Witchcraft Fundamentals

Frater Barrabbas states that he wrote this book for beginners; who seek to build for themselves an independent practice of witchcraft, and to present a discipline that a beginner can adopt as they build their own personal system of Witchcraft worship and magic. He states that there are three basic strategies in the beginning of the study of Witchcraft, and thet are:
1. Individuals must study various sources of information via books, internet media, and other types of information to get an adequate background.
2. They will need to collect the tools and materials and make a space available for their work.
3. They should regularly and frequently practice the rituals, spells, and ceremonies in order to experiment with these rites and practices so that a body of rituals, ceremonies, and workings will be produced.

In this book, the author discusses many aspects of Witchcraft and how one can practice it. I especially found the topic on location for your practice very informative. He provides information on practices, tools, casting a circle, Sabbats, prayers, meditations, and many other pertinent aspects of what is needed and how to build your practice as a practitioner of the craft.

This is a very informative book for anyone desiring to become more knowledgeable about Witchcraft and how to practice it effectively and safely.

I enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it.

An ideal book for those who wish to improve their practice over time or who do not fully feel like they have confidence in their current practice. An enjoyable read and a helpful book for all practicing witches.

This was very informative but kind of reads more like a course in school. I wanted something a little more "friendly."

A good book for beginners, and a practical book, especially for a solo practitioner.
recommend this as a guide to practicing as it is well written, and easy to understand and follow.

Interesting and thought provoking, an excellent book if you are new to the path or more experienced
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

An ok book for beginners. I've read worse and I've read better.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

Note: I received a free unpublished proof of this book, for a limited time, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

I read another book by this author a few months ago, and reviewed it here:
https://forbiddenknowledge.quora.com/Book-Review-Sacramental-Theurgy-for-Witches-by-Frater-Barrabbas

My thoughts on this book are very similar to that one, and I will actually be copy-pasting some of my explanations from that post here, particularly as it’s very long and you might not want to read the whole thing or refer back to various parts of it yourself.

First of all, this book is part of the author’s series, and is actually meant to be the first introductory book that he recommends people start with before reading his other five books, Spirit Conjuring for Witches, Elemental Powers for Witches, Talismanic Magic for Witches, Sacramental Theurgy for Witches, and Transformative Initiation for Witches. This isn’t a bad thing. To quote my other review:

While you should be aware of this going in, that’s not actually a bad thing. I am tired of books, especially witchcraft books, being repetitive. There are plenty of books which seem to say the same thing over and over again without going into much detail, or sequels that essentially repeat the same information. (Looking at Living Wicca by Scott Cunningham.) This is not one of them.

There is something to be said for Frater Barrabbas in that he actually values readers’ time and energy, putting as much concrete instructional information as possible in each section, page, and chapter. Furthermore, everything he puts in his books is either established religious or ritual information or something of his own invention that helps the reader to accomplish a specific goal. He does not spend pages and pages telling you that you can grow plants at home, use stones and herbs in your spells, or look for pagan groups in your area via the Internet, all of which most people reading these sorts of books already know. He does not say things like “don’t worry about following a set of rules” or “make your craft your own” while also refusing to establish any rules whatsoever. The author clearly walks readers through a set of established practices that are designed to produce specific results, explaining the reasoning behind the different parts of each ritual, and while I do not agree with all of his beliefs or ideas it would be easy enough for me to recreate the rituals depicted here based on his instructions alone.

(Yes, I realize that paganism/occultism does not have “rules” the way that some other faiths do, and I am all for original revivalist practices. However, if I want to read about an existing practice (e.g. Wicca), actual historical practices (e.g. Norse paganism), or an author’s own rituals and practices (e.g. books by authors like Mortellus), I want concrete instructions for how that practice is done. If I don’t want to adopt that particular methodology, I can change it (within reason), read other books to get other opinions, do something else, or come up with something of my own. Unfortunately a lot of modern authors tend to be particularly vague in their writing when it comes to any actual structure for a practice.)

Like I said in my previous review:

[M]any religions and practices do have frameworks for prayer, worship, and talking to spirits, that are not necessarily informal or interchangeable. I am increasingly frustrated with the number of witchcraft books that give vague details on things and say “then do whatever you want!” because that’s not really how religion and spirituality work. Yes, witchcraft/paganism are less rigid than some religions that are based on very well-established rituals and texts, but that doesn’t mean they are whatever you want them to be. While there is certainly room to make your practice your own, you need to study a lot in order to understand the general concepts and methods of any particular practice, start practicing along those lines, and then work things out based on your own perspectives and experiences. You are not ready to “do whatever you want” after reading a few paragraphs mentioning that you can write your own spells, use herbs, and work with deities in witchcraft.

