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Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods Goddesses
Enter the World of Spirits!
The Encyclopedia of Spirits is a comprehensive and entertaining A to Z of spirits from around this world and the next. Within these pages meet love goddesses and disease demons, guardians of children and guardians of cadavers. Discover Celtic goddesses and goddesses of the Kabbalah, female Buddhas, African Powers, Dragon Ladies, White Ladies, Black Madonnas, the Green Man, the Green Fairy, lots and lots of ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies, and more. From the beneficent to the mischievous, working with these spirits can bring good fortune, lasting love, health, fertility, revenge, and relief. Discover:
The true identities of over one thousand spirits (as well as their likes and dislikes)
How to communicate with specific spirits for your own benefit
How to recognize these spirits when they manifest themselves
The mythological and historical events associated with specific spirits
The colors, days, numbers, and astrological signs associated with specific spirits
The Encyclopedia of Spirits also provides an overview of the role of spirit communication throughout history and a general guide to working with spirits. No matter what your life's problems or desires, this book can guide you to the right spirits who can help fulfill your dreams. For the spiritual adept, the amateur, or the simply curious, the Encyclopedia of Spirits will inform, inspire, and delight.
The Encyclopedia of Spirits is a comprehensive and entertaining A to Z of spirits from around this world and the next. Within these pages meet love goddesses and disease demons, guardians of children and guardians of cadavers. Discover Celtic goddesses and goddesses of the Kabbalah, female Buddhas, African Powers, Dragon Ladies, White Ladies, Black Madonnas, the Green Man, the Green Fairy, lots and lots of ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies, and more. From the beneficent to the mischievous, working with these spirits can bring good fortune, lasting love, health, fertility, revenge, and relief. Discover:
The true identities of over one thousand spirits (as well as their likes and dislikes)
How to communicate with specific spirits for your own benefit
How to recognize these spirits when they manifest themselves
The mythological and historical events associated with specific spirits
The colors, days, numbers, and astrological signs associated with specific spirits
The Encyclopedia of Spirits also provides an overview of the role of spirit communication throughout history and a general guide to working with spirits. No matter what your life's problems or desires, this book can guide you to the right spirits who can help fulfill your dreams. For the spiritual adept, the amateur, or the simply curious, the Encyclopedia of Spirits will inform, inspire, and delight.
1072 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2008
1363 people are currently reading
4619 people want to read
About the author
Judika Illes
48 books363 followers Born in New York City, my metaphysical career began early: My first encounter with tarot cards at age six was also my first experience of love at first sight! That passion still burns true. Although I do practice other forms of divination, tarot remains the foundation of my practice.
A lifelong pursuit of metaphysical wisdom followed and continues: astrology, mythology, Kabbalah, the Egyptian mysteries as well as spiritual, magical and healing traditions from all over Earth but particularly Africa and Asia.
I've also been a blues and free-form rock and roll disc jockey, a corporate travel consultant specializing in the Caribbean, a skin-care and cosmetics consultant, and a teacher of mythology and multicultural studies. I wrote and edited the Ancient Beauty Secrets section for the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism's monthly online magazine, which integrated modern aromatherapy with ancient methods of body care and decoration.
True love's arrows pierced my heart yet again when I first encountered a vial of essential oil. (Essential oil of frankincense, to be exact, still a favorite.) Essential oils are not true oils but potent plant extracts. Modern aromatherapy, with its roots stretching back to ancient China, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Middle East, is the manipulation of essential oils for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Essential oils are perhaps the purest, most potent expression of a plant's power and play a profound role in rituals, potions and spells. Many are powerful aphrodisiacs and may be used to enhance health, beauty and peace of mind.
Following over a decade of independent study, I earned a certificate in therapeutic aromatherapy. I served on the faculty of the Australasian College of Herbal Studies as an aromatherapy tutor, teaching the certification program.
My special passion for almost fifteen years has been magical and traditional approaches to fertility. Originally stimulated by own reproductive challenges, I was frustrated by the medical options offered to me. I went searching for other avenues, gentle Earth and female-friendly solutions and found them: a vast repository of women's wisdom. Two children and many years later, I still search and research, impressed and empowered by thousands of years of women's inventiveness, endurance, defiance and humor.
A lifelong pursuit of metaphysical wisdom followed and continues: astrology, mythology, Kabbalah, the Egyptian mysteries as well as spiritual, magical and healing traditions from all over Earth but particularly Africa and Asia.
I've also been a blues and free-form rock and roll disc jockey, a corporate travel consultant specializing in the Caribbean, a skin-care and cosmetics consultant, and a teacher of mythology and multicultural studies. I wrote and edited the Ancient Beauty Secrets section for the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism's monthly online magazine, which integrated modern aromatherapy with ancient methods of body care and decoration.
True love's arrows pierced my heart yet again when I first encountered a vial of essential oil. (Essential oil of frankincense, to be exact, still a favorite.) Essential oils are not true oils but potent plant extracts. Modern aromatherapy, with its roots stretching back to ancient China, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Middle East, is the manipulation of essential oils for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Essential oils are perhaps the purest, most potent expression of a plant's power and play a profound role in rituals, potions and spells. Many are powerful aphrodisiacs and may be used to enhance health, beauty and peace of mind.
