Book Description
Since ancient times, witches and magicians have worked magic with the aid of Familiars, or helpful spirits. Familiars may take the form of a beloved pet, a totem animal, or even a helpful nonphysical entity.
Explore the fascinating history of Familiar spirits in The Witches' Familiar. Written by one of today's leading authorities on both Wicca and traditional hereditary Witchcraft, this book is your complete guide to finding and working with a Familiar.
You'll read about the three types of Familiars: physical, astral, and spiritual. Learn how to call a Familiar to you, and how to choose an appropriate name. Discover how to use magical seals and sigils to command or release a nonphysical Familiar. Protect yourself and your loved ones by asking your Familiar to guard your home. Make your magic even more potent by enlisting your Familiar's aid in spellwork and ritual. Keep your bond strong, and find out how to release a Familiar when its work is done or it has passed from the physical plane.
This is the first book to present never-before-published traditional Craft methods for working with Familiars as well as historical examples from Western ceremonial magic. Your magic will be even more powerful when you combine forces with a Familiar face.
Customer Reviews:
Great work!.......2005-08-01
I really enjoyed this book. It provided a lot of information on the familiar which I didn't know. It's approached lightheartedly, not strictly, and explores animal guides in depth. It's very informative and I recommend it for any Witch's bookshelf. It's not a scholarly, in-depth study of the history of the Witch's familiar, but it doesn't need to be. It's clear, accurate and well-written, in all honesty. It's a relatively small book, but this is expected for the content explored. How much can be said about familiars? I believe that which can be said, Mr. Grimassi says here.
I recommend this book alongside Ted Andrew's classic "Animal Speak" for any Earth-based spiritualist.
Thanks, Raven, for another good book! =)
~Colin Smith~
Missoula, MT
Exceptional.......2005-06-28
With this book the reader is introduced to a powerful system of working with familiar spirits. Grimassi indicates in the book that he created this system, and presents it as one way of working with familiar spirits. His system involves a variety of magical seals and invocations that are steeped in traditional occult principles of magic. The ethics of working with familiar spirits is highly emphasized throughout the book.
Most of the book involves "spirit familiars" as opposed to physical animal familiars, although there is a chapter on pets as familiars. At a lecture I attended by this author, he mentioned that he didn't want to emphasize physical animals out of concern that people would obtain a creature simply to use as a physical familiar. He was concerned about the treatment and well-being of animals in such a light. This is a responsible approach.
In this same spirit, Grimassi provides a "Notice to the Reader" which is:
"In the following chapter appear the concepts of "binding" and "controlling" familiar spirits. Please note that these are old traditional magical terms and have been used here in keeping with the style of an antique Grimoire. For the purpose of this book the term binding refers to "connecting" or "housing" in order to provide a physical base from which to operate. It does not mean to imprison or hold captive. The term "control" is used to indicate "directing" and is not intended to suggest domination against personal will".
On page 58, the author also writes: "In a merged state you can then communicate with and direct the spirit consciouness of the animal. Bear in mind that this is a mutually advantageous relationship and not one of servant and master".
One reviewer wrote: "Raven Grimassi's appraoch implies a "one right way" to do a spell and, worst of all, doesn't treat familiars with a lot of respect. He suggests a spiritual familiar over a physical one because it requires less work, and sees no problem with using magic to interfere with the free will of what he describes as a sentient being."
Having read this book twice, I can only wonder if the writer of this review skim read and missed the points made, or is intentionally misrepresenting what the author provides in this book.
In any event, this book is an exceptional and unique work, and is highly recommended for beginners as well as the experienced. However, readers who are unable to grasp the most basic elements of Witchcraft and magic will probably find this book to be only a little useful.
Only a little useful.......2005-06-25
I should state that this book would be treasured by someone who is looking for a step-by-step guide to occult magick with the least amount of effort. This book is very specific and contains several recipes, rituals, and symbols to use in familiar magick.
However, an experianced modern witch isn't likely to get much out of this book. Raven Grimassi's appraoch implies a "one right way" to do a spell and, worst of all, doesn't treat familiars with a lot of respect. He suggests a spiritual familiar over a physical one because it requires less work, and sees no problem with using magic to interfere with the free will of what he describes as a sentient being.
When reading this book, I found it important to keep my own personal beliefs and morality in mind because I constantly had to evaluate the morality of what this book contained.
From this book, I got some basic ideas on how to choose a familiar bond with it, and say goodbye to it. Most of the rest rubbed me the wrong way.
The book was certainly an interesting idea, and probably worth the read if for nothing more than entertainment. It does contain a lot of repetition, which can make it pretty boring in parts. Also, he claims to draw a lot of information from the witch trials. This can basically be summed up as follows: a lot of women were burned as witchs because they had pets. He lists the kinds of pets they had and even the names of some of those pets.
Great research, BUT..........2005-03-14
Not as much information on physical familiars as I had hoped. Wonderful information on astral familiars, however.
Unfortunately, it's rather old fashioned when it comes to dealing with modern physical familiars which most of us treat as companions rather than as servants. I know that working with my cat as a familiar, it's important to engage her attention and interest, otherwise, you might as well forget any cooperation from her. I just don't feel comfortable either binding or compelling her.
It is undoubtedly a very good book, just not what I was hoping for.
