The Western Gate

The Owl’s Eye
Corinne Boyer
Troy Books.

This limited edition (250 prints) book is a collection of ‘Charms’ and ‘Spells’ compiled by Corinne Boyer, a renowned author particularly in the Herbal/Green Craft tradition. It will be printed of course later, in paperback, and of a more substantial and accessible print run.

The charms themselves are drawn from a variety of grimoires and ‘cheap’ fortune telling curios. In as much, there is little of practical use unless you are willing to skin a weasel at the first crack of light, or are desperate to find ones true love and whom you will marry, which seems to be the bulk of the reasoning behind the 142 listed spells. … C’mon two more and we would have had an archetypal 12×12 collection-bah.
It is essentially a compendium of dabbling and nonsense, though, as always amongst the thicket there will be edible berries to delight. Yes, a worthless book of impractical methods, and yet, also, a delightful and dance of folly.
At first it seemed the sections were ordered in an order coinciding with the procession of the year, charms to be made in the spring or Midsomer or harvest and what not, it does creep about somewhat.
(N.B.) I was reminded of a journal which was a perpetual diary, one that can be used whatever the year, it was divided into 28 sections, each section being a phase of the moon. Likewise, each section would be divided itself 12 ways, plus one. Entries were made thus;- The first quarter of the first moon in spring (nearest to the spring equinox) and so on, the writer would then add entry to show what works or ideas were done on that tide. Each Full Moon, themselves were labelled by what was seen to occur in the season. Thus the first moon at spring may be known locally as the Daffodil Moon and so on. The plus one of course details that moon that straddles itself into a season of four moons, the wayward and elliptical that will not allow the perfect circle of time. It wasn’t exact and got quite messy, but certain themes in each section were clear. The waxing were times of creation, the waning the times of diminishing/clearing. It were then, a journal of the moon, the widdershins jig. Most books and journals conveniently are set out using the solar method, Deosil.
Anyway, I digress….
The Owl’s Eye should be read, without prejudice as really, by reading all 142 charms, at the end one can formulate their own understanding;- Knotwork, reflections and omens used in the path of the cunning become part of the praxis, and though may be delivered flippantly here, in fact do (sic) shew a method in its apparent madness
Undoubtedly, the naysayers and mockers will delight in this book, what nonsense and cheap old wives tales, ridiculous- truly the so called path of the deluded “This is the silliest stuff that ever I heard.”—The Tempest (Act 2, Scene 1).
Let them bark.
A collection of colour glossy reprints of covers of those ‘cheap’ fortune telling handbooks is included, and really emphasises the ways in which ‘popular’ witchcraft and fortune telling were sold as little more than parlour games and flights of fancy. Who would take such a path serious in light of asking i.e. ‘desperate maidens’ to take to bed at night peels of oranges said maiden had carried around all day, obsessing with the idea to know, whom she would marry.
Of course, the smell of oranges will align with the thoughts associated , and the nose is one of the most overlooked senses in the craft. In dream, those oranges are smelled, and voila, an image of Prince charming is seen, because the mind has become consumed with the association of oranges and the want of knowledge, the subconscious in the dream world duly responds.
Therein would be my criticism, there isn’t enough commentary, instead Corinne gives us verbatim the 142 charms and whatnots. However~~~ and to be an annoying Libran …to add commentary on each one would double the size of the book, so fair enough.
Appendices , forward and bibliography aside, this is what you get.
Do we mock or give a slight of hands approval, knowing, behind the mockery there is a veiled commentary, behind the nursery rhyme there is masked wisdom- as wisdom herself is always blindfold. You may have to think outside the box, you may have to dance in opposition to the clock face, Your circle may be elongated, and the path may not be as the crow flies, yet wander as the fool, and the magician soon follows.
It was compiled by Corinne Boyer, need I say more.

(Header Image : The Witches in ‘Macbeth’~ Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps 1803-1860)