Besom, Stang & Sword: A Guide to Traditional Witchcraft, the Six-Fold Path & the Hidden Landscape

by Christopher Orapello, Tara-Love Maguire

"The book returns the Craft to its primordial forces—animism, baneful plants, folk magic, ecstasy, and hedge-witchery—without gatekeeping, armchair pseudo-academia, or pretension.”—Mat Auryn, author of Psychic Witch

Regional traditional witchcraft is an animistic form of witchcraft that moves away from the religious harvest festivals and fertility-minded practices associated with the more common Wiccan form of witchcraft.

Very few of us in this age are farmers or dependent upon crops and harvests. Regional traditional witchcraft teaches people to find their craft in their own backyards, in the uncultivated land or urban cityscape alike, and in their ancestors rather than in ancient foreign deities or in a neopagan-styled religious form of witchcraft. It's not about where you're from but where you are.

The material in this book is adaptable to any region in which the practitioner lives. Although the lack of deity worship and holy days is a significant part of the authors' nonreligious approach, this book presents a complete system of practice utilizing ritual, chant, trance, the six paths of witchcraft as defined and explained by the text, and the practices associated with traditional witchcraft.

Genres: Witchcraft, Occult, Nonfiction, Paganism, Magick, Magic, Spirituality

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Christopher Orapello is an artist and witch with a background in western occultism, ceremonial magick, and Freemasonry. He is a proud author with Red Wheel/Weiser Books, a signature artist with Sacred Source, and has been on his journey for over 25 years. He currently resides in southern New Jersey and co-hosts the podcast Down at the Crossroads with his partner, Tara-Love Maguire.

Reviews

[ReD]

I'm going to have to think how I want to rate this. There was a lot about this book I really liked. There was a lot about this book that left me lukewarm or ambivalent at best. The parts that I really liked, I really really liked.

The best way I can think to describe it is this: Two people definitely wrote this book.

My full review will be coming soon for Mookychick and I'll edit this once I have it up and ready.

Here's what I liked:

xx This book does read very American. This is a very big plus and part of what I particularly enjoyed. North America does have a distinct "feel" in each region and some of the more traditional correspondences and practices in modern paganism & witchcraft may not exactly apply.

xx I greatly enjoy the set-up and structure of this book. I may be biased as parts of it align with my own practices, but often trying to explain 'witchcraft' to someone and explaining how wearing a wolf pelt and doing trance work is just as an important part as tending a garden and sipping tea. The duality of wild & tame does not fit well into many people's interpretations of witchcraft as fertility based. This removes the fertility component. I love that.

xx The bibliography section at the end of each chapter is wonderful. The lists are short, condensed, and carefully cultivated. While you don't need to be familiar with the works referenced, returning to this book after reading some of the books on the list will deepen your appreciation for why the authors made certain choices with their system.

xx Baneful plants & cultivating relationships with plants! y e s !!!

xx As an American, I am always appreciative to see our local spooks referenced and treated with the same respect as their European Counterparts.

xx I am always pleased to see Hex Signs and Pow-Wow work in here. It is a very American tradition that influences low/field Witchcraft in the Mid-Atlantic Region here in USA and it's disappointingly absent from most "american" witchcraft books (however that may be defined).

xx Something I enjoyed that's likely to be a critique for other folks: the correspondences. Before I spent the time dedicating and orienting myself to North= Earth, East= Air, South = First, West= Water, I used the North= Air, east=fire, south=water, west=earth outlined in this book. I don't know if this is part of growing up in the Mid-Atlantic region but it was something that resonated "true" for me for a long time. People are probably not going to enjoy this. It's something I really did.



Here's what I'm lukewarm on:

xx There is a big distinction between Witchcraft-as-a-secular-craft and Witchcraft-as-a-religion and Wicca-Witchcraft. This book does its best to work as witchcraft-as-a-secular-craft. This was part of what attracted me to the book. However, in trying to toe away from the religious part of things, areas...fall flat. It's like, "well, we're not connecting to divinity but btw, here's a witch King and a Witch Queen to work with." The Witch Queen & King aren't exactly expanded on. Their roles are a little murky.

