Mike Gleason October, 2011

The Weiser Field Guide to Vampires

by  J. M. Dixon

© 2009  Weiser

ISBN:  978-1578634491

Paperback        192 pages

$14.95 (U.S.)

When people in the modern, Western world encounter the word “vampire” certain images spring immediately to mind, most of which center on Eastern and Central European perceptions – think Dracula in  all his many permutations.  But there is a lot more to the topic of vampires than that narrow perception admits.  They range from Papau New Guinea to Grenada; from undead relatives to modern day Strigoi Vii; and from those who subsist on blood to those who “merely” siphon off energy.  Although all of these are touched upon within the covers of this book, most are given only a passing mention.

Before I had really started this book, I began to run into difficulties.  I have never before seen the word “Sidhe”, translated from Gaelic, to mean “vampire.”  It seems as though Mr. Dixon presumes that all “evil creatures” are vampiric by nature, and I am not sure that is valid.  He writes as a member of the vampire community (with the expressed intention “…of being the first person in history to live for ever…”), and as such he accepts as proven fact that which others make take as theory only.

Since I don’t claim to be a vampire, or know any personally (that I am aware of), I can’t comment on Mr. Dixon’s assertions regarding “feeding tendrils” or types of feeding.  On a personal level, it reads like fiction (and low-budget, horror-film fiction at that), but I could be wrong.

The first 40% of the book is devoted to the type of vampire commonly referred to as a “psychic” vampire – one who does NOT drink blood, but merely siphons energy – and avoids the topic of the blood-drinking variety.  It isn’t until the fifth chapter that the topic of the blood-drinking variety of vampires is actually addressed.

From there on Mr. Dixon moves on to topics which are of interest to those who are not members of the vampire community itself exclusively.

Throughout this book, Mr. Dixon concentrates upon those differences which set the modern, living vampire apart from the masses of humanity with which they share the world, as might be expected in a field guide.  Very little space, however, is devoted to helping “normal” people identify vampires.  The descriptions he uses – fair skinned, soft hair, full lips, and white teeth – really don’t help much in terms of differentiating vampires from humans.  Instead, reliance is placed on “feelings” which often amount nothing more than a sense of unease in the presence of certain individuals.  His assertion that vampires don’t have an aura (the possible source of the no-reflection myth?) seems highly unlikely to me.  More likely their auras are tightly contained and thus hard to see, in my opinion.

He sees the vampire as beneficial to mankind in general, as their draining of energy encourages increased energy production and flow in the average individual, thus preventing and relieving blockages which may result in disease and illness.  I’m not sure how I feel about that idea, but if it is true, then it would appear that ethical vampires would almost feel obligated to work in the healing arts.

Mr. Dixon seems to assert (page 104, “…most modern vampires maintain strict workout regimens to keep them healthy and fit.”) that the modern vampire must not be overly thin nor overly heavy.  Coupled with his earlier physical descriptions, we are left to assume that the ideal modern vampire (and the archetype to watch for) would best be symbolized by the “surfer” culture, and that the odds of encountering an ugly (or even a “plain”) looking, anorexic or obese vampire are almost non-existent.  Nice job description, but somewhat limiting and unrealistic, I feel.

To an extent, this book comes across as a self-serving promotional tool (read “recruiting tract”) trying hard to look like an unbiased investigation into a phenomenon which has fascinated mankind almost from it’s very emergence into civilization.  Whatever it is, recruiting tool or investigation, it is well-written and interesting.  I’m not sure it will appeal to everyone, but that is really too much to expect in any case.

The perception that vampires are inherently different from mankind in general seems (to me) to border on the delusional.  Mr. Dixon acknowledges that vampires are physically nearly indistinguishable from humanity, while asserting that a few characteristics are enough to place them in a separate class of beings.

Regardless of my personal feeling about the subject matter and/or author, Weiser has a reputation for producing high quality books, and this continues that tradition.  You will not likely go wrong when you purchase one of their books.

Tags: book, review, vampires

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Mike Gleason September, 2011

The Weiser Field Guide to Ghosts  by Raymond Buckland

© 2009

Weiser   ISBN:  978-1578634512

Paperback        192 pages

$14.95 (U.S.)

There are field guide and there are field guides.  Weiser is, apparently, planning to produce a series of field guides on a variety of topics.  This is the second one I have reviewed (see The Weiser Field Guide to Vampires previously).  My only comment on the series, so far, is that it is somewhat inconsistent.  Vampires didn’t really seem to fit the category (although it was technically well-written and interesting), whereas this volume is truer to the format.  Oh, it ranges a bit afield – monsters and vampires being technically beyond the scope of the book – but it concentrates on the various forms of ghosts and what may inspire their appearance.

The book is broken down loosely into types of ghosts, although there is a degree of overlap, as is to be expected.  There are personal anecdotes as well as “official” accounts (newspaper articles, etc.).  The types of ghosts run the gamut from Ancestral to Warning with numerous other divisions along the way.  Mr. Buckland does his best, and that is saying quite a bit, to show the differences between the various types and to explain the origins (both known and conjectured) of the spirits.

Given the current interest in “ghost hunting” (just check your local cable channels for numerous examples) it was inevitable that the author would include a section on practical ghost hunting.  In this chapter he helps you to understand the equipment which will help you in your searches as well as giving you a rough idea of the cost of such equipment.

Considering Mr. Buckland’s lengthy exposure to paranormal phenomena, and his ability to communicate information clearly and without condescension, it would be extremely difficult to do anything other than recommend this book to those interested in apparitions, ghosts, spirits, or whatever other term you would like to use to describe the apparent reappearance of those who have crossed over to the other side of the river Styx.

No doubt in my mind – if the topic of ghosts interests you and you want  more than just a collection of ghost stories, this is the book for you.

Tags: ghosts, hunting, paranormal, Raymond Buckland

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Mike Gleason August, 2011

Vampyre Sanguinumicon:  The Lexicon of the Living Vampire

by  Father Sebastiaan

© 2010  Weiser

ISBN:  978-1578634804

Paperback        320 pages

$24.95 (U.S.)x

There has been a resurgence in the interest in vampires of late (witness the Twilight books/movies and “True Blood”, etc.), although it never really went away.  This book is for the Living Vampire – the one who seeks to live in glamour and ritual on a daily basis – not the “kid in a cape” who plays at being an immortal being.

The first thing which struck me as I began reading this book was the  consistent use of jargon as a means of establishing the “difference” between those who follow this particular tradition and those who do not.  This is an obvious first step in separating two individual worlds, and has been in use for hundreds of years – most recently distinguish between members of the neo-Pagan community and the “mundanes” or “muggles”.  It is refreshing, however, to see that the author makes no attempt to convince the reader that this tradition has existed unchanged for centuries.

Perhaps it is a flaw in my personality or my perceptive abilities, but I find Sebastiaan’s attitude that members of Strigoi Vii may feel free to appropriate the symbology and belief structures of others without compunction (other than doing it for the betterment of the Strigoi Vii) while denying a need

to acknowledge any real understanding of these systems to be unacceptable.

I am in no position to question the sincerity of Father Sebastiaan, since I am not a member of the Strigoi Vii.  I am familiar with the elitist tone of the writing in  this book and can testify that it is often a sign of sincerity – if not always objective truth.  Whether or not this book is objectively true, for a certain number of readers it will be subjectively true.

The first portion of the book is dedicated to providing the background and underpinnings of the lifestyle of the Strigoi Vii.  Parts of this section will likely seem highly fantastic and/or delusional to some who read it.  Other readers may have an “ah, ha!” moment as a result of what is laid out here.

One minor quibble, and I freely admit that it is strictly personal, is the excessive (in my opinion) use of capitalization.  Words such as “we” and “immortal” really don’t rate capitalization by the rules of English grammar as I learned them.

I must also admit that I resorted to skimming while reading this book, as (for a variety of reasons) I found it less than a compelling read.  This is, in no way, a condemnation of the contents or the style of writing.  It simply didn’t resonate for ME.  Your experience may be different.

If you have felt a call to the Vampyre lifestyle, for reasons beyond a fashion trend, or a desire to shock friends and family, you will find this book will offer you insights, and provoke your thought processes.  It is not a book for everyone, but then, it sets out with the intent of not being one of those.  For those who are looking for inspiration, this may be what you have been looking for.

Tags: book review, Father Sebastiaan, vampire, vampyre, Vampyre Sanguinumicon: The Lexicon of the Living Vampire

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Porphyry August, 2011

Weisser Field Guide to the Paranormal

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Weiser (December 1, 2010)
• Author: Judith Joyce

A Paranormal Spectacular [Fail]

Last month I got to review an absolutely amazing book, The Clavis or Key to the Magic of Solomon as edited by Joseph Peterson.  While that was an interesting and illuminating experience, its far more fun to take on a popular book where I don’t have to worry about dusting off 18th century references and doing what passes for fact checking in my columns.  Fortunately I’ll have none of those tasks this month as I’m reviewing the Weisser Field Guide to the Paranormal [1].

