Though a wide array of books on various different crafts continue to be published each year, exceptionally few pertaining to scrapbooking, card making, and stamping have been released in the past decade.

Granted paper crafting has declined a wee bit in popularity during the 2010s on into the 2020s, but is still a profoundly beloved activity with new paper crafters joining our ranks around the clock.

This makes the absolute dearth of newer cardmaking and scrapbooking related books all the more perplexing. Not to mention frustrating for those of us who would leap at the chance to add some fresh papercrafting titles to our bookshelves.

It is anyone’s guess as to it we will ever see a resurgence in paper crafting books being published again or not.

Naturally, I hope that we will, but as there’s only so long one can hold their breath, I figured it was high time I looked beyond the scope of paper crafting and to the wider world of crafting for a book to review.

Though not the newest title itself, the book at the heart of this review post is ideally suited to October and as such felt like a great choice to start reviewing craft books – be they new, old, or anywhere in between – with here on Witchcrafted Life.

Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio was published in 2014, making this book eight years old at the time this post is being written.

It is a thoroughly charming book that packs a wallop in terms of awesome Halloween themed projects (many of which work awesomely for Samhain, with a selection also being a great fit for Día de los Muertos as well) that are approachable, doable, and enjoyable to boot!

Book specs

Name: Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween

Authors: Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio

Page count: 132

Publisher: Lark Crafts

Binding: Softcover

Festive Halloween felting fun for fans of felting, sewing, and crafting in general

From the creativity fuelled minds of two long-time crafters (that would be Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio, respectively), both of whom had previously published crafting books prior to the release of Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween, comes this super fun collection of felt projects to make for the spooky season (or all year round, if you’re on team #MakeHalloween365)

Jam-packed with beautiful, detail-rich colour photos (each project includes at least one accompanying image), this book houses 40 awesome Halloween felt projects that were designed in part by the authors themselves, along with quite a few entries from skilled crafters who contributed their own designs to this book.

As such, the projects in this book are connected by the common threads of both felt crafting and Halloween, while experiencing a lovely degree of diversity care of having multiple design contributors.

If you are not much of a sewer and/or haven’t worked a lot with felt, but this title appeals to you all the same, fear not, you’re in luck!

Though hand and/or machine stitching is involved with a fair number of the projects in Felt-o-ween, most of the projects are not overly complex and, in my opinion, should be within the skillset means of many novice sewers.

The book begins with an introduction to what felt crafting is, the primary types of felt that are available on the market, and covers what other types of materials you will need to complete these projects.

An item that appears often throughout the book is freezer paper, as it is one method of transferring patterns onto felt.

While readily available both in physical stores and online in the States, outside of the USA, crafters may have trouble tracking down this product locally.

It has only been, for example, in very recent years that I have seen Amazon.ca start to list a small selection of freezer paper (such as Cut Rite Heavy Duty Freezer Paper and Reynolds Freezer Paper) – and I have still yet to spot it at any brick and mortar shops in this country.

If you are unable to easily obtain freezer paper either online or off where you live, there is another virtually identical product that often goes by names such as Quilter’s Freezer Paper and Craft Freezer Paper that you may be able to track down instead.

Examples of this product include:

–C. Jenkins Freezer Paper Sheets

–Quilter’s Freezer Paper Sheets

–Sew Easy Freezer Paper

–Taunton Press Best Applique Freezer Paper

The book does not mention this fact, perhaps because Freezer Paper itself is so readily available in the States where, if I’m not mistaken, both of the authors reside.

If none of these products are available in your area, happily, there is still no need to despair. As detailed in Felt-o-ween, many of the pattern templates lend themselves well to being scanned and/or photocopied, enlarged, printed and then used as tracing and/or cutting guides when pined to your felt.

This point hopefully sorted, you can now get on with exploring the forty different delightful Halloween craft projects housed in Felt-o-ween.

Are you on the hunt for festive fall home décor such as wreaths and candle mats? What about darling felt jewelry, accessories, or socks? Care for a felt cupcake topper in the shape of a tombstone, a plush vampire, tiny pumpkin shaped treat holders, or some eye-catching All Hallows’ Eve bunting, look no further!

Felt-o-ween has you covered on each of these fronts and plenty more.

Most of the projects in this book can be made with the felt of your choice/availability, though in some instances, a particular type of felt (such as wool felt, for example) may work better.

Good quality wool felt is a superb crafting material, no two ways about it, but if like me you’re allergic to wool (felt-on-skin contact swiftly gives me a very bad case of hives) or it isn’t in the budget, that is totally okay!

Most of the projects in Felt-o-ween can be whipped up using other types of felt, such as bamboo, eco felt, or acrylic just as easily.

As well, each time I’ve read this book cover-to-cover (three times and counting), I have been struck by how well I suspect many of these projects would turn out when rendered in paper crafting form.

Not all of them per se (especially when it comes to the wearable felt craft projects), but a decent number of them for sure.

And, naturally, many other types of fabric beyond felt could be used here as well. In some cases, they may need to be backed or otherwise stabilized so that they hold their shape similar to that of felt.

Throughout Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween one encounters a good assortment of projects, many of which are not overly complex, time-consuming, or difficult for those who are not yet seasoned stitchers.

I know my way around the basics of sewing but I am by no means an advanced or even intermediate sewer.

I’d place my sewing practical abilities somewhere between beginner and intermediate and my theoretical knowledge on the subject a grade or two higher.

To date, I have not felt compelled to make sewing a primary crafting focus, but I still greatly enjoy finding ways to engage with this timeless art as I go about my crafty year.

Working with felt is a stellar way to do just that, whether one has been sewing for decades or has yet to learn how to turn a hem or what a presser foot is used for.

Want to jazz up your Halloween home décor, make fa-boo-lous party decorations, whip up a wonderful Halloween costume or accessory, or create a festive piece for your crafty space? If so, this is the book for you.

Naturally, it would also make for a top-notch gift to give to fans of sewing and/or Halloween.

Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween is an appealing book both on its own merits and in terms of the additional chain of creative inspiration it may set off as you lap up its photo-filled pages.

How Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio rates with me

As you flip through Felt-o-ween, it is hard to restrain yourself from dropping everything and rushing off to craft up a litany of delightful fall time felt projects.

The crafts in this book are inviting and adorable. They come housed with easy-to-follow instructions, patterns are included, and they would make for equally terrific crafts to make for yourself or give to any Halloween fan.

Speaking of which, if you have any little ones in your life who go wild for October 31^st, chances are they would be delighted to either help you make – or try their hand at creating (if they’re old enough to safely to do so) – many of these festively fun Halloween felt crafts.

A breezy read that is chocked-full of fantastic project ideas starring the wonderfully versatile material that is felt, this book is apt to be one that many crafters return to time and time again.

It is worth noting that while photos of each completed project are included in Felt-o-ween there are not images of the steps involved with actually making the crafts in this book.

I have not yet tried my hand at making any of the Halloween crafts that reside in Felt-o-ween – but definitely hope to do so once I can pick up some more felt and a roll/package of freezer paper.

In particular, the Creepy Crawly Wreath (seen on the cover), Candy Corn Bunting, “The Birds” (Hitchcock-worthy felt crows/ravens), Spooky Friends Wall Hanging, Bat Mobile, Darkling Roses, and Skull Hairbows really jumped out at me.

Some of those projects (plus various others in this book), my fellow goth and alternative aesthetic inclined readers will be happy to know, could easily work for year-round home décor and fashion purposes.

Got(h) to love that!

(Just as you do the fact that felt, as a general rule, does not fray – meaning all the more ease of completion and longevity of your finished projects.)

The Halloween projects in Felt-o-ween are cute, sweet, relatively easy, and kid-friendly in terms of the end results they create.

Plus, every one of them is a perfect fit for a #MakeHalloween365 project share.

Those who who are aiming for a much more elegant, darkly macabre, or vintage inspired Halloween look might find a few of these project ideas tick those kinds of boxes, but may otherwise be better served by different craft project sources.

Brought to you by the same authors of Fa la la la Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations, ‘Tis the Season to Be Felty: Over 40 Handmade Holiday Decorations, and Heart-Felt Holidays: 40 Festive Felt Projects to Celebrate the Seasons, this book is teeming with fresh, joyful Halloween craft projects that are sure to have you beelining for your felt stash – or the nearest fabric store – faster than a bat whizzing across the crisp, cool October sky.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio 4.5 stars out of 5.

Have you read Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio?Do you enjoy crafting with felt? 

The post Book Review: Felt-o-ween: 40 Scary-Cute Projects to Celebrate Halloween by Kathy Sheldon and Amanda Carestio appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Amongst the most common of which is a return to seeing and hearing a greater number of bird species.

This is both a harbinger of the current season as it approaches, as well as further proof that spring is here again once.

While our house is technically in a residential neighbourhood, it is situated between two parcels of beautiful woodland and our own (literal) backyard is jam-packed with lofty birch and evergreen trees.

For a forest adoring soul like myself, this really is a dream backyard and not a day goes by that I don’t thank my lucky stars for it.

If their numbers are any evidence, the local birds that flock to the trees on our property clearly adore this spot of woodland as well.

In the four (and a tad) years that we have lived at this house so far, we’ve spotted and heard a wide array of birds.

These include, but are not limited to, ravens, owls, hawks, northern flickers, pheasants, Eurasian collared doves, mourning doves, blackbirds, Steller’s jays, finches, sparrows, magpies, robins, chickadees, nuthatches, sparrows, woodpeckers, quail, and even the occasional hummingbird.

Beyond those winged visitors who come to call in our yard, both our town and region are home to many other species – as are British Columbia and Canada in general.

In fact, the Canadian Wildlife Federation informs us that there are approximately 462 known bird species living across this vast country.

And according to a CTV News article published last year, globally that number rises to a staggering 600,000+ species of birds.

It is no surprise then that birds have played important roles in the lives of a tremendous number of cultures around the world since time immemorial.

Whether revered and worshiped, used for food, feathers or other body parts; captured in art, written or sung about, or simply appreciated for their talents and beauty, birds have impacted the lives of countless people across the span of history.

The spiritual significance that birds have long held for many individuals cannot be overstated.

In some instances, gods and goddesses were believed to exist in bird or bird-human hybrid form (i.e., the falcon-headed Egyptian god named Horus), in others birds or images, figures, etc depicting them have been used both ritualistically and magically.

Many religions that could be dubbed modern “mainstream” faiths due to their widespread prevalence and large number of followers, as well as those of a more ancestorial and/or esoteric nature have made birds a part of their traditions and stories.

For both myself and a fair number of other Pagans, witches, and Wiccans, birds play important roles in our beliefs, practices, and, where applicable, magickal workings.

I have connected spiritually to birds my whole life and have spoken with numerous fellow witchy/Pagan souls who shared that the same applies to them as well.

While birds are not everyone’s favourite animal and ornithophobia (the fear of birds) is a relatively common fear, it is likely safe to say that far more people – regardless of their personal faith/beliefs – like birds than loath or fear them.

Birds enchant and delight us. They hold traditional meanings and can be seen as messengers that are here to transmit something important to us.

Their ability (barring a few species) to take flight and soar through the air, reaching high up in the sky has likely fascinated and inspired us since humans first appeared on this planet. And it is no surprise that an animal who ascends towards the heavens would have deep spiritual meaning for many individuals.

Birds do what a lot of us wish we (easily) could: leave the bounds of terra firma and sore above the earth, experiencing both the freedoms and challenges that come from such a lofty vantage point.

While I have always liked birdwatching and keep my eyes peeled for birds that may appear to me as messengers, signs, and spiritual allies, I am not a hardcore hobbyist bird watcher – nor have I ever worked with birds in a professional capacity.

Naturally, one does not have to be a serious birder to look out for and work with birds in whatever ways align with your interests and beliefs.

Though the last vestiges of winter have yet to vanish entirely from our tree-studded yard, spring officially started a couple of weeks now and that means many an avian visitor and seasonal resident alike is returning to our area once again.

I know that the same rings true for plenty of my readers as well. As such, I thought it was high time I reviewed a relatively recently released book pertaining to the spiritual meanings of birds: The Hidden Meaning of Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide by Arin Murphy-Hiscock.

An elegant volume on the subject of birds and meanings, this title was penned by one of today’s best-selling and well-known Pagan authors. The Hidden Meaning of Birds does a great job of melding scientific fact with folklore and spiritual traditions, and serves as a lovely read for those at all levels of knowledge on the subject of birds and their spiritual connections.

Book specs

Name: The Hidden Meaning of Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide

Author: Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Page count: 240 pages

Publisher: Adams Media (a division of Simon and Schuster)

Binding: Softcover

A book on the spiritual meaning of birds that is worth chirping about

There are exceedingly few corners of the globe in which one cannot find at least a species or two of birds. They reside in both the Arctic and Antarctic, in the densest jungles, are spotted in the driest of deserts, and can be seen many miles away from shore across the world’s oceans and seas.

