND SPELLBOOKS
Crone's Book of Charms & Spells
by Valerie Worth
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567188117
Crone's Book of Magical Words
by Valerie Worth
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567188257
Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0061711233
Everyday Magic: Spells & Rituals for Modern Living
by Dorothy Morrison
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1567184693
Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spellcasting
by Judika Illes
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578633915
Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions
by Dorothy Morrison
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979453313
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook
by Denise Alvarado
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635136
The Voodoo Doll Spellbook: A Compendium of Ancient and Contemporary Spells and Rituals
by Denise Alvarado
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1578635543
THE ANCESTORS AND WORKING WITH THE DEAD
The Cauldron of Memory: Retrieving Ancestral Knowledge & Wisdom
by Raven Grimassi
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738715751
The Mighty Dead
by Christopher Penczak
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0982774370
Speak with the Dead: Seven Methods for Spirit Communication
by Konstantinos
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0738705225
The Witches' Book of the Dead
by Christian Day
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1578635063
_____
TAROT
78 Degrees of Wisdom
by Rachel Pollack
http://www.amazon.com/dp/157863408
David Salisbury put out a book in March called Witchcraft Activism - it talks about this sort of thing.
If you want something a little more poignant and less "fluffy" read anything by Ly de Angeles. She's very thorough and has more of a direct approach than many authors. She avoids the Wicca stuff (which many refer to as "fluffy bunny paganism") and just goes for the guts of it.
There's a very broad base of beliefs under the "pagan" umbrella and Wicca, though very popular these days, is only one facet of such. Try and vary your reading from Cunnigham to de Angeles to Crowley (even if he's not your thing, it adds to a broader perspective/understanding).
I've found that studying any religion or philosophy it's good to read from a broad base of sources. MockingDead also lists several other references for different styles.
There are a few books that deal with this. Apparently the myth comes from aboriginal people from Western Europe, who used to live in grass-covered houses, and were generally smaller, darker and more mischievous (?) than the rest of the population, and practised witchcraft.
I've read this in books about the history of Pagan witchcraft in England. That might be a good angle to search from.
Books in this section are likely to have a chapter on fearies (but I'd check), but it won't be fully about fearies; whereas this one might be more specific, but more from a practical viewpoint (I think they usually use the spelling "fearie" - for your future searches).
Edit: OH! Also, Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner (which is very worth a read anyway) has a section on "The Little People" - that's about fearie lore. :D
This book by Raymond buckland I found helpful
And also This one by Penczak is good for further research into ancestors and other spirits
Theological I would suggest the pagan book of living and dying or the circle within.
History wise you can't really go wrong with any of the other suggestions here.
Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:
amazon.co.uk
amazon.ca
amazon.com.au
amazon.in
amazon.com.mx
amazon.de
amazon.it
amazon.es
amazon.com.br
amazon.nl
amazon.co.jp
Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
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Psychic shield by Caitlin Matthews
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1569755353/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492278967&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Psychic+shield&dpPl=1&dpID=51IF-ibzLJL&ref=plSrch
..its a book to teach you how to shield yourself from "psychic static" Empathic abilities are rough I know but, having a shield can keep the emotions and dredged in baggage from latching on and let you get back in connection with your own emotions.
I feel that you could benefit from this book. https://www.amazon.com/Psychic-Shield-Personal-Handbook-Protection/dp/1569755353/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=psychic+shield&qid=1558811391&s=gateway&sr=8-7. I'm almost done reading it, and it has helped me a lot through my journey.
In addition to the most popular books(Cunningham,Buckland, Ferrar...etc) we also use this as a reference as it has a lot of information in it and touches on multiple subjects.
https://www.amazon.com/Wicca-Bible-Definitive-Guide-Magic/dp/140273008X
Silver RavenWolf practices Pow-wow, folk magic originating in the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Don't confuse the Pennsylvania Dutch with the Amish, since there are no Amish shamans. LOL. A Pennsylvania Dutch shaman would be a brauche or braucherei. This just goes to show how universal shamanism is since there is even a Pennsylvania Dutch form of shamanism.
Hex and Spellwork: The Magical Practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch
I've never really read anything apart from this, and it's probably not what you expected when you wrote this post, but when I was looking into Wicca and Witchcraft, there was a book by Lys De Angeles (this one: looked it up for you just in case) and I'd only gotten through the first few exercises, but I managed to get myself in a trance doing them one night that felt like I kind of lost myself for a while and drifted away someplace. Not sure how long it lasted because I lost track of time, but I ended up unbalancing and falling over, snapping myself out of it (was on my bed, didn't get hurt) It was definitely some intense meditation there, kind of creepy, but VERY effective and I still use some of the techniques for calming my mind down when I get a little anxious in public. You could probably find some pages to download a sample ahem ahem instead of buying the book, because I'm not sure how useful it would be for your purpose past the first couple of chapters that go beyond clearing your mind and being able to visualize things in your head.
EDIT: spelling
I've heard there is a whole book on glamour magic. https://www.amazon.com/Glamour-Magic-Witchcraft-Revolution-What-ebook/dp/B01LWW99TQ/
I don't practice anymore but when I did, this book really helped me out in the beginning.