Le sabbat des sorcières: Explorez l’histoire et le folklore des pratiques occultes

by Kelden, Karine Forestier (Translator)

Un guide complet de la sorcellerie, qui regroupe histoire, coutumes et rituels novateurs !
Depuis la sorcellerie antique jusqu’aux covens modernes, en passant par la terrible période de l’inquisition, l’auteur Invite ici le lecteur à découvrir l’histoire de la sorcellerie occidentale. Légendes du folklore (la « chasse sauvage » ou le « sabbat des fées »), tour d’horizon des grands courants, des grands occultistes et des confréries ésotériques, détail Des fêtes païennes de la roue de l’année, déités cheffes des cérémonies (hécate, cernunnos)… c’est un ouvrage Presque exhaustif que kelden nous livre ici. Les rituels inclus permettent d’apprendre à créer son propre balai, à travailler avec les esprits, ou encore à accéder à un état de conscience modifié grâce à des exercices de respiration. Si vous êtes praticien et souhaitez entamer votre Propre périple vers le sabbat des sorcières, suivez le guide !

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Paganism, Magic, Spirituality, History, Philosophy

250 pages, Paperback

Published March 28, 2023

About the author

Psychology student and Witch.

Reviews

[Marshall WSL · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit my history loving P spot!!! I absolutely devoured the information in it!
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Many of us practitioners today read books about witchcraft and the occult from a predominantly modern perspective, but do you know where these traditions came from? Do you know what inspired them?
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In The Witches Sabbath, Kelden gives us a much needed history lesson many could only have accessed from academic texts in foreign languages. They teach us the evolution of the witch and the witches sabbath beginning at the turn of the common era.
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We all know the history of the crusades and how the Roman Christian’s persecuted the pagans but did you know that’s not how it started? Did you know it was the pagans of antiquity that cast the first stone? Did you know the Black Mass was an evolution of the Hebrew sabbath that stemmed from antisemitism? Did you know the history of the witches flight originated in folktales and mythology of mysterious deities surrounding the Mediterranean?
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Many of us are familiar with the trial records of witch hunts and the use of books like the Malleus Maleficarum (The Witches Hammer) and Demonology written by King James I, yes the very same as the king who penned the King James Bible. “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” makes a lot more sense now doesn’t it? But where do the claims and stories from these books come from?
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Kelden paints the portrait of the past in beautiful strokes of vivid detail and shares centuries of history in one book. Not only that, but they then focus on the practical side of putting this knowledge to use in your craft.
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There are exercises, recipes, and ritual guides to practice the art of going to your own sabbath. From transversing the upper, middle, and lower worlds in trance like spirit flight, to holding in person rituals to host your own gathering.
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Needless to say, I absolutely LOVED this book.

[Heather Daughrity · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author states in his conclusion that he hopes that "whether you planned on traveling to the Sabbath yourself or were a merely a curious researcher, this book has proved to be useful in your endeavors." It is as a curious researcher that I personally read this book and thus as a researcher that I will review it.

The book contains eight chapters, alternating between those which explore the history and folklore of the Witches Sabbath - the regular gathering of witches for the purpose of worship and fellowship, and those which discuss how modern practitioners channel the old traditions into their own lives.

I did skim the modern chapter, but was the chapters on history and folklore which drew my attention. Relying on historical writings, and drawing heavily from confessions gained during witch trials, the book delves deep into such topics as where the Sabbaths were held, who was in attendance, how the witches traveled there, and what happened at the meetings. There's some truly fascinating stuff here.

The author acknowledges that many of the witch trials confessions were made up, but argues that the similarity among the confessions - from far flung points of the world - speaks to a kind of folk knowledge of what supposedly went on at these diabolical gatherings.

I found the information incredibly interesting and presented in a well written, even entertaining way. The author states that "the goal of this book was to... wander along a folkloric path into the hidden depths of history wherein the Witches' Sabbath emerged", and I think he has achieved this goal admirably.

Side note that anyone wishing to write a fictional story of witches would find this book a great source of historical information and inspiration.

[Ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book in my Witches Book Coven club box (so I may add to this review in the future after having our monthly book club meeting). This book had me hating it then liking it then hating it and then liking it once more. The conflicting emotions that I felt with this book is why I decided, upon flipping to the last page, it’s gonna be 3 stars. In the end, it was meh.

The Pros: I enjoyed the Historical information as well as the folklore that was unraveled upon each chapter that compiled into a very in depth look at how the Witches Sabbath came to be about.

The Cons: Yes, there was a trigger warning, but even with this warning, I was often left feeling nauseated and cringing reading some of the text.

The Review: Like I said, I enjoyed the historical and folklore aspect of this book but it was a bit hard to read at times due to the graphic and downright sometimes barbaric events within it. I get it, it’s history and it’s what was described by many accused witches (that were more than likely lies or stretches of the truth upon being forced to plead guilty). There are also exercises that you can do in case you ever wanted to attend a Sabbath that I find very intriguing, Kelden definitely has done plenty of research and I love that he has resurrected the ability to attend these historical Sabbaths. That being said, I want to state that this is definitely not a book for Witches that are new to the craft. I recommend this read for experienced witches.

[Ai-lan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, please mind that this book isn't about the Sabbaths as in the wheel of the year.
"Sabbath" refers to the gathering of witches in general and sometimes the devil participates. This book gives a historical overview on the sabbaths as described in the records of inquisitions - a mix of confessions and assumptions. Furthermore the Author explaines the element of spirit flights which is important to get to such a gathering and also provides exercises to achieve this. Overall this book is not only highly informative, it's also written in a very understandable way and despite diving deep into historical research not dry at all.

[Amanda Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Witches' Sabbath occupies a strange place in the history of Witchcraft because almost everyone recognizes the imagery even though the gathering itself is extraordinarily difficult to pin down historically. Witches flying through the night, meeting in secret places, feasting and dancing, encountering spirits or the Devil, performing magic, and returning home before morning form one of the great mythic images of the witch. Kelden's The Witches' Sabbath fascinated me because it asks what modern witches can do with that mythology without pretending it is straightforward historical fact.

That distinction is enormously important. Earlier generations of Witchcraft writers sometimes treated witch-trial testimony as evidence that an organized pre-Christian witch religion had survived underground for centuries, but contemporary scholarship has thoroughly complicated that interpretation. Trial records were produced within systems of persecution, interrogation, theological expectation, coercion, and sometimes torture, so they obviously cannot be approached as neutral eyewitness accounts of what accused witches were actually doing.

Kelden doesn't throw the material away because of that, though, and this is where the book becomes much more interesting. Something does not have to be literally historical to become culturally or magically significant. The accumulated stories surrounding the Sabbath created an extraordinarily rich body of witch-lore, and modern practitioners can engage with that lore consciously without confusing mythology with history.

The book therefore operates in two modes that continually speak to each other. Kelden first investigates where particular elements of the Sabbath came from and how the image developed through folklore, demonology, accusations, religious anxieties, and witch-trial narratives. He then asks what those same motifs might become when deliberately reclaimed by a modern practitioner.

I loved the historical sections for exactly this reason. The Sabbath turns out not to be one fixed story but a constellation of recurring motifs: nighttime flight, secret gatherings, strange locations, feasting, dancing, magical instruction, sexual transgression, spirits, the Devil, and journeys beyond ordinary society. Different accounts combine these elements differently, and watching the image develop over time makes the Sabbath feel almost like a mythology assembled collectively across centuries.

The material on flight is particularly compelling because flying may be the single most iconic supernatural ability associated with witches. Kelden explores the folklore surrounding broomsticks, animals, ointments, transformations, and supernatural travel before considering how modern practitioners might understand spirit flight and hedge-crossing. Instead of asking whether historical witches physically flew through the sky, the more productive magical question becomes what the recurring image of the flying witch might teach us about crossing boundaries between ordinary and otherworldly experience.

