I like most of Raymond Buckland's works. Some of his work causes concern and I have questioned the authenticity of those works, speaking to the author directly about my issues. Each time, I’ve been reassured by Mr. Buckland. This book, Gypsy Magic, gave me few reservations about the contents.
Understand; there are passages I do have to question. Most concern the history of the Romani. It’s discussed very briefly in this work. They are a people who are persecuted to this day. I find it horrific that any feeling/thinking human being is involved on either side. There is no reason for a person to look down upon, or mentally, emotionally, spiritually abuse another person, not for any reason. So to find out that it still happens now, is distressing to me personally. (And let's leave out the whole discussion about how America is still doing this same thing to their indigenous population, that's another rant...)
But the magick at the center of this book may or may not be authentic Romani magic. But it IS magick, and it will work, and it seems to be one of those things that is a good resource for how others do their Work. I found many sections and spells that, reading through the process, the how’s and the preparations, made me believe that it would work given the way of doing things outlined in the book.
As I said I can't say for sure if this is genuine Roma magic or not. But it struck me that it doesn't matter. Many of us aren't part of that culture, we are never going to be accepted into that culture, and if it is genuine passed from mouth to mouth magic of the Rom, then that's good. If it isn't then there's no real harm done.
As a pragmatist magickian, I find there are times when I use this. There are going to be as many times that I won't, and it's personally a choice of what will work when I need it to.
If Buckland found all this and all these Roma who would part with these secrets, good for him. Glad that some of this is going to be preserved, just in case of a new pogrom. If not, then the spells still look like they will work given the way they’re are laid out.
I'm giving this book 4 stars out of 5 for the contents. As I can't be sure of some of the accuracy of the historical items, I'm not giving it higher. But for the spell contents, the magical workings, yes, this would be an item of interest for anyone who is curious about how this group does magick.
~review by Erin
Author: Raymond Buckland
Weiser Books, 2010
$16.95
