Witchcraft: Theory and Practice (Paperback)

by Ly de Angeles (Author) "The center has been called spirit, essence, soul, consciousness..." (more)
Key Phrases: invoking pentagram, banishing pentagram, consecrated water, Tree of Life, Northern Hemisphere, Book of Shadows (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Are you ready to open yourself to the divine powers in order to bring beauty into your life, happiness to your heart, and strength to your will? Then you'll want to get Witchcraft: Theory and Practice by Ly de Angeles. With more than three decades of experience she has learned how to bring the teachings alive, combining modern with ancient, so you can better understand the true potential and depth of Witchcraft.

Within the pages of this book you will find the secrets and techniques to become a Witch. These can be divided into three categories: philosophical disciplines, spiritual beliefs, and practical techniques. Each part gets a focus in this book.

In the first section, you will:
- Learn meditation and how it can be used for ritual
- Discover the secrets of visualization, telepathy, and personal power
- Use the self-analysis techniques to discover who you are and never walk in anyone's shadow

In the second section you can:
- Uncover the essence of the God and Goddess
- Discover the festivals of Witchcraft
- Learn how to make and use the tools of Witchcraft
- Understand how to do rituals, including the rite of self-initiation

And in the final section, you'll:
- Practice psychic protection, shapeshifting, and banishing
- Master astral projection
- Learn to interpret omens

This really just barely covers some of the information you will find revealed in these pages. Written in a style that is clear and concise, this book will add to your knowledge of Witchcraft. Whether you are new to the Craft or have been practicing for some time, Witchcraft: Theory and Practice will impart wisdom that will fascinate and entice. You will be using this book for many years to come.


From the Publisher
Witchcraft: Theory and Practice by Ly de Angeles is one of the most complete and fulfilling books on Witchcraft today.

The book is very comprehensive, but I wanted specifically to use the word "fulfilling." This is because the author ó who has been an initiated High Priestess for almost three decades ó knows how to present the information in a way that stirs the blood and makes Witchcraft a powerful system that you'll want to practice. Look at what the author has to say about visualization:

"Proficiency at visualization is most important to all occult training. I have encountered only one or two people in all the years that I have been teaching who were unable to visualize. However, they had the ability to conceptualize with similarly accurate results...

"Without the ability to visualize, projecting into the astral realms is almost impossible (at least consciously...). The ability to visualize is integral to spellcrafting and can lead to dramatic changes and accomplishments..."

This makes it very clear that visualization is vitally important in all aspects of the occult and, more important, that you can do it! She goes on to give five exercises to bring your visualization abilities to a high level.

This is continued throughout the book: information you can use, encouragement for inevitable success, and numerous magical and spiritual practices and techniques. Combine that with a complete explanation of the festivals of Witchcraft, how to do rituals, use the spells, perform a self-initiation, contact the God and the Goddess, and you have one of the most important books on Witchcraft ever!

Get your copy today.


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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156718782X
• ISBN-13: 978-1567187823
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #118,374 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Llewellyn finally has decided to go beyond witchcraft 101, January 21, 2001

By A Customer

After having been a witch for 7+ years and going through the usual gammit of Wicca 101 books, all of which have great information and give one a foundation in the craft, I found this book actually made a valid attempt beyond the basics. I haven't seen the level of work from Llewellyn authors before. Usually they follow a set formula which leaves much to be desired in the form of oh... letting the reader think for themselves. I was surprised!

Though Ly's work is obviously an extension of wiccan belief (i.e. the constant reference to the goddess and god, the attention to the sabbats and esbats, not all ceremonial witchs follow either belief or practices), it covers topics of such things as direct energy manipulation, what subconscious and consious thoughts (realized or not) can do to a spell, the general forms of initiation and why they should be undertaken (as solitary or coven oriented), Then goes on to explain some aspects of the Qabbalah (this gets obscure because without an indepth knowledge of hermetic or golden dawn traditions I highly doubt this would make much sense with the brief gleaning given here, and Ly rightly says so on page 123).

From section three of part two, onward is where the book becomes interesting and goes beyond some of the basic ideas of what any basic witch (worth their magick cauldron and salt) should know. Entered into here are topics such as energy manipulation, psychic vampirism and attack, warding, seals, astral projection, hauntings, dreaming, familiars, and something less talked about the three degrees of initiation. It's the degrees of initiation I find interesting as there seems very little derivation from what I have heard from the community and what is written here through the years. It is obvious from the work she is coming from a definite coven/group work background, but this does NOT make the meaning of the work difficult to understand nor does she talk down to or insult the intelligence of the reader, and this by far is the best aspect of this book. She has gone to covering topics which are readily applicable but rarely talked about between witches in the community and in the craft. She makes you have to think for yourself, and DOESN'T just give you a list of spells to do verbatim. This is unique to llewellyn and a real first. I would recommend this book to anyone who has had several years in the craft and does not consider themselves wiccan, but has incorporated some ceremonial magickal practices to their ritual/belief retinue. The only reason I gave it four stars is that in places it does get a little fluffy, but then she redeems herself later on (IMO only in a few choice spots), otherwise it was a good quick and easy read.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely in my top ten, April 24, 2001

By	J. French "93 93/93" (Oakland, California United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Witchcraft: Theory and Practice is actually an expanded version of a book the author wrote as a primer over a decade ago. That book was one of the first that I read on the Path and I am glad to see that it has been expanded.

The author stresses the seriousnes of comitting oneself to the Old Religion in a way that makes you understand that this is not a game. There is an entire section devoted to self exploration, including a Book of Elements to help you find an order in those sometimes chaotic personality traits. The work serves as a caveat that the first step taken on the Path is one you can never take back.

The first section of the book focuses on fundamentals: self exploration, meditation and visualisation skills, and basic grounding in the thought process of an occultist and Witch. Section two is ritual and religious instruction, and the third part is a collection of unique spells.

Kabbalah informs much of the work, although I'm certain many Kabbalists would object to the author's interpretation. There is a series of guided journeys designed to open up understanding of the Spheres for the reader.

Finally, the most impressive aspect of this book is its poetic nature. Angeles clearly has the soul of a poet in her, which is far more important, in my opinion, than endless lists of tools and correspondences. Her language drips with imagery, and takes the reader into the realm of the Witch the way few books do.

This is a brilliant work. Truly a book one would save if they had to pick their prized possesions on the way out of a burning building.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Return of the "art", January 1, 2001

By	J. Smith "ShadowsParadox" (Carson City, NV United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

So many new age books on witchcraft and the wiccan beliefs somehow lose something along the path to completion. Not so with this work, it is at once complex and simple. This book will provoke thoughts from both those new, and old to this way of life. If you are just starting out, be ready, this book will demand you THINK, give you some very important tools, but more important, guide you so that YOU learn to use them. If you are one old in knowledge - read with an open mind and remember the night that you rode to the sea, danced under the moon, embraced the flames, or whatever that moment was for you.

This is a book I think few who study this way (and aren't we all perpetually "studying" our chosen way?), will not expand from. I found it touching me in ways most only wish to.