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Evolutionary Witchcraft
a great book to read
302 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
About the author
T. Thorn Coyle
90 books199 followersTT. Thorn Coyle has been arrested at least four times. Buy her a cup of tea or a good whisky and she'll tell you about it.
A salty-tongued, tattooed mystic, Thorn is author of the alt-history urban fantasy series The Panther Chronicles, the novel Like Water, and two short story collections. The Witches of Portland will be out in Spring, 2018. She has also written multiple non-fiction books including Sigil Magic for Writers, Artists & Other Creatives, Kissing the Limitless, and Evolutionary Witchcraft. Thorn's work appears in many anthologies, magazines, and collections.
She has taught magical practice in nine countries, on four continents, and in twenty-five states. Her other occupations have been numerous, and include working four years each on the Pacific Stock Options floor (as a young Anarchist punk with a blue, flat-top Mohawk), in a woman-run peep show, and full time in the San Francisco soup kitchen she ended up volunteering at for twenty years. All of this, along with her activism, informs her fiction.
An interloper to the Pacific Northwest, Thorn joyfully stalks city streets, writes in cafes, and talks to crows, squirrels, and trees.
Thorn is active on:
Twitter @ThornCoyle
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tthorncoyle
Medium https://medium.com/@ThornCoyle
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ThornCoyle
http://www.thorncoyle.com
A salty-tongued, tattooed mystic, Thorn is author of the alt-history urban fantasy series The Panther Chronicles, the novel Like Water, and two short story collections. The Witches of Portland will be out in Spring, 2018. She has also written multiple non-fiction books including Sigil Magic for Writers, Artists & Other Creatives, Kissing the Limitless, and Evolutionary Witchcraft. Thorn's work appears in many anthologies, magazines, and collections.
She has taught magical practice in nine countries, on four continents, and in twenty-five states. Her other occupations have been numerous, and include working four years each on the Pacific Stock Options floor (as a young Anarchist punk with a blue, flat-top Mohawk), in a woman-run peep show, and full time in the San Francisco soup kitchen she ended up volunteering at for twenty years. All of this, along with her activism, informs her fiction.
An interloper to the Pacific Northwest, Thorn joyfully stalks city streets, writes in cafes, and talks to crows, squirrels, and trees.
Thorn is active on:
Twitter @ThornCoyle
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/tthorncoyle
Medium https://medium.com/@ThornCoyle
Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ThornCoyle
http://www.thorncoyle.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 11, 2009
This is a brilliant book that focuses less on learning about the cycles of the moon or season (which are usually in pagan books limited to the English view anyway) but more on the evolution of self - daily practice, emotional and even physical growth. I finished the book and right away began recording some of the meditations so that I can do them properly.
June 1, 2015
A really intriguing book. Coyle uses her own life experiences to impart the lore and practices of Feri Tradition. She seems to be a very interesting person, she has had so many strange and varied life experiences that I think there is a lot to be learned from her words. I think of this as a sort of 'self-help' book for the metaphysically inclined. Absorb and use much of the info in this book and you're sure to get to know yourself better and have tools to improve your inner and outer life. Even though I don't adhere to the Feri belief system, some concepts, such as the Iron and Pearl pentacles, deeply resonated with me, and helped me to learn things about myself - viewing myself and my life through this lens has helped me resolve some of my internal emotional issues and mental blocks. I think anyone with an open mind and an earnest desire to improve their life would benefit from this book.
August 4, 2010
A book on Witchcraft, in the Feri Tradition, for experienced practitioners. I saw her speak at a Pagan conference, and was surprised by how much what she said resonated with me, so I bought this book. It seemed like she integrated so many subjects into her practice. Indeed, this book touches on everything imaginable--Zen, Sufi, Judaism, Christianity, Tarot, utilizing poetry, dance, love, sex, ritual, art, meditation, and covering dozens of topics, including forgiveness, communication, pride, passion, self, power, knowledge, law, liberty, wisdom, gods, birth, death, fear, peace, honesty, and assertiveness. But ultimately, the only part that resonated for me was the one page where she discussed the very topic she spoke about at the conference--the heart of the peaceful warrior: commitment, honor, truth, strength, and compassion.
Witchcraft, like most theistic beliefs, has always eluded me, but this booked helped me understand it better. Basically, it requires a very healthy sense of imagination. This book is packed with exercise after exercise, nearly all of them require a strong imagination. Whether she and other witches believe that what they see in their imagination is actually real is still a mystery to me. She addressed this question briefly, saying basically, yes and no. So much of this book felt so silly to me, discussing, with a straight face, things like the Star Goddess giving birth to the universe by masturbating, or suggesting you make a magic wand, consecrate it by masturbating, and see if it will tell you its name.
Nonetheless, I can see how this practice can help people, if it's something that resonates with them, although I also suspect some of it can further feed peoples' neuroses.
