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Witch: Unleashed. Untamed. Unapologetic.
Reclaim your inner witch with the magical rituals, divination tools, spells and ancient wisdom in this revolutionary book.A witch is a woman in her power. She's wise, a healer, someone who is aligned with the cycles of Mother Nature and the phases of the Moon. Yet for so long, the word 'witch' has had negative connotations - being used as an insult, a slur and to perpetuate fear. In this book, third generation hereditary witch Lisa Lister explains the history behind witchcraft, why in past centuries the word 'witch' has led women to be tortured, drowned and burned at the stake, and why the witch is now waking once again in women across the world today.This book will help women to remember, reconnect and reclaim the word 'witch' and its power. It explores the many different versions of witchcraft and their core principles and practices, and shares ancient wisdom made relevant for waking witches, including how · Align your energy with the wheel of the year, the sabbats and the cycles of the Moon· Connect with and trust your intuition· Use divination tools such as oracle cards, scrying and rune reading· Cast circles, create altars and set sacred space· Work with the elements of nature and use herbs and crystals· Discover and work with five different aspects of the the Force of Nature, the Creatrix, the Healer, the Oracle and the Sorceress· Rediscover your powers and manifest your reality with spell castingLisa also shares her own journey to reclaiming the word 'witch', along with personal, hands-on rituals and spells from her family lineage of gypsy witch magic.
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2017
1,373 people are currently reading
9,345 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Lister
30Ìýbooks276ÌýfollowersCrowned ‘the defender of female awesomenessâ€� by Cooler magazine, Lisa Lister â€� writer, plus-size yoga teacher, feminista + menstrual maven â€� is dedicated to helping women to crack their lady code â€� an ancient code connected directly to mumma nature, the moon and your menstrual cycle â€� that once cracked, gives you insta-access to monthly super powers that can be used to create a business and life you love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 748 reviews
June 9, 2021
Getting through this book was practically unbearable. I should have listened to my gut when it started churning at the obnoxious introduction to the book, which was dripping the disgusting, outdated, vagina-centric language characteristic of so many feminist books of the 90s and early 2000s.
Oh wait, what? This book just came out this year? Gross. Seriously, this book even made me as a cis-woman, the audience the author goes out of her way to mention the book is for (she seems to express in her intro that she doesn't think trans-women are women), uncomfortable.
Moving past the excessive fixation on female genetalia, this book also doesn't really contain sufficient information on witchcraft itself. The first third of the book is basically just your run of the mill feminist-witchcraft rant. Blah blah patriarchy blah blah burning times blah blah EMBRACE YOUR PUSSY POWER blah blah blah. Such a drag. The real shame here is that by devoting so much time and energy to focusing on the feminist aspect of feminist-witchcraft, the author left a lot to be desired in the way of witchcraft guidance. The information provided is very basic, and honestly, you could google it or learn it from pretty much any other beginner's witchcraft book and feel a lot less awkward.
The one thing this book did offer was a first-hand non appropriative peak into what the family Roma traditions of witchcraft actually look like, and for that, I begrudgingly gave back a star because that small portion of the book did feel incredibly human and intimate in a way many books on witchcraft just don't anymore.
Anyway, if you're trans, male, or kind of fed up with the weird fetishy feminist rhetoric that (I thought) has died out by now, read basically any other witchcraft 101 book. Seriously.
Updating this four years after the fact because TERFs going off in the comments: Yeah, I mentioned transphobia. I am what you consider a "real woman"- I was born with a womb and vagina. That doesn't change the fact that, transphobia aside, this was a bad and uninformative book. Much of the information was wrong or painted with such broad strokes I fail to see how it could be of use to anyone. But if you want to defend it just because someone who didn't hate trans people hated it, then I guess that's your right. It's just intellectually dishonest to say I'm a "fake feminist" and that I didn't like this book JUST because she said some things that were openly disrespectful to trans people. I had a lot of reasons for disliking it, many of which were mentioned after addressing the transphobia, but if you want to straw man my points, I guess that's your problem.
Oh wait, what? This book just came out this year? Gross. Seriously, this book even made me as a cis-woman, the audience the author goes out of her way to mention the book is for (she seems to express in her intro that she doesn't think trans-women are women), uncomfortable.
Moving past the excessive fixation on female genetalia, this book also doesn't really contain sufficient information on witchcraft itself. The first third of the book is basically just your run of the mill feminist-witchcraft rant. Blah blah patriarchy blah blah burning times blah blah EMBRACE YOUR PUSSY POWER blah blah blah. Such a drag. The real shame here is that by devoting so much time and energy to focusing on the feminist aspect of feminist-witchcraft, the author left a lot to be desired in the way of witchcraft guidance. The information provided is very basic, and honestly, you could google it or learn it from pretty much any other beginner's witchcraft book and feel a lot less awkward.
