Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Magical Living

by Maria DeBlassie

Winner of the Gold Medal Living Now Book Awards for the Enlightenment/Spirituality Category for 2022
Practical tips for the modern mystic by bruja and award-winning writer and educator, Maria DeBlassie.

This guide is full of proverbial spells, daily conjurings, and mystical insights designed to help those in search of a little more magic in their day-to-day life, no complicated spells, expensive accessories, or experience required. 

That's the thing about everyday it's always within reach, within the self, and in the world. Only not in the way readers might normally think. It's a less mumbling 'double double toil and trouble' over a cauldron and trouble and more cooking a delicious soup in a beloved cast iron pot. It's simple. It's mundane. It's magic! 

This book offers grounded mystical practices, including how to turn routines into healing rituals, to teach readers how to connect to themselves, the Universe, and the magic of everyday life. Journey into the realm of pleasure magic, radical self-care, synchronicity, and the profound joy of living a life beyond the expected with this alternative guide to daily mystic practices. 

After all, true magic is in the everyday.

Other Books by Maria DeBlassie
Everyday Musings on Ordinary Magic & Daily Conjurings
Hungry A Gothic Story about the Horrors of Dating
Weep, Woman, A Gothic Fairytale about Ancestral Hauntings

Follow the
mariadeblassie.com

Genres: Nonfiction, Witchcraft, Magic, Religion

128 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2021

About the author

Dr. Maria DeBlassie is a native New Mexican mestiza and award-winning writer and educator living in the Land of Enchantment. She writes and teaches about spooky stuff, romance, and all things witchy. She is forever looking for magic in her life and somehow always finding more than she thought was there. Find out more about Maria and conjuring everyday magic at mariadeblassie.com.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover (always a sucker for that) and the content and idea of “everyday magic.” When I think of everyday magic, I think of ways of incorporating magic into my everyday life, perhaps 5 minute spells or meditations, or ways of connecting to nature throughout the day. However, that’s not what this book is, and I wouldn’t call it another witchcraft 101 book either (thankfully). In fact, witchcraft is mentioned a few times, and the author discusses her own type of practice, and a few mentions of divination, but it’s not really a witchcraft book at all, in my opinion.

This book reads almost like a self-help book, and I believe the target audience would be someone who may be drawn to a more magical or witchy lifestyle but is maybe in a rut, or doesn’t know how to relax and needs a crash course in mindfulness (we all do at some point). The author explains how she was once super busy in grad school with multiple jobs, and once she found free time to herself, she needed to reconnect with who she was and decided to create a blog to celebrate the “magic” of everyday. In this case, it’s not really spells, or the magic I was initially think of, but more so setting boundaries, learning how to include self care into your every day, creating a sacred space, etc- generally being mindful throughout the day and turning mundane tasks and events into positive, or even magical moments.

Though I don’t feel like I learned anything new, it was a nice reminder to be grateful for something daily, slow down, enjoy the moment and I immediately made myself a cup of tea and drew myself a bath after reading it. So even though it wasn’t what I was expecting, it was still a quick, pleasant read (which even included a short, sweet story about adopting her kitten- animal lovers always get bonus points from me!). Overall 3.5/5.

[Andee · Rating 2 out of 5]

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book with the expectation that it would be practical routines and ideas for everyday magic, as the blurb stated. However, what I got was a collection of the authors blog posts about self-care. It feels as though it fell into any other mindfulness practice based book or blog, and very minimally about magical practice. I can recognize where there is magic in the mundane, and the self-care. This has already been heavily apart of my own practice. I expected there to be something new and refreshing here, but I didn’t find any of it.
There was also a heavy focus on the “woman who does x” or “the divine feminine” and so on- I don’t identify as a woman. I don’t identify within the gender binary. Which makes these statements feel as though they are no applicable to me- even with the afterthought that was often added to these statements. There was also a focus on the deity Eros, and Greek deities as a whole. I don’t work with this group, which also felt like it was not applicable to me.
That’s alright, I’ve ready plenty of magical books that didn’t feel like I could relate to them- but they didn’t bring anything new to the table with this one.

