Customer Reviews

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

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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!

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?"

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.

I have been anticipating this book, since Amazon offered it, this past summer, and I must say that it has been well worth the wait. The lay out is thought-provoking, and the material well-presented. Anyone familiar with Isaac Bonewits work will recognize the delightful patter, and informal style that he and Phaedra use in this work. I consider it to be worth the investment, for any metaphysical library.

Isaac Bonewits is treasure. The more of your life you spend digging him, the better off you'll be at the end of your personal rainbow quest.

All of Isaac's "Essential" books should be in the library of every seeker of truth or teacher of seekers: especially those prepared to appreciate the difference between wisdom and witchcrap. This one might just be the most essential of them all, in that it addresses a core component of many Neopagan belief systems from physical and metaphysical perspectives, toward a more complete understanding of the worlds we inhabit. The wonder of the thing is that this goal is achieved without robbing magic of its magick.

Something that distinguishes Isaac's teaching is a take-no-prisoners commitment to honesty. He debunks the debunkable without mercy, yet will never try to persuade you to believe something just because he thinks it's believable. Instead, he presents the facts, interprets them with skill, then weighs in with ideas to guide you through taking the next steps on your own, like the grounded grown-up he assumes you are. When you compare this with the usual hand-holding how-to books on the metaphysical shelf of your local bookstore, you might think that sounds a little tough, but in fact, something else that characterizes Isaac's teaching style is his extraordinary gentleness. Phaedra conveys both these sides of the Essential Isaac effectively, shading her narrative with just the right touch of Bonewits charm.

The result is an empowering read.

Clear, direct, and simple, this book is great for getting a handle on the etheral subject of magical energies. Anyone annoyed with breathy, wide-eyed authors who have their feet in the clouds or who are clearly in love with their own mystic 75-cent vocabularies will find the Bonewits duo's writing style and outlook to be refreshingly matter-of-fact and accessible, even humorous at times. Energy is broken down into component types (including how it's seen through beliefs from different world religions/philosophies), examined rationally in well-ordered chapters, and a few exercises are provided for those who wish to explore further. An interesting read all around.

This is the first book I have read by these authors, though they have written other books. I really like their writing style, they have a lot of wit, a real sense of humor. They also do a very good job of explaining the various aspects of energy and giving a good overview on the way that magic works. It seems they have many years of experience in magical practice. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in magic.

The book gave you a lot of information on the use of energy in other religions. There are exercise to do, to help you with the use of energy.

I highly recommend this book and any of Mr. Bonewits books

REAL ENERGY: SYSTEMS, SPIRITS, AND SUBSTANCES TO HEAL, CHANGE, AND GROW offers a wide range of strategies for understanding the science, history and mysticism of energy - also called 'psi', 'prana' and 'divine power'. It teaches the basics of how to work with the energies such as the four Elements, crystals and animals, with chapters offering specific energy practices and applications. REAL ENERGY is a wide-ranging survey which embraces different disciplines on the topic and is a recommended pick for any serious new age library.

I really looked forward to this book and I bought my first copy as soon as it came out but one of my mundane students lusted after it and I gave him that one. I actually started to read the next copy I got but that, too, was needed by another. Finally, the third copy got here and I read it. It goes on the never-lend shelf of essentials.

This book is clear, practical, effective and fun. Thanks Phaedra and Isaac!