Needing good books!!

[Leesa]

So, what are some really good books that I should be reading in regards to Traditional Witchcraft? I'm on my own so I need some books!!

 

Thanks

Leesa

[Holly]

Umm, there aren't any, really ;) Damn near everything is Wiccan. But really, someone on here might have some good suggestions, even if it's just a good herbalism guide. Otherwise, I seriously doubt you'll find any non-Wicca witchcraft theory books in commercial chains.

[Leesa]

I know. Everything seems to be Wicca related.... How are you supposed to find info on anything else????? Sucks!

[Dark Phoenix]

Yea I agree...the only few books I have are the Encyclopdia of 5000 spells and the other Encyclopedia books of that series...even though they may mention Wicca, IMHO they are far from wiccan books. I have come across a few good voodoo books but never bought them. Look around the site and maybe even the book store...Never know what you might find!

[Michele]

This is only my opinion, but I would highly recommend the Monica Furlong books. There are three of them and they are for "young adults": Wise Child, Juniper and Coleman. They are fictional novels, but I thought the witchcraft in them very realistic. You can find them on ebay quite cheaply. They remain some of my favourites and everytime I read them I get something new out of them. I particularly loved the chapter about the flying ointment experience. And also the stuff about the poppets and the black eggs.

[Morgana]

I have the Green Witch books and the grimoire. It does mention wicca, but she is basically a witch. I also have the Element Encyclopedias and also from Seasons of the Witch, the Ancient Grimoire. Good stuff for making your own incense, candles, potions, etc.

[Nightshade]

I like to read about non-Wiccan witchcraft and occult traditions. It's kind of a hobby. My magical practices are well established, but every so often I read something that gets the wheels turning and makes me think. I like that. :) Just off the top of my head, you could try some Nigel Jackson, Evan John Jones, Robert Cochrane, Robin Artisson, Andrew Chumbley, Aleister Crowley, Anton LeVay, Michael Ford, Peter Carroll, etc. Some of these are rather heavy reading, but I seriously doubt you'd start with anything like the Azoetia. If you are a complete beginner to the magical paths, maybe some non-preachy Wiccan authors would be beneficial, just to get your feet wet.

 

Or, on the other hand, you could just spend some time outdoors and save your money. LOL There's nothing written in books that the determined seeker can't figure out for themselves. If you listen to Nature, the spirits, the ancestors, and the Self, you'll be doing just fine. ;)

[Holly]

Good point, Nightshade ;) But I know what you mean when you say you want books, or something to learn from. You can learn stuff from the Wiccan books, like the beginner's chapters on easing into a certain state of mind.

 

If you're going to dabble in that stuff though, I recommend only taking a few idea from the spells they like to list (I hate the thought of taking those recipes at face value-- definitely read between the fluffy bunny lines). Personally, I completely ignore any "love" "lust" or "money" spells listed by a Wiccan-- they just don't have the heart ;) And you'll never find anything about hexes in a Wiccan book. That's going to be all intuition.

[Guest Red Witch]

Call of the Horned Piper is good- it's only a wee book, but it's full of the mythology of Witchcraft, legends, stories etc. I have loads of spell books (!!) but as time goes on I use them less- well, hardly at all really. I occasionally trawl them for inspiration but rarely find any! So, I tend to avoid spell type books now and look for more about actual witches, their craft, history and practice. Not found many though...

[Belladonna]

Good list of authors there Nightshade, I'd second most of them myself! :D

[Guest sooz]

So, what are some really good books that I should be reading in regards to Traditional Witchcraft? I'm on my own so I need some books!!

 

Thanks

Leesa

 

Hi Leesa. Id recommend a book that im currently reading which is called 'craft of the wild witch: green spirituality and natural enchantment' by Poppy Palin. it is not wiccan based and is very inspiring. Also 'Natural Withcraft: the timeless arts and crafts of the country witch' by Marian Green has some good parts. I used to read books and take them as gospel but ive realised that its best to be critical with what you read and take everything with a grain of salt. ask yourself does it resonate within yourself? remember, witchcraft is all about intent so always go with your intuition. :)

[soap fairy]

I'd second that one as well , Read everything you can and extract whats good for you .

Get a good herbal thats specific to your area {ie US or UK etc}

 

Personally I think the Golden Bough is always a good standby {if only for thumping burglars } but if you took a scan across my shelves you'd see the koran , the sayings of the buddha , the golden bough , Julian of Norwich , The mabignognon {I know I spelt that wrong but I've been thumped by old ladies all night , I'm 2 glasses of rasberry cheesecake cocktails down and I cant be faffed to go and check the spelling } and a 101 uses for a dead cat ,

Anyway you get the idea .

