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Blackfeather Mystery School: The Magpie Training
Blackfeather Mystery The Magpie Training is a foundational, full-spectrum training in empowered witchcraft. It focuses on reducing self-sabotage while providing a solid grounding in magickal theory, devotional practices, mysticism, spellcasting and ritual work, beginning spirit work, journeywork and much more. The text helps readers build a strong, safe structure for the cultivation of mystical experiences for personal growth. It can be approached as a training course or used as a supplementary source of information and skill development. Blackfeather is a synthesis and outgrowth of over 20 years in the art and practice of witchcraft and threads the needle between the structure of traditional witchcraft and the freedom of mysticism.
- GenresSpirituality
313 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2022
22 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 22, 2022
I'm really impressed by what Irene Glasse and Caine Dreamwalker have put together here: a complete first degree self-initiation course that is more than a rehash of traditional witchcraft. Instead, this is a full course with a rich and intense program of homework and self-development that will take you through the work of personal growth and interior investigation which is necessary to become a strong magical practitioner.
In nearly twenty chapters, Glasse and Dreamwalker take you through the forms of magical practice of their tradition, which cover everything from setting up an altar, to working with scent and mirrors as tools of glamour and self-development, to grounding and centering and shielding. Glasse, an accomplished musician, also has incorporated music into this training, including chants (and musical notation in several formats, as well as online recordings). The imaginal work of designing and building one's own temple is partly managed here through scripts and intentions — and partly through the homework, which is quite cleverly conceived to give you a full suite of actions to perform when dealing with unseen powers. There's guidance here on quality energy work, protection and defense work in a magical context, and how to use divination to get the answers you really need.
Throughout, Dreamwalker and Glasse have adopted a spirit of playfulness. A lot of witchcraft books come across as SRS BZNSS in which no fun or enjoyment is allowed. They depart from a common theme of witchery books by not exploring a mythic "longstanding history of persecution" and "the burning times" in much detail, but focusing on the how and why of moving energy, the processes for becoming more secure and self-confident, the procedures for cultivating a ritual consciousness, and most of all the way to work with yourself, or with one other, or with a small group. In this way, our two authors have demonstrated a commitment to providing the necessary tools of personal change and community growth — by providing a basis for common experience and trust in one's fellow members.
There are a great many "how to learn magic" books out there, and this is really one of the finest in a long time.
In nearly twenty chapters, Glasse and Dreamwalker take you through the forms of magical practice of their tradition, which cover everything from setting up an altar, to working with scent and mirrors as tools of glamour and self-development, to grounding and centering and shielding. Glasse, an accomplished musician, also has incorporated music into this training, including chants (and musical notation in several formats, as well as online recordings). The imaginal work of designing and building one's own temple is partly managed here through scripts and intentions — and partly through the homework, which is quite cleverly conceived to give you a full suite of actions to perform when dealing with unseen powers. There's guidance here on quality energy work, protection and defense work in a magical context, and how to use divination to get the answers you really need.
Throughout, Dreamwalker and Glasse have adopted a spirit of playfulness. A lot of witchcraft books come across as SRS BZNSS in which no fun or enjoyment is allowed. They depart from a common theme of witchery books by not exploring a mythic "longstanding history of persecution" and "the burning times" in much detail, but focusing on the how and why of moving energy, the processes for becoming more secure and self-confident, the procedures for cultivating a ritual consciousness, and most of all the way to work with yourself, or with one other, or with a small group. In this way, our two authors have demonstrated a commitment to providing the necessary tools of personal change and community growth — by providing a basis for common experience and trust in one's fellow members.
There are a great many "how to learn magic" books out there, and this is really one of the finest in a long time.
November 8, 2022
A year long study course. You could use this as a student or as an outline for a teacher. There are audio links for the journeying and other parts that need it, which is a nice bonus. I didn't get much out of it myself, having more to do with where I am in my practice now, but this is solid.