The one thing this book did offer was a first-hand non appropriative peak into what the family Roma traditions of witchcraft actually look like, and for that, I begrudgingly gave back a star because that small portion of the book did feel incredibly human and intimate in a way many books on witchcraft just don't anymore.
Anyway, if you're trans, male, or kind of fed up with the weird fetishy feminist rhetoric that (I thought) has died out by now, read basically any other witchcraft 101 book. Seriously.
Updating this four years after the fact because TERFs going off in the comments: Yeah, I mentioned transphobia. I am what you consider a "real woman"- I was born with a womb and vagina. That doesn't change the fact that, transphobia aside, this was a bad and uninformative book. Much of the information was wrong or painted with such broad strokes I fail to see how it could be of use to anyone. But if you want to defend it just because someone who didn't hate trans people hated it, then I guess that's your right. It's just intellectually dishonest to say I'm a "fake feminist" and that I didn't like this book JUST because she said some things that were openly disrespectful to trans people. I had a lot of reasons for disliking it, many of which were mentioned after addressing the transphobia, but if you want to straw man my points, I guess that's your problem.
July 30, 2019
I don't know where to start with this text. Its transphobic/reproductive-centered approach to womanhood and femininity? Its easy dismissal of cultural appropriation? Its absurd disapproval of more or less all modern medicine, and particularly the use of hormonal birth control? Its blatant misunderstanding of history? Its relative lack of any actually useful information on paganism/witchcraft?
Which is, essentially to say, that I found this book summarily awful.
There's a lot a person can do when tying to update and re-imagine the concept of the witch. This bizarre, "pussy" obsessed version is not one of them. For any woman, cis or trans, who doesn't obsess over sex, who has a complicated relationship with their genitals (or lack there of) that can't just be written off with a lackadaisical, "but they're where ALL my power sits!!!"; who is infertile or surgically altered, just know...this book does very little to make you feel valid as a magical practitioner. You may read it and disagree (and I suppose that's a good thing, if it turns out the book is more inclusive than I thought), but know this book emphasizes over and over again how necessary vaginas, ovaries, wombs, and clitorises are to womanhood and magic-making. So if you don't have those things, or do and would rather you didn't, I wouldn't recommend this text. (Note: I myself am cis--if a trans/nonbinary person thinks I've overstepped, let me know so I can correct myself.)
This book is also very white. The author is of Romani descent (and she uses the term g*psy constantly--her prerogative as a member of that community, but something I want to mention either way), but she's also part Traveller, and she considers herself white. The picture in the back supports that notion, and her carefree way of picking from cultural traditions that are not hers without second thought and encouraging her readers to do the same, fits right in line with white (patriarchal) ideology. She's not concerned with making people of color feel safe in her book, and as a woman of color, I took a lot of issue with that.
Reading this book was a struggle for me, and its scary to think there are people who believe this is what a modern witch needs to be like. This version of magic and spirituality is exclusive and alarming. This version of history is whitewashed and incomplete. This version of womanhood is reductive and offensive. Also she quotes Joss Whedon like he's not a terrible example of "male feminism" and that's honestly the last straw for me.
ETA: A couple of folks in the comments have asked how this book is transphobic. I’ve decided to take one for the team and look back into this book to find some example of transphobic language. I’ll post some quotes and then talk a little further about it.
- “The witch is a woman fully in her power.
She’s in touch with the dark. She knows how to be the witness, how to let things go and how to follow her own counsel. Most importantly, though, she questions EVERYTHING.
She’s connected, pussy to the Earth.�
- “And it’s our wholeness, our intuition, our magic and our power—the power that lies between our thighs—that will truly change the world.�
- “So, waking and reclaiming the witch takes really big ovaries.
If you want to do this, it takes a womb-deep recognition that you are:
- A woman who is powerful. You bleed for five days and don’t die: don’t tell me that doesn’t make you a superhero.�
- “I thought:
...I’ll piss off the transgender community for not addressing them either.
Yet this is the work I do.
I do women’s work, and I’m definitely not going to apologize for that.
That thought? That need to apologize? That’s the very reason I HAVE to write this book.
What I write is not intended to exclude others. But trying to be all-inclusive would totally miss the point. It would feel like I was bypassing the particular story that I believe needs to be told; because while some incredible, brave and courageous women have come before us and paved the way, there’s still a lot of work to be done.�
There’s more. This is just from the introduction.
Some may argue that because Lister has acknowledged her exclusion of trans women in her conversation, she’s covered her ass in terms of being problematic. But saying “I can’t include everyone, I can only share my perspective� is not the same thing as actively insisting womanhood—NOT just cis womanhood, but womanhood in general—only refers people with vaginas, wombs, and menstrual cycles at every available turn. You may say, “This book isn’t for trans women!� And that would be true. But that makes it...transphobic. It’s a hostile read for any woman who doesn’t boast the right body parts Lister argues are necessary for magical empowerment. And if she’s cool ostracizing an entire aspect of the pagan/Wiccan/witchcraft community in her book, then there needs to be a more up front acceptance that her text is blatantly phobic to trans people. That’s how transphobia works. If you write a book that explicitly links womanhood to cis anatomy, then you and your book are transphobic.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.