Books can only show you the practical , the rest has got to come from a mixture of ideas , inspiration and whathave you ..:hugs:

[Sara]

I just got a book the other day that so far is really helpful for putting together my Grimoire. It is wiccan but there are tons of good ideas! And she tells you where you should cross-reference stuff to make it even easier. She gives great ideas for section starters. It has some recipes but it is mostly just a book on how to keep all your info organized!:D

 

 

Your Book of Shadows by Patricia Telesco ISBN 0-8065-2071-x

[Ancestral Celt]

For the basics of practice, I have just finished reading a book called The Art and Practice of Creative Visualization by Ophiel. Its great for getting the basics down, if you can overlook the ceremonial magic symbology and ritual used and work through the exercises. There is a follow-up called The Art and Practice of Astral Projection by the same author. In terms of the practices of traditional witches, books on folklore are probably your best bet. Though I have to say that books, such as the following, have also been helpful to me.

 

13 Moons by Fiona Walker-Craven

Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic by Bill Griffiths

Augeries and Omens: Magical Lore of Birds by Yvonne Aburrow

A Complete Guide to Psychic Development by Cassandra Eason

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

Culpeper's Color Herbal

Cunning Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic by E. Wilby

Cunning-folk: Popular Magic in English History by Owen Davies

A Dictionary of Plant Lore by Roy Vickery

The Diviner's Handbook: Guide to the Techniques and Applications of Dowsingby Tom Graves

The Element Encyclopaedia of 5000 Spells: The Ultimate Reference Book for the Magical Arts by Judika Illes

The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic by John and Caitlin Matthews

The Folklore of Birds by Laura C. Martin

The Folklore of Plants by T. F. Thiselton-Dyer

The Gaelic Otherworld: Superstitions of the Highlands and Islands by John Gregorson Campbell

Healing Threads: Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands by Mary Beith

Herbs for Magic and Ritual by Teresa Moorey

Imramma: Undertaking the Soul Journey by Eblamma Raven

Irish Trees: Myths Legends and Folklore by Niall MacCoitir

Irish Witchcraft from an Irish Witch by Lora O'Brien (came from a Wicca background, but this book is about going back to the roots of practices in Ireland)

Rowan Tree and Red Thread: a Scottish Witchcraft Miscellany of Tales, Legends and Ballads by Thomas Davidson

Light from the Shadows: A Mythos of Modern Traditional Witchcraft by Gwynn

Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition: An Ethnobotany of Britain & Ireland by David E Allen

A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve

Natural Magic by Doreen Valiente (a Wiccan, yes, but don't dismiss the book)

The Pattern Under the Plough by George Ewart Evans

Root and Branch: Traditional British Tree Lore by Paul R. Harris

Rowan Tree and Red Thread: a Scottish Witchcraft Miscellany of Tales, Legends and Ballads by Thomas Davidson

Sea Witch: Practical Oceanic Magic by Paul Holman

Singing with Blackbirds: The Survival of Primal Celtic Shamanism in Later Folk-Traditions by Stuart A. Harris-Logan

Thorsons Way of Natural Magic by Nigel Pennick

Weather Lore by Richard Inwards

A Witch's Treasury of the Countryside by Paul Harriss

Witchcraft, Magic and Culture, 1736-1951 by Owen Davies

 

... just to name a few. ;) You don't have to read all of the above books, but pick and choose those according to your interests. I have read a bit more extensively on this, including as many folkloric sources as I can find; these tend to give a much better understanding of witchcraft practices than modern books on being a witch.

Edited April 5, 2009 by Ancestral Celt

[Guest Lea]

I just received the book Practical Psychic Self-defense: Understanding and Surviving Unseen Influences by Robert Bruce. I was not impressed at all. My reason for this is, as I started reading into the book, something familiar was ringing a bell in my mind.

 

As I got further into it, I seen the reference to the king james bible...I immediately thought,"Ah Ha! That was it!". Many years ago, I read a book, when I was involved in a non-denominational church, that talked about the things he addresses in his book. I immediately succumbed to my gut feeling that I would be getting rid of this book

 

I do believe that negative and positive exists in all things, that is how balance occurs. But this particular book is not for me. I seen too many xtain undertones to suit my taste...just my opinion. (no offense intended to those who do like it)

Edited March 3, 2009 by Lea

[sophiadawn]

Wow, now here is a great list of suggested books! i haven't read most of them but many look interesting. I love to read and will read almost anything. I have absolutely no trouble taking the useful out of a book and disregarding the rest.

[Grymdycche]

I also liked Issac Bonewits' "Real Magic" and "Real Energy".

They deal more with theory, however.

[Grymdycche]

I just received the book Practical Psychic Self-defense: Understanding and Surviving Unseen Influences by Robert Bruce. I was not impressed at all. My reason for this is, as I started reading into the book, something familiar was ringing a bell in my mind.

