Natural Magic [Paperback]

Doreen Valiente (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1985

Did you know that the thickness of the layers in a locally grown onion will indicate the severity of the coming winter? Magic is all around us, in stones, flowers, stars, the dawn wind, and the sunset cloud. All we need is the ability to see it, understand it, and apply it. Magic works because of nature's laws, not in spite of them, and Valiente shows how to practice the age-old white magic which has been familiar to the Wise Ones for centuries.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Doreen Valiente was one of the founders of modern Wicca and was initiated into four different branches of the Old Religion in Great Britain. She is the author of An ABC of Witchcraft: Past and Present, Natural Magic, The Rebirth of Witchcraft and Witchcraft: A Tradition Renewed. She made many television and radio appearances, discussing witchcraft and folklore and displaying items from her collection of witchcraft objects. Doreen Valiente died in 1999. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix Publishing (WA) (June 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0919345808
• ISBN-13: 978-0919345805
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,316,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars every witch should read this, February 5, 2001

By 

marina baker (Brighton, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natural Magic (Paperback)

My mother read this when I was a child. She was a practising witch and raised me to revere nature and to respect the craft.

Thirty years later, I found this book and since the shop collapsed around me, I decided I should buy it. I stayed in the bath and read it in a morning.

I realise that many of the ideas I grew up with, that influence how I now practice my craft and write about it, stem from Doreen's writing.

Everyone should read this book, because it reminds us where magic comes from - not from the publishers wanting to launch another spell book on a gullible public looking for quick fixes for life's problems. No, magic is present in all of us and the world that gives us life. That's real magic.

I sense towards the end Doreen was rushing a bit to meet publishing deadlines, or perhaps she'd said enough but they wanted a few more pages. But hey, who's perfect?

What's important in this book is that it's written from the heart and provides valuable insight into the mind of Doreen Valiente, and it will inspire future generations to keep their magic real.

60 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good overview with authentic roots, July 19, 2000

By 

"eawallace" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natural Magic (Paperback)

The biggest problem I have with most books on magick and Wicca is the lack of real knowledge on the part of the author. Despite the popularity of authors such a Ray Buckland, their claims lack substance and any attempt at historical research will prove this. Here, on the other hand, are teachings from one who learned from Gardner himself. Like the Farrars, with whom she was a close associate, Doreen Valiente speaks from history, culture, and experience, not just wishful thinking. This book is an excellent companion to books on how to practice. It is less a guide then an explanation of the theory and philosophy underlying the Craft. Unlike many of the more contemporary authors, this book is not a fictionalized account of an ancient people about whom almost nothing is known. Nor is it a dogmatic manifesto. For those who look to Wicca as a way to spiritual growth and self awareness, this book is a useful and inspirational tool. For those who embrace Wicca to spite their parents, or who got board pretending to be vampires and want a new way to be cool at the mall, do not bother with this book.

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent addition to any serious witch's library, January 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natural Magic (Paperback)

This book is an excellent view of natural magic as practiced by many witches, especially in Britain. This book is one of the first to cover this topic and it does so in a thorough and highly readable manner. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in this topic or interested in Witchcraft in general. Worth the quest.