Mastering Witchcraft. A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens

by Paul Huson

An enduring classic since its publication in 1970, Mastering Witchcraft is one of the best how-to manuals for those wishing to practice traditional European Witchcraft as a craft rather than a New Age religion. Starting from first principles, Huson instructs the novice step by step in the arts of circle casting, blessing and banning, the uses of amulets and talismans, philters, divination, necromancy, waxen images, knots, fascination, conjuration, magical familiars, spells to arouse passion or lust, attain vengeance, and of course, counter-spells to exorcize and annul the malice of others."A genuine vade mecum."-The Catholic Herald.

Genres: Witchcraft, Occult, Nonfiction, Magick, Wicca, Paganism, Magic

258 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2006

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 4 out of 5]

an early childhood favorite! the copy that i own was published in 1970, the year of my birth, and this perhaps encouraged my intimate connection to this handy field guide for beginners. Huson writes in a candid, engaging style, and is open about the problems that face the modern witch. such as the need for simple privacy, elucidated on page 31:

"...now supposing at just that precise moment the door to your place of working were to open and your husband or maybe your mother-in-law were to confront you, uttering words to the effect of 'Audrey! What are you doing dressed up like that in here? And what's all this terrible smoke? Are you trying to set the place on fire?'....Total anticlimax."

besides the actual spells painstakingly detailed throughout the book, i learned many things studying this resource manual during my formative 6th & 7th grade years:

(1) a guy can be a witch too!

(2) changing your given name is POWER. but then you're stuck with it, so reflect carefully and don't pick a stupid one that you'll regret later.

(3) there is a difference between romantic love and hot sex; fortunately there are spells for both.

(4) love spells are best performed on a friday around 8 in the morning. apparently this is when love sign Taurus is really on the move.

(5) one can love, believe in, and respect Almighty God (as He is referred to in this guide) while still understanding Satan (referred to, disturbingly, as "The Lord of the World" in this book).

(6) naked frolics are not just for hippies etc....they can also be convened for more sinister purpose! they are particularly useful, as the author states, "to get the black juices flowing".

(7) approach divination sensitively. the 72 beings formed out of primordial fire before man even evolved do not particularly appreciate the humiliation of being conjured up by apelike, clay-formed homo sapiens.

(8) the wearing of basic black at all times has an ancient tradition of coolness & don't-fuck-with-me-ness. i can't help but recognize that this continues to exist in this modern day. for example, noted witch Johnny Cash. and have you noticed that Gwyneth Paltrow overwhelmingly favors black in her wardrobe choices? something to consider.

(9) forming a coven is an important way to build community and create powerful spells. but what i did not learn was how to deal with upstart asshole witches who want to challenge your title of high priest. as a child, i felt this was a severe lack. it is simply being realistic to assume that there will always be some ambitious pain-in-the-ass to deal with if you've risen to the top (as i naturally assumed i would). if a youngster like myself realized this, why didn't Master Witch Paul Huson recognize this important topic?

(10) once you enter the world of the Black Arts, once you start noticing how the world really operates... OTHER THINGS BEGIN TO NOTICE YOU. shudder! this was perhaps the biggest reason that i never tried to enact any of the many spells described in this guide. well that and the fact that as a child, i read this book while attending regular Bible study classes, which caused some understandable and uncomfortable spiritual confusion.

i suppose the main reason i enjoyed this book so much as a youth was because it hinted at a much wider world existing on the edge of the world we know. it was fascinating to consider! on the one hand, the Bible presented a world that i earnestly wanted to understand and be a part of; on the other hand, Mastering Witchcraft presented a world that was just too cool for Bible school. of course, every child yearns to be cool, and certainly being a practitioner of the Black Arts would make me feel so much cooler - and it assured me that i would have a built-in cool witch peer group to befriend and get naked with. exciting stuff for an alienated young military brat who found this for a quarter or so at a neighborhood rummage sale. secretly reading this felt less like rebelling and more like understanding the secrets of the world, and how to get the best out of that world. it felt like a positive, celebratory, eye-opening experience. and thus i enjoyed Mastering Witchcraft, and loved the world around me, a little bit more.

i say, celebrate the power of Witchcraft!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out with a lot of very interesting history and the author has a very unique voice (and a good sense of humor).