Witchcraft, like most theistic beliefs, has always eluded me, but this booked helped me understand it better. Basically, it requires a very healthy sense of imagination. This book is packed with exercise after exercise, nearly all of them require a strong imagination. Whether she and other witches believe that what they see in their imagination is actually real is still a mystery to me. She addressed this question briefly, saying basically, yes and no. So much of this book felt so silly to me, discussing, with a straight face, things like the Star Goddess giving birth to the universe by masturbating, or suggesting you make a magic wand, consecrate it by masturbating, and see if it will tell you its name.
Nonetheless, I can see how this practice can help people, if it's something that resonates with them, although I also suspect some of it can further feed peoples' neuroses.
May 13, 2010
This was very much one woman's view of the Feri Tradition as seen through her experiences with Reclaiming, Sufism, and various other traditions. What I found most interesting was seeing how a person can create their own mythos to support their personality -- the author or her fans might argue with me on this point, but I think I was fairly open-minded in reading this.
Were I to choose a book on the religion myself, I'd err toward something more historical and broad. But this is an almost gnostic craft, where each practitioner basically starts their own line. Or not each practitioner, but there have been lots of branches.
But it was for a book club, so I just read it. Some of it was interesting and some of it rang kind of hokey to me, but that's just me.
Were I to choose a book on the religion myself, I'd err toward something more historical and broad. But this is an almost gnostic craft, where each practitioner basically starts their own line. Or not each practitioner, but there have been lots of branches.
But it was for a book club, so I just read it. Some of it was interesting and some of it rang kind of hokey to me, but that's just me.
May 16, 2019
a book from the fei perspective. Might be helpful if that is your journey
I found this book too heady and with a language that I did not connect with in my own journey. It does have a great reference list though.
I found this book too heady and with a language that I did not connect with in my own journey. It does have a great reference list though.
May 13, 2008
One of the best pagan authors in the field,this is one to watch. I would reccomend this to anyone who likes to read about the craft by someone who has given it some real thought.
September 2, 2014
THe Evolving Craft of Faerie
This is definitely not a book of rituals or spells, this is a book that is all about working on your self. Feri Witchcraft is not Wicca by any stretch of the imagination . The theology is different as is the method of circle casting.
T THorn Coyle who reports that she grew up catholic has been rather eclectic herself. Having studied Kabballah, Sufism, Gurdjief philosophy in addition to Feri she has a lot to offer in her teaching. The founders of Feri Craft were wide versed as well in their spirituality especially Hawaiian Mystics. Feri Craft is rather ecstatic and not sexually oriented as Wicca is . Their belief is that we have feminine and masculine currents running within us an can be accessed as will.
In Feri Craft there is no circle casting but rather you are casting a sphere. This forms the basis of practice outlined in the book. You have east-air, south -fire, west-water, north -earth . You have the above for accessing stellar power, down below to access chthonic energy and then the center. For each direction there are tools to be charged and spiritual exercises to help work on yourself. I have included some in this review. For more in depth you might want to see the review on my blog or friend me on Facebook . My blog is granovitch.blogspot.com
mirror exercise stand in front of a mirror and when you have something negative about someone else to say say to the person in the mirror. look and notice your reactions.
Shower exercise: after a rough day of work cover yourself with soap or bath salts. As you let the water rinse you off say the name of each bothering situation or person that bothers you. After wards you are clean visualize yourself as a bright shiny light that glows brighter and brighter.
Bowl of water cleansing exercise: take a bowl of water. say blessed be creature of water breathe on it. Take your salt and say "Blessed be creature of salt" pour into water and stir counter clockwise. When done stirring say "inner and outer may all be cleansed." anoint yourself with some of the water and then dump the rest down the drain or on the sidewalk.
Sphere Casting
This technique works with a sphere of blue light. A good preliminary exercise is to breath in and fill your belly to head with light.and then push out the light though your feet using the muscle of your belly. Remember to use keys for centering. ANother exercise to improve the power of your blue flame. is to light a candle and focus on the blue flame. When you feel you have had enough imagine your self being filled with the blue light and then snuff the candlde.
To actually cast your circle breathe in to draw energy through your feet. Imagine a red iron earth with it's center a blue flame. Combine the the blue flame with your chi. Let the blue fire flow down your right arm. Facing the north draw an invoking pentagram and say "by the Earth that is her fertile body" then turn to the east leaving a trail of blue fire and then face the east. Draw your invoking pentagram and say "by the air that is her vital breath" GO to the south doing the same procedure as above. Draw your pentagram and say "By the fire of her quickening spirit" Then go to the west draw your pentagram and say"by the living water of her teaming womb" Draw the flame above your head Draw your pentagram and say "By the ethereal powers above" then go over your head and bring it down below draw your pentagram and say "by all the powers below" finally bring it to the center and say " by the circumference which isthe circumference of all"
to strengthen the circle say
O hallowed earh i walk with a blade of will in the presence of the gods chaos and still.Blue shining flame of beauty marking the sphere. None cross it but the reverent. Sacred here into this magic portal.None shall see save for those who bear the keys of mystery. By breath,bon be and blood
So mote it be.
