Elemental Magic: Traditional Practices for Working with the Energies of the Natural World

by Nigel Pennick

Learn how to use the principles and practices of natural magic for personal development and spiritual empowerment

• Offers detailed descriptions of the magical properties of minerals, animals, plants, and the earth’s cycles and how to use them in your own practice

• Explores the magical laws of nature and how to guide your inner energy to work in concert with cosmic energies

• Details how to design your own ceremonies, practice elemental meditations, and craft your own magical talismans, wands, and divining rods

An expert on European rural folk magic traditions, author Nigel Pennick presents a comprehensive introduction to the principles, rituals, practices, and magical tools required to draw on the magic inherent in the natural world. He explains how people throughout the centuries have built a relationship with the elemental energies around them using simple, everyday practices in order to attune themselves to nature, the seasons, and the cosmos for magical purposes.

The author explores earth, mineral, and plant magic as well as the magical properties of the earth’s cycles and concentrated places of power within the landscape. He examines magical workings with animals, drawing on authentic traditions such as the Toadsmen or Toadswomen, whose power is given by toads, and the Berserker qualities conferred by magical bondings with wild animals like bears and wolves. He explains how to craft your own magical talismans, wands, and divining rods; design your own ceremonies; practice elemental meditations; fortify your health with herbs and crystals; and set an altar with the right food and drink for your intention.

Pennick also describes how the practical techniques of natural elemental magic work through interactions between the inner world of the mind and spirit, the outer world, and the otherworldly. He shows that having a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of all things and the inner power of these magical elements strengthens the practitioner’s harmony with nature, and thus their power. By harnessing the elemental energies around us, we can work with nature for personal development, spiritual empowerment, and the successful achievement of our desires

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Ebooks, Witchcraft

144 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2020

About the author

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

Reviews

[Willow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was extremely disappointing. It is Wicca in disguise but doesn't cover anything in great detail. Furthermore, there were several statements that were judgemental or dismissive of those that are trying to perform witchcraft on a budget. For example, he says you can't use tap water because it's magically void, but there is nothing to substantiate this claim. I use tap water all the time for magical workings; it is not magically void and is the only source of affordable water for many witches. We have to recognize the privilege in claims like these and that not everyone has access to the same goods and services. To add insult to injury he misuses several common witchcraft terms, including fetch and familiar. A fetch is NOT an animal guide. A fetch is usually a human spirit, often a doppelganger, that assists in various things. A familiar, on the other hand, is not an animal that works with you such as your pet cat. Familiars are spirits that CAN take the form of an animal, but are generally not your pet. This is the most common misconception in witchcraft and its disappointing to see this misinformation spread by such a prolific author. Finally, he calls snakes poisonous....they are not poisonous. They are venomous. This is the section book I have reviewed recently that lacks scientific accuracy. Its extremely disappointing that in this day and age we are still running into people claiming snakes are poisonous.

Despite the many, many issues I had with this book, the section on trees is good. I would have liked to see more herbs covered as it mostly covers mandrake, but it was still enjoyable to read and accurate, both magically and scientifically. I have never heard the year broken up into two halves known as The Flower Year and Harvest Year, but I am intrigued by their roots. Further research will give me a better idea of how accurate this information is.

Overall, I was very disappointed in this book, especially by the title. I was hoping to learn more about the actual elements, not green Wicca.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love Elemental Magic a lot more than I did.

My initial perception that we, as readers, would be *working* on or with actual elemental magic. It's limits, the benefits, the drawbacks- you know a very- in depth- 'Oh, the places we'll go' sort of thing.

No. The author simply states an incomplete dictionary of magical properties associated with objects (trees, crystals, etc...) and very basic magical aspects- (North, South, East, West) with meanings, and properties associated with them; Basic attributes and creature associations, etc.

The "magical dictionary" was largely incomplete and sometimes when to great lengths to describe a lot about one topic to just drop it and move onto another one. Some chapters lumped large, widely useful things together, gave them a very prelin=minary label and moved on. i.e.- lumping rosemary, lavender, and other significant and widely useful herbs together and just said they can be used for protection- period, the end- new topic. Um, that is a whole chapter right there. Sorry, sorry.

There were some prayers, rituals, meditations included that some may find useful to their practice. I fly on a more autonomous path, so they were largely outside of my areas of practice.

If you are looking for very high-level information about natural magic/magical-inherent properties, or just an overview of basic magical practice, this may be a good book for you.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

As it says in the book description, this is an introduction to the basics of the craft. To me it felt more like a list of different mediums and what they can be used for, with an occasional instruction thrown in.

Don't get me wrong, it was interesting, but I didn't find it 'engaged' me, for want of a better word. I have found it hard to give a star rating, and have eventually plumped for that below

I don't think that I will be using it for my personal development. Nor do I feel in a position to recommend it to anyone.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic resource for anyone exploring magic. This book has a wealth of information regarding the principals of elemental magic, including lore, properties of minerals, animals, plants, cycles, and practical uses for personal growth.

