(Snake)
D.J. Conway writes in the forward of her book, “Your work with your familiar can take on an even greater purpose, true to the Pagan tradition: that is the remembrance and honoring of our ancestors. Most books on animal magick are written from a Native American viewpoint, but Animal Magick captures the subject of animal familiars from a European pagan perspective. Through this working magick, you’ll not only discover a new source of strength, wisdom, and friendship in your familiar, you’ll pay the greatest homage to those who walked the Pagan path before you.”
Written for Pagans and Wiccans, this book contains rituals on how to find, contact, and be with your “animal familiar.” For readers who are neither Pagans nor Wiccans, D.J. Conway writes, “You don’t have to be a witch to have a familiar. In fact you don’t even have to believe in familiars to have one. My sister, who doesn’t work magick and is more than a little skeptical that I do, has collected statues of frogs for years.” The author then explains “familiars” and other terms she uses.
The second half of the book concentrates on the animals themselves. The author has one chapter on the Cat Family, and one on the Wolf Family. Each of the following chapters is devoted to many animal groups ranging from Warm-Blooded Ones to Finned and Water Ones. She also has a chapter on mythological creatures such as Unicorn and Winged Bull.
In her animal teachings, D.J. Conway first describes the animal in nature. Then she offers myths from many cultures about that animal. She has a section called “Superstitions” for any associated with the animal. D.J. Conway calls the animal’s teachings, “Magickal Attributes”. Finally, the author has a “Chant” for contacting the animal.
An example of how the author presents an animal is “Snakes”. She opens with, “Snakes are reptiles cold-blooded and requiring heat to bring them to an active stage.” The author continues on with the telling of various Snake myths. One such ancient Egyptian myth was about “Kheti”. “A benevolent serpent which protected the Sun God Ra was the huge speckled snake called Kheti, also known as the Spitting Serpent. It was said he had seven undulations of his body and belched fire into the faces of Ra’s enemies. One of Snakes’ “Superstitions” is “A ring made in the shape of a snake is said to bring long life and good health to its owner.” D.J. Conway writes that Snakes’ “Magickal Attributes” include “wisdom, understanding, connection with spirit.” D.J. Conway ends with a chant. “Coiling, twining, deep knowledge burning, sacred serpent lead me on.”
A way to learn what an animal has to teach is by reading stories about that particular animal. For learning mythology and folklore of the animals, this book is good. In the appendix, the author corresponds various gods and goddess with their respective animals.
Return to Individual “Animal Wisdom” Book Reviews page
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Purchase this book and other animal books by D.J. Conway from Amazon.com.
Va. Carper
August 9, 2005