Reviews for Magic Of The Celtic Otherworld Irish History, Lore & Rituals

The average rating for Magic Of The Celtic Otherworld Irish History, Lore & Rituals based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-10-01 00:00:00 Vicki L Whisenant I had read a few books recently and felt that a book on Irish lore would be interesting and help give me a greater depth of understanding. After a careful search, I decided that “Magic of the Celtic Otherworld” by Steve Blamires would be my best choice. The book is intended to be a knowledge base for those who are interested in learning more about the Green World, including seasonal rituals and the practice of magic, and the author has assembled the information in a logical fashion. He begins with a history of the Celts, using both archaeological and written data as support. Mr. Blamires then builds upon this history with the next two sections, Techniques and Attitudes followed by Concepts and Beliefs. At times, the book feels like a comprehensive text, complete with historical information followed by important gods and goddesses and their importance in the Otherworld. For those who wish to seriously follow this spiritual path, additional readings are suggested and there is practical work interspersed throughout the book. The book also covers the four main festivals that recognize change in the Green World, and there are detailed explanations for the accompanying rituals. Mr. Blamires ends with a glossary (which also features pronunciation help of some of the names) and there is an extensive bibliography. There is also a discography of Celtic bands and a list of Journals and Societies. For those desiring to further enrich their knowledge there is plenty to explore. Recommended for those who wish to pursue the spiritual aspects as well as those who are curious and only seek knowledge about this subject. Five stars.

Review # 2 was written on 2010-10-15 00:00:00 Dominic Belmonte (was going through boxes of books and realized I never reviewed this one) The rituals in this book remind me a lot of Alexei Kondratiev's (see The Apple Branch), and as I didn't much care for Alexei's, I had the same feelings here. However, the book does pull a fair bit from Irish history and lore, which is surprisingly different for a Llewellyn book. But it still doesn't meet my standards and, as always, I urge people to go to source lore before delving into any neopagan books. That way you are not confused when an author brings in their own UPG (unverified personal gnosis) and such.