Which is, essentially to say, that I found this book summarily awful.
There's a lot a person can do when tying to update and re-imagine the concept of the witch. This bizarre, "pussy" obsessed version is not one of them. For any woman, cis or trans, who doesn't obsess over sex, who has a complicated relationship with their genitals (or lack there of) that can't just be written off with a lackadaisical, "but they're where ALL my power sits!!!"; who is infertile or surgically altered, just know...this book does very little to make you feel valid as a magical practitioner. You may read it and disagree (and I suppose that's a good thing, if it turns out the book is more inclusive than I thought), but know this book emphasizes over and over again how necessary vaginas, ovaries, wombs, and clitorises are to womanhood and magic-making. So if you don't have those things, or do and would rather you didn't, I wouldn't recommend this text. (Note: I myself am cis--if a trans/nonbinary person thinks I've overstepped, let me know so I can correct myself.)
This book is also very white. The author is of Romani descent (and she uses the term g*psy constantly--her prerogative as a member of that community, but something I want to mention either way), but she's also part Traveller, and she considers herself white. The picture in the back supports that notion, and her carefree way of picking from cultural traditions that are not hers without second thought and encouraging her readers to do the same, fits right in line with white (patriarchal) ideology. She's not concerned with making people of color feel safe in her book, and as a woman of color, I took a lot of issue with that.
Reading this book was a struggle for me, and its scary to think there are people who believe this is what a modern witch needs to be like. This version of magic and spirituality is exclusive and alarming. This version of history is whitewashed and incomplete. This version of womanhood is reductive and offensive. Also she quotes Joss Whedon like he's not a terrible example of "male feminism" and that's honestly the last straw for me.
ETA: A couple of folks in the comments have asked how this book is transphobic. I’ve decided to take one for the team and look back into this book to find some example of transphobic language. I’ll post some quotes and then talk a little further about it.
- “The witch is a woman fully in her power.
She’s in touch with the dark. She knows how to be the witness, how to let things go and how to follow her own counsel. Most importantly, though, she questions EVERYTHING.
She’s connected, pussy to the Earth.�
- “And it’s our wholeness, our intuition, our magic and our power—the power that lies between our thighs—that will truly change the world.�
- “So, waking and reclaiming the witch takes really big ovaries.
If you want to do this, it takes a womb-deep recognition that you are:
- A woman who is powerful. You bleed for five days and don’t die: don’t tell me that doesn’t make you a superhero.�
- “I thought:
...I’ll piss off the transgender community for not addressing them either.
Yet this is the work I do.
I do women’s work, and I’m definitely not going to apologize for that.
That thought? That need to apologize? That’s the very reason I HAVE to write this book.
What I write is not intended to exclude others. But trying to be all-inclusive would totally miss the point. It would feel like I was bypassing the particular story that I believe needs to be told; because while some incredible, brave and courageous women have come before us and paved the way, there’s still a lot of work to be done.�
There’s more. This is just from the introduction.
Some may argue that because Lister has acknowledged her exclusion of trans women in her conversation, she’s covered her ass in terms of being problematic. But saying “I can’t include everyone, I can only share my perspective� is not the same thing as actively insisting womanhood—NOT just cis womanhood, but womanhood in general—only refers people with vaginas, wombs, and menstrual cycles at every available turn. You may say, “This book isn’t for trans women!� And that would be true. But that makes it...transphobic. It’s a hostile read for any woman who doesn’t boast the right body parts Lister argues are necessary for magical empowerment. And if she’s cool ostracizing an entire aspect of the pagan/Wiccan/witchcraft community in her book, then there needs to be a more up front acceptance that her text is blatantly phobic to trans people. That’s how transphobia works. If you write a book that explicitly links womanhood to cis anatomy, then you and your book are transphobic.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.
October 7, 2017
This book was so self-serving and preachy that I was non-stop eye-rolling for the entire time reading. This book was all about "women power", while also feeling very patronizing to women reading it. Furthermore, the author is so incredibly transphobic. I purchased this book as a supplemental resource, but there is no actual intelligent information communicated in this book.
The author needs to realize her privilege and stop preaching about feminism when she obviously is a non-apologetic transphobic piece of trash.
The author needs to realize her privilege and stop preaching about feminism when she obviously is a non-apologetic transphobic piece of trash.