That approach carries into the practical sections beautifully. Kelden offers methods for journeying toward the Sabbath, working with altered states and visualization, approaching the Otherworld, and gradually constructing an experiential practice around the older imagery. The modern material is clearly identified as modern practice inspired by folklore rather than presented as an uninterrupted secret tradition handed down from medieval witches.

I have enormous respect for that honesty. Modern Witchcraft does not become less meaningful simply because contemporary practitioners creatively engage with historical material rather than perfectly reproducing something people supposedly practiced five hundred years ago. If anything, knowing where reconstruction ends and innovation begins gives practitioners much greater freedom because we can consciously decide what we are doing instead of manufacturing historical legitimacy for it.

The Sabbath itself becomes increasingly fascinating once approached this way. It represents a space outside ordinary social order where witches gather with spirits, learn forbidden things, feast, dance, transform, cross boundaries, and participate in a world that operates according to different rules. Even if much of that imagery originated in hostile fantasies about witches, reclaiming it transforms the accusation into possibility.

There is something almost poetic about that reversal. Authorities imagined witches escaping Christian society at night to gather in forbidden places, and centuries later witches can look at those stories and say that actually sounds like somewhere worth visiting. The nightmare of the persecutor becomes the mythology of the practitioner.

Kelden also understands that mythology becomes much more powerful when its details are preserved. The foods, dances, locations, spirits, methods of travel, and other recurring features of Sabbath accounts aren't treated as disposable historical curiosities. They become symbolic materials from which a modern practitioner can construct ritual and visionary experiences that still retain the strange atmosphere of the original folklore.

That strangeness matters to me because contemporary Witchcraft can sometimes become so systematized that the witch disappears underneath neat tables of correspondences and standardized ritual structures. The Sabbath belongs to a much wilder imaginative world of nighttime journeys, impossible transformations, spirits, secret gatherings, and encounters beyond the boundaries of respectable society. It restores something uncanny to the figure of the witch.

I also appreciated that the book doesn't require every reader to interpret the Sabbath identically. Someone might approach it as an Otherworldly location encountered through spirit flight, another person might understand it as an imaginal or visionary experience, and someone else might emphasize its mythic or ritual significance. The historical material gives everyone the same body of folklore to work from without demanding a single metaphysical explanation for what happens when that folklore becomes practice.

The Witches' Sabbath therefore accomplishes something I wish more modern Witchcraft books attempted. It respects historical scholarship without allowing history to become a cage around magical imagination, and it embraces magical imagination without pretending imagination is historical evidence.

By the end, I stopped worrying quite so much about whether the legendary Sabbath ever happened exactly as the old stories claimed. The more interesting realization is that centuries of stories about witches flying beyond the ordinary world created a place in the magical imagination that witches can still journey toward today. Kelden gives us both the history of how that place was constructed and a map for finding our own way there.

[Rachel Skerle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well researched and offers tangible steps to take for “spiritual flight”, but there’s too much emphasis on baby eating and devil worship.

[Sylvia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Witches' Sabbath is one of those books that takes an image everyone recognizes and shows you how much stranger it actually is. Flying witches, nocturnal gatherings, feasting, spirits, the Devil, wild revelry, secret rites, all of it has been repeated so often in art and popular culture that the Sabbath can start to feel like a cliché. Kelden digs underneath that image and reconstructs the layers of history, folklore, accusation, imagination, and modern magical practice that made it so enduring.

What I appreciated most is that the book doesn't flatten the Sabbath into one simple explanation. Historically, the idea developed through a mixture of trial narratives, clerical fears, folklore, visionary experience, demonology, and older stories about night-roaming spirits and supernatural assemblies. Kelden allows those threads to remain distinct while showing how they gradually braided together into the image we now recognize.

That makes the folklore of flight especially fascinating. The old stories of witches traveling at night can be read in a number of ways: literally, visionary, oneirically, ritually, symbolically, or as some combination of these. Kelden doesn't need to force every account into a single category. Instead, he shows how the motif of leaving ordinary reality and joining a hidden gathering became central to the mythology of witchcraft.

