House Magic: The Good Witch's Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space [Hardcover]

Ariana (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2001

Can a rubber tree placed in the north part of the home bring calm? Could an aquarium behind the bed inadvertently invite robbers? Might amber purify a room by transforming negative energy to positive? In House Magic, Ariana explains these effects and more, introducing readers to pagan feng shui — Wiccan energy management for the home. Feng shui, witchcraft, and astrology are already familiar to many readers, but House Magic is the first book to bring these practices together. The purpose? To show how, by using a little bit of each, people can activate positive energy in their homes and, consequently, in their lives. Fun, playful, and practical, House Magic explains where not to place certain objects in a room; links specific astrological signs to decorating styles and habits of collecting; and shows readers how to create a beautiful space that attracts positive energy for themselves and their guests to enjoy.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The idea behind House Magic is simple: "To help you create a beautiful and loving home that the whole family can enjoy and to which you can invite company without having to explain yourself!" writes author Ariana. Talk about practical magic. This good witch's down-to-earth guide tackles the bane of housekeeping in the opening pages, with an entire chapter devoted to eliminating clutter--wardrobe excess, piles of papers, that glut of children's toys, and even those dust-catching knickknacks. Some of her advice is predictably New Agey, such as clear "air clutter" with a sage stick. Other times, she offers common sense: "Deal with mail as soon as possible." And sometimes, she's superstitious: "It is good advice to keep the toilet lid down at all times, so you won't flush away your good fortune." Most of the time, though, Ariana offers a compelling blend of witch wisdom, pagan feng shui, and astrology, including advice on color schemes, furniture placement, and how to fill your home with "auspicious" symbols and objects (such as citrine clusters, coins, and fish). For the Wiccan inclined, this makes an excellent housewarming gift, packed with playful yet surprisingly useful homemaking advice. --Gail Hudson

From Library Journal

Each of these books takes a slightly different approach to holistic interior design. Chiazzari (The Healing Home) focuses on the five elements fire, water, wood, metal, and earth and their representations in domestic interiors: fire equals lighting, for example, while earth equals ceramic tiles. She explains how to balance these elements to create a tranquil home. In a casual, chatty style, Ariana "demonstrates...how to activate positive energy flow into your home, and therefore, into your life" by using feng shui, candles, gemstones, smudging, and rituals to create a harmonious environment. Purchase where there is a continued interest.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Conari Press; Paper Over Board edition (May 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573245682
• ISBN-13: 978-1573245685
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,046,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I now have a happy house...., August 12, 2001

By 

Terry Mathews (a small town in east Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: House Magic: The Good Witch's Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space (Hardcover)

Having just spent the past 6 months remodeling our old house, I was really happy that this book came into my life. I was just about to put everything into place when the book arrived. I read it from cover to cover -- twice -- and became truly inspired to make my house a happy place, a haven, and a home.

Forget about the witch thing if that makes you wary...what Ariana does is give you down-to-earth advice on how to create a warm, inviting, soothing environment in which to live, laugh and love.

I've used some of Ariana's methods and altered some to fit my own style...and my home is better for it.

I especially loved the chapter on Feng Shui, as other books I've read were a bit complicated and detailed for my east Texas tastes.

Enjoy!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars House Magic, March 8, 2003

By 

Cassandra Barnes "Cassandra" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: House Magic: The Good Witch's Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space (Hardcover)

House Magic: The Good Witch's Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space is one of those indispensable little books that includes a wealth of wisdom. Author Ariana says that "there is such a diversity of information available from different sources and traditions that I thought an eclectic collection of ideas would help readers take control of their lives by getting their houses in order."

Although the focus is on living space, getting a house in order also puts a life in good order. Ariana includes lots of suggestions, but emphasizes that what's important is developing awareness of who you are and learning to follow your own intuition in eliminating all forms of clutter from your life.

She describes how to use techniques such as astrology, feng shui, plants, crystals, candles, and incense to create a harmonious environment full of positive energy. Each chapter ends with a section called "Bringing It All Together," which outlines the highlights of that chapter for quick reference.

Ariana reminds people that the first step is to know what they want. That puts them on the road to achieving it. Then they can use whatever seems right for bringing in the positive energy needed for turning dreams into reality.

"House Magic shows readers how to design their homes to fulfill personal needs and master the ability to display their own uniqueness using their homes as a medium." Anyone desiring to create that "perfect space" will discover that Ariana has provided an essential reference for choosing the best way to produce a "vibrant castle of creativity and warmth."

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gem of a book, whether you believe in magic or not, January 30, 2002

By 

Circejane (Michigan) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: House Magic: The Good Witch's Guide to Bringing Grace to Your Space (Hardcover)

A simple, well-written little book that's not just for witches! Written with humor and intelligence, it offers practical advice, not just folklore. In fact, it deals far more with energy flow than with superstition. Excellent basic book for anyone who wants to go beyond the basic happy home books out there.