[CC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coming out of Covid I'm in a cycle of change and this book stood out to me from the publisher offerings. While I was happy to receive the copy it wasn't actually what I was after personally, though I'm sure it will be a nice read for others. There is a lot of repetition (which the author acknowledges with several instances of 'like I said earlier') and some passages are repeated pretty much verbatim ('especially for women of color and other minorities, whose time and labor are too often exploited without adequate compensation') which made me feel like taking out my proofreading pen rather than take notes of advice. I didn't enjoy the sensation that I was reading a cut and paste of earlier essays or blogs, improperly collected. All of the guidance I also found maybe a bit too practical, veering into basic, though we all can use a little reminding to smell the roses now and then.

[Murtaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend Practically Pagan for adults who are struggling with the corporate world and work-life balance trying to juggle their career and family obligations while trying to become the best version of themselves and grow their own selves through various hobbies and connecting with their inner selves more powerfully. It's a great book for introverts who want guidance and inspiration to cope with different emotional situations and life changes. The message is to not change but to be proud of themselves and live their life on their own terms making the most of their life.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book, full of spells, and rituals , a wonderful book that would be great for any new witch or the more experienced practitioners. A lot more self-help than I had realised, but how much it made me reflect on the magic in my everyday and the world around it’s definitely worth it.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

[Rena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded for 2.75 stars, not what I expected based on the title and blurb of this book. An Alternative Guide to Magical Living promised to provide spells, guide to magical conjuring and mystical insights designed to help find magic in our everyday lives. Even though I have not learned anything new to me in the book, I thought author had several good tips on how to find joy in everyday life and importance of self-care. It was good to have a reminder of what to focus on to improve health and emotional well-being with few simple changes in everyday life. What I found disappointing was that the several good points author made has been repeated over and over throughout the book offering no spells no recipes and no insights on how to find magic. This book could be a helpful resource for a single person with comfortable income, however not very applicable for a woman with young kids and not a lot of money to go to farmers market to buy organic produce every Thursday.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Jade aka MrsTosh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction to this book is beautifully written and reminds me of the quote "Those who don't believe in magic will never find it". The reader is invited into the book as a lost friend. My personal reasons for clicking on this book is that paganism intrigues me, it is a religion as old as time and I am lucky enough to be one of those people who see the beauty all around me and in simple things. already. After living in a world with covid for the last 2 years, I just feel like I need a re-fresh and I had hoped this book would help me start do that.

However, I am not sure this book is really a guide to magical living, it is more an autobiographical book about the authors journey into magic, about her experiences with self love, self care, about slowing down and taking time to notice what is around you. As a beginner into the subject I had expected something a little more instructional.

That being said I really enjoyed her approach into the subject it has been insightful as was her cultural background and believes, it is just not what I was looking for at this particular time. To me personally some of the steps are quite basic and common sense. There was a tendency for the book to get a little repetitive, the same antidotes were told throughout, and again for me personally most of this I already practice.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Jo Frizzell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! I generally don’t read books like this, but I was drawn to it. I am dating someone who is pagan and the title drew me in. I was hoping for more information and was not disappointed. It kept me interested and answered questions, while showing different ways to see magic in everyday life. I have always believed that there is magic in the world and reading this book reinforced that fact.

[Heather K Veitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest addition to Moon Books’ Practically Pagan series, Maria DeBlassie’s An Alternative Guide to Magical Living doesn’t exactly do what it says on the tin, but is still an informative and encouraging read. To be clear — this isn’t necessarily a book on magical living (in terms of the basics of Paganism) but it cover many aspects that underpin living a more magical life.

Many people think that living a magical life is all spells and potions all the time, but it’s more than that — and I’m speaking here as an experienced Witch with many years under her belt. It is understanding where you came from, who you are today, and where you’re going — which the author covers as she weaves her own story throughout this book. It is also ensuring that you are taking the best care of yourself as possible, so as to provide a firm foundation for any magical work that you may wish to do — so this includes things like self-care, mindfulness, slow living, being aware of nudges and winks from the Universe/Divine and so on. Reframing your everyday rituals as magical, remembering to schedule your doctor’s appointment, taking your med, challenging your limiting beliefs, finding joy in the everyday — all of this underpins a magical practice, and that’s what the author is getting at here.

There are meditations, rituals, and journal prompts in this book, but they are firmly rooted in the everyday, in the mundane and practical, such as taking care of yourself, getting used to saying no, or meditating on the benefits of doing a chore you hate. There are some energetic practices too, such as becoming aware of how you spend your energy each day, or listening to your intuition, and valuing your own instincts. However, there is a lot of emphasis on the Goddess and feminine spirituality, and therefore some readers who do not identify as female may feel alienated, which is a shame.

