Curses, Hexes & Crossing: A Magician's Guide to Execration Magick

Probably the best book on cursing and hexes I have found.Perhaps the best aspect of this book is the first 41 pages, where the author discusses the context of cursing: ethics, psychology, history, and "creating your own." This author is wonderfully direct and plain spoken: what she writes so often feels like keen, sharp darts that get right to the point, very effectually, and you can learn a lot here. You'll find the paradox here which is so important a part of earthy common sense, yet is so often lost in our excessively mental culture. For instance, the author begins by stating that she loves the dark arts and loves curses, but uses them quite sparingly. This might surprise those namby-pamby types who are afraid of facing their own shadow and coming to know it, but does reflect the reality of working with the dark parts of oneself and with cursing and hexing magic. Once you come to experience a certain level of power and potency there, you realize that it's enough to tap into that power and work with it: you don't need to often be flinging it at people.The author discusses the "psychological aspect" of cursing, and refers to the "Lesser Black Magic" of using forms of "manipulation" to effect others and obtain what one wants. The author does not go into a lot of detail here, but this is a subject that I believe is quite valuable and really deserves to be discussed at greater length by someone. It is a very valuable way of working together with Magic to obtain justice, or to free oneself from harassment or malice, which requires a refined understanding of human psychology, a creative mind, and doing some outer works in the external world. To give an example based on something the author says: in the intro to the book, under "The Law", she states that to tell someone you are cursing them could get you charged with a misdemeanor or felony crime. True enough, particularly in our highly litigious society. However, there are ways of making someone sense that they are being cursed, without laying down any path that leads back to you. Enough said. This is just one example of what can be done in addition to Curse Magic itself, to increase your effectiveness in addressing a wrong, or even a criminal situation.I laughed out loud when I read the author's wonderfully on-point response to the question that many beginner Magicians ask about wanting books on Advanced Magic. "Here's a clue for those particular folks: Advanced Magic = Magic you create yourself that manifests results. If you still need a book to tell you how it's done, you're not an Advanced Magician, period. That is why there are no advanced magic books. Advanced Magicians don't need to do anything by the book because they're advanced enough to create their own magic that manifests results." (pg 35).There are many aspects of cursing magic that the author doesn't go into, which are addressed well in another book on the subject by Dorothy Morrison, in her "Utterly WIcked" book, one which I strongly recommend. For instance she points out that if you yourself are at fault, the last thing you want to do is a curse on someone else. And she strongly recommends not doing curses for other people.The actual curse spells given by the author in this book are overall not as interesting to me as those, for instance, given by Dorothy Morrison in her book, possibly because I am oriented to folk magic and HooDoo, and I most enjoy spells that use humor and rhyming couplets, but you can get great ideas here. One of the intriguing things in this book is that the author gives 104 curses found just in the BIblical Psalms alone. For those pollyannas who think that the Bible and spiritual paths issuing from it are opposed to cursing, think again!

I like this book because the subject is rare. Good for you Connolly, or whoever you are.You gotta love a book (and it's author) that boldy uses "The Word Of God" to curse on one page and then a few pages later, making an appeal to Satan to do the same. Double Whammy, nobody is safe.Alot of people are making a big to-do about skimpy content. It's a G-U-I-D-E not an E-N-C-Y-C-L-O-P-E-D-I-A. You don't need a book to teach you how to curse others, its the most natural and easiest form of magick there is (thats why, I presume, there are so many 3-Folders out there warning against it. Stuff it, worms). That said I still like it, wide variety of ideas, more fuel to the fire.I'd take the wager that the first spell ever cast was a curse.The only real problem I have is Im not sure what the Daemonolatry Warding Symbols are on page 128. I mean she talks about warding...but what are those symbols? One's an Ankh. I must have missed something.Point blank, if you piss me off or someone I know, especially if you try to scam hassle or mooch, you're getting cursed, by me, and I'll let you know it as I do it. Like Connolly says, it's healthy.She also alludes to amulets and purification over circle casting... a practice I prefer. Leave the circle casting to the Golden Yawn.Good book, if you like freedom and going against convention or just doing general study of the Occult, I say get this book. By the way she has a page (104) about the the sigil on the cover, which is more than what alot of authors do (pick cover art that has nothing to do with the contents of the Book).

Disclaimer: I'm ChristoPagan Witch but I believe in acknowledging and embracing the darkness as well as light. So, I'm neutral in my practice. Originally, I bought this book strictly because someone wronged me and I wanted to get this person back for their lies and betrayal. However, I chilled out somewhat ended up using a different spell before this book arrived.I don't regret my purchase because this is additional material into my general study of the occult which I was already studying.I haven't finished this yet, so far it feels concise in structure. Connolly offers a significant amount of knowledge (and she's very knowledgeable) in a thin amount of pages. Multiple beliefs and cultures are presented within the pages, so there's a little something for everyone. I believe all magickal practicioners can benefit from having this on their bookshelf.She speaks plainly with a sense of humor, offering warnings, covering basics and more complex moments of the arts. Even the sigil presented on the front cover is covered inside.

After reading this, any doubt I had about being able to perform curses left me.She also persuaded me not to look for this as a panacea. Not that I was a mind to anyway; I much rather look forward to the Thrice Returned rule of blessing others and staying connected in my social web, over performing ritual in a frenzied, über-righteous mental state (to invoke a cosmic "temporary-insanity" plea) to do cursing.She spoke first with candor about her past, her experiences, ethics, and do-ability of this branch of craft.After this decent (and highly readable/ engaging) intro of chapters, she laid out the curses. She described curses with energy-backers Hecate, Svengali, and even God of theBible (using the Psalms).For this book's premise, promise, content, practice-ablility, and delivery, I give it 5-stars.

It's very well written, easy to read with few useful spells and rituals. I love this author, great book for rookies as well. Highly recommend.

11 out of 10

Excelente livro

Not a book I went looking for- but popped up as a recommendation and I'm very grateful for that. Interesting, to the point and practical. Author is a total legend in my opinion. Knowledgeable yet rational and down to earth (and funny) ...for example p.117 how to know if you are cursed: do you know any magicians? If yes have you pissed any of them off? If yes - you may be cursed... my kind of book. Would highly recommend

Very practical, I would use 3 or 4 of them because they are easy and do not request hard to find items. The author takes the time to explain what is a curse and why doing a curse before going into the details of the spells which is very wise.

A wonderful book that is down to earth, practical, analytic and honest. There's no holier than thou in these pages while at the same time the topic is treated with dignity and clarity. Bravo.