Invoking pentagram Banishing
1 2
4 3 4 5
1 3
2 5
Blue sphere exercised : Imagine a blue sphere of fire in the center of your gut. Breath in and visualize it getting larger until it gets as large as you need. Then say "I am sacred" When you are finished shrink it and let it pop into nothingness. say your name three time.
Posture is very important.When sitting notice your body and the positions of it's different part. Notice where the breath goes.Carry these observations into your daily life.
we all have the potential to become more fey which is more connected to life and intouch with the spirit of things. great writing exercise would be to divide a paper into three parts. First part write about what in life makes you different. second what stops you from being more fey and thirdly what changes would you make to become more fey. When in nature try to become more in tune too things center and ground experience things, leave offering and clean up trash.
A great meditation would be to relax and drain out all your negativity. Walk down a path and come to clearing you come to your power spot. You will face different directions east is intellect,south desire,, west emotion, North is body while center is place of connection. What is in each of these directions for you. be ready to receive allies and gifts.
Primary deity of Feri is the star goddess Quakoralina. She is the source of all and is infused into the fabric of all reality. Prayer to her before all working goes like such
Holy Mother in whom we live move and have our being. From you all things emerge and unto you all things return.
There are three parts of the soul. Sticky energy part which is our animal drive.Shining body which is our aura and the dove whic is the halo above our head.
Wish bird exercise for the sticky body, energy ball for the auric body. Dove meditation become a drop of water merge with salty sea and let the dove nourish and repair other body parrts that need spiritual nourishment
This is definitely not a book of rituals or spells, this is a book that is all about working on your self. Feri Witchcraft is not Wicca by any stretch of the imagination . The theology is different as is the method of circle casting.
T THorn Coyle who reports that she grew up catholic has been rather eclectic herself. Having studied Kabballah, Sufism, Gurdjief philosophy in addition to Feri she has a lot to offer in her teaching. The founders of Feri Craft were wide versed as well in their spirituality especially Hawaiian Mystics. Feri Craft is rather ecstatic and not sexually oriented as Wicca is . Their belief is that we have feminine and masculine currents running within us an can be accessed as will.
In Feri Craft there is no circle casting but rather you are casting a sphere. This forms the basis of practice outlined in the book. You have east-air, south -fire, west-water, north -earth . You have the above for accessing stellar power, down below to access chthonic energy and then the center. For each direction there are tools to be charged and spiritual exercises to help work on yourself. I have included some in this review. For more in depth you might want to see the review on my blog or friend me on Facebook . My blog is granovitch.blogspot.com
mirror exercise stand in front of a mirror and when you have something negative about someone else to say say to the person in the mirror. look and notice your reactions.
Shower exercise: after a rough day of work cover yourself with soap or bath salts. As you let the water rinse you off say the name of each bothering situation or person that bothers you. After wards you are clean visualize yourself as a bright shiny light that glows brighter and brighter.
Bowl of water cleansing exercise: take a bowl of water. say blessed be creature of water breathe on it. Take your salt and say "Blessed be creature of salt" pour into water and stir counter clockwise. When done stirring say "inner and outer may all be cleansed." anoint yourself with some of the water and then dump the rest down the drain or on the sidewalk.
Sphere Casting
This technique works with a sphere of blue light. A good preliminary exercise is to breath in and fill your belly to head with light.and then push out the light though your feet using the muscle of your belly. Remember to use keys for centering. ANother exercise to improve the power of your blue flame. is to light a candle and focus on the blue flame. When you feel you have had enough imagine your self being filled with the blue light and then snuff the candlde.
To actually cast your circle breathe in to draw energy through your feet. Imagine a red iron earth with it's center a blue flame. Combine the the blue flame with your chi. Let the blue fire flow down your right arm. Facing the north draw an invoking pentagram and say "by the Earth that is her fertile body" then turn to the east leaving a trail of blue fire and then face the east. Draw your invoking pentagram and say "by the air that is her vital breath" GO to the south doing the same procedure as above. Draw your pentagram and say "By the fire of her quickening spirit" Then go to the west draw your pentagram and say"by the living water of her teaming womb" Draw the flame above your head Draw your pentagram and say "By the ethereal powers above" then go over your head and bring it down below draw your pentagram and say "by all the powers below" finally bring it to the center and say " by the circumference which isthe circumference of all"
to strengthen the circle say
O hallowed earh i walk with a blade of will in the presence of the gods chaos and still.Blue shining flame of beauty marking the sphere. None cross it but the reverent. Sacred here into this magic portal.None shall see save for those who bear the keys of mystery. By breath,bon be and blood
So mote it be.