It wasn't bad, i didn't dislike this book, but a lot of his opinions and rituals were off-putting to me, and from the recitation of "The Lord's Prayer" backwards to some of the chapters on demons and the strictness of his rituals, FOR ME - I felt like this book represented "The Dark Side of the Wiccan Coin." In a nutshell, most of the things I dislike about Wicca were still present in this book, only turned on their head.

I will say, though, that the laugh I got out of the sex magic chapter made the book WELL worth the price.

The ideal way to employ your powers of fascination are, of course, if you can get your prospective victim onto home territory; the witches' lair! Invite your victim round for drinks and dinner, hopefully with the moon waxing on a Friday, though this isn't generally necessary. Friday, apart from magical consideration, is a good night, as your victim in all probability won't be pressured to rush off after dinner on the pretext of work the following day!

Put him at his ease, serving cocktails before dinner if you like but keeping everything casual and intimate; use candlelight if possible. Wear a dab of your Cernunnos perfume. (See end of chapter.) Prepare the dinner yourself. This will provide you with an ideal opportunity to employ your philters. But don't overdo them. You don't want the food or wine to acquire a strange taste.

The meal itself might well consist of a juicy meat dish, as rarely done as you can manage it, wellgarnished with sage, thyme, or coriander philter powder, and maybe served with a crisp side salad containing such amatory vegetables as endive, parsley, raw carrots, and apples; chilled tomatoes stuffed with basil can also be a good thing to serve. Of course, oysters and champagne are excellent in these matters, but you should first take the trouble to find out whether your victim appreciates them. Some unfortunate souls find them nauseating even to contemplate, and this is hardly the frame of mind to cast your future lover into at the beginning of the evening! It might be well to find out exactly what your victim's tastes in food actually are before you even embark upon the meal, and vary your menu accordingly.

After dinner, philters can again be ever so subtly introduced into liqueurs. These should be drunk in a room which you have previously fumigated with a suitable love incense; the lights should be low, and music may be playing very softly in the background. You should contrive to place your victim so that he is seated with his back to the west. You should be in the east, the place of power. You may now begin your process of fascination, secure in the knowledge that he is all but yours for the taking. At this point, you must introduce your eye technique. How to catch your victim's gaze with your own is a matter of individual preference. Some witches still use the old dust-in-the-eye dodge. Others just fix their gaze rudely on the point between the eyes of their victim without more ado. In my opinion this is die best way - the frontal attack!

Should he - I say he; it will be she if you happen to be a warlock - should he, in fact, sternly resist all your attempts to catch his eye, then you can only conclude that maybe he has guessed what is afoot; you should then immediately pass to phase two of the operation, manual technique.

This is effected by the introduction of an exterior object of some delicateness or precision, which will be placed in his hands for closer scrutiny. Your witch jewel loaded with your magnetism is ideal for this. Now while he is examining this, you must take the opportunity to settle close enough to him to initiate and maintain some form of manual contact with his body, beaming all the concentrated force of your witch power into him through the link, whether it be shoulder, waist, knee, or even more intimate parts.
Should he by some devious process manage to elude your grasp, move directly to phase three, breath technique. In order to do this, you must arrange yourself in such a way that you can actually breathe on him, preferably near his face and ideally into his mouth, again powerfully emitting the full radiance of your witch power through your open lips. At this point, you will probably have gained full ocular contact at last, so you may also use this additional channel for your powers of sorcery. Having got thus far I would say you are off and away. All that remains is that you turn the conversation instantly to matters of sex. However, if all else fails, I can only suggest you resort to the use of one of the following spells.

Seriously? Philters, jewels, moon phases and spells? If he came to your house on a Friday night for a home-cooked dinner alone, I PROMISE you - all you have left to do is take your pants off.

[Ruby Hollyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the hard-core-ness of this book most of all. No fluffiness here! It is witchcraft of a brand I personally refer to as "decadent", no offense intended. I like that brand most of the time. What I mean by that is it dates from a time before Wicca mainstreamed and became a major contender in the pc-er-than-thou competition (along with Buddhism, etc.). Before Wicca became a branch of Unitarian Universalism and the Peace movement. But long after the hereditary traditions had died down to near nothing in most cases. So it pulls some from hereditary witchcraft, more than a little from the schools of "whatever works" and "we are oppressed and must fight our enemies", and a lot from hermeticism. None of this bothers me. The material is for serious magicians who are not lazy or easy spooked. I would say the book is just what a book should be: unique and not a reproduction or rehashing of anything else. Not recommended to anyone for whom harmlessness or defenselessness is the main goal of their spiritual practice.

