Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells [Hardcover]

Judika Illes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 2009

Enter the World of Folklore, Myth, and Magic

Discover binding spells and banishing spells, spells for love, luck, wealth, power, spiritual protection, physical healing, and enhanced fertility drawn from Earth's every corner and spanning 5,000 years of magical history.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Judika Illes is an independent scholar, educator, and author of several books of folklore, folkways, and mythology. Judika is a graduate of Rutgers University and has a certification in therapeutic aromatherapy from the Australasian College of Herbal Studies. Her books include Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, Encyclopedia of Spirits, The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, and The Weiser Field Guide to the Paranormal (published under the name Judith Joyce).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1120 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (March 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061711233
• ISBN-13: 978-0061711237
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.9 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Earth-Based Religions > Witchcraft
  • #35 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Earth-Based Religions > Wicca

More About the Author

When I was six, my older sister brought home a deck of tarot cards. I took one look at them and fell in love. Around the same time, I heard (and loved) the Rolling Stones' version of Benny Spellman's song "Fortune Teller." Either or both of those experiences may have been what started my career. I have been a student of metaphysics and the magical arts ever since.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This is a duplicate of the ELEMENT Encyclopedia of 5,000 spells ...AND by same author!, May 22, 2010

By 

a fellow seer "D." - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells (Hardcover)

Just a helpful tip to whoever originated this page for the author. Perhaps I didn't see this in the reviews for this particular book (nor did I see this while reading the description for this particular book) that this is actually a DUPLICATE of the ELEMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 5,000 SPELLS. Both have the same author listed, have different covers. Please be careful to make it clear going forward, because simply having a review that talks of the Element book under the 'plain' 5,000 spells title is not really all that crystal clear. It is not cool to have two copies of the same book, people don't have that kind of money to spend. Now I now have both copies of the same book. Luckily it's a book I use and the first one was falling apart, so I will not send this second one back. Please be careful with your advertising and be clear.

Here's the link to the original: http://www.amazon.com/Element-Encyclopedia-5000-Spells-Reference/dp/0007164653/ref=pd_sim_b_29

52 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wealth of Information!, May 5, 2009

By 

Janet Boyer "Author, Blogger, Mystic" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells (Hardcover)

"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

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for anyone practicing the craft!, April 28, 2009

By 

M. Peterson "FloraMarie" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells (Hardcover)

This is such an amazing book!!! It leaves no stone unturned when it comes to presenting information about the "how to's" for each spell. I wish I would have had this book earlier in my practice.

This is a must have book!!!