 

As I got further into it, I seen the reference to the king james bible...I immediately thought,"Ah Ha! That was it!". Many years ago, I read a book, when I was involved in a non-denominational church, that talked about the things he addresses in his book. I immediately succumbed to my gut feeling that I would be getting rid of this book

 

I do believe that negative and positive exists in all things, that is how balance occurs. But this particular book is not for me. I seen too many xtain undertones to suit my taste...just my opinion. (no offense intended to those who do like it)

 

I haven't read it for myself, but is it as alarmist as they say? I read several reviews said that everything was "evil demons to the left of you", and "shadow spirits to the right" - it invoked a sense of paranoia in some people by being overly dark and dramatic.

[Guest Lea]

I haven't read it for myself, but is it as alarmist as they say? I read several reviews said that everything was "evil demons to the left of you", and "shadow spirits to the right" - it invoked a sense of paranoia in some people by being overly dark and dramatic.

 

Alarmist? Yes, maybe to some, but it did not invoke a sense of paranoia in me. Having so much experience in the xtian faiths, I felt a lot of that undertone and that made it a huge turn off for me....you know, like the fear tactics they use on people who are so hungry for knowledge that they are ready to believe anything and are easily led. Fear is one thing, caution is another.

 

There are probably some witches who actually like the book. I almost kept it because of the herbs mentioned in it, but then decided against it because of the above mentioned. I will get my herb info from a source that is more in line with my path. Not saying the book is "wrong" and if that is another's cup of tea, that is their choice. I respect that.

 

I know that I have had some spiritual experiences myself that others would probably not believe. For instance, Spirit Orbs. I have photos of some and I know in my heart that is what they are. The majority would argue that they are dust or rain drops, but not to me. I don't argue the point because it was my experience and probably would never convince everybody out there any different. What would be the point anyway?

 

I am not saying that what he tells in the book did not "actually" happen to him. To him, it did.

 

I want to add here that in no way am I putting down AC's list of books here. I have bought so many in the past that turned out not to be what I thought it would be. So I really appreciate this kind of information being shared. It is a good thing to read different opinions of what others have read so I and others seeking knowledge can be selective in what they add to their library.

Edited March 5, 2009 by Lea

[Ancestral Celt]

I want to add here that in no way am I putting down AC's list of books here. I have bought so many in the past that turned out not to be what I thought it would be. So I really appreciate this kind of information being shared. It is a good thing to read different opinions of what others have read so I and others seeking knowledge can be selective in what they add to their library.

 

Actually, I started reading the book on recommendation from people here at TW, but never finished it, because of the xian, evil surrounds you undertones. Were I to rewrite that list today, I would not include that book, which I no longer own.

[Guest Lea]

Actually, I started reading the book on recommendation from people here at TW, but never finished it, because of the xian, evil surrounds you undertones. Were I to rewrite that list today, I would not include that book, which I no longer own.

 

So, you felt it too. That is one reason I don't regret my past experiences, I can spot xtian undertones coming a mile away. I have returned the book.

[Jaime]

ok, so it wasn't only me..whew! I did get the book and I have read about half of the beginning (you know the part about the case studies) and left that...I read through some of the practical stuff, and again put it down and just didn't pick it back up... I do think if you wade through the xtian overtones, there's some useful practical info in there...what to look for and quick solutions That kind of thing..

 

Thanks for the list AC. I've written down several and will be acquiring them soon... :)

Edited April 5, 2009 by Jaime

[PaganMama]

Not Witchy, to say the least, but I have a book called 'Women in the Middle Ages' it talks about women back then who did what they had to to survive. making candles, midwifing, medicines, etc of those times. it is a pretty exciting read and can be tied with old age witch craft. Haven't read this one in a long while so I will have to again and catch up. was given to me by another friend who practices the craft and teaches sword fighting. book is by marty williams and anne echols, and is all about the women. mentions kings, joans... including joan of arc, very interesting read if anyone is interested. setting from 1300 - 1500's ... I definatly need to read this again, I all but forgot about it.

 

:cauldron04:

[Black-Cat]

This is only my opinion, but I would highly recommend the Monica Furlong books. There are three of them and they are for "young adults": Wise Child, Juniper and Coleman. They are fictional novels, but I thought the witchcraft in them very realistic. You can find them on ebay quite cheaply. They remain some of my favourites and everytime I read them I get something new out of them. I particularly loved the chapter about the flying ointment experience. And also the stuff about the poppets and the black eggs.

 

Thanks for these great book suggestions! I checked out Wise Child from the library recently and i'm almost half-way through it! I love it! :grin_witch:

[sarasuperid]

I read the Wise Child series on your recommendation too, and I love it! Now how does one make a black egg...