[Steve Cran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now you cannot just read a book on witchcraft and expect to master it. Such a task may involve lifetimes of work and would require the practitioner to obtain many more than one book. Of course it took me long enough to to read this work, and a meritorious work it is.

The book has a different perspective than Wicca and is different from any work by Scott Cummingham. The book starts off with discussing witch blood and who were the original watchers. Speculation is out as to whether they were faeries or fallen angel. The power for the witch comes from within and is called "witch power "

The book does follow the belief in the lord and the lady. Respectively called Cernunnos and Habindia.
The book has easy to follow rituals for consecrating your tools and equipment. Plus there are easy to follow recipes for various perfumes an incenses with many of the ingredients available at your local grocer.

This book is for the practical witch who wants control over their environment. After you self initiate and consecrate your tools there is instruction on how to to cast your circle, make a triangle of manifestation. There is a chapter on divination methods and how to construct your tools.

Other full chapters include love magic, lust magic, cursing, protective magic etc. no money magic.

The final chapter talks about setting up your own coven and how to select themes and animal totems. There is a brief tidbit on Sabbats.

Overall great book for beginners and intermediate practitioners. Some more advanced practitioners may benefit from the spell contained there in.

[Fawn Hexe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a ‘newbie’ to witchcraft these days seems NOT to be something worthy of boasting; not that I am in any way, shape or form new to this path. It seems everybody is either an amateur historian/psychologist or been at it so long they know EVERYTHING. Far be it for a curious individual to be drawn to this way of empowerment, either through a natural tendency already inherent or a genuine passion developed over time, people come to the witches’ path with a thirst for knowledge. I remember when things were new to me as well, I poured through every book I could get my hands on in those days…but I quickly learned to be a more discerning reader and to tread carefully in unfamiliar territory.

The question is always: what books TO READ then? What are the foundational books which most people in the community have read, and often recommend? Those trends tend to change, but some books remain a steadfast compass, pointing in the right direction which to pursue a more practical witchcraft. One book I have heard come up again and again in conversation circles, especially in recent years, has included Paul Huson’s “Mastering Witchcraft”. Every time I heard someone mention it was more embarrassed I had never picked it up.

Huson is VERY practical in his approach and this is why the text has become such a classic. Covering all the popular areas of love and protection spells, he also emphasizes the use of ritual; making every act sacred and meaningful. The exorcising and cleansing involved in each ritual object is stressed upon, along with emotions at the forefront for proper magical projection; all acts which take some amount of time. People tend to rush through their spell work these days; keeping their magicks at the same fast-paced, instant gratification level as everything else in our lives. But just like fast food, you get what you pay for: if you want cheap, pre-packaged plastic magick the results are going to be just as shabby. Huson gives detailed instructions on practicing witchcraft as an Art, for it is a craft to hone and not a talent to waste on trifles.

Without delving into too much information on the different deities suggested, Huson jumps right in on invocation and working with these specific beings; something I found just a little too careless. I prefer to investigate and research well known spirits before asking for assistance with spell work, but to each his/her own. However, this is my only real complaint about the text…everything else was delightfully detailed and relevant for both newcomers to traditional witchcraft practices and for those who may be a little more seasoned. “Mastering Witchcraft” has something to offer everyone and I now understand why it is recommended on so many ‘must have’ lists.

[Evie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is about as historically accurate as the scientology Bible, it's essentially alternative history: it makes no reference to primary sources or outlines the basis of whatever wild conclusions are drawn, and assumes that all mythologies are a reflection of the same underlying structure.

The type of "history" writing this book displays irritates me because it's so incredibly elitist. Instead of focusing on the folk practices and beliefs that lived on in "Christian" Europe after the elite (as in the nobility and religious leaders) turned to the church, this type of book invents a cult of scholars that kept pagan knowledge alive, but hid it from the people. Except this pagan knowledge is all about the nephilim? Make it make sense...

Ironically, the author scoffs at the "yokes imposed by organized religion," as if most witches in Europe haven't been Christian, as if being Christian has meant unqeuestioning intellectual submission to authority and thought for most Europeans. Again, incredibly elitist (not to mention, blatantly untrue).