The short review:  don’t buy this book.  Don’t even buy books that resemble it to make sure you don’t buy it accidentally.  Now you can go read another column and be free from the screed that follows.  You are welcome.

Still with me?  On with the fun!   First, the book in question is called a “field guide to the paranormal.”  Which begs the question, what is the paranormal, and where exactly in the field would you need a guide to assist you?  If you guessed, um…nowhere? You might find a lot of self-satisfaction in your cynicism, but I would disagree.  Field guides seem to my untrained eyes to involve a disposition on the nature of the subject and then a detailed set of reference material detailing either how to identify them, or some other useful information one would need in the field [2].  There are many paranormal and occult things encountered accidentally or deliberately out in fields, and a detailed guide might just provide good armchair, or even practical, reading.

The idea of a field guide is that it might be actually used in the field.  Thus they are smallish books, and often printing on robust paper designed to survive being chucked into and out of a backpack under gritty, damp, conditions.  My Peterson’s Guide to the Atlantic Seashore [3] follows the general pattern of a field guide perfectly, its small, sort of waterproof, and has a broad and interesting introduction to seashore related stuff in the front (intertidal zonation anyone?).  With plates in the middle (who would not want at least another page on the brown seaweed “sausage weed”?), worms in the back, and an extensive bibliography to ensure that you know that it was written by real serious scientists with the intent of walking you through the complex muddle that is the Atlantic seashore it is both interesting to read and somewhat useful in the field.  And it’s written in type and layout designed for 30 year olds (field guides are too serious for 20′s and apparently not read by those over 50 without glasses).  And it contains an information density resembling a well-written encyclopedia on the Atlantic Seashore.  This is pretty much what I expect when I pick up a field guide.

Now, given all this, what, exactly, should a Field Guide to the Paranormal cover?  First we have to decide what we mean by “paranormal.”  The most obvious definition would be “not normal” but then many of our co-workers and relatives would need to be included.   Generally “paranormal” means things that are not easily explained by science, but could be explained if we could either catch them in a net or try a little harder with our experiments.  This differs from the occult in that it is not just dealing with hidden, secret, or mystical knowledge, but tangible things that exist in the world.  Overall the basic cut seems to be that cryptids (Bigfoot) and UFOs are included in the paranormal while they are excluded (by most circles) from the Occult.

This means that a field guide to the paranormal must encompass a huge range of subjects.  The key ones would be ghosts, UFOs, cryptids, strange events (spontaneous combustion), strange places (ley lines), and magic to name a few.  Ghosts could have a field guide all their own.  But life at the seashore is no small topic, so it should be possible to organize a book that helps people deal with paranormal events in the field.  In general it should cover the key topics, and it should do so in detail.  Ghosts, for example, would require a section on various ghost hunting procedures and technologies, an identification guide, and likely locations where they might be seen.  Bigfoot would have illustrations of the different types and a chart showing their worldwide distribution.  In color [4].  The same thing should apply to UFOs, other cryptids, and strange places or people.

At least that is how I would write and organize such a book.  It would be what it says:  a guide for people dealing with this stuff in the field.  For believers.

So lets see how this guide compares.

Weiser’s field guide is organized like an encyclopedia or dictionary, not a field guide.

Entries are listed alphabetically, with little regard for whether they are related.  Looking up Ghosts (under “G”), for example, gives a five and a half page write up that indicates paranormal investigators look for EVP and EMF readings.  But it neither explains what they are, nor indicates that by looking under “E” the reader will be able to cross reference those entries into the field guide.  Poltergeist and Stone Tape Theory [5] are called out in the entry under Ghosts, but residual haunting does not appear as an entry in the guide.

What all this means is that the “field guide” reads as a bathroom book.  A dictionary or encyclopedia would have cross-references to other articles that allowed the reader to follow related topics.  This book seems to assume you are reading it from front to back.  And cross-references would be easy in an encyclopedia dealing with a narrow subject like the paranormal.  This book is one of those generic encyclopedias of the occult/witchcraft/magic/whatever that we find taking up shelf space in the new age or paranormal section of the bookstore.

The writing is both skeptical, and colloquial.

Remember I said that field guides go a long way toward establishing scientific decorum with references and neat little line figures and whatnot.  Here the author seems to take the opposite approach.  Many entries begin with a breezy question:  “Does the human soul survive death?” is the opening line for Ghosts while the entry for Ghost Club [6] references Harry Potter and Casper in the first sentence.  This style would be fine for a bathroom book, but just looks odd in a field guide.

