Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic (Llewellyns Practical Magick) by Scott Cunningham

Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic (Llewellyns Practical Magick) Reviews

• 
  Plateresca

  The title of the book is a little confusing; I thought it would be about earth magic, i. e., things one does with herbs and stones mostly, when in fact one has here: earth magic, air magic, fire magic, water magic, plus knot magic, candle magic etc... even mirror magic - all at a very basic level, though, without going in-depth into any of these.
  
  I personally will not be using most of the spells here in their exact given form, but I consider this book a helpful reference. For instance, the author gives the outlines of a basic candle spell - and then one can build upon it to do whatever one wishes (actually, this is exactly what a lot of modern authors do, personalize Cunningham's spells). I like the way he writes: a little dreamily and always with huge respect for Mother Nature. Also, I appreciate that most of his spells do not require hard-to-find ingredients.
  
  I will probably be leafing through it if I need some inspiration (I particularly like the parts about weather magic, but I should really concentrate more on other things).
  
  A nice little addition to a witchy library.
  
  ***
  
  I re-read it a year later for the Book Witches group book club. How come I overlooked knot magic the first time? Super-simple and very effective.
  
  All in all, a very brief, but to-the-point primer. Seasoned practitioners might find something they knew but then forgot to use.
• 
  Steve Cran

  Scott Cunningham is one of the premier voices in Wicca. He has written over 50 books on Wicca and Witch craft. In this short comprehensive book called "Earth Magic" the author discusses Earth Magic. Earth Magic is based on tapping into the energy off the four elements. Earth, Fire, Air and water. The rituals are simple and easy to use. They are mostly folk magic and the spells have been around for a very long time which means they are tried and true. These spells are not Wiccan they are from an older form of Witch craft.
  
  Here are some remedies that are very earth based. For example for aches and pains even sickness. In addition to going to the doctor you may want to try these as well. Take a potatoe or apple and rub it on the affected area. As you rub it visualize you illness being transferred into the plant. Another good trick is to lay down on some fertile ground or soil. Visualize your illness sinking from your body into the earth. After that visualize the energy rising back up into your body. To keep evil demons out of the house you can fill up a bottle with soil or sand. The demons need to count every grain of soil before they enter the house this frutrates demons very much. Dirt has even more uses. As your children leave throw some dirt after them to keep away. Do it without them knowing. To transfer your problem take a handful of earth and focus all of your trouble into it in minutia detail. After that throw it over you shoulder and walk away. For scrying get a seven inch plate and fill it with dirt stare at it intently and images will come forth.
  
  Here are some wind spells. These spells normally coincide with a certain wind such ass the north wind, south wind etc. It is best to do these spell with that wind blowing. To determine which way the wind is blowing it goo to put a piece of material on a pole and watch which way it is blowing. The material if it is blowing North directions mean that a Southern wind is blowing. The east wind is fresh and energetic this is a good wind for doing renewal spells.
  
  North Wind is called the "Wind of Death" but not a physical death rather it is a wind that kills negative things in your life such as bad habits or negative happen stance. Magick should never be used to harm other people because if the practitioner does that he only ends up harming himself.
  
  South Wind are hot and fiery and it is a good time for any sort of spell do to the high energy of it.
  
  West wind is cool and reinvigorating and is good for healing love and fertility.
  
  Fire Magic
  
  If you have a problem or bad habit draw symbols on the Paper and throw the paper into a raging fire. That should cure or eradicate the negative habit.
  
  To cure a disease light a fire consisting of Oak Wood and when the fire burns down pick up an ember and throw it into a pale of water. As it sizzle and pops visualize you sickness going away.
  
  Water Magick Spells
  
  Go to a spring take a stone and juice from a nearby plant. Draw a picture of your need on it. Take it into your [power hand or writing hand and walk three times around the spring look at thee spring before casting the stone and say "Spring of Clear water ceaseless and true send me the wish that I now ask of you" throw the stone into the spring. before leaving take a sip of the water.Leave a token of thanks to the spirit.
  
  For a lake divination cast a stone into the lake. Count the number of rings it makes. If the rings are odd than the answer to your question is yes. if they are even then the answer is no. This is used for a yes or no question.
  
  If you are sick go to a stream and submerge your entire body feel the water cleaning you and cleansing you and the sickness leaving your body in the form of little black worms. As you are submerged say this chant. The sickness is flowing out of me into the river and down into the sea.
  