Something Old and Something New.......2003-10-30
This new book presents a traditional and empowering approach to the topic of the Witches' Familiar, as opposed to the airy-fairy self-styled methods so prevalent in modern Wicca. As with all of Grimassi's books, the reader is treated to rooted-ness rather than silliness.
I think this book provides a wonderful and necessary foundation of myth and old magic. In addition the book contains some very distinctive designs and devices that help the reader feel more empowered to explore working with Familiar Spirits. Grimassi goes to extra lengths to present the depth of relationships possible concerning Familiar Spirits. Rather than focusing on what is already known and used, Grimassi goes far beyond the basics and the commonplace.
Unfortunately the simple-minded and inexperienced will probably miss the point and fail to see the great depth of knowledge and experience shared in this fascinating book. Such readers will no doubt look at the material and wonder "Why so difficult?"
Book Description
For centuries, familiars have assumed many forms-the heavenly lover of the shaman, the wise imp of the witch, and the elemental companion of the theurgist. But the time-honored practice of summoning a magical assistant has been mostly forsaken due to the false perception that it is both difficult and dangerous. Now, renowned occultist Donald Tyson shares his revolutionary system for safely and successfully summoning, directing, and dismissing a familiar. Accessible to dedicated beginners, these techniques do not require expertise in formal ritual, astrology, or the Kabalah.
Revealed here for the first time is Tyson's unique system for generating spirit sigils based on a set of symbols called Power Glyphs. Familiars summoned by this method become valuable assistants who will do everything in their power to fulfill your goals.
Customer Reviews:
Easy to put to work.......2007-08-25
Although creating a familiar and giving it the proper energy and honor can be more work than the average witch is used to, the method presented in this book can be quite rewarding ... I gathered a wealth of new knowledge from this book. THis author presents a method I haven't read before ... Good if you really would like to get serious and begin creating familiar spirits!
Much Love & Many Blessings,
Thorn Nightwind
A great starting point on spirit evocation.......2007-08-01
I like "Familiar Spirits" because it is easy for the practioner with minimal experience in this field to read and comprehend. The book is not full of complex formulae and theory to baffle the novice. The power sigils described in the book correspond to the English alphabet, so no knowledge of Hebrew, numerology or magic squares is required to use them.
The author well explains the common types of spirits humans may come across, whether they are aware of it or not. However, Tyson is very opinionated and doesn't always give adequate justification for why he feels or thinks a certain way. For example, he doesn't believe ghosts are actually the spirits of dead people but spirits who choose to imitate them. He also cautions people to avoid the color black because of its associations to evil in traditional magic. However, Tyson later contradicts himself by stating that the room where the evocation ritual takes place should be devoid of all light except for the altar candles. Tyson also tends to leave out details. For example, he states that the practitioner should face south during the evocation but fails to explain the significance of this direction, as it has nothing to do with the elemental composition of the spirit or its purpose. When Tyson teaches how to choose a magnetic attractor for the spirit vessel, he cites basic correspondences for elementals, but fails to explain how to choose an attractor for a spirit that may have a mix of elements (e.g. 30% earth -30% water - 20% air - 20% fire). However, he covers himself by stating that decisions made in the process of creating a familiar should be based on one's intuition, as well as traditional correspondences.
Another issue I had with the book is that the majority of spirits described in the examples appear to be more servitors than companion spirits, aka familiars. However the evocation ritual calls for extensive preparations: a well-made shrine, spirit vessel, key, daily offerings etc. Why go through so much trouble for a servitor, who may only have one task to perform? Because of the extensive work involved, Tyson fails to include how to set an 'expiration date' for the servitor. Instead, he explains, that to banish a spirit, all items associated with the spirit to be destroyed. I think a simpler method of creating a servitor should have been included in this book.
As others have said in the commentaries, this is a good introduction to interacting with spirits but it is inadvisable to rely on this book as a sole source of information on the subject.
Excellent for beginner chaos magicians.......2006-07-10
This book is great and it presents a very well thought-out system to create an egregore, as it is referred to by chaos magicians. That is, a spirit that is independent of the magician, formed of the elements. Traditionally, egregore's are spirits that are created by a group of people, but I don't believe that is the only way to do this, as this book shows a simple method to do this without a group or coven or lodge to help you create one.
As everyone else has stated, the author presents his theories as fact, but I believe he did this for a very good reason. As most other Llewellyn books, this book is presented in an easy to understand manner that is aimed at the complete novice. So, with that in mind, I can understand why Tyson felt the need to write things like "everything that you see around you is an illusion that your mind creates, so it's not that hard for a familiar spirit to insert an image of itself into your mind so that you can see it". I'm not sure exactly how Tyson phrased that, but that's something he mentions in the book a few times. For a complete beginner, that is an important thing to read, whether it's true or not. As a Chaote myself, I tend to believe that. Our motto is "Nothing is real, everything is permitted". For a complete beginner, this may actually make the process of opening astral senses much easier and to better percieve their familiar/egregore spirit ally, than to fill their head with a bunch of (in my opinion) useless theory. I remember when I first started with magick I would have plenty of success initially, until I started trying to figure out exactly HOW magick works. That put a real road block in my way that I'm still working through.
