Anyone feeling the sting of psychic or magickal attack can pick up this manual and use it for defense. Starting out with what to do when under attack, to determining which methods to employ to stop it, this is an all around good book for protection against the evil eye or malicious intent.
So just what kind of spiritual attack are we talking about? Attacks may occur because someone has offended spirits, visited places with a malingering energy, broken magical vows, or attacks may come from other magickal practioners. Miller writes that no one is impervious to psychic attack. He believes that no matter the level of skill in the magickal arts, and even if one is using protective amulets or protective charms, the occasion may arise where one is under attack. His point of view is that is always better to protect against an imagined attack than to not defend against the effects of a real curse. Miller reviews symptoms of curses and even how to handle the hypochondriac who isn't afflicted by magic but psychological issues.
The best defense may be spiritual hygiene to avoid the problem in the first place. Miller talks about his daily practices and guides the reader through meditation, banishing, and offerings. Attacks may come from people or spirits of all backgrounds and protections need to be respond effectively to any kind of attack. He has dedicated this book to the Goddess Hekate and some of the practices invoke her. But the practices are also influenced by hoodoo, European folk magic, sigils and spirit summoning and even Himalayan practices. He makes the point that in American cities he rubs elbows in a short space of time with a wide variety of people of faith and magic. Some spiritual traditions talk openly of cursing and some do not. This book must have been like ripping a band-aid off a wound initially in the circles where people didn't talk about that kind of magick. The book covers personal protection shielding, invisibility, how to cleanse people and places of negative energy or entities and even touches on exorcism with a lot of cautions that it is best to seek an expert.
This is a second printing with additional commentary from the author about the evolution of his practice since the first publishing in 2006. A second edition implies a certain amount of success. Author Jason Miller in his new commentary talks about why he wrote this book in the first place and then he jumps in at the end of chapters to tell the reader if he's changed his mind or still agrees with the chapter. It's good to see an author grow and respond. I also found it funny to hear how the readers have responded. The book is designed to be called upon in times of need and most of it can be done or modified to suit needs.
Recommended
~review by Larissa Carlson
Author: Jason Miller
Weiser Books, 2006, 2023
208 pages, $18.95