Following over a decade of independent study, I earned a certificate in therapeutic aromatherapy. I served on the faculty of the Australasian College of Herbal Studies as an aromatherapy tutor, teaching the certification program.
My special passion for almost fifteen years has been magical and traditional approaches to fertility. Originally stimulated by own reproductive challenges, I was frustrated by the medical options offered to me. I went searching for other avenues, gentle Earth and female-friendly solutions and found them: a vast repository of women's wisdom. Two children and many years later, I still search and research, impressed and empowered by thousands of years of women's inventiveness, endurance, defiance and humor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
January 2, 2021
So I’ll start by saying I haven’t read this in it’s entirety yet. There seems to be a lot of great info, but also a lot of things I consider to be actually quite dangerous. The author makes it seem that any and all spirits are up for spiritual grabs, that spirits are basically benevolent no matter what, and that simply is not the case. I’m particularly alarmed by the repeated examples in the introduction of summoning/working with Voodou entities like Baron Samedi and Papa Legba. Under NO circumstances should you summon these entities unless you are a Voodou practitioner. It’s not that they are malevolent, but they are essentially from closed practices and unless you are initiated into their ways and lore it can be dangerous to open yourself up to them. The New Agey belief that all spirits are good spirits/benevolent/up for grabs by anyone is a dangerous one.
September 4, 2025
Almost ten years after reading this book and being older and wiser, I've changed my review. I still don't think this book is perfect. It's missing certain entries. But it's an encyclopedia, which should be the starting point of your research and not the end. I still think it's one of the most complete reference books out there of its kind. A lot of folks are concerned about cultural appropriation and I agree that this is something to be aware of. However this is not a book encouraging you to work with anything listed in its contents and encyclopedias rarely introduce you to the nuances of a topic, especially when it's not regularly updated with new editions.
If you have an established practice, you probably don't need this book. But if you are a mythology buff or just want a resource that gives you an idea of what's out there beyond common mythology and folklore, this is a solid edition to your shelf.
If you have an established practice, you probably don't need this book. But if you are a mythology buff or just want a resource that gives you an idea of what's out there beyond common mythology and folklore, this is a solid edition to your shelf.
March 16, 2021
Detailed and definitely inclusive!
I've seen reviews stating that this book paints all spirits out as a free for all, all benevolent, etc. If you read the whole book (and not just the spirit names), it's spelled out very clearly that some spirits are in fact not "Benevolent". While I honestly can't remember if the author has a disclaimer about "closed practices", she does note which cultures each deity comes from. I hope that the rest of the metaphysical community is putting enough emphasis on the importance of respecting closed practices that readers that are new to this stuff would have an idea of what's appropriate and what's not. I do recall that some deities were noted to only respond to their own people/those whose ancestors would have worshipped this deity or come from the deity's homelands.
I found this encyclopedia was easy to use, despite a few formatting errors/typos. I personally deal with the Celtic pantheon and do my best (with the limited information we have) to practice as similarly as reasonable to the ancient celts that are my ancestors. It was very easy for me to keep track of the deities that are relevant to this pantheon. Some stem from Ireland, specifically. Others are used extensively throughout the Celtic empire (which spanned quite a few people). Still, others popped up from other communities from within the Celtic empire. It was really easy for me to tell who was from where.
New Witches: This book is not one I would recommend you read the first week of exploring witchcraft because I don't recommend dealing with spirits until you've got a firm grip on cleansing, protecting, and banishing. However, for those who have a wee bit of experience with those things, I do think this is helpful as a starting place to including spirits in your practice in various ways. Just remember not to involve yourself with spirits from closed practices (if you don't know what those are, it's a simple google search away).
Non-Magick Practicing Pagans: For you who are simply worshippers of gods, this can be a great resource in learning more about the pantheon you currently subscribe to as well as seeing as how they fit into the worldwide picture. It's wonderful to see how other cultures have spirits that function similarly to mine (this has actually been a valuable tool for me as I've endeavored to de-colonize myself) as well as learn about the spiritual beings who are completely foreign to the concepts found in the cultures that have made me who I am today.
General Spirit Nerds: For those of you just looking to learn about spirits across different cultures without the intent of worshipping them or incorporating them into any sort of spiritual practice, this will also be an enjoyable resource for you simply due to its volume of cultures and spirits.
Back to the practitioners, another note: For every area of practice, you should absolutely be cross-referencing and using multiple resources to learn. Always. The more resources you have, the better! Please do not end your study of spiritual beings here! As great as this is, it's crazy to stop at one resource for this subject.
I've seen reviews stating that this book paints all spirits out as a free for all, all benevolent, etc. If you read the whole book (and not just the spirit names), it's spelled out very clearly that some spirits are in fact not "Benevolent". While I honestly can't remember if the author has a disclaimer about "closed practices", she does note which cultures each deity comes from. I hope that the rest of the metaphysical community is putting enough emphasis on the importance of respecting closed practices that readers that are new to this stuff would have an idea of what's appropriate and what's not. I do recall that some deities were noted to only respond to their own people/those whose ancestors would have worshipped this deity or come from the deity's homelands.
