Wicca Spellcraft for Men
by A.J. Drew
ISBN 1-56414-495-X
published by New Page Books
Wicca Spellcraft for Men brings clear insights to spells and magick in a Wiccan context. The male perspective is refreshing. Relating to the concepts in the text hinges on relating to that point of view.
The book divides its subject of Wicca spellcraft into three sections: theory, practice and lore. The initial discussion of magickal theory relates magick with basic science and common-sense psychology. The author encourages the reader to view culture in an objective way and see the basis of magick in nature. Most would agree with him that magick is natural and works with the known principles of physics. However, Drew's justifications of spellcraft in this way come across as simplistic at times.
He occasionally contradicts himself because he tends to write in absolutes. For example, as he is a pagan shopkeeper (as well as a festival organizer and Webmaster of www.neopagan.com), he uses an anecdote of customers buying green candles for money spells. Drew explains, "If you honestly believe the [green wax] candle will bring you money, it will... but that magick is a function of your mind." Later in the same chapter, we are told, "Pre-made money oil is almost always green and love oil is almost always red." He seems to defeat his first argument with the second, first saying that the color doesn't matter, then that color does matter.
Also, it would have added to the integrity of the book if footnotes had been provided to document certain statements, since he relies heavily on his own experience. Describing obvious physical differences between most men and women is easy, such as "women [can] become pregnant for 40 weeks at a time; men do not." But the notion that men, as a rule, are more interested in sexual union, which the author terms "mating," than are women is cultural paradigm, not science. As part of this book, statements of science fact should be supported in some fashion.
Drew nonetheless does a good job of celebrating gender differences without glorifying dominance of one gender over another. Diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity are affirmed. The author explains: "masculine traits... feminine traits... both portions are necessary to be whole; thus regardless of your sex, every whole person has both sets of traits within them."
In the practical section of the book, Drew provides many examples of how to apply the theoretical concepts of magick to everyday life. Drew's no-nonsense style avows his direct, projective approach to magick.
He is inspirational when he boldly reveals his personal life. We get a feel for the learning process of the author when he contrasts poor decisions of his past with wise decisions made by others who personify god-form archetypes.
The lore section disappoints somewhat as it recycles many-times-published tables of correspondences, oil and incense recipes and god-form associations. The incense and oil information do complement the book, filling out its practical aspects for the novice. But for the experienced practitioner, they are either redundant or incomplete. In particular, the god-form associations seem to be rooted in the author's experience rather than in archeological finds or historical mythology.
I realized when I was reading this book that its literary significance to pagans is not so much that it is written for men, as that it is written by a man, with traits and thoughts typical of a heterosexual pagan man in today's culture. And so, the book offers valuable insight, a subtle shift in tone from what is most often available on the subject. The tools presented allow men to take their place as spellcrafters among women, feeling necessary and balancing.
It's the male archetype that Drew presents us: as provider, as projective energy, as the God, as himself. And in that presentation, we find the male archetype within ourselves too.