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Signs, Symbols and Omens
–An Illustrated Guide to Magickal and Spiritual Symbolism Let me preface this by saying that, while I am not above taking someone’s sacred cow and serving it medium rare on toast points, this is not something that I do lightly or with any particular enthusiasm. I know that Raymond Buckland, like Scott Cunningham, has legions of followers and they’re all likely to object mightily to what I’m about to say. I also know that he’s written some classic texts; this one isn’t destined to join those ranks. In this slim volume, (244 pages), Buckland attempts to cover a great deal of territory, first summarizing and then hand-illustrating the symbols connected with everything from alchemy to Chinese writing, magickal alphabets to Hindu, Aztecs to Voudoun. Unfortunately, rather than a providing a neat overview of the subject, this results in an extremely scattershot product. The summaries are overly simplistic and the choices of symbols associated with each entry reveal Buckland’s own preferences and biases. For example, any good pagan book must apparently contain a nod to the Celts, so they are included here, but the pickings are slim: only the St. Magnus Cross, a four-leaf clover, a green man, a mandrake root and a Celtic knot are presented. In the Christian section, the symbols are largely dismissed as derivative or borrowed, e.g., “The so-called Star of Bethlehem is no more than the Pagan pentagram…” Whether or not one is in accord with the implied sentiment is irrelevant; it has no place in a book presenting itself as reference material. In contrast, there are fully 25 pages of the symbols of ceremonial magic, obviously Buckland’s first love and still long suit. Also questionable is the inclusion of the word Omens in the title. Buckland devotes only eight pages to the topic, and seems unable to distinguish between an omen, a superstition, and a normal event. For example, the wooly caterpillars seen in the late fall are not an “omen” of approaching cold weather – it is simply that that is the time of year when they are normally seen. Would he suggest that daffodils are an omen of spring? Even the brief bibliography is found wanting, as Buckland cites his own books almost as often as others. If you’re looking for a good reference work on magical and religious symbolism, try Bill Whitcomb’s The Magician’s Companion. Only the truly devout Buckland fan will get any measure of satisfaction out of Signs, Symbols and Omens.
Review By Karen Albeck Signs, Symbols & Omens First of all, this is a man book. Yes, yes, yes, I understand that there are plenty of feminine types and perhaps even Divas who enjoy the usage of sigils and symbols and such (definitely the reading of omens ventured into woman stuffs, but this particular book carries with it a basic masculine feel that is likely to put wimmins to sleep. I will confess that what carried me through it was not the endless array of symbols, some a hairline off from the previous one or the one before that, but more the tidbits of information he gave about the classifications of the different symbols. The book itself is subdivided into 26 sections of various paths and traditions, beginning with a brief summary of the origin and history of the trad, leading into a sampling of their symbols. Having a specific tradition summed up in a few paragraphs is very helpful and while it may do a disservice to the detailed integrity of the path, it is nice to glance down and in a few moments have a basic idea of what they do and how they got to where they are. It’s easy to tell where Buckland’s heart lies since there are 26 pages of symbols relating to Ceremonial Magick, 16 pages relating to Alchemy and only an average of 2-5 pages on each of the other paths. Of particular interest (and you might want to go check your curb or mail box post) are the “Travelers” symbols (meaning the Gypsy, tinkers, hobos, etc of nomad folks) that identify the basic disposition of the people in a particular house, right up to and including “has a gun,” “you will get beaten,” “a woman alone” and “a wealthy person.” I have a feeling I need to be studying the signs and symbols for the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses, as they seem to have decided my home is an ideal landing spot despite my best frowning efforts. Meh. Overall, not bad for its content and to have broached such an incredible expansive subject, he didn’t do such a bad job, but one must really determine how much time one wants to invest into the study of Signs, Symbols and Omens. OK as a reference book, OK as a bathroom read, OK as a quicky taste of 26 different paths, but not a fulfilling or satisfying read. I’ll give it a pentacle for each
good thing and deduct one for the
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