Unfortunately, I have the same issues with this book as I did with the last one—namely, that it is heavily Wicca-focused but not marketed as such. As I said before:

Yes, many Wiccans are witches. No, those terms are not interchangeable. The structure of everything in this book revolves around a Wiccan framework, which is highly ceremonial and involves a group of people. I suppose a group that is not truly Wiccan in the formal, initiated sense could use these methods, as they are based on the information about Wicca that is available in multiple published sources. However, an individual or someone practicing within a different framework that isn’t based around Wicca would not find much of use in this book.

Furthermore, the publisher’s description claims that it allows the reader to create a liturgical and magical practice “independent from any tradition or current practice in modern Witchcraft”, which is factually untrue. While Barrabbas may have his own take on Wiccan practice, all of the rituals are based in a Wiccan perspective including the God, the Goddess, the four elements, and Wiccan ritual models and tools. This is a somewhat helpful book for people seeking to do Wiccan-esque witchcraft without initiation into a coven, but it is not very helpful for those are are interested in genuine historical practices or even general practices common to revivalism (making altars, giving offerings, theurgy, etc.) that have similar “structure” regardless of culture that can be modified as needed.

Really, the main problem I have with this book is that the author suggests that the names one uses for the God and Goddess do not really matter, and that any names of existing deities used are just for “aesthetic purposes.” Even if you are a soft polytheist or someone who sees all deities as part of a greater divinity, it is not wise to act as if all deities are the same. That is at best a critical misunderstanding of a deity’s unique aspects and cultural significance, and at worst massively disrespectful to followers of that religion. I suppose if you are using the somewhat newer Wiccan idea of invoking a God and a Goddess, that incorporates their masculine and feminine aspects while acknowledging that they are not all mere aspects of one God and and Goddess, then Barrabbas’ methodology would work here, but even that approach, much as I might disagree with it on several accounts, has at least a bit of respect for the origins and unique aspects of the deities involved.

I don’t believe that deities will punish people for not taking them seriously enough, or that it’s a “sin” to not treat them with formality, or any largely-Christian ideas like that. However, there is a difference from taking a more informal approach, which is acceptable and appropriate in many cases, and outright acting as if the deities and religious elements in your ritual are little more than set dressing. Furthermore, in many non-Christian practices there are some general ideas of how one should approach deities, not because the religious leaders want to scare or control followers or because God will send you to hell if you don’t follow certain instructions, but because, even in non-Christian practices, deities are seen as powerful beings that should be treated with some level of respect, and that sometimes involves approaching them in particular ways. While this is often talked-about with respect to cultures that are not your own, I’d argue that it applies to your own culture to some extent, or a culture that is open to you.

To put it another way—I talk to my neighbor informally over the fence all the time, but I don’t act as if she isn’t actually there (or at least “there” in my mind’s eye for all intents and purposes) and I’m only “talking” to her in order to achieve some material result. Will my neighbor kill me if I do that? No, but she might feel slighted if I’m clearly not taking the conversation seriously and acting like she’s not really there.

Probably not a perfect analogy, but you get the idea. “Respect” does not mean fear, automatic obedience, or seeing the other party as superior to oneself, but it does mean taking one’s own religious practice seriously at the most basic level.

The author also suggests using any sorts of powerful-sounding words, regardless of if you understand them, when writing spells or chants. While I don’t believe that accidentally summoning a demon is as easy as they make it look in “Supernatural”, I really don’t think you should be putting that much intent and energy behind something you don’t understand and might not even mean. Even though I mostly disagree with it for the reasons above—respect for the actual meaning behind words, phrases, and prayers from other cultures, and also your own culture while we’re at it. For instance, Slavic polytheism is an open practice, and since practitioners are generally encouraged to follow practices connected to their own ancestors’ cultures (in my case, Polish), it is something I am interested in researching and possibly practicing. That does not mean I can just use random words in the Polish language and pretend they have ritual significance. While most of this practice is revivalist in nature since so little was passed down over the years, there still needs to be sincerity and meaning behind ritual words and actions.

It’s also worth noting that, while spiritual dangers to beginners are sometimes overestimated, bad things can and do happen when people don’t know what they’re doing and don’t take it seriously. Intent plays a role in magic, but it’s not the only thing that matters; the actual elements of a ritual create certain results as well. This isn’t to say that simply saying words will make things happen, but suffice to say things are usually done a certain way for a reason. Again, best result is that it’s disrespectful and surface-level but nothing happens; worst result is that there actually is some sort of misunderstanding or an unintended consequence happens.

I will say that the author’s own rituals, if taken seriously, will likely be effective within the framework of Wicca. I also appreciated the balance between religious and magical practice, as those are different things and, despite his questionable approach to deities, Barrabbas’ ritaul structure for worship is actually somewhat sound. That said, I’d personally recommend that beginners read more general books about deities, mythology, and religious practices for the “religion” segment and less Wicca-centric books for the “magic” segment that go into the “technology” aspects of magic while still considering context. I don’t agree with Jason Miller on everything, and he is not as respectful of closed cultures and practices as I’d like, but his book The Elements of Spellcrafting is somewhat better at explaining the nuts and bolts of magical theory than this book. As in, if you follow his advice while also doing your own research on your own practice, respecting the boundaries of closed cultures and practices, and respecting the fact that even open practices have particular rules and conventions, it’s not a completely terrible place to start. Rebel Witch by Kelly-Ann Maddox is a bit less technical in terms of how magic functions, but does an alright job in my opinion of explaining the general “ideas” in witchcraft while also underlining the importance of respecting and researching its cultural context.

Mastering the Art of Witchcraft by Frater Barrabbas is a intro to witchcraft book for the serious practitioner. Much more in depth and structured then the typical "magick for beginners" book, but still approachable and easy to grasp. It's focused on solitary practice and not constrained by any strict wiccan peraminters. I would still consider it more traditional/religious in it's style.
Some focuses include: setting up an alter, tools of magic, divination, working with deities, sigils, meditation, spellwork.
If you are looking for something more in depth and serious than the typical new age read to start your practice or take it more seriously this would be a great book.

Mastering the Art of Witchcraft: Building a Practical Foundation by Frater Barrabbas is a comprehensive guide designed to help beginners establish an independent practice of Witchcraft. This book delves into the intricate world of Witchcraft, which encompasses both a religion and a system of magic. Ideal for those new to the craft, this book offers a succinct yet thorough exploration of essential topics such as rituals, magical objects, altars, and more. While catering to a wide audience, it is particularly beneficial for individuals already acquainted with the basics of Witchcraft and seeking to deepen their understanding of its rituals and traditions. Whether you are just starting your journey into Witchcraft or looking to expand your knowledge, Mastering the Art of Witchcraft provides the tools and insights needed to create a fulfilling and meaningful practice.

I loved this book a lot but something was missing. I recommend everyone to read this book as well. 3, 9 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley & Crossed Crow Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a wonderful, informative book for anyone at the beginning of their journey, but wanting a little more depth than your typical ‘beginner’ witchcraft book.

(Thank you NetGalley, Frater Barrabbas, & Crossed Crows Books for letting me read this ARC)

Let me start this off by saying I realize this book isn't exactly for me at this time since I have no place to make an altar, nor do anything in this book because of personal reasons at the moment. It doesn't mean that it didn't make an impact on me, nor give me ideas as to what I can do once I have a place I can practice. And I am excited to have this book as a guide when that time comes.

The author seems to understand that there are people like me who just don't exactly fit in when it comes to talking about witchcraft or magic in general and I think that is amazing and really helpful as it shows guides for how to practice witchcraft alone in the book.

This is a book I think all witches should have, even if it doesn't advance their practice, in both their beginner levels of the practice or as a more advanced witch. I find that this book is helpful for both and very easy to read and follow regardless of previous knowledge and experience/practice but still could be a good book to explain a little more further about things

This is a great book for beginners wanting more substance on overall craft instead of just portions. While I love the thought, research, and hardwork put into this book, I would definitely appreciate that in the future we get more books that go in depth discussing each aspect covered in this book individually. The author is obviously very informative and it would be a delight to see how much more we could all learn from them. This book was provided to me by NetGalley but all opinions and reviews are my own.

As a beginner in Wicca I am trying to read everything I can, and this book was amazing. I so need to buy a physical copy of it sometime soon.

Blessed be to Netgalley and Crossed Crow Books. I enjoyed access to this ARC! I find that it can sometimes be hard to find the common pillars of witchcraft laid out for beginners, there's never enough detail or charts showing the information in a concise way. This title was the complete opposite! Tons of lists and easy to understand tables of information. A great foundational tool for beginners or solitary witches. I feel like this title did not include some of the more sensationalized thoughts around witchcraft, ie the rule of threes, which I think is the proper way to introduce the craft to new people. So much of witchcraft is dependent on your own connections and pulls, some of these polarized concepts are too broad for beginners. Nice reference title even for experienced persons.

