BY LISA MARIE BASILE
I’m swimming in magic right now — thanks to a few beautiful books I’m either reading or anxiously waiting to read. It is safe to say that the Witch is having a moment — but she’s always been here. She may look different culture to culture, and perhaps the language we use when we discuss her is different (magic is personal, after all), but her mainstream popularity doesn’t erase the fact that the witch, as archetype and practitioner, has always been a force for autonomy, growth, wisdom and wildness.
I’m so glad we get to live in a time when more and more of us are connecting with the otherness, wildness, and power of the witch. Luna Luna has been exploring the witch since we were born in 2013, and it’s a beautiful thing to see conversations, books, podcasts, movies, and general culture remain captivated by witchery.
And while there is a lot to be done to promote a deeper understanding of witchcraft and magical practices in general (you know, like speaking out against the co-opting capitalist agendas that reduce magic to a tee-shirt or a thoughtless starter witch kit) — there are SO many books adding to the conversation by bringing inclusivity and context and accessibility to the craft. Here are a few I’m reading or looking the fuck forward to:
Pam Grossman’s Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power
If you’ve been following me or Luna Luna for anytime, you know I’m a huge fan of Pam Grossman and her incredible work toward unpacking and exploring the witch. Whether it’s through her own writing or via her not-to-be-missed podcast, The Witch Wave, Pam (and her guests) explores the story of the rich fabric of magic both ancient and modern. I’m looking forward to reading her book’s examination of the witch as an enduring figure in culture, while learning more about how Pam came to the practice. Yes, please. Preorder here.
Shewolfe and Beatrix Gravesguard The Astrological Grimoire: Timeless Horoscopes, Modern Rituals, and Creative Altars for Self-Discovery
I got my hands on this gorgeous book a few weeks ago and I’m totally in love with it. Instead of tackling astrology by describing only the sun signs, this book (by the creators of Witch Radio!) explores the intersection of one’s whole chart, along with providing altar decoration ideas, moon phase meditations, and affirmations for each sign. I’ve been using the book as a way to connect with my Big 3 (sun, moon, and rising signs) during particular moon phases, in addition to deepening my relationship with my Scorpio sun. It’s accessible, beautifully designed, and refreshing. Order it here.
Colin Bedell’s Queer Cosmos: The Astrology of Queer Identities & Relationships
I’m no expert on astrology by any stretch. Rather, I am a dedicated enthusiast who places a lot of importance on the important lessons the archetypes of the zodiac can teach us about ourselves. For this reason, I’ve been a big fan of Colin Bedell.
His Instagram account, @queercosmos, is a true treasure, as he shares beautiful, empowering, and inclusive insights around the cosmos and astrology. (He’s also hilarious). I found his book, A Little Bit of Astrology, a necessarily updated look at the zodiac. Instead of leaning into tropes and reductions around the zodiac, he reframes astrology in ways that make you think about your worth and self and truth. I can’t wait for Queer Cosmos: The Astrology of Queer Identities & Relationships, not only because we need more texts that approach the queer identity as it relates to magic and the cosmos, but because Bedell brings Midas’ touch to everything. Preorder here.
Theresa Reed and Shaheen Miro’s Tarot for Troubled Times: Confront Your Shadow, Heal Your Self & Transform the World
I literally can’t say just how excited I am about this book. I’ve been a long-time fan of Theresa Reed and use her Tarot Coloring Book a lot as a way to reflect and enter a meditative state. This book, which you can preorder, approaches the tarot in a new light: It approaches tarot as a tool for meditation on illness, depression, addiction and oppression — real issues that we must confront. I believe that anything that gets us to safely confront our shadow selves is a useful tool in our wellness arsenals, allowing us to have more autonomy over our healing — especially in a world where that autonomy is stripped from us on the regular. Preorder here.
Amanda Yates Garcia’s Initiated: Memoir of a Witch
I haven’t finished this book yet, but I am so enjoying it as I read it. This feels like a crucially important work, as the book reflects on not only the deep and personal experience of initiation, but also on sex work, ancestry, poverty, and the body reclaimed. Its message is clear: “Initiated is both memoir and manifesto calling the magical people of the world to take up their wands: stand up, be brave, describe the world they want, then create it like a witch.” I’m loving the language in this book, the message it conveys, and the fact that a book like this is being shared with the world at this time. Preorder here.
Mya Spalter’s Enchantments: A Modern Witch's Guide to Self-Possession
I think what I loved the most about this gem of a book is that Mya’s voice is so welcoming, colorful, and lively. Of course, I’m a bit biased here. As a New Yorker, I’ve shopped at Enchantments, where Mya has worked for years selling occult goods. This book is a modern overview of magic, but it makes space for the reader to get involved. Not every book makes room for one’s personal magical style, but this book does. This book is full of magic, introductory and advanced knowledge, personality, poetry, and empowerment. Order here.
If you read Sollée’s Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring The Sex Positive, chances are you’re gearing up for her newest, Cat Call: Reclaiming the Feral Feminine (An Untamed History of the Cat Archetype in Myth and Magic). I sure am. Now, there’s a long-standing connection between the cat and the witch — don’t we all have a familiar of our own? — and it’s about time someone dedicates a closer look to the enduring power of the cat. I’m such a fan of everything Kristen does — and I know you will be too, if you haven’t read her important, inclusive, and thoughtful work. Preorder here.
Lisa Marie Basile is the author of Light Magic for Dark Times, Wordcraft Witchery (forthcoming, 2020) and a recent poetry collection, Nympholepsy. Her work encounters self-care, trauma recovery, ritualized living and the arts. More of her writing can be found in The New York Times, Refinery 29, The Fix, Catapult, Narratively, Good Housekeeping, Bustle, Sabat Magazine and more. She is the editor-in-chief of Luna Luna Magazine. Find her @lisamariebasile.