Magickal Arts Booklist

 

Astrology and Divination

Astrology for Dummies (Rae Orion). For Dummies; 3rd edition (February 5, 2020). ISBN-10 : 1119594162, ISBN-13 : 978-1119594161.

For over four thousand years, people have watched the skies, correlating the movements of the Sun, the Moon, and the planets with human affairs.  Astrology for Dummies shows the reader how to use that accumulated wisdom to identify strengths and weaknesses, discover creative abilities, understand relationships, and make the most of the times in which we live.  Using an abundance of real-life examples, author Rae Orion offers an incisive account of each sign and planet, taking the reader far beyond the daily horoscope and illuminating the birth chart in all its individuality and complexity.

Astrology for Dummies examines the time-honored ways astrology helps us understand ourselves and others.  From how to map and interpret individual horoscopes to building and reading birth charts, Astrology For Dummies provides you with the tools to apply the art of astrology to your everyday life.

 

Cooking up Magick

Modern Witch: Spells, Recipes & Workings (Devin Hunter). Llewellyn Publications (February 8, 2020). ISBN-10 : 0738757241, ISBN-13 : 978-0738757247

Filled with magical workings, lush photography, and creative inspiration, Modern Witch is a dazzling display of art and craft.  Esthetic meets esoteric as author Devin Hunter shows how to work magic for love, healing, protection, prosperity, and divination.  Color photos and artistic renderings show essential aspects of the workings, helping you develop a successful magical practice that achieves the results you desire.

With dozens of spells, rituals, and recipes from the personal grimoire of a working witch, this book empowers you to work with dynamic magical energies and fulfill your deepest spiritual, physical, and emotional needs.  With this powerful magic, you don’t need to wait for some unknown fate; you can take charge and create your own.

The Wicca Cookbook, Second Edition: Recipes, Ritual, and Lore (Jamie Wood and Tara Seefeldt). Celestial Arts; 2nd ed. edition (October 5, 2010). ISBN-10:158761104X, ISBN-13:978-1587611049

The spiritual tenets of Wicca are steeped in an inherent reverence for nature and stewardship of the environment.  In fact, Wiccan practitioners have been living—and cooking—green since ancient times.  In the decade since the first edition of the The Wicca Cookbook cast its spell over culinary history buffs and adventurous cooks everywhere, many readers have asked “What makes a cookbook Wiccan?” The tenth anniversary edition answers that question and more, bringing fresh dimensions to this heady witches’ brew with new rituals and delicious recipes. 

More than 100 dishes, many historically authentic, all meticulously researched, emphasize the use of organic ingredients at their seasonal peak and celebrate all the major pagan holidays: enjoy Stuffed Nasturtiums, Goddess Athena Pitas, and Deva Saffron Bread for the Spring Equinox; serve Elder Flower Chicken, Lilith’s Lily Fair Soup, and Wild Woman White Sage Jelly during the Summer Solstice; and Cupid’s Cold Slaw, Imbolc Moon Cookies, and Snowflake Cakes make delightful Candlemas treats.  Nature-honoring dishes, eco-friendly living tips, and an inclusive message of spirituality make The Wicca Cookbook a unique contribution to the culinary world and a magickal tribute to the pagan spirit.

 

Rites of Passage

The Journey Into Spirit: A Pagan’s Perspective on Death, Dying & Bereavement (Kristoffer Hughes). Llewellyn Publications (September 8, 2014). ISBN-10: 0738740756, ISBN-13: 978-0738740751

The Journey Into Spirit is a guide to death and the mysterious world beyond.  Join renowned Druid priest Kristoffer Hughes as he explores the three realms of existence―the realm of necessity, the realm of spirit, and the realm of infinity―and illuminates the essence of grief, mourning, and spiritual continuation.  Challenging many status quo beliefs about the afterlife, this book provides exercises, meditations, rituals, and thought-provoking questions designed to bring you on a journey of discovery through the most profound of all human transitions.  Filled with insight and practical guidance, The Journey Into Spirit shows how to honor family and friends in spirit, discover life-affirming aspects of every state of existence, and move beyond the fear that surrounds death.

The Pagan Book of Living and Dying: Practical Rituals, Prayers, Blessings, and Meditations on Crossing Over (Starhawk, M. Macha NightMare & The Reclaiming Collective), HarperOne; 1st edition (October 8, 1997). ISBN-10: 0062515160, ISBN-13: 978-0062515162

Birth, growth, death, and rebirth are a cycle that forms the underlying order of the universe.  This is the core of Pagan belief — and the heart of this unique resource guide to death and the process of dying.  Considered the Pagan omnibus on death, The Pagan Book pf Living and Dying contains many rituals that are aimed at assisting the deceased to cross over into the afterlife.

Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life and Mourning Death, (Sarah York), Jossey-Bass; 1st edition (August 15, 2000). ISBN-10: 0787955078, ISBN-13: 978-0787955076

Remembering Well offers family members, clergy, funeral professionals, and hospice workers ways to plan services and rituals that honor the spirit of the deceased and are faithful to that person’s values and beliefs, while also respecting the needs and wishes of those who will attend the services.  It is an essential resource for anyone who yearns to put death in a spiritual context but is unsure how to do so-including both those who have broken with tradition and those who wish to give new meaning to the time-honored rituals of their faith.

Funerals Without God: A Practical Guide to Non-Religious Funerals, (Jane Wynne Willson). Prometheus; 2nd Edition (September 1, 1990). ISBN-10: 0879756411, ISBN-13: 978-0879756413

The main purpose of this booklet is twofold: to help Humanists who are thinking of becoming officiants on a regular basis; and to help families and friends who are faced with the need to organize a ceremony themselves at short notice.  A third group who may find parts of it useful are funeral directors coping with funerals where there is no officiant and the family has no wish to play an active role.  The booklet aims to set out clearly the basic format of a Humanist ceremony, to suggest possible readings and turns of phrase, and to state simply the various practical measures that need to be taken.  In short, it is a straightforward working manual.

CoG Member, Andrea Joy Kendall wrote, “While this book deals with how to perform a funeral appropriate for an atheist, its advice and examples are useful to anyone who needs to perform a funeral. It is aimed at non-clergy.”

 

Herbs, Plants & Trees

Under the Bramble Arch (Corinne Boyer). Llewellyn Publications (March 8, 2020) ISBN-10 : 0738765872, ISBN-13 : 978-0738765877

Following Under the Witching Tree, this second book in a trilogy by folk herbalist Corinne Boyer explores the magical and medicinal applications of the plants of the wayside―those liminal places where the wild meets the unkempt and forgotten landscapes of humankind.  This book presents a wealth of hands-on practices exploring charms, spells, recipes, and rites.

Under the Witching Tree: A Folk Grimoire of Tree Lore and Practicum (Corinne Boyer). Troy Books (January 26, 2017). ISBN-10 : 1909602183, ISBN-13 : 978-1909602182

Under the Witching Tree is the first in a trilogy of books by Corinne Boyer; a folk-herbalist known for her work exploring the traditional medicinal, and magical applications of plants and trees as well as their folklore.  This is a trilogy that guides us into the realms of plant lore, folk magic and folk medicine.  The first book, Under the Witching Tree, focuses on the rustic magical traditions surrounding trees from western and northern Europe and north America. Corinne’s work, backed up by nearly twenty years of experience in the field, is full of information that is today little known, particularly within modern herbalism.  This is a book which presents the reader with a wealth of home-spun and very hands-on practices exploring tales, charms, spells, recipes and rites focusing on twenty different trees.

 

LGBTQ Magick

Casting A Queer Circle: Non-Binary Witchcraft (Thista Minai). Asphodel Press ; (August 1, 2017) ISBN-10: 1938197216. ISBN-13: 978-1938197215.

Many people come to traditional Wicca or Witchcraft seeking the benefits of shared ritual, spiritual community, and formalized training, but the inherent sex and gender binaries that permeate modern Wicca can make anyone who exists outside of that polarity feel unimportant or excluded.  Even people who identify within a gender binary but want their spiritual or religious practice to reflect a spectrum of life experiences can feel stifled and smothered in the biases of Wicca-based Paganism.  Thista Minai has created an alternative.  Casting a Queer Circle describes Spectrum Gate Mysteries, a new ritual system conceived as a direct answer to those of us who appreciate the wisdom and power of traditional Wicca, yet need something more inclusive.  Here you’ll find the fundamentals of queering witchcraft, from casting a Circle and celebrating the Wheel of the Year, to Rites of Passage and creating a coven.  Bring your identity into your sacred work, and worship on your own terms.

 

Women & Magick

Book of Shadows – A Modern Woman’s Journey into the Wisdom of Witchcraft and the Magic of the Goddess (Phyllis Curott). Phyllis Curott; 20th Anniversary ed. edition (May 1, 2019) ISBN-10 : 1733525807, ISBN-13 : 978-1733525800

When Phyllis Curott, a high-powered Manhattan lawyer began exploring Witchcraft, she discovered a spiritual movement that defied all stereotypes.  Encountering neither satanic rites nor eccentric spinsters, she came to embrace the reconstruction of Europe’s indigenous spirituality; the religion of the Goddess.  Book of Shadows chronicles Phyllis’ introduction and initiation into Wicca, her ascension to the position of Wiccan High Priestess, and her efforts to reconcile her newfound spirituality with her struggles as a woman rising through the ranks of the corporate world.  Along the way, she relates the history of Witchcraft and shares many traditional Wiccan practices.  Engagingly written and rich with detailed rituals, spells, and techniques, this inspirational book traces a modern woman’s spiritual journey into a realm of extraordinary experience and enlightenment.

