"The Core Of All Magickal Work" (On Ivo Dominguez' new book)

"In it's fullness, a Circle can contain a richness so complete that if all of Wicca were lost except for the way to cast a Circle, and its symbolism, the faith would renew itself from that one seed."

Ivo Dominguez is a true Renaissance Man among modern Pagans, Witches, and Magicians. And the full range of his expertise and experience as a teacher, elder, adept, researcher, writer, and visionary all come together in his book Casting Sacred Space: The Core of all Magickal Work.

Ivo has the (almost unheard of) ability to combine very practical and accessible instruction in the basics of Magick with just the right amount of theory and background. The result is that the student is able to slowly build up an understanding of Magick without being overwhelmed by mystagogical arcana. And what makes Ivo's magickal teachings even more valuable (and unusual) is that he not only grounds his magick solidly in the Pagan tradition, but in the most well-known and arguably most widespread tradition of modern Paganism: Wicca. This book could (dare we hope?) go a long way toward eradicating the (all-too-often, it must be admitted, all-too-well-deserved) stereotype of Wiccans as "Fluffy-Bunnies", "McWitches", "Playgans", "One-Book-Witches", etc. In a word, Ivo shows how you can have it all: Wicca plus real Magick and real Paganism.

But don't take my word for it: here is what T. Thorn Coyle has to say in her Forward to the book:

"A strong Magician or Witch fully shoulders her responsibility. This book of castings is not only an amazing compendium of innovative ways to move and shape energy forms; it also serves as a comprehensive primer on how to change the individual in order to better change the world. The work is placed in the context of other systems of magick should one wish to broaden one’s scope of knowledge and mastery, while providing enough information for beginning these unique practices from any level of experience and study. There are many treasures here. I hope that the magick held in this book not only intrigues you with its sheer novelty, but also spurs you onward and inward with its potential. If we read carefully and practice diligently, we will learn to change and be changed, in accordance with our ever-strengthening knowledge and will.

And here is how Ivo describes what he sets out to do in the book (from the Introduction):

"Casting Sacred Space is meant to provide a safe and sane introduction to the knowledge and techniques needed to embark upon journeys into magick. The first half of the book supplies some philosophical and theoretical underpinnings in order to make the castings offered in the second half of the book accessible and effective. Hopefully, a balance between theory and practice has been struck that will encourage the development of both understanding and proficiency in the creation of sacred and magickal space . . . .

"This book explores a number of approaches to the creation, delineation, and understanding of ritual that open the way to sacred space. The entry into sacred space is one of the most direct routes to the fountainhead of spiritual and metaphysical experience. For most of us, the thrill of the experience that called us to our paths is heralded by crossing the borderline into a wider universe. When you took your first step onto your path of magickal and spiritual development, did you not long for the strange skies of the otherworlds, conversations with the Shining Ones, keys to the gates, or the smell of flowers in a Faerie glade?"

Here is the book's page at the publisher's website: The Casting Sacred Space page at Redwheel/Weiser.

Of course the best way to buy the book is from a Pagan owned and operated local bookstore, like Bell, Book and Candle in Dover, Delaware; or The Crystal Fox in Laurel, Maryland.

Oh, and while I'm listing links, here is the author's Facebook page: Ivo's Facebook Page.

And, finally, here are some reviews of Casting Sacred Space: The Core of all Magickal Work (the review from DailyOm has more of Thorn's Forward and more of Ivo's Introduction):

• Bob Freeman's review
• Freeman Presson's review
• Gnostalgia's review
• DailyOm's review