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Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs
A practical approach to traditional Polish folk practice.
Polish Folk Magic is an introductory guide into the folk beliefs, seasonal practices, living ancestral traditions, and authentic folk magic of the West Slavic peoples. With the Polish and Slavic diasporas in mind, Joanna Tarnawska fills in the gaps where sources have been previously scarce or inaccessible to those not embedded in the region.
Tarnawska guides the reader through everything from the Slavic folkloric calendar to charms, protection magic, and healing. Polish Folk Magic includes a grimoire specific to Polish folk magic, the perfect companion for native and diasporic practitioners alike. Through an exploration led by a native Polish practitioner and made accessible by providing both Polish and English versions of each charm and spoken formula, the reader is invited to personalize their craft through this rich world of folk magic.
Polish Folk Magic is an introductory guide into the folk beliefs, seasonal practices, living ancestral traditions, and authentic folk magic of the West Slavic peoples. With the Polish and Slavic diasporas in mind, Joanna Tarnawska fills in the gaps where sources have been previously scarce or inaccessible to those not embedded in the region.
Tarnawska guides the reader through everything from the Slavic folkloric calendar to charms, protection magic, and healing. Polish Folk Magic includes a grimoire specific to Polish folk magic, the perfect companion for native and diasporic practitioners alike. Through an exploration led by a native Polish practitioner and made accessible by providing both Polish and English versions of each charm and spoken formula, the reader is invited to personalize their craft through this rich world of folk magic.
280 pages, Paperback
Published December 9, 2025
51 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 9, 2026
I devoured this book in 2 days. I cannot understate what a long time coming this book is. Very little (if anything at all) has been written about Polish witchery, especially folklore from a dual-religious angle. I actually want to go through and read it a second time and make more extensive notes. Even if you're not part Polish like me, the lore in this book is absolutely fascinating to learn about.
November 21, 2025
In much of the Western world, the deep folk traditions of countries like Poland have long been overshadowed by dominant religions. As a native Greek priestess practicing my own ancestral traditions, I know how difficult it can be to find and keep one’s voice in such a landscape. Joanna Tarnawska has not only kept her voice, but amplified it, selflessly, voicing―for the first time in an English language book―the depths of Polish folk magic. In doing so, she has offered a gift not only to the Slavic diaspora, but also to those in Poland working to revive and carry forward their ancestral practices. Polish Folk Magic deserves a place on the shelf of every serious folk magic practitioner.
April 9, 2026
I reccomend everyone that is curious, to dive deep into their ancestors folk magic history, and /or research local folk tales.
This was so fun, and I have learned so much while reading this book!
Very easy and entertaining to read.
This was so fun, and I have learned so much while reading this book!
Very easy and entertaining to read.
April 6, 2026
A couple of months ago, Crossed Crow Books reached out to see if I was interested in reviewing any of their recent titles. I could not pass up the opportunity to read and review Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs by Joanna Tarnawska, and I am so thankful I didn't. Tarnawska is a Polish native and folk practitioner, giving her the true inside scoop on Polish folk magic without the outsider's perspective.
Polish Folk Magic opens with a brief introduction explaining who and what the book is for. First and foremost, Tarnawska is honest that she is just scratching the surface of Polish folk magic, as traditions and stories vary by region and culture. She notes that her book is heavily sourced and encourages the reader to turn to these primary sources to learn more. Finally, she makes it known that Polish Folk Magic is for the Slavic/Polish diaspora and those interested in appreciating the Slavic/Polish culture. My heart sang with joy when I read the final introductory paragraph.
Many of us here in the United States and abroad in other colonized nations are searching desperately for cultural and ancestral roots that have been stripped away from us due to assimilation, loss of records, and time. If you spend any time on Threads, you will routinely see Europeans making fun of Americans trying to connect with our ancestral roots without realizing the sense of loss so many of us feel. We are living on stolen land with little to no connection to our ancestors, leaving a gaping hole in our sense of community and connection. Many of our ancestors immigrated out of necessity, to escape famine, war, and poverty, only to end up right back in those situations when they landed on foreign soil. They were relegated to slums, stripped of their valuables, denied access to certain jobs and places of business, and often forced to assimilate by changing their names, hiding their culture, and disguising their accents. This resulted in fragmented family histories, stripped of culture and heritage. Tarnawska recognizes that those who belong to the Slavic diaspora are seeking connection, and attempts to begin filling that void with her work. We need more books like Polish Folk Magic, written by those who are currently living and breathing the unbroken traditions of our homelands, so that those of us seeking connection can find our way home.
As mentioned earlier, Tarnawska takes an academic approach to Polish folk magic, while still remaining accessible. This is not your traditional how-to book, focusing primarily on laying the foundation of what Polish folk magic is, how it works, and tracing the history of the practices. This makes Polish Folk Magic a one-of-a-kind primer to understanding the Polish folk magic tradition, acting as a jumping point for those of us outside of current culture. Tarnawska covers everything from history, traditions, and folklore to types of magic, spells, spirits, and holidays. Throughout, Tarnawska offers personal insights into her practice and those of nearby regions, making sure to remind us that she is not able to cover everything within the scope of this book. However, Tarnawska still creates an excellent introduction that left me with plenty of ideas on where to start tracing my own Swedish and Scottish roots. And that is one of the great things about Tarnawska's work; you don't have to be Polish or Slavic or of that diaspora to find value in her work. In fact, much of the folklore Tarnawska discusses overlaps heavily with other cultures in the region, helping to set the stage for your future research.
Apart from offering one of the best introductory books I have ever read, Tarnawska also makes important connections between what our ancestors did and how we can use it in our modern world. Just as our ancestors fought against famine and uncertainty, so do we. While most of us are no longer living an agrarian life, that doesn't mean the earth's cycles don't pertain to us. On top of this, the threats they faced are the same we face today, just on a larger scale. Tarnawska encourages the readers to apply the foundations she lays to fighting climate change, tyrannical governments, capitalism, and other diseases of our modern world. I wish she had expanded on this a bit more, but I hope she will write more in the future.
Overall, I cannot give Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs by Joanna Tarnawska enough praise. If you are of the Salvic diaspora or not, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy if you are trying to reconnect with your ancestral roots and decolonize your practice. The approach Tarnawska takes is one that you can easily apply to any country/culture/heritage, and her work offers valuable insight into understanding where much of the folk practices in the United States originates from.
Polish Folk Magic opens with a brief introduction explaining who and what the book is for. First and foremost, Tarnawska is honest that she is just scratching the surface of Polish folk magic, as traditions and stories vary by region and culture. She notes that her book is heavily sourced and encourages the reader to turn to these primary sources to learn more. Finally, she makes it known that Polish Folk Magic is for the Slavic/Polish diaspora and those interested in appreciating the Slavic/Polish culture. My heart sang with joy when I read the final introductory paragraph.
Many of us here in the United States and abroad in other colonized nations are searching desperately for cultural and ancestral roots that have been stripped away from us due to assimilation, loss of records, and time. If you spend any time on Threads, you will routinely see Europeans making fun of Americans trying to connect with our ancestral roots without realizing the sense of loss so many of us feel. We are living on stolen land with little to no connection to our ancestors, leaving a gaping hole in our sense of community and connection. Many of our ancestors immigrated out of necessity, to escape famine, war, and poverty, only to end up right back in those situations when they landed on foreign soil. They were relegated to slums, stripped of their valuables, denied access to certain jobs and places of business, and often forced to assimilate by changing their names, hiding their culture, and disguising their accents. This resulted in fragmented family histories, stripped of culture and heritage. Tarnawska recognizes that those who belong to the Slavic diaspora are seeking connection, and attempts to begin filling that void with her work. We need more books like Polish Folk Magic, written by those who are currently living and breathing the unbroken traditions of our homelands, so that those of us seeking connection can find our way home.
As mentioned earlier, Tarnawska takes an academic approach to Polish folk magic, while still remaining accessible. This is not your traditional how-to book, focusing primarily on laying the foundation of what Polish folk magic is, how it works, and tracing the history of the practices. This makes Polish Folk Magic a one-of-a-kind primer to understanding the Polish folk magic tradition, acting as a jumping point for those of us outside of current culture. Tarnawska covers everything from history, traditions, and folklore to types of magic, spells, spirits, and holidays. Throughout, Tarnawska offers personal insights into her practice and those of nearby regions, making sure to remind us that she is not able to cover everything within the scope of this book. However, Tarnawska still creates an excellent introduction that left me with plenty of ideas on where to start tracing my own Swedish and Scottish roots. And that is one of the great things about Tarnawska's work; you don't have to be Polish or Slavic or of that diaspora to find value in her work. In fact, much of the folklore Tarnawska discusses overlaps heavily with other cultures in the region, helping to set the stage for your future research.
Apart from offering one of the best introductory books I have ever read, Tarnawska also makes important connections between what our ancestors did and how we can use it in our modern world. Just as our ancestors fought against famine and uncertainty, so do we. While most of us are no longer living an agrarian life, that doesn't mean the earth's cycles don't pertain to us. On top of this, the threats they faced are the same we face today, just on a larger scale. Tarnawska encourages the readers to apply the foundations she lays to fighting climate change, tyrannical governments, capitalism, and other diseases of our modern world. I wish she had expanded on this a bit more, but I hope she will write more in the future.
Overall, I cannot give Polish Folk Magic: Ancestral Lore & Traditions of the West Slavs by Joanna Tarnawska enough praise. If you are of the Salvic diaspora or not, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy if you are trying to reconnect with your ancestral roots and decolonize your practice. The approach Tarnawska takes is one that you can easily apply to any country/culture/heritage, and her work offers valuable insight into understanding where much of the folk practices in the United States originates from.
