Author: Val Thomas Hallowtide, A Dark Devotional explores the sacred days between Hallowe’en and Martinmas. It is a moment of the year which offers a deep well of dark magic. As the leaves yellow and fall, and pavements and forest tracks are covered in fairy gold, much that is strange and disturbing, yet exquisitely beautiful, emerges from the swirling mists. In the darkness, surrounded by the scent of decay, we feel keenly our own mortality and the presence of those who have died recently or long ago: family members, distant ancestors, friends and beloved animal companions. By indulging our emotions at this time, we embrace life with greater intensity. The book casts its spell through personal memories and reflections on joy and loss, woven together with a little of the history and folklore of these holy days. It includes spells, recipes and pathworkings. There are also nine Dark Devotions, powerful, tried-and-tested rituals which can be adapted to suit the tastes of the various streams of witchcraft and magical practice. They are perfect for the dark times but most are suitable for working throughout the year. Beautifully illustrated by Alice Kerridge-Crick, this book will make you laugh, cry, reflect on life and loss and embrace the melancholy of the season while always acknowledging that renewal, growth and blossoming will return.
