Member Reviews
True Magic by Cyndi Brannen is a book about using the seven Principles of True Magic. It goes over seven steps that leads to unleashing your inner witch power. It goes true the seven steps one by one, starting with healing. There are spells, use of crystals, rituals and so much more. This book is great for witches just starting out and the more experienced as well. It opens up a world of different practices that many are curious about, but haven't had the opportunity to explore them. I recommend this book for everyone with an interest in finding your inner witch. I received this book from Net Galley and John Hunt Publishing for a honest review.
True Magic is a primer for practitioners of The Craft. The thought behind it however, is heavily influenced by contemporary New Age thought and especially modern Shamanism, though arguably the traditional Witch has always been a type of Shaman. Nonetheless, this book takes a very practical, sometimes even pragmatic approach to the business of casting spells: you use and make do with what you have in the home: the approach tends towards that of kitchen magic.
That is not to say the writer does not exort the budding witch to being conscientious when it comes to magical cleansing all materials used with salt and the light of the moon; the initiate will be shopping for the right kind of equipment and crystals etc too.
The main premise of this book is that magic is all about work on the self primarily, especially on self healing, with a large bulk of the spells dedicated towards this end. Most people, this wise woman maintains, are unable to realise their true potential and self due to cultural conditioning, and the effects of resolved traumas. Again, arguably, a sacred devotion to this kind of soul work might be preferable to taking Prozac or valium to cope with a dysfunctional life.
Each chapter comes with its own bibliography for further study.
One criticism I have is that I do think the astrological table of correspondences could have been set out a little more clearly. The lunar glyph is correlated here as a circle with a dot in it, which astrologers will know corresponds to the Sun, not the Moon, the latter of which in astrology is represented by a self-explanatory crescent symbol.
Otherwise this booklet is an excellent primer for aspiring witches - and perhaps for those seeking new ideas and frameworks on which to base their magic too.
Love, love this book! It is filled with practical tips and I love the way the author speaks. It is as if she is talking directly to you with a down to earth approach. I highly recommend this book! I voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.