Return to Cauldron Home Page

Please donate now to pay our monthly server fees:
Donate to The Cauldron
[More Info]

Community Menu
Community Home

Message Board
Board Home
Board Rules
Board Extras:
   Arcade
   Calendar
   Links

CauldronMUX [Client]
Sister Forums:
   Asatru Lore

Menu

Home
Site Info & Rules
Site Archives
Volunteers Needed
Advertise Here

Pagan Supplies
Buy Pagan Books
Buy Pagan Supplies

Books & Media
Books Home
Games Home
Music: Free | Pagan
Online Books
Pagan Book Browser
Reviews:
   Academic Books
   Divination Decks
   Fiction Books
   Pagan Books
   Speculative Books
   DVD & Videotape
Submit Review

Pagan Features
Article Library
Auctions
Chat Log Index
File Library
Humor
Lessons
Pagan Holidays
Pagan Primer
Pagan Rituals
Pagan Supplies
Pagan Youth
Polls
Reconstructionism
Spell Grimoire [Blog]
Web Resources

Pagan Living
Cauldron Cookbook
Take Political Action

Newsletter
Back Issues
Subscribe

Other Features
eCauldronMail
Greeting Cards
Syndicated Articles
World News/Opinion

Shopping
Cheap Web Hosting
Doxy's Bazaar
Witchcraft Course
Zazzle

Old Indexes
Article Index
Webcrafting Index

Network Sites
Cauldron and Candle
Cauldron's Grimoire
RetroRoleplaying
RetroRoleplaying: The Blog
Software Gadgets
The Terran Empire

Site Search
Google
Entire Web
The Cauldron

Member - Pagan Forum Alliance
Charter Member

Get Firefox! While this web site is designed to work in all major browsers, we recommend Firefox.

This site hosted on
a Linode VPS
Formerly hosted by

Why Use Dreamhost?

Site copyright
© 1998-2009
by Randall

Home > Books & Reviews > Pagan > Positive Magic Search

Book Review:
Positive Magic:
Ancient Metaphysical Techniques for Modern Lives


Author: Marion Weinstein
Trade Paperback, 302 pages
Publisher: New Page Books
Publication date: October 2002
ISBN: 1564146375
Price & More Info: Click Here


 

When the first edition of Marion Weinstein's Positive Magic appeared in 1978 it soon became popular as a simple introduction to magic and divination. The 1981 revision has remained on my list of recommended basic books for over 20 years, despite a chapter on the history of witchcraft that was long out of date. Therefore, I was both hopeful and worried when I heard that New Page Books was publishing a newly revised edition for the book's 25th anniversary. I was hopeful that the author would update the troublesome and out of date portions and fearful that the author might accidentally change the mysterious something that has made this book a Pagan classic despite its more "New Age" orientation.

My first scan through the revised Positive Magic: Ancient Metaphysical Techniques for Modern Lives convinced me that my worries that Weinstein might change too much were unfounded. While some of the information and references have been updated, the book is still basically the same gentle and friendly introduction to the occult and to magick that made it one of my favorite introductory books -- especially for people who were a little hesitant about getting involved in something like divination or casting spells.

Positive Magic is still divided into two sections. The first section is a general introduction to the occult, complete with a chapter on how to detect and avoid negative groups, teachers, and magick. Unfortunately, the chapter on the history of witchcraft in this section was not revised much. It still talks about the works of Margaret Murray as if scholars consider them authoritative and continues to talk about 9 million people killed during the Burning Times. There is really no excuse for errors like these any more. Twenty years ago, more recent scholarship in these areas was unknown to most in the Pagan community. By the start of the 21st century, that was no longer true. Authors do a disservice to the Pagan community when they do not update such material in revisions. However, this is really the only major disappointment in the book.

While the first section is mainly discussion, the second gets very practical, covering astrology, Tarot, and the I Ching as well as "Words of Power" magick. While the author is Pagan, her magick instructions often come with both Pagan and "generic" examples. The generic wording would be acceptable to many open-minded individuals who are Christian or some other non-Pagan religion. While this may annoy some Wiccans, magick is religion-neutral. One need not become Wiccan just to practice magick. Weinstein simply recognizes this and exploits it to open the benefits of magick to a wider audience. The magick Weinstein teaches is simple and among the forms least likely to backfire or go astray. It does not require expensive tools, but is still very effective. It can be a first simple step on a lifetime study of magick, or all the magick one ever needs to know.

This newly revised edition of Positive Magic is every bit as good as the 1981 edition. I only wish that the "Witchcraft: A Living Heritage" chapter had had more revision and updating so I would not longer have to recommend it with the warning that the information on the history of Wicca is out of date and should be taken with a very large dose of salt. However, as the book is the best gentle introduction to magick for the hesitant newcomer I've seen, I have recommended the 1981 edition with that warning for many years. I will, unfortunately, have to continue to issue that warning when I recommend the new 2002 edition -- and I will continue to recommend it. Despite the historical information problem and occasional other imperfections, Weinstein's Positive Magic is still one of the best practical books available to the cautious beginner, especially one more interested in using magick and divination than changing religions. No one interested in magick is likely to regret having the 2002 edition of this book in their library.

Reviewed by Randall


Top | Home | Message Board | Site Info & Rules | Report Site Problems
Thanks to Cauldron Sponsors
(Sponsor The Cauldron!)

Cheap Web Hosting Report | Pagan & Magick Supplies
Witchcraft Course
Download Hundreds of Magic Spells