El poder de la magia gitana / The power of the gypsy Magic

by Raymond Buckland

Gypsies have long held a place in romantic fantasy. Even the name they commonly use to refer to themselves, the Romany, sounds like romance. However, romantic images of Gypsy life have fallen prey to harsh depictions of Gypsies as criminals living in the poorest of conditions. Buckland dispels some of the contemporary misinformation and revitalizes the romance of the past that, despite societal pressures and constraints, still can be found in Romany culture today. Buckland's collection of photographs of early-20th-century Gypsies--their ornately carved vardos (the colorful wagons that served as both home and transportation) and their close-knit family lives--elicit a sigh of longing for the freedom of life on the road. Gypsy Witchcraft & Magic certainly lives up to its title, revealing spells, talismans and methods of divination that have become an inherent part of Gypsy culture, but Buckland's real achievement is his preservation of part of a culture that is slowly dissolving in the social mainstream. --Brian Patterson END

Genres: Wicca, Witchcraft, Spirituality

150 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Raymond Buckland was a highly influential figure in the development of modern Wicca and the occult in the United States. Born in London, he became interested in the supernatural at an early age and was initiated into the Gardnerian Wiccan tradition in 1963 by Monique Wilson, a high priestess appointed by Gerald Gardner. After emigrating to the U.S. in 1962, Buckland introduced Gardnerian Wicca to the country, founding its first coven in New York in 1964. He later developed his own tradition, Seax-Wica, inspired by Anglo-Saxon paganism, and published The Tree: Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft to make it accessible to all.
In 1968, he established the first Museum of Witchcraft and Magick in the U.S., which helped normalize and educate the public about Wicca. Over the course of his career, Buckland wrote more than sixty books on Wicca, divination, and the occult, including Witchcraft from the Inside and Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft, both regarded as essential texts in Neopaganism.
Throughout his life, Buckland remained a prolific teacher, writer, and practitioner. He continued to write and teach until his death in 2017, leaving behind a lasting legacy that shaped the spiritual practices of countless Wiccans and Pagans worldwide.

Reviews

[Angie Lisle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing new ager crap. No real Romani culture found here.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I love the historical photos he has included within these pages, along with the history! What I found so striking was the similarities between the Romani/Gypsy people and some of my own Native Canadian/American Indian ancestors (their "bender" tends look nearly identical to our sweatlodges - albeit both are used for vastly different purposes, also, there's photo's with 'gypsies' with the darker skin, outside of teepee like structures, they are a matriarchal culture, vast knowledge of herbal medicines/magick, divination , they traveled and followed the earth's natural cycles and they were persecuted by governments and society in general etc.) I have a special affinity for this book and it is a must have for anyone interested in Romani culture and magick.

[Baroness · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the read I was searching for but it does contain a lot of interesting info.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read but not what I expected. Containing both lore and practical work but I feel that it tried to cover way too much and thus really only scratched the surface on most of it.

[Helga Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved, simple and have something of everything of the gypsy life.

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I totally couldn't get into this book, it was okay...