Book Review
Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic
 by Victoria Maxwell
Published by Red Wheel208 Pages
Published: March 2022

 

 

“When we start getting into magical work we often get so carried away with the magic, connection to spirit and high- vibe feelings that we forget to ground ourselves in the here and now. But grounding is incredibly important. If we don’t stay grounded, our magic has nowhere to anchor itself. We can try to manifest amazing things in our lives, but if we aren’t present in our own bodies and in our own lives, that magic has nowhere to go. Or sometimes what happens is that we do manifest what we’ve asked for, but we don’t even realize it’s right in front of us!” ¹

Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic by Victoria Maxwell is a light and very refreshing approach to the practice of Witchcraft, magic and everything in between that is of that mix. The book is separated into two (2) parts, beginning with Spiritual Basics for Modern Mystics (Part One) and moving into Practical Magic (Part Two). All of the relevant topics needed to form a sustainable and easily managed practice are provided without the heaviness and overload of some of the more traditional and labor-intensive approaches. That’s not to say that Ms. Maxwell downplays the need for commitment and diligence in crafting a meaningful practice. In fact, the appeal of this book is the manner in which some very deep material is presented and the relatability of that work to the complexities and nuances of modern needs and lifestyle.

Part One: Spiritual Basics for Modern Mystics is an introductory course into the foundations of magickal practice. Topics include: working with spirit guides and Ancestors, magical tools, the mechanics and energetics of magickal workings and more. Laying Magical Foundations opens this portion of the title and provides the reader with tools for grounding, sensing energy, and some basics of magical protection. There is also a brief writing addressing Staying in Your Magic Online, complete with some bullet points of do’s and don’ts for maintaining healthy magical connections while in an online forum. This, I found to be particularly useful and a topic that is not typically addressed enough given our very much online practices. An added bonus is that this information is also very much applicable to the more mundane virtual meetings and conference calls.

The content of Part Two: Practical Magick is exactly that; magick that addresses the mundane while teaching some basic skills around spell work, self-discipline and relationships. Each sub-section begins with a brief introduction to the topic of focus to set the tone and provides items of correspondence (oils, crystal, etc..) to assist in creating a “Toolkit” for the work to be explored. “Grab Your Grimoire” offers time for some contemplative writing in your journal (aka. grimoire) with prompted questions, thus creating a resource that may be returned to at any time in your progress.

I especially enjoyed the section entitled “Money Magic”. This is a common topic for spell work and other magickal endeavors, and Ms. Maxwell covers the basics of these actions while incorporating some very practical discussion encouraging the reader to look more deeply at their spending habits, what are the non-essentials, how to pare down and even the suggestion of a “No-Buy Month”. Then subtlety of overlaying practicality in the mundane world and it feeling very magickal at the same time is another feature of teaching that is expertly woven by Ms. Maxwell in her writing.

In fact, a refreshing feature of Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic is the way in which the reader starts a section thinking that it will proceed in a certain way and as they move through each of the highlighted topics that organically unfold, the reader comes to see that they have just navigated multiple layers of what appeared as a singular course. This is the approach used in discussion of love & relational magick-money magick- home magick- and career magick. I found this approach to be spot on in establishing from the get-go the interconnectedness that is required for successful magickal practice.

Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic concludes with a glossary that carries a diverse range of terms that may be found in multiple spiritual/magical paths and an index, which I always find to be very helpful as a quick find source with any book that offers so much information throughout its pages.

Would I Recommend:
Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic is a perfect little book for the novice and contains a lot of useful information and different perspectives to be appreciated by the more experienced Witch. The exercises and thought provoking queries play nicely into the adage – “Know Thyself” in all of your parts; mundane and magickal. There is something for everyone, regardless of designated magickal path, to explore with enough leeway to adapt and adopt what is best suited for the optimum experience. Witch, Please: Empowerment and Enlightenment for the Modern Mystic will most definitely be on my list for gift giving.

Notes:
1. Pg. 28

About the author: Victoria Maxwell
Victoria ‘Vix’ Maxwell is the creator of New Age Hipster, an online spiritual home for good witches, lightworkers, starseeds, and spiritual seekers. A Priestess for present times, modern mystic, and spiritual teacher in Converse sneakers, Vix supports her worldwide community in reconnecting to their own light, inner guidance, and power through soul readings, courses, an online spiritual development circle, spiritual business coven, podcast, blog, and social media channels. Follow her on Instagram at @newagehipster333.

 

Witch, Please on Amazon

 

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About the author:

Robin Fennelly is an Elder within The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition and serves as High Priestess of Coven of the Mystic Path, the 12th Coven within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition. She teaches and facilitates classes for the Pagan Experience Study Group that serves as foundation for membership within Coven of the Mystic Path.  

Her spiritual journey is strongly rooted in both Eastern philosophy and the Western Magickal systems from which she has formed a core foundation that is diverse in knowledge and rich in spiritual practice.  A life-long learner, her practice has evolved from the classical and philosophical teachings of books, practical experience and enrichment of this knowledge base by attending workshops of various spiritual traditions presented by master teachers.

Robin formally came to the Wiccan path in 1994. Following a practice as a solitary for 2 years, she dedicated to Oak and Willow Coven of The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition in November of 1996. She received her 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Elder) degrees within the Assembly Tradition and has served as High Priestess of two ASW covens since Samhain of 2001 and the Winter Solstice of 2015.

As a teacher of esoteric and magickal studies she uses Energetic Anatomy, Tarot, Astrology, Hermetic Qabala, Eastern Philosophy, and Numerology as the foundations of her diverse selection of workshops and writings for more than 25 years. Exploration of varied energetic protocol has been the focus of her work for some time now and the information gained through direct experience informs all of her magickal and spiritual work.

Robin’s writings have been featured online, and in print Internationally.  She has authored several books incorporating her unique style of writing making use of poetry, prose and pathworking to enhance the concepts presented.  She has taught extensively throughout the Pagan community, including Sacred Space Conference, Spring Magick, Between the Worlds Interfaith Conference and Free Spirit Gathering Festival. Her most recent projects include a channel on youtube: A Journey to the Inner Chamber. She also shares audio pathworkings and ritual on her bandcamp site: Teachings on the Path with Robin.

Robin is the owner of Holistic Embrace providing services for mind, body and spirit such as Tarot readings, Astrology reports, Spiritual Guidance and other related offerings.  She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania and her life is blessed by a 40+- year marriage, five children and the opportunity to work in the field of public education.

Robin’s Website: www.robinfennelly.com

Coven of the Mystic Path, ASW: www.covenofthemysticpath.org

Her books can be found on Amazon or purchased directly through her website:

For more info: http://www.robinfennelly.com/books.html

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 1 It’s Written in the Stars-Astrology

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 2 Poetry of the Spheres-Qabalah

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 3 Awakening the Paths-Qabalah

The Light of SELF: Consciousness, Spiritual Practice and Learning to Breathe

Magickal Verse: A Collection of Poetry and Prose

A Year of Gaia: The Eternal Cord

The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elements of SELF

Temple of the Sun and Moon: Luminous Devotions

Sleeping with the Goddess: Nights of Devotion

A Weekly Reflection: Musings for the Year

The Magickal Pen: A Collection of Esoteric Writings

The Enchanted Gate: Musings on the Magick of the Natural World

The Temple of the Sun: An Astrological Solar Year

Writings in the Shadow: An Exploration of the Shadow Nature