Given the astronomical number of birds that exist on earth, it would be impossible for any one book to cover the ascribed spiritual meanings of every variety of bird. Not to mention the plethora of different interpretations and correspondences that many different birds have long been connected with across the planet.

Naturally, The Hidden Meaning of Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide by Arin Murphy-Hiscock does not attempt to do so – nor should it.

That would be an impossible task, as well as an unnecessary one.

Birds are just about everywhere and whether we’re dealing with those in our own neighbourhoods, the species that resonate most deeply with us spiritually, or simply have a love for certain types of birds, it never hurts to leave room for our own interpretations of things.

Penned by best-selling Pagan author – and fellow Canadian – Arin-Murphy Hiscock (whose work include such beloved contemporary titles as The Green Witch’s Grimoire, The House Witch, Spellcrafting, The Witch’s Guide to Self-Care, and The Pregnant Goddess, amongst numerous other titles), The Hidden Meaning of Birds is an appealing look at the spiritual connections and meanings linked to a few dozen species of birds.

Each bird entry that appears in this book is accompanied by a beautiful vintage bird illustration, an overview of the species, symbolism and folklore, and the meanings, omens and divinations associated with that particular type of bird.

Entries in this spiritual field guide to birds span 2 – 4 pages per bird and at the end of each entry, one finds a box in which the associated energies, associated seasons, elemental associations, and colour associations are provided for the bird in question (see image above).

These correspondences are especially handy for those who may wish to work with bird images, energy, feathers, etc in their spiritual and/or magical practices.

Before hopping (or would that be flying?) into the heart of the guide itself, readers are treated to an introduction and three chapters pertaining to the mysteries of birds. These are Historical Bird Divination, Modern Bird Divination, and Working with Birds Spiritually.

Each of these sections does a good job of concisely and informatively providing an overview of the topic at hand.

There is a tone of the serious and the academic to this book that aligns it with many mainstream bird identification and birdwatching guides – a point that is cemented all the more by the use of yesteryear avian illustrations in lieu of photos or modern artwork.

However, the tone is not so dry or encyclopedic as to lose sight of the spiritual elements that are, along with the bird species themselves, at the heart of this title.

Bound in a sturdy, field guide style softcover, this 240 page book is an engaging, informative read that is apt to have even the most seasoned birdwatchers amongst us looking at the feathered residents in their area (and around the world) with deeper interest than ever before.

How The Hidden Meaning of Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide rates with me

As with many of the books I review here on Witchcrafted Life, it is not strictly imperative that one be a witch/Wiccan/Pagan/similar to read, learn from, and enjoy The Hidden Meaning of Birds.

While certainly geared towards the spiritual side of humankind’s connection to birds, those with a general interest in ornithological topics (including both the history and folklore of various bird species) as well as individuals who simply wish to learn more about birds are apt to connect with this book as well.

I appreciate that the species highlighted The Hidden Meaning of Birds are arranged alphabetically and while there are numerous bird species I would have been delighted to see included here that didn’t make the cut, as touched on above, naturally, no single book could ever cover all of the bird species in the world.

What the reader finds instead is a cross-section of bird species from around the globe – think crows, mockingbirds, cardinals, swans, owls, and pigeons to name but six of many featured in this guide.

If you are the type who often sees and/or hears birds and feels a spiritual connection to them or believes that there are deeper meanings to be had when a particular type of bird crosses your path, chances are, you will enjoy this book.

It is by no means the first or only one on the subject of the spiritual meaning of birds, but having been published in 2019, it is amongst the most recent.

The Hidden Meaning of Birds is also one of the most informative that I have personally read to date. And since picking this title up shortly after its release, I have dipped into it many times beyond my initial reading.

Indeed, like many a good field guide, this is the type of book that one is likely to read cover-to-cover at least once or twice and then return to when information on a particular bird species is needed.

At times, I do wish that a larger volume of meaning was connected to certain birds featured in Murphy-Hiscock’s guide to our avian friends.

As well, it would have been great if the author had linked each bird species she covered to one or more of the sabbats that comprise The Wheel of The Year. Though, to be fair, as she does connect each species to one or more seasons, that information appears in a roundabout way all the same.

As someone who madly adores vintage and antique illustrations, I found the choice to use them here instead of modern artwork or photos added to the charm and interest of this book.

Some readers, however, may have preferred contemporary art or photos – especially if they were trying to identify a particular species of bird that crossed their path.

Thankfully though, on top of traditional birding guides, the internet is rife with sites and apps to help you do just that, if you are not able to find a given bird amongst the dozens included in this book.

Birds are a vital part of life as we know it here on earth.

For some of us, birds serve as spirit allies and guides (aka, “spirit animals”, though I try to refrain from using this term in most contexts, as it belongs to certain traditional cultures and belief systems), appearing to us with messages and meanings both of the type that may jive with those in books and others that might be highly personal to our own lives + spiritual paths.

The Hidden Meaning of Birds is not the absolute last word on the subject of spirituality and birds. No book or blog post could ever be.

Birds, like the air they traverse, are malleable and astonishing.

Humankind has long connected certain meanings, correspondences, superstitions, traditions, and lore to various birds.

These elements possess a degree of broad universality. However, it is ultimately up to each of us to interpret what our connections to, and encounters with, various types of birds mean in the context of our own lives and belief systems.

Having The Hidden Meaning of Birds to hand makes that job all the easier and more enjoyable, and as such it is a title that I am happy to recommend.

Or, if you prefer, just say to people that a little birdie told you about this book.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give The Hidden Meaning of Birds by Arin Murphy-Hiscock 4 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Have you read The Hidden Meaning of Birds? Do you feel a spiritual connection to our avian friends?

The post Book Review: The Hidden Meaning of Birds by Arin Murphy-Hiscock appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

However, that doesn’t mean that I am not a huge admirer of many people and their wonderful work.

In terms of authors who write about Pagan/witchery/earth-based spirituality topics, high up on that list ranks Maia Toll.

For more than a decade now, my husband and I have run a free new book email notification service called AnyNewBooks.com that we founded back in 2010. (It generates important income for us via sponsors and affiliate programs.)

Virtually every week since then, a not-insignificant portion of my working hours have been spent compiling the lists of new books that we email out to subscribers (at present, we send out more than 300,000 emails per month).

The lists that we pull our selections from come via Amazon (US) and in the eleven going on twelve years since we launched Any New Books?, I have had the pleasure of seeing many thousands of new book releases each year.

Naturally, I keep a keen eye out for titles pertaining to my many diverse interests – those relating to my spirituality very much included.

I knew the moment, back in 2018, when I first caught sight of author Maia Toll’s inaugural book, The Illustrated Herbiary, that this was not your run-of-the-mill title.

Shortly thereafter, I was able to purchase a copy and it took a mere few lines in to have my suspicions confirmed.

From the tremendously lovely illustrations by artist Kate O’Hara to the deck of oracle cards included at the back of the book to the personable, inviting, knowledgeable way the author wrote, I was hooked.

And based on the roughly 1,800 reviews (nearly all of which are glowingly positive) that this book currently has on Amazon as of March 2022, it is safe to say that many others instantly fell in love with Maia’s warm, wonderful writing as well.

In the time since The Illustrated Herbiary was released, Maia has penned three more books.

The Illustrated Bestiary, The Illustrated Crystallary, and, most recently, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion.

In addition, larger-sized decks of the oracle cards included at the back of each of Maia’s books are also available for sale. They are printed on sturdier paper than those that come with her books, so if you plan to use one or more of Maia’s decks quite often, you may wish to invest in those high-quality decks. Which are as follows:

–The Illustrated Herbiary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Bewitching Botanicals

–The Illustrated Bestiary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Inspiring Animals

–The Illustrated Crystallary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Magical Gems & Minerals

Plus, you can now purchase images from some of Maia’s work in puzzle form as well (as a big jigsaw puzzle fan, you can imagine how much my eyes lit up when I heard about that!).

If you or someone in your life adores jigsaw puzzles, you’ll want to check out the following three offerings based on Maia’s books.

–The Illustrated Herbiary Puzzle: California Poppy

–The Illustrated Bestiary Puzzle: Monarch Butterfly

–The Illustrated Crystallary Puzzle: Garden Quartz

As 2021 began to wind down, I was contacted by a publishing rep and asked if I would be interested in reviewing Maia’s latest book.

Already a big fan of her earlier works (of which, thus far, I own two – The Illustrated Herbiary and The Illustrated Beastiary, respectively), I was honoured by the offer and replied with a very resounding, “Yes, please!”.

In addition, I suggested that I interview Maia by email and then weave that chat into my book review blog posts. Happily, it was then their turn to respond enthusiastically.

Before delving into the coven’s worth of questions that I asked Maia, I am going to provide you with my thoughts on her most recent release, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion.

Please note that while I was provided with a complimentary copy of that book and three decks of Maia’s oracle cards (visible in many of the photos throughout this post), all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own and would not differ in any way, had I purchased those items myself.

Book specs:

Name: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion: A Guided Journey into the Mystical Rhythms of the Natural World, Season by Season

Author: Maia Toll – Connect with Maia on her website | Instagram |Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Page count: 192 pages

Publisher: Storey Publishing

Binding: Hardcover

A passionate look at the year as viewed from a nature and spirituality-based standpoint

Let me begin by saying that, while the content housed within the pages of Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion is bound to find favour with many witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and the like around the globe, it is an inclusive title that can be enjoyed by those from a wide array of spiritual paths.

As many of my blog posts attest to, I have immeasurable love of, and appreciation for, each of the eight Pagan sabbats that comprise The Wheel of the Year (TWOTY) – just as I do, the year’s annual seasons.

I literally get giddy as a new season approaches, no matter which one it is! And by the same token, often feel a touch of melancholy as we bid farewell to a departing chapter of the year.

Since early childhood (years before I would first officially encounter the concept of TWOTY), I have felt as though each of the four seasons was more like two smaller seasons combined under the same header.

In some respects, I even viewed each individual month as a mini-season unto itself.

I am not alone in seeing and feeling that the year naturally divides itself into each roughly equal chapters: Early Winter, Late Winter, Early Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, and Late Fall.

You can well imagine then how delighted I was to see that in the Wild Wisdom Companion, Maia opted to present us with a look at a full year laid out in that very format.

Across the 192 pages of this gorgeously illustrated hardcover book (which was released in 2021), the author guides readers through the natural rhythms and cycles of the year.

She begins each chapter in an endearingly charming and whimsically creative way: by presenting us with a fictional conversation between the Sun and the Earth.

Each chat we are privy to presents a touching picture of how these two mighty celestial forces interact and the timeless dance that they enact so that life as we know it on this planet is able to continue onward.

I wholeheartedly loved this element of the book, just as I did many other things about the Wild Wisdom Companion.

In addition to the delightful imaginary conversations mentioned above, each chapter leads us through other factors that are presented for the year’s eight seasons.

These include an Element, an energy centre in the body, a plant medicine, an animal medicine (the presence of that term instantly reminded me of the book Spirit Animal Guides in which author Chris Luttichau uses very similar terminology), a crystal medicine, and three different seasonal symbols.

While some of the selections for each of these entries feel like a very natural fit, others are wonderfully unexpected. They help to prove a fun, fresh take on various plants, animals, mythical figures and so forth that are linked to each season.

In addition, beautiful quotes from other people are peppered throughout this book as well.

Though you might easily think that it would, the Wild Wisdom Companion does not specifically focus on the Pagan sabbats that comprise TWOTY.

However, the dividing points at which Maia has chosen to portion out the year do essentially correspond with each of the eight annual sabbats (those being Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule).

No doubt some readers will wish that there was more of a sabbat focus here. Yet, by not placing the sabbats in the spotlight Wild Wisdom Companion is able to become just that – a welcome companion – to a far broader spectrum of readers.

Instead of the sabbats, the year’s two Solstices and two Equinoxes are explored. These are astronomically determined points on the calendar that the whole planet experiences and thus they are an integral component of the human experience.

In her lovely introduction to this book, Maia states: “Wild wisdom is feeling in accord with the hawk flying overhead; it’s feeling sisterhood with the willows; it’s knowing that the stones are millennia older than humans and have much to teach about the passage of time. Wild wisdom is the sense of being in sync with the world around you, so much so that you feel safe and at home in your own skin. It’s a feeling we’re all looking for but very few achieve.”

She goes on to elaborate regarding ways to find or connect all the more with your own innate wild wisdom before sharing with us how she broke down the year into eight different segments, presenting that information as it applies to both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

In addition, Maia begins her year – when divided into eight parts – in Late Autumn.