Invoking pentagram Banishing
1 2
4 3 4 5
1 3
2 5
Blue sphere exercised : Imagine a blue sphere of fire in the center of your gut. Breath in and visualize it getting larger until it gets as large as you need. Then say "I am sacred" When you are finished shrink it and let it pop into nothingness. say your name three time.
Posture is very important.When sitting notice your body and the positions of it's different part. Notice where the breath goes.Carry these observations into your daily life.
we all have the potential to become more fey which is more connected to life and intouch with the spirit of things. great writing exercise would be to divide a paper into three parts. First part write about what in life makes you different. second what stops you from being more fey and thirdly what changes would you make to become more fey. When in nature try to become more in tune too things center and ground experience things, leave offering and clean up trash.
A great meditation would be to relax and drain out all your negativity. Walk down a path and come to clearing you come to your power spot. You will face different directions east is intellect,south desire,, west emotion, North is body while center is place of connection. What is in each of these directions for you. be ready to receive allies and gifts.
Primary deity of Feri is the star goddess Quakoralina. She is the source of all and is infused into the fabric of all reality. Prayer to her before all working goes like such
Holy Mother in whom we live move and have our being. From you all things emerge and unto you all things return.
There are three parts of the soul. Sticky energy part which is our animal drive.Shining body which is our aura and the dove whic is the halo above our head.
Wish bird exercise for the sticky body, energy ball for the auric body. Dove meditation become a drop of water merge with salty sea and let the dove nourish and repair other body parrts that need spiritual nourishment
August 11, 2025
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September 27, 2024
With Evolutionary Witchcraft, T. Thorn Coyle offers a powerful and expansive system of spiritual development that goes far beyond the confines of traditional witchcraft. This book invites readers to engage in a deep process of self-transformation, one that harmonizes personal growth with a larger, cosmic evolution. Unlike texts that focus solely on spells or ritual mechanics, Evolutionary Witchcraft delves into the very core of the craft, centering around the development of will, alignment of soul, and mastery of energy in order to shape the self and the world.
Coyle’s approach is built on the principles of the Feri Tradition, but she presents the material in a way that is accessible to practitioners from all backgrounds. Her emphasis is on tapping into one’s innate power and cultivating a direct, experiential relationship with the elements, spirits, and energies that form the fabric of reality. The book’s structure is designed to guide the reader through a series of exercises and meditations that refine energy work, teach elemental alignment, and encourage deep self-examination. This transformative process is not merely about gaining power, but about achieving a more integrated and evolved state of being.
One of the most compelling aspects of Evolutionary Witchcraft is Coyle’s emphasis on aligning with both the "Above" and "Below" forces, connecting the practitioner to both the spiritual and material realms. She explores techniques such as gazing into Black and Silver mirrors to perceive hidden truths, working with elemental energies to shape reality, and embracing the dynamic flow of magic that permeates the world. This multifaceted approach makes the book feel like a complete system of practice rather than a collection of disconnected techniques.
Coyle’s writing style is both poetic and direct, drawing readers into the material while providing clear guidance on how to apply it. Her teachings focus on cultivating inner strength and clarity, enabling practitioners to become agents of change both in their personal lives and in the wider world. The sections on knowing oneself and bending the arc of humanity toward evolution resonate deeply, positioning witchcraft as a path of active engagement and transformation.
Evolutionary Witchcraft is a profound journey that challenges readers to evolve alongside their practice, blending mystical insight with practical exercises that can be revisited and refined over time. T. Thorn Coyle has created a work that feels both timeless and urgently relevant, making it a must-read for witches looking to embrace a path that is not just magical, but deeply meaningful.
Coyle’s approach is built on the principles of the Feri Tradition, but she presents the material in a way that is accessible to practitioners from all backgrounds. Her emphasis is on tapping into one’s innate power and cultivating a direct, experiential relationship with the elements, spirits, and energies that form the fabric of reality. The book’s structure is designed to guide the reader through a series of exercises and meditations that refine energy work, teach elemental alignment, and encourage deep self-examination. This transformative process is not merely about gaining power, but about achieving a more integrated and evolved state of being.
One of the most compelling aspects of Evolutionary Witchcraft is Coyle’s emphasis on aligning with both the "Above" and "Below" forces, connecting the practitioner to both the spiritual and material realms. She explores techniques such as gazing into Black and Silver mirrors to perceive hidden truths, working with elemental energies to shape reality, and embracing the dynamic flow of magic that permeates the world. This multifaceted approach makes the book feel like a complete system of practice rather than a collection of disconnected techniques.
Coyle’s writing style is both poetic and direct, drawing readers into the material while providing clear guidance on how to apply it. Her teachings focus on cultivating inner strength and clarity, enabling practitioners to become agents of change both in their personal lives and in the wider world. The sections on knowing oneself and bending the arc of humanity toward evolution resonate deeply, positioning witchcraft as a path of active engagement and transformation.
