Magic in the Landscape

by Nigel Pennick

We are where we are where we are where we are. The landscape we live in and visit is a physical and social reality that we have to accept. Magic is not fixed in a particular period of history; neither does it have to be performed at fixed places. Magic of all forms is a living, dynamic system intended for use, It can exist at any place which is congenial to it. Magic is a dynamic re-ordering of present realities to create new situations. As they say in East Anglia, “no door is closed to a Toadman”.

Genres: Nonfiction, Occult

155 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 4, 2013

About the author

Nigel Campbell Pennick, born 1946 in Guildford, Surrey, England in the United Kingdom, an author publishing on occultism, magic, natural magic, divination, subterranea, rural folk customs, traditional performance and Celtic art as well as runosophy.
He is a writer on marine species as well as an occultist and geomancer, artist and illustrator, stained-glass designer and maker, musician and mummer. He also writes on European arts and crafts, buildings, landscape, customs, games and spiritual traditions. He has written several booklets on the history of urban transport in Cambridge and London . He is best known for his research on geomancy, labyrinths, sacred geometry, the spiritual arts and crafts, esoteric alphabets and Germanic runic studies.
He has written many books in German and has over 50 published books and hundreds of published papers on a wide range of subjects.

Reviews

[Julian Worker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very gentle introduction to the layout of the landscape showing how little of the original still remains.

When archaeologists move stone circles away from the construction of a new road, then they inevitably change the orientation of the circle and the genius loci, the spirit of the place.

An interesting fact from the book is that when Charles Dickens was travelling away from home, he would change the orientation of his bed using Feng Shui principles.

[Rocky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some really interesting information, but it’s not a how-to book. It introduces some concepts involving geomancy but more as a jumping off point for further research if you’re interested in actual workings. It definitely has a place on my witchy bookshelf but I’m glad I found it second hand (I think I would have been disappointed to have paid full price, $17 US).
The author writes quite a bit about specifically English happenings. I gave 3 stars instead of 4 because the title and description doesn’t tell the reader that 1/3 of the writing is location specific. Though I still found it interesting, I felt a tiny bit mislead.

[Pascal Zielke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nigel Pennick gibt mal wieder faszinierende Einblicke in ein breites Spektrum an Themen rund um die Geomantie. Zu breit vielleicht? Manchmal wirkt das Buch dann doch so, als ob ein roter Faden fehlt und man von einer Thematik in die nächste stolpert. Dadurch mangelt es etwas an einem spannenden Erzählfluss und es liest sich eher wie ein Lexikon. Dazu ist der Sprecher des Hörbuchs leider gewöhnungsbedürftig und es fällt schwer aufmerksam zuzuhören. Aber wie bei allen Werken von Pennick, gibt es immer viele spannende Details zu erfahren.

[Patricia Woodruff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I respect Nigel Pennick for his accurate research and this book certainly has that. Some interesting facts and history. The book almost seemed to be more about social commentary than “earth mysteries & geomancy”. Perhaps it’s an effect of our current cultural crises in the U.S. with the oligarchs but I found the tone of the book very melancholy, since Pennick starts out taking about the rapaciousness of rich people in British history and ends with the heartlessness of archaeologists disturbing sacred sites.