The book also collapses cherry picked parts of pagan cosmologies in order to fit a predetermined narrative of the true, real origins of myth where fallen angels gave us the Truth. Literally couldn't roll my eyes any harder.

"The four cornerstones of the witches pyramid are: a virulent imagination, a will of fire, rock-hard faith, and a flair for secrecy."

In describing the basis of magic this author puts a lot of emphasizes on directed but passionate (as in, strongly felt) emotion channeled through will, with absolute faith, in ritual. I mean, as far as witchcraft methodologies go that's a pretty good perspective. It's not, however, the only way nor is it reflective of an historical truth preserved by a "witch cult."

And, again, there are no references to primary sources. As far as an ontology of witchcraft goes, this one appears to be pulled straight out of the authors head with no foundation in any existing, real, historical tradition. Which would be fine, if it weren't for the insinuation that it was ancient wisdom from the fictitious witch cult (not to mention the only possible way to be a witch).

An example where the authors lack of actual historical knowledge is made apparent is when he claims that "in European mythology the sun has always been seen as a symbol of a male divinity, the moon a female one." Guess the Norse aren't considered European then? Fancy that... and isn't it funny how the witches alphabet, supposedly a relic from Atlantis, lines up perfectly with the roman alphabet? It's almost as if, stay with me, it's a pile of horseshit.

Don't even get me started on the sex magic chapter. If you need to ply someone with spell after spell AFTER they're already ar your house for dinner on a Friday evening what are you even doing? What is this nonsense?

[Davin Raincloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will tell you why I am giving this book 5 stars. It's not because I give full approval to everything in the book, or the morality of certain actions, or the accuracy of what is said. I give it 5 stars because it's an excellent primer for the world of actual witchcraft. Not the theory, not the history, not all about what traditional is this or that.

If you want to know about witchcraft, as it's practised today in the west, read this book. It will open your eyes.

How can you protect yourself, if you don't even know what is going on?

Forget Scott Cunningham, give this to a beginner. If I had read this years ago I would have saved a lot of time.

Yes, it's written in the 70s, yes not everything written is sourced or accurate, but it's a practical guide.

I don't endorse or dismiss the ethical aspects of doing this stuff, I just think you need to be informed about what can be done with witchcraft, then make up your own mind.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually bought this book twice because I lost my first copy. I practiced Celtic Wicca for years but I was inherently dissatisfied with the sweetness and light outlook because I'm a dark person by nature. My interest in witchcraft initially started in grade school with movies and books that featured medieval themes and, predominantly, the medieval idea of witchcraft (which included the recitation of the Lord's Prayer backwards). What really grabbed me about this book was the fact that it seemed to adhere most closely to the type of rituals and practices that were portrayed therein and drew me in to begin with.

When I went through a spiritual crisis and tossed out all my Wicca 101 books (of which I had a great number), this was one book I held onto and which inspired my subsequent interest in Traditional Witchcraft. I'm rating this one five stars because it made such an impact on my outlook, my thinking and it inspired me to seek a path truer to who I am. There are books that change us or open us up to new and/or better possibilities and that's what this book did for me.

[Cat · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really did not agree with alot of the things said in this book. I joined a Pagan book club and we decided that this was to be the first book we read. First off it said to recite the lords prayer backwards to break with a Christian upbringing. In my thinking rather than break with my Christian upbringing wouldn't it be better to just commit myself to honoring the God and Goddess by being initiated. To me this book focused on what lead me away from being a Christian. It focused on the negative and not the positive. It did give a warning about using dark magic but not enough for my liking. Also in my opinion the love spells were more how to control some one else. So all in all as a more enlightened Witch I think I will stick to more balanced books that try to improve who I am.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dated classic, but still a classic, considering the importance of just the existence of texts on traditional witchcraft. Nowadays there are other texts to recommend for the beginner, but Huson delivers still an enjoyable, inspiring read for practical aims & actions as witchy as they can be while his metaphysics don't lack appeal but are debatable in regards of the highly questionable historical foundations he makes use of.

Apropos: At "The Used Key is Always Bright" you can find an intersting iterview series with practitioners of the Craft in which one of the chapters of Husons book is subject of each talk. You may start here.

