The Elements of Spellcrafting: 21 Keys to Successful Sorcery Paperback – February 19, 2018

Amazon reviewJason Miller continues to be a breath of fresh air. He’s like your gruff uncle in Jersey who calls you on your stuff, but only because he has your best interests at heart. Even the annoying typos pointed out by another reviewer (and for which I debated taking off one star) just reinforce his image as a down-to-earth, practical guy.I really, really like this book. The author zeros in on essentials with a minimum of fluff. Despite his folksy writing style, he’s obviously thought very deeply about the whole magical continuum, from high spiritual development to getting the cash for that new sailboat. And like any true expert, he knows the landscape well enough to steer you in the right direction, with a minimum of lengthy explanations.Miller knows you need to make “mundane” efforts to get to that tipping point where magic can send you down the slopes full-speed toward your goal. As such, this is a book of advice Uncle Jason could be giving anyone starting out “adulting,” whether they are interested in magic or not. He weaves magical and mundane advice together seamlessly—and beautifully. Scaffold your goals. Plan your work and work your plan. Take responsibility for your desires (oh, and figure out what they really are).Which brings me back to the point about “starting out.” The author presumes you have already figured out how to do magic, but you aren’t getting the results you want. That may be true for experienced readers, but wouldn’t it be great to have this advice right from the beginning? Miller is clear that this is not a beginner book, yet I have a (very small) bit of sympathy for the negative reviewer who complained about the lack of “basics.” Some kind of road map (appendix or an expanded reading list), while not strictly necessary, would expand the book’s usefulness to the beginner. I gather the author got his knowledge the hard way, by trying a lot of things and getting burned a few times, so perhaps this is why he isn’t more directive in this area. He does take a stand on a few practices he considers unethical. (Since they tend to be illegal, too, they are not very practical anyway, and thus a non-starter for Miller.)If you are a beginner, get this book (and some other source for how-to information). If you are experienced, get this book and rethink your approach with every chapter. If you aren’t interested in magic at all, you might still want to read this book. You’d get a sane and practical outlook on living that would serve you very well, courtesy of your Uncle Jason from Jersey.Full disclosure: I received an advance pdf of this book for review. I liked it so much I purchased a hard copy of the book.

I enjoyed this book as I do all books by Jason Miller. He is knowledgeable and very accurate in almost everything he says. The one thing I disagree with in this book is a section called Hack The Planets, as I follow traditional esoteric astrology by the book, I would not stray from those rules of the 1st century grimoire. Miller’s magical guides are definitely a page turner, never a dull moment!

I'm a fan of everything Jason writes, even the things that aren't particularly part of my own path. He's a great writer with a great sense of humor and this book was filled with unique, empowered, and helpful material. Bravo as per usual!

Jason Miller’s latest book, The Elements of Spellcrafting: 21 Keys to Successful Sorcery is absolutely fantastic. I devoured this book and read it a few times after the first reading. It’s that good. But anyone who knows Jason Miller or his work already knew it was going to be. While there’s lots of spell books on the market and even a good amount of “how to” in crafting spells, this book stands out as extremely unique. Jason has always been focused on results within his teaching, and this book is no exception.This book is like having your own personal magick coach to help you craft and cast spells effectively. As such, Jason helps you edit your magickal goals so that you can get the most out of your spell’s result. One of the major differences with Jason’s approach and that of others is his focus on trajectory for spells instead of goals for larger manifestations. He approaches magick as a strategy (hence his book Strategic Sorcery) and offers the insights of one of the most experienced and respected men that I know of in occult communities across the board.The book is divided into three parts; setting up the spell, execution and advancing your craft. Within those three parts are 21 keys to successful spellcasting. Each “key” in the book opens with a one panel comic featuring a misguided sorcerer and the spirit he’s summoning, which has the perfect amount of snark to it. Seriously, they’re great. As a seasoned magickal teacher and magickal practitioner, Jason understands a lot of the pitfalls and mistakes when it comes to spellcasting and this is part of what makes him such a wonderful teacher as he understands how to troubleshoot common difficulties when it comes to the occult. This Jason’s insight, methods, and perspectives are so fresh compared to other’s, this book will enhance anyone’s spellcasting, whether a complete beginner or the most seasoned practitioner.

I wrote down quite a bit as I was reading this book to reflect on and even study further. I found Elements of Spellcrafting to be an easy read with great explanations and metaphors that created a down to earth experience. I came away feeling like I've learned more, and I yearn to learn even more.I felt like a human being was talking to me, reaching me and giving me their best advice based on their experiences