Evolutionary Witchcraft is a profound journey that challenges readers to evolve alongside their practice, blending mystical insight with practical exercises that can be revisited and refined over time. T. Thorn Coyle has created a work that feels both timeless and urgently relevant, making it a must-read for witches looking to embrace a path that is not just magical, but deeply meaningful.
January 22, 2011
Evolutionary Witchcraft by Thorn Coyle is packed with suggestions and exercises. The witchcraft she describes is Feri, but she brings all of her spiritual journey to this book including Reclaiming. Even though the focus is Feri numerous exercises are relevant for many Pagans and magically minded individuals. Even though it is presented as an introduction this book can be relevant even for intermediate practioners of the craft. Evolutionary Witchcraft is designed to be a journey to self and wholeness.
October 26, 2012
I was pleased by the lush descriptions and informative prose in this book. The Feri Tradition of witchcraft is well represented here. The several variations between British Wicca and Feri are abundantly made clear in "Evolutionary Witchcraft" and IMO, both Traditions are well served by this volume.
As a primer before Initiation into Feri or as a teaching manual for the solo practitioner I highly recommend this book.
As a primer before Initiation into Feri or as a teaching manual for the solo practitioner I highly recommend this book.
May 8, 2017
Coyle misrepresents this work as describing the Feri Tradition. Comparing what is written here with works by Cora and Victor Anderson reveal she has taken many liberties. Coyle also directs this work intentionally towards women only. Her devotional dances are confusing. As I finish this book I'm left wondering just what this is. She doesn't say. Whether this hodgepodge is good or not, I don't know. Perhaps this summarizes her practice and what she has learned over the years? Who knows?
June 11, 2017
The title is completely misleading. I found this book on an online list of recommended witchcraft books, should have researched further. This is not witchcraft. It's more like a make believe idea a guy who supposivly was all these different races who just happened to learn various sacred things from people... give me a break. The title should be " Introduction to Feri Make-believe". Completely disappointed. Research Victor Anderson before purchasing or reading.
October 1, 2014
This book is not an easy read, because it's packed full of things that challenge you to grow. It's not a book of spells or curses, but rather a book about personal growth. It is very orientated around the Feri Tradition of Witchcraft. I call it "Witch-Fu" because it's like a martial art for the spirit. I highly recommend for advanced witches.
December 9, 2011
Gave only 2 good things and then it shows how book misses the point of paganism.
January 25, 2012
The gold standard of instruction of Morningstar line of the Feri Tradition of Witchcraft. It definitely isn't for beginners.
May 10, 2014
I am giving it one star because I could not finish it. Just would not hold my interest.
September 20, 2012
Reading this book changed my life! I turn to it often for exercises and meditations.
September 1, 2026
Twenty years is a long time for a witchcraft book to remain relevant. Practices evolve, communities change, language shifts, and ideas that once seemed radical can become commonplace. Reading this revised edition of Evolutionary Witchcraft, I was struck by how much of T. Thorn Coyle's work still feels demanding rather than dated. This is a book about cultivating a witch who is more present, embodied, integrated, and capable of wielding power consciously, and those goals have lost none of their urgency.
The Feri influence gives the book a magical architecture that I find particularly compelling. The Three Souls, the Iron and Pearl Pentacles, grounding, alignment, breath, movement, and energetic awareness aren't presented as interesting pieces of occult theory. They are practices intended to change how you inhabit yourself. The Three Souls material especially appeals to my interest in consciousness because it suggests that what we casually call the self contains distinct dimensions that can communicate, conflict, cooperate, and eventually become more consciously aligned.
The Iron Pentacle may be the part of the book that stayed with me most: Sex, Pride, Self, Power, and Passion. Those five points contain an entire curriculum of self-examination. Each names something that spiritual and social conditioning can distort, suppress, inflate, or make difficult to claim cleanly. Working with them asks questions that can become surprisingly uncomfortable. What does healthy pride actually feel like? Can I experience power without domination? Can I possess a strong sense of self while remaining connected to others? Can desire and passion become sources of information rather than things that need to be controlled?
That last question runs throughout the book in ways I loved. Coyle treats desire as something worthy of serious magical attention. Instead of immediately turning a desire into a spell goal, we can enter into relationship with it and discover what it reveals about us. Desire has energy. It points toward places where we are alive, hungry, frightened, conditioned, ambitious, creative, or ready for change. Learning to understand that current before directing it magically seems to me a much deeper practice than simply becoming better at manifestation.
The witchcraft here is also refreshingly embodied. Breath, posture, movement, sexuality, voice, sensation, and physical awareness all participate in spiritual development. That matters to me because psychic and magical practices can easily migrate entirely into the head, particularly when visualization and concentration are emphasized at the expense of everything else. Coyle's exercises repeatedly return consciousness to the body. Energy becomes something experienced through the whole organism rather than a glowing substance we are supposed to imagine moving around us.
