The original edition of this book was one of the first Book of Shadows released to the public. New material has been added, but all of the original material remains, although moved around a bit (and frequently better presented). This revised and updated version remains a valuable document of a personal magical practice. Based on an in-depth study of the many facets of Witchcraft, Earth Magic presents the religion as positive and life affirming, filled with practical how-to's. Intended to be a springboard, to unlock the reader's psychic Wiccan abilities and guide his or her into the creation of his or her own unique and personal work, every technique is explained in detail, in keeping with Ms. Weinstein's proviso that one should never attempt to work any magic unless one understands it fully.
One of the obvious changes is in the title. Previous editions included the word ‘Dianic’in the title. Although the author had intended only to convey that her primary alignment was with the Goddess Diana, the term "Dianic" has come to refer to Goddess-worshipping feminist female witches. This is a positive change that will prevent confusion.
Ms. Weinstein’s writing style is wonderful and she is one of the most positively-oriented Witches publishing today. Her Universe never requires binding magic and her concept of "harm none" is far closer to New Age concepts than those found in traditional Witchcraft. There are some unique and interesting workings, including a spell for putting out a "coven call" to find an appropriate group to work with. Her best contribution is her concept of "Words of Power."
If you don’t own a copy (of any edition) then this is a worthwhile addition to your collection, with a couple of provisos. First, it may not be very useful to most witches, certainly not as much as it was when first published. Second, the three pages entitled "History and Mystery," perpetuate discredited historical claims, particularly those of the number of people killed during the "Burning Times."
~review by Lisa Mc Sherry
Author: Marion Weinstein
pp. 223, $13.99
New Page Books, 2003