[Nick Hendry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books I own a couple of copies of. This book isn't for every practioner, but one that should be own for those who are serious on the Craft. This is not Wiccan! The author gives great information and shares wonderful knowledge, but not everything in the book is exactly as it seems so the reader needs to do some homework on their own which is good. The author does this so people don't just mess with the craft and toy with it.

[Christopher Orapello · Rating 4 out of 5]

An influential and still recommended book despite being published 40 yrs ago. An interesting presentation of modern witchcraft that contains Wiccan and Solomonic elements, but doesn't hold back on material and content. I was especially pleased to find a whole chapter on the art of necromancy with a ritual provided. This book offers a lot of great material!

[Bailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I Liked

I’ve been looking into working with the wind in magic and this book gave an interesting reference for wind coming from the north that I will be looking into. He also talks about gardening by the moon, attempting to make it sound witchier than it is, but it was still nice to see.

Huson did all the illustrations in the book himself and they are quite striking.

What I Didn’t Like

Let’s start at the beginning. All of the history in this book is trash. I’ll assume it’s because the book was published in 1970 and so all his resources are from the 60s or earlier. And boy… was that a time in historical scholarship. He even calls Gerald Gardner an anthropologist, which he was not.

Going off of that is the incredible lack of even an acknowledgement of Kabbalah being Jewish and even using the “Cabbala” spelling. Jewitches has a wonderful article if you wish to learn more about that problematic history.

A lot of his information is from ceremonial/Hermetic texts such as Transcendental Magic by Éliphas Lévi which he does not cite or mention and Aleister Crowley (who he gives credit). In this line of thought, any time he talks about working with spirits in this book, he insists on binding them and trapping them. Exerting your will over them and forcing the spirits to do your bidding. Which is a very ceremonial magician kind of relationship that I personally find distasteful. And honestly, as a book meant for beginners, it doesn’t go into enough detail, only showing one specific spirit (Vassago).

He’s also fairly hypocritical in saying a witch can’t break their word or lie because then their spells won’t be powerful but at the same time don’t tell anyone what you’re doing. So if someone comes asking questions… lie?

He claims that a quote from Dune (published in 1965) is an old witch verse. Maybe Frank Herbert knows something I don’t, but I can’t find this quote literally anywhere else. It’s a beautiful verse, it’s just not what he claims it is. He also claims that the Charge of the Goddess is “traditional” but I would say it’s only traditional as in Doreen Valiente wrote it based on “Aradia, Gospel of the Witches” for Gerald Gardners coven.

He uses a lot of prescriptive rules about giving yourself a witch name, who’s allowed to wear what in ritual, how things are made, and general ritual tools that are very Wiccan. Even the consecration method is Wiccan. Almost all of it can be found in Doreen Valientes books. He even has the practitioner create a magic circle in a Wiccan manner. Trad Craft lays a Compass which is for a different purpose than a circle.

He claims that a lot of the spells are traditional but one takes from Hoodoo, another uses the sator square in a very not traditional love spell, and others are just very modern in understanding. There’s also a love spell where he seems to only think about heterosexual couples, despite later being in a relationship with another man for 49 years. Though this could simply be a way to avoid bigotry (he may not have been out at the time of publishing). And while I don’t have any real qualms with love magic in general there was one spell that just made me think “JUST TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER”

The book has a big focus on Wiccan deities and claims any figure associated with witches are the same ones. Again a lot of incorrect history when talking about deities. He really forces them into a box making it seem as though Habondia (for example) should only be called on for healing and Cernunnos only for things that are aggressive. He also tries to force them all into the Persephone and Hades myth at one point.

When it comes to the chapter on protection and counter magic all I could think was “who are you making so mad sir?” Like who is going about their day so mad at you, you need to be constantly on the watch for curses? I’m not saying you shouldn’t protect yourself, just that you don’t need to be that paranoid.

This same section talked about familiars (which I had been excited for) but it had its own issues. Not one was an actual familiar. First it was giving Latin names that came from absolutely no where. Then it tried to tell us that a “totem” animal was a familiar. A totem animal is an animal that indigenous groups believe they descend from or protects them (sometimes both). The way he spoke about it was more like a mascot. He also talked about pets as familiars which… is a big pet peeve of mine. A pet cannot fulfill the role of a familiar. They are physically incapable and as a pet owner YOU are responsible for their safety. Not the other way around. Off my soap box, the last kind he talked about was a servitor. Which I suppose can be close, except they are created to serve a purpose in a way similar to a computer program. A familiar is a spirit with its own consciousness and will who has agreed to work with you in magic. And the next big thing with this section is he doesn’t even tell you how to gain one of these as a “familiar.”