May 24, 2022
There are a lot of introductory magickal training books out there, but few that I would highly recommend to just about any magickal practitioner. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Some are highly accessible, but lack depth. Others are too deep and intimidating. But Blackfeather Mystery School: Magpie Training is accessible, comprehensive, and life-changing, and I highly recommend it.
What makes this book particularly great is that it is an immersive experience. Rather than just explaining things to the reader and then offering a lightweight exercise or two, Blackfeather Mystery School: Magpie Training is a comprehensive, highly-interactive, solo curriculum built upon 20 years of magickal development and a very successful, year-long magickal training series, one with over 60 regular participants showing up in person (pre-pandemic). The very first lesson has readers building a personal altar and beginning a simple daily practice of self-reflection and empowerment. Readers are guided to create sacred space before reading each lesson, each of which has an audio pathworking structure available at blackfeathermystery.com to encompass the lesson.
Here’s how the authors describe the foundations of the course readers will undertake:
>Empowered Witchcraft: Magick is a form of agency, a way of reclaiming our personal power from a world that frequently seeks to take it from us. This training seeks to develop authentic self-love and self-confidence, encourages physical strength and awareness, and teaches magickal competency. Through this triad, Blackfeather seeks to build a foundation of confidence and capability that will empower you to protect yourself, adapt to changing situations, and manifest your will.
>Diverse Toolbox: Magpie Training seeks to lay the foundations for a flexible, useful skill set that can meet both practical and esoteric needs. By introducing the techniques of spirit work (sometimes referred to as ‘second wave shamanism’) in conjunction with the techniques of witchcraft, a more balanced approach to the world of spirit is possible. The two systems work beautifully together and enable access to a wide variety of tools to support your practice.
>Underlying structure: A strong body requires a functional frame. Magpie Training adapts some of the best aspects of early Wicca and witchcraft to build that strong foundation. Repetition, ritual, technique, and study come together to enhance and inform your natural abilities. The result is a powerful, reliable underlying structure that will enable you to pursue any area of metaphysical study with more confidence.
Blackfeather Mystery School is a fantastic, self-guided experience for magickal practitioners all over the world. This program is practical, challenging, and, most importantly, effective. Blending learnings and exercises gleaned from decades of magickal study and practice, the authors guide the reader through an intensive, hands-on experience to claim their power and use it well. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to dive deeper into magickal practice, no matter their starting point.
What makes this book particularly great is that it is an immersive experience. Rather than just explaining things to the reader and then offering a lightweight exercise or two, Blackfeather Mystery School: Magpie Training is a comprehensive, highly-interactive, solo curriculum built upon 20 years of magickal development and a very successful, year-long magickal training series, one with over 60 regular participants showing up in person (pre-pandemic). The very first lesson has readers building a personal altar and beginning a simple daily practice of self-reflection and empowerment. Readers are guided to create sacred space before reading each lesson, each of which has an audio pathworking structure available at blackfeathermystery.com to encompass the lesson.
Here’s how the authors describe the foundations of the course readers will undertake:
>Empowered Witchcraft: Magick is a form of agency, a way of reclaiming our personal power from a world that frequently seeks to take it from us. This training seeks to develop authentic self-love and self-confidence, encourages physical strength and awareness, and teaches magickal competency. Through this triad, Blackfeather seeks to build a foundation of confidence and capability that will empower you to protect yourself, adapt to changing situations, and manifest your will.
>Diverse Toolbox: Magpie Training seeks to lay the foundations for a flexible, useful skill set that can meet both practical and esoteric needs. By introducing the techniques of spirit work (sometimes referred to as ‘second wave shamanism’) in conjunction with the techniques of witchcraft, a more balanced approach to the world of spirit is possible. The two systems work beautifully together and enable access to a wide variety of tools to support your practice.
>Underlying structure: A strong body requires a functional frame. Magpie Training adapts some of the best aspects of early Wicca and witchcraft to build that strong foundation. Repetition, ritual, technique, and study come together to enhance and inform your natural abilities. The result is a powerful, reliable underlying structure that will enable you to pursue any area of metaphysical study with more confidence.
