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Time to Cut the Shit: The Rant About Magick, Paganism, the Occult and Witchcraft That No One Else Wants to Have
My first entry in a little while is going to be brutally honest, and I’m not apologizing about it, either. I’m going to cuss, talk a little shit (from a place of love), and hopefully get some gatekeeping assholes to get off their fuckin’ high horse! To be frank, I’m fed up with the toxicity I see in the online Pagan community, and the Pagan community at large. It’s absolutely fucking ridiculous; some of y’all are out here acting less mature than a toddler throwing a temper tantrum! This is a rant about, and to, the Pagan community, the witch community, the occultist community, and the magickal community. It’s time…
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Book Review-The Call of the Old Gods: My Occult Journey on the Pagan Path by Christopher McIntosh
Book Review The Call of the Old Gods: My Occult Journey on the Pagan Path By Christopher McIntosh Publisher: Inner Traditions 264 Page E-Book Release Date: May 6th, 2025 The Call of the Old Gods is a well-written memoir from one of my favorite Pagan and Occult authors, Christopher McIntosh. Instead of telling you what to do, he relays the experience to you, as well as the academic background, to inspire the reader to form their own practices, etc. This book, instead of his usual, scholarly approach, focuses on a well-storied life full of trials, lessons and friendships. McIntosh has lived a long life and has had the opportunity to encounter…
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Being Ethical in the Trending World of the Occult
Witchcraft, magick, paganism, manifestation, and all things occult have surged into the mainstream. I first got into the craft before major social media was a thing, it felt like being part of a secret world. Now, witchcraft is everywhere: tarot cards are sold at grocery stores, crystals come in any shape you can think of, and TikTok has it’s own WitchTok abundant with spell tutorials and aesthetic rituals. On one hand, it’s exciting to see the craft becoming more accessible. On the other, it means low quality products are constantly being pushed on us at a markup. It raises the question: How can we stay ethical in a world where…
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Book Review-The Languages of Magic: Transform Reality through Words, Magical Symbols & Sigils by Toby Chappell
Book Review The Languages of Magic: Transform Reality through Words, Magical Symbols & Sigils By Toby Chappell Publisher: Inner Traditions 338 page E-Book Release Date: April 8th, 2025 The Languages of Magic was on my “must-read” list and it did not disappoint! Toby Chappell delivers an examination into the magical world of language, semantics, sound, symbol and word. Magic, spells and incantations are have their root in the power of words; words change our perception, impact our reality, and most importantly, for purposes of this book, on our magick, too. Spells of the spoken kind are often incorporated into other ritual actions, which complete an objective. If we take the approach…
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Book Review-The Sword of Song, Called by the Christians The Book of the Beast by Aleister Crowley, edited and annotated by Richard Kaczynski
Book Review The Sword of Song, Called by the Christians The Book of the Beast By Aleister Crowley, edited & annotated by Richard Kaczynski Publisher: Inner Traditions 407 Page E-Book Release Date: April 8th, 2025 I am so excited to present this particular book review to you. I often don’t announce it, not out of shame, but rather because his influence is so immense in my magickal and spiritual, even philosophical beliefs and practices, that I often neglect to recognize just where those views came from. To clear up any confusion, as I myself am feeling rather Crowley-esque today, I am a huge fan of Aleister Crowley’s work, in all of its contexts. I’ve heard…
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Book Review-Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside by Paul Wyld
Book Review Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside By Paul Wyld Publisher: Inner Traditions 256 page E-Book Release Date: September 10th, 2024 Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult: A Journey to the Otherside by Paul Wyld is a fascinating look into Jim Morrison’s life, and his exploration of the Occult and Hermetic mysteries, coinciding with his musical career and well-known use of psychedelics and other drugs. The book covers Morrison’s life from early childhood, his adolescent and college years, where he began experimenting with LSD, and his career with The Doors and the numerous debacles thrown his way by the Establishment through law enforcement…
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The Modern Merlin’s Corner-October 2024: The Occult Truths of Baphomet and The Dark Man of Witchcraft
Before I begin this column entry, I would like to emphasize my appreciation for a book I’m working on for review, Song of the Dark Man: Father of Witches, Lord of the Crossroads by Darragh Mason. It has inspired me to get in touch with certain aspects of myself again, and allowed some powerful inner alchemy to be done. The Dark Man has been a presence in my craft from the onset, and I feel it’s time I add my contribution to the topic, especially as many works on the subject are being published by many well-known and respected publishing houses. Please keep an eye out for my review of Song of the Dark…
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Book Review-Occult Germany: Old Gods, Mystics and Magicians by Christopher McIntosh
Occult Germany: Old Gods, Mystics and Magicians by Christopher McIntosh, published by Inner Traditions Publishing is a 241 page paperback detailing the mystical and occult in Germany. McIntosh explores Germany’s ancient pagan roots, and thoroughly hops around different subjects chapter-to-chapter. The book isn’t in chronological order, but instead each chapter contains a subject that goes through different eras of Deutschland’s history. Germany has a long history of mysticism and the occult, with famous Occultists and Alchemists hailing from Germanic lands, such as Paracelsus, Agrippa, and others. McIntosh delicately discusses the Nazi regime’s impact on the occult in Germany, and also their appropriation and misuse of Germanic and Nordic pagan beliefs, practices…
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Book Review – The Little Book of the Occult: An Introduction to Dark Magick by Astrid Carvel
Book Review The Little Book of the Occult: An Introduction to Dark Magick by Astrid Carvel Publisher: Moon Books / John Hunt Publishing Ltd. 129 Pages Release Date: March 7, 2023 The Little Book of the Occult presents the concepts of Occult Magick. Astrid Carvel presents the concepts of historical witchcraft in perfect concert with real time practices and the popularity of witchcraft on social media. The chapters are organized in a manner that addresses the What, Why and How of the practice of Occult Magick. In her introduction, Astrid indicates that this book is an introduction to all things magickal, however the delightful surprise is…
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Book Review – Allow Me to Introduce: An Insider’s Guide to the Occult by Lon Milo DuQuette
Book Review Allow Me to Introduce: An Insider’s Guide to the Occult by Lon Milo DuQuette Publisher: Weiser Books 216 Pages Publication Date: February 1, 2020 Allow Me to Introduce… a most intriguing title. Indeed, this is a proper title for this book. Here, you have a collection of writings on many different occult topics. Mr. DuQuette has collected various introductions that he has penned for books, and has placed them here in this edition. There are many topics he has written about in these book introductions which include: Qabalah, Tarot, Thelemic Magic, Enochian Magic, and Masonry. These brief introductions give an overview of the author’s experiences with…