December 23, 2025
A really helpful basic book for magic, especially if you are Polish and want to practice “Polish magic”. The author lays out many important aspects of Polish (and Slavic in general) magic: developing a relationship with Ancestors and the spirits around you, the importance of water and fire, and the importance of maintaining Balance! All terrific points.
Tarnawska focuses on practices that are probably about 1,000 years old but going back about 2,000 to 3,000 years, so she records spells that can have a patriarchal or Christian bent, because that’s how they have evolved in Poland. For spells she records the English translation but also gives the original in Polish. ❤️
She also includes curses. (My caveat on that is always… just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The point of being a Wise One is to be wise about your choices. I’m not talking about the “Rule of Three” here, but rather, that in focusing on harm and hate disconnects you from others and it can cause more harm to yourself. Who wants to hang out with someone who is always bitter, complaining and focusing on the bad stuff in their lives?!) Although the author does have a good point that this is sometimes the last resort of those without societal power.
While Tarnawska mentions that the witch trials are one of the best sources of witch lore, I disagree. Much of what was recorded in them was sensationalized and it was people giving the Christian torturers what they wanted to hear. I think the BEST source of folk magic is plant lore and fairy tales.
I try to avoid falling into the trap of legitimizing Christianity’s beliefs that warped our indigenous practices. So I prefer to avoid talking about “the Devil,” evil or demons because those words all include unspoken assumptions that legitimizes them. Instead I would say the Dark God, Lord of the Underworld, or the Horned God. In indigenous belief there are withering, deathly forces, but used wisely, these can be used to shape out-of-control life forces (like cancer) or stop an undesirable behavior. Night is not evil, dark is not evil, the Underworld is not evil, it’s just different. So when Tarnowska uses these terms I have to keep translating it in my head, which I find tiring. However, I have no problem with the “sign of the cross” because I believe the reason Christianity took the cross as a holy symbol is because the equal-armed cross was already a Pagan protective symbol for untold ages before! Just think about it.. X is a banning symbol too.
I love that Tarnowska emphasizes that the emotional force behind a spell can be more powerful than an old spell (but of course, the old spell has the weight of tradition behind it.). I like her idea of speaking the spell in English but also writing down the spell in the original language. I hadn’t thought of doing that and it will probably become part of my practice. 😊
There’s an absolutely darling greeting to the Morning Sun that I love. A great summary of cleansing and protective magic. So yeah, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Tarnawska focuses on practices that are probably about 1,000 years old but going back about 2,000 to 3,000 years, so she records spells that can have a patriarchal or Christian bent, because that’s how they have evolved in Poland. For spells she records the English translation but also gives the original in Polish. ❤️
She also includes curses. (My caveat on that is always… just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The point of being a Wise One is to be wise about your choices. I’m not talking about the “Rule of Three” here, but rather, that in focusing on harm and hate disconnects you from others and it can cause more harm to yourself. Who wants to hang out with someone who is always bitter, complaining and focusing on the bad stuff in their lives?!) Although the author does have a good point that this is sometimes the last resort of those without societal power.
While Tarnawska mentions that the witch trials are one of the best sources of witch lore, I disagree. Much of what was recorded in them was sensationalized and it was people giving the Christian torturers what they wanted to hear. I think the BEST source of folk magic is plant lore and fairy tales.
I try to avoid falling into the trap of legitimizing Christianity’s beliefs that warped our indigenous practices. So I prefer to avoid talking about “the Devil,” evil or demons because those words all include unspoken assumptions that legitimizes them. Instead I would say the Dark God, Lord of the Underworld, or the Horned God. In indigenous belief there are withering, deathly forces, but used wisely, these can be used to shape out-of-control life forces (like cancer) or stop an undesirable behavior. Night is not evil, dark is not evil, the Underworld is not evil, it’s just different. So when Tarnowska uses these terms I have to keep translating it in my head, which I find tiring. However, I have no problem with the “sign of the cross” because I believe the reason Christianity took the cross as a holy symbol is because the equal-armed cross was already a Pagan protective symbol for untold ages before! Just think about it.. X is a banning symbol too.
I love that Tarnowska emphasizes that the emotional force behind a spell can be more powerful than an old spell (but of course, the old spell has the weight of tradition behind it.). I like her idea of speaking the spell in English but also writing down the spell in the original language. I hadn’t thought of doing that and it will probably become part of my practice. 😊
There’s an absolutely darling greeting to the Morning Sun that I love. A great summary of cleansing and protective magic. So yeah, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
February 25, 2026
My mom is 100% Polish and my dad is 50% Polish, so I grew up surrounded by relatives that were proud of their Polish heritage. I'm also interested in the occult, so when I saw this book, I thought it would be a great way to learn more about my ancestors. This books provides a broad overview of Polish folklore and how it was eventually absorbed into Christianity. As an entry point into Polish folklore and customs, I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it quite informative.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews