The Real Witches Handbook [Paperback]

Kate West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2001

Kate West explores the myths that surround witchcraft, its festivals, beliefs, practices, and folklore. She explains the responsibilities of becoming a witch, and provides all the magical and herbal spells you need - from charms to help you attract your ideal partner, to healing potions for natural beauty, to affirmations that will help you find empowerment.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kate West is the author of The Real Witches' Handbook and The Real Witches' Kitchen. She is Media Officer for The Children of Artemis and High Priestess of the Hearth of Hecate, which runs a popular email support and enquiry service for Witches around the world. A practising Wiccan for over 30 years, she has excellent international contacts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Thorsons (June 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007105150
• ISBN-13: 978-0007105151
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,764,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real Deal, September 18, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Real Witches Handbook (Paperback)

I am new to the practice of Witchcraft. I have been reading and studying for many months now and so far this has to be the most infomative book I have read so far. It is very spiritual without the fluff. I have found that there is a lot of intro to witch type books out there that are missing much of the point of witchcraft. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BOOKS. If you are looking for a true introduction to the craft this is a must read. Thank You Kate West.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witchcraft with a minimum of fuss and props, a great book., June 5, 2001

By 

Merlyn (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real Witches Handbook (Paperback)

This book is a refreshing insight into the practice of witchcraft, and exceptionally easy to read and understand. It is well presented and details magical and herbal spells, folk law, the changing seasons and festivals of the year. Kate West is the High Priestess of the Hearth of Hecate; she has been a practising Witch for over thirty years. Her extensive experience becomes apparent in this book, which contains sensible and practical information that is aimed at both the newcomer and experienced practitioner of the craft. The author's claim that this is a book for real people with real lives is well founded; it is very rare to find a book suitable for those in shared accommodation or living with their parents. This book shows you how to practice Witchcraft with a minimum of fuss and props, perfect for the busy student with no private space. In conclusion this is an excellent book and great value for money, I highly recommend anyone to read it.

Merlyn
Children of Artemis

...

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Beginner's Guide, May 5, 2004

By 

M. E. in Austin "marney75" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real Witches Handbook (Paperback)

This was the 3rd book I read on Witchcraft, and frankly I wish it would've been the 1st. Being new to the craft, I had a lot of questions and didn't understand some of the principles I'd read in other books. The author does not try to be pretentious or talk over the reader's head, but comes across in a very direct and down to earth style. This strategy makes The Real Witches Handbook the perfect beginner's primer. Those looking for more advanced study will be sorely disappointed. The Real Witches Handbook outlines the basic beliefs systems held by most witches, which is not an easy task because there are so many different traditions in witchcraft, which all have different practices and beliefs, it's difficult to define the craft for the novice even in a general way. As they say....'If you ask 10 different Wiccans what Wicca is, you'll get 12 different answers'.

Ms. West, a British High Priestess, does a wonderful job of tackling the many myths and stereotypes that surround our religion right from the get go. The words "witch" and "pagan" carry with them many negative connotations. It is the responsibility of every Witch to help others realize we are not the evil, sacrificial, card-carrying satanists they might assume we are. It's very important that witches work together to help show our inherent goodness to the rest of the world so that witches everywhere will not be feared or treated like 2nd class citizens. Unfortunately, we live in a world where most witches are still in the broom closet because they fear retribution in their personal lives, careers, and towards their families. West does a good job dispelling myth from fact, after which she dives right in the nuts and bolts of Witchcraft.

This book covers all the basics including the Wheel of the Year, an introduction to the Gods, and basic principles and beliefs of Wicca. I particularly benefited from the explanation of the God and Goddess. Ms. West explains we all wear different hats in our lives: we can be a parent, a sibling, a child, a career-oriented person, an artist, a musician, and so forth. Although we all play these different roles in our lives, we are all still 1 being. Such is the Spirit. West uses the example of a disco ball in explaining the Gods, while each individual square of glass might equal a different god with different specialties, they are all together one Great Spirit. This is the duality of the God and Goddess, and this descriptive example really led to my beginning to understand some of the most basic concepts in Wicca. West also introduces the reader to the Summerlands and the Wiccan belief of death and rebirth, a subject some books tend to overlook.

Included are a few rituals and spells to help the beginner get their feet wet. West, understanding many Witches aren't able to openly practice the Craft or use certain elements due to allergy or physical restrictions (such as using fire in spell & ritual), is clever enough to provide alternatives to overcome these obstacles. I enjoyed reading about many different & simple ways to celebrate the God & Goddess as well as the Sabbats/Esbats, even when traveling. This is helpful because we all get busy and pulled in a million directions, and there will be occasions when it's simply not practical to perform a complex ritual. It's nice to have ideas for simpler ways of honoring the Gods.

Another wonderful aspect of this book is dealt with in the "Coming Out of the Broom Closet" chapter. Not all books cover this very real life issue we all must face at some point, and West gives the reader some valuable advice and ways in which to deal with this issue, including having your loved one read your copy of The Real Witches Handbook. This is yet another brilliant example of why West's down to earth writing style works so well.....she writes for the aspiring novice as well as for the curious Christian who simply wants to learn more about our religion without being confused by highly technical aspects geared towards advanced students.

The chapters will include:
~ Myth and Reality : what being a witch is all about & destroying the stereotypes
~ What Witchcraft is : the beliefs and practices
~ Moon worship, the elements, Gods and Goddesses, the cycles of death and rebirth
~ The Sabbats and the Wheel of the Year
~ Becoming a Witch - what it can involve
~ Magic - the responsibilities involved, avoiding potential danger
~ Spellcraft - attract partners, improve family relationships
~ Herbal work - herbs for skin, hair, scents, traditional recipes
~ How to tell your family, contacting groups and other Wiccans.
~ Networking & Book Resources for furthering your studies.