"The Contemporary Companion to Magic" by Skye Alexander is a comprehensive guide to modern magical practices and traditions. In this book, Skye Alexander explores the ways in which magic can be incorporated into our daily lives and how it can be used for personal growth and empowerment. Throughout the book, Alexander emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing one's own personal magic, and provides practical tips and exercises for readers to tap into their own innate abilities. She covers a wide range of topics, such as spell casting, divination, rituals, and creating magical tools. One of the main ideas in this book is that magic is not reserved for a select few, but rather something that is accessible to everyone. Alexander encourages readers to explore and experiment with different forms of magic, and to find the practices that resonate with them personally.
How do you define magic?
Lily Kay: Intention. And seeing the love and connection that exists in this world. I would define magic as the purest form of love and joy and sharing it in a way that is intentional, that thrives. Honestly, the most powerful lesson I've learned is just being open and receptive and trying to be better and more intentional about considering things, like, "Oh, I kept dreaming about blue things the other night. I'm going to remember that." Letting those things guide me.
Our mission at the Goat and Pentacle, Occult Education Metaphysical Wares, is to provide authentic, middle-path services and goods that cater to empowering the individual through the arts, both physical and occult, without hierarchies or cultural appropriation. This cultural phenomenon is perhaps best embodied by Urban Outfitters affiliate Free People s widely panned Spirituality Shop, which began offering a 68 Cosmic Stick a large stick with thread wrapped around it and 75 Dark Mystic Boxes a small box with a fern printed on it, containing some sage and a crystal late last year.
Alexander encourages readers to explore and experiment with different forms of magic, and to find the practices that resonate with them personally. Another key idea in this book is the importance of intention and focus in magical work. Alexander emphasizes the need to have a clear purpose and intention when working with magic, and provides guidance on how to set intentions and manifest desires effectively.
Witches of Seattle Tell Us About the Appeal of Magic
Surrounded by sage smoke and honking geese at the base of Mount Si, we spread our arms out like crosses as Aubrey Rachel Violet Bramble, a witch dressed in an elegant white dress, blesses us. "Let the sage do the work," she says. Her good friend Kat Terran, a shaman, opens up the basket of corn muffins and rose tea prepared for tonight as an offering to the spirits—Mother Moon and Father Sky, the god and goddess, whatever you want to call it. In the world of magic, tradition is important, but ultimately, you create your own paradigm. Do what thou wilt.
AdvertisementAn elaborate altar is laid out before us on a blanket surrounded by candles. A crystal ball, an antler, a feather, a shell, each object a stand in for an element or a goddess to be praised at tonight's mixed shamanic/pagan ritual. "Needs more Earth," Bramble mumbles, rearranging the menagerie of ornate objects she and Terran brought with them.
"OK, kids," she says, satisfied with the elemental balance of the display. "I'm going to call the circle now." An incantation begins: Perfect love, perfect trust. The circle is open but never undone. Terran and Bramble, each in their respective traditions, invoke and praise the four cardinal directions, the elements, the Great Mystery. The Earth, the water, the fire, the air: return, return, return. Gratitude prayers are offered, not only to the Earth, but to loved ones, to people in need, to ancestors. May all souls be nourished.
Tonight serves two purposes: It's both a late Imbolc observation (the Pagan holiday honoring the midway between the winter solstice and spring equinox) and a new moon ceremony—great occasions for setting new "intentions." As we later learn from the long list of Seattle-based witches and shamans I'll meet, "intentionality" lies at the root of most modern conceptions of magic.
Photographer Allyce Andrew and I are here at this ceremony in Snoqualmie, not far from where Twin Peaks was filmed, because some time in the middle of last year, we realized every other person we met in the Seattle art scene—poets, musicians, event coordinators—was a professed witch or shaman. I met Bramble and Terran through their music. They're both singers in popular Seattle bands (the gothic Golden Gardens and desert rock outfit Wind Burial, respectively.)
AdvertisementA certain level of nature worship is built into the culture of the Northwest. If you live out here and haven't had your mind blown by the beauty of an ancient old-growth forest, you're kind of missing the point. But in the "spiritual but not religious" Northwest, it seemed like many Seattleites were taking that casual reverence to the next logical level.
I would define magic as the purest form of love and joy and sharing it in a way that is intentional, that thrives. —Lily Kay
We entered into this world through art events that kept cropping up—events that often had mystic or pagan undertones. For instance, on the night of the winter solstice, we had two different Yule events we could choose from—a Cascadian metal festival in Olympia, or an electronic/noise showcase in Seattle in a loft called Teatro de la Psychomagica. In April, a mystically-inclined local composer named Garek Jon Druss performed an ambient synth piece in a church, accompanied by a lecture on alchemy by William Kiesel, owner of esoteric book publisher Ouroboros Press. Events like these happen fairly regularly in Seattle, with varying degrees of authenticity.
"An artist or performer can find some seasoning and burn it in a superficial ritual like manner or even dangle some stones of unknown origin and 90 percent of the audience is so hungry for some sort of spirituality or alternative path that it is accepted as significant," Druss tells me, alluding to the recent surge of popularity in all things witchy. This cultural phenomenon is perhaps best embodied by Urban Outfitters affiliate Free People's widely panned Spirituality Shop, which began offering a $68 "Cosmic Stick" (a large stick with thread wrapped around it) and $75 "Dark Mystic Boxes" (a small box with a fern printed on it, containing some sage and a crystal) late last year.
AdvertisementBut Druss also acknowledges the Northwest's unusual bona fides in this area: "Here in our community there are so many strong individuals who are true in their actions and [mystic] study—we all benefit from it."
Kiesel says the strong, mystically-inclined population here is just part of the town's history.
"Beyond the Native American roots in the area, in the early 19th century, Seattle saw a Theosophical Society Lodge open downtown [it has since moved to Capitol Hill]. Not long after, an occult organization called the Light Bearers, founded by Eugene Fersen, became active in town. They had a mansion on Capitol Hill across the street from Volunteer Park. While there has always been some kind of occult or witchcrafting going on here [at least since the turn of the century], we seem to be having another renaissance of sorts," Kiesel says.
In an effort to extend past the glut of trendy "hipster witches" in the area and glean some real understanding of what true, modern, urban witchcraft and shamanic practice in Seattle looks like, we interviewed seven such people about their spiritual practices, how they arrived at them, and why they believe the magical community is so strong in Seattle.
VICE: Why do you think Seattle is experiencing a resurgence of interest in witchcraft and shamanism?
Imani Sims: This ground is so sacred. Seattle is a Pisces city, it's really watery and feely and I really want to dig into the things that don't normally happen—that's Seattle, so it's just a good place for that kind of thing. Another theory is that they just started building the light rail and digging up the city to build this type of transportation, and I think that really woke up the ground. I think it started something huge.
What does ritual mean to you?
I think the three biggest things are consistency, connection with your own spirit guides, whomever they may be, and totems—things of significance for you, whether that be images or stones or plants or people. My spirituality is very Earth-based. I'm into stones and the power that they carry, and how that then fuels my life forward.
How do you define magic?
Kat Terran: Magic, to me, is when we get little glimpses of just how big and astronomical this thing is, this enormous experience we're all a part of. It's almost like we can only handle it for a couple of seconds when we see it, because of how intense and how crazy it feels. Anything that opens just enough so we get kind of zapped by it, is what I'd call magic. It's a medicine tool, it's a healing tool. It's ancient technology.
What did you mean by "ancient technology"?
They are a little different from place to place, but things like rattling or drum work, these are very consistent, and are what I call "ancient technologies," things people from around the world in many different cultures have used to get in touch with spirit and their own ancestors. That's part of what we're experiencing in the Northwest, people are reconnecting with these tools because they connect us with nature, but also ourselves. Gratitude prayers are also one way of doing that. Gratitude prayers constantly. Being connected all the time to how much there is to be thankful for.
In addition to practical advice, "The Contemporary Companion to Magic" also delves into the history and cultural significance of magic. Alexander explores various magical traditions from around the world, providing readers with a broader understanding of the diverse ways in which magic has been practiced throughout history. Overall, "The Contemporary Companion to Magic" serves as a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced practitioners alike. It combines practical advice with historical and cultural insights, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of modern magical practices. By embracing one's own personal magic and harnessing its power, readers can lead more empowered and fulfilling lives..
Reviews for "Navigating the New Age of Witchcraft with Skye Alexander"
1. John - 2 stars - I was extremely disappointed with "The Contemporary Companion to Magic" by Skye Alexander. The content was very basic and lacked depth. It felt like a collection of generic information that could easily be found in other books or online sources. I was hoping for more advanced techniques and insights, but instead, I got a book that seems more suitable for beginners. The writing style also didn't resonate with me, as it felt dry and boring. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for a comprehensive and insightful guide to contemporary magic.
2. Michelle - 3 stars - While "The Contemporary Companion to Magic" had a few interesting points and practices, I found the book to be quite disjointed. The chapters didn't flow well together, and it felt like the author was jumping from topic to topic without proper transitions. Moreover, some of the information provided was either outdated or lacked practicality. I was hoping for a more cohesive and practical guide to modern magic, but unfortunately, this book fell short of my expectations. It might still be valuable to someone completely new to the subject, but for those with some prior knowledge, I would suggest looking for other resources.
3. Adam - 1 star - "The Contemporary Companion to Magic" was a complete waste of my time and money. The author's writing style was incredibly dull and uninspiring. I found it hard to stay engaged with the book, as it lacked any real excitement or passion for the subject matter. Additionally, the information provided was extremely basic and surface-level. There was nothing new or groundbreaking in this book that I haven't already come across in numerous other occult books. I would advise anyone interested in magic to skip this book and find more informative and engaging resources elsewhere.