There is an eye on staying in harmony with when and how to put things into practice that is wound between the sections, allowing you to get the most of practices if you align as many as possible. For example, the information helps you in making sure you are working in the right cycle, on the right day, using the right color or stone etc. There is also guidance to create your own ceremonies, and for making your own magical items, such as wands.

I really found the mineral and plant sections fascinating and as with the rest of text, so packed full of information that covered both the lore and modern concepts and uses.

It's a wonderfully presented text that should be on the shelf of anyone looking walk a naturally harmonious path. I know I will be coming back to it again and again.

[Jennifer Sacasa-wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elemental Magic: Traditional Practices for Working With The Energies Of The Natural World by Nigel Pennick is a classic text of introduction to and practical application of nature in magical practice. Mr. Pennick’s books can be found in the libraries of both the scholars and those who follow the ways of the pagan path and he is an expert in the details of European folk magic. This is the 3rd Edition of a timeless book that provides a comprehensive and thorough teaching of the expression of the natural world is all facets of the mundane and the magical.

As the title suggests, “Traditional Practices for Working with the Energies of the Natural World”, the contents of this book are rooted in ancient beliefs and ways of interactions and carries these into the modern world as those systems that are inherent in all of nature regardless of the timeline. Each chapter focuses on those things that are in support of deepening the reader’s connection to the natural world and informing that connection with practical and useable ways of developing a working rapport with nature.

The contents are divided into an Introduction, ten (10) chapters and Conclusion. The Introduction: The Natural Power in All Things provides the reader with an approach to traditional spirituality that is both empowering and supportive of nature in all of her forms, physical and subtle.

…The down-to-earth practical spiritual techniques of natural magic straddles the boundaries between the subtle, inner world of the mind and spirit, the material outer world, and the otherworldly. Magic comes about through interaction between the inner experiences of the human spirit and the outer experiences of the physical world, both natural and human-made..1.

Elemental Magic: Traditional Practices for Working With The Energies Of The Natural World begins its studies in Chapter 1: Mother Earth, and opens with a quote from the medieval European alchemist Basilius Valentinus…

… “The Earth is not an inanimate body, but is inhabited by the spirit which is its life and its soul. All created things draw their strength from the Earth Spirit. This spirit is life; it is nourished by the stars and gives nourishment to all living things that its shelters in her womb.”…2.

The reader will find everything needed to understand and fully begin a spiritual practice based in natural magic. Discussion of the Wheel of the Year, the days of the week, cycles of time and the alchemical elements provide the basis of traditional practice. Subsequent chapters dive into the magic of minerals, plants, animals and the land. None of the chapters go into great detail about each component, but do provide enough information to stimulate an inquisitive nature.

An excerpt from Chapter 5. The Power Within provides a glimpse of exercises and philosophies provided….…Excerpt. Amazon.com© All rights reserved.


Elemental Alignment: A good way of gaining bodily and mental familiarity with the four material elements, and the fifth non-material one, is to use them in meditation. Like other magical activities, you should perform these meditations inside a protective boundary. Each time you work with an element, use the same technique. Begin with the densest element, Earth, then proceed to the lightest, Fire, in the sequence Earth, Water, Air, Fire.

Earth Meditation. Put some earth in a ceramic or glass bowl, and place it in a convenient location. Sit in a meditational posture, and focus your attention on the earth in the bowl. Explore in your mind the many possibilities of earth symbolized by this small sample. When you have done this, allow your consciousness to enter the earth. Become at one with it. Experience its heaviness, its many variant forms and possibilities, and the feelings that they bring.

Water Meditation. Pour some natural spring or well water into a bowl, and place the bowl in a convenient location, as before. Focus your meditation upon the water. Explore the many forms of water: wetness, rain, streams, puddles, lakes, and the sea. When you have done this, allow your consciousness to enter the water. Become at one with it. Experience its fluidity, its many variant flowing possibilities, and the feelings that they bring you.

Air Meditation. Light some incense. It is best to use one that you have collected yourself, such as resin from a tall conifer. Burn it on charcoal in a fireproof dish. Place the dish in a convenient place, as before. Then focus your meditation upon the smoke that indicates the invisible air. Explore the many forms of air: the atmosphere of places, breezes, winds, storms, hurricanes, and whirlwinds. When you have done this, allow your consciousness to enter the air. Become at one with it. Experience its freedom and motion, and the feelings that they bring.

Fire Meditation. For this, light a candle, using struck fire. It is best to use a fire-colored one, deep orange or red. Watch the brilliant flame, and focus your awareness upon the qualities and forms of fire and flame: heat, flickering light, red-hot metal, volcanic eruptions, and the power of the sun. Then imagine yourself as part of the fire, experiencing the feelings that this generates.

The Subtle Power Meditation. Sit as before, visualizing the natural empowerment of all existence, the flowing energy matrix upon which all things are patterned. Envisage it as ever-changing, flowing geometrical colors and forms, like the rainbow patterns on the surface of a bubble.

When you have finished each meditation, direct your consciousness away from the object. Return to a full awareness of the things around you. When you begin, it is best to work several times with each element, until you feel ready to move on to the next one. Once you have worked through all five, you will find that your understanding of the subtle realms has been greatly empowered.

Chapters 7: Magic in Action, 8: Making Magical Tools and Ceremonies, and 9: Magical Food and Drink are complete with instructions for crafting tools and ritual, recipes and more. All are steeped in folk tradition and offer the reader a first hand look at how our ancestors celebrated and enacted natural magic as a means of living in harmony and balance with their surroundings.

Chapter 10: Precautions and Remedies speaks to the need for discernment in acknowledging that there is great power in nature, those things of nature that are in support of humans and those that can be harmful. Herbs as remedies and protective ceremonies are topics covered. Use of crystals and gems concludes this chapter. This chapter is a natural Segway into the final chapter of Conclusion: A Valid and Appropriate Spiritual Path.

… We live in a time of perpetual and accelerating change. Traditional ways of doing things are rapidly breaking down in the face of globalization. The destruction of nature by the products o industry is happening all around us. It is self-evident that unless we develop a better attitude toward nature, we will bring about our own ruin. Recognizing this, many people are seeking a better way of living. This has brought about a rediscovery and popularization of techniques that were once known by a very few people…3.

Would I Recommend:

This opening statement of the final chapter sums up the intention of this book and the value in its reading. I believe that we need to routinely bring forward those texts that remind us that we are part of a greater whole and that every aspect of how we live and the energetic and physical imprint we offer needs to hold intention and higher purpose. Elemental Magic: Traditional Practices for Working With The Energies Of The Natural World by Nigel Pennick fulfills this purpose nicely. In comparison to many similar books on natural magic, this read is pared down and succinct in the important points of what truly matters. Writing in this way, leaves the space of opening for personal integration, understanding and a practical application of the techniques and principles that have survived the rapidly evolving changes of the natural world.

About Author Nigel Pennick:

Nigel Pennick is an authority on ancient belief systems, traditions, runes, and geomancy and has traveled and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States. He is the author and illustrator of more than 50 books, including The Pagan Book of Days. The founder of the Institute of Geomantic Research and the Library of the European Tradition, he lives near Cambridge, England.

Footnotes:

p. 1
Chapter 1: Mother Earth
Conclusion: A Valid and Appropriate Spiritual Path

Reviewed by Robin Fennelly of PaganPages.org

[Freyjasdottir · Rating 2 out of 5]

He talks about "traditional spirituality" and "European spirituality" as if they are monolithic. There are some bare bones correspondences that you can find in many other books. Not sure if this is going to be changed but my review copy contained no bibliography and there were barely any citations to back up the lore he relates (example: oak trees were used by x culture to do y"). The only reason I'm not giving this review one star is that it's not offensive like so many other books.

[Lora Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nigel Pennick is well known and respected for his books on magic and folklore. This is a good book on Earth-based spirituality. It is not, as the title might suggest, about Elemental Spirits.

The book is about natural magic, in his own words, "It is the power of everyday objects and human actions." I think it's a good starting place for someone interested in nature magic, but not drawn to a specific path or the Pagan religions like Wicca.

Some of the correspondences were different than I've read elsewhere in older sources, like Friday has always been green but Pennick assigns in blue and the purposes of Opal really threw me, but most of them are familiar with just the occasional anomaly.

Pennick gives us an over view of working with minerals and stones, animals and birds, and of connecting to the magic of the Earth in general. It isn't in depth information, but a decent starting point. He covers making magical tools and offers some food and drink suggestions as well as simple rituals throughout.

The one thing I would caution someone new to the subject is that some of the 'rules' like making your own magical knife are not hard and fast. I would look at the information as folkloric and likely to be a little different than another person's path might take them.

[Heather K Veitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elemental Magic, a new edition of the earlier book “Natural Magic”, is a good magical primer for anyone interested in the subject. The author is a familiar name in British occultism and certainly very experienced with magic. Within this book there is a great introduction to working with natural energies — the elements, the seasons, and the land around you — and Pennick offers wise and practical applications of how to work with these in magic. It’s refreshingly down to earth and strongly reinforces the idea of “earth-based spirituality” — where one's relationship with Mother Earth is the primary focus.

Whilst not strictly Wiccan in outlook, this book does lean that way in places — but in others, it has more of a Traditional Witchcraft leaning, and sometimes trying to balance between the two means that information is glossed over in places. However, the book is a great stepping-stone to other works covering Witchcraft and other earth-based spiritualities.


As an experienced Witch, I found this to be very much an introductory book but for those newcomers to the Craft, or for those wanting to refresh their practice, this is an invaluable guide. Recommended.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Inner Traditions/Destiny Books, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because I was interested in the subject matter, rather than wanting to follow any of the rituals or practices outlined in the book.

There was a lot of information. Some of it really interesting and some of it didn’t hold my interest at all.
I think I was expecting a more in-depth history about why things were considered magical and more about their correlations.
A lot of the information in the book seemed that I was to take it on the author’s say-so, rather than him offer sources and reasoning. This turned me off to a degree.
As I said, I read this out of a passing interest rather than a desire to really learn about the subject. The book was reasonably successful in quenching my interest but I’m not too sure I would have been satisfied if I was using it as a teaching tool.

* Thanks to Inner Traditions and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Jenny Sandiford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be a really useful resource for researching magic for my fantasy book. There is a lot of straight forward information and all sorts of useful facts and explanations.

At first I thought it might be a little too basic, but once the basics were explained it became more interesting. I like the way everything is laid out in a list format in a matter of fact way that is clear and easy to follow.

In particular, I really like the sections on gems and minerals, on trees and their magical properties, and on talismans and amulets.
I can see myself referring back to this in the future for extra bits of information and research.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book seems like a good reference for practicing elemental magick. The different topics include: Mother Earth, Mineral Magic, Magical Animals and Birds, The Power Within, The Magic of the Land, Magic in Action, Making Magical Tools and Ceremonies, Magical Food and Drink, and Precautions and Remedies.

This does not feel like a beginner's reference, but it could could be studied to advance knowledge.

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review from NetGalley and the publisher.

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elemental Magic is a hot mess. Disorganized, repetitive, self-referential, vague, and occasionally contradictory, this guide to magic and the natural world needs an editor, more detail, and clearer information. The writing is poor and too frequently makes unconnected asides or is tangential. It's easy to find most of the information contained in the book online on free sites, where it's often better presented,

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting, informative and well written book that helped to learn something new.
I loved the style of writing, the clear explanations and how the book is organised.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Darrell Kinney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very basic primer on natural magic. Brief reference to attributes of plants, gems, crystals, plants, etc. It is non-theistic so you don't have to believe in any particular deity to access this work.

[Beverley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really got a lot of information from this book about my chosen path. However it is written in a way that didn't make me excited to reach for this book which is a shame as it's a really great resource for those of us choosing a more natural witchcraft path

[Jenna Deaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elemental Magic by Nigel Pennick was a solid read if somewhat dry in presentation.
The academic tone struck by the writer made this not quite the text I was hoping for but older witches looking for more traditional materials may really enjoy the work.

[Hannah Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good beginners guide to magic. It doesn't really go that far in depth but it makes for a decent starting point. For anyone who knows more about the practices you might want to skip this one and look for something a bit more advanced.

[Jade Geary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely no references, yet the entire book is presented as factual and the way things should be. Might be an okay place for a very new individual but they would be then left with nowhere to turn due to the lack of references. Parts of the book were contradictory.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Accessible overview of all things traditional magic, with good high-level overviews of everything from elements to plants to ethics. I wish there was more in-depth information presented here, and more "practices" as the title implies.

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

An Informational and quick introduction to items. Do get a bit of a "high and mighty" feeling in the writing. Not my type of the book on the subject.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't really a big fan of this to be honest. I wanted to but it just didn't really go into any detail or practicalities. It was a brief and vague explanations of different types of magic.

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elemental Magic by Nigel Pennick

9781620557587

144 Pages
Publisher: Inner Traditions / Destiny Books
Release Date: November 1, 2020

Nonfiction, Metaphysical, Religion, Spirituality

The book is divided into the following chapters.

Chapter 1: Mother Earth
Chapter 2: Mineral Magic
Chapter 3: Plant Magic
Chapter 4: Magical Animals and Birds
Chapter 5: The Power Within
Chapter 6: The Magic of the Land
Chapter 7: Magic in Action
Chapter 8: Making Magical Tools and Ceremonies
Chapter 9: Magical Food and Drink
Chapter 10: Precautions and Remedies

The chapters are followed by a conclusion titled: A Valid and Appropriate Spiritual Path. This book is a combination of generic Pagan themes with Celtic and Norse traditions. The chapter on plant magic covers the trees of the Ogham. I found the symbolism of astrology and parts of the body very interesting.

The meditations are easy to follow even for beginners. The imagery and drawings in the book are beautiful. There are drink recipes for mead, beer, and wine and food recipes for ceremonial rusks, soul cakes, and kitchels. Although this is a short book, it is full of so much information. It would be a great reference book for any practitioner.