Let's pretend that I haven't disappeared from the face of Earth for a while, shall we? Instead, I want to come and tell you about an amazing book I recently read: Awakening the Witch Blood: Embodying the Arte Magical, by Nathan King.
- Print Length: 200 pages.
- Publisher: Crossed Crow Books.
- Publication Date: June 18, 2024.
- Genres: History, Witchcraft, Non-Fiction, Paganism Studies.
- Rating: 4/5 stars.
Drawing on the myriad of beliefs from European witch traditions, Nathan King has created an impressive guidebook, combining mythology and folklore with operative rituals designed to enliven and quicken the metaphorical Witch Blood that courses through our veins.The Witchblood AwakensWitches are not just users of magick; we are a physical embodiment, reflection, and power of the source. Coursing through our veins is a potent, magickal elixir called the Witchblood, our personal source of power that creates the spark igniting our spells and rituals. In his first book, Awakening the Witch Blood, folkloric witch and high priest Nathan King takes the reader on a truly magickal journey through witch-lore, ultimately leading you on a journey of self discovery.
When I started reading this book, I kept an open mind because I haven't read an introduction book in a long time. And I'm glad I gave it a chance because of how useful it is. Nathan King's debut is a repertoire of occult, Pagan, and Craft knowledge that benefits readers of different levels, a wide list of topics and offers enough guidance for those who are just starting.
For practitioners with more experience, it is a useful guide to revisit and re evaluate concepts and ideas from before. Times change and the knowledge available is not the same as even ten years ago. What I loved the most about this aspect of the book is that Nathan took the care to reference and mention where most of his ideas came from.
There are a few of them that I disagree with, and some topics I don't think are as essential as to be included, but that's what reading is about: finding out and starting a dialogue. I stopped having an European based practice long ago, but I still remember lots of it and saw the value of this book by focusing on them. It is a solid ground to start working at.
In short. both new and experienced Witches would benefit from this baby. It's as useful as it is beautiful, not to mention Nathan King's writing style is a feast. Descriptive, decorated, yet concise and straight to the point, I devoured his work in a few days. I recommend you do the same to savor his writing, but also take lots of notes. This book asks for it.
Nathan King is a Michigan-based witch, occultist, psychic and High Priest (Minos) of the Minoan Brotherhood Tradition. He spent a good deal of his magical life being trained in historic Salem, Massachusetts. He has been featured on SYFY and Travel Channel during his time in witch-city, and has worked with several shops and events within his field. Nathan is also a practitioner of Folkloric Witchcraft and carries a deep passion for spiritual contact and pagan spirituality as a living art form. Awakening the Witch Blood is his first book.