The all inclusive compendium of magic and witchcraft is a comprehensive exploration of the mystical and enigmatic world of spells, potions, and sorcery. From ancient rituals to modern practices, this compendium delves into the depths of magic in a way never before seen. Covering a vast array of topics, this compendium provides everything one could possibly want to know about magic and witchcraft. It begins by delving into the history of magic, tracing its origins back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia. It explores the role of magic in various cultures and religions, from Celtic druids to African witch doctors. The compendium then moves on to the different types of magic and witchcraft, from ceremonial magic to folk magic, and even touches on darker forms of sorcery such as black magic and necromancy.
Book Synopsis
Thomsen s book on Zauberdiagnose und Schwarze Magie in Mesopotamien Copenhagen, 1987 broke new ground in discussing many aspects of Mesopotamian witchcraft, with numerous examples from previously untranslated texts, both from the magic and medical corpus, and with technical discussions of the system of witchcraft. Despite these criticisms, the book is useful for readers who have no prior knowledge of ancient Near Eastern magic, and they will find the book an easy and pleasant read.
The compendium then moves on to the different types of magic and witchcraft, from ceremonial magic to folk magic, and even touches on darker forms of sorcery such as black magic and necromancy. It explores the essential tools of the trade, including wands, cauldrons, and spell books. One of the key aspects of this compendium is its inclusion of practical information.
Book Review
Marie-Louise Thomsen and Frederick H Cryer.
Witchcraft and magic in Europe: biblical and pagan societies, The Athlone History of Witchcraft and Magic in Europe series, vol. 1, London: Athlone Press. 2001, pp. xvii, 168, illus., £50.00 (hardback 0-485-89001-1), £17.99 (paperback 0-485-89101-8).
The concept of a series on witchcraft and magic in Europe beginning with a treatment of Mesopotamia and the Bible has much to commend it. The cultural impact of Mesopotamia and the Bible on Europe was crucial, and incidentally much greater than that of Egypt, although systems of magic were roughly contemporary. The present book is a useful starting point, providing a general survey of witchcraft and magic with good examples of magical texts in translation. Although not actually stated per se, the implicit assumption of the book is that Mesopotamian magic and witchcraft influenced biblical literature, reflecting a wider cultural Near Eastern context of the Bible, and the Bible later influenced European culture after the spread of Christianity (and to a lesser extent Judaism) to Europe.
The book covers a wide range of relevant topics, with particular attention being paid to the art of witchcraft, followed by examples of protective magic, amulets, exorcisms, and use of figurines, and other ritual forms of magic from Mesopotamia. Biblical evidence is less well attested, with relatively few examples from the Old Testament for healing or exorcism, but these are treated comparatively with the Mesopotamian material. So far so good.
There is a general problem with this work, which arises from the particular expertise of the two authors, both of whom have previously written intelligent books on related subjects. Thomsen's book on Zauberdiagnose und Schwarze Magie in Mesopotamien (Copenhagen, 1987) broke new ground in discussing many aspects of Mesopotamian witchcraft, with numerous examples from previously untranslated texts, both from the magic and medical corpus, and with technical discussions of the system of witchcraft. Cryer's book on Divination in ancient Israel and its Near Eastern environment (Sheffield, 1994) was a sensible treatment of the subject in both Mesopotamia and the Bible, which is somewhat unusual these days. Unfortunately, the present book is an attempt to cover the larger field of “magic” by presenting a less technical and more general discussion for a popular audience, but depending predominantly upon their previous respective works in related fields. The result is predictable. Thomsen's bibliography, for instance, hardly includes any work published after 1987, although the present book was published in 2001, and she gives too much prominence to witchcraft within the context of magic; witchcraft was only a sub-category of ancient magic, and not even the most important component. Cryer, on the other hand, confuses divination and magic and assumes divination to be part of magic, without considering the possibility that divination in antiquity was treated as a separate discipline and endeavour. Divination was the responsibility of the barû priest in Mesopotamia, while magic was conducted by the āšipu or exorcist. Magic was used to counteract a bad omen (in so-called Namburbî incantations). Otherwise, there was no magic in divination or prophecy; the processes and theory and practices of divination and magic had little in common.