Anyway, the method in this book to commune with your familiar can also be used with any other spirit, like angels, demons, etc. Hell, you could even use that method to have a conversation with a comic book character. It's basically a simpler method for EVOCATION to the astral plane, instead of using a black mirror. It's effective and it works. That said, I don't recommend trying to commune with demons unless you know enough about them to know how to protect yourself. For most practitioners, the LBRP and BRH are great, and those rituals can be adapted for any faith, not just Judeo-Christian. Despite the great things most people say about Goetics, some of them really are bad spirits. I agree that they're not all bad, but how can a novice tell WHICH ONE is not? For beginners, stick to establishing a good relationship with a familiar spirit, and after practicing for at least a year, go ahead and try a Goetic, if that's what you really feel you need to do, and have your familiar present at all communions with any other spirit you work with.
To commune with another spirit other than one you've created from this book, like say the Archangel Raphael, you'd use one of his most well known sigils (instead of drawing a new one using the power glyph system), draw a portrait of him as he is decribed in any online website you can find about angels, and you'd use a Vessel for Air, as he rules over the East, and elemental Air. You could very easily establish a solid relationship with any spirit like this using the method explained in the book, and astral senses will come eventually, and you can then have some very interesting experiences with that spirit. Good luck everyone.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
interesting take on the subject.......2005-12-12
I must admit, I really didn't know much on this subject before I read this book. I also held a lot of the public notions that are discussed in the beginning of the book. I found Donald Tyson's perspective to be a profound new way to look at several topics. I may not agree with all of it, and sometimes felt he was going a little off the deep end for me, but still a truly fascinating read.
How to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned spirits.......2004-07-06
A very highly recommended addition to any personal or professional Metaphysical Studies collection, Familiar Spirits: A Practical Guide For Witches & Magicians introduces the reader to Donald Tyson's revolutionary system of power glyphs and sigil-making for summoning, controlling, and dismissing magical assistants. Even the most novice witch, warlock or magician can now seek to utilize familiar spirits in their conjuring and occult activities with Tyson's help. Readers are also provided a history of the use of familiar spirits and, critically important, shows how to protect ourselves from ill-intentioned spirits. Aspiring practitioners can experience a fair degree of confidence in following the instructions laid out in the pages of Familiar Spirit because of Donald Tyson's long history, experience, and skill level in this difficult work of spirit summoning -- and it should also be noted that Tyson has authored a great many respected volumes on Western occultism, is the creator of rune dice, and has even assisted the U.S. Department of Defense in decoding rune symbols.
Book Description
2004 COVR AWARD 1ST RUNNER-UP!
Let author and Tarot teacher James Ricklef guide you through sample readings for famous characters from history, myth, and fiction. Discover many ways to interpret the cards, read reversed cards, expand on common three-card spreads, construct a good question, and even rephrase less-than-ideal questions.
Explore several variations of the basic three-card spread, and learn how to break the Celtic Cross into mini spreads for clearer, more insightful advice. Beginning Tarot students will find in-depth solutions to common stumbling blocks, while advanced readers will delight in the myriad possibilities of three-card spreads and the sample readings for famous characters.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Tarot Book!.......2006-01-18
"But whatever you consciously know about a card is only a finger pointing toward its true meaning within a specific reading. Each card in a reading has a story to tell-one that has never been told before exactly the same way-and it is a delicately intuitive process to hear that tale and to understand what it means." - From the book
For most Tarot enthusiasts, learning the cards by memorizing key words is the first step towards making sense of a reading. However, interpreting Tarot cards in the context of spreads-layout positions with assigned meanings-gets a bit tricky. For example, how would you read a traditionally positive card like the 2 of Cups when it lands in a position like "what's working against you"? Or how would you read the 10 of Swords in the "what's working for you" position?
Another challenge for many readers is interpreting a spread in terms of how the cards weave together to tell a unique story. No card is an island, and context is a crucial element to reading the Tarot effectively and accurately when interpreting a spread.
In his book Tarot Tells the Tale: Explore Three Card Readings Through Familiar Stories, Tarot master and author James Ricklef allows readers to peek over his shoulder as he demonstrates the art of using 3-card spreads to answer a variety of client questions. Using his popular "Ask KnightHawk" format, Ricklef poses hypothetical questions from famous mythological, historical, and fictional characters and then answers them using a 3-card reading. While the author could have "cheated"-drawing appropriate cards based on hindsight or knowledge of a story-he instead deals random cards and interprets them in light of the posed question.
Using a variety of decks-including the Universal Waite, Sacred Rose, Hanson-Roberts, Spiral, and Aquarian Tarot-Ricklef's alter-ego KnightHawk compassionately and insightfully answers questions posed by Thomas Jefferson, Dorothy (Wizard of Oz), Joan of Arc, Pygmalion, Marja Sklodowska (Marie Curie), Hamlet, Dr. Henry Jekyll (Jekyll and Hyde), Albert Einstein, The Prodigal Son, Cinderella, Psyche, and many more. In addition to relaying the interpretation to the "client" as if it were a "real" reading, Ricklef provides in-depth commentary on the cards that show up and why he interprets them as he does.
For example, it's downright uncanny how the Magician shows up in Cinderella's reading (can you say "Fairy Godmother"?) or how the reversed Queen of Wands shows up in the reading for Marie Curie (a brilliant physicist and chemist who definitely had "problems with radiance" since she died from leukemia caused by radiation exposure).