Even worse, in many of the entries the author comes across as skeptical.  While the author is clearly not a skeptic in the classical sense, she is also not writing as if the existence of these phenomena is a given and all we need to do is experience them.  Many times she comes across as winking at the reader, implying something along the lines of “look at all this stilly stuff that scientists don’t believe in.” Which is not what I would expect from a book that takes seriously the subject it was discussing.  For example, on ghosts:  “Modern science-oriented societies, however, ridicule this belief in ghosts.  Paranormal societies, thus, focus on providing the existence of ghosts in a scientific manner.”  While this is certainly true, the emphasis and focus here and throughout the book is more balanced than would be the case for a normal field guide.

There are too many extraneous entries.

This is a field guide, so why would you include entries that have nothing to do with what goes on in the field.  The biographical entries (Thomas Edison, Eddy Brothers, Sir hur Conan Doyle to name a few) are puzzling because I’m unlikely to run into them in the field, except perhaps on a ghost hunt.  The information contained under their entries could easily go elsewhere.   Or the space could be devoted to more detail on the relevant entries.

But, seriously, this isn’t a field guide.

Instead it is yet another example of the endless number of regurgitated encyclopedias and dictionaries on the occult thrown up by publishers.  The reason why publishers publish this stuff in such volume totally escapes me.   The sheer number of them means that if someone even does manage to poop out a good one, it will be lost in the hundreds of bad ones.   And this one wasn’t good at all.

The crappy layout and aesthetics of the book are obvious indicators it was done on the cheap.  It is double-spaced.  Let me repeat that.  It is double-spaced.  Lots of white space to makes your reading easier, but I suspect its there because it fills out the page count.  The figures are black and white clip art that meagerly illustrate their subjects and do nothing to enhance the book aesthetically or pedagogically.   Go to any bookstore, or even your own shelf, look at a real field guide, they are far from double-spaced, and are lavishly illustrated.

This whole project looks like someone had a gap in the schedule for a printing press and had to throw something on the schedule to make sure the down time was not wasted.  “Hey, lets get a lesser-known writer experienced in the occult to poop out some text, throw in some clip art, double space it and cut it down and hey, we’ve got something that we can sell as a field guide.  That will keep old Betsy the printing press working over the holidays.  And those crazy investigatin’ kids will like the idea of a field guide.  Yeah, that’s the ticket.”

I am being hard on this book for a reason.  While this book is about the paranormal, and I don’t care a lot about the paranormal, it too much resembles other books occupying shelf space on subjects I do care about.  I care deeply about Paganism, Magic, Witchcraft, and the Occult beliefs.  And there are too many of these silly dictionary/encyclopedia/survey books churned out about them.  We need fewer of these sorts of books because they hurt our religion.  Let me repeat, they hurt our religion, and our reputations.   And we need to ask publishers to stop putting so many of them on store shelves and start putting more books of substance and vision on the shelves.  And we need to be writing more visionary and substantive works.

How many kids or curious adults pick up these books thinking they will learn something serious about the craft or our religion or even the paranormal and instead find dreck?  Too many do, and too many walk away because of it.  Many start with an interest in the paranormal and find their way to Paganism.  Many starting on their journey don’t know the difference, particularly kids.  A really good book on the paranormal, like Colin Wilson’s book, might just capture their imaginations, might just cause them to seek deeper truths.  These naive readers are exactly who this book is most likely targeted at.  Given that you are reading this column means you would look at this book and probably never even pick it up.  But someone who knew little or nothing about the paranormal just might.  And that makes me sad.

Perhaps some who have the true voice of the Goddess talking to them will persevere despite this crap.  We can tell ourselves that.  But in this economy, when the kid is from a family that has a tight budget, even buying books like this at a yard sale wastes something more precious than money.  It wastes a life that could be transformed by the Goddess.  And that’s why I really don’t like this book.

[1]  Judith Joyce, The Weisser Field Guide to the Paranormal, Weisser, 2011.  Interestingly Judith Joyce is a pseudonym.  The author is Judika Illes, an aromatherapist and scholar of many things occult.  http://www.judikailles.com/.  She seems like a sensible and nice person who writes professionally.

[2] The books I pulled off the shelf are all about seashells and the North American seashore, including one Peterson Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore.  This stems from my inherent dislike of going to the beach with my family.  As a skin cancer victim I see it more as a slow motion death chamber than a vacation.  Thus I tend to wear big hats and try to remain interested by pestering the wildlife.  And, yes, I grew up a block from the beach in Florida.

