Awakening the Witch Bloof

Book of the Witch Moon by Michael W. Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An initiation into the dark and deep realms of the subconscious . This book is about awakening the witch blood within and awakening our darker powers for further happiness and control of our environment. Michael Ford taps into vampiric and lycanthropic energy to enter the state of gnosis. This grimoire is very heavy on performance and light on the philosophy which makes it a great book for someone who is intermediate advanced.

The book is very Luciferian which means that a variety of dark deities will be called upon. Lilith is the queen of succubi and other vampiric deities but you are also calling on Samael, Pan, Choronzon and a few other ones. Choronzon is standing at the gate way of Daath which is thee sphere of the abyss. In the abyss is where vampiric haunts and other elemental exist in both complete and incomplete form. To cross the abyss or to work with these elemental one must be of sound mind and of strong will. These elemental are your servants, not your friends or advisers. To give them too much importance could lead to illness, insanity and or death.

This grimoire has several rituals covering a variety of needs. Since this is meant to be a gateway into the dark current so there is an initiation rituals followed by a ritual to consecrate your athame. Included are rituals to evoke lycanthropic powers to/ empower yourself toward self realization. Vampiric servitors when created can serve to attack a foe or protect from psychic attack. Servitors when created must be destroyed , or banished as when they are let alone they can do lots of damage.

This book is a great how to book for those looking to enter the shadow realms of their psyche, it is a dark current. Remember that black magic is about making yourself into a god and not about hurting or exploiting others. Use the magic well as it was intended. Many technique are pulled from Grimoires, yoga and far eastern spiritual methods .

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Rise of the Jinn Master

Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set in the mythical city of Dhamsawat this innovative piece of Middle Eastern fantasy will shoo you off to another world. The city of Dhamsawat is under the rule of a rich Khalif who taxes his people unfairly and gives them nothing in return. Fighting against the khalif is a Robin Hood type figure called the Falcon prince.
In the midst of all of this is a ghoul master who is creating ghouls that eat people’s hearts out.

Adoul is getting too old for fighting ghouls, he thinks about settling down. His partner, a young dervish assistant, ends up saving the old mans neck on several occasions. When the ghouls massacre several families and an entire Bedouin tribe the ghoul fighting duo set out to track down this ghoul maker. Along the way they meet a Bedouin girl who shape shift into a lion. Together the threesome get into it with some ghouls and a half jackal half man hybrid. After their wounds they meet up with a doctor and alchemist. Together they unravel the mystery of the ghoul maker and set out to thwart his plan.

Interesting to note that traditionally ghouls are a species of Jinn, they are not made or fashioned by a wizard. There are several references to kemetic magic. This is Egyptian magic. Kemp is Egypt. In fact the Khalifs palace is built over a pyramid orca temple. The falcon prince seems to be a nod in the direction of Horus, while the lion shapeshifter seems reminiscent of sekhmet, the lion goddess of Egypt.

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Psychic Vampirism

The Vampire Gate by Michael W. Ford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Psychic vampirism at its purest. As an outgrowth to a Luciferian path the object of this vampirism is to feed off of others to ensure our own rise to power and immortality. This is a left hand path which means that this path helps us become gods unto ourselves. It is Black Magick because we use the Magick to make ourselves greater.

This book contains several techniques for astral projection and leaving out of your body. This can be done in one three modalities. Dreaming, ritual and meditation. The leaving of the body then leads to taking on a form for your astral body. While astral planing you visit your target. Sometimes in terrible form you can terrorize your target and feed off their energy or you can have your tendrils penetrate their aura so you can feed.

You can feed off of people even if you don’t wish to astral travel. You can do it by focusing on a picture in or during meditation. Picture your tendrils going to them and feeding off their aura. Same thing can be done during ritual. Feeding can also happen in person, for example you see a charismatic person in a public setting you can extend your tendrils out to their solar plexus and feed.

This book primarily with near eastern deities like Lilith and Samael. It also works with Persian demons like Ahriman and Sumerian deities like Tiamat. Before embarking on this road perhaps you want to do some background research. Also get the authors previous two book.


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Appalachian Conjure

Candle and the Crossroads: A Book of Appalachian Conjure and Southern RootWork by Orion Foxwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Orion Foxwood is a magickian par excellence. Well versed in Traditional Witchcraft and finally his native Conjure practice from the Appalachian Mountains. He learned conjure growing up in the South. Most of this stuff was practical magic meant to take care of practical concerns. There is no initiations or religious holidays per se and most of whom you work with are spirits. Of course they believe in God, the angels and the Saints you are free to choose to work with your own deities.
Conjure magic is taken from three cultural sources as the south was a mishmash of different cultures . These cultures are the Africans brought over as slaves, Native American practices and European Magic.

Some important philosophical lesson were learned from this tome. First is the important aspects of maintaining a good relation with your own spirit . Many try to get good relationships with other spirits except their own. Know thyself! The next is that is you stepped in something you best clean it off . You cannot go ahead with dirt on your soul. Much like stepping in something real time you track it with you where ever you go. Got to clean off the dirt before you can go forward . Connecting with the ancestors is real big concept in the Conjure traditions. They are the ones will help you.

This book is chock full of philosophy and is loaded with techniques to help you get started with conjure. There is a discussing how to set up your three platform altar. The book has techniques on how to cleanse yourself and your working area. Included is how to contact Daddy Death at the graveyard or contacting the Dark Rider at the crossroads. There are several entities like the Dark Rider, Daddy Death and a few others.

Orion has included instructions on how to work with the Lady of the River to boost your power and get rid of negativity. You. Learn how to tap the root and make your own gri Gris bag. I definitely want to get his next book on conjure. Roll up your sleeves and get down to work. If you ever want to get more information you should check him out when he gives reading and workshops at the Greenman in North Holllywood.

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The Witches of Wales

The Witches Ways in the Welsh Borders: Ethnography of Contemporary and Historical Customs of Cunning Folk Magic by Tamzin Powell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tamzin Powel is a local of the border area between England proper and Wales. In the spirit of others before her she has joined a community of witches in order to do a field study. This study is different because she is not an outsider but rather a practicing witch who lives in the area. The main areas in question are the Wye Valley and the Dean Forest. This given area is home to druids, Wiccans, Wicans and Cunning Folk.
The area has long history of folk magic and hereditary magic that is passed down from the generation. Often times from mother to daughter or grandmother to daughter. Of course men can learn as well from family members. Hereditary member often work alone joining groups only occasionally. These folks and cunning folk often uncross people or heal them. Wicans are different from Wiccans in that Wican believe that Wica is magical force that powers things. They usually channel in their rituals rather than relying on prewritten ones. Their magical operations are much simpler than the Wiccan ones. Wica goes back much further in time, although it goes through changes. Wicca founded by Gerald Gardner is a Johnny come lately. Constructed by Gerald Gardner from many sources while Wica relies on folklore. Both have tools.

Tamzin describes her initiation and her experiences in the coven with which she belong and there is even discussing the origins of Wica going back to the Dobruni tribe and a subtribe called Hwicce. Sounds a lot like Wica. I found it pleasing to finally learn the Lord and lady of the forest. They are Cernunnos and Diana. Sometimes Cernunnos is changed up with the Green Man and other names. Diana is at times called Abundia. The symbolism of the Oak King and the Holly King are discussed. During the ritual the two will fight. End of winter and beginning of spring is the era of the oak king while the winter months go to the Holly King. The Holly king represent Saturn. Saturnalia was the revolving point of the New Year. Red and white represented blood on the snow. Saturn was some sort of reaper.
Witches do use path workings. Some believe that the path working helps the witch enter the Green world or the other side. Some believe it just helps you meditate. It should be noted that different witches and cunning folk work with different deities. Some work with fairies, while others work with elementals. One cunning man work with the leigh lines and he was a former Buddhist monk.
The traditions of the practitioner are varied. Some are neo pagans and other are heritary or hedge witches.
The book is very informative in that it examines older tradition from a rural area where people still do practice the old ways. The work is very academic at times and the appendices, especially the second are just brain numbing. The rest of the book was awesome. This is one I would strongly suggest reading.


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