Customer Reviews

Magick Potions: How to Prepare and Use Homemade Incense, Oils, Aphordisacs, and Much More

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

BUT this book is one exception (the other being 'the Wicca Garden' - her spellbooks and others are marginal at best) The potions, oils and other recipes, and there are a lot of them, are great as are the Tarot meditation teas. I have used quite a few of the recipes with good success and highly recommend this book.

If you should see this book for sale either on-line, or at any book retailer, PLEASE do yourself the upmost favor and pass it by (you'll thank me later, I promise)! I purchased this book long before I bought my first computer and established an internet connection, so in my naivite I assumed that it would contain a wealth of information from an experienced Witch. I was sorely disappointed. The title led me to believe that it would be an exhaustive monograph dealing with the history, brewing, and employment of Magick Potions! It wasn't. Instead, what few "potion" formulas that were included were, in actuality, tea recipes or herb simples (single herbs infused in boiling water and meant to be imbibed for health benefits (in other words, more teas!). Furthermore, the book seemed to be a rather erratic mish-mash of information easily accessible to any nauvice Pagan, such as a discussion of Sabbats, etc. which has nothing to do with potions. So, I must concur with an earlier reviewer that Ms. Dunwich doesn't seem to know what to write about, and may only be after a quick buck (if this is so, I cannot say with any certainty, of course). But, what is more astonishing is that, if she had been a genuinely *experienced* Witch by any definition, than this book would have been FAR better: it would have met with my expectations and contained numerous personal ritual potions ment to be rubbed ointo the skin or candles, etc. instead of just TEAS--which is not what I paid for (I bought it mail-order, you see)! (Has the author any *actual* experience in brewing her own potions, or even in creating her own formulas? Scanning over her books, from memory, her "potions" seem to be from friends that she knows, such as Voodoo Priests or Priestesses, as in her Candle Magick book, or Herb Simples, as in this book, and old formulas from Grimoires in her love spell book that you wouldn't want to try on anyone living!) It also would have relayed her personal experience and education in the subject of potion-crafting. Neither was this even broached in this book. I have, long-since, gladly disposed of this book from the depths of my personal library. I sold it to the Half Price Bookstore! Still, looking at these glowing reviews has forced me to write a review of my own. I am still shocked all these years later by what I had read in the pages of this book. The author ought to know better, to be honest. I felt like I was seriously mislead, as a consequence.

This is a great book on potion making. But be careful all because something is natural does not mean it cant make you sick. Like Cats claw is not good for a pregnant woman to drink. She does not put these warning on her book. Regardless of the reader not being warned it is a great book. O love the mandrake section and I have incorporated some of her potions in my spells. The Mandrake potion for revenge is a good one. Im glad this book is not a wishy washy goodie two shoe book. She has postive uses for her potions as well most of these potions are for positive purposes. By the way if your back is against the wall and you need to use a spell to get someone away from you I dont see that as negative I see that as survival. Anyway this is a great book to get wheatehr you are a Witch, Santarian, Shaman or whatever your magickal/spiritual path is this book is of use.

This book was a fabolous and easy to follow guide of some spells and way to use oils and herbs for many, many reasons. i love this book so much i have told my friends about this guide and they have told their friends. i think its perfect for all stages of witchcraft and specially for wiccans such as myself. This guide is a must-have if you collect books of this topic.

While I will firstly admit that this is not the best recipe book out there, I will also add that I'm tired of seeing so many Wiccan authors spoon feeding spells and recipes to novices to make a quick buck rather than actually leaving them with an ounce of intellectual knowledge of magic (*coughcoughSRWcough*).

That said, the book is full of lore, myths and superstitions, classical engravings, correspondence tables, reading recommendations, suggested resources (though these may be outdated), brewing methods, recipes (yes, I said it wasn't the best, but there are some usable recipes for basic ritual use and some spell work) and even some entomology and folk names for herbs.

This book certainly helped me learn potionry more than any other book I had worked with until Michael Greer's Natural Magic was published, and I had borrowed it from my library so often, I ended up spilling a brew on it and being forced to buy it: a fortunate accident, as no store near me carried it.

Only serious warnings:
Always question certain sources and claims, no matter what book you read. I know that this book refers to Wicca as the "Old Religion", and that the correspondences in some of Dunwich's other works were incorrect with some of the deities; though I honestly have not check how they were in this book (I rely on other sources for deity information).

These things, however, can be over looked for this book as long as external resources for these basics are used, as the books focus is still in the potion work and folklore rather than religious history and deity work.

Gerina Dunwich is one of my favorite authors. I enjoy her perspectives of compiled information, on the realms of magic.
This book is an intersting collection of not just modern Wiccan ideas and practices, but even more ancient recipes and Medieval beliefs.
Her resource list is not academic, but very intelligent.
Her presentation of material holds magnetic charm as a magic book select.
A must for every Witch's library.
Steffanie Snyder M.A.

Magick Potions by Gerina Dunwich is by far one of the most potent witches herbal guides to be published! True to the lore of herbs and plants used in witchcraft, it brilliantly describes the applications of the rare practice of potion-craft. I am a hereditary practitioner and most of my knowledge comes from past generations on general practices; yet I can't describe how this book has supplemented my limited knowledge of herbalism in the craft! I would recommend this book to most students of the craft and (happily) any masters of the craft! A wealth of information from poultices to ritual teas and fluid condensers, I guarantee you will find yourself turning to this book time and again!

I found this to be a very good book, I find myself looking at the section of weird potions and curious notions quite a bit wondering how they came to be. Non the less pregnant women should do their homework before drinking some of the potions in here seeings how no warning are listed by them because they are dangerous for them. Good book no matter if you are newer or old to the craft.

I got this book as a Christmas present and I have really enjoyed it. Potions are a fascinating subject. Not many other books are all about potions like this one. Some of my friends are witches and they like this book alot too. We all agree it's a pretty cool book! Please give it 5 stars.

Gerina Dunwich is an author of many really good wiccan books and this is another one. Well written and full of information on homemade incense, oils and other concoctions. I am glad I bought it.