  These are just a sample of the spells. I recommend this book strongly.
• 
  Charity Bedell

  The book Earth Power by Scott Cunningham is a very simple to read and easy to follow book that covers the basics of magic and witchcraft. The author provides several easy to follow spells and rituals that enable a new seeker to be able to read the book and start practicing magic right away. This tome provides spells and rituals for beginners as well as experienced practitioners of magic.
  
  This book is divided into three sections. The first section of the book talks about the basics of magic and spell crafting. This provides a foundation for being able to use and work with the materials found later on in the book. This section is made up of four different chapters each covering an aspect of the basics of magic. It is here that the instructional and how to aspects of magic are really discussed.
  
  The first chapter in the book starts the basics section. This chapter begins with an illustration of natural magic being practiced. This example provides the context for this chapter which is the nature of the universe and the real nature of magic.
  
  The second chapter in the book focuses on what magic is and how to practice it. This chapter covers what is needed to practice magic as well morality in regards to magic. Here we learn the forces behind magic and why magic works.
  
  The third chapter is all about magical techniques. Here the author focuses on the use of symbolism and the use of those associations in magic. The author includes a list of common symbols and associations for the beginner to reference as an idea. Finally the chapter ends with techniques of energy raising as well as the importance of mental focus and concentration.
  
  The last chapter in the first section is really our introduction to the majority of the book. Here the author introduces the concept of the four elements and how they work in magic. The author includes only bare bones basics about the elements as more detail is given later. The idea here was only to introduce the elemental concepts and associations so that the rest of the book makes sense.
  
  The second section of this book focuses on the elemental powers and elemental magic. The elements in witchcraft and magic are powerful forces and this section deals with calling upon the right element for the right purpose. In this section we learn all about the elements and what magical practices they rule over. This section is only four chapters long, one for each elemental force. Here is where we begin to see the practical applications and uses of natural and elemental magic.
  
  The fifth chapter focuses on the element of Earth. Within this chapter the author expands on the basics given in the previous chapter about the element of earth. There are several different spells and rituals given that focus on and use specifically the element of earth to manifest the desires.
  
  The sixth chapter focuses on the element of air. Here we learn about the different aspects of the winds based on direction and how we can best use the attributes of air. There are spells and rituals here for calling up the winds as well as working with the element of air to the best of our abilities.
  
  The seventh chapter in this book focuses on the element of fire. Here we are shown ways that the element of fire can be useful outside of candle magic. The author includes a few different spells that utilize the unique personality of the fire element.
  
  The eighth and last chapter in the second section of the book deals with the element of water. Many of the spells and rituals in this chapter deal with cleansing and healing. Through the spells and rituals in this chapter the aspects of the element of water in magic are clearly described.
  
  Finally the third section of the book covers natural magic. This section focuses on magic that is not elemental in basis but uses the forces of nature to work with you to create your goals and desires. Here you will see aspects of the elements present in the spells and rituals, but the focus is not on the element but the magical practices in themselves.
  
  The ninth chapter in this book focuses on the use of stones in magic. Stone and crystal use is very common in magical practices these days. This chapter illustrates how to work with basically any stone and not just gems and crystals that have specific associations with them.
  
  The tenth chapter in this book focuses on tree magic. Here we learn and understand some of the magical aspects and attributes you can find with trees. Like before there are spells and rituals provided to give an idea of the types of spells one can create when they work with trees. The author also included a list of trees and their associations to maximize ones magical practices.
  
  Chapter eleven deals with image magic. Here we learn the concepts associated with using pictures or symbols to represent people in spell work. The most common image magic is the poppet or voodoo doll, but that is not covered here. Other aspects and uses of image based magic can be found in this chapter.
  
  Chapter twelve in this book focuses on a very old form of folk magic. Here we learn about and begin to understand the concepts of knot magic. There is a little bit of history and folklore given here but the meat of the chapter is in the spell examples that are given for knot based magic.
  
  Chapter thirteen deals with candle magic. There are many texts out there that cover candle magic. This chapter focuses on the use of candle magic in natural magic. There are not many spells and rituals in this chapter but the information still provides a starting point.
  
  Chapter fourteen deals with wax magic. This chapter is not about magic per say but more focused on types of divination that can be done using wax. Divination and magic have historically gone hand in hand which is why this chapter is in the book.
  
  Chapter fifteen is about the use of mirror and magic. Like candle magic and image magic there is a lot of folk lore regarding magic mirrors and how they can be used in spells and rituals. There are several different spells and rituals using mirrors in this chapter including directions on how to make your own magic mirror.
  
