No one has else delved so thoroughly into the hermetic underpinnings of the Bard’s vast works. This is a deeply insightful book, honed by the theatrical experience of the author and her immense fidelity to the Shakespearean art. Ms. Carding points out the planetary archetypes embodied in many of the playwright’s characters, the hermetic themes that infuse his plays, and the world of supernatural beings that inhabited the Renaissance milieu. Following these revelations, she provides the reader with guidance on the medieval art of Bibliomancy, spells, invocations, blessings and curses, using dialog from Shakespeare’s plays and poetry. Carding allows us to look at Shakespeare’s works through an esoteric lens, and with it, one catches the vision of a magical life that all in the present age could engage in and treasure.

Both insightful and delightful; I have been waiting for a book such as this one to be written and published! It not only shows a deep love of the Bards work but a deeper understanding of it as well. I thoroughly enjoyed Emily's insights into the world Shakespeare lived in and how it affected him and his writings; one particular point of interest I found absolutely fascinating was the excessive where she explains how to write invocations using the works of Shakespeare.

There is so much to discover and digest that one reading of So Potent Art will not be enough. As of the writting of this review I am starting my secondary read through!

Would absolutely recommend!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love reading, and not just occult books. I love literature so much that I named all of my cats after famous authors. Among my favorites is Shakespeare and Shakespeare is full of the occult. So when So Potent Art: The Magic Of Shakespeare by Emily Carding popped up for me to review, I jumped on it quickly.

So Potent Art is a practical, yet academic approach to the magic and occult of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets. This is a pretty dense read, but well worth it whether you enjoy Shakespeare or not. Each of the chapters discusses in great detail different aspects of the occult including the planets, elements, Hermeticism, alchemy, witches, and fairies, and ends with how the construction of the Globe theatre made the plays even more magical. Carding backs up her claims with extensive examples, including quotes and references with an academic analysis of the sources in question. To make her academic approach easier to follow, Carding spends time summarizing each of Shakespeare's works covered in the book, making it perfect even for those unfamiliar with some of his less popular plays. I have to say, despite my absolute love of Shakespeare, I was not aware of how deeply entrenched in esoteric lore his works actually are. I found the chapter on the planets and elements and how different characters are associated with each fascinating.

In the process of discussing different occult elements within the context of Shakespeare's works, Carding offers exercises at the end of each chapter that incorporates both modern witchcraft and Shakespearean works. I previously covered 5 Unsuspecting Tools of the Hedgewitch where I discuss the importance of poetry in hedgecraft and how it can be used to write spells, rituals, and correspondences. Carding does an amazing job of not only discussing magic and esoteric lore in Shakespeare's works, but applies these principles to practical, modern exercises any witch can use, much like what I discussed in my own post. Again, you don't have to be super familiar with Shakespeare or enjoy his work to benefit from the exercises Carding discusses at the end of each chapter. Some of the exercises include how to create sacred space using play characters, tarot card spread influenced by Shakespearan ghosts, how to summon spirits using play verses, and even a forgiveness spell. None of these uses any deities, which I absolutely loved. For witches, like myself, who do not believe in or work with any deities, having secular spells and rituals is a huge bonus as well as a learning opportunity. The ritual for creating scared space was absolutely gorgeous and I cannot wait to make it a staple in my own practice, calling upon the energies of the characters from some of my favorite plays, including Titania and Oberon from A Midsummer Night's Dream (my favorite play, by the way). I also adored the spirit summoning using different lines from Shakespeare's works and Carding's encouragement to use a similar technique to write your own spells. For the tarot spread, Carding includes an example of her own cards and how to interpret the cards in reference to the ghosts featured in Shakespeare's plays. I am the type of person that needs to see how something is done in order to do it, so I appreciate the discussion of how she read the cards.

This book, however, is not just for witches; it's for anyone interested in Shakespeare and theatre. Carding, a thespian herself, spends a lot of time discussing how actors and actresses can channel different characters using their planetary, elemental, and alchemical properties, allowing one to really connect with the character on a deeper level. The final chapter includes a ritual play, perfect, again, for those involved in the theatre. These same theatrical practices, however, can also be used in witchcraft to develop a better relationship with the planets, elements, and alchemical properties as well as how to use them to your advantage in your day-to-day life. I can also see much of this book being invaluable to literature teachers, especially those teaching British literature, plays, and Shakespeare. I know this book would have been beneficial to me in college simply from an academic standpoint. Everything is referenced and sourced, with a complete bibliography at the end. I am a sucker for bibliographies and well-cited research!