I found this encyclopedia was easy to use, despite a few formatting errors/typos. I personally deal with the Celtic pantheon and do my best (with the limited information we have) to practice as similarly as reasonable to the ancient celts that are my ancestors. It was very easy for me to keep track of the deities that are relevant to this pantheon. Some stem from Ireland, specifically. Others are used extensively throughout the Celtic empire (which spanned quite a few people). Still, others popped up from other communities from within the Celtic empire. It was really easy for me to tell who was from where.
New Witches: This book is not one I would recommend you read the first week of exploring witchcraft because I don't recommend dealing with spirits until you've got a firm grip on cleansing, protecting, and banishing. However, for those who have a wee bit of experience with those things, I do think this is helpful as a starting place to including spirits in your practice in various ways. Just remember not to involve yourself with spirits from closed practices (if you don't know what those are, it's a simple google search away).
Non-Magick Practicing Pagans: For you who are simply worshippers of gods, this can be a great resource in learning more about the pantheon you currently subscribe to as well as seeing as how they fit into the worldwide picture. It's wonderful to see how other cultures have spirits that function similarly to mine (this has actually been a valuable tool for me as I've endeavored to de-colonize myself) as well as learn about the spiritual beings who are completely foreign to the concepts found in the cultures that have made me who I am today.
General Spirit Nerds: For those of you just looking to learn about spirits across different cultures without the intent of worshipping them or incorporating them into any sort of spiritual practice, this will also be an enjoyable resource for you simply due to its volume of cultures and spirits.
Back to the practitioners, another note: For every area of practice, you should absolutely be cross-referencing and using multiple resources to learn. Always. The more resources you have, the better! Please do not end your study of spiritual beings here! As great as this is, it's crazy to stop at one resource for this subject.
October 11, 2011
I first bought this book while looking for Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia and being unable to find it, I bought the closest thing to it. I'm glad I did, because the two books fill a very different niche.
The first half of the book is dedicated to mostly Wiccan things, so folklorists be warned. Ironically, I don't feel that the actual encyclopedia part of the book really supports the Wiccan part because summoning information and the like is only included with major gods and goddesses, information that you can really find anywhere.
That said, the actual information is great and very well-researched. There are some entities in here that I have not found much information about elsewhere, so I definitely recommend it.
The first half of the book is dedicated to mostly Wiccan things, so folklorists be warned. Ironically, I don't feel that the actual encyclopedia part of the book really supports the Wiccan part because summoning information and the like is only included with major gods and goddesses, information that you can really find anywhere.
That said, the actual information is great and very well-researched. There are some entities in here that I have not found much information about elsewhere, so I definitely recommend it.
April 2, 2020
This is incredibly useful book. While I've heard some reviews that say there is a lack of information on some spirits, I would argue, that the point of this book is not to go in great depths, as one could write a separate book for every spirit in there. The point of this encyclopedia is to help you find some basic information about many spirits. I personally know many of these spirits and use this book to refresh my memory, especially when writing on certain topics. It is an excellent book, covering many spirits and I would definitely recommend it to everyone interested in magic, witchcraft and the occult.
August 12, 2021
this book is extremely in depth and amazingly researched in its information. i highly recommend to anyone and everyone who are interested in spirits and other dimensional beings even in the slightest. it’s also a great starting point for people to learn more about beings they may want to form relationships with in the witch-ical workings.
although this book is great, it is not the be-all and end-all of magickal beings, so please do more research before diving into working with these spirits
although this book is great, it is not the be-all and end-all of magickal beings, so please do more research before diving into working with these spirits
February 20, 2011
I LOVE this resource! It has never let me down when I'm looking for information on any historical/mythological entity.
I now have this book in both the physical form and on my Nook because I find it so valuable.
I now have this book in both the physical form and on my Nook because I find it so valuable.
April 11, 2021
This is a good book to have a quick start on entities and identifying, it is best to go into more details and cross reference about the entities since the book is a bit old and should always be fact checked
April 5, 2025
from God & Goddesses, to ghost & demons, to Fairies & Genies! from Aphrodite to Hades. from Beelzebub to Lilith. each one has its own identification, classification, origin and offerings. full of information and a must have for homes!
February 19, 2022
I read through the contents of the book but flipped past the lists.
The book started with a long-winded explanation of spirits and how they are embroiled in human culture. It was unnecessarily long and peppered with too many examples even for the spiritually obtuse, who would already have deduced the prevalence of spirits in our culture without having to be droned on and on.
The content after was more delectable where the author debunk popular misconceptions and also took care in explaining how to care for and communicate with spirits. There is a whole bunch of really good information and it was eye opening.
Fast forward to the list itself, which considerably took up I think maybe 70% of the book yet is still not a good representation of otherworldly beings. Granted that there are an astronomical number of them in existence and it will be a futile attempt to cover all, however the encyclopaedia did indeed left out quite a handful.
One example. Loki, Thor, and a number of the Asgardians were in the list. But what about Fenrir? The Einherjar?