At one point in the cursing section, he calls a poppet a “voodoo doll.” Voodoo practitioners tell me they don’t use them. He also says “magical elements inherent within the West Indian voodoo cult should be incorporated” to “give your coven a more African flavor.” Going on to say “the entities are exactly the same.” No! They’re not! Bad, English man, bad! Loa are not the same as Cernunnos or Aradia. Please for the love of cultural respect do not just start contacting loa without being a voudousant going through the proper channels.

He also talks about binding yourself with a cord to restrict blood flow which is something I’ve only seen when talking about Gardnerian Wiccan practices and it’s off shoots. It came up in the cursing section as well is in the initiations.

He likes to call any practices that aren’t ceremonial primitive, saying “One such primitive example involves the hammering of three iron nails in triangular formation into the north side of a tree, naming the victims name at each blow; I believe this is still practiced in the Ozarks to this day.”

Two last things. The sabbat rituals are all Wiccan not trad craft. He has a recipe for “sabbat oil” to be used before heading out physically to the rituals but it’s all the traditional herbal components to flying ointment, a traditional witchcraft tool for spirit flight.

The lack of in text citations is just the cherry on top for me.

Overall Thoughts

This was a hard book for me to get through. Much of it was ceremonial magic with a few dashes of trad practices and VERY Wicca leaning. I just disagree with the author on too many subjects and, as a history nerd, there’s too much misinformation. It’s not that these workings wouldn’t work, just the surrounding details that are problematic along with the encouragement of appropriation.

This book confuses Wicca and trad craft. I can’t recommend this book unfortunately, and honestly don’t even feel like people should read it from a cultural literacy stand point. I wish the author well though, as he’s still around.

[Gryffin Veritas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The interesting thing about this book is that many would never recommend it to a prospective student, and yet, for those of us from a certain generation, this was an important, early influence. I still like the book a lot, but would only recommend it for an advanced practitioner to show what things were once like. Huson was a student of Alex Sanders, hence the includion of several ceremonial aspects, such as the conjuration of Vassago and Flauros from the Goetia. It's not really Alexandrian or Gardnerian, but strikes me as more traditional witchcraft with ceremonial techniques thrown in.

[Anne Lydolf · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book offers little historical information on witchcraft and also appears fixated on witchcraft as a sexual force rather than religious and cultural expression. It also encourages cultural appropriation. I would steal clear.

[Rusty]

Good read for someone who has been studying this subject matter for a long time. Not good for a beginner.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should be Mastering Wicca.Totally and often tacky Wiccan ideologies.

[Kasmira · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a classic. Anyone who wants to begin in traditional craft, or even just has a passing interest, must read it.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros: Extremely practical and very fascinating, with lots of historical insight. If you'd like to actually get some witchery on, it's a great starting point. Favorite chapters were the first one (basics and theory) and Counterspells and Defense. The divination chapter gets bonus points for including a real live demon summoning ritual for the purposes of knowledge (and lots of emphatic and correct caveats). Not going to do that, but wow was it cool to read.

Cons: Old-fashioned. Exhaustingly heteronormative and gender-binary reinforcing. The love spells chapter is creepy AF. A lot of pulling from the Kabbalah in a way that feels appropriative? Super Eurocentric (not that I expected otherwise, since those are the traditions focused on, but a lot of interesting stuff that would have been relevant didn't get a mention at all other than a dismissive comment about how hard it is to blend "eastern" and "western" magic)

Tl;dr, it's absolutely worth reading, but it's a bit of a struggle. I wholeheartedly recommend you skip around a bit.

