Animal Magic

Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone: A Primal Guide to Animal Magic by Lupa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lupa writes a fairly simple to follow book about how to connect to the animal spirits. I like books that are easy to comprehend and do not go over the head of the reader. I also do not like it when it is so simple that you do not even learn anything. This fights right perfectly in the groove.
Lupa starts off with telling everyone that she is neo pagan and that she practices chaos magic. Chaotes or practioitioener of Chaos magic do what works for them. While being a neo pagan Lupa at the same time reminds the reader to be critical of neo pagan sources as they often have their facts mixed up.
She does learn from Paleo Paganism but then does her own things and advises the reader that it is ok to do this. Her form is the wolf. This is her primary totem that stays with her for her entire life. Her secondary totem is the cougar that comes when it is needed then goes away. The tertiary is one that is sought out. What is the origin of totems? Ancient may have thought that they descended from certain animals or that they contacted the master spirit who gives them luck hunting a species in return for recognition, honor and offering.
Lupa laments how misunderstood the wolf , a misunderstanding that has led to a genocide of the species and unfair hunting practices. When being chosen by a totem or looking for a tertiary one is advised to do research on the animals. Got to know what one is dealing with. Animal knowledge is especially crucial in choosing a familiar. A familiar is not the same as a totem. A familiar helps the wizard perform magical actions and gain spiritual enlightenment. Once can not coerce an animal to be a familiar. This must be in the animals will. Familiars can be spirit form, physical or even created much like a servitor.
Cryptozoology is the study of hidden species like big foot or the chupacabra. When cannot tell if they are in fact real or imagined. The fact that they have been created and used means they are powerful and useful. Bestiaries with dragons and unicorns may be fictional, real or an exaggeration. Non ethe less they can be used for magical action. It is questionable how much spiritual inofmration they can provide as they are not real and not from this real.
When looking for characteristics or working with energy can make up creatures or pull from ciftional sources. Remember that fiction is another form of myth used to convey truth. This section delves into Chaos and Pop Cultural magic.
The last part of the book tells about using animal parts for talismans. It is a rather detailed examination on how to clean and work with the parts and the spiritual ramification. Finally there is animal sacrifice. Once again that is up to you. They advocate neither way but tell the pro and con of the concept. This would have been an awesome book but there were no photos on the kindle edition. Where the photos should have been placed there was a crossed out camera. The publishers could have done better then that.


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