Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #116991 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 258 pages

Synopsis
An enduring classic since its publication in 1970, Mastering Witchcraft is one of the best how-to manuals for those wishing to practice traditional European Witchcraft as a craft rather than a New Age religion. Starting from first principles, Huson instructs the novice step by step in the arts of circle casting, blessing and banning, the uses of amulets and talismans, philters, divination, necromancy, waxen images, knots, fascination, conjuration, magical familiars, spells to arouse passion or lust, attain vengeance, and of course, counter-spells to exorcize and annul the malice of others. "A genuine vade mecum."-The Catholic Herald.

Customer Reviews

Not for Fluffy Bunnies
'Mastering Witchcraft' is NOT about Wicca, if you want a book on "the Goddess" or "the God" and harm none etc. go look elsewhere you won't find that religious stuff here. This is one mans form of somewhat ceremonial Witchcraft.

This book has been on and off my wish list for months now. I kept hearing contradicting accounts of its worth and value but I finally bit the bullet and decided to see for myself what all the fuss was about!

I'm extremely glad I read this book as it's a refreshingly non-dogmatic. There's talk of cursing, seduction via magic, manipulative spells etc. all very interesting and more along the lines of a left-hand path. I actually liked that Huson did not tell the reader to not do such and such like most writers, rather he left it up to the reader's discretion to decide what was acceptable practice (morally speaking) and what was not. Although despite this, I did feel as though some parts of this book were written with a booming 'mwhahahaha' following some parts of the darker passages -- this does not however dent it's inherent worth as a text.

'Mastering Witchcraft' would make a good test to use on self-proclaimed 'witches'. Indeed if they find the whole thing too dark and immediately want to burry it in the back garden, asking that "the Goddess" please enlighten this misguided Satanist then obviously they're not a real witch. If you come out of this book having appreciated it then, pat yourself on the back, you have the stomach to study Witchcraft. If one cannot cope with the material presented within this book then there's something very wrong; people who call the practices in Husons text 'satanic' really need to get back into the new age fluffy book section of the bookshop. There's no room for feeblemindedness or namby pamby harm-none Wiccan values in actual Traditional Witchcraft -- which is what this book is describing, albeit Trad Witchcraft mixed with some ceremonial magic practices.

There is some absolute gold material in 'Mastering Witchcraft' as far as actual Traditional Witchcraft is concerned, like the Dumb Supper, how to summon a shade of ones future wife/husband, Fetches and various other pieces of lore. I was pleased Huson mentioned the Watchers as they very often get neglected in Witchcraft books, and they're very traditional in many sectors of Witchcraft. Huson also bravely mentions Lucifer the Light-bearer as a version of the witch god -- always added points for that one.

The book is quite ceremonial and Huson combines a lot of mathematical formula into the magic process, which is certainly one way of doing things -- not mine but there you have it. There are workable things in this book and those ideas that I would not use myself, but I think `Mastering Witchcraft' would be very useful for Magician or Witch alike.

Ignore the hype surrounding this book and just read it to see for yourself, it's not as sensationalist as many would claim -- only those who cannot comprehend that witchcraft is a dark chthonic practice unlike the white-light rubbish most books pertaining to witchcraft spout on about these days. Highly recommended.

"The most notorious text of modern witchcraft"
This has been a perennially popular book among witches since its original publication in 1970 due partly to its clear ritual instruction and partly because of the interesting lore it contains.

In a recent documentary Professor Ronald Hutton described this book as "The most notorious text of modern witchcraft" ..."unashamedly about gaining power and completely amoral when it comes to hurting people".

So all in all a good and interesting book on witchcraft, just as long as you aren't looking for overly moralistic wiccan stuff.