TITLE: The Little Book of the Occult
AUTHOR: Astrid Carvel
PUBLISHER: Summersdale
ISBN: 9781800077225
PODCAST EPISODE: None
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Have you ever wanted to learn how to be a witch, or perhaps just how to use manifestation to better your life, but have not known where to start? Luckily, practicing white witch and author Astrid Carvel is here to help you get started on your own magical journey. Carvel, working with Andrew McMeel Publishing, released The Little Book of the Occult in March 2023 to better help those curious about witchcraft understand it.
This slim volume, only 130 pages, covers a wide-range of topics in its seven chapters. It begins with the pertinent question of, “just what is the occult?”. While defining the occult is no easy task, Carvel does a fine job of summarizing that it is the study of what is hidden. This explanation continues through the next chapter, which goes into moderate detail about the history of the study of magic.
But The Little Book of the Occult is not all history. It contains a number of helpful suggestions for a person to get started with their own study and find what works best for them. There is a section of tools that a person might need, along with alternatives to some of the more common items so that the barrier for entry remains low. If you don’t have a small cauldron, you could just use a bowl for the water on your altar. If you don’t have the money to buy a dowsing rod, a forked stick will do - just don’t cut it from a tree! There is also a handy section on Tarot that goes through basic card meanings, as well as another section for getting started with automatic writing and other such trance work.
The book contains helpful resources for finding others to work with as well. There are many options for finding a local coven, and the book covers most of them. And there is no shaming potential solo practitioners, either. Carvel is extremely welcoming, and readers will come away from this book knowing there is no wrong way to practice - only different roads to take to the same destination.
The Little Book of the Occult is a wonderful resource for anyone curious if witchcraft might be right for them. There are ample ways to use this book to get started in learning - whether one wants to know more about the history, try their hand at a spell, or know how to best use a ouija board to get an answer. As witchcraft continues to gain popularity and be more readily accepted by the masses, it is good to have a book like this to help people start their studies off right.
AUTHOR: Astrid Carvel
PUBLISHER: Summersdale
ISBN: 9781800077225
PODCAST EPISODE: None
REVIEWER: Hilary Wilson
Have you ever wanted to learn how to be a witch, or perhaps just how to use manifestation to better your life, but have not known where to start? Luckily, practicing white witch and author Astrid Carvel is here to help you get started on your own magical journey. Carvel, working with Andrew McMeel Publishing, released The Little Book of the Occult in March 2023 to better help those curious about witchcraft understand it.
This slim volume, only 130 pages, covers a wide-range of topics in its seven chapters. It begins with the pertinent question of, “just what is the occult?”. While defining the occult is no easy task, Carvel does a fine job of summarizing that it is the study of what is hidden. This explanation continues through the next chapter, which goes into moderate detail about the history of the study of magic.
But The Little Book of the Occult is not all history. It contains a number of helpful suggestions for a person to get started with their own study and find what works best for them. There is a section of tools that a person might need, along with alternatives to some of the more common items so that the barrier for entry remains low. If you don’t have a small cauldron, you could just use a bowl for the water on your altar. If you don’t have the money to buy a dowsing rod, a forked stick will do - just don’t cut it from a tree! There is also a handy section on Tarot that goes through basic card meanings, as well as another section for getting started with automatic writing and other such trance work.
The book contains helpful resources for finding others to work with as well. There are many options for finding a local coven, and the book covers most of them. And there is no shaming potential solo practitioners, either. Carvel is extremely welcoming, and readers will come away from this book knowing there is no wrong way to practice - only different roads to take to the same destination.
The Little Book of the Occult is a wonderful resource for anyone curious if witchcraft might be right for them. There are ample ways to use this book to get started in learning - whether one wants to know more about the history, try their hand at a spell, or know how to best use a ouija board to get an answer. As witchcraft continues to gain popularity and be more readily accepted by the masses, it is good to have a book like this to help people start their studies off right.