  Chapter sixteen deals with magic using storms. Here the author explains the power that weather based magic can have. There are spells for different occasions and purposes but also spells on how to protect yourself from the elements of the storm as it were.
  
  The final chapter in this book chapter seventeen deals with sea magic. This is an excellent way to end the book as we go back to the illustration of natural magic given in the first chapter. Here we learn why we can work with the tides and why some spells are best done at the seaside.
  
  As a text book for magical use this book basically covers most aspects of magic. Through this text different types of magic are expressed and shown. Through the divisions of the book the reader can understand the concepts of magic and how to best use the natural world in spells and rituals for their individual needs. As a resource for correspondences for spell work there are better books available, but as a spell book for nature magic this is an excellent guide.
  
  
• 
  Emily

  Careful, you might spill your magick!
  
  Also I just really want to be a cool witch, but I suck at believing in things. Maybe one day.
• 
  Latasha

  This book is a classic for a reason. There is a lot of info in here, great for beginners or people wanting to refresh their memory. I always go back to my Scott Cunningham books.
• 
  Megan

  *review reminder*
• 
  Eris Raven

  It just feels like reading magic spells for teens. Close to no explanations on why you use what you use in mentioned rituals. In one paragraph he tells you to never leave your candles burning unattended and BOOM in the next one you are supposed to leave the room and let the candles burn on their own for at least 15 min. And a lot of other contradictory stuff like this. I expected more
• 
  Carrie (The Butterfly Reader)

  Loved this! The author is so down to earth in his writing and he's so easy to understand. There are some really great things that are so simple and cheap to do. This is such an amazing book. One of my new favorites. Can't wait to read more by this author whom we lost way too soon.
• 
  Sarah ~Goddessofthestory~

  A classic book with a solid no nonsense grounding in nature. It is great to get back to the classics and really remind yourself that magic is not about the fancy cauldron or perfect candle. It is about nature and all it has to offer. Quite a few ideas and simple activities that I can't wait to add to my own practice. I connected with the Stone and Sea magic, which makes a kind of sense... living on an island and all. There are lots of stones and sea.
• 
  Julie Decker

  Many people who are interested in practicing magic in the context of Wicca will be expecting consecrated tools, wordy rituals, elemental and divine invocations, and extensive use of materials. They may be surprised to get a glimpse at the roots of folk magic: very simple everyday rituals are described in this book, encouraging practitioners to make magic a consistent and easy form of interacting with day-to-day life. Most magic is simply an extension of a person's desire, and performing the magic is a concrete expression of that desire. These simple ideas (and the philosophies behind them) can keep a magically inclined person mindful of everyday enchantedness through natural materials, and though many of the spells and charms read like simple superstitions, there's nothing wrong with that. It's simple to the point of feeling a little hollow sometimes, but it can get the wheels turning.
• 
  Emma

  Lovely little book full of handy information and short, uncomplicated spells that often don't need any extra materials that can't be found outdoors. Particularly loved, as a long haired girl, the part where he informs the reader that waking up with knots in your hair often signifies that elves or fairies have been playing with it in the night. A fun read for anyone wanting to feel closer to nature, particularly in our modern, urbanized world.
• 
  Daniel

  Not that great but I'd recommend it over any Silver RavenWolf drivel.
• 
  Ian

  One of the first books I read on the subject of magic. It is a great starting point. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to start slowly with magic.
• 
  Kelsey

  Hm, this book was an interesting one. This is the first book I read by Scott Cunningham, and after reading this I can defenetly see why his works are so popular with people just starting their magical practice. He has a lot of veiws on magic that I personally disagree with, and my biggest problem with this book is how much he forces his own idea of what magic should and shouldn't be, not leaving much room for a new practitioner to develop their own perspective/relationship with the craft. One of my favorite parts of Earth Power was the section discussing elemental magic, as someone who has a vested interest in air magic it can be quite hard to come across resources for it compared to the other three elements, though I would have preferred it to go more in depth. However the best part of the book was how accessible the spells are, many books and sources online tend to focus on having a lot of supplies that may not be readily available to the average witch, so it was a breath of fresh air to see a spell book with so many tools that are easily accessible to almost everyone. Although brief I feel that Cunningham gave a fairly consice and easy to understand read for those wanted to start practicing nature magic, though I would caution to not take his word as gospel and look at different perspectives on magic.
• 
  Chloe

  Cunningham has a lot of content out there already. I've read a decent amount of his books and I have to say specifically for elemental magic and rituals/spells this is the most specific and focused I've seen from him.
  