A good many witches/Wiccans/Pagans feel that doing so aligns with their personal beliefs and their connection to nature (they don’t call Samhain the witch’s new year for nothing!), so that was a very welcome change of pace to observe in this book.

Throughout each season, Maia invites readers to journal and/or deeply contemplate their connection to some of the topics she addresses, as well as in regards to the seasons themselves.

If journaling is not your cup of tea (and it is 100% okay if that is the case), I feel that one can easily reflect on these topics in other ways, too.

For example during meditation, while sitting peacefully in nature, as part of spellwork, under the light of the moon or sun, or in just about any other way that feels right to you and your own path.

The Wild Wisdom Companion begins in late autumn, guides readers through an insightful, highly relatable walk through the seasons, and culminates with Early Autumn. Thus beginning the eternal cycle over again.

In fact, as you get to the final pages of this terrific book, Maia poses the question, “What if you stay right here and begin it again?”.

In doing so, she both invites and reminds of us the cyclical patterns of the seasons and the important place they hold in each of our lives.

It is a call to embrace the shifting seasonal tides all the more and to grow closer, in doing so, to Mother Earth herself.

Having experienced a whole year in a matter of hours or days (or longer), depending on the pace at which one reads this book, we are treated to the marvellous gift of a lovely deck of square-shaped oracle cards + one suggested spread for working with those cards.

Each of the double-sided cards corresponds with one of the various medicines or symbols that Maia presented us with throughout the Wild Wisdom Companion.

If one opts to work with those cards (and I highly suggest that you do, they are thoroughly lovely), this continuance between themes presented in the book and on the cards themselves is a great way unto itself to grow ever-closer to the seasons.

How Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion rates with me

This book weaves together powerful elements from each of Maia’s previous titles and opens us even more of her wisdom for us to learn from and, potentially, feel a sense of kinship with.

I knew back in 2018 when I read Maia Toll’s first book that she was a radiant beam of new light in the field of nature spirituality-based writing.

Four years on, I can tell you with unflinching certainty that not only has that light grown stronger, but it has helped to illuminate the paths of many thousands upon thousands of readers around the planet in the process.

I adore each of Maia’s books and card decks, returning to them time and time again throughout the year.

However, I must say that the Wild Wisdom Companion is my very favourite of Toll’s works to date.

I highly recommend this book to those both inside and out of the Pagan/witchy realm (and cannot help but feel that it is a title that many gardeners, nature lovers, and animal fans would delight in reading).

Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion is a well-written, intuitively presented, and extremely approachable look at the year and ways we can tap (all the more) into our own innate, incredible wild wisdom.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion 5 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An interview with educator, best-selling author, herbalist, and all-around lovely person, Maia Toll

Thank you with the deepest of appreciation, Maia, for sharing your time and knowledge with Witchcrafted Life’s readers. I sincerely appreciate it and cannot begin to tell you how much joy getting this opportunity to chat one-on-one with you means to me.

1. Welcome, Maia! It is a heartfelt joy and honour to chat with you regarding your latest book release – Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion – and Paganism in general. For those who are being introduced to you here today for the first time, could you please share a few points about yourself and where your passions lay most strongly at present?

Hi Everyone! I’m an author fascinated by the ways in which we can connect and learn from the natural world. Exploring the mystic has been a passion for me since I was quite young—for most of my life, I’ve been asking why are we here? And how can I be comfortable in this human skin?

These questions led me to an apprenticeship with a clinical herbalist and green witch in Ireland. That experience has informed who I have become in the time since. Like Autumn, I feel like there’s a deep bond between creativity and spirituality, so that’s a place from which I often dive into this work.

2. Wild Wisdom Companion is your fourth book to date. Is being a book author something that you long felt pulled towards becoming or did the desire and opportunity to do so develop more organically in recent years?

I have been writing since I was a kid. My first story was about a unicorn who got stuck in a bottle. I was eleven. As an adult, I would often joke that I was a writer without a story; I loved the process of writing—the peeling back of layers and the playing with words—but I didn’t have anything in particular to write about.

I had also made a rule for myself (I’m a Capricorn rising—creating, and then struggling against, rules is part of my nature) that I wouldn’t write a book unless I was bringing something new, and never before seen, to readers. It took a long while for me to get over myself and start sharing the way I see the world, even if I’m not the very first person to put those thoughts to paper.

3. What have you found to be the most rewarding and, conversely, most challenging aspects of being a highly successful author – and do you have any advice for those seeking to become first time authors in our sphere of Paganism/herbology/witchery and the like?

One of my personal goals when I started getting published was to meet other authors. Authors tend to be creative, thoughtful, widely read, and self-motivated, which is how I prefer my humans. I have two pods of authors I gather with regularly. Those get-togethers are key for my sanity, perspective, and general joie de vivre. Finding my people is one of the greatest rewards of this career path.

Just like any job, there is a myriad of challenges. Most of them are small obstacles, easily overcome. I try to get creative with the larger hurdles. Currently, I’m chewing on the way books are categorized. I believe that connection with the natural world, and the seasonal living it inspires, as well as exploring the mystical side of life are essential elements for being a whole human.

This way of looking at life nurtures creativity and helps you understand how to get through life’s rough patches. It’s much more universal than niche categories like “occult,” where I am often shelved, suggest. But which category should we highlight? Self-help? Nature writing? Spirituality?

It is an ongoing frustration that my books are shelved in a way that may keep people who would enjoy and benefit from them from finding them. And, truthfully, no matter what my opinion is, once the bookstores receive the books, they shelve them wherever they want, so my ruminations are rather pointless.

For first time authors, my number one piece of advice is write. Do the work, don’t just think about doing it. Writing, like most everything else in life, is a practice. The only way to get proficient is to put pen to paper. Once you’ve moved beyond thinking about writing to actually writing, remember that you’re writing for someone else to read. Who is your reader and what’s useful for them? What do you want them to know, feel, and do? Everything from subject matter to individual sentence structure should be crafted with the reader in mind.

4. Wild Wisdom Companion is a beautiful, eloquently penned ode to the timeless magic(k) of the seasons. I am an unwavering fan of all of your books and the wonderful sets of oracle cards they house, but must say, Wild Wisdom Companion is my absolute favourite.

Of these eight segments of the year, are there one or two in particular that you feel a particular connection to and/or affinity for – and is there one chapter of the year that you would describe as your seasonal soul mate? (Autumn is mine. )

The Wild Wisdom Companion is so many people’s favorite and I LOVE that. I’ve learned so much from writing each book and I would hope the newest one is always the favorite—that my growth as an author allows readers to go deeper with each new book.

Like you, autumn has long been my time of year. But a few years back we moved to a house in the woods. Living on some undisturbed acreage has given me a chance to lean into the entire wheel of the year in a fresh way. While I still love autumn, especially the quality of the light in the time between Samhain and winter solstice, I’ve come to adore late winter.

We have trillium, trout lilies, and some funny little ground orchids which pop up before the trees have leafed out. It is such a stunning time—the trees are still bare, letting me see through their branches to the mountains, but the ground is carpeted with leaves hiding little nodding flowers. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

5. What inspired you to write Wild Wisdom Companion? Was it a book you had long envisioned coming into being or one that sprang into being as a natural progression from your three previous titles?

This is a long (and rather tiresome) story! The short version: when I signed a contract for the book that became Wild Wisdom, it wasn’t meant to be a part of the series. Then, because the other books were doing so well, my publisher wanted it to be part of the collection. But the book I had written didn’t fit in. So, I rewrote it. Twice. And it still wasn’t right. By that point, I was exhausted and disheartened. So, I asked myself two questions:

1- If I were starting from zero, instead of trying to rejig an existing manuscript, what would best tie together the previous books? I kept thinking about a conversation with an editor who was not on my team but who was at my publishing house. We were chatting at a little wine and cheese get-together when I visited. She said, “You know, one thing you haven’t covered is time.” That comment stuck with me, and I kept chewing on it.

2- The second thing I asked myself was: what would be easy? I needed easy. I was pretty close to burned out.

A book focused on the wheel of the year was the answer to those two questions. I had been teaching on the wheel of the year for a while, so it wasn’t difficult to gather my notes and lessons and use them as a foundation. The book built up pretty quickly from there and voila! The Wild Wisdom Companion. 

6. What are some points that you feel the general public – and perhaps even some who are new to areas such as Paganism and witchcraft – would benefit from knowing about the Wheel of The Year and the perpetually vital role that it plays in the lives of all creatures great and small who inhabit our planet?

The pattern of the seasons, as they happen in more temperate climes, teaches us so much of what we need to know about the cycles of our own lives. When I’m working on a book and I’m frustrated, I ask myself where I am on the wheel: have I let go of what needs to go (autumn)? Am I gestating (winter)? Understanding where I’m at in my creative cycle lets me know what comes next and how to move forward.

This applies to other aspects of life as well. When I have birthed something new (spring), I know I still need to keep feeding it energy so it will flower (summer). When I’ve suffered a loss (autumn), I realize I might need winter’s hibernation to recover and heal.

Once you find this rhythm in your own life, you can look outward and find it in the lives of the plants, trees, and animals. It is a constant breath: inhaling energy toward you, exhaling energy out.

7. It is safe to say that the world has been through the wringer massively over the past two years due to the global pandemic. In the face of this profound ongoing challenge, what are some things pertaining to nature and/or self-care and spirituality that you feel people can do to help create a better sense of stability and wellness (emotional, physical, spiritual – or all of the above) again?

I wrote The Wild Wisdom Companion during the first tenuous months of the pandemic. Tuning in to the seasons got me through. And it’s still getting me through. Step out the door, feel the air, breathe. Our human world might be disrupted, but everything else is carrying on. Tune into that sensation.

8. How have you personally been faring during these tremendously difficult times? Have you found that they have deepened your connection to the seasons, the plant kingdom, the universe or any other facet of your spiritual journey?

The isolation from other people has been less difficult for me than most. Serendipitously, I moved to the woods a few months before Covid hit. Because I’m writing, I don’t have to go out to work. So, my days are synced to the natural rhythms. I’m getting to know this land, making friends with the trees and the creek, and working on my writing craft. Because this is what I was moving toward before Covid, for me, the inner work of the past couple of years doesn’t feel Covid related.

9. While Wild Wisdom Companion, much like your other titles, is apt to appeal to witches, Wiccans, Pagans and others of our ilk in general, I feel it is a very approachable and inviting book for all those who experience a strong connection to Mother Nature.

Can you please share a few easily doable, potent ways that just about anyone, regardless of their personal beliefs, can create or strengthen their bond with the natural world?

I love a practice that naturalists use called a “sit spot.” It’s simple, really: return to the same spot every day. Sit. Breathe. Observe. Be sure to pay attention to both the big picture stuff and the small stuff—the macro and the micro. Explore how to connect with the world around you. Try having a little dialogue in your head with a dandelion or singing to an oak. Play with what’s possible.

That’s it! Hone your powers of observation and connection.

10. At the time of this interview’s publication, we are sitting between the first two spring sabbats of Imbolc and Ostara. What are some of the key components/lessons/inspirations that you feel this wonderful point in the calendar, as the mighty return of new life and warm sunlight looms near again, can teach or remind us all?

This is a season when the energy is rising. The tiny cotyledons of the plants are reaching upward, sprouting leaves. I try to tap into that rising energy, letting it come up through the soles of my feet. And then I ask myself what do I want to grow? Sometimes I want to grow a feeling—like joy. Sometimes I want to nurture a new way of seeing the world. And sometimes I want to encourage myself to act, to bring something new into being, like a book. Our culture puts a lot of emphasis on this last one, on action. But I think the first two are equally as important.

Also, if you’re reading this and you aren’t comfortable with, or can’t relate to, words like sabbat, Imbolc, or Ostara, just leave the language by the wayside. I do, all the time. I try to think about the seasons in terms of their energetics, what I can feel in my body. In the Wild Wisdom Companion, I don’t us pagan names for the seasons because I don’t often use those words in my life.

The other day someone said Litha and I had to look up what that meant! I always try to choose words that mean something to me personally. So, I do use Samhain and Imbolc because, when I was studying in Ireland, those were the names my teacher used. I celebrated both Samhain and Imbolc with her and so those words have a resonance for me.

11. Your writing, the important messages it conveys, and the support it offers to others are all very special elements that – not unlike the magnificent illustrations from artist Kate O’Hara that are housed in your books and oracle card decks – speak to scores of people around the world.

What sorts of points do you find easiest to connect with your audience over – and are there things you have learned from them since starting your journey as an author that you did not know or (yet) fully appreciate before that point in your life?