[Brother Moloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE classic book on Witchcraft. I bought my original paperback copy from Tyrad Co back in 1989, performed the Reverse Lord's Prayer for 3 consecutive nights and like magic, it felt like the bonds of my youth fell away. From the title, I half expected blood and sacrifices to be a part of the book's curriculum yet it works quite well without any lurid sanguine need. Furthermore, Huson shows you how to conjure Vassago, a useful spirit who has visionary powers as well as how to make the tools, what the Witch's Pyramid is, how to do love spells, and even how to really screw someone up if they mess with you. While I never had to use this latter info, it is nice to know it. Huson does a fine job of teaching you how to be a Witch, not a Pagan nor a Wiccan who in my humble opinion, suffer too much from feelings of guilt. If only they would perform the Reverse Lord's Prayer.... I eventually found a used, hardcover copy of this book with the dust cover intact for a few dollars and it looks very acceptable.

[Nemo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in part because it got recommended by various authors;

That being said, i loved about 70% of the book and found it very well written and inspirational. Some of the parts sounded very dogmatic or trying to mystify something that doesn't need to be mystified; as if to artificially enhance the influence the book has?

Anyway, i still find it is a very well written book, if you keep in mind that it was published 1970 and therefore may vary in its methodology. While it is not wiccan, it employs a magic that is at least wicca-adjacent, but without its ethics. If you're an ex-wiccan, i think this approach would suit you and therefore recommend it to beginners who have basics down, and ex-wiccans.

The huge drawback is the long list of requirements and ingredients, yet this is explained by the author and employed method. Some of which can be pricy to get into in the beginning.

I wouldn't quite say this work is a neccessary read, but im still elated that i had the opportunity to read this book and get a good glimpse into a practice so vastly different to mine.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lauded classic in the occult community, I had been looking forward to reading this book for sometime. The first two chapters were interesting, as were bits and pieces in later chapters, but overall, I found it to be a dusty and bloated cabalistic text. The superficially detailed spells and ritual components were lacking in sufficient background context. While a new witch can certainly get straight to business with this text, they are left at the mercy of the author’s presumed authority while scribbling esoteric runes onto highly personal ritual paraphernalia and calling on a hodgepodge of powers from traditions they likely know little to nothing about.

I wouldn’t say to pass this one up entirely, however. A beginner’s text it is not, but it contains useful nuggets for the more experienced practitioner. I may yet cherry pick from it for my own ends from time to time, though the bulk of the material is not quite my cuppa.

[Bonnie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been hearing about this book for a while. It's been popping up on must-read lists and I've seen it cited in several bibliographies. I enjoyed it, even though this is for the beginner witch, it was still a nice refresher read. Plus, I really like the attention to cosmology in the beginning. That is something you don't really get with a lot of books. I happened upon this book in an bookshop called Bell, Book, and Candle. I walked in expecting to see all manner of witchy delights but was disappointed to find an elderly gent tending to his rather large collection of military and history tomes. Still, I managed to hone in on this one little gem and it turned out to be a collectable! So, I am the proud owner of this little gem of a book that I do recommend to beginner and seasoned practitioner alike.

[Sean Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dark yet fun turn towards the practice of magic in a witchcraft context and provides tons of different a-moral rituals to try out. focusing on Love, Divination, Vengeance, Protection and Covens using planetary magic, a demon of the goatia and the witches pyramid. More focused on traditional witchcraft with blended judeo-christian lore. What the book excels at is making you feel super witchy and helps bridge the gap between witchcraft and ceremonial magic. Ideas for incense and the odd ritual/recipe are good but i wouldn't suggest trying all the rituals because... well.. who has the time carve a mandrake root and dry it in the oven? - I would say its a must buy but only to have on your shelf. Don't break the bank on it.

[Shuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for being revolutionary when it was published in 1970
-1 star for periodic bad advice (I don't even know where to begin with the Vassago conjuration...)
-1 star for serious lack of sourcing
+1 star for still being perfectly practical and useful upon re-reading in 2019

For a nostalgic book on witchcraft from childhood, it stands up well to the test of time!

[Colubrina Laticauda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bel libro, vecchio, ma con i "soliti" contenuti, ma spiegati meglio e più approfonditi.
Conditi da una sana dose di ironia, non è un libro di "Magia Nera" come sembrerebbe dal titolo italiano.
Chi si interessa dell'argomento, dovrebbe leggerlo.

[Scarlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very educational & informative. Focus is on more traditional practical methods.

[Krisanne Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very practical how-to book with spells and rituals and recipes. It will be a good resource book for me.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute classic and must have for every witch! This kind of craft is where the rubber meets the road.