Video Book Review – Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work by Brian Cotnoir
Video Book Review
Practical Alchemy
A Guide to the Great Work
by Brian Cotnoir
Publisher: Red Wheel / Weiser Books
128 pages
Publication Date: July 1, 2021
Bright Blessings!
In this video I review this excellent publication that was written by somebody with over thirty years’ experience in the study and application of alchemy, Brian Cotnoir. He’s put it together as a guide for beginners, saying he wishes he’d had something similar when he got started studying, himself! At 128 pages, you’d think you could just breeze through it, but I highly recommend you take your time studying this, learning as much as possible, and researching further. This is an excellent book for the beginning alchemist, and one you will hold onto even after you have good experience.
First published in 2006, it was published again in 2021 by Weiser Books, an imprint of Red Wheel/ Weiser.
Artist, filmmaker, alchemist, and writer Cotnoir was written about as stepping into a shop at the age of seventeen to begin learning and he has not stopped since! A contributor to Parachemy: Journal of Hermetic Arts and Sciences, and writer of The Emerald Tablet, which was not published too long ago, his film work has been seen at Sundance festivals, on HBO, and PBS as well as other places.
Watch my video review to hear some of the great writing in this book and get your copy today!
Blessed Be!
Practical Alchemy: A Guide to the Great Work on Amazon
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About the Author:
Saoirse is a practicing witch, and initiated Wiccan of an Eclectic Tradition.
A recovered Catholic, she was raised to believe in heaven and hell, that there is only one god, and only one way to believe. As she approached her late 20’s, little things started to show her this was all wrong. She was most inspired by the saying “God is too big to fit into one religion” and after a heated exchange with the then associate pastor of the last Xtian church she attended, she finally realized she was in no way Xtian, and decided to move on to see where she could find her spiritual home.
Her homecoming to her Path was after many years of being called to The Old Ways and the Goddess, and happened in Phoenix, Arizona. She really did rise from her own ashes!
Upon returning to Ohio, she thought Chaos Magic was the answer, and soon discovered it was actually Wicca. She was blessed with a marvelous mentor, Lord Shadow, and started a Magical Discussion Group at local Metaphysical Shop Fly By Night. The group was later dubbed A Gathering of Paths. For a few years, this group met, discussed, did rituals, fellowship, and volunteering together, and even marched as a Pagan group with members of other groups at the local gay Pride Parade for eight years.
All the while, she continued studying with her mentor, and is still studying for Third Degree, making it to Second Degree thus far.
She is a gifted tarot reader, spellworker, teacher, and was even a resident Witch at a Westerville place dubbed The Parlor for a time.
Aside from her magical practice, she is a crocheter, beader, painter, and a good cook. She has been a clown and children’s entertainer, a Nursing Home Activities Professional, a Cavern Tour Guide, a Retail Cashier, and a reader in local shops. Her college degree is a BA in English Writing. She tried her hand at both singing and playing bagpipes, and…well…let’s just say her gifts lie elsewhere! She loves gardening, reading, antiques, time with friends and soul kin, and lots and lots of glorious color bedecking her small home!
On the encouragement of a loved one several years back, she searched for a publication to write for, and is right at home at PaganPagesOrg.
She is currently residing in Central Ohio with her husband, and furbabies.
Saoirse can be contacted at [email protected].