There is also an important relationship between the psychological and magical dimensions of the work. I can understand the Three Souls as an occult model of consciousness while simultaneously noticing how the practice helps differentiate impulses, emotions, deeper desires, and conscious intention. I can work the Iron Pentacle energetically while also observing the psychological material activated by words like Sex or Power. One interpretation doesn't have to eliminate the other. In practice, I find the places where magical and psychological models overlap are often where the most interesting transformation happens.
The revisions for the twentieth-anniversary edition make this the version I would recommend. Coyle has had two additional decades to reconsider questions of gender, sexuality, culture, power, community, and spiritual practice, and the book benefits from that distance. I appreciate an author being willing to let an influential work continue evolving rather than preserving every formulation simply because it appeared in the original. That willingness to change also feels unusually appropriate for a book with evolution in its title.
Most importantly, this isn't a book that gives up everything it has to offer on the first reading. The pentacles alone could become years of practice, and the Three Souls material becomes more meaningful through experience than explanation. I finished with the sense that I had been given several pieces of magical technology that could continue unfolding depending on how seriously I was willing to work with them. Evolutionary Witchcraft earns its title because the ultimate magical material being shaped here is the practitioner. Twenty years later, that remains a powerful proposition.
The Feri influence gives the book a magical architecture that I find particularly compelling. The Three Souls, the Iron and Pearl Pentacles, grounding, alignment, breath, movement, and energetic awareness aren't presented as interesting pieces of occult theory. They are practices intended to change how you inhabit yourself. The Three Souls material especially appeals to my interest in consciousness because it suggests that what we casually call the self contains distinct dimensions that can communicate, conflict, cooperate, and eventually become more consciously aligned.
The Iron Pentacle may be the part of the book that stayed with me most: Sex, Pride, Self, Power, and Passion. Those five points contain an entire curriculum of self-examination. Each names something that spiritual and social conditioning can distort, suppress, inflate, or make difficult to claim cleanly. Working with them asks questions that can become surprisingly uncomfortable. What does healthy pride actually feel like? Can I experience power without domination? Can I possess a strong sense of self while remaining connected to others? Can desire and passion become sources of information rather than things that need to be controlled?
That last question runs throughout the book in ways I loved. Coyle treats desire as something worthy of serious magical attention. Instead of immediately turning a desire into a spell goal, we can enter into relationship with it and discover what it reveals about us. Desire has energy. It points toward places where we are alive, hungry, frightened, conditioned, ambitious, creative, or ready for change. Learning to understand that current before directing it magically seems to me a much deeper practice than simply becoming better at manifestation.
The witchcraft here is also refreshingly embodied. Breath, posture, movement, sexuality, voice, sensation, and physical awareness all participate in spiritual development. That matters to me because psychic and magical practices can easily migrate entirely into the head, particularly when visualization and concentration are emphasized at the expense of everything else. Coyle's exercises repeatedly return consciousness to the body. Energy becomes something experienced through the whole organism rather than a glowing substance we are supposed to imagine moving around us.
There is also an important relationship between the psychological and magical dimensions of the work. I can understand the Three Souls as an occult model of consciousness while simultaneously noticing how the practice helps differentiate impulses, emotions, deeper desires, and conscious intention. I can work the Iron Pentacle energetically while also observing the psychological material activated by words like Sex or Power. One interpretation doesn't have to eliminate the other. In practice, I find the places where magical and psychological models overlap are often where the most interesting transformation happens.
The revisions for the twentieth-anniversary edition make this the version I would recommend. Coyle has had two additional decades to reconsider questions of gender, sexuality, culture, power, community, and spiritual practice, and the book benefits from that distance. I appreciate an author being willing to let an influential work continue evolving rather than preserving every formulation simply because it appeared in the original. That willingness to change also feels unusually appropriate for a book with evolution in its title.
Most importantly, this isn't a book that gives up everything it has to offer on the first reading. The pentacles alone could become years of practice, and the Three Souls material becomes more meaningful through experience than explanation. I finished with the sense that I had been given several pieces of magical technology that could continue unfolding depending on how seriously I was willing to work with them. Evolutionary Witchcraft earns its title because the ultimate magical material being shaped here is the practitioner. Twenty years later, that remains a powerful proposition.
August 17, 2026
Evolutionary Witchcraft is one of those rare books that reminds you that witchcraft can be so much more than spells, correspondences, and ritual techniques. T. Thorn Coyle approaches the Craft as a genuine path of transformation, one capable of changing not only what you can do magically, but who you are. Twenty years after its original publication, it’s easy to see why this book became a modern classic.
