On that same note, since it’s the season, and witchcraft has become so big in pop culture these days, I hate to be Like this, but after browsing the “pagan/esoteric” section in a big-name bookstore last week, I feel the need to warn y’all that the MAJORITY of these books are full of bad information, mistakes, or just blatant lies.
You get used to spotting BS as you go, but here are two major and common red flags:
The book claims to teach “the old ways,” ESPECIALLY if it’s citing Irish or nondescript “Celtic” practices. Historically, we know very little about pre-Christian Irish and most other Celtic cultures’ religious and magical practices, so unless this author is citing a For Real vampire or ghost for their info, it’s fake.
Check the literature cited! I opened about 15 books IN A ROW to their literature cited sections, and guess who they referenced for information! History books? Books on folklore and traditional beliefs? Books on language or religion?
No, no, and no. They almost Exclusively cited Other Authors in the same section, and when I pulled THOSE books, they also cited other pagan & esoteric authors.
At this point, it was just a paper trail of people making stuff up at worst, believing BS without question and spreading misinformation for money at best.
If you want to learn about this stuff, I’m Begging you to skip (most of) the bookstore pagan section and head to your local or university library’s folklore and history sections instead! You will find a Lot of relevant, and Real information there!
You CAN find good books on magic practices in the witch community, and there are some authors even now with blogs putting out some great literature, but just watch out for those signals that something may be amiss!
Also, keep in mind info changes all the time. In the last decade, researches have totally overhauled a LOT of what we’ve recognized as “Celtic” history and facts, and text books are still trying to catch up!
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