I am disheartened to see that creatures are also majorly left out from the book. What about Gargoyles, Phoenixes, Pegasus. Mythical creatures? The book seem to focus mainly on immortals. I won’t go into the debate on whether to call them spirits or immortals because to each their own definition and I respect that. However I do feel that the lists mainly covers humanoid beings or beings who were once human.
Perhaps it is also my fault that I expected too much from this book. Finally, I want to end by saying even though I wasn’t as excited as I was before I started the book, I still appreciate the knowledge that I’ve gleaned.
The book started with a long-winded explanation of spirits and how they are embroiled in human culture. It was unnecessarily long and peppered with too many examples even for the spiritually obtuse, who would already have deduced the prevalence of spirits in our culture without having to be droned on and on.
The content after was more delectable where the author debunk popular misconceptions and also took care in explaining how to care for and communicate with spirits. There is a whole bunch of really good information and it was eye opening.
Fast forward to the list itself, which considerably took up I think maybe 70% of the book yet is still not a good representation of otherworldly beings. Granted that there are an astronomical number of them in existence and it will be a futile attempt to cover all, however the encyclopaedia did indeed left out quite a handful.
One example. Loki, Thor, and a number of the Asgardians were in the list. But what about Fenrir? The Einherjar?
I am disheartened to see that creatures are also majorly left out from the book. What about Gargoyles, Phoenixes, Pegasus. Mythical creatures? The book seem to focus mainly on immortals. I won’t go into the debate on whether to call them spirits or immortals because to each their own definition and I respect that. However I do feel that the lists mainly covers humanoid beings or beings who were once human.
Perhaps it is also my fault that I expected too much from this book. Finally, I want to end by saying even though I wasn’t as excited as I was before I started the book, I still appreciate the knowledge that I’ve gleaned.
September 3, 2021
I ordered this book on a recommendation. I haven't read it, I've done a shallow dive, happy to see some favorites. First up, this is an extensive and thick volume. I had in mind that it would be a nice reference book, and oh, yes, it certainly is! What I wasn't expecting is that it is for spiritual practice, not just a list of entities. Entities are introduced as potential spirit guides/helpers. I've seen a few other comments that suggest that you can't just say Oh, well that one sounds good, I think I'll ask that one into my life to help me. More research is necessary as some of these entities are powerful and not to be messed with lightly. I totally agree! Gorgeous book. Exhaustive material. Amazing. Was hoping to be able to contact the author with a question. As with saints, there are entities related to a vocation or issue, like a patron saint for farmers, doctors, veterinarians, or saints for the deaf, for ease of childbirth, for mental anguish. I looked, did not see ONE for authors/writers/journalists/publishers. :(
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October 18, 2024The Encyclopedia of Spirits
I’d never really thought about spirits before. I mean sure I LOVE October with all it’s witches and ghosts and goblins in tv shows and movies. But then an odd thing happened that made me a believer and then I read this book and so many things clicked. So, if you have an open mind this will be a very unique review. Yes, I’ve come to believe a sprit (a very good, kind, spirit) attached itself to me. Usually a statement like this would be meet with raised eyebrows and I can hear some people thinking “Uh YEEEAH.” It’s ok. I’m not offended. It’s not something I voice. My family would definitely think I’d lost it. But then I’ve always thought a little differently than most. I also went into this a little bit in another review I did for a book called “The Hand I Fan With”.
In life there’s often a mix of good and bad, but for the longest time in my life (and I still struggle with this) there seemed to be more bad than good. It seemed like the things I wanted the most (and tried for) such as love and finding (and keeping) a steady job just failed on me time after time after time. Then the health problems just kept coming and coming and coming. I was brought up in a very Christian household. My mother believed in going to Sunday service every Sunday and Sunday school. So I identified myself as Christian. By no means was I perfect, but I tried. I did the things I thought a Christian person should do. I wasn’t driving so I attended service faithfully online. I also attened bible study. I read the bible and I tried to tithe when I could.
But sometimes when you believe in something and you pray about it after a while when you see it’s just not gonna happen and it falls on deaf ears you lose faith. And this isn’t just for ONE thing because I realize now that some of things we ask for just aren’t meant for us to have. But try telling that to someone in their thirties who has their heart set on something and their doing the things they think they should be doing “the right way”. So for a while I lost faith and I really didn’t believe in anything. What I had to see was that what “apeaks” to the people cloest to you might not “speak” to you. Sometimes something else completely different might be the path your meant to take it. At this point in my life I just did’t feel “heard” by the source of my family’s praise and mainly the praise of my rac in gereal. . But I wasn’t being given up on. I just couldn’t *see* it.
In 2020 I was working for an online company called J-Lodge. What I did was listen to people call a internet company and grade them on their customer service. I was one of those people that monitored the call for quality assurance. It was the first job I’d had in a while because when I tried to work jobs I don’t know what it was but I’d find myself very sick. It was the oddest thing as soon as I’d get a new job its like my body would be like “UH NOOOO! But it didn’t seem to object me working from home. So I stayed on that job for two years (the longest to date). Then one random day my whole department was called in and we were all “let go”.
After this I was kind of at a point where I just didn’t know anymore. I didn’t have a plan. I knew that there were things I was good at, but I didn’t know what in the world to do with those. I don’t think people hire you for reading a ton of books in a year. I tried some data entry online places (half heartedly) but didn’t get a response. I’d heard of paid reviewers but shifting through the ones that weren’t legit to find a decent one felt like a road I’d tried to go down before to no avail. So one day out no where I was thinking what *would* you do if you could do anything. And the answer came to me And I begin to create this amazing place. I wrote it all down. But sometimes amazing ideas are just that when you don’t know and don’t have the money to make them a reality. So they just sit. Because the idea was SO BIG and I couldn’t do anything with it, I kinda tried to just put it out of my mind. Only it wasn’t done with me and *THIS* is when I realized that it wasn’t just ME.
The same something that put that idea in my head put another one in my head. It was like it said “Ok if that’s too big, let’s break this down. You can’t do *that* but you CAN do this. But sometimes even when we’re given a plan and it’s handed to us we tend to fear it. Because I feared it I didn’t do anything with it for a minute. But then proving a point to a friend prompted me to start and as I did more and more I realized that this could *NOT* be all me. I’m a pretty good writer but the way all the ideas were coming at me (sometimes at such a fast rate that when I tried to sleep I had to hop up and get something to write the ideas down wwith past midnight) and the ideas kept coming and kept coming (as soon as I’d put my tablet down). This is when I really SAW IT. This is how my spirit introduced itself to me.
Then when I recognized what it was, I started to “speak” with it. I started to ask it for guidance. I started to come to it for other things other than just leading me in the plan it had given me. I started to ask that it be with me through difficlut doctor’s visits and do u know what? IT LISTENED and most importantly it gave me INSTANT RESPONSES. And *that* was something I was NOT use to. It started to put solutions right in front of me that I probably had been searching for (for) years. So when I read this book, I really wanted to find out who this spirit was. I read the whole thing from A to Z but sadly nothing connected in any of the descriptions I read. There were small things but nothing that just set up sirens. So I ended up giving my spirit my own name.
There was so much in just the introduction, that I could relate to -moreso than reading though all the information about the spirits-. The introduction alone I felt could have been a book. These are some of the things I found to be true when having a personal relationship with a spirit.
-Solutions to problems just seem to pop into your head. (ex: My ATV all of a sudden just went to black screen. After reading solutions they can the same steps, all of a sudden a thought came to me. It wasn’t on the right “slot”. This fixed the issue).
-They usually pick you.
-They may use illnesses to get your attention so you will reach out to them. They may do this from love. They know no other more graceful, less painful way of making their desires known. The disease is their method of communication (This really made me look at all the times on and off I’ve been sick from a different perspective. It was kind of like a “aha” moment). Since I’ve opened my heart and mind to receiving my spirit my health has slowly seen improvements.
-You may speak to spitirs outloud or silently. They can hear you either way.
-Be mindful of random thoughts that might just pop in you head. (It might be your spirit communicating with you).
I didn’t get as much out of the encyclopedia section as I hoped I would. Not that the information wasn’t all very informative. It just didn’t help me identity my spirit-which partly was why I was reading this-. I was trying to find something that would spark something and I’d say YES! THAT’S THE ON! Didn’t happen and I think it took me about two years to complete this book. Still, it’s an excellent reference book. Should I ever need to know -or use- anything on a particular spirit, this book will be the first one I turn too.
Rating: 8 It did teach me A LOT! It just didn’t teach me what I sought it out for. Still an amazing reference book! I kind of wished it was illustrated to enhance it.
I’d never really thought about spirits before. I mean sure I LOVE October with all it’s witches and ghosts and goblins in tv shows and movies. But then an odd thing happened that made me a believer and then I read this book and so many things clicked. So, if you have an open mind this will be a very unique review. Yes, I’ve come to believe a sprit (a very good, kind, spirit) attached itself to me. Usually a statement like this would be meet with raised eyebrows and I can hear some people thinking “Uh YEEEAH.” It’s ok. I’m not offended. It’s not something I voice. My family would definitely think I’d lost it. But then I’ve always thought a little differently than most. I also went into this a little bit in another review I did for a book called “The Hand I Fan With”.
In life there’s often a mix of good and bad, but for the longest time in my life (and I still struggle with this) there seemed to be more bad than good. It seemed like the things I wanted the most (and tried for) such as love and finding (and keeping) a steady job just failed on me time after time after time. Then the health problems just kept coming and coming and coming. I was brought up in a very Christian household. My mother believed in going to Sunday service every Sunday and Sunday school. So I identified myself as Christian. By no means was I perfect, but I tried. I did the things I thought a Christian person should do. I wasn’t driving so I attended service faithfully online. I also attened bible study. I read the bible and I tried to tithe when I could.
But sometimes when you believe in something and you pray about it after a while when you see it’s just not gonna happen and it falls on deaf ears you lose faith. And this isn’t just for ONE thing because I realize now that some of things we ask for just aren’t meant for us to have. But try telling that to someone in their thirties who has their heart set on something and their doing the things they think they should be doing “the right way”. So for a while I lost faith and I really didn’t believe in anything. What I had to see was that what “apeaks” to the people cloest to you might not “speak” to you. Sometimes something else completely different might be the path your meant to take it. At this point in my life I just did’t feel “heard” by the source of my family’s praise and mainly the praise of my rac in gereal. . But I wasn’t being given up on. I just couldn’t *see* it.
In 2020 I was working for an online company called J-Lodge. What I did was listen to people call a internet company and grade them on their customer service. I was one of those people that monitored the call for quality assurance. It was the first job I’d had in a while because when I tried to work jobs I don’t know what it was but I’d find myself very sick. It was the oddest thing as soon as I’d get a new job its like my body would be like “UH NOOOO! But it didn’t seem to object me working from home. So I stayed on that job for two years (the longest to date). Then one random day my whole department was called in and we were all “let go”.
After this I was kind of at a point where I just didn’t know anymore. I didn’t have a plan. I knew that there were things I was good at, but I didn’t know what in the world to do with those. I don’t think people hire you for reading a ton of books in a year. I tried some data entry online places (half heartedly) but didn’t get a response. I’d heard of paid reviewers but shifting through the ones that weren’t legit to find a decent one felt like a road I’d tried to go down before to no avail. So one day out no where I was thinking what *would* you do if you could do anything. And the answer came to me And I begin to create this amazing place. I wrote it all down. But sometimes amazing ideas are just that when you don’t know and don’t have the money to make them a reality. So they just sit. Because the idea was SO BIG and I couldn’t do anything with it, I kinda tried to just put it out of my mind. Only it wasn’t done with me and *THIS* is when I realized that it wasn’t just ME.
The same something that put that idea in my head put another one in my head. It was like it said “Ok if that’s too big, let’s break this down. You can’t do *that* but you CAN do this. But sometimes even when we’re given a plan and it’s handed to us we tend to fear it. Because I feared it I didn’t do anything with it for a minute. But then proving a point to a friend prompted me to start and as I did more and more I realized that this could *NOT* be all me. I’m a pretty good writer but the way all the ideas were coming at me (sometimes at such a fast rate that when I tried to sleep I had to hop up and get something to write the ideas down wwith past midnight) and the ideas kept coming and kept coming (as soon as I’d put my tablet down). This is when I really SAW IT. This is how my spirit introduced itself to me.
Then when I recognized what it was, I started to “speak” with it. I started to ask it for guidance. I started to come to it for other things other than just leading me in the plan it had given me. I started to ask that it be with me through difficlut doctor’s visits and do u know what? IT LISTENED and most importantly it gave me INSTANT RESPONSES. And *that* was something I was NOT use to. It started to put solutions right in front of me that I probably had been searching for (for) years. So when I read this book, I really wanted to find out who this spirit was. I read the whole thing from A to Z but sadly nothing connected in any of the descriptions I read. There were small things but nothing that just set up sirens. So I ended up giving my spirit my own name.
There was so much in just the introduction, that I could relate to -moreso than reading though all the information about the spirits-. The introduction alone I felt could have been a book. These are some of the things I found to be true when having a personal relationship with a spirit.
-Solutions to problems just seem to pop into your head. (ex: My ATV all of a sudden just went to black screen. After reading solutions they can the same steps, all of a sudden a thought came to me. It wasn’t on the right “slot”. This fixed the issue).
-They usually pick you.
-They may use illnesses to get your attention so you will reach out to them. They may do this from love. They know no other more graceful, less painful way of making their desires known. The disease is their method of communication (This really made me look at all the times on and off I’ve been sick from a different perspective. It was kind of like a “aha” moment). Since I’ve opened my heart and mind to receiving my spirit my health has slowly seen improvements.
-You may speak to spitirs outloud or silently. They can hear you either way.
-Be mindful of random thoughts that might just pop in you head. (It might be your spirit communicating with you).
I didn’t get as much out of the encyclopedia section as I hoped I would. Not that the information wasn’t all very informative. It just didn’t help me identity my spirit-which partly was why I was reading this-. I was trying to find something that would spark something and I’d say YES! THAT’S THE ON! Didn’t happen and I think it took me about two years to complete this book. Still, it’s an excellent reference book. Should I ever need to know -or use- anything on a particular spirit, this book will be the first one I turn too.
Rating: 8 It did teach me A LOT! It just didn’t teach me what I sought it out for. Still an amazing reference book! I kind of wished it was illustrated to enhance it.
July 8, 2019
More than reading it I consulted this, because as the title says it's an encyclopedia. It's interesting to see the connection between spirits in different cultures, I believe most dieties are interpretations of more ancient ones, but I'm not too interested in exploring all those cultures so I tend to only read those I'm already interested in and closer with.
I would have liked to see the spirits categorized per culture or qualities instead of just a list in alphabetical order. Sometimes I wish this was a webpage with a search function, searching on a kindle isn't always accurate and impossible if you own a printed copy, if you're looking for a specific type of spirit you still need to browse through the whole thing.
I would have liked to see the spirits categorized per culture or qualities instead of just a list in alphabetical order. Sometimes I wish this was a webpage with a search function, searching on a kindle isn't always accurate and impossible if you own a printed copy, if you're looking for a specific type of spirit you still need to browse through the whole thing.
January 29, 2015
SAVE YOURSELVES.
The majority of the information in this book can be found elsewhere. It is not worth reading, if only for the horrible organization and unnecessary crap (there's an actual thing about how to summon Hades).
If you want to search for Roman Gods or Goddesses, first of all, the whole alphabet is lumped together, which...WHY? But also, the author is incredibly inconsistent in her labeling. Some Gods are considered to have "Origin: Rome" and some have "Origin: Roman" which pisses me off as there is no difference between the two. If you're looking for Irish folklore, be prepared to also search for Ireland/Celtic/Welsh and so on and so forth.
*shrieks in anger*
The majority of the information in this book can be found elsewhere. It is not worth reading, if only for the horrible organization and unnecessary crap (there's an actual thing about how to summon Hades).
If you want to search for Roman Gods or Goddesses, first of all, the whole alphabet is lumped together, which...WHY? But also, the author is incredibly inconsistent in her labeling. Some Gods are considered to have "Origin: Rome" and some have "Origin: Roman" which pisses me off as there is no difference between the two. If you're looking for Irish folklore, be prepared to also search for Ireland/Celtic/Welsh and so on and so forth.
*shrieks in anger*
February 13, 2020
I absolutely love this massive tome of information! I was curious about how Judika knows all of this information and so I did a very brief cross reference. I was pleased to find that her sources and research are based off many different avenues like cultural scholarly resources, ancient texts, and religious reference, just to name a few. I wanted to know for sure that I could put some trust in what I was reading, and not just just be observing someone's long-winded attempt to impress beginners who have no idea what they're looking at. I love Judikas book, and I can't wait to add more of her work to my little esoteric library.
August 7, 2023
I thought this book would just be a one place you read about many different myths. And in some sense it is.
This book is definitely a new age magic/witchy book. Talking about communicating with spirits and how spirits is a religion. If you’re into that, you’ll probably like this book. That’s not the only reason why I didn’t like this book.
I didn’t like that it had no pictures. The descriptions were very short. It was in alphabetical order rather than by region of the world or timeline.
I just didn’t like the set up and display of this book. I’m sure there’s some good stories in there but it’s not appealing enough or organized well to keep my interest.
This book is definitely a new age magic/witchy book. Talking about communicating with spirits and how spirits is a religion. If you’re into that, you’ll probably like this book. That’s not the only reason why I didn’t like this book.
I didn’t like that it had no pictures. The descriptions were very short. It was in alphabetical order rather than by region of the world or timeline.
I just didn’t like the set up and display of this book. I’m sure there’s some good stories in there but it’s not appealing enough or organized well to keep my interest.
June 12, 2019
A very thick volume, with much interesting information. I enjoyed the authorial voice much of the time, and particularly appreciated that many versions of popular myths are recounted here, rather than focusing on singular, well-known versions. However, I found that the lack of consistency in entry format was irritating and, as usual for this kind of book, I found that the subject matter was not comprehensive enough in terms of geography or culture. But all in all, I enjoyed piecing my way through this for the last few weeks!
January 31, 2017
This book is a wealth of obscure information that is both intriguing and enlightening. It's a substantial about of information and Judika Illes definitely put in a lot of time and research into this encyclopedia. I've never regretted this purchase.
August 19, 2021
I would have preferred if it was divided into different pantheons, this way it would have been a lot more useful and I could just read about the spirits I'm interested in.
November 26, 2025
4 Stars – Deeply Detailed and Fascinating, but Definitely a Commitment
Encyclopedia of Spirits is an impressively comprehensive guide that opens the door to a vast world of deities, entities, and supernatural beings from cultures across the globe. Judika Illes packs this book with an incredible amount of detail—from historical context and mythological origins to each spirit’s symbols, preferences, and associations. Whether you’re spiritually curious or already experienced in this realm, there’s a lot here to learn and enjoy.
The range is one of the strongest points: Celtic goddesses, African Powers, Buddhas, ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies—you name it, Illes likely covers it. It’s easy to get pulled into the entries, each one offering a mix of lore and practical insight into how these spirits have been understood and worked with over time.
That said, this is not a quick read. At over 64 hours in audio, it’s a hefty undertaking, and the sheer volume of information can feel overwhelming if you try to move through it too quickly. But if you have the time and interest, it’s absolutely worth the investment.
Overall, this is a rich, meticulously researched resource that’s both entertaining and informative—perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of spiritual traditions around the world.
Encyclopedia of Spirits is an impressively comprehensive guide that opens the door to a vast world of deities, entities, and supernatural beings from cultures across the globe. Judika Illes packs this book with an incredible amount of detail—from historical context and mythological origins to each spirit’s symbols, preferences, and associations. Whether you’re spiritually curious or already experienced in this realm, there’s a lot here to learn and enjoy.
The range is one of the strongest points: Celtic goddesses, African Powers, Buddhas, ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies—you name it, Illes likely covers it. It’s easy to get pulled into the entries, each one offering a mix of lore and practical insight into how these spirits have been understood and worked with over time.
That said, this is not a quick read. At over 64 hours in audio, it’s a hefty undertaking, and the sheer volume of information can feel overwhelming if you try to move through it too quickly. But if you have the time and interest, it’s absolutely worth the investment.
Overall, this is a rich, meticulously researched resource that’s both entertaining and informative—perfect for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of spiritual traditions around the world.
October 16, 2024
I swear to god that I can’t believe I’ve actually finished this book! Maybe the idea of reading an encyclopaedia cover to cover wasn’t my smartest one, but it was a good ride, nonetheless.
The book is very well researched and even though I’ve came to it because of woo, I’ve stayed because of mythology. It’s really magical how much you can learn about history through it. I’m really fascinated and happy for being introduced to so many wonderful stories and can wait to take a deep dive into some news mythologies that I’ve got to known because of this book.
The thing that made it lost one star, however, is this lingering sensation that it can be used as a catalog, like, look, these are the spirits you can work with if you want to get pregnant or anything like it. It feels kinda disrespectful and I know that many traditions depicted in the book needs initiations and stuff like that. But, well, I think a little of common sense is always the best approach to deal with anything, so, maybe don’t intertwine with spirits and traditions you know nothing about???
Anyway. It’s a great book and I made a list of spirits and traditions that I wanna learn more about. I’m very excited about it!
The book is very well researched and even though I’ve came to it because of woo, I’ve stayed because of mythology. It’s really magical how much you can learn about history through it. I’m really fascinated and happy for being introduced to so many wonderful stories and can wait to take a deep dive into some news mythologies that I’ve got to known because of this book.
The thing that made it lost one star, however, is this lingering sensation that it can be used as a catalog, like, look, these are the spirits you can work with if you want to get pregnant or anything like it. It feels kinda disrespectful and I know that many traditions depicted in the book needs initiations and stuff like that. But, well, I think a little of common sense is always the best approach to deal with anything, so, maybe don’t intertwine with spirits and traditions you know nothing about???
Anyway. It’s a great book and I made a list of spirits and traditions that I wanna learn more about. I’m very excited about it!
December 11, 2022
Excellent Encyclopedia
I love this book! It's a good resource that I have enjoyed reading, then looking up different things several times. My favorite part is the Appendix at the end, where you can find a spirit (or many spirits) who can help with just about anything. Bees? Migraines? Werewolves? It's in here.
There's so many deities, spirits, and beings that I had never heard of before! I'm going to be using this resource for so many things and exploring more books listed in the Bibliography.
My only complaint is the presence (Heh) of many typos. There are a lot of instances where there is an unnecessary space inside a word. Weird!
I love this book! It's a good resource that I have enjoyed reading, then looking up different things several times. My favorite part is the Appendix at the end, where you can find a spirit (or many spirits) who can help with just about anything. Bees? Migraines? Werewolves? It's in here.
There's so many deities, spirits, and beings that I had never heard of before! I'm going to be using this resource for so many things and exploring more books listed in the Bibliography.
My only complaint is the presence (Heh) of many typos. There are a lot of instances where there is an unnecessary space inside a word. Weird!
April 19, 2024
I bought this book as a writer to help me find some lesser known spirits to incorporate in my paranormal writings. Unfortunately, it is so unorganized it is not a good reference if you don't already know what you're looking for. Where i understand having them in alphabetical order, I wish they were also sectioned off in the categories of fairies, genies, demons, ghosts, and gods & goddesses. The index is a joke and there is no table of contents. I also wish there were some illustrations, but that has more to do with me being a visual person. Now, if you already know what you're looking for by its specific name, then I can see where this book might come in handy.
July 14, 2022
An extremely comprehensive spirit encyclopedia. It includes aliases, origin, background info, attributes & associated correspondences, offerings, manifestations, realms, etc. The encyclopedic portion shines, but it also has a lengthy introduction including working with spirits and a glossary of terms which is less intriguing. The appendix cross-references specialties. A fine reference book for those interested in the topic.
November 10, 2023
Exactly what it says in the title: an extensive encyclopedia of spirits, mythological creatures, and gods from cultures all over the world.
Great for any witch looking to get a general knowledge on magical entities from around the world, or just anyone looking ot increase their mythological knowledge.
Great for any witch looking to get a general knowledge on magical entities from around the world, or just anyone looking ot increase their mythological knowledge.
February 9, 2021
Um bom resumo com ótimas explicações para os novatos. Apesar de não ser aprendiz, consegui adicionar certos pontos em meu caminho e me serviu muito. Poderia adicionar outros espíritos, a maioria que eu procurei não estava lá.
June 9, 2021
This book is a great primer on spirits and deities. My two critiques are as follows: 1) I was expecting more about non deity spirits from the title and 2) some information here is inaccurate. Great reference just know what you’re getting and double check information in here.
February 10, 2022
Amazing book!
This book is simply amazing and so helpful. It has definitely help me by setting me straight about the reality of spirits and how to interact with them. I highly recommend this book.
This book is simply amazing and so helpful. It has definitely help me by setting me straight about the reality of spirits and how to interact with them. I highly recommend this book.
January 1, 2023
good enough as a jumping off point to research more, narrow down potential spirit contacts. just be sure to double check whether a potential contact is from a closed religious system or not, and do your research.
June 21, 2017
It is over 1,000 pages of detailed information, it is not an easy read and is a little overwhelming, but it is well worth its money. An easy 5 stars.
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