What I love about Thorn’s approach is that the magic and the inner work are inseparable. The old injunction to “Know Thyself” isn’t treated as a nice philosophical idea. It becomes part of the actual work of witchcraft. Through practices such as the Planes of Stability, energy work, developing the will, and reaching toward the Powers Above and Below, you’re gradually led deeper into yourself and then back outward into your relationship with the sacred and the world. The spiral imagery running through the work is perfect for this because you keep returning to familiar territory with greater awareness, greater capacity, and hopefully a greater ability to actually change things.
There’s also a depth here that only comes from someone who has spent decades actually practicing what they teach. Thorn has more than forty years of magical experience behind this material, and it shows. This isn’t a collection of occult ideas assembled from other books. The practices feel lived in. They build upon one another, and there is a real sense that you’re being taught how to develop yourself as a magical practitioner rather than simply being given more things to do.
I was especially excited about this twentieth-anniversary edition because Thorn actually returned to the material and revised it for the world we’re living in now. So many anniversary editions amount to a new introduction and a prettier cover, but this is a genuine re-envisioning of the book. Twenty additional years of experience inevitably change how someone understands their own work, and having Thorn revisit every page makes this feel like the definitive version. Maxine Miller’s artwork is a wonderful addition as well.
And as a huge fan of Mat Auryn’s work, seeing that he wrote the foreword felt incredibly appropriate. There’s a clear thread between the kind of serious psychic and magical development found in books like Psychic Witch and Mastering Magick and the transformational approach Thorn has been teaching for decades. Mat has always been very open about honoring the teachers and traditions that helped shape modern witchcraft, so having his voice introduce a new generation of readers to this particular classic feels like a beautiful passing of the torch while also acknowledging a book that helped establish the ground contemporary authors are now building upon.
If you’re looking for a book of quick spells, this isn’t really that kind of book. Evolutionary Witchcraft asks considerably more from you, but it also gives considerably more back. This is witchcraft as practice, discipline, self-knowledge, power, and transformation. Twenty years after its first publication, it hasn’t become less relevant. If anything, this revised edition shows just how much modern witchcraft still needs the kind of work Thorn Coyle has been asking practitioners to undertake all along.
What I love about Thorn’s approach is that the magic and the inner work are inseparable. The old injunction to “Know Thyself” isn’t treated as a nice philosophical idea. It becomes part of the actual work of witchcraft. Through practices such as the Planes of Stability, energy work, developing the will, and reaching toward the Powers Above and Below, you’re gradually led deeper into yourself and then back outward into your relationship with the sacred and the world. The spiral imagery running through the work is perfect for this because you keep returning to familiar territory with greater awareness, greater capacity, and hopefully a greater ability to actually change things.
There’s also a depth here that only comes from someone who has spent decades actually practicing what they teach. Thorn has more than forty years of magical experience behind this material, and it shows. This isn’t a collection of occult ideas assembled from other books. The practices feel lived in. They build upon one another, and there is a real sense that you’re being taught how to develop yourself as a magical practitioner rather than simply being given more things to do.
I was especially excited about this twentieth-anniversary edition because Thorn actually returned to the material and revised it for the world we’re living in now. So many anniversary editions amount to a new introduction and a prettier cover, but this is a genuine re-envisioning of the book. Twenty additional years of experience inevitably change how someone understands their own work, and having Thorn revisit every page makes this feel like the definitive version. Maxine Miller’s artwork is a wonderful addition as well.
And as a huge fan of Mat Auryn’s work, seeing that he wrote the foreword felt incredibly appropriate. There’s a clear thread between the kind of serious psychic and magical development found in books like Psychic Witch and Mastering Magick and the transformational approach Thorn has been teaching for decades. Mat has always been very open about honoring the teachers and traditions that helped shape modern witchcraft, so having his voice introduce a new generation of readers to this particular classic feels like a beautiful passing of the torch while also acknowledging a book that helped establish the ground contemporary authors are now building upon.
If you’re looking for a book of quick spells, this isn’t really that kind of book. Evolutionary Witchcraft asks considerably more from you, but it also gives considerably more back. This is witchcraft as practice, discipline, self-knowledge, power, and transformation. Twenty years after its first publication, it hasn’t become less relevant. If anything, this revised edition shows just how much modern witchcraft still needs the kind of work Thorn Coyle has been asking practitioners to undertake all along.
August 12, 2026
I read the original Evolutionary Witchcraft years ago and loved it, so I was incredibly excited to see what T. Thorn Coyle would do with a revised edition twenty years later. Thorn has become one of my favorite authors since the original was released, and returning to this book reminded me why. Rather than simply repackaging a beloved older work, this edition feels thoughtfully revisited, expanded, and updated by an author who has had another two decades to grow alongside the material.
The original was already one of those rare witchcraft books that offered an actual system of practice rather than simply information about witchcraft. The work with the elements, energy, the Iron and Pearl Pentacles, meditation, embodiment, self-examination, and the cultivation of will gave readers something they could genuinely practice and develop over time. What I love about the revisions and additions is that they preserve what made the original so powerful while allowing the book to reflect where Thorn and their thinking are now. Having known the earlier version, I found the changes particularly meaningful.
