Table Of ContentHave you ever wondered about magick?
Not stage magic; not clever illusions with doves
and rabbits and colored scarves; not lissome blondes in
sequins disappearing from locked cabinets ....
But magick, the ancient skills and powers of the
adepts who sought to transform themselves and their world.
Magick chanted under the full Moon by circling Witches, or
performed by solemn robed wizards in candlelit ceremonies,
or conjured by a skinclad shaman deep in a virgin rain forest
....
For magick, true magick, can change your life.
With magick's aid, you can have vibrant health, prosperity,
or a new career. You can enhance your relationships or
bring new ones into your life. With magick, you can reach
deep insidcyourself to find what you despaired of ever
having—confidence, courage, tranquility, faith,
compassion, understanding, or humor. It's not a miracle, and
it's not easy, but magick works. It can work for you.
If you're curious, you will find answers in this
book. Amber K, a High Priestess of the Wiccan religion and
experienced practitioner of magick, explains not only the
history and lore of magick, but also its major varieties in the
world today—from the Chicana Bruhas of Mexico and the
United States, to the temples of the Order of the Golden
Dawn, to the sacred groves of Wiccan covens.
And if you want to practice magick to grow, to change, to
heal with tools of the mind and heart and spirit—then this
book will start you on the path. Amber K explains how to
prepare yourself, how to find or create your ritual tools, how
to establish a temple in your home, how to plan a ritual and
cast a spell—and how to do it ethically and safely. No
demons, no black masses, no hexes. Simply divine power
flowing through you, intelligently applied for beneficial
purposes.
Whether you are just curious, or whether you are
already an aspiring magick-worker—read on.
About the Author
Amber K is an ordained High Priestess of the Wiccan faith.
She was initiated at the Temple of the Pagan Way in
Chicago and served on the Council of Elders there. Her
writings on magick and the Craft have been circulated in the
United States and Europe and in the past several years she
has traveled widely teaching the Craft. Currently, she works
with the Re-formed Congregation of the Goddess, and
serves as High Priestess of Our Lady of the Woods, a
national Wiccan ministry and resource center.
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guarantee that every letter written to the author can be
answered, but all will be forwarded. Please write to:
Amber K
c/o Llewellyn Worldwide
P.O. Box 64383, Dept. L003-6,
St. Paul, MN 55164-0383, U.S.A.
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TRUE MAGICK:
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE
By Amber K
Bide the Wiccan law ye must,
In perfect love, in perfect trust.
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:
An ye harm none, do what ye will.
What ye send forth comes back to thee,
So ever mind the Rule of Three.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet, and merry ye part.
2002
Llewellyn Publications
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0383, U.S.A.
True Magick. Copyright © 1990 by Amber K. All rights
reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in
any manner whatsoever, including Internet usage, without
written permission from Llewellyn Publications except in
the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and
reviews.
FIRST EDITION, 1990
Twelfth Printing, 2002
Cover painting by Robin Wood
Cover calligraphy and original illustrations by Amber K.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data K,
Amber, 1947-
True magick : a beginner's guide / by Amber K.
p. cm. — (Llewellyn's practical magick series)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-87542-003-6
1. Magic. 2. Witchcraft. I. Title. II. Title: True magic.
III. Series.
BF1611.K22 1990 90-38260
133.4'3—dc20 CIP
Llewellyn Worldwide does not participate in, endorse, or have any
authority or responsibility concerning private business transactions
between our authors and the public.
All mail addressed to the author is forwarded but the
publisher cannot, unless specifically instructed by the author, give
out an address or phone number.
Llewellyn Publications
A Division of Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
P.O. Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
Printed in the United States of America
OTHER BOOKS BY AMBER K:
Lithomancy: Divination With Stones within an Astrological
Structure, Nince Candles Publications, 1983
How to Organize a Coven or Magical Study Group, Circle
Publications, 1983 and Nine Candles Publications, 1985
Beginning True Magick, Nine Candles Publications, 1985
Pagan Kids' Activity Book, Nine Candles Publications, 1986
Treasury of Coven Activities, Nine Candles Publications,
1986
Picture Book of Goddesses (with Muriel Mizach Shemesh),
Nine Candles Publications, 1988
Covencraft: Witchcraft for Three or More, Llewellyn
Publications, 1998
Preambulo a la Magia, Llewellyn Publications, 1999
Candlemas (with Azrael Arynn K), Llewellyn Publications,
2001
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I wish to thank all those who made this book possible. They
include:
• My mother and father, Maxine and Bill, who believed
in my writing abilities and in every person's right to choose her
own spiritual path;
• Ginny and Dave, High Priestess and High Priest of the
Temple of the Pagan Way, who first taught me magick. The
memory of their generosity, care and humor still warms my heart;
• Catelaine,~who encouraged me during the writing of
the original core of this book, then published as Beginning True
Magick;
• My coven sisters and brothers of Our Lady of the
Woods, who help keep me growing;
• And all the priestesses and priests of the Craft who
have used Beginning True Magick in their teaching, and have taken
the time to tell me how valuable it was.
Appreciation is due to Starhawk, because material in the
back of her book The Spiral Dance contributed greatly to
Appendix II, to Daniel Cohen, for information from his book
Magicians, Wizards and Sorcerers which is incorporated into
Chapter 2, and to Dover Publications, which produced some of the
copyright-free art among the illustrations.
And I thank the Goddess, for life and love.
Blessed be,
Amber K
Table of Contents
Introduction…………………………………………. xiii
1: About Magick—and You……………….………. 1
What Magick Is Not…………………………….. 2
What Magick Is..................................................... 4
What Magick Is For…………………………….. 5
2: Your Magickal Education………………………. 9
Contact Points…………………………………... 10
Evaluating Teachers…………………………….. 13
The Question of Fees…………………………… 16
Learning Magick with Books…………………… 17
3: The Varieties of Magick………………………… 21
Styles of Magick………………………………... 21
Some Magickal Traditions……………………… 23
Shamanism…………………………………. 24
Norse Magick………………………………. 25
Huna………………………………………... 26
Alchemy……………………………………. 29
Bruheria……………………………………. 32
Voudun…………………………………….. 33
Qabala……………………………………… 35
Western Ceremonial Magick………………. 37
Other Magickal Traditions…………………. 40