Believing that clients are ultimately seeking hope from a reading, Ricklef skillfully demonstrates how even "difficult" cards can impart advice, encouragement and hope. Countering the idea that this approach is Pollyannaish, he asserts that it is really "a reflection of the balance of life, as well as a choice to find a meaningful lesson in every experience."
Although the bulk of Tarot Tells the Tale is the 3-card Ask KnightHawk readings, there is an abundance of additional information included in this book, including:
* How to construct a good question or re-phrase a less-than-ideal question
* The many permutations of the basic 3-card spread
* How to break down the Celtic Cross into mini-spreads
* The "5 D's" of reading reversals
* How to create your own spreads for specific needs
* Numerological and elemental associations
* Ethical considerations
* Comments and advice for each of the 78 cards
The "Ask KnightHawk" template is not only a unique way to demonstrate how 3-card spreads can be created and interpreted, but also amazingly instructive for both Tarot beginners and seasoned readers. Written with engaging prose, Tarot Tells the Tale is a fascinating book showing the depth and breadth of 3-card readings, as well as the art of constructing and interpreting client-specific spreads. You'll not only become a better Tarot reader after reading Tarot Tells the Tale, but also gain additional insight into the cards themselves. For example, it never occurred to me that while the Hermit withdraws from society, The Hanged Man withdraws from *activity*. The difference is distinctive, and is but one of the many helpful tidbits you'll find in Tarot Tells the Tale.
Well-Written.......2005-03-01
I love the idea of this book. After some introductory stuff (which is quite good), Ricklef gives a series of readings for characters from history, myth, and "familiar" stories. I put quotations around familiar because I was not familiar with about a third of the stories. Ricklef relies heavily on Greek myth and Shakespeare for inspiration. For someone with a more classical education this would probably be great, but I majored in physics and managed to get by reading only 2 Shakespeare plays in my life (neither of which were in this book). Of the Greek myths, I knew about half of them.
I throughly enjoyed the readings done for charaters I did know, such as the Ugly Duckling, Belle from the Beauty and the Beast, and Einstein. Also, the card descriptions in the back, which seem almost as an afterthought, are very good. Ricklef gives some relevant life advice after each card. Quite inspiring!
One of the best Tarot books ever!.......2004-04-29
I have been a professional clairvoyant and Tarot reader for 17 years, so I have quite a collection of books on the Tarot.
I must say, that this book is one of the best books on the Tarot that I have ever read! It is good not only for someone who is learning the Tarot, but even for experienced readers.
I love the way that the author uses fairy tales to explore Tarot readings and three-card spreads.
This book is chock-full of information, anyone interested in the Tarot should have it in their library!
Rev. Jeff
www.revjeff.com
Tarot Tells a Fascinating and Fun Tale.......2003-12-08
I just read "Tarot Tells the Tale" and it's a blast. This book not only helped me construct traditional Tarot card spreads, it did it in a fun, interesting way. The author has taught me how to interpret the cards and their meanings.
As a novice card reader, the book's whimsical breezy style put me at ease, and I saw relationships and patterns in the cards that I've never seen before. But it's the NightHawk readings that are the most fun. Imagine...what if Dorothy had sought the Tarot for advice on how to get off the farm? Or what if Dr. Jekyll sought advice on how to get rid of Mr. Hyde? It stirs your imagination, and, I'm learning, imagination is the key you need to unlock insight on your own Tarot deck. It's how you see the cards and their meanings to you that is the most important lesson.
The author presented the information in a such fun and fresh way...that it was a total delight to read.
A must for anyone who seriously wants to read Tarot!!.......2003-12-03
This book has really helped me read the Tarot better. This book is much much more than a book of card definitions. Rickleff does readings for characters like Cinderella, Joan of Arc, George Baily from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life".
By doing readings for familiar characters Rickleff gives us wonderful examples of how the cards come into play in a reading. This has given me a deeper understanding of the tarot and how to do my own Tarot readings.
Another great thing about this book is the section on reversals. I have found his approach on how to use reversals extremely helpful and usable.
Customer Reviews:
Not your mother's familiar.......2006-08-14
I finished this book a month ago, but I still find myself thinking over much of the information I got from it, and to me, that's the sign of a good book. Its take on the relationship between the witch and the familiar is unique, in my experience. For instance, Wilby shows that familiars were by no means "fetches" for witches and did not act as slaves or pets. They were equals in the relationship and could even act to the detriment of the witch. For me, the concept of moral ambiguity that Wilby posits for the familiar shows the familiar's depth and independence, its realness. It also fits with the position of the witch or cunning folk in their community - they were depended upon for medical help, communicating with the dead, or help in finding things, but they were also feared for the trouble they could cause to someone if they were antagonized.
The treatment of the fairy folk is also unusual. These are not Victorian Tinkerbells flitting around the garden like a bunch of beneficent mosquitoes. These are a powerful people with their own agenda, recognizable to those who've read British folklore or even stories by Arthur Machen. Wilby makes a pretty convincing argument that the fairies served the same purpose for early modern witches that guiding spirits have done for shamans in traditional societies. Like those spirits, fairy familiars helped witches acquire practical knowledge, like where a stolen cloak might be or how to cure (or hex) someone, and they were often friends and companions as well. Witches generally first encountered a familiar while being under extreme stress - broke, family members sick, overworked, hungry, fearing the worst - and Wilby compares this to the sort of deliberate preparation to encounter a guiding spirit that shamans in traditional societies engage in - fasting, depriving themselves of sleep, and creating other physical extremes. This interesting parallel fits with assertions made by Carlo Ginzburg in his work on the Sabbat, Night Journies. Wilby also argues that the concept of traveling to a sabbat is basically the interrogators' interpretation of the witch accompanying a fairy to fairyland, where for instance they might learn how to use plants or feast and dance with the fairy folk.
I was surprised by some of the information given in simple asides, such as that people at this time kept toads for pets or the average number of cats per household in Britain at this time was five. Something that really stuck with me, though, was how often witches described their familiar as being like an animal but not of any recognizable type, such as "something like a rabbit" which appeared in a witch's bed at night and asked him to love it. Even the pictures of them were somewhat disturbing. Other familiars appeared as humans but often wore old fashioned clothing.
This isn't the most engaging book ever written - the writing is just serviceable, and the book feels like it began life as a dissertation. But it does present what in my experience is a unique perspective on familiars. And the information here also goes far to bust up preconceived crusty notions about the good, wise hedgewitch who wouldn't hurt a fly, the Burning Times, Disneyworld-style fairies, and so forth. It presents a world much more complicated than that. The footnotes and bibliography also provide a number of directions for further reading about cunning folk in other countries as well as some interesting books on fairy folk in Britain.
fascinating analysis.......2006-08-13
This book takes a look at aspects of early modern English witchcraft and cunning-folk practice that have seldom been examined in academic ways. The first section begins with a good summary of the nature of the popular culture of the day - illiterate or semiliterate, land-dependent, and steeped in what she identifies as an 'animistic' world view. Wilby provides an interesting perspective on just how uneducated in Christian orthodoxy the ordinary man-in-the-field was, and how close and real was the world of local spirits and ghosts. The book then offers a selection of descriptions of the spirit-allies of those identified as 'witches' or 'cunning folk' (and makes a clear distinction between the two classes). Wilby uses trial accounts and the descriptions of elite (i.e. literate) observers as her main sources for how English magic-users viewed their 'familiars' or 'spirit guides'. She makes a good case for which kinds of trial accounts make for good evidence, and her choices are entirely convincing.
The second section of the book provides a summary of traditional 'shamanism', especially as practiced in central Asia. The author focuses on the interactions of shamans with spirits, describing the encounter, initiation and ongoing work. This section has little that is new. Those familiar with world shamanic models will find it ordinary; those without that familiarity are given a good summary introduction.
In the final section of the book. Wilby makes the case that early-modern witches and cunning-folk had relationships with spiritual beings similar in many ways to those of traditional shamans. She takes some time to discuss how westerners so 'close' to us in temperment and culture could commonly experience the visionary events required for spirit-contact. She discusses (throughout the book) modern western objections to the stories, and how materialist historians have tried to describe the stories of the cunning folk as 'mutual constructions', fictions created by the interactions of elite witch-hunters with impoverished victims. In my own opinion, Wilby's theories of actual events of spirit contact (whether psychological or metaphysical) fit the evidence much more clearly than materialist skepticism.
Wilby is aware of both neoshamanic and neopagan practice in modern times. The book doesn't spend much time talking about them, but it is filled with a sensibility that takes spirit-contact by modern people (or early modern people...) seriously. Modern practitioners will find many suggestive notions, seeds on which our practice might be grown.
Ian Corrigan
Average customer rating:
- Ignorance shows
- Amazingly Ignorant
- Innacurate Information
- There are a lot of better options.
- Great Book, For a Great Start
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Animal Magick: The Art of Recognizing and Working with Familiars
D.J. Conway
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Customer Reviews:
Ignorance shows.......2007-07-05
Ted Andrews is a far better read on so many levels it is astounding. The falsehoods portrayed by this author are amazing to me. Inaccurate statements abound through out. I am not sure if the author made up things as she went along but if she did use valid sources and resources it certainly does not show.
Amazingly Ignorant.......2005-11-30
I can't comment as to the author's accuracy with regard to the magical characteristics of animals, but I will say that Ms. Conway needs to go back to high school and take introductory biology. Much of the information that she presents with regard to the biological and behavioral attributes of several animals is simply false. How exactly is one to commune with animals when one is so astoundingly ignorant as to their nature? Why is it that all of these fluffy-New-Age-white-light witches think that they're also zoologists?
Innacurate Information.......2004-06-07
This book could be so much better if it contained *accurate* information about all the animals mentioned! Conway needs to do adequate research before writing, and Llewellyn needs to do their editorial homework before publishing her books.
There are a lot of better options........2004-01-18
I was rather unimpressed by this book. I've read the bulk of books on animal magic and neopagan totemism that are currently available, and this is one of the ones I advise people to avoid.
The research is less than adequate. For instance, she doesn't seem to be able to tell the difference between a domesticated ferret and an ermine. She says that ferrets change color seasonally; while ferret coats may differ in shade a bit from shed to shed, they do not have a brown phase and a white phase. That's the ermine. In addition, she says that the domestic ferret is bloodthirsty. Not so. Anyone who has owned ferrets knows that they have pretty much no survival instincts remaining--a ferret released into the wild will be dead inside of a week. Do some research. This entry is just one example.