In general, book writing happens at a distance. I sit and think and write in my space and then someone reads and reflects in theirs. I’m sure there are places in my books where readers nod along and feel resonant with what I’m saying, and other places where they think no, that’s not how I see it.

As the author, I’m not usually privy to these thoughts. Sometimes I’ll get to have conversations around this sort of thing at live events and, if you had asked me this pre-Covid, I probably would have had specific stories to share. But I have had limited contact for the past two years. I’m looking forward to once again being able to have robust conversations and share, back and forth, in person.

12. Rapid fire style… What are your favourite books that you are currently reading (or have recently read)?

Here’s my current stack:

Matrix by Lauren Groff

The Heroine with 1,001 Faces by Maria Tartar

The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller

Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Missing Witches: Recovering True Histories of Feminist Magic by Risa Dickens and Amy Torok

Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

Three Simple Lines: A Writer’s Pilgrimage into the Heart and Homeland of Haiku by Natalie Goldberg

The one witchy must-read from the last couple years is The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow.

And if you’re into herbal medicine, Energetic Herbalism by Kat Maier should definitely be on your bookshelf.

Kim Krans’ The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck has been my go-to deck recently.

Crystals are in bowls and on shelves around my desk. I just reach for whatever my fingers want and hold it for as long as seems necessary. The thinking and analyzing part of my brain got over-used writing The Illustrated Crystallary so I’m in pure, unquestioning, intuition mode.

13. And last, but certainly not least… If you are able to divulge anything on this front, can you please tell us about your next book?

This is perfect timing because I’m just now able to talk about my next project! The Night School will be released August 9, 2022 and I am over-the-moon excited.

It was my first time writing in a narrator’s voice, instead of my own, and it was a blast. The Night School is for anyone who wishes they could go to a school for witches, wizards, or mystics. But it’s not fiction: the book contains the lessons you might learn were you to attend such an esteemed institution.

Thank you again, dear Maia. Not only for chatting with me and my audience, but for the extraordinary insight, care, passion, teachings, and – very aptly – wisdom that you impart to society. The earth is blessed to call you one of its own, and I know that your work will long continue to inspire, help and resonate with countless souls the world over.

Thank you, Autumn!

~*~*~*~*~*~

In closing, I would like to once again thank both Maia and her generous publisher for helping to put the wheels in motion for this blog post’s existence.

I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation regarding the forthcoming release of The Night School and hope, in time, to have the opportunity to review that title here as well.

Have you read Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion? How many seasons/half seasons does it feel most natural for you to divide your year into?

The post Author Interview & Book Review: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion by Maia Toll appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

In 2020, when this blog was mere days old, I shared an entry called 12 Ways to Live a More Magickally Focused Year.

The next year, in February 2021, as a bit of a follow-up to that entry, we explored 14 Ways to Love Your Witchcraft Even More.

The ideas housed in these posts are well worth visiting (or revisiting, as the case may be) now that 2022 is officially underway.

They are, of course, far from the only ways to connect further and deeper with your witchery and/or spirituality (as, indeed, witchcraft can be practiced independently from faith or spirituality).

As dawn rises on a new year, a spiritually significant topic that frequently springs to mind for me is that of our animal spirit guides.

Please note that I did not say “spirit animals”. To my mind and those of many nowadays, this particular term is primarily usually reserved for those of certain ethnic groups, particularly indigenous peoples from around the globe.

While you might be inclined to say that reversing the order of the words is akin to splitting hairs, such is far from the case.

Guides – be they celestial, land-based, otherworldly, amongst the departed, part of the animal realm or otherwise are generally things that anyone on earth can connect with.

Any one of us can feel that we have one or more power/guide animal spirits with us or seek such out if they are not already a part of our lives and spiritual practices.

Many books that were published during the 1990s, 2000s, and even some of those from the 2010s do not necessarily make this distinction and veer into what a lot of folks today would rightly view as cultural appropriation.

I am very happy to say that this is not the case with the first book that I’m reviewing here this year: Spirit Animal Guides: Discover Your Power Animal and the Shamanic Path by Chris Luttichau.

This tremendously lovely book was first published in 2009 (with the title of Animal Spirit Guides) and has subsequently been reprinted over the years.

The copy that I am reviewing in this post was printed in 2019 and was purchased with my own funds.

Book specs:

Name: Spirit Animal Guides: Discover Your Power Animal and the Shamanic Path

Author: Chris Luttichau

Publisher: CICO Books

Page count: 160 pages

Binding: Hardcover

A contemporary approach to an ancient tradition

Chris Luttichau, this book’s author, is a well-known and highly respected teacher and healer who has traversed the globe learning traditional ways from knowledgeable teachers, practitioners, shamans, and others who possess time-honoured wisdom and approaches to life.

He holds tremendous respect for the earth and its inhabitants, very much including those of the animal variety, and keenly weaves elements of ancestor work, prayer, and dreaming into western (neo)shamanism.

The topic of shamanism enters the picture in Spirit Animal Guides. It is done so with immense reverence, broad strokes, and a reminder to us all that nearly every early culture around the world had spiritual leaders, healers and teachers who today could easily fall under the header of having been shamans.

This is true for my ancestors from locations such as the frozen north of Russia and the verdant Celtic + Norse lands, much as it is for many of us with far-reaching roots to Oceania, North America, Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, and other parts of Europe as well.

In 1998, Chris – a native of Denmark who currently resides in the UK – founded an international teaching organization and accompanying website called the Northern Drum Circle, where he periodically writes on topics pertaining to animal spirit guides and shamanism.

I have never met or interacted with Mr. Luttichau (who travels far afield to hold workshops through North America and Europe). However, it only took a few paragraphs into his book Spirit Animal Guides for me to sense that we would likely hit it off well and share many points in common.

Spirit Animal Guides: Discover Your Power Animal and the Shamanic Path features a gorgeous array of full-colour illustrations by artist Melissa Launay, each of which helps to bring the topics that Luttichau talks about and the selection of animals that he highlights to life all the more.

At 160 pages, this is not a huge book by any means. However, the information it houses far exceeds that of many longer titles on the subject of animal spirit guides.

First split into two sections (Section 1 and Section 2, respectively), then broken down into five chapters (plus a handy index), and further divided into numerous subchapters, this book has an excellent flow to it leads you to want to read it from cover-to-cover.

I have done so now three times since this book entered my life and have enjoyed it all more with each reading.

Spirit Animal Guides by Chris Luttichau begins with the opening lines, “The purpose of the teachings in this book is for you to discover whether they feel true for you. Find out if they awaken a remembrance within yourself and your body of an ancient instinctual bond between you, nature, and animals.”

True to its word, that is precisely what this book not only sets out to do but accomplishes with skill, insight, and inspiration aplenty.

The author addresses the topic of animal spirit guides and the long-held relationship between those who engage in shamanism, while also delving into the fact that humans from many walks of life have sought out (or been chosen by, as the case may be) animal spirit helpers/guides since time immemorial.

Early on in the book, he talks openly about his own spiritual journey, guides readers through methods they can undertake if they are presently seeking an animal spirit guide, and explains what he means when through this book he describes the “animal medicine” associated with the critters featured therein.

Before delving into the selection of animals that Luttichau has chosen to shine the spotlight on, readers are treated to the author’s thoughts pertaining to such areas as “The power animal as your mirror”, (a brief look at) “Shamanism and spiritual reality”, “Dream recall”, “The drum journey”, and various ways of working with your power animal.

In the section regarding shamanism and spiritual reality, Luttichau states that “The teachings given here about power and animals are closely linked to the shamanic tradition. Shamanism does not constitute a religion, and it gives each human being the freedom to explore reality with an open mind and heart to find her or his own truth.”

To my mind, this is one of the most accurate, even-handed and approachable descriptions of this subject I have yet to encounter.

It jives with my own views on the subject, though I readily acknowledge that under the broad banner of shamanism and traditional beliefs, certain elements are closed culture to those outside of those specific groups/ethnicities.

Luttichau discusses how many of us have – or can have if we are not already consciously connected to such – at least one primary “power animal guide”.

He leads readers through ways to find, connect with, and strengthen the bond between themselves and their primary power animal guide, as well as what might be termed secondary animal spirit guides – of which the author states he believes many of us have at least four.

One being our lead animal spirit guide and the other three being members who – along with said power animal – form what the author terms our “Circle of [Animal Spirit] Allies”.

Thusly called because each one is thought to represent or hold a place within the four cardinal points of a circle (those being east, west, north and south, respectively)

He goes on to discuss how each of these four is likely to embody different traits, serve to teach us various lessons, and how we ourselves can be seen in some respects as a manifestation of the creatures that comprise our Circle of Allies.

Furthermore, Luttichau thoughtfully reminds us that “There is no rush to find all four animal spirits in your circle. In fact, it is generally a good idea to take your time, letting the search unfold in a natural, general way”.

The information pertaining to one’s Circle of Allies is housed in the final pages of the book.

Sandwiched between that section and the beneficial introductory topics (some of which I touched on above), one finds the bevy of animal friends that Chris Luttichau opted to shine the spotlight on in this book.

He chose to do so by corralling various animals into groups based on where the critters in each spend the majority of their time.

As such, they are categorized as Earth Animals, Air Animals, Water Animals, and Water/Earth Animals for those creatures (think frogs, otters, and beavers, for example) who divide their time between both environments.

The selection for each group varies a bit in size, though multiple entries appear for each category of animal.

Naturally, no book or other type of resource (i.e., a website on the topic) can possibly cover every animal on earth.

Objectively, there are titles out there with larger amounts of animal spirit guides listed in them.

Yet few that I have personally encountered do as good a job of discussing the symbolism, messages, and “medicine” (aka, important lessons) that is linked to each animal featured therein.

For every critter in Spirit Animal Guides, the author relates an encounter or other type of interaction that he has had throughout his life with said animal.

This lends the book an appealing personal quality which helped me to feel all the more connected to the messages of the various animals Luttichau chats about.

Pulling from the whole of the animal kingdom, the author includes creatures from across the world.

Some are commonplace in many of our lives and/or general environments (i.e., cats, dogs, horses, certain types of birds, and buterflies).

Many we may encounter in person only on very rare occasions and others still are animals that (save perhaps outside of locations such as zoos and animal sanctuaries) we may never come face-to-face with in real life.

The author believes (much as I do, too) that as a general rule one does not pick their animal spirit guide(s) at random or based on their favourite creatures.

Rather, it is usually best/most effective to either intentionally seek your animal allies out or allow them to present themselves to you organically. Often, though not always, via one’s dreams.

Therefore, this book is not a shopping list of animals to pick and choose from to get the animal guide that you most want.

Instead, it is excellent resource if you wish to learn more about the overall subject of power animals and how to connect with your own, while deepening your knowledge of the creaturl(s) that you feel are or may become your own animal spirit guides.

(Remember, most of the time they select us, not the other way around. )

The information housed within this book is also handy if you believe a particular crritter has made its presence known to you as a means of delivering a message or serving as a sign and you wish to uncover what that sign/message may be convaying to you.

After all, many of us will engage with, see, think about, and feel pulled towards a substantial number of animals throughout our lives. Not every one of them will factor heavily into our spiritual journeys or serve as an important sign/message.

However, each can be appreciated and help us to remember how incredibly blessed we are to share our planet with countless thousands of creatures from the tiniest insect to the largest blue whale and everything in between.

How Spirit Animal Guides by Chris Luttichau rates with me

As someone who believes strongly in animal spirit guides, has identified and continues to actively work with their own, and who really enjoys this topic, I have read my fair share of books on the subject over the years (including classic titles from other well-known authors in the field, such as Ted Andrews and Steven D. Farmer).

None has felt quite as inviting or enjoyable to me as Spirit Animal Guides: Discover Your Power Animal and the Shamanic by Chris Luttichau.

If you are looking for more of a straight-up reference book, there are titles with larger selections of animals out there. Yet, few of possess the earnest heart and captivating spirit of Luttichau’s look at the topic.

Each time I have reached the last page of this book, I have found myself wishing that it went on for hundreds more.

The author has a friendly, inviting way of writing (not unlike that of David Dillard-Wright, whose book A Mindful Evening I reviewed here last summer) and excels at informatively teaching his readers, while never coming across as preachy, condescending, or know-it-allish.

This makes the book all the more of a wonderful reading experience and helps to cement it as a title many of us are apt to reread in its entirety and/or dip into as needed throughout the course of our lives.

Spirit Animal Guides is not specifically geared towards witches or Pagans. It is open to, and inclusive of, those from a vast swath of different spiritual paths and belief systems.

Anyone who has positive intentions and genuinely wishes to seek out their power animal(s) can do so throughout the course of their life.