The title of the book includes the words “witchcraft” and “magic”, but there is no attempt to distinguish between these two activities, which causes some difficulties in interpretation. As Thomsen herself points out (p. 32), the Babylonian Diagnostic Handbook was used theoretically by the exorcist as a means of prognosis by examining symptoms derived from observing the patient's body, and witchcraft only features in less than five per cent of the assigned “causes” of illness. Although Thomsen herself was puzzled by her own statistics, it probably reflects the true relationship between magic and witchcraft, which is only a small part of the large and complex field of Mesopotamian magic. Of the many causes of illness and misfortune, witchcraft and evil eye represent only one possible source within the sphere of magic; much more common are divine displeasure, the activities of a plethora of demons and supernatural adversaries, or violation of an oath or taboo. Furthermore, Thomsen (p. 23) assumes that someone using an anti-witchcraft incantation suspected who the witch might have been, which is a completely unsupported hypothesis. Witchcraft can exist without witches, simply as a function of paranoia; we have no Salem witch trials in Mesopotamia.
Finally, Cryer's discussion also never takes on board the biblical phrase, “do not allow a witch to live” (Ex. 22:17), which has been interpreted as a general attack on the use of magic in ancient Israel. The point is that witchcraft was universally feared in antiquity as black magic, comparable to an attack of malevolent demons, and one of the key roles of magic was to protect a client against witchcraft, or to make the client believe that he was being protected against some hostile force which he conceived to be a witch. The rest of magic, however, was mostly benevolent, designed to offer protection and even healing, and was not proscribed by the Bible. This point needed to be made.
Despite these criticisms, the book is useful for readers who have no prior knowledge of ancient Near Eastern magic, and they will find the book an easy and pleasant read.
It provides step-by-step guides to casting spells and making potions, along with recipes for various magical concoctions. It also includes a section on divination, with methods such as tarot card reading and crystal ball gazing. Furthermore, this compendium explores the role of magic and witchcraft in popular culture. It looks at the portrayal of witches in literature, film, and television, from Shakespeare's witches in Macbeth to modern-day witches in shows like Charmed and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. In addition to its in-depth exploration of magic and witchcraft, this compendium also addresses the ethical and moral considerations surrounding these practices. It discusses the Wiccan Rede, which advises practitioners to harm none, and explores the concept of white magic versus black magic. Overall, the all inclusive compendium of magic and witchcraft is a comprehensive guide to the world of spells and sorcery. Whether you are a novice witch looking to learn the basics or an experienced practitioner seeking to expand your knowledge, this compendium has something to offer everyone. So grab your broomstick and dive into the magical world of witchcraft!.
Reviews for "The Ethics of Witchcraft: Navigating Morality in the Practice of Magic"
1. Karen - 2/5 stars - As someone who has always been fascinated by magic and witchcraft, I was really looking forward to diving into "The all inclusive compendium of magic and witchcraft". However, I was left feeling disappointed and underwhelmed. The book lacked depth and detail, offering only surface-level explanations of various spells and rituals. The information provided was basic and could be easily found with a quick internet search. I was hoping for more insightful and comprehensive content. Overall, I found this book to be a letdown for those seeking a more in-depth exploration of the subject.
2. John - 1/5 stars - I have to say, "The all inclusive compendium of magic and witchcraft" was one of the most poorly written books I've ever come across. The writing style was repetitive and lacked coherence, making it difficult to follow along. Additionally, the author made grand claims without providing any substantial evidence or sources to support them. It felt like a mishmash of random information thrown together without any clear structure or organization. I would not recommend this book to anyone genuinely interested in learning about magic and witchcraft.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - While I appreciated the effort to compile various aspects of magic and witchcraft in one book, "The all inclusive compendium of magic and witchcraft" fell short of my expectations. The book lacked balance, focusing more on certain aspects of magic while neglecting others. The information presented was quite basic and lacked the depth and insight I was hoping for. Moreover, there were several instances where the author made bold and unsubstantiated claims, which was off-putting. Overall, I found this book to be a mediocre resource for those looking to delve into the world of magic and witchcraft.