In addition, there are no citations stating where she got her information, including the various questionable bits. Plus, the entire feel of the book is rather shallow, with little information of use that can't be found in better texts.
I'd recommend Ted Andrews' works for introductory totemism, and Jessica Dawn Palmer's "Animal Wisdom" for an additional dictionary instead.
Great Book, For a Great Start.......2003-11-05
My coven and I have been researching animal familiars, guides and totems and this book is a great quick reference for just that. It had a great explanation for the different types of familiars in the front, meditation ideas, and a very comprehensive number of different animals that you might find are your spirit guides. I have found many people including myself who are not too keen on certain types of critters and she covers those as well, with reassurance and advice. Rest assured it is a good book to add to your library.
Amazon.com
Written with her characteristic grace, novelist Alison Lurie's memoir of her friendship with the poet James Merrill and his companion David Jackson offers more than reminiscences, though these are tender, frank, and perceptive. Lurie also considers the broader subjects of fame's arbitrary nature and its impact on a relationship, as well as the perils and pleasures of dabbling in the occult. When she first became close to the couple in 1954, all three were struggling young writers. But while Merrill soon became a critically respected poet, and novels like The War Between the Tates made Lurie some money as well as a reputation, Jackson remained unpublished and obscure. He was understandably frustrated, and Lurie suggests that the pair's increasing involvement in sessions on their Ouija board were partly an effort to find an outlet for Jackson's creative energies. These sessions formed the basis for Merrill's long poem "The Changing Light at Sandover" (in Lurie's estimation not the best use of his gifts), and she believes they encouraged the men to become dangerously isolated from the real world. Jackson began to drink more heavily, and his casual affairs grew more irritating to Merrill, who launched a serious relationship with a young actor whose uncritical devotion exacerbated tensions between the longtime lovers. Merrill died of AIDS in 1995; the physically and mentally debilitated Jackson, writes Lurie, "is now a ghost in Key West." Her sensitive recollections bring back the time when they were young, beautiful, and in love, with the world before them. Examining the personal and artistic cost of their decades-long engagement with the spirit world, Lurie asks the always relevant, never resolvable questions, "How much should one risk for art? What chances should one take?" --Wendy Smith
Book Description
Alison Lurie, one of America's greatest novelists, has written a loving memoir of world-famous poet James Merrill and his longtime partner David Jackson. Drawing on her forty-year friendship with Merrill and Jackson, Lurie reveals the couple's deep involvement with ghosts, gods, and spirits, with whom they communicated through a Ouija board. Among the results of their intense twenty-year preoccupation with the occult is the brilliant book-length poem "The Changing Light at Sandover", which Merrill called his "chronicles of love and loss." Recalling Merrill and Jackson's life together in New York, Athens, and Key West, Familiar Spirits is a poignant memoir infused with great affection and generous amounts of Lurie's signature wit.
"[A] remarkable and moving memoir." (The Boston Globe)
"Written with the poignancy of long affection." (The Atlantic Monthly)
"This memoir is Lurie's own Ouija board, through which she shares one final, intimate conversation with her much-missed familiar spirits." (The Washington Post)
Customer Reviews:
Friendly Fire.......2006-08-09
How unfortunate that the self-appointed biographer (though she terms it a memoir) of James Merrill should take such a dull and dreary approach, ploddingly setting about trying to debunk James Merrill & David Jackson's decades of experiences with a Ouija board that so beautifully resulted in Merrill's masterpiece, The Changing Light at Sandover.
Alison Lurie, by her own admission, recognizes Merrill as "supernaturally brilliant," but his intelligence is so other than or beyond her own that she literally likens him to a Martian. Apparently unable to comprehend the content of Merrill's epic work, and making it clear that she doesn't even like it, Lurie instead settles for a tedious dissection. Smoke, mirrors, string, simplistic attempts at psychoanalyzing Merrill; surely something besides the truth of reality must be behind all of this communicating-with-spirits hocus-pocus. And, contradictorily, her broad condemning brushstrokes at once paint the Ouija experiences as the mere summoning of Merrill and/or Jackson's unconscious mind(s) (she's offended by what the spirits have to say about her) and the dangerous communing with devils and demons.
Perhaps if she had actually read Merrill's books, instead of mining them for ammunition against him, this mean-spirited little book would have had something of value to offer.
Alas, this book reads as little more than a paean to Lurie's dislike of Merrill, and is ultimately more about how SHE feels about her subject than it is about Merrill himself. It's rather sickening to imagine her years of "friendship" with the man, which seem to have been little more than the collecting of criticisms and private details for future use in this petty volume.
This book does a disservice to the passion, commitment and spiritual intensity of the lives and work of James Merrill and David Jackson as so eloquently and painstakingly communicated in Merrill's work. I recommend interested readers go directly to The Changing Light at Sandover, and skip this diluted and negatively biased "memoir."
