Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Craft

In this fun feminist guide to witchcraft, Herstik, “Ask a Witch” columnist for Nylon magazine, empowers women to connect with something larger than themselves. Herstik covers practices such as blessings, using meals as spellwork, creating a spellbook/grimoire, maintaining an altar, and using tarot cards. Her rituals are easy and mainly involve household items such as fruit, flowers, and oils. She also briefly covers crystals and astrology to stress the importance of celebrating holidays of the witch and actively cleansing the environment. She pays homage to age-old tools (spells and rituals) and introduces modern tools (fashion and glamour magick), arguing that magick is about working with the laws of the universe to turn the world’s chaotic energy into something for the greater good. She asks skeptical readers to reconsider witches: a witch must use symbols and energy to express her presence in the universe, but witchcraft is also about celebrating connection with the Earth by honoring the cycles of the moon and sun. In her final chapters, Herstik stresses the importance of nurturing the witch within and working with energy as a part of self-care. With its mix of primer information and practical magick, Herstik’s book will appeal to women interested in exploring witchcraft. (Sept.)