This book also goes into the deep work of dismantling societal conditioning that many of us take as “the norm” — such as the myth that productivity is more important that simply being; that consumerism and capitalism are the only ways to live; that being labelled as “less than” is acceptable. There are also discussions about being aware of generational trauma and working to heal it; mental health awareness and healthcare; and taking control of your own joy and pleasure without the ingrained guilt that many of us feel, amongst other things.

If you are looking for a book full of spells and rituals, look elsewhere; this isn’t it. If, however, you are looking for a book to challenge your thought processes, to help you reframe and redefine your life on your own terms, to encourage self-care and self-determination — all of which produce a good foundation for magical and spiritual work — then this is a great introduction.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Moon Books/John Hunt Publishing Ltd, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anais · Rating 2 out of 5]

🚀 the book in 3 sentences

1. exploring our inner power
2. opening ourselves to magic by letting go, unlearning bad habits, and relearning what feels truly good for us
3. this book is everything about the daily little habits that we can make significant and full of joy by turning them into routines

🎨 impressions

Overall, I felt a little bored because 20 or 30 pages could have been enough to say everything that there is in this book. The rest is pure repetition, arguments brought on slightly differently. The content is good though, even if there is not much about magic here. These are the perfect pieces of advice for those who are only starting to look into personal development and self-help.

who should read it?

Anyone looking for advice in self-development but that are reluctant to more strict ways and order and who has a more flowy lifestyle.

☘️ how the book changed me:
- I will be noticing the small details, the beautiful sunrise, and the smell of the breeze.
- Things happen for a reason; life sends us signals and messages all the time, we just need to be open enough to notice them

📒 summary + notes

The author walks us through her life, how she let the magic in and how it changed her, relieved her almost. As a Mexican woman in the US, she has all the more felt the pressure of the society and felt pressured to fit in, to satisfy everyone, her own well-being last on her priorities.

Slowly, she connected back to the magic and found balance in her life. She doesn't really tell us about her personal practices - she mentions tarot a few times, burning sage, ... - and that is a shame because I think that it would have been much more helpful than just telling us to embrace life, to enjoy doing the groceries and folding clothes.

This book was supposed to be about "*proverbial spells, daily conjurings, and mystical insights designed to help those in search of a little more magic in their day to day life*" but I did not find many daily conjurings here, only that we should say "no" more often. I expected it to be more on the mystical side. The label does not match the content of the book, and it is really misguiding. If it was labeled correctly as "self-help" the audience would have been different, and we would have the same expectations.

However, it feels like the author took her blog posts and put them together, hence the many repetitions and redundancies. If you would read the articles separately, one from time to time, it can be a great reminder to stay open to the beauty of life, but again, put together in a book, the value is lost.

Special thanks to Netgalley and John Hunt Publishing for sharing a digital copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

[Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am notoriously guilty of finding something I'm interested in and then immediately overwhelming myself with so much information that I don't know where to start. The practice of magic is something that has interested and entertained me for as much of my life as I can remember. Like most other things, any knowledge I gathered seemed overwhelming and I didn't know where to start and not screw something up.

Maria DeBlassie does a phenomenal job of making the practice of magic be much more achievable in this book, and reading it has made me finally understand how I can do every day things with intent, and use my intentions as a way to bring a little magic into my life and the lives of those I love. There are no magical requirements listed in this book other than learning to accept and love parts of yourself you have been trained to let wither, and use them to strengthen your connection to your sense of self as well as understand your strengths and the kind of magic that is available to you when you do that. She does a wonderful job of sharing her own practices and what led her to them - as well as what parts of her life led her away from them before she started down the path she leads.

I'd label this book as self help more than a "witchy" book, but it is honestly the first book on paganism and a magic lifestyle that I have truly felt I connected to, and helps me provide a wonderful base to now start adding on to. The things I've read in the past were much more practice based, involving divinations, in depth knowledge already required, and this book made me feel seen - like someone knew where I needed to start. This book feels like Marie is talking directly to me, leading me to the beginning of the path to start daily practices for better self care, living with intent, and understanding what my goals are. I don't think I was ever able to really visualize my witchy goals before this book, as it was more of a daydream of what I could do "when I had time".

