Customer Reviews

The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells: The Ultimate Reference Book for the Magical Arts

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Destined to be a classic. The Only Book on Spells You Will Ever Need.

This Book is not a Book on "Wiccan Magick" , although Wiccans who are not fluff bunnies, and are more open mided to learning could use it, and benefit greatly from this Book. It is a book on Folk Magic, from Brujeria, Santeria, Espiritismo, From Latin America, To Egypt, and other ancient cultures, from around the world. Many of these Earth-Magico Cultures do not believe in the concept of "Karma" so many of these Spells would be shunned by Wiccans. With that said.. I Love this Book. I hope the Author does a similar book on Magical Ceremonies and Rites and Passages.

There are little books of spells, cheap book of spells, and so so book of spells, well this is the Ultimate Huge Tome of Spells. An Encyclopedia of Magical Spells from around the world, this book defiantly belongs in every Witches bookshelf. Over 1000 pages of spells, baths, infusions, the spells range from everything from Santeria, Strega, Vodou, Spiritism, Brujeria, Shamanism, and traditional Witchcraft. Unlike other spell books, this will defiantly be of great usage to its owner. One of the best Book of Shadows ever printed. The Tome, because it is Huge has everything from Banishing, Cleansings, Baths, Protection Spells. Everything from Seances, to calling on Spirits of Nature, from White Magic, to Black Magic, and everything in between. Here is a preview of the table of context.
Spell casting, - Ritual and Tools, - Animal Spells - Banishing Spells - Business Success Spells - Cleansing Spells, - Court case, Legal, Justice Spells - Death Spells (Yes there is much on Black Magic, for those weak of heart) Ghost, Necromancy, and Vampire Spells. - Divination Spells - Domination, Influence Spells - Dream, Astral, Nightmare Spells- The Evil Eye - Fertility Spells - Safety Spells - Gamblers Spells, and Charms - Happy Home Spells - Healing Spells - Hexes and Curses - Invisibility, and Transformation spells - Love and Seduction Spells - Luck Spells - Marriage and Divorcee Spells, - Money, Wealth, Prosperity and financial spells - Children Spells - Protection Spells - Psychic powers - Summoning Spirits - unblocking spells - weather spells, and trust me, so much more...
A person would have to spend allot of money, on many books and still would not get half of what this book has to offer.
I have to give much praise to Judika Illes; this book will defiantly be one I will use for many years. This is my first book by this author, and know I have to purchase her other works. But I can not recommend this TOME enough, it is defiantly a must have for all Witches, and brujos. For all that you get in this huge book, the price is excellent, and very affordable. The Spells are simple and traditional spells that were used by our ancestors and are still effective today. No where will you get a book like this. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

but very, very good.

I first came across this book while killing time in a mall bookstore. I was intrigued by the information listed on the cover and promptly came home to look up the author and the book. While Ms. Illes' website didn't contain as much information as I'd hoped for, it did give me enough insight into the author that I felt I could trust her work. The reviews I found online were also helpful. I returned to the bookstore and found a comfortable spot where I could sit and study the book in more detail.

The cost of this book, while not outrageous or unjustified, was high enough to make me cautious. When I purchase a book I do so with the long term in mind. I rarely get rid of books once I've bought them, so it's important that they be well worth keeping around. And this book is definitely worth keeping around. The majority of my books spend most of their time on the shelf, this book sits next to me at my desk. I reference it, use it, or just skim through it at least once a day.

The organization of the book is absolutely wonderful. If, for some reason, I can't figure out which section to go to from the Table Of Contents, I need merely flip to the index to find precisely what I need. Both Index and Table of Contents are very thorough and logically arranged. In particular the sub-heading feature of the Index makes finding things ever so much easier.

As the title of my review indicates, I found the book to be less a 'spell' book than a 'potion' book. Not that this is a bad thing. In fact, I was rather looking for just that. The included Formulary, that gives you the instructions for making War Water, Black Cat Oil, Graveyard Dust and so very much more, is utterly invaluable. If there was anything I'd change about this book it would be to quadruple the size of the Formulary. However, the Formulary is quite large as it is.

One of my other favourite things about this book is that the spells/potions/etc are not all 'white light'. There are Hexes and Curses and so forth along with ways to counter such things. I find this important because I'm non-dualist and I find dualistic thinking to be limited and...well, childish. So that's another area that makes me cherish this book.

On a purely silly note, having this lovely big book (which is a lovely green hardcover under the paper sleeve) around is just plain fun. If you're a fan of some of the modern witchy type shows/movies such as Harry Potter or Charmed, having a large tome of spells allows you to play pretend.

And finally, I'd like to mention the author's tone of voice that comes through in the book. It is very friendly, often humorous and always knowledgeable. When necessary, very clear and direct warnings are given. The author treats the reader as if she had a good head on her shoulder and was past the novice stage in her training. I find that remarkably refreshing.

"Magic is concerned with the immediate needs and desires of the practitioner in the here and now, or at least in the immediately foreseeable future. It is not about `pie in the sky'. The average magician doesn't want to wait for the possible rewards of the sweet hereafter. Magic is not for the passive..." - From the book

What is magic? Is it evil? What are spells? Where do magic spells come from? Author Judika Illes addresses these questions and more in the book The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. Comprehensive and engaging, this tome spans 1,108 pages and explains the nature of spell-casting as well as key concepts and techniques. Covering magical spells from a multitude of eras, traditions, and places, this exhaustive reference book also includes some spells using deadly poisonous botanicals that are provided for historical reference. (In other words, don't reproduce these spells and keep the book out of the hands of children.)

So what is magic and spell-casting? According to The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells:

* Magic is the manipulation of Earth's naturally occurring powers in an attempt to provide the spell-caster with the success and happiness she or he desires
* Magic spells are deliberate, specific attempts to harness and manipulate this energy, following some sort of formula or direction
* Magic power is inherent on Earth: people didn't create it, imagine it or make it up. By various means, they learned how to use it: magic spells are the result
* Every magic spell was created by at least one person and probably refined and improved by a thousand more

The spells in this book are arranged by theme, making it easy to locate the appropriate information you need. Sachets, candle magic, baths, oils, dolls, conjure bags, powders, potions, charms, pomanders-they're all here. Some of the themes for these myriad spells include:

* Banishing Spells
* Marriage and Divorce Spells
* Healing Spells
* Better Business and Professional Success Spells
* Divination Spells
* Happy Home Spells
* Theft, Lost Objects, and Missing Persons
* Protection Spells
* Fertility Spells
* Psychic Power Spells
* Court case Spells: Legal Spells and Spells for Justice

And much more.

Three pages of associations for colors, planets, astrological correspondences, numbers, and Seven African Powers are also provided as is four pages of botanical classifications.

Ms. Illes intersperses useful tips, fascinating lore, and sober admonitions throughout The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells. For example, here are some tips she provides for Money Spells:

* Primary Colors: green and gold
* Primary Number: 2, because it encapsulates the concept of doubling
* Planets: Jupiter, because it's the planet of good fortune; the Moon, because it's the planet of magic and fulfilled wishes; and Mercury, because the Roman god whose name it bears is involved with prosperity and finance
* Spells for financial growth, to increase money or business, should coincide with the waxing moon

Ms. Illes is obviously an excellent researcher but she also has the gift of making esoteric information both understandable and intriguing. Whether you're seeking spells for Craftwork or just have an interest in occultic books, The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells imparts a wealth of historical, magical, and practical information to the reader.

Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book: Picture the Past, Experience the Cards, Understand the Present (coming Fall 2008 from Hampton Roads Publishing)

Finally a book of spells that focuses on traditional and ethnic sources, rather than neo-wiccan candle magic.

If you are interested in learning about real folk magic and working with spells and recipes that have been tried and tested by generations of witches, voodoo practicioners, cunning folk, magus', shamans and witch doctors this is the book for you. Most of the spells in this book are traditional, some have never appeared in print before.

The theory section is not quite as impressive and far more neo-pagan in its outlook, that said I have seen far worse theory and the rest of the book certainly makes up for it. If you can ignore the authors frequent references to pop-fiction works you may enjoy her Spellcraft section thoroughly as well.

Be warned though, this book is very multi-cultural in its approach. There are spells that work with pagan, vodoun, christian and hermetic spirits. If you prefer to work with only one cultural strain of magic you may find only a few of these spells will agree with you. For the culturally eclectic - this book is a gold mine.

All in all I give it 4 1/2 stars. I would give the Spells section which is the majority of the book 5 but the introductiory theory failed to impress me. I am quite satisfied with Judika Illes collection and would recommend it heartily.

I purchased this book after reading all of the positive reviews and I must say, the reviews were right on target! Owning a rather large magickal library already, I've found that this book could easily replace quite a few of the spell books I already owned. Comprehensive to say the least, this book takes you through a brief history of magick as well as spellcasting ethics, key concepts for spell-casting, and ritual tools and techniques. It then lists over a thousand pages of spells from every conceivable tradition, nationality, and age. Truly a one-stop place to find a myriad of spells from: divination to love, money, protection, youth & beauty spells, happy home spells, cleansing, dream spells, banishing, animal magick, justice, healing, fertility, weather spells, and many many more. The author does not discriminate, as this being a comprehensive collection of spells, it also includes hexes, spells of domination, and other "dark magick" spells (as a practicing Wiccan, I personally would not use these spells and would advise others most strongly to skip over them).

All in all, I believe this tome to be worth a lot more than the purchase price and recommend it most highly as a reference book that should be in every occultist's or seeker's library.

Destined to be a classic. The Only Book on Spells You Will Ever Need.
There are little books of spells, cheap book of spells, and so so book of spells, well this is the Ultimate Huge Tome of Spells. An Encyclopedia of Magical Spells from around the world, this book defiantly belongs in every Witches bookshelf. Over 1000 pages of spells, baths, infusions, the spells range from everything from Santeria, Strega, Vodou, Spiritism, Brujeria, Shamanism, and traditional Witchcraft. Unlike other spell books, this will defiantly be of great usage to its owner. One of the best Book of Shadows ever printed. The Tome, because it is Huge has everything from Banishing, Cleansings, Baths, Protection Spells. Everything from Seances, to calling on Spirits of Nature, from White Magic, to Black Magic, and everything in between. Here is a preview of the table of context.

Spell casting, - Ritual and Tools, - Animal Spells - Banishing Spells - Business Success Spells - Cleansing Spells, - Court case, Legal, Justice Spells - Death Spells (Yes there is much on Black Magic, for those weak of heart) Ghost, Necromancy, and Vampire Spells. - Divination Spells - Domination, Influence Spells - Dream, Astral, Nightmare Spells- The Evil Eye - Fertility Spells - Safety Spells - Gamblers Spells, and Charms - Happy Home Spells - Healing Spells - Hexes and Curses - Invisibility, and Transformation spells - Love and Seduction Spells - Luck Spells - Marriage and Divorcee Spells, - Money, Wealth, Prosperity and financial spells - Children Spells - Protection Spells - Psychic powers - Summoning Spirits - unblocking spells - weather spells, and trust me, so much more...

A person would have to spend allot of money, on many books and still would not get half of what this book has to offer.

I have to give much praise to Judika Illes; this book will defiantly be one I will use for many years. This is my first book by this author, and know I have to purchase her other works. But I can not recommend this TOME enough, it is defiantly a must have for all Witches, and brujos. For all that you get in this huge book, the price is excellent, and very affordable. The Spells are simple and traditional spells that were used by our ancestors and are still effective today. No where will you get a book like this. If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

It is pertinent to note that this book is not, and never was intended to be, solely Wiccan. It is a collection of spells from many faiths across the ages. Because of this, there may be spells in this book that you find unsavory or unethical. Don't worry! No one is holding you at gunpoint and making you -do- those spells. They only exist in this book to give you a better look at what witchcraft was (and could still be, if in the wrong hands). It is, after all, better to know and be prepared instead of assuming all witches follow your faith's moral code and there is no nasty business in the world. This isn't utopia, mind you.
In the spirit of preparedness, if you are ever faced with the nastier spells, this book has a large array of spells to reverse and dissolve curses. Go you!
This two-tonne tome would surely put the hurt on your foot if ever dropped. It is jam-packed with a wide variety of spells, from innocent to malicious, lightweight to hardcore, some practical and some not so much. A great pick for spell collectors and advanced practitioners. My only complaint is that there are SO MANY SPELLS that it feels like a monumental task to consult its wisdom. That's to be expected from a book that says it has 5000 spells right on the cover, but I just tend to forget how big a number that is ;)
I would -not- recommend this for beginners. In fact, if you're a beginning witch with this book, let me know so I can smack you upside the head with it.

Edit: 18 July 07: Now that I've tried a couple of spells from this book myself, I felt an update to my review was needed. If I was only "amazed" by the book, there are absolutely no words for my level of amazement in the spells themselves. I have -never- experienced such amazing results from a spell I plucked from a book. This one is never leaving my collection!

This book has it all. It's amazing. Did you know giving flowers as a gift originated as a spell? This book explains how things like that originated. It gives you a different perspective how spells actually work and where they come from. It also gives you alternatives to all those difficult-to-find items required for many spells. It explains goddesses, gods, and the background of many things other books never even begin to discuss. It's also a huge book---it's the size of a huge Webster's Dictionary. Everytime I open it up, I always find something new. Anyone interested in spellcasting definitely should get this. It's totally worth the money and you'll never want to get rid of it either. I have a ton of books and this is by far my favorite. Definitely a must-have.

I am picky about spellbooks so when I saw this one on the shelf I was sure that it had to be terrible. A collection of 5,000 spells was just too much for me to believe that there was any real value to the book. I was sure that at very least it would just list a bunch of spells with no real information about how to work with them. I opened the book at random and came to the chapter on working with herbs. I was very surprised to read a detailed account of creating herbal infusions that matched up with an herb class I had recently taken. Upon further inspection I found that there was a plethora of supplemental information for nearly every section in the book.

One great aspect of the book is the way the spells are organized. Most (smaller) books will have a section labeled "Protection" and list a handful of spells on the topic most of which the reader will never (for various reasons) implement. In this book under Justice spells it begins with the most accessible, least involved spells "(Burn brown and purple candles) and then steadily increases the level of involvement (here's an oil you can make to anoint those candles). Many spells have a handful of various versions to try out. The famed "beef tongue" justice spell has 8 different versions including one for vegetarians.

There is a wonderful mix of traditional customs, vodoun, ancient formulas, herbal, candle, oil, sympathetic, entity summoning, and just about everything you can think of. Now, obviously I would imagine that Ms. Illes has not personally cast all 5,000 of these spells but I got the impression that she had a nice level of familiarity with the material.

And on a purely aesthetic level it feels very nice to pull a gigantic spellbook off the shelf and start flipping through its pages. After owning this one for about a month I bought copies for each member of my coven.

As a reference book for spells, this was really good. There were spells and rituals from all over the world, that were clearly explained and well set-out. The thing that irked me about this book was the author themselves. Illes's outlook on the world is different to mine, but she actually pushes it onto you in the book.

What I mean is, she sees everything modern and scientific as evil and cold, and that modern life is all bad. I found this very insulting as I am a scientist and a pagan, and believe that science and magick can work together, not one is better than the other. And Illes's never just says that it is her opinion, she just states it as fact. For example, she talks about the energy in the world and whether things are 'alive' in a magickal sense. She claims that everything natural is alive, and that anything that has any man-made part is not. This goes against everything I believe, and have actually read, regarding magick and paganism. I think, as do many other pagans, that anything can have magickal power. This is because the divine/energy, or however one interprets it, runs through and is part of everything.

But anyway, I'm getting off track. The 'science is evil' theme is continued when she talks about pregnancy and childbirth, and how more ancient cultures saw a divinity in it that we don't. She says something along the lines of that these cultures didn't see it in the cold, sterile way we do now. I assume she meant that they didn't understand the science behind it. I just found her approach very insulting, because she never states it as her beliefs; rather that this is the way things are.

So, the introductory commentary and history parts of the book I would give 1/5, and the actual references, 4 or 5 out of 5. Hence, overall I'd give it a 3.