You do develop a relationship with the aforementioned non-deity figures. Murky is the best way to define these beings-of-liminal spaces. So that part is great.

But uh.

It just feels kind of off in terms of the writing. I really am not entirely sure how to properly express why I'm lukewarm on this yet. I'll have it figured out for the full review.

xx As sort of a sub-part of the above: part of what I enjoy about non-theistic witchcraft is the ability to remove gender from the equation. I like duality, I do, but for some reason having a Witch King initiate me into the work and then later meeting a queen was a bit...ehh. I need to think more about why I feel "off" about this. What doesn't work for me will likely still really benefit a lot of people on their path.

xx I feel like the whole 'connect to your local landscape' thing was talked about but not expanded upon nearly enough.

xx There's a few parts where a tone shift happened that's a bit disorienting. It does come across very obviously as "two people are writing" in a few sections.

xx While the authors openly acknowledge the distance between their path and the wheel of the year, I feel that for a book encouraging you to connect to your local landscape, there was a big distinction between being "part" of the wilderness and going "to" the wilderness.

I like this because it's pretty realistic for many Americans. The witchcraft I find in the Philly suburbs is definitely more "tame" than the witchcraft I'm finding deep in the heart of the Appalachian mountains. The former is decidedly pulled away from seasonal changes. The latter is fully immersed in it. I would have liked to have seen more about connecting to the local landscape beyond the regional object part.


Full review will eventually be coming. I have no idea how to give this a starred rating yet.

[Megan Pate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Full disclaimer: I did not know what was meant by “Traditional Witchcraft” or who Robert Cochrane was before picking up this book.

I’m not even sure where to start with this book. I wanted to like it and tried to come into with an open mind. A non religious witchcraft tradition sounded great and I was excited to read about an American witchcraft tradition. However I have some serious qualms with this book that I may not fully be able to address with this review. To be fair, most of the qualms I have are really with the path laid out originally by Robert Cochrane and heavily relied upon for the formation of the Blacktree Tradition that the authors tried to develop. Cochrane’s Traditional witchcraft appears to be Luciferianism wrapped up in a witchcraft package.

With that out of the way, this book is vague, and when it is not vague it is contradictory. Although there is claim that the tradition is areligious, you are introduced to The Witch King, who seems to be related so closely the the Judeo-Christian devil and an amalgamation of Herne/Cernnunos/Pan/The Horned God that I honestly can’t tell them apart. Within the first chapter you are set to hail this Witch Lord and later to call upon him in all if not almost all your workings. Similarly, there is the Witch Queen, yet she is barely defined and mentioned very little.

Following that is the fact that in the chapter on their Lunar Year they note the racism implicit in lumping together many traditions and tribes into one, and yet throughout the whole book, is this not exactly what they do, lumping Hoodoo, Pennsylvania Dutch, and more into their practice?

The fact that the authors seem to have a certain distaste for any High Magic(k) traditions now isn’t surprising after having learnt about Cochrane. The authors speak as if they are the only authority on which to define witchcraft or many other topics which left me feeling annoyed throughout their book. This isn’t to say that I think High Magic systems (such as Wicca) are above critique or reproach, nor do I think either High or Low Magic are better than the other. The authors’ main problem, however, with High Magic seems to stem from how liturgical and long it takes to conduct any High Magic rites, which seems a bit silly to me.

Last thing I’ll address in this review (although there is so much else) is that in one of their spells (a hot foot spell) taken from Hoodoo, they suggest throwing a glass bottle into running water, such as a stream. I don’t care what you practice or what kind of witch you are, but if you claim to care about the earth and then decide to add to the pollution of the water ways, I cannot condone this.

All in all, I can’t recommend a book for a path that is not only vague (much of which you’ll be encouraged to meditate upon to fill in the holes yourself), contradictory, or outright harmful (many baneful plants are written about in great detail and entheogens are encouraged for ritual toward the end of the book with the caveat to only use those for which you’re comfortable with). Overall, if you are in any way religious or have been practicing witchcraft for quite some time (there is very little new info you’ll find), you may feel frustrated reading this book.