  Each element gets a chapter and explanation of its associations, meditations relative to it and ways to connect to each element as a practitioner. Cunningham writes openly so that beginners can understand but he also includes some spells that involve rocks, seashells, driftwood, etc.
  
  In the short, it's cheep, cheerful and helpful if you're looking for some new spells to try out and a better understanding of elemental magic. The illustrations are gorgeous as well.
  
  Downside is there's little lore or background for these spells however I'd argue this may be the fault of losing lore over time and for the fact that Cunningham was trying to make this book accessible and focus on act not history.
• 
  Terri

  Scott Cunningham's Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic was...ok. There are basic spells and info in there I would use -- at least as a jumping off point, and to further research. It was not so much the simplicity of the spells (this was a book on natural magic and I have no issue with simplicity), but rather the lack of depth in Cunningham's writing or even imagination, I guess that bothered me. He spent entirely too much time repeating wicca is not evil (yes, I know, sign of the times in which it was written), but even despite that his work in this book was pretty vapid at best & there are just too many better books out there, even for novices. I am not against the writing's of Scott Cunningham; over the years I have found The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews and Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs to both be quite useful. This book however, was one I could have done without purchasing.
• 
  Katarina

  An easy read, nothing too complex. Felt like talking to a good friend about what magick is and how to do some simple spells. Could have used some more information perhaps but I think this is a good book for beginners. I am not Wiccan, but I think you can be any type of a witch to read this and for more experienced ones this, I felt, was a great way to look back or to remind yourself of this friendly approach to nature. It felt nostalgic to me.
• 
  Ari

  Cunningham, unlike many others I've come across, really sees 'magic' as a deep connection/communion with what is, and not a bringing about events by forces. In this book, he separates meditations into the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) and gives his own thoughts on how to use them. Practical, although not for me personally. Not his best work, not his worst.
• 
  Rosie

  I loved this book. It's got amazing introductions and instructions at the start, followed by some really good spells. I don't follow them exactly, but use them as springboards to create my own spells and rituals. I read this after Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and together they make a really comprehensive introduction to earth magic.
• 
  Daria

  I read the reviews and had certain expectations. Unfortunately, writing feels dry and unengaging. There are a few interesting spells but generally it's like reading a magic book for teens. Not much consistency or explanation behind any of the spells. Some are very short and random and it looks like they've just been added for quantity. I would've loved it when I was a kid.
• 
  LooLoo

  As always Cunningham knows how to explain on the surface such a simple thing that can be useful in complex manner. Love simplicity of this book and so much info she gave me on things that I usually take for granted.
  It's most definitely book to keep and look in often for spells and reminder how powerful the nature is!
• 
  Jason Baldauf

  Earth Power focuses on Wiccan spells centered around the elements. I found the insights into the powers ascribed to the elements very interesting. I can see the spells themselves being useful to those on this particular path. A good follow up to his other two introductory books on the Wiccan path for the solitary practitioner, but this is where the rubber starts to meet the road. After reading these three books, I have a really good feel for the Wiccan religion, core beliefs and practices.
• 
  Athena Tserlentakis

  This book has great information but wasn't my cup of tea personally, so this review is a bit biased. The information is by all means great for Wiccans or individuals who are interested in earth based spirituality, but personally my interests lie elsewhere in witchcraft. Great general knowledge though.
• 
  JEAVONNA

  Fun reading. Very well written. Keeping an open mind helps to see the magic in everyday things. The author describes his subject as "folk magic." That was a good description. Looking forward to reading the next book - Magical Herbalism.
• 
  Anie

  I enjoyed this book far more than I have other books I've read by Cunningham. This one is more than a list of correspondences -- it's discussion of nature, of bits of how Cunningham thinks magic works, and it shows some of a cohesive magical system outside of just correspondences.
• 
  Nicoll Campbell

  Read this over 20 years ago and revisiting it, so much I retained from back then I stop doing the rites 10 years ago as I was congested but now I'm in a happy contented place. So I'm returning and I am realising that I've been doing certain rites instinctively.
• 
  Ma. Rosetti Villamor

  Great Magical Foundation
  
  Gives a great foundation on elemental magic and other forms. There's plenty of examples, but it's the reasoning why this particular form of magic is better than the other allows me to create my own spells.