July 29, 2017
I really loved Lisa's book. It is written in a way to empower women on what has long been forgotten and that is the roots and true nature of feminine power. A lot of readers are freaking out, claiming that Lisa is transphobic. I don't feel this at all from the book. If you are familiar with Lisa's teachings (this is her 3rd book for those who are new to her) you know that she has built her brand on womb teachings and the power of the menstrual cycle. I feel that Lisa can express herself this way, that it can be empowering, and that trans people can even appreciate a lot of what she is meaning in her teachings even if they don't have periods, or a womb (same applies to women who have gone through menopause or had hysterectomies). This is powerful stuff here, as long as you come to it with an open mind and are wanting to learn, rather than coming at it with a chip on your shoulder.
Read
June 4, 2017This book is pretty transphobic and also so awkward. If you're looking for information about actual witchcraft, move along. If you want to read about vagina power, well, I guess this might be for you. It was not for me.
October 10, 2017
I am so happy I didn't pay for this. I took this out from the library, not doing much research. Being a sucker for withcy books and sleek minimalist covers, I was like "ok cool cool cool cool".
I could not finish this. Actually, I could barely get through the first chapter. There are some much more elegant, in-depth reviews, but here: this book is basically transphobic trash. If you're looking for a good witchy book, I recommend Jailbreaking the Goddess.
I could not finish this. Actually, I could barely get through the first chapter. There are some much more elegant, in-depth reviews, but here: this book is basically transphobic trash. If you're looking for a good witchy book, I recommend Jailbreaking the Goddess.
January 15, 2018
Really interesting, totally out of my usual, not completely my cup of tea but a lot of cool new knowledge to learn about.
June 11, 2018
DNF. Perhaps there's more to this book after that first couple of pages, but I decided to walk away from the all-up-in-your-face approach of telling me I'm not empowered. Moreover, I can't relate to the notion that my power emanates from my vagina.
I was hoping for a book that celebrated women and provided insights into their connection with the earth, its rhythms, its wisdom, and its elements. What I read of this one, though, made me feel bad for not walking crotch first everywhere in a pair of combat boots.
I was hoping for a book that celebrated women and provided insights into their connection with the earth, its rhythms, its wisdom, and its elements. What I read of this one, though, made me feel bad for not walking crotch first everywhere in a pair of combat boots.
February 25, 2018
take a shot every time lisa mentions vaginas and you’ll be in the hospital before you make it past the introduction. serves me right for trying to get back into witch stuff and forgetting that it’s absolutely swimming with terfs. truly, from the bottom of my heart: yikes.
November 22, 2018
SÃ... y también no. Bruja de Lisa Lister es un libro que he leÃdo mientras menstruaba, creo que estaba más "permeable" y en consonancia con mis emociones y por eso vivà un abanico enorme de ellas. Bruja me ha encantado, y al mismo tiempo lo he aborrecido. HabÃa momentos en los que me ponÃa los pelos de punta y lo amaba, y otros en los que lo querÃa quemar. Mi cara pasaba de la satisfacción a la ira en segundos. Igual os estáis preguntando el porqué. La primera parte del libro me pareció espectacular, hasta que me di cuenta de que eran las mismas ideas repetidas de forma diferente. Es decir, el libro tiene muchÃsima paja. Fácilmente le sobran unas 150 páginas -o más- (y por cierto, nombró su libro Love your lady landscape unas diez veces). O sea, es súper importante hablar del machismo, el patriarcado y la caza de brujas (el episodio más misógino de la historia). Pero pienso que todo podrÃa haberse resumido más, simplemente eliminando ideas que no hacÃan más que reiterarse.
La segunda parte no aparece hasta pasadas las 200 páginas. Lo recalco porque realmente es lo que ella está vendiendo. Cuando cogemos el libro y le damos la vuelta para ver qué tiene pone: sabbats, tarot, ciclos de la luna, herramientas, hierbas, cristales, elementos... No obstante, lo cierto es que esta información no aparece, como ya digo, hasta mucho después de una introducción repetitiva y cansina. Que sÃ, será empoderante, yo no digo que no, ¿pero necesitas 200 páginas para llamarme una y otra vez bruja poderosa o sucedáneos? El caso es que la información de esta segunda parte es bastante extensa (aunque también se puede encontrar en cualquier otro libro de brujerÃa). Si eres una brujita un poco más avanzada, no te estará contando nada nuevo, todo te resultará básico. Eso sÃ, quiero agradecer que por fin, en este tipo de libros, se resalta el hecho de que hay vida más allá de la Wicca. ¡Bien!
En resumen, si estáis empezando en esto de la brujerÃa, si os apetece un subidón de empoderamiento, que os recuerden por qué las brujas son importantes en el feminismo, lo disfrutaréis. Pero os lo advierto, de tan casino que es, también os dará dolor de cabeza. ¡Ah! Y una cosa más, es tránsfobo. A ver si nos enteramos ya de que hay mujeres sin vagina.