I loved this book and am very thankful I found it. I look forward to reading the other Practically Pagan books, as well as more by Marie DeBlassie.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars


“In the end, isn’t balance and the healthy connection between mind, body, and soul what magic is all about? The irony of committing to self-care is that you rarely have tangible evidence of your growth, only the fullness in your chest that tells you that you’re living well. It is so deeply personal that only your bones and heart whispering their contentment tell me that you am truly listening to your needs. That’s the Goddess speaking. When we tap into this Goddess energy by unifying our bodies, minds, and spirits, we return to our magic. We have more time to take in the wider world around us. We create space to converse with the stars, ask the moon questions, and share our deepest wishes with the Universe—and hear them respond in turn. When we forget to nourish everyday magic through self-care, we forget to live. It can sometimes feel like a long road back to a well-rounded self. But you can’t get there until you first unlearned the toxic beliefs that disconnect you from the Divine Feminine. In order to heal, you must become your very own Persephone, at home in the Underworld and the world above, fluent in the language of the psyche and grounded in the routine of daily life. You must walk through Hell, know your demons and remember that angels walk among us.”

Practically Pagan by Maria DeBlassie is aimed at showing the reader how they can create a ‘little more magic’ in their life. The author does this by giving insights through sharing her own journey into everyday magic. She also provides practical examples, things that don’t require anything more than changing your mindset and in the process embracing more mindfulness, as well as emphasising the importance of selfcare. She shows how having a routine can be in itself quite ritualistic. It was great to be reminded of things that I already know but have let slip a little over the past couple of years.
Well worth the read!

Thank you, Maria DeBlassie!

[Roxsanne Lesieur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practically Pagan is a guide to rediscovering your passion for life and the skills you need to look after yourself, it starts with Maria DeBlassie talking about her life and how she realised that she had disconnected from herself and how this is not just from being a bruja, it is from her culture and heritage as well. She goes on to talk about how important finding the magic in the everyday actions each of us may take for granted this can include cooking a home cooked meal, taking a walk somewhere that brings you peace or even those daily chores which have to be done and how turning these into something deeper and more meaningful through infusing them with a little magic can make the world of difference. It is using simple tools to enrich and reconnect you to life in all its highs and lows, it isn’t expensive or hard to find, it is just using what is around and within you.

The book starts with explaining what everyday magic is and what can block it from engaging with you, then it moves on to talking about the Goddess within and how radical self care can bring her back to the fore and how to do this through making routine into ritual. Pleasure is the next section and how finding joy in the everyday is as important as looking into the shadows and finding joy there too, how to explore what brings you joy and also what brings the opposing emotions and tensions into it as well. Finally, she talks about how being open to the synchronicities in life can lead to living beyond the expected and how little by little, things will start to flourish as the path you are on becomes the one you were meant to travel.

This book is an inspirational way to finding yourself and what makes you happy and magical in everyday life, it is about what needs to be learned and unlearned through experience, hard work and determination to bring you back to you and thus the magic within you as well.

[Thalia Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

IBBB: T. Allen reviews Practically Pagan An Alternative Guide to … Magical Living by Maria Deblassie
In Deblassie’ book, she talks about how to come to terms with things in your life that maybe holding you back in Magical Living. There are times that I felt very called out, because I knew what she was talking
about in the book. (LOL) It is the things that you need to hear, when you least want to hear it, but in the best way possible. I felt that she was talking to me directly in this book with the examples that she gave
whether it be home life, work, anxiety etc.
Deblassie helps you navigate through the everyday muck and decipher the issues at hand that are preventing you from reaching the Magical Living potential that you have in your life. “You just need to create the space for magic”, as she says, “Just feel the ephemeral energy surrounding your, paying
special attention to where it might seem stuck—imagine untangling those parts so they are free-flowing again.” For example, I have been told, you don’t ask for patience, because you don’t get it, what you get
is opportunities for it. This is kind of the same thing...... but way better. As Deblassie helps you learn to let go of things in your life that are holding you back and relearn the things that give you joy in life, you
realize that you had it in you all along and just needed a push in the right direction.
This book helped put so many things in to prospective for me that, yes friends and family have told me before, but hearing it this way just seemed to click and make so much more sense. It is an easy book to
relate to, as well as pleasurable reading. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to reconnect to themselves and get out of doing the everyday “mindless busy” that we all get into without
meaning to.
“To feel the magic in and around you. All you have to do is listen. Look. Wait.”