Blackfeather Mystery School is a fantastic, self-guided experience for magickal practitioners all over the world. This program is practical, challenging, and, most importantly, effective. Blending learnings and exercises gleaned from decades of magickal study and practice, the authors guide the reader through an intensive, hands-on experience to claim their power and use it well. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to dive deeper into magickal practice, no matter their starting point.
November 28, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I came across this book when I heard an interview with the authors. Irene is hugely involved serving in the Frederick, Maryland, based Pagan community through Frederick CUUPS (the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans). She has the same goal as John Beckett bringing pagan groups together.
The authors are not reinventing the wheel but the book is so well organized. The underlying structure builds on each other through repetition, ritual and the specific technique are blended so well together.
What originally drew me to getting the e-book was all the meditations are recorded. There are links to all of them. The meditations are very well done. All of the tracks are recorded to drumming which makes the difference. No matter where you are in your spiritual practice I do think you will find value in this book.
The authors are not reinventing the wheel but the book is so well organized. The underlying structure builds on each other through repetition, ritual and the specific technique are blended so well together.
What originally drew me to getting the e-book was all the meditations are recorded. There are links to all of them. The meditations are very well done. All of the tracks are recorded to drumming which makes the difference. No matter where you are in your spiritual practice I do think you will find value in this book.
May 23, 2022
The Blackfeather Mystery School: The Magpie training is one of the best instructional/educational books on Witchcraft I've seen in a while. Irene and Caine have put together a comprehensive coursework that is down to Earth, easy to follow and easy to understand. For those who are looking to get started, this is an excellent starting point. For those who are established or experienced practitioners, this is a great refresher that can also teach you something new. If you're looking for a book to simply read through and put away - The Blackfeather Mystery School might not be for you. However, if you are looking to truly follow your spirit and put the in the work required to create your own change - then this is the perfect book to get you started.
January 20, 2023
Wish I could give this to my 12 year old self, when I was new and confused about Paganism.
This book makes me proud to be a part of the FCUUPS community. Like oh my gods, I get to learn from some really kickass pagans.
I'm not a witch, and I honestly have no interest in building that skillset. It just doesn't call to me. I didn't try that many of the exercises- although I've been enjoying the Blackfeather Self Blessing. But I really enjoyed the insights on ritual, magic, spiritwork, and personal transformation. The perspective on deities was interesting. I had strong theological disagreements as a devotional polytheist, but it was a good opportunity to branch out.
I'm so glad that I found this.
This book makes me proud to be a part of the FCUUPS community. Like oh my gods, I get to learn from some really kickass pagans.
I'm not a witch, and I honestly have no interest in building that skillset. It just doesn't call to me. I didn't try that many of the exercises- although I've been enjoying the Blackfeather Self Blessing. But I really enjoyed the insights on ritual, magic, spiritwork, and personal transformation. The perspective on deities was interesting. I had strong theological disagreements as a devotional polytheist, but it was a good opportunity to branch out.
I'm so glad that I found this.
May 24, 2022
Blackfeather Mystery School: The Magpie Training is a refreshing no-nonsense guide featuring the fundamentals of witchcraft and the skills of the shaman. This inspiring and informative book supports and expands upon the teachings of the Blackfeather Mystery School and contains numerous examples and exercises to enrich and balance your magickal practice. You will learn the magickal ins and outs of: How to work with energy, set a ward, journey the astral realms, and cultivate relationships with genus loci and spirit allies. This is the perfect book for anyone seeking to empower his or her practice.
May 23, 2022
An ambitious work that delivers – Irene Glasse and Caine Dreamwalker combine witchcraft and spiritwork to provide a stunning introduction to magical practice. In one volume they cover what others have taken three volumes to teach, and their straightforward, deep-delving approach provides a thorough grounding for anyone yearning to learn real, empowered witchcraft.
June 17, 2022
This is a great step by step foundational guide to anyone interested in learning more about witchcraft/mysticism/shamanism and more. The writing is strong and instructional and they even tell you to contact them if you have questions at any point during your reading. Love this book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews