Weave the Liminal: Living Modern Traditional Witchcraft

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. But the author's tone throughout, as well as the somewhat un-organized nature of the book itself, left me with mixed feelings. The first twenty pages of Chapter 1 are all about the author and her creation of Modern Traditional Witchcraft. Then she takes the time to define both modern AND traditional and how she's wedged them together. On page 21 she talks about the three keys to the witch's path (know thyself, maintain balance, and accept responsibility) and I rather liked this bit, so I started to feel better about the book, until it devolved into a rambling pseudo-history of witchcraft in Chapter 2 (including, of course, obligatory mentions of the witch trials and the Malleus Maleficarum) alongside the usual tired criticisms of Christianity.That particular bit segues into a bizarre, nonsensical and rambling segment about how some people (apparently?) believe that "witch blood" has angelic origins, specifically the Nephilim, who appear in the Old Testament and were the product of fallen angels seducing human women. Now, I've read John Dee and Edward KelIey (who she also mentions), but I must not be reading the same newer books as this author, because while I've certainly heard of the Nephilim, I've never read in any *modern* occult book that witches are the descendants of this pairing. To hear Zakroff tell it, though, "nearly every book I pick up on Witchcraft nowadays talks about either the angelic origins of the Witch or the concept of "Witch blood."" (page 29). Personally, I think she just wanted to use the phrase "angel penis", which she does. Twice.She manages to somehow connect this (not really) to the fact that the higher classes of society were able to escape persecution for practicing magic because they were supposedly blessed by God, because having this "Nephilim blood" AND wealth made them very special. But after ALL that, she says, "I find Watcher history and lore fascinating, but it doesn't really resonate with me or seem all that relevant to my actual practice." (page 32). So then why did you devote three whole pages to talking about it when a mere sentences-long reference could have sufficed? Not that even a brief reference would have meant anything, though -- while she cites sources for the information about the Nephilim, she never cites a source (modern or otherwise) that actually connects them to witch-blood or witchcraft at all, so I found the entire section to be a disorganized waste of time.She then delves a bit into 'natural-born' witch versus 'made' witch, then spends another three pages talking about herself and what witchcraft means for her. But because she doesn't follow the usual ideas or definitions, this renders her information useful only if you plan on attempting to copy her style of the Craft. I've got absolutely nothing against being an eclectic witch (I would certainly place myself under that umbrella) but if that's what you're going for in a book that's supposed to be helping other people, you don't need to muddy the waters by giving vague, arbitrary "definitions" that will be meaningless (at best) for experienced practitioners, and (at worst) confusing for newbies who, if they only read up to this point, will be left with no real idea of what they want their witchcraft to be. I wouldn't mind so much if this section didn't come right at the beginning of the book, where it can potentially turn people off of the path, but it takes up a big chunk of Chapter 2. Luckily, by page 42 she starts to tie things together with some journal exercises, and dispels some common misconceptions about witchcraft.Chapter 3, beginning on page 47, is where (for me) most of the book's meat lies, and is the reason for my giving the book three stars instead of two. The chapter is titled 'A Path of Your Own Making' and lays out the RITES acronym, which stands for Roots, Inspiration, Time, Environment, and Star. It's an incredibly useful guide to finding your true inner witch, and defining for yourself just what you want your Craft to be. In the Roots section, she recommends exploring your family ancestry to help find which paths might call to you (being an ancestry nerd, I loved this bit, even if it's not exactly new advice). Inspiration delves into what aspects of witchcraft speak to you personally (and why), and Time addresses the issues that often arise when trying to fit your Craft life into your mundane life, and being realistic about what you're able to do in your present situation. This section includes everything from tuning into the lunar cycle, to your sleep schedule and how it affects you (and your work), to creating your own personal Wheel of the Year.The Environment section is all about taking into account where you physically live (desert, city, mountains, forest, etc.) and the role location plays in which types of rituals will be easier (or harder) and how different the local flora and fauna are from place to place, which is something that can (and will) certainly affect your Craft life. For example, I live in a major city within a desert landscape, so certain plants are unavailable unless I order them online, and for me there are no readily available forests or bodies of water, which can limit things sometimes. A lot of other modern witchcraft books don't really address this, and many authors unfortunately assume that everyone can just traipse off to a remote wooded area whenever they please, so I appreciated that she addressed this. Finally, the Star section is a little bit more vague, but basically examines what your own personal code of ethics should be, as dictated by YOUR intuition and what you want to accomplish, and not relying on anyone else's perspective.Following this section, she includes A Witch's Manifesto, which is pretty good and I don't think there are many witches out there who would argue with any of her points. Next up is a brief section on tools, which she emphasizes do NOT have to be fancy or formal (gilded athame versus kitchen knife, for example) and after that she goes over the pros and cons of group work versus solitary, when (and whether) a formal teacher is necessary, initiation/dedication, the role of mythology, and she ends the chapter by addressing age and experience levels and the role they play for everyone, and the pressure often felt by beginners to follow the paths of others as the only 'right' way. It's a good, long (about 40 pages) solid chapter and for me, feels like the heart of the book. Things kinda head back downhill for me after that, though.Chapter 4 is called The Witch's Craft, and while it provides some useful (common sense) strategies for honing perception skills, it's mostly a lot more of the author talking about herself and her experiences. The subsection 'The Secrets of the Uncommon Witch' involves word pairings and how to live them (observe/obscure, listen/speak, and change/rest). It's not worthless information, it's just not particularly new, or phrased any more clearly than in books by other authors. There's a bit about black/white magic (terms she hates), and from there there's more discussion about ethics, and a tedious comparison of witchcraft to surfing.Then she delves into spellcraft, and makes sure we know that she's not really interested in it and has only included this section because she expects that we want to read about it. Then a list of types of spellcraft follows, each including a definition, along with a basic rubric for creating and casting a spell. She then reminds us again how disinterested she is in spells, but that she's really good at it anyway: "It is perhaps ironic that for as much as I dislike talking about spells, I'm really good at magick" (page 116). Her spells always work, too: "When discussing spellcraft, two questions inevitably pop up: What if your spell doesn't work, and What if your spell works a little too well? I haven't had much experience personally with the former category, but I definitely had a taste of the latter when I was first starting out" (page 119). I really didn't like the tone of this section,, but she follows up her not-so-humble brags with some good information segments -- Magick follows the path of least resistance, Mind the Fates, and Words Have Power. The rest of the chapter is a mixed bag on grimoires, altars, timing rites with the lunar cycle, a brief rubric for planning a good ritual, altars/sacred spaces, and divination.Chapter 5 addresses the liminal and exactly what it is, ancestral spirits, the gods, dreams and what we can learn from them, the sacred feminine, how to connect with deity (sort of), and loads more about her experiences and personal practices. It's a well-rounded chapter and I really didn't have any beefs with anything, though by this point the book started to feel really, really long. Chapter 6 comes back around to living as a witch in modern society, and how to find witchy peers within your own city -- here she includes a couple of links to pagan sites. She mentions how to support local pagans (if possible) and then there's a hearty section for how NOT to be a jerk about your Craft (which includes a bit on humility, which gave me a chuckle), and also how to protect yourself from various nefarious forces (human and otherwise) that tend to be attracted to the pagan scene. Following that is a list of references for further reading, and I found myself amused that she included three of her own books, but I suppose a little self-promotion isn't that bad.So, I didn't hate the book. There's some good information here that will help me on my personal path, but there were also many things that left me wrinkling my nose and/or shaking my head. I'm pretty surprised by all the 5-star reviews, but I haven't read them and can only assume that perhaps other readers are more willing to overlook the book's weaknesses in light of the strengths. I don't want to necessarily turn anyone off with my review -- there is a LOT of information packed into this little book (it's only 214 pages) and a lot of it is useful. If you can wade through the mud of all the weird segues, personal brags and concept repetition, you'll find some gems buried. As for me? I'll keep it on the shelf, but probably closer to the middle, rather than the top.