La segunda parte no aparece hasta pasadas las 200 páginas. Lo recalco porque realmente es lo que ella está vendiendo. Cuando cogemos el libro y le damos la vuelta para ver qué tiene pone: sabbats, tarot, ciclos de la luna, herramientas, hierbas, cristales, elementos... No obstante, lo cierto es que esta información no aparece, como ya digo, hasta mucho después de una introducción repetitiva y cansina. Que sÃ, será empoderante, yo no digo que no, ¿pero necesitas 200 páginas para llamarme una y otra vez bruja poderosa o sucedáneos? El caso es que la información de esta segunda parte es bastante extensa (aunque también se puede encontrar en cualquier otro libro de brujerÃa). Si eres una brujita un poco más avanzada, no te estará contando nada nuevo, todo te resultará básico. Eso sÃ, quiero agradecer que por fin, en este tipo de libros, se resalta el hecho de que hay vida más allá de la Wicca. ¡Bien!
En resumen, si estáis empezando en esto de la brujerÃa, si os apetece un subidón de empoderamiento, que os recuerden por qué las brujas son importantes en el feminismo, lo disfrutaréis. Pero os lo advierto, de tan casino que es, también os dará dolor de cabeza. ¡Ah! Y una cosa más, es tránsfobo. A ver si nos enteramos ya de que hay mujeres sin vagina.
June 15, 2017
This would be a pretty good primer on all things witchy, if it weren't for the deeply uncomfortable focus on genitals. Women's greatest power is only located in their reproductive organs? No thank you. Even as a cis woman I found this insulting at best, and I can't even imagine how a trans woman might feel if she picked this up. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but the whole thing smacks of trans-exclusionary radical feminism and no one needs to be exposed to that kind of toxic thinking. I'm all for embracing your womanhood, your body, your authentic self, but YIKES, you do not need a womb, vulva, cycle, or even breasts to be a woman. Two stars because if you can get past the reductive and uncomfortable language, there are some good sections on things like herbs, teas, ritual, and beginner witchcraft. Going to go have a cleansing bath after that much womb=woman nonsense.
May 19, 2017
Every woman should read this book!! If you're not into "witchy" things, don't let the title put you off - it's more about how women have been treated for the past, you know, few thousand years (starting with the witch hunts) and how it still effects us today. It's hugely eye opening and will shake you up. And if you ARE into witchy things, like connecting with the earth, moon cycles, rituals etc, there's lots of that too. :)
October 20, 2018
We get it - you have a womb.
July 27, 2019
For awhile, I couldn't exactly decide what to rate this book. This book was recommended to me several times by many friends, including my sister's fiance. I finally stumbled past it in Barnes and Noble and decided to give it a try. Immediately off the bat, you can feel the author trying to get a rise out of her[mostly women of course] readers in a good way to make them feel powerful. As a traditional witch who has been practicing since I was 13 years old, I expected a lot from this book. When you study traditional witchcraft and paganism, you really see the origins of the divine feminine and how powerful women used to be in several ancient cultures, which this author tried to bring up. I can /also/ see how this book is a big hit or a massive miss for a lot of readers, especially those who say the book is transphobic or the unnecessary use of terms such as "p*ssy power", etc. As a /real/ feminist, I am a firm believer in the fact that womanhood is NOT defined by having a womb, and was upset that the trans community was excluded from the book entirely. With that being said, I will admit that this book DID make me feel powerful and unstoppable, and worth something in this life, and that I can be anything I set my mind to, and most of all, this book made me feel proud to call myself a 'witch'. Especially in this age, where hundreds of years ago it most definitely would have gotten you hanged or burned. The author at least did a good job at making you feel empowered to your fullest potential at times. I just wished the trans community got the same respect as cis-gendered females in this book, then I would have given it 5 stars. We're all fighting the same battles against patriarchy, and it should be recognized.
July 15, 2018
1 star, only because I couldn't give it 0 stars.
I really tried with this book, I got to page 90 and just couldn't; I want to chalk it up to the fact that this was just not my kind of book on witchcraft, but it's so much more than that.
The serious problems I have with the book are the Wild trans misogyny, and only validating women's power through the genitals and reproductive organs. Now I get this could be healing for a lot of cis women, but not at the expense of negating the womanhood of trans women or non-binary, or gender fluid persons. Considering Lisa Lister praises Z Budapest, i shouldn't be too surprised.
To bad this book didn't come out in the 80 or 90s, it would have been much more at home. Still a mess, but at home.
It felt so unbelievably patronising as a cis woman for my power to be reduced to my pussy and womb.
Beyond the more serious issues I have with this book, the fact that the word mother/mum/mom/Ma were irritatingly replaced with "mumma" (the word came up enough for it to be really irritating and distracting) so every notion of motherhood was: "earth mumma" "great mummma" over and bloody over again! Enough!
I really tried with this book, I got to page 90 and just couldn't; I want to chalk it up to the fact that this was just not my kind of book on witchcraft, but it's so much more than that.
The serious problems I have with the book are the Wild trans misogyny, and only validating women's power through the genitals and reproductive organs. Now I get this could be healing for a lot of cis women, but not at the expense of negating the womanhood of trans women or non-binary, or gender fluid persons. Considering Lisa Lister praises Z Budapest, i shouldn't be too surprised.
