City Magick [Paperback]

Christopher Penczak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

Penczak tells us we can learn to embrace the heart of the surrounding world using the tools right in front of us. Included in this book are: an outline of the basics of magic as relevant to city surroundings; a discussion of the potential for magic in everyday places; how to read the writing on the walls (graffiti); creating and maintaining a personal temple, an intruduction to metropolitan spirits; how to find spirit guides and animal totems within the city.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578632064
• ISBN-13: 978-1578632060
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #397,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christopher Penczak is an author, teacher, and healing practitioner. Rooted firmly in the traditions of modern Witchcraft, he draws from the timeless wisdom of many cultures in the creation of new techniques and traditions.

Christopher is the author of numerous books, including the award-winning six-volume Temple of Witchcraft series (Llewellyn) and the Three Rays of Witchcraft (Copper Cauldron Publishing). Other works include Ascension Magick, Instant Magick, and the Witch's Shield (Llewellyn) and City Magick, Gay Witchcraft, and Spirit Allies (Red Wheel/Weiser). He has been a featured columnist for newWitch magazine and publications such as Genre, InnerSelf, and Kaleidoscope.

Christopher is a co-founder of the Temple of Witchcraft tradition and not-for-profit religious organization, and teaches and travels extensively teaching Witchcraft. He also offers a variety of online classes and lectures. For more visit www.christopherpenczak.com and www.templeofwitchcraft.org.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars City Magick - Connects us to our environment., June 28, 2001

By 

"quillmistress" (NA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City Magick (Paperback)

One of the most relevant and timely books out today, Christopher Penczak's City Magick serves to prove that natural spirituality and paganism can be practiced and enjoyed deep in the rush of the urban jungle. Penczak has taken city life and opened it to the energies and rhythms of a "different" way of life for practitioners of magic.

With simple language and rich tones of personal experience, Mr. Penczak explains sources of energy, symbols and details of a magical life surrounded by concrete. He teaches us how to use limited space more efficiently for temples, altars and magical storage. Drawing on details from urban life, we're shown how the simple uses of tools, herbs, stones and graffiti sigils can bring us closer to a co-relationship with our environment. He introduces the reader to "Neon Devas and Electric Gods", beginning a new and refreshing open dialogue for those pagans who must or by choice, reside in cities.

Covering such subjects as "metropolitan spirits, urban magic, tools, language of the street, techno temples" and much more, this book delves deep into the heart of the city to unearth the powers that lurk there, waiting to be summoned. Included in the volume are twenty-three good illustrations and twenty-seven practical and simple exercises to enhance your magic and spirituality, while making your home within the steel and glass of an urban environment.

If you reside in a city, this book is a must-have. It will help alleviate the notion that magic can only be effective in a natural setting. Feel "at-one-ness" with the beat of the urban heart. Connect with your surroundings. Use the energy around you to strengthen and enhance magic. Practice urban magic and embrace the pulse of city-life.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh new look to the Craft, November 26, 2001

By 

"earthmyst" (Moncton, New Brusnwick, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: City Magick (Paperback)

I have been practicing and studying Wicca/Paganism, Tarot and many other tools of Divination for seven years now and this is by far the best book I've laid my hands on. Maybe it's because of the way he writes, the fresh new look and the way of thinking he has on the subject. I am getting very, very irritated from all the fluffy commercialized books I keep seeing and the tacky stuff people do like teen spell kits, velour covered love spell books and whatever else they can think of to take advantage of the fact that Wicca/Paganism is a fast growing path. Anyway, enough of that. Sorry but I had to say it but to let you know his book is not like that at all. It is clear (to me) that this book is not for beginners but for intermediate to more experienced practitioners of the Craft but it's not hard to digest at all. Excellent!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars michaeljofis@yahoo -you said it all!!, November 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: City Magick (Paperback)

...and beat me to it also LOL! Honestly folks, he could not put it better and I know I can't but wanted to second that review wholeheartedly. I am still reading City Magick and could not agree more with his review. This book is what I have been looking for, both consciously and subconsciously, for some time. It is useful, practical, and above all- REAL LIFE for most of us living in cities. I no longer feel guilty that I can't go out and do the things in "A Witch Alone" by Marian Green or many of the "get back to nature or you are not a 'real witch'" type of thought process books, sorry but I have to work and live and cannot just pick up and move to the country, that just does not work for me and is not likely to anytime soon. I've always hated to hear or get the idea from other books or teachings that my Craft is less "worthy" or respectable or whatever as compared to others who are able to live differently than I by choice or chance. I really appreciate the author's support and change in tactic, thought, etc. This book poses none of that country-dweller-necessity garbage and truly empowers us city witches and magick users. If you live in the city or feel disconnected from your Path because of it, get this book now. I've learned more and had my eyes opened more in the first half of this book alone than in a dozen of the other "witchy" or otherwise magickal books I own. Simply wonderful, thank you Christopher Penczak!