Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, and Substances to Heal, Change, and Grow [Paperback]

Phaedra Bonewits (Author), Isaac Bonewits (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2007

Energy. Psi, prana, mana, chi, divine power, the tao, reiki, or "vibes," every system of magic and mysticism calls the energies that power its practices by different names. Whether questioning the power of prayer or a healing session with a Reiki master an underlying question exists of whether this energy is all the same or if they exist as distinctly different "wavelengths" of some universal power?

When New Agers, occultists, spiritual healers, metaphysicians, artists, and Neopagans talk about the "energies" they use, what do they actually mean? Now, for the first time, a single book discusses the vocabulary, magic, metaphysics, art, and science of energy from a multi-model, 21st century perspective.

Lessons included will cover: • Physical vocabulary of energy • Metaphysical vocabulary of energy • How the laws of magic affect energy • The Importance of Focus

Real Energy will then take these lessons to the next level giving you direction on how to understand and begin working with different energies. Half of the book is dedicated to showing you how to work with specific energies, including: the four elements, crystals, plants, animals, your own body, nature spirits, ancestors, and deities to accomplish your goals and enhance life experiences. Specific energy work practices are also covered, including: Reiki, The Huna System, working with "Pure" ESP and PK, Feng Shui, and the Tantra System.

With tips from scientists, artists, magicians, and spiritual teachers, Real Energy will give you a solid introduction to both the theory and practice of energy work.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Isaac Bonewits, author of the classic occult text Real Magic, received the world's first academically accredited degree in the magic in 1970. Since then he has become one of America's best known writers on magic, witchcraft, druidism, and earth religions. Bonewits conducts presentations and rituals across the country.

Phaedra Bonewits has been a practicing psychic, witch, ritualist, and ceremonial magician for thirty years and is an early co-conspirator and a former national officer of CUUPS (Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans).

Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: New Page Books; 1 edition (March 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564149048
• ISBN-13: 978-1564149046
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #286,640 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A more than worthy successor to Real Magic, May 2, 2008

By 

Grymdycche (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, and Substances to Heal, Change, and Grow (Paperback)

To be honest, I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book quite as much as I did Bonewit's earlier work, "Real Magic". Boy, was I wrong. I devoured this book.
Both Issac and Phaedra have created here something very special and unique. Where to begin?

First off, as a person with a technical background, I was throughly impressed and grateful to see that the inclusion of physics and quantum mechanics in the book were discussed factually and accurately, with no "fluff" or twisting of facts to fit preexisting hypotheses or ulterior motives. The Boneswits' are among the very few who are not afraid to attempt to reconcile magic, to some degree, with the scientific worldview. At stated in the book, there is no such thing as the Supernatural, all things follow natural laws, whether or not modern science is yet cognizant of them.
However, I believe it is not the authors' intent to "prove" anything to a non-believer, but only to provide insight and education to all those that believe or merely study the topic academically.

If there is one possible exception to the above, it's in one of my favorite sections where the authors discuss the modern (over?)usage of the word "Energy" by the New Age crowd; contrasting it first in strictly physicists' terms, they then make a rather appealing allowance for it's more colloquial and abundant usage by revealing startling similarities between ancient Hermetic concepts and modern string theory, among other cutting-edge modern day scientific constructs.
Like Real Magic, both Eastern and Western mystical concepts are covered in the book, from the Greek roots of the word "Spirit" to the Chinese "Qi" to the Indian "Prana", among others, all of which pertain, etymologically and interestingly, to "breath".

There is an updated section on the "Laws of Magic" formerly discussed in Issac's seminal "Real Magic", as well as treatises on traditional mystical sources of energy such as the Aristotelian Four Elements; herbs and plants; gemstones and minerals; Gaia(Earthmother/Biosphere)and Cosmos, and of course, animals and living beings. A very brief discourse on spirits, faeries, djinns, and the like, is also offered towards the end, as is a larger section on generating and controlling previously discussed energies.

Overall, I immensely enjoyed this book, and I would even recommend it over Real Magic, if one had no option but to choose between the two. However, the best option, by far, is to get both of them!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A REAL primer on energy work, March 27, 2007

By 

Taylor Ellwood "http://www.imagineyourreality... - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, and Substances to Heal, Change, and Grow (Paperback)

If you're looking for a book that provides you a thorough examination of the basic concepts of energy work, in terms of both personal energy and environmental energy then you'll find that this book is right up your alley. Phaedra and Isaac do a wonderful job of explaining energy and its connection with elemental energy, astrology, natural resources, Chinese belief systems, and more.

This book is theory intensive. They provide a few basic exercises so readers can work with the concepts, but their focus is moreso on explaining the why and how of energy work. I would've liked to have seen more focus on practice, and particularly some intermediate and advanced energy work, but even without that the theory in the book can provide readers an opportunity to experiment if they are willing to take the concepts and run with them.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about energy work and what it involves. You'll also get a dose of Bonewits humor, always good for giving you a moment to take a break and think, "Did they really say that?"

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a thanks and a recommendation, May 21, 2008

By 

Nicole M. Pinion "leannan si" (Lancaster, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, and Substances to Heal, Change, and Grow (Paperback)

I just wanted to write a quick thanks to Isaac and Phaedra for this book, and a recommendation for anyone considering reading it.

As an educated individual, a self-proclaimed intellectual, and a pagan, I've been thoroughly disappointed with the majority of works available on magic and witchcraft. Countless times I've read rosy and exciting accounts of magic, rituals, energy work, etc., without any attempt on the part of the authors to provide scientific, factual, or even rational bases for their claims. I have always been divided by my imagination and belief in the mystical, unseen world, and my need for "facts." I want to believe in the things claimed in the majority of pagan works, but I don't ever want to believe blindly...I was raised Christian...'nuff said.

Since becoming pagan three years ago it's been slow growing, as energy has been a hugely difficult concept for me. As one reviewer mentioned (an excellent observation), Christianity separates you from nature and the world. I've been searching for books and teachers to help me become open again, and to bring me back to the world in a way that both halves of my brain can understand.

"Real Energy" has been exactly the book I was looking for, and again, thank you Isaac and Phaedra for standing up and bringing reason back to the beauty of paganism, and for wielding the science stick in a way that supports magic rather than beating it down. This is an excellent addition to my studies and a great foundation, even for someone who's not naturally scientifically-minded.