Foreword by reviewer: The pagan/otherkin community might not find it
easy to publish in the big shops but there are a few times some real
quality material is written. Beyond the normal easy sell limitations
that sadly shower the market nowadays.
This books is written by someone deep in the community and more down
to earth then an author like this you hardly can get! And if you
want to buy this book you might have to find someone to caries it as
it is hardly mainstream yet.
On First Sight: The book itself being the first print is brought on
the market by Megalithica books Publication and it reads nice,
using big lettering that is gentle to your eyes. Some find it less
important but this is a book you actually can read without having to
wear glasses.
Flipping through the book you'll notice how down to earth it is
written something that is refreshing to see.
Chapters: It begins with a chapter on Totem ism, ever since the dawn
of our intelligence we been using animals spiritually. The history
and the meaning of Totems are to be found in this booklet but also
how it works in the human psyche.
Followed is a chapter about Familiars, the animals that accompany us
and with that is meant more then just the cat or the crow. It again
shows is down to earth a bit about the history of this phenomenon
but also about how to choose a familiar and how to work with them.
More important much care here is put on how to treat them right.
Then we enter the domain of animal magic, in all its forms and
reasons and more interesting it breaks up the terrain that set
practices has put limits on. Because this author doesn't shy s way
to talk about Extinct animals or those that even don't exist.
Breaking the ground with the more common practice of putting up
limitations that so many books do.
After all that talking about what is possible a chapter follows that
some might find endearing interesting. Because now is written about
how to create and keep up your own magical animals. Now this goes
beyond what most pagan books are willing to write about. This
already makes this book much more interesting.
There are a few contrivers es that are on the war grounds of the
pagan community. Some hate it others support it but next chapter
goes about shape shifting. A down to earth view about the history
and different types of shape shifting that there are. Techniques,
tips and information that are quite hard to find outside of certain
communities. And yes there is a small area about physical shifting,
I shouldn't have to say that this book is down right down to earth over it.
Fluff bunnies look away now because the almost last real chapter is
about working with animal parts. How real fur and animal parts can
be used and help in magical practices. Warnings are placed though
about knowing where the parts come from as we all know about illegal
trades. How to use the parts in rituals and tips to keep them in the
right condition are given.
Lupa also writes about Animal Sacrifice though even she has to add a
personal note that she doesn't agrees with many of such practices
and it is written because the book simply cannot do without having a
chapter.
Extro: I know it is a crappy review but really do I care that I
don't follow someone’s else standards of quality. I say what I want
to say and this is what I got to say about this book.
Lupa has written a very grounded book about the many areas animals
touch us. She has written about the things most do not share easily
and taken some hurdles there. And Hell, it was time a book like this
came on the market that down to earth dealt with these issues. And I
hope for Lupa that her book will hit the bigger shops soon as it is
something that stands out between the so many books that seem to fly
high in the air like a kite.
That ends it for now, go on kids buy the book or scoot on. No
pestering grumpy book reviewers that never seem to get their own
style in check.