The Witch's Book of Mysteries

by Devin Hunter

Reclaim Control of Your Magic and Your Life

Transcend Your Limitations and Enter the Pyramid of Light and the Labyrinth of Darkness

Devin Hunter, author of groundbreaking works The Witch's Book of Power and The Witch's Book of Spirits, makes a powerful statement on how you can deepen your Witch Power and further develop your relationships with familiars, guides, spirits, and gods. The Witch's Book of Mysteries invites you to embark on a pivotal journey designed to help break you free of the illusory cultural energies that hold you back from true magical vitality.

With spells and rituals drawn from the author's own book of shadows, this book explores energetic self-orientation, the Witch's Eye, and the Witch's Tree--techniques that will support and embolden you on your quest to achieve personal gnosis. Learn the extraordinary practices of the Witch's Dream and the Witch's Sabbat, and initiate into the mysteries of the Cosmic Grigori, primordial guardians of space, time, matter, energy, and quintessence. Ultimately, the path of the witch takes you to the six gates of the Labyrinth of Diana. Through these gates, the authentic nature of the soul is found and God Herself is revealed.

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Occult, Paganism, Wicca, Spirituality

312 pages, Paperback

Published May 8, 2019

About the author

Devin Hunter is a professional Psychic Medium and modern witch and is the resident House Medium at The Mystic Dream in Walnut Creek, Ca. He holds third-degree initiations in both the Northern Star Tradition of Wicca as well as the Dianic Tradition of Witchcraft (the Cult of Diana) and is the founder of his own tradition, Sacred Fires. His AV Club favorited podcast, the Modern Witch, has helped thousands of people from all over the world discover and develop their magical abilities. He is a blogger for Witches & Pagans magazine and is the creator of Modern Witch Magazine. Devin is currently teaching with the Black Rose School of Witchcraft and is the reigning Master of Ceremonies at the New Orleans Witches’ Ball. His first book, The Witch’s Book of Power releases from Llewellyn World Wide in July of 2016!

Reviews

[Ivana]

The Witch's Book of Mysteries is a guidebook for witches of somesort. The author Devin Hunter dived deep into what it means to be a witch and explains everything a witch ought to do. I personally didn't fint the book as interesting as I thought I would. It was a bit monotonous I quickly lost focus while reading it.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Eliza]

[Book Review] The Witch’s Book of Mysteries
There’s no shortage of witchcraft (and Wicca) 101 books that explain the basics of the Craft. I've been practicing since around the turn of the millennium.

That said, I often wish there were more books that dive deep and explore more advanced material. The Witch’s Book of Mysteries, by Devin Hunter, is one such book.

This work is the third in a series focused on more advanced Craft topics. Before this one, there was The Witch’s Book of Power and The Witch’s Book of Spirits. This particular book is the most intense of the three, though all are worth picking up.

Devin Hunter has always been somewhat of a favorite author of mine. As a psychic medium and witch, Mr. Hunter teaches witchcraft and related topics. He is also the founder of the Sacred Fires tradition of witchcraft.
I myself only knew a little bit about Sacred Fires when I started reading Mr. Hunter’s books. Now, I find the tradition fascinating and colorful, and will likely be learning more when I’m able. Sacred Fires seems to be a skillful merging of several currents in modern witchery.

It draws from earlier traditions such as Feri and Dianic witchcraft, and emphasizes trancework and spirit contact. Suffice to say, it has piqued my interest! Much of the exercises and rituals draw from Mr. Hunter’s work as founder of Sacred Fires.

If you’re not interested in that particular tradition, there’s still a wealth of material in this book. It would be useful for almost any advanced witch. I do recommend caution, though. If you haven’t already mastered the basics of the Craft, much of this book will likely confound you.

Even when describing familiar tools (athame, etc), this book does so with uncommon depth. The book provides a powerful consecration ritual for each of the common witches’ tools. It is best suited for intermediate to advanced students of the Craft.

Mr. Hunter doesn’t waste time covering material found elsewhere. He writes with the assumption that his readers will already be proficient in many areas. This excited me! He devotes the bulk of this work to advanced techniques.

These include astral travel, dreamwork, and other trance-related activities. These have always been a favorite topic of mine. I've only finished reading the book a week ago, but it already has a place in my often-recommended books list.

Of course, trancework goes hand-in-hand with energy work. I thought that Mr. Hunter’s approach to energy work illuminates the subject in a unique way. Mr. Hunter gives instructions for careful fine-tuning your energy work.

The energy work exercises guide the practitioner through experimentation with their own energy. One noted example involves creating a small ball of energy and examining how it flows when set free within your own aura.
As with many things, self-knowledge is the goal. This is great if you’re looking to develop a greater awareness of your own energetic system! I was happy to see the acknowledgment that some witches will have unusually-flowing systems.

In witchery, we often stumble across techniques that rarely show up in books. The Witch's Book of Mysteries describes formalized methods for reaching those hard-to-define states. Mr. Hunter explains them as plainly as possible.

Granted, much of the experiences he hints at are too sublime for words, He does his best, nonetheless. Seeing these things codified in this manner makes them easier to understand/perform. In short, it takes the guesswork out of things, insofar as it can.

I haven’t, of course, managed to perform all, or even most, of the rituals and exercises in this book. Some need an entire year to perform. In particular, the consecration of the simulacrums (symbols of godforms) come across as an intense, year-long labor of love.

The simpler exercises were helpful in understanding the concepts Mr. Hunter describes. They seem like excellent precursors to the more complex parts. Some of the power-raising techniques seem quite simplistic at first, but hold a wealth of complication and usefulness.

I had not, prior to reading this, investigated the concept of “Treading the Mill.” I was surprised to realize I’d been doing it often for some time, unaware that there was a term for it.

Coined by Robert Cochrane, Treading the Mill involves raising power through constant movement around a circle. This helps to induce and sustain a trance state, which is a step towards jumping the hedge. The latter phrase, in case you’re unfamiliar with it, refers to soul flight or astral projection.

I usually dislike it when authors coin new terms in their work. Not so here, where Mr. Hunter coins a term or two. He provides vocabulary for topics that would otherwise be difficult to discuss. In particular, the term “Witches’ Dream” encompasses phenomena that are hard to quantify. The phrase is a welcome addition to the existing language of occult works.