Mastering the art of Witchcraft by Frater Barrabbas is a wonderfully written and researched instructional text for witches aspiring to create a deep personal path outside of the more popular Wiccan structures and experiences.

I will definitely be recommending this text to my coven and grabbing a copy for my personal collection.

#NetGalley #MasteringtheArtofWitchcraft

I like to thank both NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. This book is resourceful for people who are beginners or interested in practicing witchcraft. It's a easy beginner's guide compared to other beginners books I've read.

Very informative and interesting book. I highly write recommend it. Very educational. Very enjoyable

If you are looking for a traditional look at witchcraft then this book is fir you. It describes beautifully the basics that you would need to know to practice old school. If you are looking for a more organic or simple practice you might not find this book appealing. Either way itis well written

Frater Barrabbas demonstrates a lifelong passion for the art of witchcraft. He writes with confidence and his experience comes through.

However, while Barrabbas has clearly dedicated his life to witchcraft, he and his editors have neglected this book that in no way should have been published. The chapters and material covered were poorly organized and challenging to follow. The formatting is a mess. Paragraphs occur in the middle of sentences sometimes, headings are not set apart clearly, words lack spaces between them and so much more. Minor mistakes can be found in many published books and are expected in uncorrected proofs but the formatting mistakes in this book are constant. It looks as though it was formatted by a program automatically and no one took the time to look it over after.

To the editing team on this book: you really need to take another look at this before you move ahead with publication.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s move on to the material covered. As a practicing witch of 27 years, I have read many books on the Craft. This is by far the worst book on witchcraft I have ever read.

To begin with the book has no clear audience. It is marketed as a book for beginners but almost none of the terms or practices mentioned are explained for new practitioners. For example, he writes about the need to cleanse and consecrate objects used in ritual but never describes how. He also uses terms like widdershins and pantheon without providing definitions. He does detail parts of the ritual such as drawing a circle and calling the corners but his descriptions are lacking. He will walk through the actions and the words but not the visualizations or the meaning behind the actions. This is crucial for beginning witches.

While there is no one set way to practice witchcraft there are a few fundamentals that most witches agree on. One of the biggest is the rule of three which is never mentioned in the book. This is part of the Wiccan Rede, which the author does mention part of. He only mentions the “an ye harm none, do as ye will” part to explain that he does not agree with it. Again, that’s fine. Many witches are put in positions where they must bind or banish a person (causing harm) to protect themselves. The key here is that they are doing so knowing and accepting that anything they put out in the universe will come back to them times three.

He also makes the Craft seem more about the robes in your wardrobe and the trinkets on your altar than about belief. He insists that beginners purchase a wealth of expensive items including a wand, athame, robes, and so much more before practicing magick (which he spells with a c even though witches spell it with a c to distinguish between ritual magic and stage magic). Tools of the trade are nice to have but they can almost always be substituted with objects that people already have in their home or that they can find in nature.

I picked under the false assumption that it could be applied to solitary Wiccans like myself. If anything this is a book for Satanists. Satanic witchcraft is more closely tied to Christianity than Wicca as Lucifer is a Christian concept. The author’s primary stance is that practitioners of witchcraft must develop a cult (his poor choice of words, not mine) of deities to worship. His two primary deities that he worships are Diana and Lucifer so Lucifer is mentioned throughout the book.

There are a lot of problems with the author’s take here. Namely, the beauty of solitary practice is that it is eclectic, we get to find our own path. For some witches that includes worshiping a pantheon of deities but that is by no means a rule. Personally, I do not believe in any deities. I believe in nature, spirit, and energy. Deities in my practice are a way of visualizing and working with energy. Needless to say, this book was not for me.

Even the author’s approach to worship: promising fealty to deities in the sky in exchange for power feels very Christian to me. For me, witchcraft is about being aware of my own energy and power and using that to make change in the world. It’s empowering. I didn’t get that from this book.

Many of the practices detailed in this book are also dangerous (and completely unnecessary). For example, if you have to warn your reader that ingesting wormwood or making themselves hyperventilate could cause them to end up in the hospital, you probably shouldn’t be suggesting that in your book for beginners (or anyone else for that matter). There are sprinklings of good advice in here like when he writes about meditation but not enough for me to recommend this book to anyone.