Gypsy Witchcraft and Magic

by Raymond Buckland

The myths and mysteries of the Gypsies have been with us for centuries. You may be familiar with the romantic stereotypes--traveling the countryside in painted wagons, cooking over campfires, living by their wits. But what of this is true?

Nobody is better able to share the realities of gypsy life than Raymond Buckland, a half-blood Romany and respected authority on Witchcraft. In Gypsy Witchcraft & Magic he reveals the folkways, beliefs, and magical practices of this vanishing culture.

In this award-winning book you will get a glimpse of traditional life in the vardo (Gypsy wagon) and find out how Gypsy ways live on today. Here you will learn to work real magic as practiced by the shuvanis (Gypsy Witches):

- Cast binding spells to prevent harm to yourself or others.
- Perform love spells to bring your true love into your arms.
- Have a reference for traditional herbal cures.
- Learn the secrets of performing hands-on healing.
- Learn to make traditional Gypsy charms for protection and exorcism.
- Discover how to tell fortunes with cards, stones, coins, and omens.
- Uncover the secret ways Gypsies used sex to enhance their magic.
- Learn about the peg-knife, or choori.
- Discover how to make a large bender tent that can be set up quickly and used to practice shuvani magic.
- Make a breadboard to use in divination.
- Find out about Gypsy Shamanism, the inner mysteries of the Gypsies.

Gypsy Witchcraft & Magic shares Gypsy life, lore, and magic. It is written in a personal style that is fun to read as you learn the truth about these charismatic people. This book shares techniques which you could not have found elsewhere. To learn the truth about the Gypsies and their system of Witchcraft, get Gypsy Witchcraft & Magic.

Winner of the 1999 Coalition of Visionary Resources Award for best non-fiction book

Genres: Wicca, Witchcraft, Spirituality, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

Raymond Buckland was a highly influential figure in the development of modern Wicca and the occult in the United States. Born in London, he became interested in the supernatural at an early age and was initiated into the Gardnerian Wiccan tradition in 1963 by Monique Wilson, a high priestess appointed by Gerald Gardner. After emigrating to the U.S. in 1962, Buckland introduced Gardnerian Wicca to the country, founding its first coven in New York in 1964. He later developed his own tradition, Seax-Wica, inspired by Anglo-Saxon paganism, and published The Tree: Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft to make it accessible to all.
In 1968, he established the first Museum of Witchcraft and Magick in the U.S., which helped normalize and educate the public about Wicca. Over the course of his career, Buckland wrote more than sixty books on Wicca, divination, and the occult, including Witchcraft from the Inside and Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft, both regarded as essential texts in Neopaganism.
Throughout his life, Buckland remained a prolific teacher, writer, and practitioner. He continued to write and teach until his death in 2017, leaving behind a lasting legacy that shaped the spiritual practices of countless Wiccans and Pagans worldwide.

Reviews

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I love the historical photos he has included within these pages, along with the history! What I found so striking was the similarities between the Romani/Gypsy people and some of my own Native Canadian/American Indian ancestors (their "bender" tends look nearly identical to our sweatlodges - albeit both are used for vastly different purposes, also, there's photo's with 'gypsies' with the darker skin, outside of teepee like structures, they are a matriarchal culture, vast knowledge of herbal medicines/magick, divination , they traveled and followed the earth's natural cycles and they were persecuted by governments and society in general etc.) I have a special affinity for this book and it is a must have for anyone interested in Romani culture and magick.

[H M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Racist racism with a little dash of racism thrown in. The TITLE of the book is a SLUR.

Ew, Buckland, seriously just ew.

[Angie Lisle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing new ager crap. No real Romani culture found here.

[Baroness · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the read I was searching for but it does contain a lot of interesting info.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read but not what I expected. Containing both lore and practical work but I feel that it tried to cover way too much and thus really only scratched the surface on most of it.

[Helga Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved, simple and have something of everything of the gypsy life.

[Elena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I totally couldn't get into this book, it was okay...