I adore the broadness of this book, the methods used for finding and building a bond with one’s animal spirit allies, and the respect that is paid both to the subject of shamanism and to the members of the animal kingdom that are highlighted throughout its 160 pages.

Whether you have numerous books on your shelf pertaining to power animals or are eager to pick up your first, Spirit Animal Guides is a fantastic title that I very highly recommend.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Spirit Animal Guides by Chris Luttichau 5 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Have you read the book Spirit Animal Guides – and if so, what are your thoughts on it? Are animal allies a part of your own spiritual journey?

PS: If you are eager to learn more about Chris Luttichau, I encourage you to check out this terrific podcast interview he had with Accidental Gods, visit his website, and look into his latest book (which I have not yet read, but certainly hope to one day), Calling Us Home.

The post Book Review: Spirit Animal Guides by Chris Luttichau appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Though the word “occult” may not carry the same weight and sense of taboo in some circles as it did as recently as two or three decades ago, it is still a concept with a good deal of heft and perhaps even more misunderstanding behind it.

However, as John Michael Greer – author of the book that is at the heart of this review post – reminds us in the introduction to The Occult Book, etymologically speaking, the word “occult” simply means hidden.

Information that is, or which is perceived to be of an, occult nature has often been shrouded in mystery – or even secrecy.

At times, this has been a matter of necessity or even life and death for those in possession of certain information. In other instances, the choice has stemmed from the desire to keep particular concepts or facts within a tightly knit group or community.

Whether you are a fellow witch, Wiccan, Pagan or not, chances are there are various images or thoughts that spring to mind immediately for you when you hear the word “occult”.

Most of us associate it with things of a mystical, esoteric, magical/magickal nature, the supernatural, and perhaps even certain hard or impossible to explain phenomena. Some may link it, often unfairly and inaccurately, primarily to Abrahamic concepts pertaining to evil, the devil, or black magic.

In the broadest of senses, such things do, circumstantially, fall under the header of the occult. However, to focus solely or primarily on that relatively small fraction of a much larger and broader concept is to do the word, and moreover, the field, of the occult a great disservice.

As touched on above, in this book review post, we’re going to be shining the spotlight on The Occult Book: A Chronological Journey from Alchemy to Wicca by John Michael Greer, which was published in 2017.

This gorgeous-looking book is not a handbook or how-to guide on occult subjects, but rather a concise, engaging look at about one hundred key points in the history of the occult over the past two thousand or so years.

Book specs

Title: The Occult Book: A Chronological Journey from Alchemy to Wicca

Author: John Michael Greer

Page count: 224

Publisher: Sterling

Binding: Hardcover

An informative and enjoyable look at the history of the occult

The Occult Book explores the vast history of the occult in chronological order, starting with the oldest dates included here first and working its way up until the year 2012.

At 224 pages, this book is not encyclopedic in size or scope. Nor does it need to be.

There are other titles pertaining to the occult, the history of witchcraft, and related subjects that serve as more exhaustive reference books on the market (including, by the same author, The New Encyclopedia of the Occult).

Instead, it is a fact-filled look at various standout points and/or figures who have left their mark on the worlds of the occult, astrology, divination, witchcraft, alchemy, and magic/magick.

The mix of relevant visuals and lively, fascinating text presented by Greer helps to ensure this book is a page-turner from start to finish.

Each entry is presented in the same way. One page of text is accompanied on the facing page with an image (be it artwork or a photograph) pertaining to the event, person, or group highlighted in said writing.

Beginning in the 6^th century BCE with Pythagoras, The Occult Book guides readers on a compelling and well-laid-out journey from the time of the ancient Greeks to the modern world of Wicca, witchery, and Neopaganism.

Along the way, we encounter a fair number of events, groups, and figures that one would expect in a book on the history of the occult. For example, the horrifically brutal Burning Times to the founding of the Order of the Golden Dawn, Marie Laveau (pictured above in the image of her – a painting by George Catlin from 1835 – included in this book) to Gerald Gardener.

However, we’re also treated to a look at various people and happenings that may be less common occult-related household names for some of us, such as Miriam the Alchemist and Johannes Bureus.

John Michael Greer, the author of The Occult Book is a Druid and Free Mason who has written a wide array of books on topics pertaining to Druidry (for example, The Druid Magic Handbook and The Druidry Handbook, both of which I strongly recommend), the occult, paranormal activity, and politics. In addition to having penned a number of novels.

Widely considered to be one of the modern era’s most knowledgeable experts on these areas, Greer is a prolific author whose titles I’m always happy to encounter and whose writing, both in book and blog post form, I highly respect.

His nonfiction books are generally written in a tone that is upbeat and informative with little perceivable bias, and one senses his own deeply rooted connections to the subjects he covers.

Greer has long been involved with areas pertaining to hermeticism, Druidry (for example, he served for twelve years in the distinguished position of Grand Archdruid of The Ancient Order of Druids in America), ceremonial magic, and astrology.

In the selection of historical events and people highlighted in The Occult Book, these interests shine through and enrich this title all the more.

While various happenings and individuals connected to witchcraft (both past and present) are touched on in this book, it is important to keep in mind as you read through it that The Occult Book is not a history of witchcraft or magick exclusively.

Interestingly, and perhaps intentionally (though such is only a guess) as the book progresses into the 20^th and 21^st centuries, Greer makes little mention of key occult figures who are presently alive.

There are some names – Scott Cunningham, for example – who have passed, however, that I feel this book could have benefited from making mention of. Just as it could have from looking at more of today’s (living) highly influential figures and their works.

Indeed, the number of entries pertaining to the past 125 years or so are relatively small in relation to those from earlier points in history. That isn’t to say they’re lacking, but that there are perhaps some other figures and events that this book would have benefited from touching on as well.

Of course though, as this is not, again, an encyclopedic title, there will always be suitable entries that could have appeared, but which were either not considered or which ultimately did not make the cut.

How The Occult Book by John Michael Greer rates with me

In a way, this book is a bit like a taster menu of occult subjects. Each course (aka, book entry) has its own distinct appeal and fascination, the whole body presented works excellently together, and it is apt to whet your appetite for more.

By this, I mean that each of the entries in this book provides you with enough information to familiarize yourself with the event, group or person covered, but does not, as a single page of text per entry, share every last thing one could learn about a particular topic.

For those who love to use the books we read as springboards for further research, this approach is welcome and useful alike.

One of the things that leaps out at the reader as soon as they encounter The Occult Book is what an aesthetically pleasing book it is both inside and out.

From the sturdy (hard) cover in captivating shades of midnight blue and embossed metallic gold foil to the abundance of terrific images housed between that stunning cover, this book is as much a treat for the eyes as it for the knowledge-seeking mind.

Another point that may strike fellow readers is that, while women are not excluded from this book by any means, the majority of entries do focus on men. In particular, often, though not always, European or North American white males.

It should go without saying that the history of the occult, magick, and witchcraft is one that encompasses the majority of cultures that have existed throughout the course of human civilization and that these areas have been engaged in by people of a wide range of genders and ethnicities.

Naturally, an even broader range of representation would have been welcome here. However, once more, it is important to keep in mind that a book like this, which presents quick summations of “just” a hundred or so points in the colossal history or the occult cannot possibly cover every person or happening pertaining to this topic.

This book is a concise, breezy, name-and-date focused look at the history of the occult world over the past two millennia.

It makes for an excellent introduction to the subject for readers all but the youngest ages (as I was reading it, I found myself reflecting on how much I would have lapped up The Occult Book in my youth), while still being visually and informatively captivating enough to appeal to many whose own knowledge on occult matters is anything but beginner level.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give The Occult Book by John Michael Greer 4 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Have you read The Occult Handbook? Who, or what, are some events or figures that spring to mind when you think about the world of the occult?

The post Book Review: The Occult Book by John Michael Greer appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Unlike dawn, the evening is the waning of the powers of the day, the last vestige of the tracing hours, a diagram half erased. What transpired this day now lies in the past, already becoming a memory – a wisp of smoke, a reverberation.

~ David Dillard-Wright, PhD

These words are amongst those that greet you on the first page of the beautiful book we will be exploring in this review post: A Mindful Evening by David Dillard-Wright, PhD.

As extroverted, vivacious, and jubilant a season as summer is, there is a certain magnificent serenity to it as well.

I cherish serenity, peacefulness, calm. They are extraordinarily powerful counterpoints to the stresses and troubles, major traumas and minor worries of life alike.

As an ASMR artist, I strive to cultivate and share soothing tranquility with others around the world – just as I aim to do both here and on Instagram as well.

Honestly, I feel compelled to help foster and support serenity just about everywhere I go, and in most things I do, throughout my life.

I am, as you might guess, deeply drawn to books that put an emphasis on peace and tranquility, mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation or meditative qualities.

Dillard-Wright’s works first crossed my path a few years back. I was instantly captivated by the concept of A Mindful Evening and picked it up with part of an Amazon gift certificate that I received for Christmas back at the tail end of 2017.

This book quickly became a beloved favourite and one that I have both dipped in and out of many times and read cover-to-cover on a number of occasions.

Like a caring, dear friend who always seems to both “get you” and know what to say to soothe you to the core, A Mindful Evening is the sort of title you can turn to and be supported and inspired by today and always.

Book specs

Name: A Mindful Evening: Complete each day a calm mind and open heart

Author: David Dillard-Wright*, PhD

(*See note below)

Page count: 249

Publisher: Adams Media

Binding: Softcover

Important note: In researching this book and its author further while preparing this post, I discovered that David Dillard-Wright is now a transwoman named Devi Dillard-Wright, who uses she/her pronouns.

Therefore, going forward in this post, I will use that name and those pronouns when referring to the author.  

As people who may be searching for reviews of this book will likely do so with the author’s past/dead name, which appears on/in the book itself, I have included it here solely to help facilitate finding this post.

Serenity meets eloquent wordsmithery

A Mindful Evening is an absolutely lovely book that marries over 200 quotes from a vast array of individuals with soulful reflections provided by the author on a broad spectrum of topics pertaining to living a more tranquil life.

(In a nod to this point, I knew as soon as I chose to review this book that I wanted to begin my post for it with a quote from the author themselves.)

Each page is intended to serve as a personal point of meditation, a reflection to ponder and connect with as the day winds down (though you can certainly read each page, or as much of the book as you please, at other points in the day as well).

Dillard-Wright’s intelligence, extensive background in philosophy, religion, and ethics, coupled with what is clearly a highly empathetic soul, shine through in her writings and the way she approaches each topic that she suggests we take a few minutes out of our day to reflect on.

The combination of the author’s own eloquently presented insight coupled with those of the excellent quotes highlighted in this book are an appealing, fantastic combination.

Throughout the book, some of the quotes are presented as lovely images filling whole pages (as in the image above). These are the closest thing to illustrations in this book. Coming across one every so often while reading A Mindful Evening makes the experience of this title all the more enjoyable.

This book is not aimed specifically at witches or Pagans. Indeed, while it has leanings towards Eastern religions and philosophies, including those of Hinduism and Buddhism, no one faith or spiritual path is overriding-ly emphasized in this book.

A Mindful Evening is a title that I would place squarely under the header of being spiritual, and yet, objectively, it is not so heavily spiritually focused as to be unappealing to many who count themselves as atheists or agnostics.

For there are few amongst, irrespective of our personal spiritual journeys who cannot benefit from the mindful, meditative messages that this lovely book houses.

I am a born night owl, often coming most alive as much of the rest of the world tucks into bed. This point was one of the reasons why I was first drawn to A Mindful Evening, and I have no doubt it adds to why I am a firm fan of this inspiring, gentle book.

Indeed, there is much to appreciate about A Mindful Evening and its pervading message of making peace with our days as they draw to a close and focusing on ways to actively live a more mindful and serene life.

Early on in the book, Dillard-Wright suggests that we read one page per evening until the book is complete.

This is a charming approach and one that some people may certainly wish to take the author up on.

Others, like myself, may be more inclined (at least for their first reading of A Mindful Evening) to enjoy it from cover-to-cover.

How A Mindful Evening rates with me

This is a book that I sincerely appreciate. I believe that A Mindful Evening offers substantial value to its readers and that it can be a point of help, guidance, and inspiration to many.

In addition to A Mindful Evening, Dillard-Wright is the author of various other titles, including the companion books A Mindful Morning and A Mindful Day.

I do not own, and have not yet had the pleasure of reading, either of these books (though hope to do so as time goes on). Both titles have been written in a similar vein as their evening-focused peer, offering guidance to help us live more mindful, low-stress lives.

A Mindful Evening made me think and smile, and at times, evoked tears stemming from the stirring of various emotions and memories, as well as the sheer loveliness of this tranquil title.

It is, aptly, a book that I often keep on my nightstand, returning to meditate and reflect on many of the insights and inspirations offered within.

