The Occult Book Review

Sigil Witchery is both a thorough and often surprising history of sigils, as well as an entertaining practical guide suitable for the beginner and advanced practitioner alike. Crucially, Zakroff is respectful of the many world traditions and cultures she draws her information from and also brings her own knowledge and application to the subject. The result is a book which allows the reader to understand sigils from the many perspectives of folklore and witchcraft and which guides the reader through exercises and applications which can later be pursued in a personal direction. Before the review proper, a word of appreciation has to go out to the staff at Llewellyn who designed the format of this book. Because the author used so many illustrations and exercise pages, the usual book dimensions would have been inadequate in displaying how the writing and drawings compliment each other. The layout instead allows the reader to easily take in the designs and photographs...

Review: Leopard Warrior: A Journey into the African Teachings of Ancestry, Instinct, and Dreams by John Lockley. Published by Sounds True. John Lockley’s Leopard Warrior: A Journey into the African Teachings of Ancestry, Instinct, and Dreams is a book which seems both timely and timeless in equal measure. Today, a person from a non-indigenous tribe speaking for those who have a direct blood relationship to a cultural and spiritual tradition is often looked upon with suspicion, if not openly challenged. Importantly, the author is sensitive to his role as being one of the first white sangoma priests and acknowledges that there is a heightened awareness around the topic of potential appropriation without due training. The early chapters in this work detail Lockley’s experiences growing up in South Africa at the end of apartheid and his confusion as he is drawn to his sangoma calling.  And yet despite being a white man in South Africa at this volatile time, it...

Barbara Tedlock’s The Woman in the Shaman’s Body is a seminal study of ancient shamanism encompassing both academic and deeply personal knowledge. Illuminating the history and treatment of indigenous women shaman and also offering advice and socio-political context, Tedlock’s book is an essential and timely perspective. Purchase Here:  https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Shamans-Body-Reclaiming-Feminine/dp/0553379712 Video Review.