I also liked how much geographical range there is in the research. Material from across Europe and the early American colonies helps demonstrate that the Sabbath wasn't one fixed tradition replicated everywhere. Local fears, beliefs, religious ideas, and folk traditions shaped the stories differently depending on where and when they appeared.

Where the book becomes especially interesting for practitioners is in the transition from historical Sabbath lore to modern witchcraft. Kelden is careful enough with the history that the practical material doesn't feel like he's claiming to reconstruct an untouched medieval rite. Instead, he asks what contemporary witches can meaningfully do with the imagery, symbolism, and visionary possibilities of the Sabbath now.

That honesty matters.

Modern ritual inspired by historical folklore can be powerful without pretending that every detail comes from an unbroken lineage. In fact, I find it more interesting when an author clearly shows the historical material and then says, in effect, this is how we might engage with it today.

The rituals and recipes give the book a satisfying second life beyond research. You can read it purely because you're fascinated by witchcraft history, but you can also use that history as fuel for trance, ritual, spirit work, and imaginative engagement. The Sabbath becomes not only something people once feared witches were doing, but something modern witches can consciously reinterpret as a magical mystery.

Jason Mankey's foreword is a good fit because the subject intersects naturally with the larger mythology of the witch, the Horned God, and the nocturnal assembly. His presence helps frame the book as part of a contemporary conversation about reclaiming witch imagery without losing sight of where that imagery came from.

What stayed with me most is how effectively Kelden restores ambiguity to the Sabbath. Was it fantasy? Propaganda? Folklore? Visionary experience? Spirit flight? Social nightmare? Magical aspiration?

Probably not just one of those things.

The Witches' Sabbath is compelling because it doesn't destroy the mystery by trying to solve it. It gives you the history, shows you the stories, lets you see how the image evolved, and then invites you to decide what the Sabbath might mean in your own practice.

For anyone drawn to the darker, nocturnal, and visionary side of witchcraft, this is an excellent read.

[Thomas Pinneck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelden’s The Witches' Sabbath offers a fascinating deep dive into one of the most infamous and misunderstood aspects of witchcraft—the legendary gatherings known as the Witches' Sabbaths. For centuries, these nocturnal meetings have been the subject of fear, fascination, and folklore, and Kelden’s book masterfully unravels both the history and the modern interpretations of these events. Through a blend of thorough research and personal insight, Kelden takes readers on a journey to explore the origins, evolution, and contemporary significance of the Sabbath in the craft.

One of the book’s most compelling features is its exploration of the historical and folkloric roots of the Witches' Sabbath. Drawing on European folklore, witch trials, and early modern accounts, Kelden paints a vivid picture of how these gatherings were perceived and feared by society. The section on the folklore of flight is particularly engaging, shedding light on the age-old belief that witches could travel to these Sabbaths by flying on broomsticks or through shapeshifting. While these accounts may seem fantastical, Kelden provides context for how such stories became interwoven with early ideas of witchcraft, making this not just a look at the Sabbath itself, but a broader reflection on how witchcraft was—and still is—viewed.

Where The Witches' Sabbath truly shines is in its ability to bridge the gap between historical context and modern practice. Kelden delves into how the concept of the Sabbath has been reclaimed by contemporary witches, offering a spiritual and transformative space for communion with spirits, deities, and other witches. His discussion on the re-emergence of the Sabbath in modern witchcraft reveals how this once-feared event has evolved into a powerful symbol of empowerment, gathering, and connection within the witchcraft community.

Kelden doesn’t just leave readers with an academic understanding of the Sabbath; he provides a practical framework for how modern witches can experience and incorporate these gatherings into their own practice. The book includes rituals, meditations, and even recipes, giving practitioners the tools to journey to the Sabbath themselves. These practices are approachable, yet potent, providing a balance between honoring tradition and creating something that resonates with modern witches.

One of the more enchanting aspects of The Witches' Sabbath is Kelden’s ability to weave storytelling into his research. The book is peppered with compelling stories and anecdotes from across Europe and early American colonies, bringing to life the fear, awe, and wonder that surrounded these legendary gatherings. This approach keeps the reader engaged while also offering a deeper understanding of how the Sabbath has been perceived and mythologized throughout history.

The foreword by Jason Mankey, author of The Horned God of the Witches, adds another layer of context, framing the Sabbath within the broader scope of witchcraft and magic. Mankey’s introduction sets the tone for the book, emphasizing the importance of exploring these hidden aspects of the craft that have often been overlooked or misunderstood.

The Witches' Sabbath serves as both a scholarly exploration and a practical guide. Kelden has created a resource that not only uncovers the historical and folkloric roots of the Sabbath but also breathes new life into it as a modern practice. For witches looking to deepen their understanding of this powerful aspect of the craft or those simply curious about the legendary Sabbaths, this book offers a rich, immersive experience that leaves no stone unturned.

[Steve Cran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book, I mean I really love it. The book gives a reader a good broad historical over of witch’s spirit flight and the witches sabbath. The book also teachers techniques on how to achieve spirit flight. When the inquisition began in like the 13 century there was hardly any mention of the spirit flight or witches sabbath. Then a couple of centuries later the inquisition record are filled with stories of the witches flight and the witch’s sabbath. Yet how accurate are these records. The accused suspect were mostly women who were old poor widows with no one to defend them. Their stories were given under conditions of extreme torture. The inquisitors also asked leading questions. While most were innocent, they told these outlandish stories to escape from being tortured, burned and killed. If these accounts are so inaccurate, then why do modern witches invest so much time studying them.
There could be some facts to this. To appease their tormentor, the victims may have pulled some folklore from their memories in order to concoct these tales. What the Catholic church said about these witches was abominable. Witches were accused to blighting crops, causing sickness, poisoning wells, eating unbaptized babies, and engaging in orgiastic behavior. These accusations were nothing new. In fact, the Romans used to say the same thing about the Christians. Later when Christianity became the dominant religion of Europe and Catholicism was the main faction the church would turn it’s attention to heretical sects of Christianity. The first to go were the Cathars and then next the Waldensian. The same charges were leveled against them. Later on lepers would be targeted.
Spirit flight has some basis in reality or mythology I should say. There was the spirit flight of the Dame Holda or Herodia or Diana, where in their parade of women would fly through the sky. They would fly to a sabbath or festival or they would raid someone’s house and if food was left for them, they were blessed if not their wine would be turned to vinegar. Then there was the wild hunt usually led by Odin, Herne or Gabriel. They would fly though the sky picking up anyone who was unlucky to be out. Then there were the strix owls. Some thought they were witches but none the less these owls took flight entered people’s houses and stole their children. Then they would boil the children in a cauldron and eat them.
Obviously, spirit flight is not a physical thing rather a mental thing. Some experts back in the day believed that the spirit left the body in order to join the festivities. Other experts thought it was a delusion. The methods for arriving at the sabbath included applying a flying ointment on oneself or on a broom and that would transport the witch. Sometimes they would ride a goat or transform a person to an animal and use them instead.
The Sabbath could take place in a variety of locations. Sabbaths could be held in churches, open fields, in houses , out in nature. The traveling witch would not only find other witches but they would find the Deevil himself leading the festivities with the sabbath queen sitting quietly by his side. One could also
find, demons, fairies, ancestors and witches long since deceased their.

[Katerina Sarpione · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I didn't expect this book to be so intriguing. Given its subject matter and the author's previous works (which I'm not particularly fond of), I assumed it might just ride on past success. However, upon delving into it, I discovered a new appreciation for Kelden's insights. What really sets this book apart is its unique structure—it not only delves into the historical aspects of the witches' Sabbat but also offers practical advice for modern witches seeking to connect with this mystical gathering.

Kelden's strength lies in his adept storytelling and the way he presents historical facts. However, when it comes to magical practices, which often focus solely on the trendy psychic aspect, there's a sense of predictability. While the historical narratives flow smoothly, there are moments where the author seems to overlook his own advice, forgetting that what we know from witch trials may not entirely reflect actual magical customs and beliefs.

For those new to the topic, especially those who haven't delved deeply into the intricacies of witch trials, I highly recommend this book as an excellent starting point. If you enjoyed Matt Aurin's "Psychic Witch," you're likely to find this book equally engaging. However, if you're like me and weary of the repetitive nature of certain principles, you might want to give this one a pass. Personally, I'm eager to see more scholarly work from Kelden, whose knowledge and enthusiasm shine brightest in this aspect of this book.

[Kirsty Frewen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could do 2.5 but Goodreads doesn’t allow it. I have a very mixed feeling on this book and a half way point would be great.

Look... this book isn't bad, it's well researched and provides a lot of information both on historical subjects, claims from the past, and many exercises and ritual to try out... however; there is something about the way this book is written that I really struggled with.

I started our reading the book myself but it felt like it was quite all over the place, not due to a lack of writing skill(as the book is well written) but I felt it kept drifting from the point of a sub-chapter to the point I was forgetting what I was actually reading, I swapped to the audiobook as I had a feeling it may have just been my ADHD, and the audio book definitely helped but I still felt a large disconnect from the book.

After some time to think the best way I can describe it is that it feels distant. I personally like to learn from books where I feel I am being guided and not taught, I enjoy books that give the energy of listening to a friend chat over coffee and that friend is trying to guide me; this book instead gave me the vibe and feeling like I was sat in a classroom watching a lecture, the information wonderful and appreciated, but I'm checking the clock waiting to leave.

[Angy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little comprehensive guide to the Witches' Sabbath. It's clear that Kelden has done his research regarding this topic, and has neatly organized the information into eight distinct chapters that flow well together. I enjoyed his non-pretentious storytelling and was kept captivated throughout the entire book. In addition to including certain exercises that can help a new witch begin studying and learning to become more involved in the Sabbath, he talks a lot about historical events and art that show what has occurred in past Sabbaths. Of course, there's a lot more to be learned, and he does express the limitation in this book, for example, the fact that it mainly focuses on Traditional Witchcraft. It does make me want to do some more of my own research, but I do think that this is an excellent starting place for anyone wanting a well-rounded account on the Sabbath! I've learned a lot from it.

[William Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Witches’ Sabbath has always been an impossible gathering, which is perhaps why it has survived so well. Kelden follows it through folklore, trial records, diabolical fantasy, spirit flight, nocturnal assemblies, feasting, dancing, and the strange borderland where historical accusation eventually became modern magical possibility. What makes the book work so beautifully is that Kelden neither drains the Sabbath of its darkness nor mistakes every old story for documentary evidence; instead, he asks what these images can become in the hands of witches now. History gradually gives way to practice, and the legendary gathering becomes somewhere one might approach through trance, ritual, spirits, and dreaming. By the end, the old question of whether witches ever truly flew to the Sabbath seems rather less interesting than whether, given the proper night, you might.

[CraftyKE · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what one of my new favorite books on spirituality. So many texts talk about walking an old path, but too few actually explain the historical context in such detail. I could not put this down.

Kelden does alternate between history and modern perspectives to connect the learning to today. The star of the show, however, is the meticulously research look at witchcraft in Europe and the Early American colonies. This book dives deeper than any I've read before (certainly not with all of the information in one place). This is a must read for anyone interested in the path.

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A great read for anyone who wants to learn more about witches and the Sabbath. This book contains both historic and folkloric tales. As an "experienced" witch, I still found things that I never even knew in the book. A great resource to have on your witchy bookshelf!

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt, Kelden is my favorite author in Traditional Witchcraft. This is undeniably his second masterpiece. I highly recommend this book, whether you’re interested in learning about the Sabbath from a historical or folkloric perspective or applying it through topics like flight, ointments, incense, rituals, etc. This is the perfect book if that’s what you’re looking for. Honestly, it’s wonderful.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good history book, informative and well researched. I liked how it was historically correct and some of the exercises
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Kate Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a well done and seemingly comprehensive history of witchcraft in Europe and the US. It highlights the traditions and practices, not the witch trials as much I appreciated that extra depth.

[Morgana Verena]

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