To bad this book didn't come out in the 80 or 90s, it would have been much more at home. Still a mess, but at home.
It felt so unbelievably patronising as a cis woman for my power to be reduced to my pussy and womb.
Beyond the more serious issues I have with this book, the fact that the word mother/mum/mom/Ma were irritatingly replaced with "mumma" (the word came up enough for it to be really irritating and distracting) so every notion of motherhood was: "earth mumma" "great mummma" over and bloody over again! Enough!
July 24, 2017
I needed this. Thank you Lisa from the bottom of my heart. you have helped me connect with who I am. I am starting to love the power of my cycles. I could not put this book down. I loved it so much and will read it again. THANK YOU
August 12, 2017
It did not take many pages before I started rolling my eyes at this book. It starts out very cheesy with Lister describing how she and her friends are at a hipster coffee shop eating "super healthy food" and talking about how modern and powerful they are. Lister is also very convinced that everything sacred and powerful about a woman is her vagina and womb. Look, I'm a heterosexual woman and as far I know I am fertile - and that still rubs me the wrong way! My brain, empathy, heart, communication skills etc are so much more sacred than my vagina. But okay, of course Lister is allowed to have her opinion. There are some good parts in this book though, I like her personal and simple way of describing the sabbaths and some rituals are fun to read about. But overall, if you're lpoking for books on feminism or witchcraft go with something else than this.
December 15, 2021
Part memoir, part guide, part history, part empowerment pep talk. I found this to be interesting. The history is not what we learned in school. I appreciated the empowerment and the raw truth of Lisa's experiences. I am actually very surprised by some of the reviews. Not all books are for everyone, but this may be for you if you are a woman who has a certain calling and is open minded. It is an easy read. One to keep around for simple reminders when needed. Like a friend who gives you those pump you up pep talks.
Edit to add I am not easily offended by menstruation, feminism, or women's sexuality, but if you are this might not be a book for you.
Edit to add I am not easily offended by menstruation, feminism, or women's sexuality, but if you are this might not be a book for you.
May 16, 2018
DNF. I'm pretty sure I follow the author's blog on tumblr so I thought, what the hell, I'll check out the audiobook, support content creators and whatnot. And, well... Not only is this book super preachy, it has a really weird fixation on female genitalia. Yes, I'm serious. I'm okay with talking about female bodies and feminism, more than okay, really. But every time the author said something along the lines of "reclaim your pussy power" I just cringed and physically shuddered. Thanks, but no thanks. Not to mention that this book is non-inclusive af and did I mention preachy? Ugh.
And I don't usually give rating to books I dnf (I rarely dnf books to be honest), but this was just so bad! Repetitive as hell! "I'm a wise old soul so lemme tell you something honey"-ish.
So not about that shit.
And I don't usually give rating to books I dnf (I rarely dnf books to be honest), but this was just so bad! Repetitive as hell! "I'm a wise old soul so lemme tell you something honey"-ish.
So not about that shit.
January 28, 2018
WTH! I don't know where to start with this text. Its reproductive-centered approach to womanhood and femininity which seemed alot too much. Its easy dismissal of cultural appropriation? Its absurd disapproval of more or less all modern medicine, and particularly the use of hormonal birth control?
Its blatant misunderstanding of history? Its relative lack of any actually useful information on paganism/witchcraft?
NOT WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR AT ALL! I didnt connect at all with the author and it was struggle to read.
Its blatant misunderstanding of history? Its relative lack of any actually useful information on paganism/witchcraft?
NOT WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR AT ALL! I didnt connect at all with the author and it was struggle to read.
July 28, 2022
Edit: changing the review, because after further thinking about it I don't think it really deserves a four especially with the transphobic remarks, potentially dangerous information and toxic feminism.
This book had it's good and bad parts, I'm going to start with bad.
First of all, when a book is called "Witch" I expected lots of talk about witches, the history of witches etc. But it just gave me lots of repeating and sometimes annoying feminist talk. Now, I am a feminist but Lister's feminist talk was just so weird. I guess she was trying to make women feel empowered... which I did feel for the first two pages, after those two pages it became boring.
Second, according to her, trans women aren't women, at first I didn't get that transphobic vibe people were rambling about. But as I kept reading I started to understand.
Third, the pussy talk, my womb being my cauldron and most powerful source of magic. Yikes! No! Let's just not. My pussy isn't my most powerful tool. My womb isn't my cauldron that creates magic. My power lies in my wisdom, my intuition, my intelligence and my heart, not my genitalia. Now let me give an example that really annoyed me:
As I've said, no! My power lies in my whole being, but firstly in my head and my heart.
Fourth, do NOT take period tips from this women. I'm highly convinced she doesn't know what she's talking about. The only legit tip might be the herbs and teas that help to soothe the cramps, but google it to make sure it's legit. Just in case. Safety first, after all.
Now, this is not a rant review!!! There were so many parts I loved and felt! But I liked most was the Witch part of the book, the feminism part was a big fail.
The witchy part was amazing, at least to me who's new to all of this. It had some amazing tips, spells and recipes, that I'm very excited to try out.
Lister made sure to include all types of witches and explaining what they do etc. She included various tools for divination such as tarot, scrying and tasseography, giving us how to's.
There were lots of useful stuff about various herbs, how they're used in magic and what they're good for. Also, lots of stuff about crystals and essential oils.
This book is good for someone who's just starting and needs education, but I think "older" witches might already know everything included in this book.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and I'm glad I've read it even tho it had some parts I don't agree with. It was helpful and educational and that's why I bought it.
This book had it's good and bad parts, I'm going to start with bad.
First of all, when a book is called "Witch" I expected lots of talk about witches, the history of witches etc. But it just gave me lots of repeating and sometimes annoying feminist talk. Now, I am a feminist but Lister's feminist talk was just so weird. I guess she was trying to make women feel empowered... which I did feel for the first two pages, after those two pages it became boring.
Second, according to her, trans women aren't women, at first I didn't get that transphobic vibe people were rambling about. But as I kept reading I started to understand.
Third, the pussy talk, my womb being my cauldron and most powerful source of magic. Yikes! No! Let's just not. My pussy isn't my most powerful tool. My womb isn't my cauldron that creates magic. My power lies in my wisdom, my intuition, my intelligence and my heart, not my genitalia. Now let me give an example that really annoyed me:
"(....) She dares you to open Pandora's box (and your legs), because she knows that it's where the powers lie. It's where YOUR power lies. Yep, your power lies between your thighs."
As I've said, no! My power lies in my whole being, but firstly in my head and my heart.
Fourth, do NOT take period tips from this women. I'm highly convinced she doesn't know what she's talking about. The only legit tip might be the herbs and teas that help to soothe the cramps, but google it to make sure it's legit. Just in case. Safety first, after all.
Now, this is not a rant review!!! There were so many parts I loved and felt! But I liked most was the Witch part of the book, the feminism part was a big fail.
The witchy part was amazing, at least to me who's new to all of this. It had some amazing tips, spells and recipes, that I'm very excited to try out.
Lister made sure to include all types of witches and explaining what they do etc. She included various tools for divination such as tarot, scrying and tasseography, giving us how to's.
There were lots of useful stuff about various herbs, how they're used in magic and what they're good for. Also, lots of stuff about crystals and essential oils.
This book is good for someone who's just starting and needs education, but I think "older" witches might already know everything included in this book.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and I'm glad I've read it even tho it had some parts I don't agree with. It was helpful and educational and that's why I bought it.
December 30, 2019
boy OH boy, where to even start with this.
i can't believe that i had to, in 2k18, read some of the most gender-essentialist, trans-exclusionary, reductive tripe i've seen in a LONG, long while. like, you could've swapped this -- except perhaps for the whole "instagram aesthetic" this book is apparently famous for -- with any outdated feminist text from the 80s and nobody would bat an eye.
seriously, what's this even doing here in this day and age?
it's not like lister isn't aware of this. in the intro she's like, "ohOhOooO i'll piss of the transgender community by not addressing them", and that's -- god, that's not even the point. it's so easy to use inclusive language, but in lister's mind this is apparently impossible because of her own beliefs about womanhood.
and even the stuff about witchcraft isn't particularly useful; you've got your standard Boohoo Burning Times (including a side-serving of Historically Inaccurate), your Take What You Want From Other Cultures If You Feel Eclectic, and your This Witchy Information Is So Basic Google Could've Told Me In Two Seconds.
ugh. begone, TERF.
� 0.0 stars.
i can't believe that i had to, in 2k18, read some of the most gender-essentialist, trans-exclusionary, reductive tripe i've seen in a LONG, long while. like, you could've swapped this -- except perhaps for the whole "instagram aesthetic" this book is apparently famous for -- with any outdated feminist text from the 80s and nobody would bat an eye.
seriously, what's this even doing here in this day and age?
it's not like lister isn't aware of this. in the intro she's like, "ohOhOooO i'll piss of the transgender community by not addressing them", and that's -- god, that's not even the point. it's so easy to use inclusive language, but in lister's mind this is apparently impossible because of her own beliefs about womanhood.
and even the stuff about witchcraft isn't particularly useful; you've got your standard Boohoo Burning Times (including a side-serving of Historically Inaccurate), your Take What You Want From Other Cultures If You Feel Eclectic, and your This Witchy Information Is So Basic Google Could've Told Me In Two Seconds.
ugh. begone, TERF.
� 0.0 stars.
March 14, 2018
By the time I got to the last fifty pages of this I was so unbelievably done with the ~breathing deep into your womb~ and the ~divine feminine~ and the ~great mumma~ whatever.
I was buying into it a little for the first half, but the second half really lost me. Actually the exact point where I was lost was the weird rant against birth control in the form of the pill? Like... I get the author had her own struggles with various uterus derived illnesses but to dismiss how some woman choose to manage their cycle was very tone deaf to me. Probably because I struggled for so long without the pill. I don't think by going off the pill I'll be more powerful for being in touch with my natural cycle, I'll just be crippled by pain.
Also the constant dichotomy of the binary "masculine" and "feminine", the heavy focus on your womb/pelvic bowl/cycle blah blah blah pussy power and all that nonsense. Maybe I'm weird but I don't think my power derives from my genitals or my womb. Which not all women have? IDK... that felt pretty exclusionary from an intersex, trans and women who have had hysterectomies point of view. Not to mention the fact that the book even addresses the way women who have entered menopause are treated by society yet apart from that ignores them for the most part? Focusing on constantly talking about your cycle and menstruation? Weird.
However. There is some great stuff in here if you can look past all of this. Various tidbits on a wide range of witchcraft and folk beliefs from around the world. Brief looks at the history of witchcraft as well as the meanings behind herbs, crystals and rituals.
I was buying into it a little for the first half, but the second half really lost me. Actually the exact point where I was lost was the weird rant against birth control in the form of the pill? Like... I get the author had her own struggles with various uterus derived illnesses but to dismiss how some woman choose to manage their cycle was very tone deaf to me. Probably because I struggled for so long without the pill. I don't think by going off the pill I'll be more powerful for being in touch with my natural cycle, I'll just be crippled by pain.
Also the constant dichotomy of the binary "masculine" and "feminine", the heavy focus on your womb/pelvic bowl/cycle blah blah blah pussy power and all that nonsense. Maybe I'm weird but I don't think my power derives from my genitals or my womb. Which not all women have? IDK... that felt pretty exclusionary from an intersex, trans and women who have had hysterectomies point of view. Not to mention the fact that the book even addresses the way women who have entered menopause are treated by society yet apart from that ignores them for the most part? Focusing on constantly talking about your cycle and menstruation? Weird.
However. There is some great stuff in here if you can look past all of this. Various tidbits on a wide range of witchcraft and folk beliefs from around the world. Brief looks at the history of witchcraft as well as the meanings behind herbs, crystals and rituals.
March 5, 2018
Ugg... Lister's Witch feels like a collection of unedited blog posts. Chapters feature lots of one sentence paragraphs and lists. About half the book is a weak attempt at feminist self-help and the other half is a mishmash of witchcraft traditions that can all be understood by reading much better books. I'm all for female empowerment, but I'd prefer more thought and craft put into a book trying to express such a thing. Pick up Basic Witches instead.
July 26, 2017
Super dumbed down and a little gross (the transphobic gender essentialist stuff). Hard to follow and I found one place where the author lifted text mid paragraph without citation from another book. I am sure this book as clumsy as it is will introduce some people to the path and hopefully they'll find better things to read.
October 28, 2020
Avoid. VERY Transphobic. You do not need a womb to be a witch!
February 5, 2022
3.5
This was a good book. I enjoyed the author's narration. There was bits I found really empowering and some interesting spells and recipes I will go back and write down. I'm not sure if this is the book I would hand a beginner witch, though.
This was a good book. I enjoyed the author's narration. There was bits I found really empowering and some interesting spells and recipes I will go back and write down. I'm not sure if this is the book I would hand a beginner witch, though.
November 7, 2017
Wow! Listen up, Ladies, as Lisa Lister lays it all out & down for you to pick up & set your life on fire. I chose the Audible version and it was more powerful than reading her words, an incantation spoken in my kitchen while I cooked (yup, kitchen witch) since Lister does the narration herself. Sure, there's some "spells" and very helpful lists of crystals, herbs, holidays; mainly our guide focuses on helping her fellow sisters accept and live their power. Today's world events and societal unrest between the sexes sets the stage for Lister's call for a revolution. "Call in a sister, rather than calling her out," advises our leader. Whether a witch, sorceress, healer - none of those labels define you, but each can inspire you - Lister sparks her audience to realize you hold your unique brand of magic inside you and it's safe to light your cauldron's fire however and wherever you want to. Love starts with you loving who you are right now - the most powerful and healing magic each of us can and need to wield.
June 10, 2017
Awesome, insightful and empowering. I found myself nodding, laughing and crying as I read/listened. The best quote from the book is when discussing the Venus of Wilendolf having a twerk worthy bottom.
June 27, 2017
I absolutely LOVED this book. This books is more than just "witchcraft" is about women and femininity and empowerment and reclaiming what is ours by connecting with mother earth. LOVED IT.
slightly repetitive at times but some people need the reinforcement. A+++
slightly repetitive at times but some people need the reinforcement. A+++
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