[Audrey Halliwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley and the publisher. My review and opinions are completely my own. 

I believe this book will appeal to anyone just starting out on their spiritual journey or anyone who is already well versed but is looking for basic review or maintenance/motivation.

Some concepts discussed were mindfulness, looking for magic in everyday living, the importance of healthy, self fulfilling self care, among others. I loved how the author went beyond the typical "easy" self-care and pointed out how self-care is also about enriching yourself, such as cutting down on processed sugar and ensuring there are no toxic relationships in your life. Self-care isn't always easy, but important. It goes beyond bubble baths and relaxation techniques. The author also adds in personal stories.

I appreciated how the author discusses how her culture and journey affects her practice with magic. I appreciated this as a reminder that everyone's perceptions will be different based on our own experiences. She also touched briefly on culture appropriation, which is something that I feel like isn't shown enough. In fact, I would have loved to read more about this.

On a side note that didn't really affect the quality of the book, is the formatting looked off on my Kindle Paperwhite. Sometimes words at the beginning and start of a new paragraphs had extra spaces, like an extra two or three. I didn't diminish the flow of the book nor did I feel like it detracted from the material. For all I know it was just on my Kindle. 

I also felt like at times the topics got a little repetitive. 

Overall, I give it four stars. It's pretty quick and easy read, and useful for any collection. It provides a thorough and in-depth look at everyday magic and how we can ensure we see it in our day-to-day life.

[Lorrene Huisman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not express how happy and how much joy I felt as I read this book. I do choose to walk the path of being Pagan, and this book had wonderful excerpts of spells and magical things I could add to my way of life, so that was beautiful to me, and I found there was a lot of good neat things for me!

I find more than ever we need to find that spark or that magic in our daily lives. Before the pandemic I did and am Pagan. A book as this with ideas how to find those moments of magic were very enlightening to me, I am going to have to get a paper book copy of this to high light and mark pages for myself, as there was a lot of beneficial things in this beautiful book with a magical cover!

Besides the ideas and spells which I really wanna try them all out, I loved the author wrote her experiences to her way of life, living magical, and magically in life to the fullest each day. always found it interesting and breathtaking how people choose their path! Besides all that, I also enjoyed how its empathized (as I always try to live with my mind set) to live well within yourself! You matter and the earth and the elements are all around you, but no matter what kind of life you live, keeping yourself as well as your soul well is vital especially in todays world! This was a calming fulfilling book to read for me!

Again I am someone who walks the path of being magical. Sometimes life happens though and my energy is literally brought down, this book gave me wonderful reminders to why I walk my path, and extra and new ideas and such I can do to add to my days to make the magic bright and shiny as well. If your someone curious on magical living, or even like me who walks the path, I suggest you read this book! You may learn new things, and find these things are the sun you never knew you needed!

[Tia Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practically Pagan: An Alternative Guide to Magical Living focuses strongly on how magic takes place everyday. When practicing magic it’s important to realize that it’s not always complex, but it’s also never easy work. Magical Living also discusses how each of us hold different magic inside of us based on our ancestral and cultural magic so it is important to have a strong recognition of where we come from and what we are wanting from our magical selves.

The book is broken into sections of Everyday Magic ranging from self-care to exploring for the unexpected. However, the book itself is a lot of the unexpected. I went in thinking I would be finding ways to live in my magic, grow in my magic, and overall strengthen my magical through everyday living. What I got is definitely different. It breaks down what we think we need to know, what we need to unknow, and how we can break free from some of the things tying our magic down.

It definitely falls more into a self-help style of writing for the busy, exhausted witch offering small ways we can alter our lives to live more magically. This title helps show us ways to create balance between the mind, body and soul as well as the life around us. It offers guiding questions to help process the reading and gain stronger insight to your thoughts and desires about what you want.

In the Introduction, the author states immediately that if you’re reading this book it’s because the book called to you. As I was reading the chapters, it became clear that while I’m not mestiza, this book is definitely written for witchy individuals in similar situations as me.

This book has definitely made it into my rereading pile for the times I need a refresher in believing in myself as well as the idea that I can do hard things. I am looking forward to taking in the information I can find in the other Practically Pagan titles.

[Rosalind Bryden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book and found myself highlighting quite a lot of passages which is always a sign to me that there are important messages that will benefit me.

If 'magic' is not your thing, don't be put off by the title of this book. It is not a book of 'spells' but rather a reminder of ways to find magic in our every day lives. Maria DeBlassie describes how she moved step by step from a full-on life where she pushed herself both at work and socially to a life she loves where she takes the time she needs to recharge her batteries.

The author acknowledges that she is an introvert and explains that quiet time on her own is essential to her wellbeing. But I think the key message of the book holds true for all of us and that is a message about self care. This is not just enjoying the odd bubble bath at the end of the week, but really finding what makes our hearts sing in life - and doing it! This can be making sure we enjoy our small, daily routines, such as a morning cup of coffee, rather than doing them on autopilot and hardly noticing. But also taking a good look at the things in our diaries and maybe sometimes saying 'no' to things that don't truly bring us joy.

DeBlassie explains that once we have created a personal life that we love this will spill over into all aspects of our lives, giving us renewed energy and enthusiasm.

I took a lot from this book. I see several reviewers have recommended it for readers who are starting out on a spiritual journey. In my view, it is good for us all to be reminded how important self care is and that not being true to ourselves is an exhausting way to live.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book.

[JoAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and John Hunt Publishing Ltd. for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I have loved getting to read some different pagan/Wicca books recently, and this one definitely caught my interest. I don't know exactly what I was expecting with it, but what I got was very different than what I thought it was going to be. Not a bad thing, but definitely required me readjusting my viewpoint of what I was about to read.

This book is not so much a guide to how to do practical magic at home but rather a self-help book and finding the beauty and natural magic in our every day lives. I think it is filled with a lot of really great information that is very important to remember (trust your intuition on things!), but I found the title a bit misleading for what I thought it was going to be. This book is very practical, there is no doubt about that, and it truly shows how you can take ordinary things and find the magical joy in them - which is truly something special - and it does connect to many magical elements, but it is not so much teaching you ritual spells or any other magical components that you need other than adjusting your mindset to see the beauty in the every day.

Now, this could have just been me not understanding what book I was picking up, which is completely valid, but it was a bit disappointing for me to have it be so straightforward as a self-help book in my mind. It is a wonderfully written book, and I think it has a lot of great information that people should read, but it wasn't quite my cup of tea. I would definitely give it to someone who needs help finding the beauty in the "mundane" and I still encourage anyone who finds the concept interesting to read it.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

True magic is in the everyday. When you think about it, we are constantly casting spells with our dreams and wishes. These themes run throughout this book as the author coaches us on how to become our true selves and welcome the everyday magic back into our lives.

The book begins with the author, Maria DeBlassie, taking stock of her life and determining what toxic beliefs and social constructs she needs to unlearn and then relearn. Once she (and we) do this, then we will fully know what we need to do to help ourselves. Most of this is as simple as flipping the perspective on mundane tasks and you will see that everyday magic at work. The author references going to the grocery store as a trip to gather supplies for a spell. Or the task of folding laundry as a meditative practice when you can take time for yourself.

One of the biggest takeaways I got from this book is just how important self-care is really is. It is not selfish and it is not universal for everyone. It’s important to find what form works for you because that might not work for everybody else. It was also eye opening to realize just how much “conjuring” I actually do in a given day. Every time you wish for something or look for signs- that is everyday magic. I also enjoyed the section on coming up with a daily routine that works for you.

All in all this book was more self-help than I had anticipated, but it offered the chance to reflect on the magic in everyday life. Parts were a bit repetitive and dragged on a bit longer than I thought necessary, but it was a pleasant reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for a review copy.

[Anya Davies-schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book was just what I needed! “Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Magical Living is an inspirational, self-help guide to opening up your own magic. I am formally of the Pagan faith, meaning I have not practiced in some time. However, lately a lot of my life has been leading me back to this way of thinking, believing, and living. I haven’t quite dived fully back in, but as I was pondering my next moves in life, this was the book I happened to stumble upon. The author says, that there is no coincidence that I was reading this book and I believe her. Now, I have read many of these types of books, but this one seemed a little different. One, I like how she gave background and explained the perspective that she is coming from. She makes it clear the message, but also allows you space for your own pagan awakening. Two, I love an author who gets personal with you. She provides her story about how she rediscovers the magic in her life. Her story was very relatable as I was reading, but I also realized I have already made many of the changes she speaks of having to do to heal. She provides a guide of where to start, what to look for, and that it is hard work, not only to recognize and wake up the magic within us, but to maintain that magic. Last, but not least, she discusses very easy ways to rid “toxins” from your life, making a routine to allow yourself time to enjoy life, and most importantly the importance of self-care. I was happy after reading that I am on a “cleansing” path and I hope to continue to awaken the magic within myself, and find the enjoyable ways that life is supposed to present us.

[Lauren Schnoebelen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Modern society keeps us rushing from one thing to the next until we finally get home and crash on our beds. The constant moving doesn't give us a second to think let alone reflect on how we are feeling and really get a chance to check in with ourselves. Magical living provides simple says of slowing down and enjoying the little moments in our day to day lives which can turn into magical experiences. Set up as a simple guide to bringing more magic into your life while striving for happiness and joy every day, magical living has something for everyone.

I'm really happy I picked this up when I did because it felt like something I really needed with everything going on in my life. This short guide packs a punch and almost each page has a concept, question, or thought for you to reflect on and how it relates to your own life. I liked that this book does embrace magic but views it as finding magic in your day to day activities rather than listing out actual spells and things for that magical feeling. I appreciate that the focus was on embracing what's already going on in your life and changing your mindset on those items to create these routines into enjoyable rituals which can bring you joy in the long run. There was a lot for me to process in this book so I decided to buy a physical copy as well for me to easy flip through and reflect more on as I incorporate a lot of the selfcare practices into my day to day.

[Tara Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone that was looking for a little bit of more magic in my daily life, I thought that this book was a must read. I was not disappointed with the insight and advice the author gives throughout the book. The book is full of practical advice on how to incorporate magic into your everyday living by doing small things. She explains to us that there is magic in the everyday things that we might overlook and tells us to seek joy and experience magic in the things that we might otherwise take for granted and consider boring. She teaches us how to connect with ourselves, practice self-care and live a life of joy. As the author says after all, true magic is in the everyday. And yes, it truly is.

I loved reading this book and how the author laid things out in such a simplistic manner. It was very easy to read and very well laid out. It was a nice reminder to not take life for granted and to just find joy in the moment. We all need to slow down and experience joy in the little things that we do, savor the moment and live life. I found it was also helpful to learn about other methods of self-care that were a little bit different than the typical ones that you hear about all the time like lighting scented candles or having a relaxing hot bath. I will be taking this advice to heart and practicing magic in the moments that each day brings. This is a must read for anyone that's just looking for a way to slow down and bring joy back into their lives.

[Darian - Books With A Chance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m going to start by saying this is an inspirational book not a book about paganism. In the beginning she states it’s not “hocus pocus it’s more like making soups.” Which sounds great but that’s all you get about paganism, nothing about herbs or crystals, which she mentions charging in the moon, but no other details. She also mentions the practice of saging but only if you’re not appropriating the culture. I wish she would have taken that opportunity to teach about smoke cleansing instead of making it about race. Near the end the author suggests to use tarot cards but gives no information about using them. So if you are wanting to learn about Paganism, look elsewhere.
Who would I recommend this book to? People looking for inspiration to change their life. People looking to switch up their routine. I felt this would be a great “new year” book since that is when people make their goals. This is a great book to motivate you to make some goals. Although the author repeats herself many times, (try keeping track of how often she says to drink tea before bed) she has some good points. She encourages self care and learning how to say no when needed. I liked that she said it’s not easy; I also really enjoyed the questions she asks throughout book. Such as: “What negative patterns am I holding on to? What joys could I replace them with? What am I afraid to embrace?” I think they are great questions to ask yourself and to keep as a reminder throughout the year.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The description does not exactly match the book, yet I found it to be practical and full of interesting wisdom and suggestions. Maria DeBlassie is a bruja, but the magical wisdom shared in these pages is to guide the reader along the road of self-discovery and taking back the power laying inside of all of us. There is powerful magic in everyday choices, in living our best lives. As women we live lives that we are told by society we should live; we should do all, be all, do more and continually sacrifice ourselves to make others more comfortable.

The spells included in this book are not spells a reader might expect; the most significant take-away I received was that the magical world lives inside of all of us; there is magic in every single thing we do, we just have to tune ourselves to it. I highlighted many passages that resonate with me, and I look forward to practicing this magical living going forward in my own life. I found this book to be a permission slip of sorts - permission to say no to doing more and being more - and saying yes to following that path which is inside of my heart.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I read a kindle copy and I did so much highlighting that I'm considering getting a paperback version as well for all of my notes and scribbles.

It's really beautifully written and gives you that comforting feeling that you're in good hands with this author.

Even though there are journalling questions, that's about as far as it goes in terms of practical advice or ideas about things you could implement in your every day life. I think if there had of been a few more concrete suggestions that would have moved this from a 4 star book to a 5 star book in my eyes.

Having said that though, maybe that's the point. You can't be told exactly how you can make your life more magical. You need to go within and see what that means for you personally. What are the daily routines of yours that you can turn into rituals. Where are the moments in your life that you're rushing through, where you need to take the time to pause and reflect on what you're doing and whether or not you're doing it for the right reasons.

I loved reading this book and I look forward to following the author and getting to know more of her work.

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I only picked this book up for 2 reasons. The first reason is that I really love reading this author's writings. Her words just flow together and read so easily and smoothly. The second was pure curiosity. I find myself curious about other people's beliefs often, and instead of just shaking my head and walking away because it isn't what I believe, I find myself needing to know more so I can come up with some sort of understanding.

While I still don’t believe in magic, I found myself believing in many things in this book. I found that while reading if I just replaced the word magic with happiness and contentment, that is pretty much what was being talked about. It all made sense when I did that. There are so many things in this book I have struggled with throughout the years, and her steps to ridding yourself of that pressure and stress were spot on. So for this reason I can say I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was exactly what I'm used to from this author and although it felt in places like things were being repeated too much, I worked my way through that without any issues.

[Kayla Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon discovering another book by the author of Weep, Woman, Weep that talked about magic, I knew this was the book for me. As someone who has been looking into fitting more magical living into my life, there were so many insights I gained by reading this book, even if my first impression about what the book was going to be about was wrong. I especially loved her talking about her own cultural experience as a mestiza from the American Southwest, as I’ve always enjoyed learning about different cultural practices, and I definitely wish she would have talked about it a bit more.

I think the chapter that struck a cord with me the most was when she was talking about taking the time to make your routine a ritual. I especially enjoyed her going into the differences between the two, as I believe that it will help in things outside of practicing magic, which was one of the things she talks a lot about during the book. Overall, I learned a lot of really helpful things that I plan to start incorporating into my life in the future. I also look forward to seeing what the next book by her I fall in love with!

[Jennifer Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practically Pagan An Alternative Guide to Magical Living by Maria Deblassie

I readily admit that a covers holds some major weight to whether or not I even pick up a book to see if it will hold interest to me, so when mere sentences into this book, Declassified touches on the very topic: “ ...This book is magic. All books are. So much so that they are picky about who picks them up and reads them. They only want people ready to hear their message, kindred spirits eager to soak up their specific brand of magic.”
Thus begins our journey of gentle reminders that magic is not just something we read about or watch via our various sized screens but daily life, be it the magic of a sunset, a peaceful moment of self reflection and grounding ourselves in the simple moments of life. Deblassie reminds us that we are deserving of “pleasure magic” no matter how often society attempts to make us feel guilty to taking time to “tune into what soothes the soul and refreshes the senses without guilt, without shame, without comparing your journey to others.” A bit of a gut punch reality in this world of social “achievements"

[Stephanie Driskill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Where was this book about 20 years ago? It was not what I was expecting to read, but boy, it was exactly what I NEEDED to read! Making magic out of the little things in life like knowing when too much people things are just too much too handle. I always thought I was alone in that after a few months of spending time with people, I needed a few months squirreled away in my quiet home to recuperate from the time and energy drain. It was so refreshing to learn that others like me have found a way to control the chaos of people and situations and set boundaries. I have just recently learned that saying no is not always a bad thing and sometimes the best thing for me at the time and to read that it is ok to do that, and experience magical living is amazing! This book has given me such insight into who I am and who I can become by listening to myself and living magically within my world. The author has such insight and emotions about her process that I in turn can follow through with my own journey and have faith that it will be perfectly wonderful in the end. Thank you, dear author, for sharing your life, love, and journey. It truly has been inspiring!