I deeply enjoy and appreciate this book, which I suspect will find similar favour with many of you as well.

We need a great deal more tranquility and calm in this world. We need to be gentler on ourselves and others. We need to see life as a bigger picture, but also embrace the blessing of the present moment. We need to think new thoughts and reflect on the insights that other wise souls have shared with the world.

A Mindful Evening guides and supports readers in doing each of these things.

I am grateful to have encountered this book and thankful to Dillard-Wright for sharing their own wonderful approach to philosophy, wellness, serenity, spirituality, and the human experience itself with all of us.

Now that summer’s heady, gorgeous nights here again, I know that A Mindful Evening will be a book I continue to connect with all throughout the warm twilight hours of this magical season.

A smile fills my heart and face alike as I happily, gratefully give this book a glowing review and bestow my highest rating on it.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give A Mindful Evening 5 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

If you have read A Mindful Evening or are interested in this book, please let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this tranquil, philosophy-meets-wellness title.

The post Book Review: A Mindful Evening by David Dillard-Wright appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

While Luna doesn’t vanish from our sight for the whole of winter, many a frosty cold evening of snow cloud-filled skies means that being able to spy her during this chapter of the year isn’t always a given.

As a Cancerian (sun sign), I feel an exceptionally deep connection to the moon, opting to work with lunar energy and archetypes all throughout the year.

Happily, even when the moon is not visible, I can still feel the remarkable pull and energy, light, and guidance it gives to the world.

When I was a young child, the moon beckoned to me instinctively and I spent many a night staying up well past my bedtime to gaze up at, commune with, and feel comforted by the moon’s presence.

As I grew older and officially began practicing as a Pagan witch in my teens, my connection with the moon deepened all the more and has continued to do so in the ensuing decades of my life.

I am far from alone in feeling an extraordinarily strong bond with the moon. Our nearest celestial neighbour has resonated with humankind since time immemorial.

We’ve deified and honoured the moon, woven it into countless legends and stories, turned into a muse for all manner of art and creativity, given each of its fullest monthly days their own names, and found ways to weave the moon into countless areas of our lives.

Many who follow witchy, Wiccan, or Pagan approach – as well as those from various other spiritual paths – opt to work closely with the moon.

We may gather as covens or groves in her loving light, charge everything from crystals to water under her watchful eye, draw down the moon, use her energy to help foster our magickal workings, pray to her, design spells that are in tandem with her monthly phases, or otherwise find creative, meaningful ways to include the moon in our spiritual journey.

It stands to reason then that no shortage of books pertaining to the moon, and its ties to witchcraft, folklore, and spirituality would be penned.

Such is certainly the case and in this post, I’m going to shine the spotlight – or, should I say, the moonlight – on one of the latest to be added to the canon of lunar titles: The moon + You by Diane Ahlquist.

This book was published in 2020 and I purchased my copy of it last year. Somewhat surprisingly given that it is a new title, I picked it up on clearance for a song.

I’ve been familiar with Ahlquist’s work for a number of years and have previously read some of her other books, including the engaging and informative Moon Spells: How to Use the Phases of the Moon to Get What You Want.

An author, psychic counsellor, and professional speaker, Diane Ahlquist is well known name in both the spirituality book realm and that of areas such manifestation and psychic abilities.

I respect her work and have enjoyed the other titles that I have read thus far from this author, so was especially happy to not only add The Moon + You to my witchy bookshelves, but to be able to do so for a great price.  

Book specs:

Name: The Moon + You: Your Guide to Finding Energy, Balance, and Healing with the Power of the Moon

Author: Diane Ahlquist

Page count: 240

Publisher: Adams Media (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)

Binding: Hardcover

What is The Moon + You about?

As you might deduce from both the title and cover image of this book, The Moon + You pertains to finding, connecting, and working with lunar energy and some of the key monthly phases of the moon.

While this book does occasionally make mention of witchery or Paganism, it is not a title that I would place squarely under either of these headers. Instead, it a broader, more far-reaching pairing of the moon and spirituality in general.

This might put off some readers who are aiming for a squarely moon spell or moon magick related title, or a book that approached the moon from more of a straight up Pagan or witchcraft perspective.

However, by the same token, it’s broader degree of inclusivity helps to make this title one that it is open to a wide range of spiritually inclined individuals.

The first thing that greets you upon seeing The Moon + You is its serene and rather beautiful cover, which has a metallic sheen to it that calls to mind the glimmering light of the moon itself.

Once inside The Moon + You, the reader is presented with a brief introduction followed by five good sized chapters.

The chapters themselves are further divided in a number of subsections, most of which span 1 – 3 pages apiece.

For the chapters, the author opted to focus on – in this order – five key phases of the moon: Full Moon, Waning Moon, Dark Moon, New Moon, and Waxing Moon.

Personally, I found this moon phase arrangement to feel a bit discombobulated. I suspect that she opted to start with the full moon because it is arguably the most energy-filled, iconic, and (in some peoples’ eyes) gorgeous of the moon’s phases.

However, I feel it would have been more natural to start with either the Dark Moon or New Moon, working one’s way organically through the phases of the moon, much as Luna herself unfolds in the heavens upon us each month.

Beyond this minor point, the book itself approaches the subjects of self-care, wellness, and spirituality, with some magickal workings woven into the mix, as it pertains to the moon.

Ahlquist guides readers through ways to connect with, harness and put the energy of each of these five key moon phases to work for you personally.

Across the chapters of The Moon + You, one finds a diverse range of suggestions, ideas, and jumping off points if they wish to connect with the moon in any of these ways.

These include options such things as releasing stress with breathwork, journaling your dreams, using a pendulum, and caring for dry skin with herbal remedies – amongst dozens of other ways to work with the phases of the moon.

This book is written in friendly, easily understandable language. The ideas it puts forth are approachable and, in my opinion, may resonate more with those who are newer to working with the moon.

That isn’t to say, however, that more experienced moon workers can’t glean value from this book as well, just that I personally felt it was somewhat basic at times.

In addition, while some of the topics covered in The Moon + You can easily be detailed or even flushed out within the span of 1 – 4 pages, IMO, certain others deserved substantially more focus so as to not gloss over some rather important subjects.

For example, in chapter 3 (the Dark Moon), on pages 117 – 119, one of the ideas put forth is to a do a past life regression.

As a firm believer in past lives, our ability to connect with them in our present iteration, and the profound messages, truths, wounds and healing alike that I feel can come from doing past life regression work, this is a subject I would not personally skim over in the span of just a couple of pages.

However, that said, I do fully acknowledge that past lives are not at the heart of The Moon + You, and can appreciate that this subject was brought up in the context of the Dark Moon. A time when working with past lives, as well as doing shadow work, is a natural fit for many of us.

As you might imagine, plenty of the ideas put forth in this book flow with the energy associated with the moon’s main phases.

Thus, one often does livelier and more outgoing things when the moon is waxing and full, and more introspective, banishing related, and lower-key activities when the moon is waning or dark.

A lot of people who work with the moon do find that their own energy, intentions and magickal activities jive with these energy patterns and archetypes. However, not everyone does and I was a bit surprised that the author didn’t address this point in much detail.

Throughout the book, Ahlquist makes mention of various spiritual practices and beliefs (and occasionally to deities) from numerous corners of the globe.

By and large, I felt that this was done respectfully and that spiritual or religious appropriation was not a standout issue with this title. This is something that I, like many people, very much appreciate.

As the ideas and suggestions put for in The Moon + You are plentiful, this book offers up a solid number of possible ways to work with the moon (including a small handful of recipes).

If some of them are not to your likening, don’t work for your life, or don’t jive with your spiritual path, chances are at least a few of the others may.

Throughout this book, the author makes a point to discuss how the lunar phases can impact and influence our emotional states and overall sense of wellness, as well as how to tap into the moon’s energy for assistance with things such as personal strength and healing.

Some of the key suggestions/themes that ran through the various chapters include meditation, working with one’s chakras, setting intentions, journaling and freewriting, feng shui, and utilizing herbs.

While the term “new age” isn’t used as much these days as it was in previous recent decades, I would say that The Moon + You falls under the header of being a new age book. Especially, again, as it is not geared solely towards witches.

How The Moon + You rates with me

The Moon + You was a quick, pleasant read. While very little of the information presented was new to me and I don’t feel like this is a title I learned a great deal from, I enjoyed exploring the many ways to harness the moon’s energy and symbolism put forth in this book.

Is The Moon + You the most in-depth look at working with the moon that I’ve come across? No, it’s not.

This is a good basic or beginner introduction to the subject, which, again, may also resonate with some more experienced moon magick/healing/intention/etc workers as well.

The Moon + You was a quick read that I started and finished over the course of a single weekend.

I appreciated being reminded of various ways to work with the moon, even if many of them are ones I already know and may have carried out already over the years.

Plus, it’s always wonderful to see and learn more about how others approach working with the moon, be they fellow witches/Pagans or otherwise.

Rating this book took a fair bit of deliberation. Happily, there is nothing glaringly negative that stood about it to me.

By the same token though, it did not absolutely knock my socks off either (personally, I preferred Ahlquist’s Moon Magick and Moon Spells, respectively, more than I did this title).

Not, of course, that I expect everything I read to do just that. I definitely do not and I can appreciate + enjoy a good basic and/or refresher look at various spiritual topics.

The friendly, approachable nature, useful suggestions, and even the pretty cover of this book all helped it to win favour with me.

As did the fact that as a collective whole, I found reading The Moon + You to be a peaceful and inspiring experience – not unlike connecting with the moon itself.

Therefore…

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give this book 4 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ 

Have you read The Moon + You and if so, what were your thoughts on this lunar energy centred book?

Do you enjoy working with the moon or does the idea of doing appeal to you?

The post Book Review: The Moon + You by Diane Ahlquist appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

From the moment I first learned about the ancient cave art sites (such as Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain) as a child, I’ve been captivated by these tangible examples of early human creativity that have survived not just for centuries, but for tens of thousands of years.  

I am not an anthropologist, paleoanthropologist, or scientist of any kind. Therefore, I want to preface this book review by saying that while the study of Ice Age and other early human civilizations is an area that I’ve long read extensively on, I am by no means a professional level expert on the subject.

The reason(s) that a particular subject jumps out at us, is relevant to our lives or otherwise matters to us are as limitless the total page count of the all the books the world over. My interest in the topic of the earliest known human art and use of symbols is manifold.  

I find myself pulled like a magnet to the study of the first modern humans, who they were, what they might have thought and believed, how they communicated, how they survived, buried their dead, the kinds of art and (possible) proto-alphabetical records their left, and a great deal more.

As an artist and a writer, I feel an especially deep connection to those first souls who decided (having reached a point cognitively to be able to so) that they had things they wanted to say, record, and impart to others in a way that was far more permanent than just verbal sounds or words, hand signs, or other temporary forms of communication.

Why people drew and carved in caves (and other more permanent locations or materials, such as on rocks and shells), what they were trying to convey, who they were, and what legacy they might have been trying to pass on through their work has largely been lost to the hands of time.

But science, research, and continued discoveries in fields such as anthropology allow us to gradually part the curtains of the past a little wider and, if we’re lucky, develop a deeper and more meaningful understanding of our collective ancestral past in the process.

In today’s post, we’re going to delve into The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of The World’s Oldest Signs by Genevieve von Petzinger.

This book, penned by a paleoanthropologist who is an early human rock art researcher (as well as a fellow Canadian), sets out to explore not only figural, animal, and handprint/outline cave art, but also the fascinating and often mysterious signs that appear either solo or in conjunction with other types of Ice Age art at myriad locations across modern-day Europe.

Book specs

Name: The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of The World’s Oldest Signs

Authors: Genevieve von Petzinger

Page count: 320

Publisher: Atria Books

Binding: Softcover (also available in hardcover)

What drew me to a book about Ice Age cave signs

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, this book instantly appealed to me because I’m highly fascinated by the use, creation, application, practical, spiritual, and artistic applications of different types of signs and the important roles they have played throughout the course of human history.

As a Pagan witch, I work with a wide array of meaningful signs in my witchery, magick, and daily life. These include things such as different rune systems (witches runes, elder futhark runes, ogham runes, etc), planetary symbols, sigils, and various others.

To differing degrees, almost all of us use symbols in our daily lives. Many modern symbols are largely universal in their meaning (for example, hearts and crescent moons) and often transcend language.

Others are more specific to small groups, communities, professions, or other subsections of the population. Some, such as many sigils, for example, are incredibly personal. Their meanings may only be known and understood by one person or a very small number of individuals.

We each recognize, know and understand a vast array of symbols – from the suits on a deck of playing cards to doves representing peace to crosses often pertaining to Christianity – and likely have personal favourites, too.

The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of The World’s Oldest Signs is a scientifically focused book. It is not a title that specifically focuses on Paganism (be it old school or contemporary), witchcraft, or magick.

Contextual references to traditional shamanism are made at points, but the subject is by no means at the heart of this book

I am interested in learning more about early signs for a number of reasons. One of which is that I personally believe that at least some of the earliest recorded signs (and other forms of cave and rock art) likely pertained to some of the oldest spiritual beliefs and practices known to humankind.

As much as I consider myself a traditional witch and my practice pulls heavily from older traditions, belief systems, bodies of knowledge, and related areas, I’m not looking to be an Ice Age Pagan Witch. Nor am I making any claims that a person we would now place under such a header even existed at the time.

Those who were healers, (early) cunning folk, medicine men and women, and (what we’ll broadly classify, for the sake of simplicity here) as shamans very likely did exist, however.

The degree with which they were in contact with the spirit world, their gods and goddesses, and the role that spirituality played in their lives are areas that we may only ever be able to guess at from this point in a future that is greatly far removed from the world and inhabitants of the Ice Age.

A good book with a rather misleading title

On the left-hand page immediately opposite the title of contents, readers of The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of The World’s Oldest Signs are immediately greeted with a black and white illustration of 32 different geometric sings from Ice Age Europe.

This intriguing visual list coupled with the book’s title would naturally lead many to believe that von Petzinger had penned a detailed look at each and every one (or at least the vast majority) of the aforementioned symbols.

And that, therefore, the book would take you through these mysterious and thought-provoking signs either individually or perhaps in groups of similar-looking signs, exploring known and hypnotized possible meanings of, and relationships between, these and other signs.

Going into The First Signs, based in no small part on the wording of the title, that was the kind of book I was expecting and hoping for.

In reality that is not, for the most part, the type of book that unfolds before you as you explore the sixteen chapters following that tantalizingly illustrated list of 32 signs.

A list, which, it should be noted, von Petzinger mentions in her highly viewed TED TALK (shared below), Why Are These 32 Symbols Found in Ancient Caves All Over Europe (which, while insightful and informative, does not really delve into answering the very question it proposes either, unfortunately).

Make no mistakes about it though, this is a solidly informative and engaging book. And one does not need to have a background of knowledge on the topic beforehand in order to dive right into reading it.

The First Signs covers a lot of ground across the space of some 300 pages and the author’s passion for – and extensive knowledge on – the subject is evident from the very get-go.

In the course of her career, von Petzinger has built an impressive and highly beneficial database that contains a record of over 5,000 signs that have been found (all total, not 5,000 different signs) at about 400 different Ice Age era sites and counting across Europe.

Throughout this book, she discusses that database, takes us along with her on captivating journeys to various European cave art and symbol sites, delves into possible links between topics such as early signs and human language, how cave art and signs were created, emerging theories in the field, and much more.

While many of the signs that appear in the list at the start of the book are mentioned throughout, again, not all of them are explored in depth. And in a lot of respects, it is only from page 161 onward that we start to get a more focused look at some of the symbols.

The proceeding pages and some of those that continue to follow from that point onward instead lay out a broader picture of cave art and signs in general, the field of cave imagery study, locations of cave signs, and various other pertinent topics.

That isn’t to say, of course, that some of the signs themselves aren’t mentioned until you get more than halfway through the entire book. Rest assured they are, but, again the general topic of Ice Age cave art and signs coupled with various current thoughts on the field are covered more extensively.

As well, it should be noted that this book houses a number of black and white photos, but no colour images. Rendered in black and white on non-glossy paper, some of the images feel more like photos from a book that’s 50 or 60 years old, not a title that was published in 2016.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the interspersed photos, though would have liked it there were even more of them and they were in colour (on glossy paper).

When did humans first start using hand-drawn signs?

In all reality, we will almost certainly never be able to pinpoint the precise moment in human evolution when this monumental event transpired. Chances are, it happened fairly organically and over the course of time.

We know that our very distant ancestors began using stone tools at least 2.6 million years ago and that sometime between then and 40,000+ years ago, purposely created signs began to appear in caves across Europe.

The First Signs looks at the use of Ice Age signs from about 10,000 to 40,000 years, as that is when the earliest known signs that we are aware of – and which can be dated using current technology – have been traced back to.  

So what were some of the earliest markings that we know to have been manmade signs?

As you can see in the image above, a wide array of different signs were used. As von Petzinger discusses in the book, sometimes they appear alone or with a small number of others.

Yet there are also instances were multiple signs appear in the same location (though whether they were made by the same people/person at the exact same point in time is itself tricky to say for certain).

What were Ice Age signs conveying?

Were these signs purely decorative? Were they tally marks? Images seen by those in trances, representations of the local geography, records of the living or the dead, clan marks, relative to their spirituality, a means of marking the passing of time and/or astronomical events, records of battles that were fought (and possibly won), forms of visual prayers or other forms communications with the divine, teaching tools, the earliest seeds of what would later become the first known written languages, something else entirely, or all of the above?

The First Signs attempts to tackle this mystery in various ways, but as there is truly so much we do not know – and may never know – it may leave you with more questions than answers.

Which, sometimes, is not a bad thing. Thoughts are like tributaries of an endless river, some converge, others branch off in different directions, but in some ways, they’re all connected and you never know what exciting new path one might lead you down.

Ice Age cave art and early signs stir something extraordinary intrinsic in me. I have guesses as to what certain signs may have meant (and firmly believe that in some cases, one sign may have represented different things across multiple groups of early humans and time periods), others certainly seem vaguer and harder to discern.

It is easy to impose our own takes on these signs (and cave art in general), to look at them with 21^st century eyes when they were created by people who – while intellectually as capable and advanced as we are today (a point that the author discusses throughout the book) – lived in a world that was radically different from ours in a lot of ways.

Simple as these shapes and scenes may seem to us now, at the time, they were revolutionary. Life as we know it on this planet changed forever from that point onward thanks to the advent of graphic communication.

Without the ability to express concepts through pictures, signs, and (in time) written languages, we would not have the works of Chaucer, Shakespeare and Keats. There would be no textbooks, no newspapers, no Ikea instructions, no cookbooks, no love letters, no written records of births and deaths.

An immeasurable number of things – right down to this very blog post itself – would not exist if our ancient ancestors hadn’t started to draw signs and create art on cave walls.

The First Signs does an excellent job of acknowledging how vital to the progression of human society these early signs were.

This aspect is one of my favourite points about this informative book, which takes us on a treasure hunt across the span of time back to a world that while far removed and certainly different, wasn’t perhaps quite as dissimilar to ours today as one would first believe.

How The First Signs by Genevieve von Petzinger rates with me

I highly admire the author’s drive and desire to deepen our collective understanding of Ice Age rock art and signs. Few others have thus far come close to putting as much focus on those signs throughout their careers as she has, as the art itself (such as animal and human figures) has often been the star of the show.

While I do wish that this book would have devoted multiple pages (if not entire chapters) to exploring, questioning, and hypothesizing about each specific sign in greater detail, as far as covering the broader topic of Ice Age cave and rock signs goes, von Petzinger does a first-rate job.

This book has deepened my desire, borne in early childhood, to visit one or more sites where cave art and signs still exist to this day, tens of thousands of years after our distant ancestors created these images that were, most likely, highly meaningful to them.

As I read The First Signs, I looked at the ancient, beautiful shapes shown and reflected on them spiritually, scientifically, pragmatically and imaginatively.

These signs are incredible. They got the ball rolling on a future that would likely have been inconceivable in many was to those who made them and helped us to develop into the society that we are today.

Would I love to see a follow-up book from von Petzinger that goes into greater detail about what the signs themselves might actually mean?

Absolutely, but this book itself is a solid, captivating read which poses numerous excellent questions, will likely broaden many peoples’ knowledge on the subject, and which is apt to have you looking at and thinking about Ice Age cave signs in ways you may have never done before.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give this book 4 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Does the subject of early human graphic communication intrigue you as well? If you’ve read The First Signs, what is your take on it?

The post Book review: The First Signs: Unlocking the Mysteries of The World’s Oldest Signs by Genevieve von Petzinger appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

The first signs of autumn – let alone those of winter – are often all it takes to get many of us thinking about and focusing all the more on hygge.

As I wrote two years ago in a guest post for The Witch of Lupine Hollow, called Creating a Sense of Hygge Through Scent:

At hygge’s core lies an aim to feel snug and warm, safe and at (inner) peace. It’s a beautiful and important approach to life, and one that is especially inclined to appeal to witches and Pagans, as these are concepts we often work mindfully towards to begin with.

Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) holds within its being a desire to foster a greater sense of security and happiness, to make self-care and love both priorities, and to put the breaks on the frenetic, draining pace of so many aspects of how we live nowadays.

In recent years hygge has travelled far beyond the borders of Denmark and spread across both the globe and the literary world.

A slew of books have now been published for an English speaking audience on hygge and related concepts, as have untold numbers of online articles, blog entries, and social media posts.

Hygge is hugely appealing. It is relatively simple, open to just about anyone, and is a deeply meaningful way to feel all the more attuned with the seasons + one’s innate sense of wellbeing.

I’ve read several books (some borrowed from the library) on hygge, lagom, cozy living and similar topics.

In this post, we’re going to shine the spotlight on one of them: The Simplicity of Cozy: Hygge, Lagom, and The Energy of Everyday Pleasures by Melissa Alverez.

I purchased this book myself in the fall of 2018, a few months after it was released, and have been eager to share my thoughts on it ever since.

To ensure the content was fresh in my mind before discussing it here on Witchcrafted Life, I recently gave The Simplicity of Cozy a second reading.

Book specs

Name: The Simplicity of Cozy

Author: Melissa Alvarez

Page count: 240

Publisher: Llewellyn

Binding: Softcover

Perhaps a bit too simplistic…

This book is one that I consider an easy, light read.

The Simplicity of Cozy is spread across 240 pages comprising a total of eight chapters, plus a conclusion section and bibliography, respectively, at the end of the book.

Those chapters are as follows:

1. Hygge and More Cozy Cultural Ideas

2. Create Coziness for Deeper Meaning

3. Making Cozy Personal

4. Embrace the Moments of Your Life

5. Become More Mindful

6. Spend Time in the Natural World

7. Emotional Coziness

8. Improve Your Spiritual Wellness

In the first chapter Alvarez guides us through a number of different concepts pertaining to coziness, mindfulness, and resourcefulness/being content from around the world.

Amongst which one finds the ideas of koseli and friluftsliv from Norway, mys from Sweden, and shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) from Japan, as well as a handful of others – most of which are of European origin.

Throughout the remainder of the book, mentions are periodically made to the various cozy concepts described in the first chapter, but a specific emphasis on or further information about each one – let alone hygge itself – is not as abundant as some readers may expect or desire.

The introductory write-up on the back of this book describes The Simplicity of Cozy as being “a beginner’s guide to self-care that presents a variety of topics relating to and supporting cozy living, including mindfulness, simple ritual, home environment, relationship connections, and being in nature.”

To my mind “beginner” is the operative word here.

The author of this book, Melissa Alvarez has penned several other titles as well, some of which pertain to areas such as raising one’s frequency, Laws of Attraction/Nature, and psychic abilities.

Knowing this fact, it’s easier to understand why a lot of this book is written with a certain general, positive spiritual focus to it.

However, I found a lot of the writing to veer on the blatantly obvious, and at times repetitive, side.

Now, I adore Melissa and her writing. I’ve read some of her other books, including her excellent Llewellyn’s Little Book of Spirit Animals (which, prior to this blog’s inception, I gave a glowing review to on my Instagram account), and tried hard – both times – to really get into, and connect with, this particular book.

Try as I may though, when all was said and done, I struggled to accomplish that goal.

I felt that so much of what the author said here was as common sense as common sense can be. And that while the concept behind this book had a great deal of potential, in some ways, the end result missed the mark.

Now, please don’t get me wrong. I don’t dislike this book, I just would have preferred it if the author focused more on each of the cozy concepts from around the world that she mentioned and didn’t restate the same basic ideas quite so much throughout the book.

Is this The Simplicity of Cozy actually about hygge and similar concepts?

That might sound like a harsh question to pose and it is not my intent for it to come across that way. It’s a somewhat natural question though, especially given that the broader concept of ways to create a cozier, more spiritually attuned and mindful life tend to greatly overshadow a laser focus on hygge (et al) itself in this book.

If you’re looking for a book that is straight up about hygge, objectively, this is not likely the title for you.

There are other books out there – such as The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking, How to Hygge by Signe Johansen, and Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness by Marie Tourell Soderberg, to name but three – that focus more comprehensively on hygge itself.

