I have always been a firm believer that representation matters. While you can find a multitude on books on Witchcraft subjects, there has been one area that is lean. Cassandra Snow’s book, Queering Your Craft helps fill in the gap providing our beginner LGBTQ+ witches a personal approach with a queer perspective. The majority of the book is a Witchcraft 101 introduction but focuses on how to utilize the concepts with a queer mindset. Author Snow helps the reader to personalize their spiritual practice and craft for those who are LGBTQ+.
The book is broken down into eight sections. Before jumping into the grimoire portion, the author provides the basics for witchcraft. The chapters cover: Witchcraft 101, Magickal Best Practices, Working with the Elements, Magickal Timing, Moon Magick, and Sabbats, DIY Witchcraft, Prayers, Divination as well as the grimoire of queer themed spells. The reader can expect a great guide for beginners to the path for about half of the book. If the reader is more of an advanced practitioner they may find most of the first half knowledge they already possess.
The grimoire section is well stocked with intentions and spells that are easy to follow and have a powerful outcome. The first spell work that is covered is protection spells. As an ally these spells spoke to me. I have friends and family members in the LGBTQ+ community and safety is still a major concern.
The next set of spells I felt were important was the healing spells. It is unfortunate that so many of our queer youth suffer physical and mental abuse instead of love at the hands of family members as well as strangers. The author provides some simple and yet powerful trauma healing spells for those who may not have had loving and accepting friends and families when they came out. The book also includes spells for manifestation, love (both for a partner and self-love), ones to help open the hearts and minds of others, protecting the community from legislative harm, and more. There is also a section on hexes but they focus on those who have or try to cause harm. Lastly the book has a great appendix for easy reference for countless correspondences, etc.
For a beginner of Witchcraft who also identifies with the LGBTQ+ community, I highly recommend. The book helps those who are drawn to this path feel inclusive and represented in Queer Spirituality.
~review by Amber Barnes
Author: Cassandra Snow
Weiser Books, 2020
pp. 288, $16.95
