The Western Gate

Witchcraft: Theory and Practice
Ly De Angeles
Llewellyn Publishing

Bridging the gap I assume between Wicca and that eclectic and sometimes obscure title of ‘Traditional Witchcraft’. It’s from Llewellyn, the publishing house that is synonymous with New Age and, once admittedly for, “fluffy witches.” That’s not strictly true nowadays,.I have read some good books, and bad, from Llewellyn.

Once initiation has occurred , there is no turning back-you will quest all your life. Hopefully this will asway hordes of quick fix-me-uppers from venturing anywhere near the broken bracken fraught path .

Angeles book is an attempt to give a fairly concise overview and introduction to a path one could consider witchcraft in the broad sense of the term, somewhere between our prejudiced assumption of witchcraft garnered by Sabrina and Harry Potter and a quiet but curious poke around subjects like Crowley and Sanders and that nudist Gardener chap.

There are anomalies and things I disagree with in here, some familiar, some peculiar, but none of us will ever get the book that truly defines us, we write that ourselves.
Various Gods and Goddesses are added to the book as a chef would prepare a flamboyant dish, perhaps at the risk of being too pretentious. Bad word, it’s not a pretentious book at all really, a lot of the content any seasoned (ahem- spices again?) rambler on the weird path would have come across in their travels but whether they choose to pick the offerings littered on the floor is pretty subjective. This is very much a subjective book. And it’s also, more, a book for the fledgling.

Pick a subject, it’s bound to have a little entry here.
Angeles uses a shady character called Mulengro and throws its name at us as if it is the real trickster of old, the devil and his top hat of tomfoolery. You won’t of course find this name anywhere else except perhaps some book of fiction. It would be better to address that adversary as something we all understand rather than trying to nail a noun down.
Obviously it would be impossible to give a review, or to critic this book with any hint of justice as there are a library index card of ideas full, each entitled to their own commentary.

There’s the handy man’s’ guide to Qabalah of course, the quick step guide which to be fair the author admits to merely giving an overview. In hindsight most subjects dealt with throughout are an overview, each subject whether it be spell casting or’ astral projection’ deserves far far more explanation than given, but the attempt must be applauded to cram as many morsels and soundbites as possible, that are needed for this foray.

Qabbalah is known as Kabbalah, Kabbalah, the tree of lights, otz chiim, the ladder of lights, the asherah tree, qbl and Qbblh.
There’s a lot of that in this book, lists of corresponding things, not sure why, perhaps it’s to make us believe the author has done their homework and looked up all sources,

In which case, The Asherah Tree? This is a shoe horn association. Beloved Asherah, her temples were adorned by two huge wooden poles, erected that the worshippers stand between them like the long man of Wilmington, (pictured, that I’ve shoe horned into and has absolutely no connection with the poles of Asherah, This is digression that most wouldn’t venture down, they’d read the list and not question) …~-~-~
but, digressing further, if you go to the Mary Magdalene church in Winterbourne Monkton near Avebury stone circle you’ll see an interior known for its’ unusual’ exposed two tree trunks that holds aloft the bell tower. Pagan green men tiles are inserted into the floor just before the altar to also affirm that there’s something strange going on here. Does this mean conclusively I could include it in any book if I were dealing with archetype temples of Asherah …shoe horn it in?
Make a list, Mary Magdalene. Otherwise known as; Morai, Mare, Mer of the watchtower, Magdala, also known as Sophia, Rosa- that symbolic divine feminine image of femininity, alike the Magdalene with the urn, or the ‘sealed chalice’, she- the sea that great harbour of life itself.
There is much we could deviate from and confuse, misdirect and get lost in. And it is nonsense at worse or deliberate meddling with the curious mind.
There are of course some rituals included in the book, everything must be consecrated by the four classical elements. Though there is a handy correspondence list, of course there is, not much is made of the qualities, we for instance, consecrate by fire in the east quarter. But that’s not really explained, we consecrate by water? Etc. if each quality is reflective of nature then each consecration would bestow the quality of that season, including death (winter). As far as Angeles ponders, a quick splash of water and a few words suffice, a little quaint poem and we’ll be masters of the world we desire.
Throughout the book I found, as always, one great omission, The quest. Or perhaps it was buried on purpose. In the index there’s nearly 40 entries for ‘will’ but none for wisdom.
Witchcraft, also known as wicce, to bend to twine to craft, and as the wise, objective truth and knowledge of one’s nature. Of course if this bores the pants off you and Angeles does hint at meditation which will no doubt bore some endlessly then there’s plenty of fun instead to be had scratching your desired sign on to the appropriate coloured (there’s lists) candle and ejaculating over it, or smearing blood over it or something enamoured with the desired’s essence, and like a bloodhound, fate will find them. Angeles doesn’t actually prescribe my summary or indeed method, luckily I don’t actually want anything, so my blood and semen and any subjects coveted articles of faith are safe.

Qabbalistic terms are thrown in like a chancer winging it at a posh arty farty exhibition, the chancer reading a dummies guide to art before hurrying down to the gallery, or moot or forum on social media to tell everybody how knowledgeable they are. It s not that this method isn’t appropriate, but it’s not exact and certainly not sincere. If Native American totems were similarly used there would be gasps and forehead slapping.
I don’t particularly care, but it just seems a bit fake.

As a starter book for someone, yeah it’s ok, like one of those local map guides to some foreign city, it will get you somewhere, it will point you in directions and highlight landmarks and distractions. But, you would need to do far more research than just picking up this book and rushing down to the local smelly new age shop that plays god awful Celtic harmonies over whales belching to purchase a candle and some synthetic rose essential oil.
The book serves as a snapshot, and also enough canapes to feed you, there’s some spices used that shouldn’t be here, but you might like them. There’s seasoning that should be added but perhaps again that’s a matter of taste.