Wonderful beach read.......2006-06-19
I seldom read fiction, but I've enjoyed three of Alison Lurie's novels. After my attention fell on the work of James Merrill, and I saw that Alison Lurie had written about him, I ran, not walked, to the library to get her book. It was everything I expected: a wonderful gossip, a further stimulus to read James Merrill's poems, and a work of insight about the literary culture of Key West--which I found even more interesting because I once talked with Alison Lurie and several other writers there at a Key West Festival.
Alison Lurie knew James Merrill and his lover David Jackson for many years. She doesn't allow us to understand why they befriended her, but we have no trouble understanding why she befriended them. They were fun, cultured, intellectual, supportive, and moneyed, and shared interests with Alison Lurie. Jimmy often swam with her and David cooked with her. If this book seems to contain gaps and mysteries, it's probably because Alison Lurie has held back in her account in respect of their friendship. She has done us a favor to tell as much as she does. I was less interested in the theories about the Ouija Board and actually skipped some of her deconstruction of Merrill's poetry. Her defense of David Jackson as co-author of Merrill's work has merit. Jackson, although she doesn't seem to realize it, was (is) a self-destructive personality. His deterioration is self-evident in the anecdote about his angry driving in Italy in 1978, years before Peter Hooten entered Merrill's life. One is forced to wonder how Merrill died of AIDS and the other two remained untouched by it.
eerie cautionary tale.......2005-08-26
This is a beautifully written long view of the lives of James Merrill, poet, and his lover and uncredited collaborator David Jackson. They dabbled through the ouija board in contact with unseen spirits that supposedly provided the material for Merrill's largest poetic works. The cost to both men of this eerie devotion is trenchantly narrated by Alison Lurie, their friend of many years. The charge that Ms. Lurie is using her connection to Merrill to enhance her own reputation is absurd, as she is far more well known in general than Merrill.
Very gossipy little book. Yet fascinating and embarassing........2004-08-29
In spite of the fact that the author reveals a bit too much of herself in this book (a fact which makes you like and then dislike her sometimes) she does weave an interesting theory about the inner workings of Merrill and Jackson's minds. I didn't feel she presented these men dishonestly, though some fans of Merrill's obviously resented the fact that their god was made to appear as a mere mortal---and a somewhat foolish one at that.
Juicy, gossipy, lewd, audacious at times, you had to imagine she was indeed capitalizing somewhat on her friendship with Merrill because she did not wait for her friend David Jackson to die before she began revealing what a mess he had become. Why? If she were afraid SHE would die without having a chance to add her two cents she could have written the book, but not published it until after Jackson's real death.
I guess it's hard to quarrel with her motives as I read it in one sitting, lapping up all the strange, weird revelations about these men. My respect for them was not diminished by her lurid details of their intimate life. Nothing in Key West is ever ordinary...
What was most fascinating about the book though was the fact that Lurie herself became an equal part of the mystery. Was she obsessed with these men? Secretly in love with Jackson? Jealous of them? Twice she had to say that "they were rich and could buy anything they wanted". Twice!
Sadly, Lurie never did manage to do what she wanted---to comprehend these men. This goal never got quite satisfied, so in the end the reader of this book is not quite satisfied.
It is an important memoir though because it is the ONLY one right now offering any insight into Merrill, the man and the poet.
I think you have to accept the book for exactly what it is, one woman's perspective about two men she was close to---but not close enough to truly understand them. It was an honest attempt on Lurie's part and a courageous one even and it did reveal Lurie's writing talent. For better or worse, she certainly did create a very vivid yet terrifying tale about two utterly amazing lives.
why did it have to end like this?.......2003-07-08
The story is strongest when she is most generous to her characters and most fully shares her own story within theirs. At times, she writes out of her anger at those who hurt her friends, at them for not staying true to love and beauty, and at the world for its unhappiness. She doesn't have nearly enough distance from JM's spaghetti western svengali and DJ's young black hustlers to write about them for publication.
How could two so full of love have come to such a sad end? The answer, it seems at times, is that gay marriage in our world doesn't have the structuring social context to do the work we expect from marriage. But we need to know more about her, her own loves, her children and her novels in order to speak honestly with her about the long haul.
The ouija board saves the marriage by holding it together under the burden of professional success and failure. And it destroys them both. It ruins JM as a poet -- he writes a beautiful "Book of Ephraim," then two more fat, quick and unreflective books of spirit-writing, then not much else. It draws them away from friends and life into a compelling fantasy they only partly believe in, are afraid of, and that becomes gradually coarser and uglier. As she sees it, James dies bewildered and ruined, while David loses his mind and soul to the devils.
She paints beautiful, vivid portraits of her friends in their youth.
Customer Reviews:
Controversially Amazing.......2007-09-29
In this wonderful book, Lupa gives us a fantastic insight into the arts of animal and totem magick. This incredibal resource goes beyound a simple guide to totemic interpretations, and does something that writers of animal magick have been needing to do for a long time... Talk about the use of animal parts in ritual, and animal sacrifice. Lupa does a amazing job remaining on the fence about the subjects, and offers insights into both views.
"Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone" is a beginniner's guide to deeper work in the arts of animal magick. Lupa has done the work, and it shows!
Just... Amazing.......2007-08-31
This book, honestly, got me to actually take into consideration the animal magick paradigm. This book does not leave me speechless; it has me yelling at anyone I can about it's greatness. This book has been an inspiration to me and, hopefully, will do the same for you.