[3]  Kenneth L. Gosner, Atlantic Seashore (Peterson Field Guides), Houghton-Mifflin, 1978

[4]  Bigfoot/Sasquatch are not topics in the book.  Let me repeat.  Not.  Even. Topics. But cryptids and chupacabra and Charles Fort are topics.  Thump, thump, thump, that’s the sound of the obvious hitting the table over and over again.  As yet another aside, I find it remarkable that Bigfoot was left out given the sasquatchploitation bandwagon we are currently on.  I just love it when they call them ‘squatch on Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot show.  Sounds like a particularly dirty kind of squat.  (http://animal.discovery.com/tv/finding-bigfoot/).  And yes, I come by all my paranormal creds honestly, by watching TV.

[5] An interesting theory that I have never heard of that means “residual haunting.”  Why the author has an entry under “stone tape theory” and not “residual haunting” escapes me.

[6] Some sort of United Kingdom ghost club claiming to be the oldest in the UK.  Ok, fair enough, but if you put in a page about this organization, why nothing about The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) and the US ghostploitation movement it has spawned?

Tags: book, judith joyce, paranormal

• Interviews & Reviews

Michele Burke August, 2011

Wiccan Shadows

By: Lori Schiele

Stunningly intense… An intriguing tale of suspense, ancient powers, and attraction…

Schiele has realistically portrayed every aspect of the story with a conciseness of a seasoned writer.

Tags: Lori Schiele, wiccan shadows

• Interviews & Reviews

Michele Burke July, 2011

Recently I had the most auspicious opportunity to experience the artistic musical workings of a new musical group Bell, Book, and Canto,  a assemblage of women singing the most spiritually intoxicating acappela music I have had the pleasure of listening to in years.

An all-female acappela choir, Bell, Book, and Canto’s are a spiritually diverse group covering a vast array of Earth based Religions. Invocation (Bell, Book, and Canto’s first album, released this past Beltaine) will undoubtedly be followed by many more wonderful soundings. The richness and intermingling of voices only lends to the quality of music produced by these six extremely talented ladies.

If you are interested in purchasing a CD’s go to http://bellbookandcanto.com/fr_welcome.cfm

Tags: bell book and canto, music, review

• Interviews & Reviews

Porphyry July, 2011

Review:  The Clavis or Key to the Magic of Solomon

I guess I’m just may be too inclined to try and stuff things into categories and bins but it has always escaped me why ceremonial magic and Paganism are often tied together.  I understand that modern Paganism is a broad net that sweeps up all the little fishes it can find, but I do sometimes think we have to draw the line somewhere.   Given the recent debate about who is and isn’t and does and doesn’t want to be a Pagan, I think this is a valid question [1].  In my opinion, ceremonial magicians are inherently Christian, given that their originating materials are all focused on angels and devils and whatnot.  That does not mean we can’t learn from them, or even participate, but we should at least know what we’re doing.

This screed is relevant because I’m reviewing an original “talismanic grimoire” The Clavis or Key to the Magic of Solomon, by a late 18^th century magician, Ebenezer Sibley [2].   Joseph Peterson [3] is a scholar of renaissance occultism who has been translating and publishing several of the grimoires of that time period.  His previous books, such as the Sixth and Seventh of Moses, Arbatel and the Lesser Key of Solomon, have been absolutely beautiful books [4].

Peterson’s version of Sibley’s Clavis is in four parts, an introduction outlining the history of the text, a facsimile reproduction that makes up the bulk of the text, a series of notes to the facsimile, and a critically established text that reproduces the text of the facsimile in regular typography.    What I am referring so breezily to as the “Clavis” is actually eight manuscripts bundled into one book.  The Clavis, or Key to Unlock the Mysteries of Rabbi Solomon makes up the bulk of the text.  It focuses on the manufacture of talismans and pretty much has all your talismanic needs covered, from being invincible to winning in games of hazard.  The Complete Book of Magical Science (by Hockley) concludes the book and focuses on conjuring spirits.  In between we find a series of “experiments” on the conjuration of spirits and a manuscript on magical rings (of the planetary, not Tolkien, kind).

The Clavis continues in the same tradition of Peterson’s previous books, but amps up the beauty by several notches.  The color facsimile is in itself a work of art, nearly flawless despite both its age and the fact that it was originally copied by hand.  It is perhaps the best-done grimoire that I have seen, even better than Skinner’s amazingly useful and well laid out books [5].   If you want to see how an 18^th century magician executed the various seals, figures, and talismans you can’t do much better than this short of the original manuscripts.

