Magical Rites from the Crystal Well (Llewellyn's Practical Magick) [Paperback]

Ed Fitch (Author)

Book Description

Series: Llewellyn's Practical Magick | Publication Date: January 1, 1971

Now you can get the collection of rituals and wisdom that has helped start thousands of people on a Pagan path for over thirty-five years—Magical Rites from the Crystal Well by Ed Fitch.

"The Crystal Well" was a small magazine that was published at a time when little information was available on Wicca, Witchcraft, and Paganism. Because of this, the rituals from that magazine circulated far and wide. Today, decades later, they are still popular. Why? Because they're some of the most beautiful, magical, and lyrical rituals ever written.

These wonderful rituals have been collected in a beautifully illustrated book. Among the many rituals and techniques you'll find in Magical Rites from the Crystal Well are:

- Rites for all of the seasons, including Midsummer, Lammas, Winter, and more.
- The Rite of Calling Down the Moon
- The Ceremony of Cakes and Wine
- The Feast of the Full Moon
- Storm Magic
- Magical Dance
- Building an Astral Temple
- Pathworking
- A Handfasting Rite
- Rite of Dedication and Protection for an Infant

Each rite includes complete instructions, with every word and every action clearly explained. The book also includes Pagan lore, such as the Rede of Chivalry, tips on forming a Pagan training group, how to tell if your pet is also your familiar, and much more.

Almost every page has an elegant illustration. This book is not just filled with important ideas and rites that you can use, it's also beautiful to behold.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Do you know Ed Fitch? Ed is one of the founders and major scholars of modern Paganism. Initiated into Gardnerian Wicca in the mid-1960s, he has continually contributed to the development and understanding of the ancient traditions of Earth-centered spirituality in a modern context.

For years, he was the guiding light of the magazine "The Crystal Well," one of the most important Pagan magazines ever. Magical Rites from the Crystal Well is a collection of some of the best rituals and ceremonies from that magazine.

These rites have introduced thousands, perhaps tens-of-thousands of people to Paganism. His work has helped to shape the face of modern, Earth-centered spirituality for over three decades.

Magical Rites from the Crystal Well contains a wealth of beautiful, evocative, and powerful rituals and lore that you can use. It can help give direction to your path. It will allow you to reconnect with your deepest spiritual roots.

In Magical Rites from the Crystal Well you will find rituals for the seasons, for the Moon, for candle spells, blessings and cleansings, and much more.
So take your place in the sunshine, among the moonbeams, or under the starlight, as you joyfully worship in the sanctuary of the Earth with the help of Magical Rites from the Crystal Well.

About the Author

Ed Fitch is one of the major figures in modern Wicca and neo-Paganism.  He has traveled the world as an Air Force officer, an aerospace engineer and a private investigator.  He spends as much time as possible each year in the California wilderness exploring mines, caves, and old ghost town sites.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; 1st edition (January 1, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875422306
• ISBN-13: 978-0875422305
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #890,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, a good place to start., August 4, 1998

By 

Helen Clark "Red1332" (PA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Magical Rites from the Crystal Well (Llewellyn's Practical Magick) (Paperback)

Although the book did have some very beautiful illustrations in it, and did carry rituals for a multitude of occasions, some might find that they do not mesh well with their own systems. Eclectics would find it easy to integrate a few of these rituals into their own routines. I myself, however, found some of them to be either too simple or seeming a bit insufficient for what might be required of an occasion. However, it is an excellent place to start for a beginner,giving a good idea as to how one would create the outline of a ritual, as well as learning a few basic things about the casting of the circle, quarters, etc.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic beginner's primer on Wiccan spell working, February 6, 2000

By 

H. Powell "hlp2" (Reynoldsburg, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Magical Rites from the Crystal Well (Llewellyn's Practical Magick) (Paperback)

Although the experienced witch will find little that is new in this book, Ed Fitch is an excellent writer and the illustrations herein are fantastic. I reccommend this work for any new practitioner. A word of caution: if you are looking for a guide with a specifically ethnic flavor (classical, celtic, norse, egyptian, etc.), this is not the best book for you (I reccommend "The Rites of Odin" for Norse pagans, also by Fitch). Even though I am no longer a "pure" Wiccan (as this system still owes A LOT to Aleister Crowley and traditional Gardnerian witchcraft, hence, it owes much to traditional Judeo-Christian concepts and not a whole lot to historical paganism), the "Crystal Well" is a good place to start.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first book of magic in my library., August 10, 2005

By 

Richard K. Kostoff "karmarich" (columbus, oh) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Magical Rites from the Crystal Well (Llewellyn's Practical Magick) (Paperback)

I remember reading and practicing from this handy guide in the 1980s. You could say this was the book to start it all for me. There is much to be said about the information here-all being great! Many of the rituals have been tried and tested solitarily by myself for many years. It devolops faith and trust in contempory witchcraft.

This is probably the book that I would take to a desert island with me. Unlike so many other authors at Llewellyn, Mr Fitch has published very little. I really liked his Grimoire of Shadows. It expands much of what is presented here. This seems to be witchcraft for the unfashionable set.