Of the nicer things I can say about the book is that they do site sources at the end of each chapter, and the book was written in a manner that is easy to read. Some of the historical info is of interest, but you can find this info in other books.

[Finnán · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite what I have to say below, this was one of the better guides I've read on practical traditional witchcraft. The book manages to cover a broad swathe of territory while remaining concise, and the authors don't seem to revel in the perceived transgression and associated aesthetics of witchcraft to the same degree that other authors often do.

I do take some issue with the title. 'Besom, Stang & Sword: A Guide to Traditional Witchcraft through the Blacktree Tradition' would have been a more fitting title, as the book was entirely focussed on the authors' own Blacktree tradition. This is not necessarily a bad thing - it was insightful to see how others practice. However, many of the rituals described make no sense within my own practice, and I would then have appreciated some description of the symbolism behind ritual elements. It was a shame that some of the more interesting ideas described within the book (the power of names, not making one's practice beholden to solar cycles) were consigned to a few lines, but then it was evident that it was not the authors' intent to go in depth, rather to provide an introduction. I sort of wish that this was the book I read when I first started practicing, and would definitely recommend it to anyone seeking a starting point for traditional witchcraft. Do bear in mind though that there is no gospel in witchcraft. Take from this book what you will, use from this book what you will.

[✨Bean's Books✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great! A wonderful plethora of information on traditional witchcraft and the lore and history behind it and it's practices.
I didn't care for the book being a little slanted towards a specific tradition but it didn't really hurt the information that is presented in the book. Solitary practitioners and practitioners of other traditions can still gain a lot from the information in this book. Highly recommend.

[Aleister Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's not a lot of traditional witchcraft books out there. As a practitioner, I am going to be biased and say that this book was good overall if you are new to traditional witchcraft.

It is a good introductory and preceding text to those that emphasize more history and structure. There is lots of suggested reading that I thought was very informative and extremely helpful to those new to the path. The spells here are very good. I think introducing the reader into the world of spirit working is probably what a lot of new witches need. This book forces you from casual armchair occultist that reads too much and gets nothing done, to a neophyte thrown right into the sea with this book as your safety raft.

That being said, you do have to eventually get to land and that's where this book drops the ball. Vagueness plagues every chapter, but that's probably a publication and editorial problem; you can't cover everything, I get that. However, I think if you know you're going to be so vague, then cut things out so you can emphasize on more important things. The chapter on the Blacktree lore (that related to the tree of life or whatever. If you wanna use the tree of life, then just use the tree of life) could have been cut down or completely out in favor of talking more about the witch lord or witch queen, both of which should really have their own chapter but are touched on in a few pages.

Which is odd considering that the book wants you to perform a kind of working with these two deities, of which I actually really liked, but was frustrated with the lack of information on them. I had prior experience with the "witch lord" before reading, so doing the ritual was fine for me and I'm glad it was in the beginning, but the historical and social context was lacking greatly. This theme of vagueness also plagues the necromancy chapter, which I highly suggest people research extensively before trying, as screwing up necromancy can be especially disastrous.

Also, I feel as though the author REALLY doesn't like the aspect of regular magical practice "taking too long", as ritual magick is seen as more of a time suck to them is the vibe I'm picking up. Which, let me say now (free unsolicited advice), if you wanna get good at anything, you NEED to put in the time. I would strongly say that half-assing magick is worse than not doing it at all. But whatever, their books their rules. There was a lot of heart put into this book so there's that and I never was quite angry or frustrated, just wanting more.

Overall, it's a good book. It's not perfect but I've never found a book on magick I really liked anyway. New trad-craft readers should give it a go. Ceremonial people, go somewhere else. Wiccans, you'll just be annoyed. Chaotes, it's probably alright. Just take what you need from it and there's no such thing as too much knowledge.

[Alexia ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been following the work of Chris Orapello and Tara Maguire for a long time, through their podcast Down at the Crossroads, and I even support them on Patreon. I love their work, and I was thrilled when I heard they were going to release their book. Although I don't practice Traditional Witchcraft, nor is it my focus on my personal practice, I love to read and learn about other paths and practices, especially when this knowledge comes from sources I trust, like these authors.

This is an excellent book for introducing Traditional Witchcraft and addresses many important topics that we rarely see covered in introductory books such as necromancy, herbalism with poisonous herbs, work with spirits, work without resorting to deities, etc. It is a fantastic book, full of clear information, with proper sources where they are needed and with various exercises for those who want to try or adopt these practices for their daily lives. Something I also loved in the explanation and throughout the book, is the way the authors (something I already knew, but I love to see!) defend the need to adapt our practices to the places where we live. It is a constant theme throughout the book that we should not base our practice on natural rhythms that are not present in our daily lives but yes in the place where we live and that the way to develop a better connection with what we do surrounds, with the spirits and energies of the places where we live, this is to ensure that our practice is aligned with the rhythms of these places, through celebrations, ingredients used, among others. Anyone who knows me and accompanies my work knows how many times I refer to the need to be in connection with the place we work and to see this reflected in a book is so comforting and fantastic!

This is one of the main books that I will recommend within the theme of Traditional Witchcraft and I can't wait to buy it in a physical version and have it on my shelf, so I can use it whenever I need it because it is one of those books that we want to read and read and consult several times. In fact, I believe that every time we read it, we will discover or notice something new that had previously gone unnoticed and I love it.

[Anna Helvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that what Scott Cunningham's book did for Wiccan-based witchcraft all those decades ago, this book will do for non-Wiccan-style witchcraft: put vital magickal tech into people's hands that they can immediately go out and work with. There's a lot of information and practices packed into this book served up in a plain, no-nonsense voice. Orapello and Maguire favor a non-theistic, animist view of witchcraft as a practice, not a religion, and so there isn't any Wheel-of-the-Year mythos or pantheon of deities or culture-specific flavors to this book (i.e., Welsh). Instead, you will find plenty of instruction on how to engage ritually with your local spirits, ancestors, etc.

The authors draw from a variety of influences. The core of their craft incorporates the techniques that were taught by Robert Cochrane, such as laying a compass and treading the mill, and working with a stang. However, both authors have wide experience in other forms of crafting, and so you will see an occasional light touch from ceremonial magick/witchcraft (such as invoking and banishing pentagrams).

Experienced witches will find insights that will help deepen their personal Crafting. I found enough that I plan to read the book again.

I would have liked a little more description of how they work with their local land, and perhaps a bit more on approaching North American flora or fauna from a plant / animal spirit perspective. Having said that, the book is already so full of information, anything more might have been overload. For seekers who want more, Orapello and Maguire provide a lot of very good book recommendations at the end of each chapter.

[Edward Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before we start, let's go over the items in the title:

- A Besom is a simple broom, normally made of twigs, and looks like something out of antiquity.
- A Stang is a traditional walking staff with a forked top (like a trident minus one prong)
- A Sword is just that...

The Six-Fold Path is very much like the Noble Eight-Fold Path of Buddhism that focuses on having the right mind, spirit, body, intentions, etc. You are trying to return yourself to a time where you had a connection with everything around you and did what you could to preserve that.

All in all, this book is a well-written primer in the realm of Traditional Witchcraft (not Wicca, which is a Religion) which is not only self-contained but explores all of what makes us human.

[Nightshade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent and fairly thorough introduction to Traditional Witchcraft with many good listed resources for further reading. It took a while to get into, but once the chapters from Herbalism onwards started I was much more into it. I think beginners will certainly get a lot out of it. The focus on American culture and landscape is also great for those who live in the US. The chapter on The moon was very much up my alley as I have worked in a similar way in my own craft albeit from a southern hemispherean perspective. While I don't think this book offers too much for those of us who have walked the crooked path for some time, it is still overall a good book for those starting on the path who are looking for an accessible resource.

[Edric Unsane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clearly explained and well done guide to modern Witchcraft as seen through the eyes of authors Christopher Orapello and Tara Love Maguire's Blackthorn Tradition. Besom, Stang & Sword covers topics such as necromancy, hedgewitchery, herbs, divination and more. The book itself had a no-nonsense "we're just going to jump right in" feel to it, which as both a witch and the reader I really appreciated.

I found a great many arguments made in the book as to how they came to their conclusions to be very sound and reasonably valid. I specifically found that their reasoning for not following a typical pagan/wiccan wheel of the year because they are essentially not farmers was credible as well (I'm biased there because I don't celebrate the typical wheel of the year in my personal craft either. I live in a northern climate and if you've ever heard the song First of May by Jonathan Coulton, well all I can say is that there is none of that going on this far north).

The book features plenty of imagery for those who like visual assists. The chapters were well flushed out and put together in a way that flowed together. The writing and editing was exceptional, and the amount of wisdom and knowledge contained within the pages will give both seasoned Witches and Seekers some things to think on and (hopefully) try out.

I was very happy I purchased Besom, Stang & Sword and I think that if you give it a chance, you will too.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a great book for someone who doesn’t have a background in Traditional Witchcraft. Having studied and practiced it for many many years (a lot of the books referenced I had already read and worked many of the rituals out of those).
It didn’t help me deepen my understanding of the practice. And some sections left me wanting a better or more effusive description of who the Witch Lord and Witch Queen are. Besides just introducing yourself through the short rituals thus offer. How worse would you meet them? When would you call on them. Also each tool, especially since they are the title of the book, need to be fleshed out more. The Stang is brought up more than the besom or sword. The sword is only mentioned as a boundary marker. And the besom makes an appearance later in a ritual to clean up the ritual leftovers.
As a guide...I wanted this to have a deeper explanation of why. Not just short sections about what other authors have said o. The subject with some recipes for incense thrown it.
For someone just starting it would be helpful, and the suggested reading lists are wonderful.

[Elyse Welles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this is my 13th book of the year, such a magical number! I really enjoyed this book, although the two authors had very distinct voices that sometimes clashed. I agree with what many reviews already said, the intro reads as if this will be about interacting with the North American plane and experience, however most of the book rehashed legends from around the world, and borrowed from various cultures and adapted them for North America just like the intro said we shouldn’t have to do. The images of the witch queen and the witch lord were not very clear and a hard sell. But I enjoyed learning about the six fold path as well as the insight to their practice, as I love learning about other traditions even if I don’t see them for myself.

[Dean Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely work, and it looks like it was created lovingly.
While on the face of it, this might look like the "Same old thing" produced in the past by numerous authors. There is great care in this and it reads clearly without any bullshit.
I would recommend this for any pagan library.
I'm purchasing a copy.

[Bxllxe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Besom, Stang, and Sword didn’t flow naturally; perhaps it tried to touch on too many different subjects to offer substantial knowledge on any of them. I DID really enjoyed the section on baneful plants!

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the definitive books on Blacktree Witchcraft. It's not quite what I'd call a grimoire/spell book, but it does contain some spells and several initiative rituals to set yourself along the path. It is more of a manual that includes the Blacktree philosophy and how to get started.

I think what I find most interesting is that it's local based, focusing on land spirits, ancestors, and herbology--there is no religion tied into it (beyond Animism, if that counts?). The elements and deities are not really something that concerns the general practice. It's very nature heavy.

Definitely something all witchy folks should check out, especially if you've only been introduced to ceremonial magic or Wicca-based witchcraft.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of interesting parts of this book. Maybe too many, or maybe, probably, I will need to revisit it several times over the next year(s) to really get out of it the full measure. There's a lot here to like and I suspect it will end up a five star as time goes on.

[Viktor Pigion · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's alright. Has a couple good insights but mostly spends it's time trying to act different to every other path while giving the same information as basically every other path. The only original pieces of info in this book are it's adding of a sixth thing to an already established tradition (ex: adding a sixth point on the witches pyramid), it's 3 holiday structure vs an 8 sabbat structure, and their rearranging of the element's cardinal directions (but this might already be taken from somewhere else).

It's beef with deities is very, very strange to me. They make it crystal clear that their Witch God and Witch Goddess aren't actually gods but instead mentors which, hey, are the same thing in paganism. It's obvious they have a lot of religious deconstruction they got to do in that area with how butthurt they got lol

Also I can't believe I have to say this but PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T GIVE GLASS BEADS, SMALL CHARMS, OR CANDY AS AN OFFERING IN NATURE AND LEAVE IT THERE!! That's how small animals and children get HURT!!! NEVER leave offerings in nature that aren't biodegradable and safe for the environment.

All in all, it's aight. Wouldn't really recommend it to a beginner because of the misinformation and weird stance the authors have on things such as deities. I only listened to it 'cause it's free on audible lol

[Krisanne Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! It is extremely well researched with suggested reading at the end of each chapter and a substantial bibliography. The witchcraft system designed pulls from well established authors and sources peppered with a lot of personal inspiration. The work builds upon itself as you progress through the book, with enough exercises and spellwork to keep a new witch engaged throughout. I found it interesting how the tone varied throughout the book. At times, it was cautionary towards a newbie on the path, at times practical and matter-of-fact, and at times overflowing with beautiful imagery and prose.

The system is very comprehensive, and gives a witch a lot to work with. Although Blacktree does not work with deities, the Witch Lord and Witch Queen provide a focus for the spirits they embody without being a focus of worship. Working with the Spirit of Place is something that I've personally wanted to incorporate into my own practice, and here I am given step by step instructions how to do so. I'm excited and ready to start a garden, lay out Tarot cards, commune with the ancestors, connect with the land, and toast to the moon!

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title would suggest, the tools of this craft are traditional as well, but adaptable to our own needs. The authors lay out a sixfold path of traditional witchcraft which includes: History and lore, magick, divination, herbalism, necromancy and hedgewitchery. Their system flips the established yet contrived order of the elemental corners upside down, in favor of one that makes more locative sense to the user’s common sense. There is no shortage of animism or ancestors here, along with their two primary deities who are the masculine and feminine deifications of Nature itself.

This kind of magic ties the blood of Man to the soil of the Earth in a deep and meaningful way. What’s more is it raises our awareness of the world immediately around us and our relationship with it. Rather than adopting a witchcraft tradition which is a confused occultic hodgepodge amalgamation of other peoples’ ideas (or worse, a confused “New Age” practice that has no coherency or basis in reality whatsoever), Besom Stang & Sword inspire the reader to make their own path, and more importantly, forge a living tradition that is woven into their own world.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Chris and Tara-Love's podcast 'Down at the Crossroads' and was super excited to hear when they published their book! I've met them in person and they are a couple of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

I am personally a Wiccan High Priestess but enjoy reading about other paths in witchcraft and learning in depth about views that arent my own.

I'll be honest I loved the Hedgewitchery chapter the most thanks to the section on familiars as I havent seen much written on them and had always been curious. I did also do appreciate that they've done a chapter on necromancy (it's not something I'd personally practice but find fascinating).

All and all a wonderful introduction to witchcraft that really hits the nail on the head.

[Carly Brianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Great for novice or experienced witches who want to incorporate new ideas into their practice. This is, however, a book I think every beginner to the Craft should read. Not everything in it will be for everyone, but it presents alternatives to the Cunningham-esque and Wicca-flavored 101 books that prevail. This is a breath of fresh air!! I also love how each chapter has a list of other recommended readings on that subject, and the appendix includes an index of all the rituals and exercises in the book so you can easily find them later.

[Theophanea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I'm glad I didn't buy this book when I was absolutely intending to. Not only did it not have any real history of Traditional Craft, it's teachings, guides and other things seemed to be either taken from another path (like hoodoo) or created purely by the author.

Though there was some good information in there, I had to be incredibly selective in doing so. Honestly glad I read "The Crooked Path" by Kelden first, as that was a much broader and more informative read.

All in all, maybe a 2.5/5 from me.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting a lot from this book and it had some good tips but, for me, it mostly fell flat.

I feel like the writers have an uneasy relationship with nature, which I find a bit jarring considering the subject matter. Nature is constantly likened to something violent, dark, inherently threatening and cruel. Lines like "[nature] is inherently selfish" or "nature does not need us" feel really at odds to me with witchcraft and nature as I understand them. I would call nature many things, but never "selfish" and nature DOES need us. As witches it is our inherent duty to protect nature, to give a voice to the voiceless, as it is a critical part of our practice.

I feel like the writers are primarily interested in necromancy and "flying," which is where this book shines. The spells and rituals for divination are useful. I also liked the attention placed on sourcing ingredients for spells locally and connecting to your local land spirits.

The section on herbalism is sorely lacking. The writers focus pretty much exclusively on "dangerous" plants, which felt to me like a bit of showmanship. There are many more mundane plants that have much more utility in witchcraft (like dandelions, thistles, apple trees) that they don't mention at all, while there's a lot of attention paid to difficult to find plants like henbane and mandrake, which the average gardener will not have access too. I think most green witches use plants that are easy to find, not exotic and expensive species that don't grow locally. But then writing a chapter about mundane weeds wouldn't have that "wow" factor, would it?

As other reviewers have mentioned, the bit on the witch queen and horned god just felt forced. So, the writers don't want to involve "religion" in their craft, but they basically do that while renaming the gods a different name so it feels "different" and exotic. Who are the horned god and witch queen? Pan and Hekate by other names just to be different? Also the craft itself is very "high magic," just a riff on Wicca as far as I can see, with minor alterations just to be "different." As someone more interested in traditional folk magic, this book just wasn't for me.

[Jessica Nightshade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besom, Stang & Sword by Christopher Orapello and Tara-Love Maguire is a powerhouse of a book that brings traditional witchcraft back to its raw, animistic roots. This isn’t your typical guide filled with rituals for sabbats or the same old spells—it’s an immersive journey into a practice that’s deeply connected to land, spirit, and personal power. The book’s emphasis on regional, adaptable witchcraft is refreshing, guiding readers to find magic right in their own surroundings, whether in an overgrown backyard or a concrete jungle.

What makes this book so compelling is how Orapello and Maguire present a complete system of practice that’s both sophisticated and accessible. They dive into the six-fold path of witchcraft, weaving together ritual, chant, trance, and practical methods in a way that feels authentic and deeply rooted. I was particularly impressed by their focus on connecting with the hidden landscape of spirits, ancestors, and the untamed forces around us. This approach goes beyond surface-level spells and gives readers the tools to cultivate a rich and meaningful practice that’s intensely personal.

Another standout aspect of Besom, Stang & Sword is the lack of gatekeeping or pretension, which makes it accessible to witches of all levels. The authors break down complex concepts without watering them down, giving both new and experienced practitioners the confidence to explore animistic witchcraft and its transformative power. The book also steers away from traditional deity worship and religious frameworks, which allows for a unique, non-religious approach that focuses on self-sovereignty and direct connection with the natural and spiritual worlds.

If you’re looking for a guide that brings witchcraft back to its primal roots—focused on land, spirit, and ecstatic practice—this book is a must-have. Besom, Stang & Sword stands out for its depth, clarity, and powerful reimagining of what witchcraft can be in the modern world. Five stars for a truly exceptional and transformative read!

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has some good information but ultimately it's fairly disappointing and a bit garbled in its message. It starts off saying that the traditional witchcraft path is non-religious and has no deities; then it goes on to describe the "witch mother" and "witch father" who rule over certain areas of life and death, have power, receive offerings, and are called for workings. This is basically a deity in the pagan path but the authors say these aren't deities...because. No other real justification. There's also a lot on the need to make regionally meaningful paths and engage in reverence for the natural world, but all of the herbalism calls back to European herbs (despite the authors being based in the US) and the spells frequently call for discarding glass and other waste in running water or in the ground. So the overall messages throughout the book don't really conform to the actual practices described. There is still some useful and interesting information in the hedgewitchery chapter and the lunar calendar chapter. Herbalism was interesting even though it doesn't comport with their overarching message. Not a bad book, but there are definitely better books out there that don't alternately preach a message and then tell you to violate it.

[Ania · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a long-time practitioner of magic, looking for books to read as inspiration/to keep the dust off the shelves, this was a decent read. Whether I would recommend it someone who was looking to learn about Traditional Witchcraft in general or looking for a tradition of magic to follow is an entirely different story.

Reading this book felt a lot like reading through someone's blog dedicated to their own very specific practice. It's a comfortable, even cozy witchy read if you already have some knowledge about Traditional Witchcraft and might give you a few little things to do some further research on. With that being said, it is simply too specific to be a primer in Traditional Witchcraft as a whole, and too vague to actually make Black Tree Witchcraft something that a reader could utilize. Additionally, despite the fact that the book claims to deal with a ground-up, homebrewed American tradition of magic, Black Tree Witchcraft appears to borrow a great deal from folk magical traditions and closed practices like Hoodoo.

This book had great potential and can absolutely be useful to someone with an established practice, looking for some inspiration/new ideas. But it is absolutely not comprehensive nor particularly useful.

[TamaraO · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think my fair rating would be 3.5*
I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it the way I thought I would.

I'm not sure if I misunderstood the title, but I expected it to be a deep dive into traditional witchcraft. A book you'd pick up when you feel comfortable with your basics and want to dig a bit deeper.
But it felt more like an introduction guide to yet another witchcraft path. I don't mind learning about other paths, but it's just not quite what I expected.

I was very excited when they explained that their path was completely secular. Unfortunately the importance the Witch Lord and the Witch Queen play, leaves quite a religious taste and felt anything but secular. And while these two seem really important, the chapters on them fell a bit flat for me personally.

All in all I felt like I was reading information I was already familiar with, but rebranded. I guess that makes it traditional, but at the same time it doesn't?!

Some of their points make you think and question your practice in a good way, the lore was nice for the most part.
Overall though a rather mediocre book unfortunately.

[Kikimora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Właśnie skończyłam. To było moje pierwsze podejście do tej książki i szczerze jestem zawiedziona, ale jest to chyba spowodowane moimi wysokimi oczekiwaniami.
Żałuję, że nie była to pierwsza przeczytana przeze mnie książka o takiej tematyce. ;) Ogólnie książkę czyta się szybko i przyjemnie. Na plus dołączone do chyba każdego rozdziału ćwiczenia, chociaż mam wrażenie, że niektóre są totalnie odjechane i bez sensu. Mam wrażenie, że dużo rzeczy napisanych w tej książce to praktyki wymyślone przez Blacktree, ale nie wydają się dla mnie sensowne.
Kolejnym plusem jest potężna bibliografia, naprawdę spoko książek.
Dla turbo początkujących rzeczywiście fajna książka. Dla początkujących, którzy coś tam wiedzą to tak średnio. Pozaznaczałam kilka ciekawych rzeczy, do których z pewnością wrócę, natomiast całość mnie nie zachwyciła.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been searching for non Wiccan books to add to my shelf. Anyone looking for books on witchcraft knows how tricky that task can be. So when I discovered this book I was excited to read it. I especially was looking forward to the part of working with local landscapes and was disappointed there wasn’t more on that subject. I very much enjoyed this book though. There were many areas I had to push myself to finish reading, though. Not that the content wasn’t worth it, I just think the two writers’ styles were obvious and I preferred me over the other. But aside from that, their outlook and things they expressed on each subject really resonated with me. I wish this book was around when I was beginning my craft.

[Damian · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Traditional Witchcraft is becoming increasingly popular, few books explain the basics of what it is and how to practice the Crooked Path. In my personal opinion, the best book that describes this is The Crooked Path by Kelden. However, this book is not far behind. It’s comprehensive, covering everything from the simplest elements to truly complex topics. It’s highly detailed, with an extensive bibliography and plenty of suggestions for further reading on various subjects, which makes it even more compelling.

It’s important to understand that the book is written from a specific perspective—an American tradition with its point of view. However, it remains flexible and constantly encourages readers to seek out and forge their path in Traditional Witchcraft.