So, basically, that’s my review.  If you care about Grimoires, or if you care about magic, you should be aware of both Skinner’s and Peterson’s projects to bring beautiful and meticulously crafted versions of them to us.  And Peterson’s Clavis is pretty much the zenith of the current art of reproducing such things.  So you should buy it.

But it is unlikely that I’m going to stop at one page for such an amazingly beautiful book.  Instead I’ll go on to tackle what I think are the important questions:  What is a Grimoire?  Why should you care?  And why should you care about this grimoire?

Ok, so what’s a grimoire? A grimoire is a book of magic, typically specializing in charms and protection as well as conjuration of spirits.  It is most likely, though not exclusively, western European and Christian in orientation.  Of course all these features are not exclusive, many of the earliest Grimoires were of Middle Eastern origin.  Christianity and Judaism are often rather oblique features of these books, as they focus on angels and daemons, not the baby Jesus.   They were typically written by cunning men or ceremonial magicians and date from ancient times to the present day.  Their zenith in terms of power and frequency occurred in the late middle ages where their authors, mostly men and priests, were busy not being burned at the stake despite their active practice of magic and conjuration of devils.  Because they were men and priests they got a pass on real demonology, while a bunch of poor hapless women got burned for, well, being poor hapless women [6].

These books were used as practical tools right up until the 1800s (and beyond).  Cunning men and women sold their services to find, protect, or heal by using symbols and knowledge they gained from Grimoires, or fragments of Grimoires.  Grimoires also form the basis of modern, ceremonial, magic.

The problem with these texts is that it is hard, if not impossible, to map their interrelationships.  Just reading Peterson’s exhaustive and fascinating introduction to the Clavis shows why this mapping is hard.  Sibley apparently had a series of manuscripts on magic that he referred to but never intended to publish.  These were copied in his own hand from even older source documents, probably in the late 1700s.  But not too old, as Peterson points out a lot of the symbology and material can be traced to other popular Grimoires, including Scott’s Discoverie [7].

A series of booksellers obtained the texts from Sibley’s estate, and eventually the booksellers asked Hockley, who was one of the foundational members of modern occultism and magic, to write some copies.  Hockley made several copies, but perhaps not the copy that is reproduced in facsimile in Peterson’s text [8].  These copies have all come down to us, but not the original that was in Sibley’s library.  Peterson goes into an interesting amount of detail in tracing all of the influences that went into Sibley’s Clavis, ranging from the Discoverie to Arbatel de Magia Veterum. These books all intertwingle with Francis Barrett’s The Magnus, Levi, and other occultists of the 18^th and 19^th centuries  [9].  All of this influencing and being influenced makes it tough to figure out the original source for a lot of this magic, was it Scott or did they have other sources from either England or the continent?  Who influence Barrett and Levi, and who, in turn, did they influence?  Just like today with our froth of Pagan groups, the early 1800s were awash in different occultists and beliefs.

Peterson addresses a lot of this in both his introduction and his notes, and the results seem to point to Scott as a major influence at least on this grimoire.  That is kind of disappointing.  Scott’s Discoverie was perhaps the first skeptic’s view of magic and witchcraft, written with the hope that reason would prevail over superstition.  Which is why King John I burned all the copies he could get his hands on in 1603.  The tie with Discoverie is disappointing because the book’s information was drawn from witch trials, which means that the information may have been obtained through torture.  And, if you believe the FBI, torture is not perhaps the best way to obtain accurate information, even today.

But why should modern Pagans care about any of this?  Well, as I said before, Sibley and Hockley both had significant influence on the people who started the Golden Dawn movement: Israel Regardie and AE Waite.  They, in much the same fashion that the shinbone is connected to the knee bone, influenced Crowley in return who influenced Gardner.  This means that these late 18^th and early 19^th century grimoires are some of the foundational documents for modern magic, if not Paganism.  They don’t quite look like it, but they are.

Much of what passes for “standard Wicca operational plan 100” comes from these sources.  The elements, the circle, calling and evoking, all stem from ceremonialist influences.  The wands, the swords, the Athame, the magical writing also all were inspired or directly derived from these influences.  Not to mention that much of modern Masonry, Rosicrucianism, and Thelema hark directly back to these gentlemen and their influences.

But why should you care about this particular grimoire?  If you are the kind of magician who cares whether their instrument kit’s “little green stick of [hazel] wood” is from a year old branch or not (pp. xx and 31 Clavis), then you are already going to buy this book and there is nothing extra I need to do to convince you.  If you are not that guy, and you probably are not, then you may wish to pick up a grimoire just for the fun of it.  Typically the Lesser Key of Solomon is pretty much the standard baseline grimoire [8].   But, if you have special interests in manufacturing talismans, rings, or in conjuration then you may want to pick up the Clavis.  Or if you just really want to see what a “real” 18^th century grimoire actually looked like in facsimile, you may want this book.

But, lets be honest, if you are a guy like me who collects magic books and loves the lore of ancient texts and magical tomes, then you need this book.  In fact, I’d say you need all of Peterson’s books.   It won’t be cheap, but it will be worth it.

[1] Of course this whole terminology thing is a hot topic this month, see my column and the Pagan portal at Patheos (http://www.patheos.com/Religion-Portals/Pagan.html).  Not much discussion of this issue by the ceremonialists, however.  Though I suspect that the traditional Witches problems with the term Pagan could also extend to them.

[2] Joseph Peterson (ed.), Ebenezer Sibley and Frederick Hockley, The Clavis of Key to the Magic of Solomon, Ibis, 2010.  Joseph Peterson is responsible for putting the book together, and writing an extensive introduction and set of notes.  I suspect he also transcribed the facsimile reproduction as well.  Not to mention that he is a Chemical Engineer, which certainly recommends him as someone who is both careful and capable (not to mention highly intelligent – perhaps you can tell my profession).

[3] His web site explains a lot: http://www.esotericarchives.com/

[4] This is not just me Amazon shopping as I review, I happen to own all of them except the Grimorium Vernum and I’m fixing that right now based on the Clavis.

[5] Skinner’s books are quite similar to Peterson’s, including a version of the Clavis.  However Peterson’s Clavis totally beats Skinner’s as Skinner tends to rely on black and white and lacks Peterson’s graphical pizzazz.  http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Skinner/e/B001HOA5US/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

[6] The best history of grimoires is:  Owen Davies, Grimoires:  A History of Magic , Oxford 2009.  It is a remarkable history because it is factual, readable, well organized, and make sense.  I have not found this to be a common feature in books on this subject.  Davies is mentioned in the Clavis, but his book in turn does not mention the Clavis, though he does mention Sibley.  He emphasizes Sibley’s role as the pre-eminent astrologer of his time.  This is logical if the Clavis was taken from Sibley’s unpublished papers since it would not have been part of his public persona.

[7] Reginald Scott in 1584 published The Discoverie of Witchcraft.  This text has been very influential, from being cribbed in later grimoires and cunning men’s materials (including Joseph Smith who was perhaps more of a cunning man than Mormon’s would admit).  In another section of the text Scott also tries to show how some of the things conjurers would do were actually slights of hand, making it one of the earliest books of magic (See Robert Kaufman’s forward to the Kaufman and Greenberg edition of Discoverie.)  Reginald Scott, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, Kaufman and Greenberg, 1995 (a beautiful hardbound version by a stage magic publishing company).

[8] In reading about the various copies and Sibley and Hockley you get an appreciation for life before laser printing technology and the ability to easily copy words and documents.  If you wanted a copy back in 1825, you got out a pen and wrote yourself a copy.

[9]  Arbatel de Magia Veterum is another Peterson book, http://www.amazon.com/Arbatel-Concerning-Ancients-Joseph-Peterson/dp/0892541520/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307312039&sr=1-1, and there are many versions of Barrett and Levi’s books out there:  http://www.amazon.com/History-Magic-Eliphas-Levi/dp/0877289298/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307312089&sr=1-1;

http://www.amazon.com/Magus-Complete-System-Occult-Philosophy/dp/0877289425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307312114&sr=1-1-spell

[10]  Of course Peterson has come out with a wonderful version:  http://www.amazon.com/Lesser-Key-Solomon-Joseph-Peterson/dp/157863220X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307315567&sr=8-2 but the standard text is Waite:  http://www.amazon.com/Lesser-Solomon-hur-Edward-Waite/dp/1163064300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307315640&sr=8-1

Tags: book, review

• Interviews & Reviews

Mike Gleason May, 2011

The herbal Kitchen

by Kami McBride

© 2010    Conari Press

ISBN:  978-1-57324-421-3

Paperback      255 pages

$18.95  (U.S.)

www.redwheelweisr.com

One of the nice things about this book is the fact that the herbs discussed are all easily accessible.  Add to that the fact that all the basic information about them is placed in one location and it becomes even better.  Then there are the recipes – over 250 of them.

Of course, all the standard disclaimers apply – consult a health care profession before adding herbs to therapeutic medicines; begin with small amounts to check for adverse reactions; pregnant women need to be especially careful; etc.

The first two chapters (“Kitchen  Medicine and Culinary Culture” and “herbal Kitchen Materia Medica of Fifty Healing herbs and Spices”) serve as a general introduction and are quite valuable on their own, but then come the recipes (11 different categories).

From the outset, I must make it clear that I am neither an herbalist nor anything more than a rudimentary cook.  In fact, my wife asked me what I was doing, requesting a batch of cookbooks (I have another five in the pile waiting to be reviewed).  My daughter had asked me what I knew about kitchen witchery and, when I confessed my ignorance, went online to find a few titles.  So, I am definitely approaching the topic as an interested amateur, like many of you.

Ms McBride stresses that her recipes are intended for culinary use.  Obviously, some of them COULD be used medicinally, but that is a subject for another book.  The culinary use of herbs and spices can help to prevent minor health problems (stomachaches, colds, etc.), but treating medical conditions is something best learned by apprenticing to an individual who knows what they are doing.

Ms McBride shares little bits of personal experience gleaned from her decades of working with herbs, and this adds immeasurably to the pleasure of reading this book.  Make no mistake about it, reading this book IS a pleasure.  No matter what section you are in, there is always something which will bring a smile to your face.

I have to say that, as I started into the recipe section I was unsure what to expect, but the first recipe section (herbal Waters) tied in so nicely with the fruit waters we enjoy in our own household, I was sure I was going to enjoy the rest of the recipes (and I was right!).

You will find the usual categories here – Teas, Vinegars, Cordials, and the like; but there are also some unexpected ideas – Smoothies, Ghees, Sprinkles and Salts.  If, for some reason, you can’t find something to pique your interest, this is the wrong book for you.

This is not a book to be READ, it is a book to be experienced and enjoyed.  There isn’t a lot of magic in this book (other than the love which makes everything better), but it deserves to find a prominent place in every kitchen.

Tags: book, Herbal, kami mcbride

• Interviews & Reviews

Michele Burke April, 2011

Titania’s Crystal Ball

From the earliest of times people have been looking for answers, answers to questions that can only come from the inner most realms of the spirit world. The ancient form of divination known as scrying is made easy for the novice as well as the seasoned hand with Titania’s Crystal Ball. Whether you scry using an airy meditative trance or through clairvoyance or clairaudience you will find the wisdom you are seeking with this wonderful metaphysical tool.

Titania’s Crystal Ball is excellent kit for beginners, and includes an exceptionally clear glass orb, beautifully polished round wood stand, and a 64 page companion book. The companion book is a great introduction to crystallomancy and through Titania’s empathetic and knowledge filled approach, the novice is encouraged to gently experiment while learning to use this matchless tool.

However you choose to use the kit e.g. meditation, divination, devotion, or decoration, Titania’s Crystal Ball is the one for you.

Titania’s Crystal Ball
Now You Can “See” Your Future
Titania Hardie
ISBN: 9781859061398
Kit
Book
Connections
$18.95

Tags: Titania’s Crystal Ball

• Interviews & Reviews

Mike Gleason April, 2011

Encyclopedia of the Unseen World   by  Constance Victoria Briggs © 2010   Red Wheel/Weiser  ISBN:  978-1-57863-465-1   Paperback      285 pages    $19.95  (U.S.)

This book, obviously, is not intended to be “read” as much as consulted.  It is encyclopedic in nature and arrangement.  It is not, by any means, all-inclusive, although it is close to all-encompassing.  It is not restricted to the main-stream religions, and includes individuals who have experienced contact with the world beyond this one.

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of books like this, and I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the cover of this one.  In the end, I was both pleased and disappointed with the contents.  The inclusion of many terms which will be unfamiliar to the vast majority of readers was a real plus.  On the other hand, the entries for various individuals often came across as being from promotional material provided by the individual and the organizations associated with them.

Weiser has had, and continues to have, a reputation for producing high quality books.  This one, in my opinion, is not one of their better offerings.  That is not to say that it isn’t any good, it simply means that it could have been better.  If the average offering from this publisher is a 8 (out of 10), this one comes in at around a 5 or 6.

It is a useful, general purpose resource for information concerning near-death experiences and beliefs concerning the afterlife.  While I don’t give it a whole-hearted recommendation, I do say that if you are interested in these topics, this a book which would be handy to have around for clarification purposes, but it is less valuable as a general Pagan/Wiccan resource.

Tags: Constance Victoria Briggs, Encyclopedia of the Unseen World, Encyclopedia of the Unseen World by Constance Victoria Briggs

• Interviews & Reviews