While a dense read, I really enjoyed Carding's approach to Shakespeare and her unique insight into using his works in your magical and theatrical practice. Being a dense read, this book will likely take you some time to get through, but I promise it's well worth the effort if anything for a better understanding of the exercises throughout the book. So Potent Art: The Magic Of Shakespeare by Emily Carding is available now so be sure to snag your own copy today!

A well written and knowledgeable volume.

Carding’s writing is clear yet intelligent and engaging, reading much like a conversation rather than a formal (and more boring) lecture. They provide a thorough historical context and framing which helps situate the ideas presented.
One area of particular interest was the involvement of John Dee in the development of stage craft in Early Modern England and the idea of microcosm and macrocosm. Dee’s role in EM theatre, as Carding notes, is “undeniable”.
The author’s insights into the importance of figuring out under which planet Shakespeare’s characters are born offers a new (at least to me) way of delving even deeper into character analysis. Similarly, examining which elements characters are indentured with offers further insights into their psyche.
The chapter focusing on ghosts was a personal favorite and offered such wonderful discussion on Shakespeare’s plays featuring spirits.
The inclusion of brief yet thorough play summaries for all plays referenced throughout the book were a perfect addition, and one that makes the book even more accessible to those with little experience with/ knowledge of Shakespeare’s works.
Overall, a wonderful book for anyone studying/ with an interest in Shakespeare. I would particularly recommend this to educators as it offers sections which would be easy to pull from and reference while teaching.

Two of my favorite things in one -- magick and Shakespeare! I love all things the Bard and as a witch this book jumped out at me right away! I loved reading about how Shakespeare weaved lore and witchcraft and alchemy into his works and particularly enjoyed the research and depth of this book. I will be referencing it in the future and will be purchasing a hard copy once it releases! Thank you for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was not the book I expected. Shakespeare, alchemy, magic, history, folklore, witches, and ghosts. What's not to like? Even though I am no expert in Shakespearean studies or a devotee of his works, I found the breadth and depth of research in this book exemplary. As a nonfiction reader, it is rare to find a book that you want to take up again and peruse through it just to find something new once more. John Dee and Giordano Bruno are just two well- known names for starters in this book. Full of illustrations and excerpts of Shakespeare's works throughout, the author has created an interesting collection. I think two companion books will go nicely with this work: Death By Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts by Kathryn Harkup and Botanical Shakespeare: An Illustrated Compendium of All the Flowers, Fruits, Herbs, Trees, Seeds, and Grasses Cited by the World's Greatest Playwright by Gerit Quealy.

While not a Shakespearean scholar, I am an English professor who teaches future English teachers. I look for innovative ways to connect readers to texts and often discuss bridging, a technique that connects contemporary works with classics. This is one such text that I will use. I appreciated the history, summaries of the texts, and, especially the exercises that engage readers, Both young and adult readers interested in magic will enjoy its connection to the world of Shakespeare.

I am amazed at the scope and depth of this intriguing book. Shakespeare and his plays and writings are very interesting to me for many reasons. When I saw that maybe there is more to the dramas and stories than meets the eye I knew I had to read this book. Ms Carding has written a book of genius and worked Magick that I never noticed before nor knew how to identify. This book is made up of history, theory , and finally exercises that enable the reader to become an observer if not part of the play itself. This book is meant to be put into use to realize the Cabalistic and Theurgic of Shakespeare and his works. If you are interested in Shakespeare or Renaissance magic and history this book will delight you. I have watched The Curse of Oak Island for last many years on History channel and one of the theories is that Shakespeare works are what are buried in the treasure vault along with other items. There is something much more important about Shakespeare and his work than is acknowledged by modern authorities. This book and course are rewarding and amazing.

If you want to learn how to incorporate Shakespeares writings into your own occult workings this interesting book offers some solutions. For everyday magic there are plenty prayers and invocations which you can choose as well as to learn how to build full rituals. Add to that solid knowledge of Kabbalah and your imagination will fly high in creativity how to use verses, sonnets and even whole plays of Shakespeare (and others once you understand basic principles!) for occult techniques. One warning though! In the book there are obviously many spoilers about Shakespeares works so maybe it is best that one reads his main works (or complete) to be prepared. Now, go to YouTube and type Hekate Genesis and you can see "finished product" from the author which is all about this fine book it is.