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Reviews
Once upon a time, books on magic, mysticism, witchcraft, and the occult were rare and difficult to find. Today, in the 21st century, however, we are inundated by them. How do you know which are worth reading? The Witches’ Almanac helps you separate the wheat from the chaff with our recommendations and insights.
 A Pagan Ritual Prayer Book, by Ceisiwr Serith, is the sequel to A Book of Pagan Prayer. This sequel focuses on prayers as part of ritual, prayers that help one encounter the divine. Serith presents theories of prayer and ritual structure as well as offering a wide array of modern prayers. Serith offers his own ritual prayers but also guides the reader through the process of creating their own. A great book for anyone searching for a deeper understanding of prayer in the pagan context.
 Karen Harrison’s The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook is an introduction to the medicinal and magical properties of herbs. From the explication of planetary influence to an extensive Appendix of herbal materials, tools, and recipes, The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook is easy to follow while still dense with information. Learn to harness planetary and elemental energies, create custom oils, and expand your relationship to botanica.
 Can’t wait to find out what happens at the end of the Mayan calendar on December 12, 2012? The Mayan Oracle: A Galactic Language of Light, by Ariel Spilsbury & Michael Bryner, may have the answers you are looking for. Far from being a doom and gloom exposition of the end of time, The Mayan Oracle explores the end of the Mayan calendar as a rebirth rather than an end – the dawning of a cosmic consciousness. Includes 44 full color cards beautifully illustrated by the artist Oceanna, complete with instructions for harnessing the energy of Star-glyphs to read your own innermost knowledge.
 Edred Thorsson’s Runecaster’s Handbook is a practical guide to runecasting as a system of communication with both the physical and cosmic realms. Thorsson offers a myriad of ways to start or enhance your runic practice, taking the runes beyond the common understanding of simply a fortune telling device. Thorsson casts runes as a means of accessing hidden truths – about the future, yes; but more importantly, about your own relationship to the gods.
 Frank Joseph’s Gods of the Runes: The Divine Shapers of Fate is a charming and unconventional introduction to runes. Joseph explores the celestial origins of the runes by revealing the major myths of the twenty-four Norse Gods and Goddesses on which the runes are based. Each rune’s God or Goddess is introduced with an engaging story displaying their personalities and key attributes. Ian Daniels provides stunning illustrations of each God or Goddess, including eight full color illustrations. Deepen your understanding of this ancient art.
 Sexual Outlaw, Erotic Mystic: The Essential Ida Craddock by Vere Chappell explores the life of an extraordinary woman decades ahead of her time. Part biography, part introduction to her most influential works, Sexual Outlaw introduces Ida Craddock to a modern audience perhaps unaware of her contributions to women’s rights, sexual freedom, occult spiritualism and social progress. Her amazing story is laid out in a fluid academic tone right alongside Ida’s ideas in her own words. An essential read for anyone interested in social justice and the history of sexuality.
 Fate, Fortune, and Mysticism in the Peruvian Amazon: The Septrionic Order and the Naipes Cards is a wholly unique book about divination and the power we hold over our own future. Marlene Dobkin de Rios, Phd., is a medical anthropologist who, while studying in Peru, encounters a divination system similar to Tarot with centuries of history and a surprising record of accuracy. But its practitioners, members of the mysterious Septrionic Order do not just observe the future, they actively shape it. De Rios finds herself pulled into the world of the Naipes cards and the mysticism of the Septrionic Order – first as an observer and then as a practitioner. Part memoir, part introducion to the techniques of managing the future, Fate, Fortune, and Mysticism in the Peruvian Amazon is written with the scientific mind of an anthropologist and the spiritual heart of a shaman. A must read!
 Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune
Dion Fortune offers practical instruction on protecting oneself from psychic attack. Part psychological case study and part manual for fighting invisible but omnipresent forces, Fortune draws from her personal experiences to arm the reader against malignant paranormal encounters. However, Fortune does not simply advocate arming oneself for battle against these forces; rather, she brings the reader to an understanding that it is our own ignorance of these forces that comprises our biggest threat.
 The Secrets of Doctor Taverner by Dion Fortune
In some ways, The Secrets of Doctor Taverner is a novelization of Dion Fortune’s own life; Dr. Taverner is based on her own mentor, and his assistant, Dr. Rhodes, is taken to be Fortune herself. In other ways, the novel is a psychological mystery and Taverner is an occult Sherlock Holmes. Taverner is an eccentric Doctor treating patients taken to be hopelessly insane by the medical establishment. Where most doctors see hopeless cases of mental defect, Taverner accesses occult knowledge – from past lives to misplaced souls – to free his patients from psychic distress. A rollicking good read!
 Barbarian Rites by Hans-Peter Hasenfratz, Ph.D.
An exploration of the early religious cultures of the Germanic tribes, Barbarian Rites offers a scholarly look at the history of this ancient culture. It begins by asking what constitutes a Germanic tribe, then proceeds to answer that question by offering in-depth analysis of their social structures, cosmography, pantheon and so on. A wonderful and dense book for anyone interested in the ritual practices of ancient cultures.
 Moon Phase Astrology by Raven Kaldera
This thick tome is a complete introduction to developing and understanding a personal relationship to the phases of the moon. Kaldera walks with the reader across the varied path of the moon as it glides through all of its 96 incarnations. Besides simply understanding the celestial path the moon takes, Kaldera shows the reader how the moon is a metaphor for our own lives, our personal relationships, and our general disposition towards the world. Kaldera brings a great sense of storytelling to his explanations of the moon’s place in our lives.
 The Light of Sex and Advanced Sex Magic by Maria De Naglowska
Available for the first time in English, The Light of Sex and Advanced Sex Magic represent two of the most interesting and, until now, hard to procure books on the spiritual aspects of sex. A Russian mystic and “Satanic Woman” of 1930s Paris, De Naglowska’s work focused on unifying the dark and light powers of the world through reconciliation of masculine and feminine ideals. De Naglowska uses the Trinity as a basis for her occult teachings, reimagining the three aspects of the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – as Head (reason), Heart, and the Feminine ideal, or Sex and the coming of a new enlightened age. These books are a fascinating historical read and an important part of occult history, but be advised – the techniques described are potentially dangerous; there is even a warning posted before the bulk of the text.
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