Llewellyn's 2021 Witches' Companion: A Guide to Contemporary Living

Llewellyn's Witches' Companion

by Lupa, Susan Pesznecker, Deborah Lipp

With more than two dozen enlightening and inspiring articles that explore modern Witchcraft topics and magical techniques, Llewellyn's 2021 Witches' Companion is a must-have for today's practitioners. This collection presents some of the finest writers and compelling subjects that will empower your life and improve your community.

Deborah Lipp discusses what the fictional witch communicates to the modern Wiccan. Raven Digitalis shares fascinating techniques for performing magick using animal parts. Monica Crosson shows you how to heal by seeking beauty in nature and within the self. Astrea Taylor encourages you to take time for spirit each morning while Melissa Tipton helps you build positive, magical habits.

Genres: Nonfiction, Witchcraft, Wicca, Spirituality, Paganism

288 pages, Paperback

Published July 8, 2020

About the author

"I am an author, artist, and wannabe polymath living in Portland, OR. I've been a pagan of various sorts since the mid-1990s. My primary focus has always been on totemism and animal magics, though in recent years I've been expanding into the general totemic ecosystem, working with plant, fungus, mineral and other totems. I've written several books based on my practices, and you can read my blog at http://www.thegreenwolf.com/blog as well.

Also since the mid-1990s, I've created ritual tools, sacred costumery, and other meaningful art out of hides, bones, beads, and other organics. It's been a strong part of my spirituality, and I even wrote a book about it, Skin Spirits: The Spiritual and Magical Use of Animal Parts. You can see what's currently available for purchase on my Etsy shop: http;//thegreenwolf.etsy.com

I am very involved in environmental and sustainable efforts. I volunteer with local environmental groups with tree planting and litter cleanup efforts, and I even adopted a small stretch of the Columbia River to clean litter, monitor flora and fauna, and do water testing. At home I do my best to follow Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (in that order), and many of my art supplies are secondhand or otherwise reclaimed, and everything gets used one way or another.

When I'm not creatively working or volunteering, I love to hike, go out dancing, read voraciously when I have the time, and hit the gym a few times a week.

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Witches' Companion is always a mixed bag for me. Most of the articles are just "okay," and some of them were aggravating (Llewellyn's still doesn't recognize cultural appropriation is a problem). What I did like: Make Your Own Witch Tools by Ari & Jason Mankey; Dirty Magic: Tapping the Power of Found Objects by Lexa Olick; and Anchored Shields by Emily Carlin.

[Louisa Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally picked up this book thinking it was an almanac, but was pleasantly surprised! A great collection of short articles and essays from a wide range of pagans, wiccans, and witches. Some of the issues discussed (eco-friendly practices, fake news, simple living, etc.) felt very topical considering the current climate of the world, whilst others were about issues that are always relevant. Although I don't agree with all the different viewpoints put forwards (the smudging chapter in particular seemed quite ignorant of closed practices just by using the term smudging and I found the eco-friendly practice to beg the question at points), it was extremely interesting and beneficial to get a tiny taste of the different subjects within witchcraft. I will definitely be picking up the 2022 version - a great book to be my first read of 2021.

[Ai-lan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the essays are very insightful, some could have be left out as the content was - at least in my opinion - common sense or broadly communicated in podcasts or the internet. As a planner it leaves too little space and I prefere the almanac to plan my rituals as it also contains more informations.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent range of essays for different perspectives to give me pause for thought. Not massively pleased about the uncritical presentation of concepts such as smudging which are well known to be indigenous practices that have been appropriated but I suppose that is to be expected. Disappointing but expected.

[Narariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the articles were helpful and well-written. There as a good variety of topics but they were organized in a fashion that made them easy to find & follow. I feel like there is something in the book to appeal to the majority of witches/magic-workers I know. I particularly enjoyed "Pop Culture Witches Have Something to Teach Us" & "Reframing & Redirecting Negativity."

[Kelly D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. Don't necessarily agree with all of it but I especially appreciated the essay on magical ethics and the essay on smudging.

[Golddustmommy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you don’t follow the “witchy” part of this book, it actually has really good life advice to follow.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am pretty unfamiliar with Wicca so this was a great sampler platter entry point. I thoroughly enjoyed it and liked that it was specifically for this year.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK. There were some interesting articles, but some not so exciting, and I skipped them. I'm not sure if I will purchase the 2022 edition.

[Jester · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a great overview although i felt a bit of the information was not accurate

[Kacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the helpful essays in this book. They were very helpful for me, someone just getting into spirituality. They did get a bit repetitive though.

[ash (mymodernrenaissance) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t hate this but some articles are definitely better than others. I guess you have to pick and choose what you want to read about. I still like seeing these every year though (like the cover art and stuff) and I hope I get to read through some more of them.