As to what the “Witches’ Dream” is? Well, you’ll have to read the book to learn about that. And? I highly recommend it.

I’m giving this book five out of five stars. It’s quite a rare gem for intermediate to advanced students of the Craft!

[Hayden Farrar]

The Witch's Book of Mysteries is exactly the sort of book I wish there were more of in contemporary witchcraft publishing. There are hundreds of books designed to teach someone how to begin practicing witchcraft, but eventually you stop needing another explanation of grounding, correspondences, moon phases, and how to cast a basic spell. At some point the questions become considerably larger. What is the witch actually becoming through all of this practice? What happens when magic moves beyond getting results and becomes a mystical path? What does initiation ultimately initiate us into? Devin Hunter tackles those questions directly, and that is precisely why I think this is the strongest book in his Witch Power trilogy.

I've seen the criticism that this isn't beginner-friendly, but I genuinely don't understand why that should count against it. Not every witchcraft book should be written for beginners. In fact, one of the biggest weaknesses in occult publishing is the assumption that every reader needs to be brought back to square one. The Witch's Book of Mysteries respects the possibility that you've already done the work. It assumes you understand basic magical practice and are ready to go somewhere deeper. I found that incredibly refreshing.

It's also important to understand that this is the culmination of a trilogy. The Witch's Book of Power establishes Hunter's ideas about Witch Power and magical development, The Witch's Book of Spirits expands that work into relationships with spirits and the unseen world, and Mysteries takes the implications of both into explicitly mystical territory. Complaining that the third book builds upon concepts introduced in the first two seems strange to me. That's what a trilogy is supposed to do. I would much rather have an author develop a system progressively than waste a third of every subsequent book explaining everything again for someone who decided to start with volume three.

What I especially love is that Hunter finally goes somewhere witchcraft books often seem afraid to go: transcendence. Contemporary witchcraft is extremely comfortable talking about immanence, embodiment, nature, personal empowerment, spellcraft, and practical magic, all of which are important. But witchcraft can also be mystical. It can involve encounters with the divine, altered states of consciousness, revelation, initiation, personal gnosis, transformation of the soul, and experiences that fundamentally rearrange how you understand yourself and reality. Hunter refuses to reduce the Craft to either spellcasting or self-improvement.

The Witch's Eye, Witch's Tree, Witch's Dream, Quintessence, the Witch's Sabbat, the Cosmic Grigori, and the Labyrinth of Diana aren't presented as another collection of disconnected techniques to add to your magical toolbox. They form part of a larger architecture. That's one of the things I appreciated most about the book. Hunter isn't just giving us more things to do. He's trying to articulate where sustained magical practice might lead.

That distinction becomes increasingly important the longer someone practices. When you're beginning, technique is everything because you're trying to figure out how magic works. Eventually you accumulate techniques faster than you could possibly use them. You know multiple methods of grounding, shielding, invocation, evocation, trance, divination, energy work, spellcasting, spirit contact, and ritual construction. Another fifty techniques don't necessarily make you a deeper practitioner. The question becomes what all of those techniques are actually developing within you.

Mysteries asks that question repeatedly.

I also disagree with the criticism that Hunter can sound too definitive about what witches should do or what Witchcraft is. I don't read this as Hunter issuing universal commandments to every person who has ever called themselves a witch. I read it as an experienced practitioner presenting a developed system of Witchcraft. I actually want occult authors to do that. I don't need every paragraph interrupted with "but you don't have to believe this" or "every witch is different." I already know that.

There is a difference between an author claiming absolute authority and an author having a point of view. Advanced occult writing requires the latter. Once every statement has been diluted until it applies equally to every possible tradition, theology, and practitioner, there isn't much left to teach. Hunter has a particular Craft. He has particular experiences, spirits, cosmology, techniques, and conclusions. I'm capable of encountering those without assuming I have to adopt every one of them.

The Cosmic Grigori material is a perfect example. Some readers may have no interest in Hunter's particular spirits or cosmology, but I found this material fascinating precisely because it shows us what a mature personal magical system can produce. I don't need every spirit encountered by another witch to already exist in a medieval grimoire before I'm willing to consider the material valuable. Living occult traditions have to remain capable of generating new experiences, new relationships, new maps, and new magical technologies or eventually they become historical reenactment.

I had a similar reaction to the Labyrinth of Diana. This is where the book becomes much more overtly mystical, and I loved that Hunter was willing to take the system all the way there. The gates aren't simply another spell for obtaining something. They represent an initiatory movement toward increasingly profound questions about identity, soul, divinity, and the nature of the witch. By this point, we're no longer talking primarily about what magic can do for you. We're talking about what magic can do to you.

That is a distinction I think witchcraft desperately needs.

The later chapters are unquestionably denser than the earlier ones, but density isn't the same thing as failure. Mystical material often requires rereading because the concepts become meaningful differently after experience. There are occult books I've returned to years later and discovered that passages I once thought were incomprehensible suddenly made perfect sense because I had finally accumulated the experiences necessary to understand what the author was describing. I suspect Mysteries is that kind of book.

In fact, I don't think you're necessarily supposed to understand every advanced practice intellectually before doing the work leading toward it. Initiatory literature often functions prospectively. You encounter an idea before you fully understand it, carry it with you, practice, experience something, and eventually return to discover that the words now mean something different. A book intended to remain useful throughout someone's development shouldn't necessarily reveal everything it contains during the first reading.

I also appreciated the amount of material Hunter shares from his own practice and Book of Shadows. This doesn't feel like someone standing outside witchcraft academically and describing what witches supposedly do. It feels lived. Whether discussing familiars, gods, spirits, dreaming, energy, gnosis, or ritual, there is a sense that these concepts emerged through actual practice rather than being assembled simply because they would make interesting chapters.

The Witch's Dream particularly resonated with me because it speaks to something that becomes increasingly important over time: learning how to remain magically conscious outside formal ritual. Beginning practitioners often experience a sharp division between magical and mundane consciousness. You enter sacred space, perform magic, close the ritual, and return to ordinary life. Advanced practice increasingly complicates that boundary. The witch doesn't stop being a witch when the candles are extinguished.

That doesn't mean walking around in a permanent theatrical state of occult intensity. It means magical perception becomes integrated. You become more attentive to patterns, spirits, dreams, intuition, energy, symbolism, synchronicity, and the subtle shifts in consciousness that once required elaborate preparation to notice. The practice gradually alters the practitioner.

That is why the mystical emphasis works so well for me. The ultimate purpose of Witchcraft cannot simply be becoming increasingly efficient at getting things. Money spells, love spells, protection spells, healing spells, and practical sorcery are legitimate parts of the Craft, but if decades of magical practice leave us fundamentally unchanged except that we've become better at obtaining desired outcomes, something enormous has been left unexplored.

Hunter is interested in that unexplored territory.

I also don't find the slower pace monotonous. This isn't a book I would race through like a novel. There are meditations, exercises, rituals, journal work, cosmological ideas, and initiatory practices that require time. If you simply read everything without stopping to engage it, I can understand why some portions might feel abstract. But this is a working book. The practices are part of the text.

What makes The Witch's Book of Mysteries stand out is that Hunter trusts the reader enough to become difficult. He doesn't simplify the final stages of his system merely to make them immediately digestible. He allows Witchcraft to become mystical, cosmological, initiatory, and strange. I would rather struggle with a book that is trying to take me somewhere I haven't been than effortlessly consume another book telling me things I already know.

By the end of the trilogy, Hunter has moved from power, through spirits, into mystery, and that progression feels intentional. First we learn to recognize and cultivate magical power. Then we explore relationship with intelligences beyond ourselves. Finally we're forced to confront what those experiences imply about who we are, what consciousness is, what divinity might be, and what the path of Witchcraft ultimately asks us to become.

That's where advanced magical practice should eventually lead: not toward certainty, but toward increasingly profound mysteries.

The Witch's Book of Mysteries doesn't feel like Witchcraft 101 because it shouldn't. It feels like a book written for the point where accumulating more information is no longer enough and the Craft has to become something lived, transformative, and initiatory. I came away from it feeling that Hunter wasn't simply trying to teach readers more witchcraft. He was asking what happens when witchcraft becomes the lens through which an entire spiritual life is understood.

[Amanda Graham]

There are hundreds of books designed to teach someone how to begin practicing Witchcraft, but eventually you stop needing another explanation of grounding, correspondences, Moon phases, and how to cast a basic spell. At some point the questions become considerably larger: What is the witch actually becoming through all of this practice? What happens when magic moves beyond getting results and becomes a mystical path?

The Witch's Book of Mysteries is Devin Hunter's attempt to explore that territory, and I think it's the most esoteric of his Witch Power trilogy. The Witch's Book of Power develops the witch's capacity for power, The Witch's Book of Spirits turns toward relationship with the unseen, and Mysteries takes the implications of both into the territory of personal gnosis, initiation, and mystical experience.

I appreciate that Devin doesn't bring the reader back to square one before doing so. This isn't really a beginner's book, nor should it have to be. One of the weaknesses of contemporary Witchcraft publishing is the assumption that every book needs to explain the Craft from the beginning, which leaves experienced practitioners perpetually searching for whatever comes next.

There is some wonderfully strange material here. The Witch's Eye, Witch's Tree, Witch's Dream, Witch's Sabbat, lucid dreaming, the Labyrinth of Diana, energetic self-orientation, and the Cosmic Grigori create a magical vocabulary that feels distinctly Devin's rather than another rearrangement of material we've encountered a hundred times before.

The Witch's Dream particularly interests me because it addresses something that can happen after years of practice. Witchcraft can become something you do at particular times rather than a state of magical awareness that remains accessible throughout ordinary life, and Devin is interested in maintaining that current beyond the boundaries of formal ritual. That changes the goal from occasionally performing magic to cultivating a consciousness capable of perceiving and participating in a magical reality more consistently.

There is also an emphasis on personal gnosis that I find important. Eventually, a practitioner has to move beyond merely accumulating other people's descriptions of the mysteries and begin encountering them directly. Books, teachers, traditions, and inherited techniques can bring us toward the threshold, but there are experiences that cannot be adequately substituted with information about someone else's experience.

That's where I think the title becomes particularly appropriate. A mystery in the older spiritual sense isn't merely information somebody refuses to tell you. It is something that has to be encountered before it can really be understood, and even afterward language may only approximate what happened.

The Cosmic Grigori material takes this especially far, presenting primordial powers associated with space, time, matter, energy, and quintessence. Whether someone adopts Devin's cosmology literally or approaches it as a magical framework, there is something ambitious about attempting to move the witch's consciousness outward toward these enormous cosmic principles rather than keeping Witchcraft exclusively concerned with terrestrial or personal concerns.

Knowing Devin's work, I also appreciate how unapologetically personal some of this material becomes. He isn't pretending to present a universally agreed-upon theology of Witchcraft. He is showing us mysteries emerging from his own tradition and practice, then giving the reader techniques through which they can pursue their own experiences.

That distinction is important because mature magical practice shouldn't simply turn us into increasingly accurate copies of our teachers. At some point, all the exercises, rituals, spirit relationships, trance work, energy work, and magical training should help us become capable of encountering something ourselves.

The Witch's Book of Mysteries is ultimately less interested in giving the witch more things to believe than in pushing the witch toward experience. That makes it a fitting conclusion to the trilogy, because power and spirits are valuable, but eventually they lead toward the question that lies underneath so much serious occult practice: what mysteries become visible once we have developed the capacity to perceive them?

[Sylvia Moore]

There is a point in magical practice when entering a ritual state stops being the hardest part and maintaining magical awareness becomes the real challenge. You can have profound experiences at an altar and still wake up the next morning completely absorbed in ordinary consciousness, and The Witch's Book of Mysteries is one of the few Witchcraft books I've encountered that seriously explores how to close that gap.

The concept that fascinated me most was the Witch's Dream. Devin Hunter describes a magical consciousness that can be cultivated, strengthened, and carried with you rather than something reserved for the moments when candles are burning and a circle has been cast. The witch gradually learns to remain aware of the magical dimensions of reality while still functioning within everyday life.

That idea changes what magical development means. Instead of simply accumulating more spells, correspondences, and rituals, the practitioner begins changing the way they perceive.

Hunter builds toward this through practices involving energetic self-orientation, the Witch's Eye, dream programming, Quintessence, lucid dreaming, and the Witch's Sabbat. These subjects initially seem enormous and somewhat disparate, but they gradually reveal themselves as different methods of training consciousness to move beyond its habitual boundaries.

I especially enjoyed the material on orientation because it makes magical awareness spatial and immediate. Rather than treating energy as an abstract substance floating around somewhere invisible, Hunter asks the practitioner to understand themselves as existing within intersecting currents and relationships. Magical consciousness begins with knowing where you are.

The dreamwork develops that awareness in another direction. Lucid dreaming becomes more than an interesting psychic ability because it trains the practitioner to recognize altered states while they are occurring. That capacity becomes enormously important when the work moves toward the Witch's Sabbat and visionary experience.

There is a fascinating principle underneath all of this: consciousness can learn to recognize itself under different conditions.

The material on Quintessence pushes the book into stranger territory, which is exactly where I wanted it to go. Hunter is comfortable allowing Witchcraft to become cosmological and experimental, and he does not seem interested in reducing everything to easily digestible techniques. Some practices require sustained attention before their significance becomes apparent.

The later work with the Cosmic Grigori intensifies that quality considerably. Space, time, matter, energy, and quintessence become powers encountered through ritual rather than merely philosophical concepts, giving the second half of the book an almost visionary cosmology.

This definitely is not where I would tell someone to begin studying Witchcraft. Hunter assumes a level of magical competency and familiarity with concepts developed throughout his earlier work, and I actually appreciate that expectation. Advanced books should be allowed to assume that readers have already learned something.

The exercises also reward repetition rather than casual reading. Journaling questions, dream practices, rituals, meditations, and visionary techniques make this the kind of book that could take months to genuinely work through even though the text itself can be read much faster.

That is probably the quality I value most about The Witch's Book of Mysteries. It treats magical consciousness as something trainable.

Ritual initially teaches us how to enter another mode of perception deliberately. Eventually, perhaps, the deeper mystery is learning how to carry some portion of that perception back through the circle with us.

Hunter calls that ongoing magical consciousness the Witch's Dream. After finishing the book, I found myself thinking that learning how to remain awake inside that Dream may be one of the most interesting definitions of advanced Witchcraft I've encountered.

[Julian Mercury]

I have complained for years that far too many witchcraft books assume the reader is permanently six months into the Craft. Apparently Devin Hunter heard people like me grumbling, because Witch’s Book of Mysteries has very little interest in escorting anyone back through grounding, candle colors, and the phases of the moon. It assumes you have already developed some power, learned how to work with spirits, and acquired enough practical experience to recognize the difference between reading about Witchcraft and actually having a practice. That alone made me unusually happy.

The Witch’s Dream is one of the ideas that stayed with me. Hunter is interested in maintaining a magical orientation even while going about ordinary life, rather than treating Witchcraft as a state one enters only after lighting candles and changing clothes. From there he moves into gnosis, the Eye, quintessence, lucid dreaming, and the Witch’s Sabbat before the book takes an even stranger turn into the Cosmic Grigori and the forces of space, time, matter, energy, and quintessence. It is ambitious material, occasionally audaciously so, but I would much rather watch an experienced occultist attempt to build a genuine mystical cosmology than read another rearrangement of introductory material.

The second half particularly fascinated me because Hunter is no longer primarily asking how magic produces results. He is asking what the practice is ultimately trying to awaken. The six gates of the Labyrinth of Diana lead toward questions about the nature of the soul and an encounter with divinity itself. That gives the preceding books a different shape in retrospect. Power was not simply accumulated so that the witch could become more effective, and spirit relationships were not developed merely to acquire invisible assistance. Both become preparation for mystery.

I think this may be my favorite book of the trilogy precisely because it is willing to become difficult and peculiar. Some of Hunter’s cosmology is plainly his own, and readers who need every magical concept to arrive with an antique pedigree may find that uncomfortable. I find the honesty of it liberating. Witchcraft has always produced new visions, new spirit contacts, new mythologies, and new ways of mapping the invisible. At some point a living magical tradition has to do more than preserve what previous witches discovered. It has to discover something.

There is a line between complexity and profundity, and the book occasionally dances close enough to it that I had to reread sections before deciding which side I thought they landed on. Most of the time, though, the density felt earned. Hunter is attempting to describe what happens after Witchcraft has stopped being merely something you practice and has begun reorganizing the way you experience reality. That is a subject occult publishing does not address nearly often enough, perhaps because it cannot be reduced to another book of spells. I finished this feeling that the trilogy had actually gone somewhere.

[Jennifer Sacasa-wright]

The forward of The Witch’s Book of Mysteries, written by Jason Miller, jumps right into what the reader can expect from The Witch’s Book of Mysteries by Devin Hunter.

… “What is a Witch? It’s a tricky label. For some people witchcraft is a religion. If you worship the old Gods and follow a religion like Wicca, then for those people your are a Witch. Other People focus on the craft part of witchcraft and consider use of folk magic as the defining characteristics of a Witch. If you know the magical properties of herbs, the words of spells and the use of oils and candles and stones, then you are a Witch.”….

And, as Jason aptly states, the definition of what a Witch has all of the overlays of modern society and traditional practices rolled into one.

This is the third book by Devin in a systematic approach to introducing the experienced student to the practices of witchcraft and honing their skills into becoming a Witch. The first of the books, The Witch’s Book of Power, explored all that comprises the journey of developing your power and knowing when and how to tap into it for a sustainable and effective practice.

The Second book, The Witch’s Book of Spirits furthered developed the power of the burgeoning Witch in accessing the world of spirits, mediumship and all that is of what Devin calls the Familiar Craft. And, as promised in this third book, The Witch’s Book of Mysteries coalesces all that has preceded and the reader begins the practice of working with those of the Sacred Fires, the Grigori, and the expansion of the practitioners powers to becoming one with all of the worlds.

This is not a book for the beginner and demands of the reader a working-not theoretical-knowledge of witchcraft and all that goes into claiming the title of Witch. The book is divided into two parts and each builds upon the other in knowledge and practical application. Many of the concepts presented are not your traditional craft practices. Instead, they are a refining and adaption of concepts that include some techniques and teachings that would have been designated as disciplines for other paths.

Much like Christopher Orapello and Tara Maguire’s book Besom, Stang & Sword (read the review of this book in our February Issue), these are concepts of the Modern Witch drawing on the best of the old and propelling the seeker into a new form of witchcraft that makes use more cosmic principals.

One of the best examples of what this new craft encompasses is the definition and explanation of the a familiar concept, the Witch’s Sabbat. As Devin points out, this term has come to be associate with the eight festivals of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year. These being tied to celebrations of specific times of the year, deities and experiences largely pulled together and used as such associations by those of scholarly works and not necessarily of the craft themselves. Just this idea makes so much sense if you consider that those we considered to be practicing witch’s hundreds of years ago would not necessarily have set aside valuable time and resources to celebrate in the ways we do today. Even the Deities that may have been associated with such rites would have been culturally based.

We learn in this book that the Sabbat is an experience that occurs in deep trance or while sleeping and requires the Witch have command over his/her magical form that has the power and ability to move in its pure form of power onto the plane of the Sabbat. This requires the development of lucid dreaming, psychic awareness. and as Devin states regarding the goal…”isn’t necessarily to leave the body and travel to a different dimension, but rather to travel through the inner realms of the mind and the paths of the psyche to get to a different dimension”….I found this a telling perspective that emphasizes the reality that being a Witch is really hard work that demands knowing yourself and a very mature attitude towards stepping into your power.

Part Two of “Mysteries” focuses on taking the Witch beyond their scope of power and realms of working and issues the call to reaching beyond what is believed of the limitation of form and reach out to those Spirits and guardians responsible for creation-particularly ours-itself. These entities move well beyond the archetypal and anthropomorphic energies of specific Deities, pantheons and the traditional Gods/Goddesses. The Witch must thoroughly know who they are in all of their power and rise to stand as co-creators with those lesser known (and worked with) beings who are of support.

The bibliography and recommended reading at the end of the book exemplifies the care and thought that went into this book and, more importantly supports Devin’s encouragement to learn as much as you can about as much as you can to truly be informed in your own practice.

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries is a valuable resource to the advanced practitioner regardless of the form your witchcraft may take. In fact, whether you consider yourself a witch or not, the information and way in which it has been compiled is well worth reading. This is the craft that will move into the next generation of and with that statement, you will hopefully see the durability and strength of a power that is organically a creative and universal energy.

To hear more from Devin about his practices, Tradition and more:

The Modern Witch Podcast

modernwitch.podbean.com

Author: Robin Fennelly of PaganPages.org

[Ola Adamska]

This is The First book I read in non-fiction genre in a VERY long Time... and I'm totally disappointed in that book.
I tried reading it, but after a few lines, I was losing my interest in it.
I give 2 stars for the effort that was committed by the author

[Sarah Washington]

Disclaimer: I received a free, advance copy of this text from Llewellyn Publications of Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries by Devin Hunter is a witchcraft guide for the more advanced practitioner. The ideal audience for The Witch’s Book of Mysteries are serious practitioners who want to strengthen their Craft, gain a deeper understanding on how magic works, incorporate their Craft into their daily lives, and learn a few new tips and tricks along the way! As someone who is often easily bored by most witchcraft books on the market because they share the same information over and over, Hunter’s guide was a breath of fresh air. I breezed through each chapter, eager to learn all that I could from this eclectic tome.

Hunter borrows concepts from several witchcraft and esoteric modalities, with most of the inspiration coming from a mixture of traditional witchcraft, chaos magic, and Wicca. However, Hunter’s modality, called the “Sacred Fires” tradition, is uniquely his own, and his teachings can be adapted to fit almost any practice or belief system with a bit of creativity. Hunter emphasizes the importance of developing one’s own unique path and purposefully avoids pushing any specific beliefs as the only truth. As a practicing witch, I’m always excited to learn about and experiment with newly developed traditions. After experimenting with just a few of the exercises listed in The Witch’s Book of Mysteries, I’ve noticed a profound and positive change in my Craft. If you’re currently feeling that your Craft is stagnant or unchanging, The Witch’s Book of Mysteries might just reignite your fire.

The book itself is split into two parts, and each part is split up into chapters. The first part of the book teaches the reader how to gain a stronger connection to their energy and unlock their magic abilities. The second part builds upon the first and shows the reader how they can incorporate the skills learned in the first half into a rich, powerful Practice. Each chapter contains instruction and activities for the reader to practice and further develop their skills, plus journal prompts in order to reflect and build upon the lessons presented. However, all journal prompts and activities can be altered by the individual practitioner to suit their needs and experience level.

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries is the third and final book in a series (the other two titles being The Witch’s Book of Power and The Witch’s Book of Spirits.) While reading the other two books in the series would likely make The Witch’s Book of Mysteries an easier read, I didn’t have too much trouble reading it on its own. However, there were certain points in The Witch’s Book of Mysteries where concepts from the first two books were mentioned without much context, so I feel I might have missed a few crucial details here and there. Though, after reading The Witch’s Book of Mysteries, I’m definitely considering reading the others both to see what I can learn from them and so I can better understand the Sacred Fires modality.

I do have a few criticisms about The Witch’s Book of Mysteries. Since the chapters often built upon each other, if there were sections that I didn’t enjoy or didn’t feel like I wanted to adapt into my own practice, I often had to skim through several chapters because it was all based upon the same concept. I also felt like it was assumed that everyone reading the book came from an abusive, evangelical Christian background, yet needed to unlearn any discomfort with the Christian religion. Granted, that argument was not a major component of the book, but it felt a bit out of place compared to the rest of the text.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Witch’s Book of Mysteries. There are very few books out there for an advanced practitioner, and I’d say that this is a must-read for anyone who views their Craft as the main focus of their life. I would recommend having a general background in energy work, spirit work, and basic witchcraft skills before reading this book, because some of the concepts and activities require a certain amount of previous knowledge and expertise. I really suspect that The Witch’s Book of Mysteries will become one of the classic occult texts that all students of witchcraft will be eager to read and learn from.

My Rating: 4/5!

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries will be published May 8, 2019 and can be pre-ordered via Llewellyn or Amazon where it retails for $21.99.

[Jon Daniels]

This is where Hunter stops circling around advanced witchcraft and just walks straight into it, lucid dreaming, the Witch's Sabbat, Quintessence, the Cosmic Grigori and that whole increasingly strange Labyrinth of Diana business. I especially liked the Witch's Dream idea because it treats witchcraft as a state you learn to inhabit and return to instead of a bag of tricks you pull out when you need something, which is closer to how magic has ended up working for me anyway. Some of this requires real commitment and even year long work, but thats exactly why I liked it, theres enough beginner books in the world already and sometimes I want the one that asks me to rearrange my brain for awhile.

[William Alan]

Mysteries are troublesome things because the moment you explain them completely they tend to become something else. Devin Hunter understands this, and Witch’s Book of Mysteries is less concerned with handing over secret answers than with teaching the witch how to enter the places where answers become possible. Through trance, spirit contact, possession, soul work, the Witch’s Eye, familiar spirits, and encounters with divine and ancestral powers, Hunter pushes witchcraft beyond spellcasting into direct experience of the unseen. There is a depth and darkness here that feels initiatory without pretending a book can confer initiation, and the exercises invite genuine engagement rather than occult sightseeing. Hunter keeps leading you toward the threshold, but wisely leaves the final crossing between you and whatever happens to be waiting on the other side.

[Thomas Pinneck]

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries takes the reader far beyond the foundational aspects of witchcraft and into the shadowy, yet radiant, heart of true magical practice. Devin Hunter continues his exploration of advanced witchcraft with a work that feels intensely personal and deeply transformative. This isn’t just a book—it’s an invitation to reclaim your magic, transcend the limitations imposed by society, and venture into the realms where personal gnosis and the cosmic forces meet.

At its core, The Witch’s Book of Mysteries is about power, but not in the traditional sense of control or dominance. Hunter instead emphasizes a more subtle, yet profound, form of empowerment—the ability to pierce through the layers of illusion and false cultural energies that obscure one’s true magical nature. It’s a call to action for witches ready to break free of those restraints and engage fully with their Witch Power, a term Hunter frequently uses to describe the potent force that runs through all living things but is especially present in those who walk the path of the witch.

Hunter’s writing has always balanced the practical and the mystical, and this book is no different. There are spells and rituals aplenty, pulled directly from his own book of shadows, but they serve a larger purpose: they’re designed not just to affect change but to open doorways into deeper mysteries. His work with the Witch’s Eye, Witch’s Tree, and Witch’s Sabbat offers a roadmap for exploring the subtler realms of energy and spirit, helping practitioners orient themselves in a magical world that often seems chaotic and overwhelming.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the book is Hunter’s exploration of the Cosmic Grigori, primordial guardians of space, time, matter, energy, and quintessence. These beings, long forgotten in many magical traditions, are revived here with a clarity and depth that is rare in modern occult literature. Hunter introduces readers to these forces, not as abstract concepts, but as living presences that can be engaged with through ritual and meditation. The Grigori are tied into the larger structure of the magical universe that Hunter has been building through his previous books, giving this work a sense of continuity and cohesion.

Hunter’s path ultimately leads to the Labyrinth of Diana, a symbolic and spiritual journey that takes witches through six gates, each representing a stage of transformation and self-realization. The imagery is potent, and the path laid out here feels both ancient and revolutionary. This is no passive journey—it demands full engagement, courage, and the willingness to let go of old patterns and identities in favor of a deeper, more authentic connection to the divine.

One of Hunter’s greatest strengths as a writer is his ability to blend high-level magical theory with grounded, actionable practices. The rituals in this book are not for the faint of heart, but neither are they inaccessible. Hunter encourages experimentation and personalization, reminding readers that their magical journey is their own, even as he provides the frameworks and structures to guide them. His tone is supportive but firm—he knows the terrain well and wants the reader to succeed, but he also makes it clear that the path is not an easy one.

For those who are ready to move beyond the basics of witchcraft and enter into a more profound engagement with their magic and their soul, The Witch’s Book of Mysteries is an essential read. Devin Hunter has crafted a work that is both mystical and practical, offering a journey into the heart of the craft that is as challenging as it is rewarding. This is a book that will continue to reveal its layers long after the first read, making it a powerful companion for witches seeking to deepen their practice and their connection to the cosmos.

[Michelle Avery]

I’ve read the earlier books by Devin Hunter, and The Witch’s Book of Mysteries feels like where everything truly levels up. This is not a beginner-friendly introduction. It’s written for practitioners who already have a solid foundation and are ready to push into deeper, more intense territory. If you’re looking for mind-blowing, immersive experiences rooted in real mysticism, this book absolutely delivers. It goes beyond learning techniques and really leans into living the craft in a way that feels transformative and, at times, initiatory.

What really stood out to me is how experiential it is. The material pushes you to engage fully, not just read and move on. The practices around the Witch’s Eye, the Witch’s Tree, and the more advanced ritual work feel designed to shift your perception and deepen your connection to something much bigger. It builds on spirit work, psychic ability, and energy practices in a way that feels both intense and rewarding. This is the kind of book where the more effort you put in, the more profound the results can be.

At the same time, it’s still very readable and thoughtfully structured. It doesn’t get lost in abstraction, even when dealing with complex or mystical concepts. It feels like a true working text, something you return to again and again as your practice evolves. For experienced practitioners who are ready to go beyond the basics and step into something deeper, stranger, and more powerful, this is easily one of the most impactful books out there.

[KatsCauldron R]

This is a mid to advanced level [depending on what you have learned and from who] book on witchcraft, if you feel that you aren't there [HONESTLY] go back and learn then read this. Highly recommend with the add note maybe read his other books and Penczaks first. Devons group is an offshoot of the Reclaiming group and Feri magic. I like the idea of the activism as I have always been down for the betterment and understanding of society and creating creating a society encompassing societies to make a whole that is viable to coexist with the earth and it's creatures. I hope this group can continue to legitimately work on expanding that from the inside out in a progressive and just way. I like the way Devon presents his ideas, ethics and knowledge as they are nurturing, worthy and beneficial to growth of individuals and healing not just for the individual but outward into society and nature. The exercises are easy and work. I have made it a point of trying to get people involved in earth based religions [as I myself have been] for decades with the thought if they let go of their over sheathes of incorporated greed, self interest and stupidity that are the base of some organized religions and back into their particular native beliefs they would actually work to take care of the earth, animals, flora, fauna: all nature on the earth and honor and fight for it If people would learn to protect the sacred and the caregivers of the earth and become the same. We wouldn't be facing mass extinctions needless suffering, death and chaos that surrounds us if more people had legitimately picked up a real torch instead of blingy sparklers that die out. However, still you see the bases or reasons people have tried to manipulate spirituality an energy for their own negative ends be it greed, ego or to cover for supposed friends of individuals in their group thus further warping the threads woven for a harmony within self and surroundings. Thus is this something touched on depth in this incredible mid level witch book. Devon has been able to hit on [like an iron mallet] and expand a lot of needed base philosophies, structure, beliefs meditations, actions and rituals as well as added more insight and discoveries in this publication that is meant to be a keeper and shared with others. It's something I will end up buying after I get the one before it and actually make it a point of continuing to go through the exercises and rituals in it. Which brings me to the first earth shattering revelation in it [seriously] I have bought and read metaphysical books from very early age and been around spirituality and magic all my life but even though plowing through hundreds to a thousand books have rarely [or at least not half the time] actually digested and practised the rituals inside of them to fully get into what the author was presenting [which in many cases probably was a good thing]. Always it is yeah, I know what he/she/they are saying and I will get back to this [& never do]. You can look around you to see how spirituality has been twisted for self or profit in grasping ways. Once again, recommend!

[Jamie Bee]

Advanced Immanent Mysteries

As someone who has studied the occult arts for decades, I found this book to be a fresh and fascinating look at more advanced topics in witchcraft that is thoroughly grounded in the author's spiritual knowledge and practice. It is certainly clear that the author has studied occultism, shamanism, and other metaphysical subjects in great depth and has put what he’s learned into practice. The first part of the book looks to increase your knowledge and skills of certain witchy practices. My favorite topics were quintessence and dreaming. There are actually some very interesting bits of knowledge and skill here, some of which I haven't seen in other places. The second part helps you understand how to use these skills that you've learned. What strikes me most strongly about this book is that it looks at more of the transcendent nature of witchcraft and its ability to touch the Divine rather than the immanent. So many books and traditions focus on simply the immanent, which is okay, but I always have felt like that approach missed at least half of what a spiritual belief system can offer. This book redresses that imbalance to an extent—not that the author has the responsibility to make up for the other authors out there! This book is certainly not for the beginner, as these are for the most part more advanced skills and practices. Highly recommended, though, for anyone who considers themselves to be at least a mid-level practitioner or beyond.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Jessica Nightshade]

Devin Hunter’s The Witch's Book of Mysteries is an absolutely compelling read that takes the concept of witchcraft beyond surface-level practices and straight into the heart of true personal transformation. What I love most about this book is how it weaves together Hunter’s unique systems, such as the Witch’s Tree and the Cosmic Grigori, with deep, introspective work. You don’t just learn new spells or rituals—you’re guided through experiences that can completely shift how you see yourself as a witch. There’s a strong emphasis on pushing through self-imposed limitations and tapping into the raw, untamed power of the Witch’s Eye, which I found incredibly empowering.

This book feels like an initiation into a deeper current of magic, one that’s not afraid to delve into the darker aspects of self-discovery while simultaneously holding the light of divine revelation. I particularly appreciated the emphasis on personal gnosis and energetic alignment, which adds a whole new layer to familiar concepts like the Witch’s Sabbat and Dream. Hunter challenges you to explore the inner and outer worlds in ways that demand genuine engagement, making this an incredible guide for witches looking to break out of the ordinary and into something much more potent and mystical. If you’re serious about your craft and ready to embrace the mysteries, this book is essential reading.

[Lula’s Book Nook]

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Weave the profound practices of Witchcraft into your daily life and experience the power of transcendental magic with The Witch's Book of Mysteries. Devin Hunter explores the core elements of spell and ritual work and outlines techniques to help you deepen your Witch Power and further develop your relationships with familiars, guides, spirits, and gods. Sharing meditations, exercises, spells, and rituals from the author's personal Book of Shadows, this book includes teachings on Energetic Self-Orientation, the Witch's Eye, the Witch's Tree, and Quintessence to help witches take their magic to the next level.

This book is part of a larger series and I can’t help but wonder if I would have appreciated the book more if I was familiar with the author’s other works. This is the last book in a three part series and I think the publishing company should have made that more clear. I was definitely intrigued by the information here. This is not made for the average reader or individuals new to the craft.

[Marie]

I really loved this book. It explains so many things. For witches of all ages and experiences. From the hereditary witches who have practiced for many years to the new witches just learning.. It has so many facts and how to find your own way and beliefs. The author doesn't say that you have to follow everything that he believes but gives guidelines so you can make your own choices. The author tells a story is of what happened to him in a church. I too, had something happen to me in a church. There was an old minister whom I had never met who walked up to me and told me that I the most beautiful aura he had ever seen, bright red and so beautiful that it sparkled. Surprising because I had never heard the word. Had to go home and look it up. So strange things do happen at church. I am a witch whose gifts have been passed down for generations, but I will be using this book as well. You can never have too much info. This book definitely belongs on every witches bookshelf. It has so much info that you will want to re-read it and use it for a resource. I received this book from Net Galley and Llewellyn Publishing. I voluntarily read this book.

[Cozy Reviews]

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries is one of the best books I’ve read on the craft, This is the conclusion of the author's "Witch Power" trilogy. If you are looking to expand your knowledge or are new this is the book for you.
No matter what your path this is the book to take your education to the next level. If your a inherited Witch or have a new personal practice and are open to learning I highly recommend this book as part of your ongoing education.

There are exercises which require you to pay attention , lessons on the universe and its relation to magic. This will help you expand on your Grimoire . The language is presented in a approachable way and is understandable. If you want to take your practice to the next level I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the opportunity. My opinion is my own. You will want to immediately order this book in non digital form in order to make notes and utilize all the reference materials.

[Kevin Worcester]

absolutely loved this book. the witch’s book of mysteries takes everything to a whole new level, diving deep into the most advanced aspects of witchcraft. devin hunter masterfully guides you through the Witch’s Eye, Witch’s Tree, and the Labyrinth of Diana — concepts that go way beyond the basics and really push you to explore your own magic and power. the spells and rituals are practical but profound, and his approach to breaking free from cultural limitations is empowering. this book isn’t just about magic, it’s about transformation. if you’re ready to take your craft seriously, this one’s a must-read.

[Ileana Renfroe]

This is the first book I have read from this author and it was quite enjoyable.

in The Witch's Book of Mysteries the author hopes to deepen your Witch Power and further develop your relationships with familiars, guides, spirits, and gods. The Witch's Book of Mysteries invites you to embark on a pivotal journey designed to help break you free of the illusory cultural energies that hold you back from true magical vitality. It contains spells and rituals drawn from the author's own book of shadows.

A bible of sorts this is one to treasure.

[Destiny Bridwell]

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I read a lot of books of occult and witchcraft. I wanted to read one by another authors opinions. I wanted to use it with my journaling journey. That is why I like the meditations and exercises. I had try these for more them just a couple of days. It takes a little while for them to work and it is makes me feel good. I like that there were quotes from other in the community. 

[Anna]

Devin Hunter leads us down an ancient path. I found him talking about things that have come to me in meditation, things I've never read about in other books on witchcraft. He is truly tuned in and is a fine teacher for those looking to continue on this path, whether they are at the beginning, middle, or end.

[Jonesy.Reads]

The Witch's Book of Mysteries is a must have full of information to deepen and develop ones magical power and connections with spirit guides and the gods. There are many meditations, spells, and rituals contained within. The author even includes information from his own book of shadows. Highly recommended!

[Alan D.D.]

4.5
Incredibly useful and filled with both theory and practice. I'm not giving it 5 stars because the last 4-5 chapters were hard to follow, but they were appealing nontheless. Will re read in the future for sure!

[Alex M]

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries is where Hunter’s work gets particularly intriguing to me. Having followed the earlier books’ attention to personal power and spirit relationships, I’m drawn to this deeper exploration of what a witch might become through practice. The scale is ambitious, and I appreciate that willingness to take witchcraft into difficult, unfamiliar territory. Occasionally I want an occult book that requires me to put down my coffee and think about what I’ve just agreed to investigate.

The return to the Witch’s Tree gives that exploration a connection to the preceding material. I like seeing a magical framework develop across books, especially when it provides more opportunities to examine something introduced earlier. The emphasis on personal gnosis makes the practitioner’s involvement essential. That appeals to me because understanding an author’s cosmology and finding meaning through working with it are separate achievements, each requiring attention.

The Witch’s Dream and the Witch’s Sabbat are especially compelling areas to explore. Those names carry a considerable imaginative charge, and I’m interested in how Hunter brings them into practice through his instructions. The spells and rituals drawn from his own book of shadows add to the appeal. I enjoy encountering the particular shape of someone’s witchcraft, including the choices that make it recognizably theirs.

The Cosmic Grigori take the book into a larger cosmological territory, while the six gates of the Labyrinth of Diana give its exploration of the soul a specific structure. This is material I’d want to approach gradually. My enthusiasm for an elaborate magical system usually arrives well before my ability to remember where everything belongs, so having a path to follow matters. There’s enough here to invite sustained study and questions worth carrying into practice.

What draws me most is the sense that Hunter expects witchcraft to keep changing the person practicing it. That gives this book a satisfying place after The Witch’s Book of Power and The Witch’s Book of Spirits. I’d recommend approaching them in sequence to give the recurring ideas time to become familiar. The prospect of returning to an earlier exercise with a different understanding is part of what makes a series like this worth keeping within reach.

[Mark Rundle]

The Witch’s Book of Mysteries takes on the deeper mystical work of witchcraft with considerable ambition. Devin Hunter explores the witch’s relationship with the land and the otherworlds, including the Witches’ Sabbath and the forces he describes as underlying creation. There is a welcome willingness here to engage with big, difficult ideas while giving the practitioner ways to approach them.

As the conclusion to his Witch Power trilogy, this book builds on the training in The Witch’s Book of Power and The Witch’s Book of Spirits. That progression matters. The exercises ask for an established practice, and I would give the earlier material proper attention before moving into this volume. The course structure makes sense for work that deserves time to develop.

What appeals to me most is the space Hunter gives to personal gnosis and direct spiritual experience. His framework offers a direction for exploration while raising questions that a reader will have to pursue through practice. I appreciate a witchcraft book willing to leave us with substantial work to do. For someone ready to deepen an existing practice, there is a great deal here to contemplate and investigate.

[Kathy]

The Witches Book of Mysteries by Devon Hunter sought to cover a lot of ground. Hunter covers a plethora of subjects in a continuation to the prior two books he has authored. Hunter relates ways to stay linked to “the Witches Dream” (your witch powers) during daily mundane life so it can always be accessed.
The book began with a discussion of magickal goals, practice and journaling – each chapter concluded with questions for the reader to answer in their journal. The material includes a ritual to open the third eye, a year and a day dedication to the god and goddess, and a visionary journey to the Witches Sabbat. A section on lucid dreaming discusses developing the skill, interpreting symbols from your dreams and ways of testing whether you are dreaming or awake.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Heidi Gardner]

The best word I can think of to describe this book is . . . specific.
It wasn't poorly written, I am just uncertain who the audience is. I don't regret reading it as there were a few insights that spoke to me, but overall it was hard to understand for someone outside of its circle of influence. The author has written other books and I can only assume those who read and benefited from those will also enjoy this one! The marketing is more broad than I believe necessary or appropriate for the average interested reader.

[Annarella]

I'm in two minds about this book.
On one side I think there're interesting ideas and there's food for thought on the other side I had some problems with the style of writing.
I assume my doubts are due to fact that this is an ARC and the final book will be easier to read.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.