Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #364331 in Books
• Published on: 1996-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Synopsis
Nancy Watson is a follower of Dion Fortune and a student of England's foremost metaphysician Murry Hope. This text is aimed at readers of any spiritual persuasion, who want to learn how to practice magic safely and effectively on a solitary basis, and serves as a good introduction to magic. Watson discusses the principles that underlie magical practice to help readers create rituals to fit their own particular needs. Topics covered include affirmations, visualizations, spiritual practices, folk magic and ritual - stressing safety procedures and ethics to prevent magical experiments backfiring.

Customer Reviews

The Only Book on Magic You Will Ever Need
I bought this book thinking it was about solitary witchcraft, it wasn't until I read it that I realised I'd bought a book on what is essentially ceremonial magic with a Jungian twist! I read it anyway because I'd spent money it... I have to admit to extremely enjoying it! It's also probably one of the only occult books in recent memory that I've found to be effectively thorough and sensible; indeed most books pertaining to magic are cluttered with Wiccan stuff or other claptrap. This book is written about magic purely from the perspective as an art or science without any religious trappings -- which makes is accessible and useful for everyone.

'Practical Solitary Magic' basically discusses all the effective methods to cause change via ones will. The chapters include topics about visualisation, affirmations, the four planes, ethics and god forms among other things. The majority of the book is sectioned off into discussing the four planes in greater depth.

I do have problems with the parts written about the gods as I don't believe they're just merely archetypes; a view which I feel is a little degrading to such ancient beings. However, it was interesting to hear another viewpoint on the matter. The parts about elementals were intriguing, but kind of silly to me as I think spirits are somewhat less definable and mutable -- therefore it's difficult to categorise them as strictly as a 'sylph' or a 'gnome'.

I also think the organisation of the book is very haphazard in terms of being able to refer back to things (the order of things is a little odd, but that's why the gods invented indexes after all! ;). I have to disagree with her on the whole threefold law of return rubbish. This view is not only hubristic but highly at odds with modern science; there is a fundamental law of return for all actions, but when a person performs an act of magic the ripples will only come back upon oneself ONCE (like attracts like)! Not three times over.

Nancy Watson explains that in order to achieve change one needs to work within four main planes; the Physical Plane, the Emotional Plane, the Mental Plane and the Spiritual Plane. I found this fascinating. I think a lot of what Ms Watson had to say was extremely useful, especially preparing the mind for inner work etc. I've not used any techniques from the book yet but I'd imagine they'd work as well as anything else.

'Practical Solitary Magic' managed to peak my interest in the western mystery tradition and I look forward to exploring it further, along side my other occult studies in both a pratical and theoretical context.

I'd recommend this to anyone who's interested in the art of magic or more specifically anyone looking for some simple and specific steps on how to achieve goals via a non-religious system. Indeed it will make a sound basis for any Pagan path.

10 years on...
It's been 10 years since i first read this book and i still cherish it. It was the first book on the craft i ever read and i have never found another that brings such a sense of fulfilment on reaching the end. It doesn't give you the thousands of years of history, which i look back on with releif, just how to get in touch with the power within and without.

It is good book with a sound sensibility that offers the reader the chance to explore areas of paganism and wicca without forcing anything on you. It allows you to think! Has a few simple spells that leave you thirsty for more and gives you the basics of a grimoire.

A good first book and if your wandering back down that path of uncertainty.

inspiring!
This book is one I return to again and again...Nancy B Watson's personal anecdotes make for entertaining and enlightening reading and the information she gives I have found invaluable.

The structure of the book is easy to follow and her style of writing is informal but never descends in to 'Wicca 101' territory. She makes a great deal out of not providing prescriptive spells or incantations, but encouraging you to write and formulate your own. The beginner may be surprised at how long it takes to work through from formulating a goal to getting results and how much hard work goes in to it...but trust me on this one, a ritual done in this way will be much more valuable than any bought, or copied from a book.

Buy it, enjoy it and use her reading list at the back.

Pinkxxx