I was also delighted to open the new edition and discover that the foreword was written by Mat Auryn, who is likewise one of my favorite authors of all time. It feels like an especially fitting pairing. Auryn’s own work emphasizes disciplined psychic and magical development, and having his perspective introduce a book that has been encouraging practitioners to approach witchcraft as something to actually practice and develop for decades felt wonderfully appropriate.
One of the things I continue to appreciate most about Evolutionary Witchcraft is that it expects something from its readers. It doesn’t treat witchcraft as an aesthetic or a collection of spells and correspondences. It asks you to practice, examine yourself, challenge yourself, develop your capacities, and engage seriously with transformation. Although deeply informed by the Feri tradition, there is so much here that practitioners from other forms of witchcraft can learn from and incorporate into their own work.
Revisiting a book you loved years ago can sometimes be disappointing because either the book hasn't aged well or you have simply outgrown it. That wasn't my experience here at all. Instead, I found myself appreciating Evolutionary Witchcraft in new ways, while the revisions gave me reasons to engage with the material all over again. This is how I wish more anniversary editions were approached: not merely commemorating an influential book, but allowing it to continue evolving.
Twenty years later, Evolutionary Witchcraft remains challenging, intelligent, experiential, and genuinely useful. If you already love the original, the revised edition is absolutely worth returning to. If you've never read it, this is the edition I would recommend. Five stars.
The original was already one of those rare witchcraft books that offered an actual system of practice rather than simply information about witchcraft. The work with the elements, energy, the Iron and Pearl Pentacles, meditation, embodiment, self-examination, and the cultivation of will gave readers something they could genuinely practice and develop over time. What I love about the revisions and additions is that they preserve what made the original so powerful while allowing the book to reflect where Thorn and their thinking are now. Having known the earlier version, I found the changes particularly meaningful.
I was also delighted to open the new edition and discover that the foreword was written by Mat Auryn, who is likewise one of my favorite authors of all time. It feels like an especially fitting pairing. Auryn’s own work emphasizes disciplined psychic and magical development, and having his perspective introduce a book that has been encouraging practitioners to approach witchcraft as something to actually practice and develop for decades felt wonderfully appropriate.
One of the things I continue to appreciate most about Evolutionary Witchcraft is that it expects something from its readers. It doesn’t treat witchcraft as an aesthetic or a collection of spells and correspondences. It asks you to practice, examine yourself, challenge yourself, develop your capacities, and engage seriously with transformation. Although deeply informed by the Feri tradition, there is so much here that practitioners from other forms of witchcraft can learn from and incorporate into their own work.
Revisiting a book you loved years ago can sometimes be disappointing because either the book hasn't aged well or you have simply outgrown it. That wasn't my experience here at all. Instead, I found myself appreciating Evolutionary Witchcraft in new ways, while the revisions gave me reasons to engage with the material all over again. This is how I wish more anniversary editions were approached: not merely commemorating an influential book, but allowing it to continue evolving.
Twenty years later, Evolutionary Witchcraft remains challenging, intelligent, experiential, and genuinely useful. If you already love the original, the revised edition is absolutely worth returning to. If you've never read it, this is the edition I would recommend. Five stars.
December 30, 2019
While I like the personal values of the author, I was hoping for a more historical, philosophical, or theoretical book. This was a collection of rituals, and many were kind of repetitive or just far-flung imaginative. It got tedious to read with no foundation of thought or mythology behind it. (Myths from many traditions are referenced, but only briefly).
August 21, 2020
Absolutely invaluable to the witch-curious, solitary practitioners and/or magic-workers that have been at it for decades. Thorn's writing is practical, yet insightful and their step-by-step rituals are life changing. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!
June 21, 2018
Fantastic wizardry book that relates you how you can create some spells.
May 22, 2020
Great book. Much of it was intuitive and natural for me... except the "devotional dances". I've always danced to the beat of my own drum.
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December 28, 2021Read this off and on as reference book.
December 29, 2024
Solid exercises, interesting history of this modality. A critical read to build context for the fae and reclaiming traditions.
February 11, 2025
This book is one of my go -to books for witchcrafting & ritual ideas. Great resource.
May 15, 2026
A thorough and detailed book if very specific to one practice and kinda slow.
December 16, 2012
I admire T. Thorn Coyle, but this book didn't really speak to me. She and I have had a similar religious journey, and we're at different places in it. I found "Evolutionary Witchcraft" to be more of a mystical self-help book than anything religious. There's a lot of self-empowerment but very little in the way of how to practice, what holidays can be observed and the trappings of how to live one's faith. I need to compare it to "The Spiral Dance" which I know isn't my path, but which I remember as having more on how to live a day to day Reclaiming/Wiccan life.
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