Customer Reviews

Gothic Grimoire

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In this day and age when Witchcraft & Wicca books are plentiful, it is rare to find something worthwhile and truly inspiring.

Let me tell you, this book is an exception and I cannot recommend it highly enough!! It was quite refreshing to see Lewellyn publishing something insightful and informative again, rather than re-hashing the same old topics cloaked in the latest "pantheon du jour."

Konstantinos' frank, descriptive writing style is one that is easy to relate to, both for the novice Witch and for those like myself who have been on this path long before the "Charmed" sect decided it would be fun to dabble in. And how nice to know that someone actually cracks open the "old school" tomes like Franz Bardon, Dion Fortune and RJ Stewart to bring that wisdom to the fore of modern Witchcraft practice.

Too often, today's Witchcraft authors leave out the whys and wherefores of how the circle is cast, how a condenser is created and how energies can be directed and transformed. There's been too much glossing over of such important elements of the art, science and practicum of magick....its a wonder any modern students of the Old Ways are getting anything from ritual and spell work at all.

But let me tell you, as a woman who has been working with paganism for nearly two decades, this book is different. Not only is it is very apparent that the author has indeed tried to "walk his talk" in his spiritual path (another
thing often lost on the newer generation of Witches), it's obvious that through intense study, trial-and-error and thoughtful practice he has actually gleaned the knowledge he espouses. What a concept!! To teach from serious first-hand experience rather than spouting rote diatribes!!

Any real Witch would know that Gardner, Sanders, Buckland and Valiente started from deeper roots of knowledge, and so too has this author. What a wonderful way to show how very important it is that the foundations of magickal practice not be glossed
over in haste.

By giving readers clues, hints and homework rather than blatantly
dictating his findings, the author encourages the reader to experiment and explore their magickal abilities until they find the core of truth within themselves. Not to mention his ground-breaking ideas of reconciling Dark Magicks.....a long time coming brother! Amen!

Readers of both this book and the companion, "Nocturnal Witchcraft," are in for a rare treat...an excellent writer and teacher.

Gothic Grimoire is the personal Book of Shadows of author Konstantinos, and it shows! The author focuses on the night world of magic, presenting many potent rituals and rites for the beginner or advanced practitioner. Astral Travel, Nocturnal Sabbats and Opening the Gates to the Underworld are but a few of the many topics discussed in the book.

Few books focus on the dark arts because they can be misrepresented and confused for something evil or nefarious. However, Konstantinos avoids this pitfall because he is a seasoned and mindful pagan and his instruction, while allowing one to embrace the night world, clearly does so without sacrificing the light.

Gothic Grimoire is a powerful and insightful tool for anyone wanting to master the nocturnal mysteries while maintaining respect and balance in the process.

I think Konstantinos is honest about his dark interests and is not over the top about being a 'goth' unlike John J. Coughlin who seems to focus on that way too much. I have read all the Konstantinos books but particularly like this one as it goes beyond spells and rituals and starts to explore psychic potential and the power of the mind. It is strange how John J.Coughlin and Konstantinos are both from the New York area, both goths and are writing on the same topic of dark paganism - I do wonder if they are rivals or friends!
The only thing I did not like about this book is the title as it is a bit tacky and might give people the wrong idea about the book.
Anyway this book is a good read!

This book is by far one that will be by myside. It helps understanding the commune with the dark gods and goddesses of the night, making sence of the nocturnal sabbats. The understanding without making you fustrated and confussed.
If you have read Nocturnal Witchcraft then this book is for you.

"I've got a feeling that if you're reading this book, it found you. Not the other way around."

I'll never forget the day I first found this book. I was [...], somewhat sheltered, hanging out at a Border's on a Saturday. I was looking at another book near the metaphysics section (that had nothing to do with metaphysics of any sort), when I glanced over and I saw the bold red words Gothic Grimoire staring at me. At the time my love of "dark things" was dormant (I was known for loving macabre art, music, and movies at a very young age, which of course resurfaced later and then some) as at the time I was taught to fear God and that darkness was bad... I couldn't stop staring at the book. I put down what I was reading and, after looking around to see if my family was around, I picked up Gothic Grimoire and I started reading it. And I saw those words.

I could feel the gears turning, the outrageous idea of Emily, the innocent[...] Christian in a baby pink shirt and shorts, being completely intrigued by the ideas contained therein. The warnings of using fire and blood, the idea of darker energies really being out there. If I had money that day, I might've found a way to sneak it into my parents' house, but as I didn't, I put it back on the shelf, remembered the author Konstantinos, and knew I had to come back for it later.

I'll skip over my personal and spiritual evolution and cut to the chase: a few years later I buy the book and I remember the feelings I had at Border's - strongly intrigued, this time without fear of retribution.

I don't know why Nocturnal Witchcraft often gets grouped together with this book. Nocturnal Witchcraft may be helpful for beginners, has a few things in it that I found useful, but ever so often you are reminded of an intended Wiccan audience... this is not Gothic Grimoire. While Gothic Grimoire refers to the gods, the religious undertone is far less present, which is exactly my cup of tea. I'm neither atheist nor agnostic, however I do not follow organized religion nor one group of gods. In this book, you are more free to explore darkness without religious backing (as in Nocturnicon - but that's a different review).

Gothic Grimoire contains an initiation rite into darkness, so to speak, as you "die" and are reborn into a darker, more spiritual, being. (I had to be a little creative doing this one, but I've nothing but benefited as a result.) You decide: teamwork or solo? You learn to perfect your intuition, delve into astral projection and create your own aura (how others perceive you), just to name a few.

Do not only read the book, but practice with it... and soon you see that there is no single book that can encompass the occult that entices us. Gothic Grimoire is not the be-all-end-all of dark magick. It is the beginning. I believe I got such strong vibes from it as it was the first book of its type that I ever saw... and inspired me to keep exploring. I strongly recommend that one buy the book, read it, practice from it, learn from it, and then open one's mind to even more great things. If you're looking for a good place to get started, this is the book for you.

I laughed, I cried, and I've never felt more proud to be a Nocturnal Witch. Konstant goes to all those dark places, like beating addictions, facing your ultimate shadow self, and my personal favorite, Astral Magick.

This is by far his best work ever, and has replaced Nocturnal Witchcraft on my nightstand. If you want guidance on finding your own power and Will without pomp, rehashing of basic concepts, and stupid pretenses, this is the book for you.

this is a great book...if you 15 and you've finaly run out of ravenwolf books to read ...otherwise...save your money. While some of his visualization excersises are interesting, its pretty obvious, even before you read the rest of his books, that he's building up to admiting he's not a wiccan or even pagan, he's heading for satanist...or a drug treatment center, whichever comes first. And I have no problem with that, but lets call this what it is...pandering to disafected teenagers, angsty 20 somethings and bitter 30's. If you need something to put on your coffee table to annoy visiting Jehovah's witneses or to scare your parents...this is the author and these are the books, but if your looking for useful information.. its not in here.

Forget all these cheesey "teen witch" books that have been floating up for years; this is the real deal. Initiate yourself, contact the underworld, read minds, astral travel and more. This broke my preconceptions of wicca- that it is whimpy, cheesey, hokey and marketed at teens. Konstantinos is fine. Goth literature from a real goth...

I got this book in the Nocturnal Witch Collection and read it after having read Nocturnal Witchcraft which imo is the better of the two. This book states that its more advanced , but in the sense that its more advanced than its predescessor Nocturnal Witchcraft. However, this book doesn't bring much new to the table. Many of the exercises in this book would be thought off by anyone who is creative just by reading the previous book. Thats true for me at least. I say get this book if your not very creative or want the "complete" set.

I am so not going to come in here and repeat everything that michelle an witchygal and others have said. I love this book and it has been a long time comming