Wicca Candle Magick (Citadel Library of Mystic Arts) [Paperback]

Gerina Dunwich (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: Citadel; Carol Publishing Group ed edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806518316
• ISBN-13: 978-0806518312
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,284,906 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gerina Dunwich (b. December 27, 1959, Illinois, United States) is a professional astrologer, occult historian, and New Age author, best known for her books on Wicca and various occult subjects. She is also involved in paranormal research and is the founder of the Paranormal Animal Research Group, which investigates cases of alleged hauntings by animal spirits.

Her first newspaper article (co-written with her cousin, Barbara Williams) was published in October 1976. It was an interview with singer/songwriter Jim Peterik from the local Chicago band, the Ides of March (and later, Survivor). By the spring of 1980 Dunwich was publishing a small press literary journal called Golden Isis, a one-woman operation that specialized in Goddess-inspired poetry and off-beat fiction.

In December 1993 she moved to Fort Covington, Franklin County, New York, where she opened a small shop on High Street called "The Country Witch" (later renamed "The Calico Cat Whatnot Shop"), which sold antiques, curios and various occult supplies. She officially established Coven Mandragora on Candlemas 1996 and served as its High Priestess. That same year she established the Wheel of Wisdom School (an educational organization offering correspondence courses on the sabbats) and the Pagan Poets Society (a literary circle for writers and publishers of Pagan poetry), along with a local networking organization known as North Country Wicca. In February of 1998 she received a ministerial license from the Universal Life Church. Dunwich is also the founder of the Bast-Wicca tradition.

A respected spokesperson for the Wiccan/Pagan community, Dunwich has been a guest on numerous radio talk shows throughout the United States and Canada. She has lectured and presented workshops at festivals and gatherings across the country, such as the CraftWise Pagan Gathering (Waterbury, Connecticut), the Real Witches' Ball (Columbus, Ohio), and Panpipes' Pagan Day Festival (West Hollywood, California).

A member of the Fellowship of Isis, Circle, the Pagan Poets Society, the Authors Guild, and the Authors League of America, Dunwich's biography is listed in a number of reference works, such as Who's Who in the East, Personalities of America, The Wicca Source Book, The Modern Witch's Complete Sourcebook, and Crossroads: Who's Who of the Magickal Community (published by The Witching Well Education and Research Center, 1988). She is also mentioned in Anne Carson's Goddesses and Wise Women (The Crossing Press, 1992) and other works. Her articles, poetry, and reviews have appeared in numerous publications, including Playgirl, American Woman, Magical Blend, Sage Woman, Circle Network News, and Pagan Free Press.

Gerina Dunwich lives in Western New York, where she owns and operates an antique shop. She is currently working on a new book.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but with many questionable things...., August 14, 1999

By 

Philip Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wicca Candle Magick (Citadel Library of Mystic Arts) (Paperback)

This is a very interesting book, don't get me wrong, but it left me wondering so many things. This book is sloppy, and it makes me wonder if Gerina put her whole heart into it or just threw it together? Some paragraphs made me feel like she was in a hurry. I'm not joking, the introduction made me feel like she was anxious to get the book over with, she wrote the paragraphs like she was in a hurry. I wish she would have explained Candle Magick in this book, she dwells on possibly unessessary things and includes too many things that I don't think belong in this book. Her information on making candles isn't that bad, but there are other methods as well, some of which are easier, but she does give several options. Some of her oils are just gross, and I can't see a lot of Wiccans using them. Her information on herbs and healing isn't bad at all, I just wish she would have explained how to use herbs, how to use herbs with candle magick, and examples of rituals and spells. Her info on herbs is good, if you've had experience. Her information on gems and crystal are good too, it just has nothing to do with candle magick itself. Her information on gods and godesses is always good in all her books, but in this book it is too long and drawn out, I wouldn't be suprised if there are 40 pages just about gods and goddesses used in Wicca and the candle colors associated with them. This is good information and it can be used for good reference, I'm just not sure it's necessary and makes me wonder if it was put in there to fill up space. Do you see what I mean? Her Sabbat rituals are not really candle rituals, she has good ideas for rituals, but some of her ideas are complicated, and unusuable for many readers. Plus, many Wiccans do not use ceremonial swords and do not cast magick circles in the way she does. But, as for almost any ritual in my opinion, it can be modified to fit your own needs, it just be nice, if you could follow it word by word. She is knowledgeable about the Sabbats, and her rituals are enlightening and fun to read. Her chapter on Candle Magick itself is strange, and it would be nice if there was some candle spells in it. Most of the spells she presents on a wide variety of topics contains candles, but I only considered ONE SPELL to actually be candle magick, and that was a love spells targeting individuals, something most Wiccans wouldn't do anyways. I'm not saying this is children's literature at all, but the way Gerina Dunwich writes in some places in this book, makes you feel like she is speaking to you either like a child or she doesn't care what you do kind of attitude. Her writing style in some places of this book might make some readers question her intelligence. That is rude, I know, but I am not joking. She does give a lot of spells, like some reviewers have said, some are very interesting, and some cover topics other authors avoid or may know nothing about, but some of her spells are bizarre, makes you wonder where she got them, some of her spells are gross, with disgusting ingredients, and some of her spells are almost impossible to perform for various reasons. She includes a chapter on Voudoun Candle Magick, which would have been nice if it included information about Voudoun Candle Magick, she is knowledgeable about Voodoo, and she does a good job explaining it and explaining Voodoo gods and goddesses and even how to make Voudoun candles, there is just very little information anyone can apply, but she does present Voudoun in an easy to understand, interesting, explainative manner of being. She includes a Voodoo ritual too, which I'm not sure is necessary, what was this book about again. She speaks about breaking Hoodoo (not Voodoo) curses, yet doesn't explain the background behind Hoodoo practice. Finally, as always, I liked her chapter on Candle Omens and Superstitions, and she even includes a listing of Occult and Metaphysical shops most of which I hope at least sell Candles accross the country. This book is good, I recently bought three more books and this one was the best, but this book is sort of thrown together, and makes me wonder more about what Gerina Dunwich was thinking when she wrote this book. For better information on Candle Magick, try Ray Buckland's Practical Candleburning Rituals: Spells and Rituals for every purpose. Bye.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, February 21, 2000

By 

Jessica (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wicca Candle Magick (Citadel Library of Mystic Arts) (Paperback)

Wow! I love it! It's very clear, and doesn't just cover candle magick, but crystals, gemstones, gods and goddesses, it's a very informative book for people who are just starting to study the magickal and spiritual arts. The candle spells work and are precise. Amazing!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book has tons of candle spells, February 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Wicca Candle Magick (Citadel Library of Mystic Arts) (Paperback)

I bought this book, and I was just a beginner. Now I'm kind of experienced, and Istill have the book. This book is very informative, and it's a good book because of that. Mostly because there aren't a lot of tools that you need to complete a spell