Earth Magic

Elements of Witchcraft #4

by Dodie Graham McKay

Dig into the History, Lore, and Practice of Earth Magic

Packed with rituals, exercises, spells, recipes, and more, this dynamic addition to Llewellyn's Elements of Witchcraft series shows you how to enrich your connection to the earth. Dodie Graham McKay shares a variety of fun and fascinating ways to get your hands dirty as you grow your magical practice.

Explore the deities, animal guides, herbs, and crystals associated with the earth element. Discover recipes, spells, and sacred sites that help you call upon nature for greater power and wisdom. Learn how this element is used in cultures and myths around the world. Featuring illuminating essays from guest contributors, including Sparrow Kemp, Austin Lawrence, and Jacqui Wood, Earth Magic inspires you to manifest amazing changes in your environment and yourself.

Watch the book trailer here.

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Paganism, Audiobook, Earth, Crafts

304 pages, Paperback

Published October 8, 2021

Reviews

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Earth Magic is an interesting book with a wealth of information all relating to Earth Magic. The book starts out with information on God's, goddesses and deities and then moves forward onto topics such as herbs, crystals, dirt Magic, and more. This isn't a light read its jam packed with information and advice. I did expect there to be more spells than there was included in this book.
This makes a great addition to the rest of the collection and would make a great gift for anyone who has an interest in Magic, spells and wiccan practices.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This one was tough for me to get through. I haven't read the other element books in this series (Air, Fire, Water), but own Water Magic.I just haven't read it yet and not sure I'll be rushing to read it any time soon- though I do connect more to water, naturally.

Earth Magic is FULL of information of all things, well, Earth! The first chapters bored me, to be honest, especially covering deities/gods and mythology- it's just never been an interest of mine and I was surprised there was a wealth of information covering the topic. BUT, I know this is likely a plus to many in the magical/mystical/witchy community, especially Wiccans. It's just not my thing. Also, I felt the book read very text-booky, and not as personal as I would have liked- though it does get better toward the later chapters. The book really picked up for me around Chapter 5-7 about grounding, herbs, and crystals- but I've read countless other books on these topics.

My favorite chapter in Earth Magic was "Burial and Dirt Magic" which is more along the lines of what kind of information would be in this book, as I found it the most interesting of all that was touched on.

There are some spells, but it's not overwhelmingly full of them, which is always welcome as I like to use them as inspiration for my own.

Overall, I think this would be a nice addition to the collection if you've read the other books in the series (all by different authors). I don't think this is a bad book by any means, I just didn't connect with it- it doesn't mean you won't. I believe it was well-researched, and there is definitely a mix of information within this book (some recipes too).

[Gilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the 3-star review by Sara (Aug 20, 2021) and couldn't have said it better myself. I will add, though, that this book didn't feel "dynamic" or "fun" as its synopsis claims. It took me 2 months to get through it, there are no illustrations, and it's pretty dry. There are several points I completely disagree with, such as stealing dirt (surreptitiously, while no one is looking) from the grave of a family member or a well-known person. Having just lost a beloved brother suddenly to cancer, this feels incredibly disrespectful and smacks of vandalism. In another chapter, the author boasts about treating a woman who's just experienced the trauma of a difficult, extra-bloody birth (and who has been released from hospital) with a tincture of motherwort - yet nowhere in the book or credentials does it state that she's qualified to do so, and she neglects to stress that the woman should seek further professional medical help. That one was a dealbreaker for me! Don't get me wrong: there is undoubtedly lots of great information here which some pagans will find useful, and it was refreshing to see the indigenous and Canada-specific references. But lately, I've found Llewellyn books to be rather lacklustre. I'd already purchased the Air volume of this series but won't be in a rush to read it, and I doubt I'll pick up the other two to complete the set.

[Yvonne Aburrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you are new to the Pagan path or have been walking it for decades, this excellent book will
deepen your relationship with the land you live on, the element of earth, and with planet Earth. Dodie Graham McKay’s perspective on this fascinating subject is informed by her deep love for and knowledge of the land and the Earth.

It is evident that from the sections on ritual and magic that Dodie has decades of magical experience. Taking a deep dive into mythology, history, folklore, and symbolism of humanity’s relationship with Mother Earth, geographical features, human-made landforms, megaliths, rocks, minerals, and mythological beings, the book invites you to explore and enrich your own relationship with this element. Part 1 looks at the whole planet, then at the history and mythology of the Earth.

Part 2 looks at working with the element of Earth, including practices such as geomancy, dowsing, alchemy, astrology, making altars and shrines, and different types of minerals and herbs that you can use in your rituals. This section also includes some excellent guidance on safety, sustainability, and respect for Indigenous cultures. I especially loved the sections on paying attention to the trees, the ethics of buying crystals, and making compost!

Part 3 contains spells and recipes, earth magic, and seasonal foods. It starts with how to connect to the spirit of place (a subject very close to my heart), and how to create a land acknowledgement if you live on Indigenous lands. Each chapter contains exercises, reflections, and prompts for you to create journal entries, artwork, and rituals. There are also guest essays from other practitioners, giving their perspectives. The book is poetically written but also accessible, fascinating, pragmatic, and helpful. I heartily recommend it as a valuable addition to your Pagan or occult library.

[Elyse Welles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much bigger than the title suggests. It is truly the expansive conversation on using the gifts of earth and magic that people need.

The focuses of chapters range from discussions of crypt and holy stones found around the world, to my favorite sections on the types of sacred earth sites, and ways to connect to spirits of place.

The introduction should be mandatory reading for all witches, and I don’t say that lightly. There was a surprising explanation of the different types of creation, myths in indigenous and ancient cultures, and how that fed into the beginnings of witchcraft and paganism in the west. It’s a really beautiful book that I recommend for anybody looking to work with Magic.

In my own book coming out next year on connecting with land spirits, I will be including it in my recommended reading section for sure.

We also will be having Dodie on the Magick Kitchen Podcast to discuss her newest book, A Witch’s Ally: Building a Relationship with Familiars in March of 2025.

[Elmar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always dread starting a book that's not a novel. Some other reviews mentioned this book read really heavily due to the lack of illustrations and long text. BUT I loved it! The information was really plentiful and interesting, and the author's personal experience and anecdotes made it fun to read.
Throughout most of the text I kept imagining sharing and discussing the information with people, so I think this is the perfect book for a book club or a coven to read together.

The diversity of traditions mentioned and little bits of information about different cultures pleasantly surprised me. I learned more than just Earth Magic.

[Dodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earth Magic by Dodie Graham McKay

Dodie is a fellow Canadian and as the book’s suggests she covers the element earth. The book is divided into three parts. Part one is history, folklore and myth. Part two working with earth element. Part 3 is recipes, ritual and spellcraft. There was a lot of good information in this book. Some of my favourite parts of the book were geomancy, earth herbs and botanicals, bone divination, genius loci and tinctures.

Note - it’s the first time to see someone else with my name.

[Annalisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the last book in a series of four. You will learn about spells and recipes to complement your earth magic. The author introduces us to an in depth and comprehensive study of earth magic.I became very interested in this subject after reading this book. It is great for a beginner or anyone else wanting to know about earth magic .

[Goldie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy this series more and more! This instalment was especially beautifully written, I marvel at the words Dodie found to not only describe Earth as a magical element but also as the planet we live on and I like how well she brings together witchcraft and eco activism which should go hand in hand as she points out.

[Willemijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Walk softly on the earth". I loved this as the final line. Earth magic is the last book in the Elements of Witchcraft series, but each book is an independent book. I just decided that I would like to start with Earth Magic because I wanted to learn more about this special element.

I enjoyed this book very much! The element earth is an important element in our lives and we often forget to celebrate it because of how we live in today's world. My plan is to put the information from this book to work and see if I can create a better connection to the element.

I'll try to list a couple of things that I really enjoyed and/or missed.


Things I liked/enjoyed:

- There's a lot of useful information in here which you can use to learn about working with the element of earth, but also use to actively start working with this element;

- There's a lot of information about how colonialism, capitalism and other -isms form our "modern" view on the planet and what is normal. It's important to be aware of these things so that you can be respectful and not cause any (more) harm;

- The chapters are nicely divided into very specific topics, so it's easy to find information back. Each chapter also contains multiple point of views and/or voices from different cultures. It ties it all together very nicely!;

- A decent variety of different spells, rituals, recipes and such, with very clear and fully written out step by step explanations. And there's still enough freedom to make them your own.

- Great lists with herbs, animals, plants, trees, items etc. which are connected to the earth and their correspondences.


Things I didn't enjoy/missed:

- I would have loved to see some more recipes or non-food related rituals/activities for the Wheel of the Year celebrations. One recipe per Sabbat is not a lot. The non-food related activities are quite important for someone who isn't into cooking (aka me), so I didn't really get from that chapter what I had hoped;

- Maybe some illustrations of plants, trees, herbs etc. would have brought the information more to life;

- At the start of the book, you are advised to keep a notebook in which you gather your information, track your progress and write down your experiences. Because of this, I spent a long time on designing a nice cover in a notebook. But while reading, I noticed that the activities/assignments which were quite clearly stated at the beginning, started to disappear the further I got into the book. I could still fill the notebook with information and experiences, but I expected to have more clearly stated projects to try out to see what works for you and what doesn't.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Physical Read - 2.5 - (first read from this series)

I enjoyed this book, however I would not classify it as one of my favorites among my pagan reading. I was hoping for more practical applications of connecting with earth on spiritual level. This book focused more on the day to day practices of respecting the earth, then ways to actually connect with the earth for spiritual rituals and purposes. I would say this makes for a good reference book, it has a lot of terms and explanations of basic concepts, but does not provide much in the way of practice, spells, or recipes. Additionally in the spiritual rituals section it doesn't really give you anything to work with aside from one ritual. As far as recipes you get one recipes for each season along with a story from the author about it.

This book focuses a lot on the history of spells or rituals, as well as other people's stories. Having other people's stories in there was nice for different perspectives but not what I was looking for. Additionally there was no spiritual focus it jumped around from Greek to indigenous to norse to wicca to several others. It felt as though the author was trying to include everyone instead of just focusing on the singular perspective and provide insight that way. Sadly this resulted in a lot of surface information being covering and nothing deeper.

Overall I would not recommend this book for a well read pagan looking to deepen their practice. While it had some good nuggets of information, it did not really advance past the surface level info or info you've probably already read a thousand times before. I would recommend this for people who are just starting out, or are more interested in other people's stories or history rather than practical applications.

[McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read for me as I would say Earth is the element that I am least connected to, however, this book had me rethinking that. It gave me some ideas for new and better ways to include it into my practice. This book includes a lot of things that the others in the series also have such as history, deities, spells, herbs and botanicals, crystals and stones, and animals associated with Earth. My favorite sections were "Connecting with the Spirit of a Place" and "Burial and Dirt Magic".

All in all this makes a great addition to those already working with this series, but also looking to energize their Earth work. If someone is already really adept at working with the Earth, I'm not sure how much it will bring to your craft, but there could be some inspiration to be had.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Llewellyn for providing me with an eARC of this book, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[LittleRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely relate to the Earth more than the other elements, though all are integral to my practice. Earth is where I am most connected as I use crystals and also grow many plant and herbs that I use in my practice.

This book adds so much detail and information that I learned quite a bit and enjoyed seeing how others use this element. I have not read the other books in this series, but “Earth.” called to me and I answered. Find your element and read it, then read them all, it will be a great learning experience.

[CraftyKE · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opened my eyes about the element of Earth. I have never before read a book that asks you to take such a holistic approach to the element. The author talks about the importance of knowing where you are in time and space. What are the plants and soil native to your area? What is the terrain like? She also reminds that working with the Earth element means more than the ground beneath our feet, but the wonders of an entire planet. This book made me feel much more connected to the world around me through my practice. I am going to check out the other books in the series now.

[Rowena Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in the series, but I will certainly be checking out the other ones now. An excellent resource, with a great wealth of knowledge and you could see the research and experience behind this book. The earlier part of the book felt a little bit like a textbook, and I found myself enjoying the more personal touch in the latter parts more, although the first part was certainly informative. But, an excellent addition to the library.

[Caleb Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible. Very extensive on the subject of earth and woodlands. This is the most grounded book out of all of the four, and I can't decide if this or fire is the best book. The things I've learned in this book will help me for years to come...so, I'm thankful for every author who participated in this series.

Virgos for life!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well researched, comprehensive and well written book about Elements.
Tons of information, ideas and receipts, loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This part of the series did not disappoint in giving a good overview of things and spells/rituals connected to the element of Earth. Nice for elemental witches and those wanting to have this type of thing in their back pocket.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good reference for working with the earth element

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like its counterparts in the Elements of Magic series, this book offers an excellent overview of how to put this element to use in one’s magical practice.

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une belle approche de la magie liée à la Terre Mère, rien d'exhaustif mais qui peut servir de base solide à de jeunes pratiquant.es.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A practical and approachable read with plenty of inspiration for personal practice in working with the earth element and it’s magical associations and affiliations.

[Audelea · Rating 5 out of 5]

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