If, however, you’re searching for a beginner’s book to the general idea of coziness, ways to live a cozier life, how to weave coziness into your daily existence, and broad-spectrum advice pertaining to spiritual wellbeing and personal happiness, then this book may appeal to you. 

It’s worth noting that while this book is Llewellyn publication, The Simplicity of Cozy is not a title that focuses on witchcraft, Paganism, or Wicca.

The broadness of spiritual concepts and general advice presented in The Simplicity of Cozy are ones that transcend most cultures and spiritual paths.

I suspect that everyone from Christians to Buddhists to atheists could derive benefit from/enjoy this title, as again, it is not Pagan or witchcraft centred.

How The Simplicity of Cozy rates with me

I had high hopes for this book and, I’m not going to lie, I was actually wishing it was going to be a more of a straight-up Pagan or witchery related look at hygge and the like.

No dice there, I’m afraid. That alone doesn’t impact my rating of this book though, especially since neither the title nor the blurb about The Simplicity of Cozy on Amazon indicates that it would marry hygge and witchcraft.

Part of the reason why I reread this book was to see if, two years on I’d have different feelings or viewpoints on it.

By and large, that wasn’t the case. While I did enjoy certain chapters (particularly chapter 6, which focuses on nature), others felt like I was wadding through ice-cold molasses to get through them, simply because I found they were overly basic and even disjointed at times.

That said, I do think that Alvarez was on the right track in a lot of ways though. She does indeed explore various areas pertaining to coziness and wellness, how to feel and be happier in our daily lives, ways to rid ourselves of negativity, and how to achieve greater peace of mind through raising our self/spiritual awareness.

Her tone is friendly and understanding, never preachy or judgemental, which I really appreciate. And the lightness, if you will, of the writing here makes it a great book for if you want an easygoing read that doesn’t require every ounce of your focus or energy.

However, there is a lot of rehashing within The Simplicity of Cozy, both in terms of the author’s own writing in this book and in general within the sphere of titles on coziness.

And while the concept of coziness may, in and of itself, not be the absolute deepest well in the world in some respects, I felt like the author could have gone further in-depth and been more specific at times.

Still, when all is said and done, there is certainly merit and appeal alike to this book. It’s a lovely beginner’s guide to some elements of hygge (and lagom, etc), the spirituality of simplicity, and moreover to coziness itself.

So in that respect, the mark was not missed and if you enjoy or are keen to read more on these topics, you might find you connect with The Simplicity of Cozy.

As for myself? I’m grateful to have read this book twice, but don’t foresee dipping back into it too often in the future.

I feel I’ve gleaned and absorbed what I could from it, and will now let it reside, cozily, in the hygge related section of my bookshelf.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give this book 3 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

If you’ve read The Simplicity of Cozy or are interested in this book, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this coziness related title.

The post Book Review: The Simplicity of Cozy by Melissa Alvarez appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Indeed, if anything, it deepens and matures like a fine wine. Getting better and holding more allure the longer time elapses from its creation to the present moment.

Broadly speaking, I’ve never been what, in modern parlance, is often referred to a “fangirl” when it comes to, well, most anything.

Sure, I love a good many things with a ceaseless passion, but I don’t feel the need to buy every last piece of merchandise pertaining to my favourite books, TV shows, movies, bands, and so forth.

I don’t cosplay, I’ve only ever written one piece of fan fiction (an alternative ending, penned when I was about 13 years old to Titanic in which both Rose and Jack survive), and I’ve not yet stepped foot at a US amusement park such a Disneyland or Universal Studios.

Yet, like most rules, this one is broken for a select few favourites. None, and I mean absolutely none, of them ranks higher for me than Disney’s 1993 Halloween themed classic, Hocus Pocus.

When it comes to Hocus Pocus, all bets are off. I fangirl like my life depended on it and – as many fans do – like to think of myself as something as a 4^th Sanderson sister.

In 2017, scarcely more than a year after the terrible arson house fire we experienced, I fulfilled a dream that was, at the time, twenty-four years in the making, when I dressed up as none other than Hocus Pocus’ Winifred Sanderson (played in the movie by the Divine Miss M herself, Bette Milder). Complete with a stunning Book prop that I purchased from Etsy seller Pixie Painting.

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve watched Hocus Pocus over the years. If the number is anything less than 75, I’d be shocked. Chances are, it’s well above a hundred. Only the 1966 Halloween TV special, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown comes even close in terms of the number of times I’ve watched the same show or film.

I was nine years old when Hocus Pocus was released and from my very first viewing, I was wholly and completely enamoured. Much like Sarah Sanderson enchants children to follow her hauntingly melodic voice and follow her, so too did Hocus Pocus cast its alluring siren’s song over me.

At the time of its 1993 release, Hocus Pocus wasn’t a gigantic box office success (the fact that it was released in July, not September or October likely didn’t help matters one iota) and more than a few critics were quick to show it about as much love as most kids have for the boxes of raisins they receive in their trick-or—treat loot bags.

However, thankfully, there were some critics and reviewer – and no shortage of fans – who “got” what Hocus Pocus was about and who saw the merits of a film that while seeped in literary, folkloric, and Hollywood inspiration, was a trailblazing movie in its own right.

In more recent years, as Gen Xs and Millennials have reached adulthood and a mighty wave of nostalgic has swept across the pop culture landscape, Hocus Pocus has found both new and renewed popularity with fans who adored it back in the day, as well as those – of any age – who are just seeing it now for the first time.

I would even go so far as to argue that the greater widespread awareness and, to a degree, acceptance in some parts of the world of witchcraft, Wicca, and Paganism may have helped to bolster Hocus Pocus’ popularity.

Not so much because the witchery that most actual witches practise today is authentically represented in the movie, but because the ability to openly be a witch/Pagan or adore witches – a point that many other Hollywood and literary contributions, very much including the Harry Potter franchise bolstered as well – has arguably never been more possible.

Much like Billy Butcherson says of the graveyard in Salem, for myself and many others, the movie Hocus Pocus is sacred ground.

As such, it was with more than a little grain of salt (say, the kind Allison used for protection in the film) then that I approached reading author Aaron Wallace’s fan guide, Hocus Pocus in Focus.

After all, this is Hocus Pocus we’re talking about.

As the only book to date written specifically about this beloved Halloween film, I knew that the author – or any author, for that matter – would have to step up to the plate and then some.

This wasn’t the time or place for “just’ another list, like the plethora that exist online, of things you might not know about Hocus Pocus, nor was it for a simple screenplay with a smattering of viewer commentary.

No, in my eyes – and likely those of most diehard Hocus Pocus fans – this book needed to dig deeper than Billy’s grave, it had to – much as if we’d drunk some of the very youth-restoring potion that the Sanderson Sisters connected – turn back the hands of time to the early 1990s. And it needed to explore facets of the movie that many of us might not have pondered before.

I can say in no uncertain terms that Aaron Wallace’s Hocus Pocus in Focus nailed each of those points and more.

Spoiler alert head’s up: Please be aware that while a detailed breakdown of the plot of Hocus Pocus is not explored in this book review post, certain elements of the movie are touched on that would, IMO, fall under the header of being “spoilers”. Thus, if you have not seen the movie and wish to remain unfamiliar with its plot and/or ending, you may want to return to this post after you’ve watched Hocus Pocus.

Book specs

Name: Hocus Pocus in Focus

Author: Aaron Wallace

Page count: 206

Publisher: Pensive Pen Publishing

Binding: Softcover

A must-read book for any Hocus Pocus fan

At 206 pages, Hocus Pocus in Focus is not the largest book ever. Yet, within those two hundred-odd pages, Mr. Wallace does a superb job of whisking us away off to a multitude of places.

We’re transported back to the 1990s – a time when many of Hocus Pocus’ most ardent fans were children, teens or young adults, whisked to late 17^th century Salem, Massachusetts where some of the film’s scenes are set, to the magic of Hollywood that made this movie possible, and spirited away to October 31^st itself – which takes on an unofficial starring role in this movie.

While Hocus Pocus in Focus is apt to appeal more to those who have seen the movie Hocus Pocus (and/or read the 2018 book adaptation, complete with sequel, by A. W. Jantha) at least once, author Aaron Wallace does such a superb job of providing a detailed overview and insightful assessment of Hocus Pocus that I’d venture that those who enjoy Halloween movies but haven’t yet seen this one might still really enjoy this book.  

That said, it’s a safe bet that the majority of those who pick up a copy of Hocus Pocus in Focus will have seen the movie before and some, perhaps even plenty, of readers will be fellow Hocus Pocus obsessed fans of all ages and walks of life.

It is clear from the very first pages that Aaron Wallace is a fellow Hocus Pocusian (Pocusite?). His love of this film shines through every page with the same sort of force as the glowing orange beam of light that radiates out from Book in the movie.

The author of multiple fan guides to different movies, founder of the popular Disney related podcast On Main Street, and a fellow blogger (amongst his many diverse talents), Wallace knows his way around a movie plot. He excels at weaving witty, intelligent, and insightful points into his overview of Hocus Pocus and the many influences it both had, and in turn, has subsequently created.

Hocus Pocus in Focus begins with a beautiful forward penned by none other than actor Thora Birch, who played one of the movie’s lead characters: Dani Dennison. And, as the book winds down, it’s afterward is provided by the Mick Garris, the film’s writer and producer.

The rest of the content is straight-up Wallace. Laid out across twelve chapters, along with an epilogue, bonus material, notes, and index, Hocus Pocus in Focus presents us with a treasure trove worth of little-known information about the movie and those involved with its making.

As well, along the way, it presents us with some seriously interesting theories about different facets of the movie.

Amongst which one finds a very fair and highly perceptive look at the roles that subjects such as virginity and sexuality had in this Disney family film.

Feminism as it pertains to Hocus Pocus and (though not an overriding focus) the Salem Witch Trials also make appearances throughout the book.

As does a wonderfully engaging array of trivia, a Kevin Bacon worthy degree of linking various movies, actors, directors and other movie industry professions to Hocus Pocus (including Steven Spielberg’s ties to Hocus Pocus), an exploration of Disney’s relationship with both witches and Halloween, and the meaningful place that Hocus Pocus has in the lives of countless fans around the world.

Hocus Pocus is Focus is a very well-researched book. Its narrative weaves and winds fluidly, leading readers through both the movie and the premises Wallace lays out with equal skill and appeal.

Time and thought is devoted to all of the major characters in Hocus Pocus, including but not limited to, Thackery Binx, Emily Binx, Max Dennison, Dani Dennison, Allison, Billy Butcherson, Winifred Sanderson, Mary Sanderson, and Sarah Sanderson.

Just as it is to many of the supporting characters (such as the Dennison parents, Jay and Ice, and even Max and Allison’s teacher, Miss Olin), as well as various lead production staff on the film, including director Kenny Ortega.

Some of the filming locations (including the stunning Sanderson Sister Cottage shown above), as well a set and prop construction, costuming, musical score, and special effects are also explored in an instantly captivating way that leaves you feeling as though your Disney adoring BFF has just let you in on the juiciest Hocus Pocus trivia around.

Because, dear readers, that is precisely what Aaron Wallace does in this slam dunk of a fan guide to Hocus Pocus.

How Hocus Pocus in Focus rates with me

Whereas the Sanderson Sisters had to wait three hundred years for a virgin to light the black flame candle, Hocus Pocus fans had to wait patiently for 23 years between when the film first hit theatres and the release of Hocus Pocus in Focus in 2016.

Let me tell you, this was a book worth waiting for.

Smart, charming, jam packed with trivia, insightfully perceptive, and just plain fun, Hocus Pocus in Focus does justice to the movie it centers on and is apt to leave you yearning – just as many Hocus Pocus fans have for a sequel to the movie – for even more of Aaron Wallace’s take on this awesome Halloween flick.

I may have gone into reading the book with a fangirl’s natural level of trepidation that Hocus Pocus in Focus might fail to do the movie justice, but by the end of the first chapter, any such concerns had crumbled faster than the Sanderson Sisters as the sun rose on November 1^st.

Much like the movie at its heart, I adored Hocus Pocus in Focus.

Wallace delves deep, presents smart and engaging commentary, celebrates both the plot and the players involved in bringing this incredible Disney cult classic to life, and clearly has an unending passion for Hocus Pocus.

Fittingly, Hocus Pocus in Focus casts a spell over its readers and is, in my humble opinion, a BooOOOoook! that most Hocus Pocus fans would be delighted to have residing on their shelves – or witchy cottage ceiling beams.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give this book 5 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Have you read Hocus Pocus in Focus? Are you a fellow fan of the bewitching Disney movie behind the book?

The post Book Review: Hocus Pocus in Focus by Aaron Wallace appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.