As I continue to explore shifting my focus, expanding my practice, I read the delightful book Weave the Liminal by Laura Zakroff. I've always found liminal spaces to be wonderful gateways to magic and the otherworld. I was curious to read what someone who called their path "Modern Traditional Witchcraft" might have to say about liminal work.Before we dive into the meat of the book, I do want to praise the artwork on the cover and for each chapter. It really managed to capture the essence of the book and added a real magical flair to the pages!This book is intended for any witchcraft practitioner who is looking to forge their own path. New practitioners will find a lot of wonderful advice and inspiration that will save readers countless hours trying to figure out on their own.  Questions about working with Deity, labels, and the history of witchcraft are presented in easy to digest segments. A newbie book that finally reflects what magic and witchcraft looks like in today's world. I've not yet read a book that so clearly empowers readers to do their own thing while still subtly providing the foundation and answers that newbies desire.The author writes with expertise and good humor. I felt like I was talking to an older sister who "got it" but also knew a few things more than I do. While I don't consider myself to be a beginner at this point, I can see this tone being incredibly helpful for a beginner in paganism or witchcraft.What I loved reading about was the author's take on Deity and the practicalities of being a witch in today's world. Readers really get to dive into the fascinating world of liminal work in the Deity chapter. The conversation around how one might differentiate between spirits, gods, ghosts, ect. was enlightening. The tidbits concerning navigating our modern world as a witch or pagan was just what our community needed. The author finds avenues for the traditional roles of healer, priestess, seer to be integrated in our mundane lives in 2019. These chapters are exactly what I look for when reading a book that isn't directly related to my own path as a Druid. Informative, inspiring, and providing just enough of shift that I can look at my own path with fresh eyes.Readers who are new to witchcraft or paganism, this is a MUST READ! Those who are looking to really shape and make their paths their own will also delight in this wonderful look at modern traditional witchcraft.

I wish I would have had this book to go to when I first started my practice. An AMAZING read that I will recommend to every witch (or any person that practices witchcraft). It was inspiring, grounded, so well-rounded and balanced-- and packed with information valuable for someone at any point in their witchy evolution. I love Laura's style of writing; down-to-earth, snarky and also so passionate/poetic. She packs a punch!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

I enjoyed the book and some of the author's view points. She made me feel reassured that some of my beliefs, which don't follow the traditional Wicca path, are just fine. And some of the things she said really touched me. And I love a book that recommends more books for further reading.That being said, I also felt like every thing was sort of rushed. Most segments were very short and topics felt rushed over. And some times I felt like the author over did it on just giving her opinions about things. But all in all, it was worth the read.

The back cover says it all, as do the editorial reviews! This book fills one with a sense of confidence. I wish something like this was there 5 years ago, it truly gets to the heart on several matters. I just can't properly describe how this book makes me feel.

What I love about this book is she teaches you to personalize your practice. The one thing I have always hated was "Always do this and say this, all will be good" practices. She teaches you to break down what each thing means to you and encourages you to look outside of the box to personalize everything. Even what the different directions mean to YOU, which probably isn't something you can Google.

This is a book for a beginner but, you need critical reading skills when reading it, as the author does present a lot of false history at times. As well as the usual problems of listing out holidays, then saying they come from many different origins but not explaining which ones come from which origins.Even after she's done the usual American author, bare minimum research, aka, let's still use the coloniser terms for holidays because we can't be bothered to use the correct terms for them in the language that they come from (she puts the entire onus of this learning/research onto the reader, which is lazy writing).There are moments where she briefly touches on topics that do relate to Trad Craft, but again, it's a beginners book.If you want more meat than what she's offering, you'll need to go elsewhere.I was apprehensive, when I read other reviews about the author non-stop talking about herself, because authors often do need to relate back to themselves for analogies just to make something more relatable.Reading this book became unbearable at times because at any opportunity, the author made it about them, when their concept for the book was to give something to people, in order to assist in forging their own path. Don't get me wrong, there were times when she used moments in her life for very beautiful and vivid analogies that were exceptional, and other times I had no idea why she felt the need to suddenly switch to a story about herself.It turned the book into a constant roller-coaster of mood whiplash, when at other times it was well placed.

Wow. I actually got welled up reading the first chapter. I kept sayi g to myself this is me! I can relate to what she's saying. It was beautiful. Highly recommend this book. Very powerful.

I really enjoyed this book. No nonsense clear writing that was easy to read. Lots of information and diversity. Not a checklist of what one must do but more like an open letter to explore, evaluate, and see what works for you personally. I enjoyed the open minded and inclusive, non elitist viewpoint of the author, Laura Tempest Zakoff, refreshing and worth re reading.

I was very excited to read this book, as I thought this book was based on liminal spaces, as the title implies... however, there was very little mentioned about liminal spaces and could probably sum up all the information written about the liminal into a few pages.. needless to say, I was extremely disappointed with this book. I did not find it interesting or informative. I found the book rather dry and was more about the authors experience and thoughts than anything concrete.

Esse livro foi muito bem recomendado por todos os amigos e digital influencers que eu consultei e pedi dicas sobre bons livros sobre bruxaria numa linha mais tradicional e menos wiccana, e ele atendeu e superou todas as minhas expectativas. Além disso, fiquei muito feliz em descobrir que esse caminho tortuoso da minha própria prática bruxa tem nome: Bruxaria Moderna Tradicional! Vale muito a pena a leitura tanto pra quem está começando quanto pra quem, como eu, já está nesse caminho a um certo tempo, mas ainda não cansou de aprender.