The Women’s Wheel of Life, (Elizabeth Davis and Carol Leonard). Bad Beaver Publishing (January 1, 2012). ISBN-10 : 061539468X, ISBN-13 : 978-0615394688

Maiden, Mother, or Crone-where does a woman in her forties fit in?  Women who have turned to feminist spirituality for appreciation of women’s ways of knowing have struggled with the confining concept of the Triple Goddess.  Though no longer raising children, a woman may not yet be ready to be a “wise old woman.”  The Women’s Wheel of Life offers a new archetype for this woman-the Matriarch.  The Matriarch is the Queen of the Harvest-reaping the rewards of sustained work and effort, at the height of her sexual and professional power.  Elegantly self-possessed, fueled by an intensity and direction, she is poised to rekindle the passions, dreams and spiritual pursuits of youth.  She represents the challenge facing midlife women today-how to reap the harvest of one’s work and make time for new creative and personal explorations.  The Matriarch is but one of thirteen empowering archetypes presented in this book.  From Daughter to Blood Sister, Mother to Amazon, Sorceress to Crone, this groundbreaking work reveals the grand pattern of women’s lives, rich and complex, beautiful and mysterious.

 

Magickal Studies (Or Old World Witchery)

The Candle and the Crossroads: A Book of Appalachian Conjure and Southern Root Work (Orion Foxwood). Weiser Books; First Edition (December 1, 2012) ISBN-10 : 157863508X, ISBN-13 : 978-1578635085

Learn the ways of magic and healing from the living, oral tradition of Appalachian Conjure in The Candle and the Crossroads.  Orion Foxwood offers a primer on the real magic and techniques of Southern root magic, knowledge he learned firsthand growing up in rural Appalachia.  The Candle and the Crossroads shows how to create magic in today’s world with the old ways and traditions of Appalachia.

The Flame in the Cauldron: A Book of Old-Style Witchery; (Orion Foxwood). Weiser Books – March 1, 2015.  ISBN-10 : 1578635365 ISBN-13 : 978-1578635368

Few words entice and incite like the word witchery.  Thousands of self-identified witches, pagans, and magical practitioners embrace the word, but seldom go beyond the practice of the well-accepted and learned forms of “traditional” witchcraft to explore the path of old-witchery.  Orion Foxwood invites readers to walk on the path of old-style witchery, a nature-based practice that is as old as the swamps and as wild as the woods.

For the first time, Foxwood reveals some of his own deeply personal rituals and spells directly from his own grimoire of witchery; he highlights the differences (and similarities) between Wicca, “traditional” witchcraft, and old style witchery.  By weaving his own path to witchery throughout the book, he gives readers examples of how to identify the way toward this path.

There is a revolution among the Pagan and Witchcraft communities, a movement away from prescribed ritual and neopagan practices and a reaching back toward what Foxwood says is in the heart of any true witch: a thundering call deep within their very blood to become a healer, a reckoner, a protector of magical arts, and a guardian of the wild woods.

Kissing the Limitless: Deep Magic and the Great Work of Transforming Yourself and the World (T. Thorn Coyle). Weiser Books; Illustrated edition (February 10, 2009). ISBN-10 : 1578634350, ISBN-13 : 978-1578634354

Kissing the Limitless is a manual for self-liberation through magic.  By practicing the Great Work of the ancient alchemists and magicians, readers are guided into self-possession–constant communication with their divine selves– and connection with the Limitless Divine.  Using the tools of energy and breath, shadow and dream work, tarot and meditation, readers will learn to open up “life power” and access breath, will, and desire–the key components of effective magic–to, quite literally, reshape the world.

Traditional Witchcraft a Cornish Book of Ways  (Gemma Gary). Publisher : Troy Books; 2nd Revised edition (October 1, 2008). ISBN-10:0956104347, ISBN-13 : 978-0956104342

“First published in 2008, this is a revised and expanded second edition of the author’s well received book on modern Cornish traditional witchcraft.  As Gemma Gary says in her new preface, there is no ‘set in stone’ organised witch tradition in Cornwall and folk magic practices have always been unique to their individual practitioners.  However, in this excellent book she has managed to expertly draw together a workable new tradition from historical sources and the surviving rites, charms and folk customs of Cornwall and the West Country.  It provides a valuable resource and guide for beginners interested in practising Trad Craft.  However, this reviewer is sure that experienced practitioners will also learn from its contents.  Very highly recommended.” Mike Howard – The Cauldron

 Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide  (Thorn Mooney). Llewellyn Publications (July 8, 2018). ISBN-10 : 0738753599, ISBN-13 : 978-0738753591

While there are many powerful variations of contemporary Witchcraft, traditional Wicca offers unique experiences for those who seek it out.  This book explores structured, coven-based styles of Wicca, in which the practitioners typically trace initiatory lineages back to Wicca’s early founders.  Discussing covens, initiations, lineages, practices, ethics, and more, Traditional Wicca shares tips and ideas on how to get the most from this profound approach to Witchcraft.

