Ancient Egypt has been the singular most important influence in the development of Western Magic as practiced today.  Yet, few people understand the core teachings and techniques of this once great civilization.  Now, more than twenty years after its original publication, this classic work on Egyptian Magic is being made available in a revised and expanded version that is more than double its original size and scope.

Written as an introduction to the religious and magical teachings of ancient Egypt this book presents in depth information drawn from ancient temple inscriptions and papyrus texts, giving descriptions of more than seventy Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, including a list of items sacred to each.  Practical techniques for the consecration of Egyptian tools as well as the preparation of a private temple are presented.  Ancient ritual invocations, spells, and rituals, the preparation of several incenses including the highly prized Kyphi/Kapet, the rite of offering, to the hidden meaning contained in sacred myths are all carefully explained. In addition, two calendar systems which ran concurrently throughout much of Egyptian history are explained with a detailed list of the names of the days and months, as well as more than three hundred festivals.  All material presented is carefully documented with more than four hundred footnotes drawn from over one hundred academic sources.

Drawing particularly on the knowledge derived from the practices of East Anglian Traditional Witchcraft and the author’s own experiences, this book initially deals with concepts of perceived duality within Old Craft magical practice. It then attempts to develop some of the paths the Witch may employ to overcome this impression, with a view to working towards a deeper level of self-knowledge within their Craft. By using the two images of the Blackthorn and the Whitethorn as exemplars of this perceived duality and through working with the Spirits, Virtues and Powers of the Natural world, the author aims to overcome this illusion and work towards the development of the Witch as a whole and complete being. This is ultimately with the intention of gaining Understanding (Illumination), of themselves and their connections within the magical universe. This involves bringing together the Light and the Shade, working through the bright and dark aspects of the magical nature, in an attempt to come to a realisation of the Witch’s true identity.

This is not a book about spells and charms, although you will find them here. This is a book about the Witch themselves; how they may act within their Craft and use it to learn, grow and change. It is a book about gaining knowledge, power, wisdom and understanding from many different quarters of the Natural world, in many different Ways. It is a book about learning of the world of the Witch and their place within it, how they may change and shape it – and themselves – to their betterment and that of the world around them. Above all it is a book about how the Witch may learn about themselves and the connections they have to the magic within, how to bring this out and how to use it.

Blackthorn:Whitethorn may be seen as a continuation of themes begun in two of the author’s previous books, Treading the Mill and The Devil’s Plantation. It aims to  describe Ways and techniques of doing things that enable the Witch to find their own, personal magic and, ultimately, themselves, by developing a level of self-knowledge that comes from solid experience.

This is an accessible and practical book that deals with Tree lore, Divination, Lunar working, Spirit contact, Glamouring, Shapeshifting, the Faerie and Elven realms and Stellar contacts, which aims to give the Witch a deeper and more profound connection with the natural world, the Spirits that inhabit it alongside them and how they may work with these towards gaining self-mastery.