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Traditional Witchcraft
Traditional Witchcraft For Urban Living
For the witch whose career confines them to an urban environment, regular Craft practice may often seem like a futile gesture, especially if home is a small, gardenless-flat. Even the suburbs can be magically incapacitating, if there is constant noise from traffic and neighbours. People work long hour without having the opportunity to notice the subtle changing of the seasons. Weekends are a constant battle with family, domestic chores and socialising. It’s no wonder that the urban witch has little time left for magical and spiritual development.Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living deals with the constant barrage of psychic problems that confront the urban witch on a daily basis. Based on the teachings of a traditional Craft background, the author successfully manages to blend the Old Ways with practical contemporary practice. This book is part of the Traditional Witchcraft Series. Other titles in the series are Traditional Witchcraft for the Seashore(Jan 2012), Traditional Witchcraft for Fields and Hedgerows (Mar 2012) and Traditional Witchcraft for the Woods and Forests (Mar 2012).
154 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2012
37 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Melusine Draco
74 books41 followersMélusine Draco originally trained in the magical arts of traditional British Old Craft with Bob and Mériém Clay-Egerton. She has been a magical and spiritual instructor for over 20 years with Coven of the Scales and the Temple of Khem, and writer of numerous popular books including Liber Agyptius: the Book of Egyptian Magic; The Egyptian Book of Days; The Egyptian Book of Nights; The Thelemic Handbook; The Hollow Tree, an elementary guide to the Qabalah; A Witch's Treasury of the Countryside; Root & Branch: British Magical Tree Lore and Starchild: a rediscovery of stellar wisdom. Her highly individualistic teaching methods and writing draws on ancient sources supported by academic texts and current archaeological findings. She now lives in Ireland near the Galtee Mountains and has several titles currently published with John Hunt Publishing including the Traditional Witchcraft series.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 11, 2018
Quite a bit of cool ideas.
September 16, 2012
I think some of this information was very valuable and informative, especially for those who are practicing in areas where there are not a lot of opportunities to connect with nature. However, I was turned off by the author's elitist attitude and description of what a "real" witch is. I understand that different traditions hold different beliefs, but being not accepting, critical, and insulting to those who have other beliefs or follow different paths is not okay.
March 3, 2016
In Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, Melusine Draco dedicates this small volume to address this situation. She offers a useful way to develop the Craft practice by stating the obvious inconveniences. The surprising bit is that she doesn't achieve this through the seeking of "exceptions", of "country-like" places in the city - she encourages the witch to rediscover the city, to look into it, and to change the attitude rather than getting stressed by the daily noises coming from the street. In short, she encourages everyone to make the best of what we've got. She guides us to small places in our city or our own house that may have been overlooked. In each chapter she also offers a useful exercise related to the subject. Plain, simple language and not boggled down in a lot of detail that is distracting and hard to follow.
May 13, 2014
Adapt and thrive. That’s the message traditionally-trained Craft practitioner Draco has for readers. Rather than withdrawing to practice time-honored rituals in secret, she encourages modern witches to open their windows, explore their neighborhoods, put a pot of herbs on their kitchen window sills, light a candle, and summon their ingenuity.
Carefully distinguishing her practice from Wicca, she encourages modern witches to care less about worshipping nature with elaborate rituals, and to focus instead on developing a personal relationship with the physical environment. She thinks of herself as a caretaker, rather than a manipulator, of the natural world. There’s a lyrical quality to her writing which lifts the reader into the modern magical world she describes. She provides basic information about herbs, magic pouches, talismans, pagan holidays, spells, and pathworking. More importantly, this is a handbook for restoring sanity to an overcrowded and cramped urban lifestyle. The magic ingredients are creativity and fun. Consider displaying it with books about herbs, urban birdwatching, city parks, and Feng Shui.
Anna Jedrziewski | InannaWorks.com
This book is for the student of Traditional Witchcraft, not Wicca or other neo-pagan disciplines (although it is certainly useful for all). The distinction is thoroughly explained, much to the readers benefit. If you’re tired of books filled with the usual neo-pagan fluff and are looking for something that gets "right down to it," this is the book for you. It is accessible, well written, enjoyable, and often humorous. The common sense approach makes the reader the beneficiary of the authors many years of magical experience, and it quickly becomes obvious that she has already done a lot of the trial-and-error work that will save the reader/practitioner a lot of valuable time.