Discover how to recognize healthy, reputable covens.  Learn how to navigate the process of asking for training and succeeding in an outer court.  Explore the spiritual strength of lineages, hierarchies, and initiation.  This book also includes contributions from several practitioners, providing valuable first-person perspectives on what it’s like to be on the traditional Wiccan path.

Weave the Liminal: Living Modern Traditional Witchcraft (Laura Tempest Zackroff). Llewellyn Publications; Illustrated edition (January 8, 2019). ISBN-10 : 0738756105, ISBN-13 : 978-0738756103

How does a modern Witch embrace tradition while navigating a complex contemporary life?  How can you remain true to your own authenticity when you’re surrounded by a whole world of magical theories, practices, deities, and paths?

Weave the Liminal explores what it means to truly be a Witch in the modern world.  Through the accessible lens of Modern Traditional Witchcraft, Laura Tempest Zakroff helps you formulate a personalized Witchcraft practice and deepen your work with spirits, ancestors, familiars, and the energies of the liminal realm.  This book is a guide to connecting to your deepest feelings and intuitions about your roots, your sense of time, the sources of your inspiration, and the environments in which you live.  It supports your experience of spellcrafting and ritual, and teaches you about metaphysical topics like working with lunar correspondences and creating sacred space.  Discover valuable insights into practical issues such as teachers, covens, oaths, and doing business as a Witch.

Modern Traditional Witchcraft is a path of self-discovery through experience. Let Weave the Liminal be your guide and companion as you explore the Craft and continue evolving the rich pattern of your magical life.

Wisdom of the Elements: The Sacred Wheel of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water (Margie McArthur). Crossing Press (September 1, 1998) ISBN-10:0895949369, ISBN-13:978-0895949363

Drawing on her knowledge of neo-pagan tradition, as well as traditional Chinese medicine, energy work with chakras, and Native American wisdom, McArthur provides keys to the intricate correspondences between the Elements, the planet, and our psychic language.

  

Inspirational

Susceptible to Light (Chelan Harkin). Soulfruit Publishing (December 2, 2020) ISBN-10:0578807270, ISBN-13:978-0578807270

Susceptible to Light, by Chelan Harkin, is a collection of poetry that is mystical and ecstatic in nature–mystical defined as anything having to do with opening the heart to light and ecstatic having to do with anything expressed from this place.  Susceptible to Light is here to remind you of your joy, to assist you in reconsidering ways of relating to your life that better serve and open your heart, to deconstruct anything about God that doesn’t feel close, intimate, authentic, and warm, and to remind your soul to break the surface and take a breath.  Rumi says, “What was said to the rose that made it open was said to me here in my chest.” (Barks, Rumi the Book of Love, 2003)  May this collection help you feel a taste of that sweet openness.  May this collection help you feel the possibility of that kind of laughter.

Thorns of the Blood Rose  (Victor Anderson), Harpy Books; Second edition (October 1, 2003) ISBN-10: 0971005036  ISBN-13: 978-0971005037

The devotional poetry of the founder and grand master of the Feri Tradition.  Winner of the 1975 Clover International Poetry Competition Award, this collection of ritual and love poetry of witchcraft has been hailed as a classic of neo-Pagan literature.

 

Classics

Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and other Pagans in America Today  (Margot Adler),  Penguin Books, (October 3, 2006) ISBN-10: 0143038192 ISBN-13:978-0143038191

Since its original publication, Drawing Down the Moon continues to be the only detailed history of the burgeoning but still widely misunderstood Neo- Pagan subculture.  Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction.

In this edition, featuring an updated resource guide of newsletters, journals, books, groups, and festivals, Margot Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern America’s Pagan groups.

Positive Magic: Occult Self-Help.  (Marion Weinstein) Earth Magic Productions (May 1, 1994) ISBN-10: 0960412875  ISBN-13: 978-0960412877

One of the best loved introductions to magic, Witchcraft and the occult available!  Used in metaphysical classes around the world.  The author makes ancient magic techniques accessible, offering them as practical tool for dealing with daily life.  Well researched historical background on the I Ching, Tarot, Astrology and Witchcraft.

The Spiral Dance: a Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess.  (Starhawk) HarperOne; 20th Anniversary edition (September 22, 1999). ISBN-10: 0062508156  ISBN-13: 978-0062508157