Alright, now to the actual book. Lupa teaches you how to personify your chakras as totem animals, create animalistic-servitors and their foundations with animal parts, and explains how one can be "god-ridden" by an animal (the shamans did it way before us, but we can do it too!!).
Personally, I found a few of the chapters a little dry, but, whenever this happened, the next page was sure to contain something funny/interesting to keep me going. The information in this book is, honestly, available nowhere else.
5/5 Lupa, keep up the good work; its because of you and your mate, Taylor, that I have been striving to become a writer. You've inspired me and my friends greatly!!!
Nox,
Chuck
Warning! Not for Sheep........2007-03-05
If you're looking for a totem 101 book + dictionary that will tell you exactly how you should be conducting your spiritual life, this book is NOT for you. However, if you're willing to set your paws in the mud of unknown trails then read on.
Lupa writes from a very practical perspective. She makes no grand claims of animal charming powers, ("I've yet to have a single dog respond to a mental command in my years of working with the species" [14]), and she readily admits that this text is more of a starting point for ideas than a be-all-end-all on the subject.
The book covers a broad range of topics including shapeshifting, totemism (very useful introduction to the historical and modern use of the word), working with animal parts, and even a somewhat controversial (but well handled) chapter on animal sacrifice. It's a must-read for anyone wanting to go beyond the totem 101 dictionaries littering the shelves of most New Age sections in bookstores.
Better than Puss-in-Boots.......2007-02-19
Lupa tames the animal kingdom for magickal workers. In a no-holds barred manual, the author explores all aspects of utilizing animals in ritual and life works. She is a brave writer, not shying away from even subjects that are politically incorrect such as ritual sacrifice. In seven concise and informative chapters, the book takes the reader from the mildest form of animal magic - Totemism, to the most extreme and possibly controversial form - animal sacrifices.
For the most part the book is well written and to the point. I was fascinated by the recounting of the author's own experiences of invocation while dancing in a wolf pelt. I often use found feathers in creation of magical tools so the chapter on using animal parts was also personally interesting for me. The author suggests deep communion with the animal spirits left behind in the parts, something I had never considered before. It does make sense to me, although nearly all the feathers I have worked with have been molted and as far as I am aware have little in terms of residual energy clinging to them. On the other hand, I have two turtle shells that I have been holding onto for years, not knowing what to do with them. Perhaps the ritual explained in this book to ask the original owners what they wish to have done with the remains would be a good avenue to pursue in this instance.
I have worked with animal imagery in the past both in forms of totems and animal nature. I often call animals to represent the Quarters when I cast circle. For a long time my favorite tarot deck was the Earth Medicine Deck, which features animals on most cards with some left blank for the reader to fill in as needed. But I never considered invocation of my totems into myself, never considered creating new animals to suit my needs and never tried shape shifting, either in my mind or in actuality. The author claims to feel "other" and to feel a kinship with her totems something I have never felt. This book contained many passages opening new ideas to me. Even if I fail to use their wisdom, I feel that my outlook when it comes to animal magic has been greatly expanded.
On the technical side of the book, I have two small issues. One was the page layout. I found the margins in the book to be too small forcing me to open the book's spine more severely than I am accustomed to. In a hardback book this would not be an issue, but with a soft cover, I am afraid the binding will soon become cracked and damaged causing the book to have a short lifespan. The other thing I have issue with was the author's attempt to be non-gender specific with her own word of "hir" replacing his, hers, him and her. It really is too bad that the English language has no gender-neutral words in these instances, but at best I found the replacement word to be distracting and at worst was that it was used inconsistently throughout the text. In places the common language of his and her was in evidence only to be replaced in the following paragraph by the "hir" usage.
In all this is an excellent book for people wishing to delve into the worlds of animal magics. It is far better than any other book I have read on the subject, avoiding the rote use of listing animal correspondences and getting down to the nitty-gritty of actual rituals and meditations fully accessible to even a novice.
Reveiwed by W. Lyon Martin - author/illustrator of "An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child"
Excellent book on the subject.......2007-02-08
I read this one some time ago and am still impressed with it.
This book is well beyond the 'what's your sign/animal' type of book. There are several good ideas worth working with. I think my favorite is working with an animal familiar as you would a servitor.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in really working with animals in a magickal way.
Average customer rating:
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Familiar Spirits The Unseen Enemies
John Deby Edukugho
Manufacturer: Xulon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Meditations
| Reference
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
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Religious Warfare
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
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ASIN: 1594671281 |
Average customer rating:
- Life Changing
- Great book. Writing style a little annoying.
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Familiar Spirits
Robert Shackelford
Manufacturer: Promised Land Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Pentecostal
| Protestantism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Charismatic
| Worship & Devotion
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Discerning of Spirits
ASIN: 0961830808 |
Customer Reviews:
Life Changing.......2004-06-16
It changed my life forever. It opened my eyes to a different realm than just the physical realm. I gave my life to God and never been the same!
Great book. Writing style a little annoying........1999-03-12
Shackleford opens a world of understanding to questions that have plagued Christians for years. Questions such as: "Why do I struggle with the same habits that my parents did?" "Why do my friend's bondages begin affecting me?"
He writes as if he were talking and at times he is repetitive, but, what he has to say is very good. I recommend this book if you are stuggling with strongholds in your christian life.
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