Enchantments: A Modern Witch's Guide to Self-Possession by Mya SpalterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Netgalley provided me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Enchantments is a really refreshing take on witchcraft. Mya Spalter uses approachable, modern language and symbolism to explain things. It makes it so much easier to absorb the information and relate it to my own life, rather than trying to parse meaning from the many Neopagan/witchy books that rely on old-fashioned language and iconography in an attempt to sound more "spiritual" or "occulty," but just end up coming across as outdated and inaccessible. I also appreciate that she shies away from outdated ways of viewing the world (read: gender binaries, sexist & ableist forms, etc.), while still acknowledging that other books may still rely on those ways of thinking. Overall I found that Spalter's writing style made the book extremely readable and easy to absorb, and it made me much more interested in trying out some of the magickal techniques.
The approach to spellcraft is refreshing. She gives you ideas for how things might be done, how to choose substitute ingredients, etc., all in a very low key manner. She never says "you must do it this way or it won't work." I was also pleasantly surprised that this book taught me about new techniques for spells, like uncrossing work - this is basically one way of removing blockages from your path - as well as new ways of looking at/using techniques I'm already familiar with.
In one chapter, she explores how different items on your altar can have meaning, and how to find that meaning for yourself. I really appreciate that she keeps reminding you "Don't burn the house down!" when talking about burning candles and such.
I really liked her chapter on candle magick, and all the tricks you can use to get your magkical juju flowing when using candles, like using sigils and incense smoke, and different ways you can dress candles to fit your purposes (including with glitter! Be still my witchy heart). I actually ended up using some of these techniques to dress and burn a candle for a spell and it worked really well. Her suggestions for charging the candle by playing music that fits your intention also really jived with me.
I found the chapter on divination very interesting and it renewed my interest in trying out palmistry, and was a good reminder that tarot is a skill that needs practice because there are so many dang cards. But the chapter on astrology reminded me why I just don't believe in astrology and never will.
Overall, this is a must read for modern witches!
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