As the title suggests, it is for students and practitioners living in urban areas. Not only does it dispel the myth that one has to live in the middle of the forest to be a "real witch," but offers a lot of valuable advice for a successful practice while living in the city. The book is being republished as Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, but the contents will be identical, so dont spend the extra money purchasing a used copy. A pleasure to read and a treasure of useful information and techniques!
Chris Grabarkiewctz USA
With the number of books available nowadays that address the solitary practitioner, it’s surprising to see how very few of them focus on one concrete common fact – that most of us witches (or pagans) do not live in a small cottage in the countryside, surrounded by fairy-tale forests and herbs. That many of us live in flats, inside blocks, in the middle of the city. If you are lucky enough, you’ll have a small house with a garden. If you are even luckier – and your job allows you to do so – you’ll live in the suburbs. Even though most of the books mention that likely possibility, they do it in a rather ‘patronising’ way – IF one cannot go out to gather herbs, there’s the ‘possibility’ to use those in our kitchen. Personally I consider that that’s showing the reader that “it’s not very nice” but “it should work”, making him or her not appreciate what she’s using and regarding it as a “second hand element” (and we all know how important it is, for our practice, the feeling we put into something.)
In Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, Melusine Draco dedicates the whole of this small volume to address this situation. Mainly offering a useful way to develop our Craft practice in what she describes as “an hostile environment” – instead of just stating the obvious inconveniences that we have. The surprising bit is that she doesn’t achieve this through the seeking of ‘exceptions’, of ‘country-like’ places in the city – she encourages the witch to rediscover the city, to look into it, and to change her (or his) attitude rather than getting stressed by the daily noises coming from the street. In short, she encourages us to make the best of what we’ve got. She guides us to small places in our city or our own house that may have been overlooked. In each chapter she also offers a useful exercise related to the subject.
Alder Lyncurium - Wiccan Rede
This book offers a starting point for how to do this in a modern city environment. It is very much about my own kind of magic, the kind I try to write about in A Bad Witch's Blog – practical witchcraft for the real world. I recommend this book for any witch who is struggling to find their magical way in the big city.
Lucya Szachnowski/Starza | Badwitch
The author of these books was an initiate of the late Bob Clay-Egertons Coven of the Scales and she has been a practising occultist, magical teacher and writer on esoteric subjects for over twenty years. These two books are the first volumes in a series on modern traditional witchcraft for beginners. Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, as the title suggests, is a guide to being a witch today in a town or city environment and still connect to nature, the elemental forces and the land. The other book is for those who live near or often visit the coast and wish to magically commune with the sea and its energies. You will not find any Wiccan Rede or invocations to Cernunnos and Ceridwen here and the featured charms are mostly Christianised ones as traditionally found in historical witchcraft. Both of the books are written in a down-to-earth style with a refreshing common sense approach and are rooted in the folk traditions and Old Ways of the British Isles. Recommended.
Michael Howard : The Cauldron
Carefully distinguishing her practice from Wicca, she encourages modern witches to care less about worshipping nature with elaborate rituals, and to focus instead on developing a personal relationship with the physical environment. She thinks of herself as a caretaker, rather than a manipulator, of the natural world. There’s a lyrical quality to her writing which lifts the reader into the modern magical world she describes. She provides basic information about herbs, magic pouches, talismans, pagan holidays, spells, and pathworking. More importantly, this is a handbook for restoring sanity to an overcrowded and cramped urban lifestyle. The magic ingredients are creativity and fun. Consider displaying it with books about herbs, urban birdwatching, city parks, and Feng Shui.
Anna Jedrziewski | InannaWorks.com
This book is for the student of Traditional Witchcraft, not Wicca or other neo-pagan disciplines (although it is certainly useful for all). The distinction is thoroughly explained, much to the readers benefit. If you’re tired of books filled with the usual neo-pagan fluff and are looking for something that gets "right down to it," this is the book for you. It is accessible, well written, enjoyable, and often humorous. The common sense approach makes the reader the beneficiary of the authors many years of magical experience, and it quickly becomes obvious that she has already done a lot of the trial-and-error work that will save the reader/practitioner a lot of valuable time.
As the title suggests, it is for students and practitioners living in urban areas. Not only does it dispel the myth that one has to live in the middle of the forest to be a "real witch," but offers a lot of valuable advice for a successful practice while living in the city. The book is being republished as Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, but the contents will be identical, so dont spend the extra money purchasing a used copy. A pleasure to read and a treasure of useful information and techniques!
Chris Grabarkiewctz USA
With the number of books available nowadays that address the solitary practitioner, it’s surprising to see how very few of them focus on one concrete common fact – that most of us witches (or pagans) do not live in a small cottage in the countryside, surrounded by fairy-tale forests and herbs. That many of us live in flats, inside blocks, in the middle of the city. If you are lucky enough, you’ll have a small house with a garden. If you are even luckier – and your job allows you to do so – you’ll live in the suburbs. Even though most of the books mention that likely possibility, they do it in a rather ‘patronising’ way – IF one cannot go out to gather herbs, there’s the ‘possibility’ to use those in our kitchen. Personally I consider that that’s showing the reader that “it’s not very nice” but “it should work”, making him or her not appreciate what she’s using and regarding it as a “second hand element” (and we all know how important it is, for our practice, the feeling we put into something.)
In Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, Melusine Draco dedicates the whole of this small volume to address this situation. Mainly offering a useful way to develop our Craft practice in what she describes as “an hostile environment” – instead of just stating the obvious inconveniences that we have. The surprising bit is that she doesn’t achieve this through the seeking of ‘exceptions’, of ‘country-like’ places in the city – she encourages the witch to rediscover the city, to look into it, and to change her (or his) attitude rather than getting stressed by the daily noises coming from the street. In short, she encourages us to make the best of what we’ve got. She guides us to small places in our city or our own house that may have been overlooked. In each chapter she also offers a useful exercise related to the subject.
Alder Lyncurium - Wiccan Rede
This book offers a starting point for how to do this in a modern city environment. It is very much about my own kind of magic, the kind I try to write about in A Bad Witch's Blog – practical witchcraft for the real world. I recommend this book for any witch who is struggling to find their magical way in the big city.
Lucya Szachnowski/Starza | Badwitch
The author of these books was an initiate of the late Bob Clay-Egertons Coven of the Scales and she has been a practising occultist, magical teacher and writer on esoteric subjects for over twenty years. These two books are the first volumes in a series on modern traditional witchcraft for beginners. Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living, as the title suggests, is a guide to being a witch today in a town or city environment and still connect to nature, the elemental forces and the land. The other book is for those who live near or often visit the coast and wish to magically commune with the sea and its energies. You will not find any Wiccan Rede or invocations to Cernunnos and Ceridwen here and the featured charms are mostly Christianised ones as traditionally found in historical witchcraft. Both of the books are written in a down-to-earth style with a refreshing common sense approach and are rooted in the folk traditions and Old Ways of the British Isles. Recommended.
Michael Howard : The Cauldron
December 10, 2015
When I sought this book out I was drawn to it first by a blog I visited while researching Traditional Witchcraft topics. I can't for the life of me remember which blog it was though. But anyhow, I was hoping for something different. This book was just okay for me. Here is why ...
This book can be summed up with a history lessons in Saxon / Norman life, and how Christians took their sacred spaces and instead of destroying them, they put relics of their own God in them so that it wouldn't be so hard for the Pagan to convert themselves to Christianity. The same goes for the celebrations to bring in the changes in seasons; all of which were given Christian names so that the Pagans could celebrate their holidays at the same time Christians did until the old ways were so far back in history that they were obsolete. I knew all this, and really felt disappointed that 65% of the book was rehashing this instead of giving the information that I thought it was going to, which is ways to bring traditional witchcraft into city living and ways that one can put this into daily 'practice.'
The truth is, there was very little 'practice' advice in this book. The author basically tells you to cast a circle, grow herbs on your balcony, sit in an old church to meditate, read tarot cards, and collect old poetry so that you can conjure better spells with the use of rhyme and rhythm. Also, if you live outside of the UK, you won't fully engage with the whole text because you will be bored listening to her talk about locations of churches and such.
By the end of the book she makes some interesting statements about how others practice the craft and how meditating for hours only to end with a "feel good factor" basically isn't the craft and you are just kidding yourself. Even though I believe that magic is much more complex than that, she didn't mince her words any. So this might be offensive to some readers. She goes on to say that experienced witches don't work at the textbook level, and they learn to sense things much differently than seeing rainbows and unicorns. (well, I did put my own words there in summery, but this is what was meant to be heard). I get all this, because if I didn't I wouldn't be seeking traditional witchcraft books in the first place. I get it. Stores are full of fluffy new age crap -- well duh. So tell me more about the stuff that isn't crap.
I guess I was hoping for more traditional ritual ideas because I find it difficult to bring the craft into my daily life. So far the only way I have found it possible has been through cooking. But hey, onto the next book, shall we?
I won't buy another of the author's book because of the yawning factor, but also because it is full of repetitive material, and typos. There is very little that is useful here. She talks to you throughout the text as if you are a beginner and then other times as if you already know everything. I hope someone comes out with some good books on this subject sooner, rather than later, but I have my doubts.
This book can be summed up with a history lessons in Saxon / Norman life, and how Christians took their sacred spaces and instead of destroying them, they put relics of their own God in them so that it wouldn't be so hard for the Pagan to convert themselves to Christianity. The same goes for the celebrations to bring in the changes in seasons; all of which were given Christian names so that the Pagans could celebrate their holidays at the same time Christians did until the old ways were so far back in history that they were obsolete. I knew all this, and really felt disappointed that 65% of the book was rehashing this instead of giving the information that I thought it was going to, which is ways to bring traditional witchcraft into city living and ways that one can put this into daily 'practice.'
The truth is, there was very little 'practice' advice in this book. The author basically tells you to cast a circle, grow herbs on your balcony, sit in an old church to meditate, read tarot cards, and collect old poetry so that you can conjure better spells with the use of rhyme and rhythm. Also, if you live outside of the UK, you won't fully engage with the whole text because you will be bored listening to her talk about locations of churches and such.
By the end of the book she makes some interesting statements about how others practice the craft and how meditating for hours only to end with a "feel good factor" basically isn't the craft and you are just kidding yourself. Even though I believe that magic is much more complex than that, she didn't mince her words any. So this might be offensive to some readers. She goes on to say that experienced witches don't work at the textbook level, and they learn to sense things much differently than seeing rainbows and unicorns. (well, I did put my own words there in summery, but this is what was meant to be heard). I get all this, because if I didn't I wouldn't be seeking traditional witchcraft books in the first place. I get it. Stores are full of fluffy new age crap -- well duh. So tell me more about the stuff that isn't crap.
I guess I was hoping for more traditional ritual ideas because I find it difficult to bring the craft into my daily life. So far the only way I have found it possible has been through cooking. But hey, onto the next book, shall we?
I won't buy another of the author's book because of the yawning factor, but also because it is full of repetitive material, and typos. There is very little that is useful here. She talks to you throughout the text as if you are a beginner and then other times as if you already know everything. I hope someone comes out with some good books on this subject sooner, rather than later, but I have my doubts.
January 4, 2013
This book was kind of unsettling in some ways. I found I didn't "like" the author very much. Most books on Wicca/Paganism are very encouraging and positive, but Ms. Draco was more like a secondary school teacher, very limiting in confidence in her students, so to speak. I felt that I was put at the bottom of some kind of hierarchy in ability and knowledge. Additionally, she deals with some controversial topics in terms of the ethics of witchcraft, and unlike most books I've read, she doesn't believe in the statement "an' it harm none" - this is something I disagree with. Ms. Draco supports the will of the individual in cursing, for example. However, I still give this a high rating. It was truly a fun book to read, very interesting and informative, and I am left feeling that just because I don't live in the countryside, doesn't mean I cannot access my own little world of nature :)
July 3, 2015
This is one of those books that purports to be about paganism, but is in fact about a thinly-veiled Wicca. I didn't like her attitude, I didn't like her conflation of these terms, not to mention her assumption that all pagans think/believe/care about the exact same things. Paganism is a humongous umbrella term for an *extremely* heterogeneous group.
Actually, the book is hardly about witchcraft at all, but more about reconnecting with nature in an urban environment. I acknowledge that this is an important part of witchcraft to some people, but it's hardly the defining feature of it.
Honestly this book was just very misleading and disappointing.
Actually, the book is hardly about witchcraft at all, but more about reconnecting with nature in an urban environment. I acknowledge that this is an important part of witchcraft to some people, but it's hardly the defining feature of it.
Honestly this book was just very misleading and disappointing.
November 4, 2015
Taken from http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/03/rev... this is part of a much longer review of Path to the Mysteries, written by 'bad witch' Lucya Starza.
I've tagged the other books in the series, which Lucya refers to in her review, and also David Salisbury's excellent 'Deep heart of witchcraft'.
I've tagged the other books in the series, which Lucya refers to in her review, and also David Salisbury's excellent 'Deep heart of witchcraft'.
February 16, 2018
'Hereby endeth the lesson' :-)
I have now read this book at least four times. Not because I 'don't get it' but because it is my 'kick up the bum' book. When I feel lost or stuck I know this book will aid me in finding the clarity & truth I need. I would recommend every witch to have this on their shelf. One of the few books I actually look forward to picking up on 'off' days
I have now read this book at least four times. Not because I 'don't get it' but because it is my 'kick up the bum' book. When I feel lost or stuck I know this book will aid me in finding the clarity & truth I need. I would recommend every witch to have this on their shelf. One of the few books I actually look forward to picking up on 'off' days
October 20, 2018
It would be a ok starting point for beginners
May 13, 2022
This was the book that I'd ben looking for, one that gave pointers on practicing in an urban landscape. I'd already read a few books on the subject but many focused purely on city living without giving much thought to those who live in the suburbs or smaller towns.
This book is United Kingdom focused. It's written by a British witch and takes into account that most of us will live in smaller towns that have been repurposed now that the industries that once ran them have now left. We're not all in London! And this was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something that related to where I lived without the assumption that I lived in the heart of Manhattan (or London!) and would be able to cross my town in minutes rather than hours. Absolutely perfect and I'm so happy that I stumbled across Melusine's work.
This is perfect for anyone who doesn't live in a big city. If you feel excluded by other urban magic books which reference and centre on city living, then give this one a go. It's definitely a different perspective that's much needed for some of us!
This book is United Kingdom focused. It's written by a British witch and takes into account that most of us will live in smaller towns that have been repurposed now that the industries that once ran them have now left. We're not all in London! And this was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something that related to where I lived without the assumption that I lived in the heart of Manhattan (or London!) and would be able to cross my town in minutes rather than hours. Absolutely perfect and I'm so happy that I stumbled across Melusine's work.
This is perfect for anyone who doesn't live in a big city. If you feel excluded by other urban magic books which reference and centre on city living, then give this one a go. It's definitely a different perspective that's much needed for some of us!
January 26, 2025
Quite repetitive, despite it's low number of pages and with a few inaccuracies and problematic takes. It heavily implies that the wheel of the year is used by most pagans, which is quite an oversimplification and a narrow understanding of the word pagan and the history tied to it. It also outright states that magic and the ability to work the craft is something you are born with, which again ignores the rich history surrounding witchcraft and paganism.
July 10, 2018
Great intro and the first one I've read that wasn't too woo-woo.
November 4, 2021
I wanted to really love this book, and there were certainly aspects that I did think made the read worth it. However, there are some sticking points. I am not sure if maybe the author only ever intended this book for pagans living in the British Isles, or not. If she intended it to expand beyond her local, the book can be a bit irksome. It made some side comments about Americans, and there is a heavy focus on anecdotes of finding specific plants, herbs, and animals in the British urban areas. I definitely understand pulling from experience, but it took up a large portion of the book to hear exactly what sorts of streets and buildings were only relevant to someone in that local area.
I would have liked to see more of the descriptions of the need and process for psychic shielding in urban dwellings, how to best utilize a magickal container garden, and maybe expounding more on working divination into the everyday/workaday life. I also saw some mention of disposing properly of magickal items, and this is a real curiosity with most urban practitioners I know. However she did not actually say how to do that. We often have accumulated items, totems, trinkets, etc used in practices and have no idea how to dispose of them properly without undoing the blessing or intention, or contaminating the environment around us with trash. (Most advice is to bury things, but as Earth-based Pagans many of us don't want to keep burying ribbons, charms, or salts in our yards and pollute the ground). I wish there was more information on these practical matters facing urban practitioners as seemed the point given the title and description of the book.
I would have liked to see more of the descriptions of the need and process for psychic shielding in urban dwellings, how to best utilize a magickal container garden, and maybe expounding more on working divination into the everyday/workaday life. I also saw some mention of disposing properly of magickal items, and this is a real curiosity with most urban practitioners I know. However she did not actually say how to do that. We often have accumulated items, totems, trinkets, etc used in practices and have no idea how to dispose of them properly without undoing the blessing or intention, or contaminating the environment around us with trash. (Most advice is to bury things, but as Earth-based Pagans many of us don't want to keep burying ribbons, charms, or salts in our yards and pollute the ground). I wish there was more information on these practical matters facing urban practitioners as seemed the point given the title and description of the book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews