Grimoires Explained: Manuals of Magic

[@ReligionForBreakfast]

Register for our online class "What Does It Mean To Be a Witch?" religionforbreakfast.eventbrite.com/

[@yUsernaae]

Good video hope you do more occult related content, apart from witchcraft and wicca

[@olivercharles2930]

Stick to religion.

[@yUsernaae]

@@olivercharles2930 Well occultism is spiritual and he covers religion and spirituality

[@ekmalsukarno2302]

Hi there, ReligionForBreakfast, can you please make a video on Balinese Hinduism and how it differs Hinduism in India. Thank you very much.

[@tross-lj2eb]

I did it. So excited!

[@justforplaylists]

There's an article I read, "The Dirty Secret of ‘Secret Family Recipes’" by Alex Mayyasi. It's about how a lot of people assume something is a secret family recipe when it really came from a food package or something. It's actually pretty uplifting. Anyways, it kind of reminds me of this. People can find meaning in things even if they are mass-produced.

[@quiestinliteris]

My Tía Lorraine makes a stellar quiche lorraine. (I genuinely thought she invented it as a kid.) She refuses to share her recipe - specifically with my grandmother. XD Grandmother has a tendency to, ah... "substitute" in recipes. Tía didn't want her making her version of it and telling people it was Lorraine's if she was using, like, mayonnaise and salt pork or something. I made a quiche and brought it to a family get-together. Grandmother was CERTAIN Lorraine had given me the secret recipe. I just got it out of Julia Child's book. 😅

[@KellyDVance]

I have a feeling this may happen with my hand written recipe book. I hate having to hunt and rehunt for recipes I like online, so will write them down with my own notes. If it survives the next however many generations, I can imagine my potential descendants thinking they are secret family recipes when really it was just a standard French bread recipe and braised cabbage isn't hard to do.

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

So true. I have my mother's recipe book with a mix of some clipped from magazines and packets plus others handwritten in the 1960s. I know for a fact that no one in my family cooked them before about 1920l

[@TechBearSeattle]

A similar example is "this is how my mother did it, because it's the way my grandmother did it, because its the way my great grandmother did it." The reality being that great granny cut the ends off the ham because the only pan she had was too small, or wiped fresh baked loaves of bread with a damp cloth because her wood burning oven tended to leave cinders. Practices born of practical reality can become ancient, hallowed rituals of perfection within a generation or two.

[@vanderlaz]

aw i just recently learned that my nana’s special triple berry muffins came from a premade “just add milk” package. but they’ll never taste like anything but nana’s house and birthday parties with my cousins and summer days. interesting that i’m not the only person with that sort of story!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Esoterica for breakfast ;) Great work, Andrew!

[@YouTubdotCub]

When Andrew Henry makes Spooky Season videos, he becomes Justin Sledge for a day!

[@hanzquejano7112]

Yo!

[@Simeonf7750]

Please brother don't intentionally reject the truth,if you honestly follow wisdom and knowledge I promise you you're finally going to arrive to the creator of all wisdom and knowledge and everything Jesus Christ of Nazareth our Lord and God ✝️🙏❤️🛐 I'll pray for you beloved brother 🙏

[@atzmut3884]

I'm a fan 🔥

[@zhangzongchang1057]

​@@Simeonf7750Please brother don't intentionally reject the truth, if you honestly follow wisdom and knowledge I promise that you're finally going to arrive to the creator of all wisdom and knowledge and everything the Almighty Allah our Lord and God ☪️🙏♥️🛐 I'll pray for you beloved brother 🙏

[@kinilas]

I grew up a Baptist in the American South and Christians very much still use the Bible as a ritual spell book. I have a necklace with a Bible verse on it that I got for protection from evil. Even now that I'm more agnostic in my belief I still wear this necklace because it was such a huge part of my childhood teachings. There were phrases you could chant and songs you could sing to help cure ailments or (according to my mom) help your garden grow. It's amazing to see that we still utilize this centuries old practice even now.

[@BrandanLee]

Can confirm, momma does indeed, like it or not. Especially if not.

[@lbjcb5]

That's fascinating, thank you for sharing.

[@smallyberbigelbe7571]

Science has proven that singing kindly to plants helps them grow taller compared to not singing and even taller compared to yelling at the plants. I don’t know why. I just know that we can observe the phenomena

[@smergthedargon8974]

@@smallyberbigelbe7571 That studies that "proved" that have all been debunked, to my knowledge.

[@carolynsilvers9999]

Your experience is similar to mine

[@AntiFaGoat]

My grimoires are basically "a witch's scrapbook." I write out spells and rituals, but also notes and thoughts about different spiritual beliefs for meditation and magical work. Gnosticism has been a big interest of mine lately, so my first grimoire (which won a blue ribbon in our local county fair's scrapbooking show, btw) is full of notes and my interpretations of that spiritual system. Lastly, my grimoires are a great place to save articles I've found on magic, religious quotes, and generally witchy images I've printed out or found in places. Since I also enjoy sigil magic, I often work through drawing those out in the grimoire pages, too. I then write what the sigil means right side up and inverted to remember later. I do not understand why some witches wouldn't want at least one physical notebook for their own creative work. Even if you are constantly online and want to cut down on paper use, offline ideas and useful garbage still happen.

[@badpiggies4926]

Are you a witch ?

[@Maariu01]

Thank you for sharing your experience, wisdom and knowledge. I have a notebook I call my spiritual/wairua/esoteric book thats a combination of different things very different to your but i do enjoy it.

[@ItsDaJax]

Agree. Despite it all, I want a physical grimoire and want one regardless of todays tech advancements. Writing one is tradition, as is, in a way creating it, versus spending $40-60 on some leather journal, at some Pagan Pride, goth prom, or Ren faire.

[@CalmHiker-ou1co]

I’ve tried to do this but my grimoires never turn out neat or how I want them too 😭

[@JRussellDay]

I highly recommend getting a nice calligraphy pen, or even just a flat nib fountain pen. Look through Google images for a nice cursive alphabet, print it out and practice constantly so your writing becomes nice

[@ericericson4]

I find it interesting to study "Christian magical practices". A friend of mine from Appalachia, he was in his 90s, told me about his uncle, "He was very smart. he knew the right Bible verse to quote to cure a nose bleed." To get rid of bad dreams, "You need a Bible. It's best if it's old and given to you by a friend. Keep it near the head of your bed. Read some before you sleep so the words get inside you, and leave it open and it will protect you as you sleep."

[@DisposableSupervillainHenchman]

Sounds like his uncle might’ve graduated high school at best.

[@ericericson4]

@@DisposableSupervillainHenchman The man was born between 1900 and 1910. His "uncle" was more likely a granduncle and born at or before the civil war. They could read and write, but I don't know how much schooling they had.

[@Neenerella333]

This reminds me of the mixtures of catholic practices that mix with indigenous rituals like Dia de los Muertos, Santoria, or Voodoo.

[@ericericson4]

@@Neenerella333 It is. Magic (at it's most basic) is our attempt to control the world around us. It doesn't seem to matter which system is used. They are all similar.

[@melaniey.5596]

Ah! If you like those topics I would recommend the video “How to perform an exorcism” by Horses. Alongside talking about exorcisms (and from what he described of it, it might be the closest we get to church backed “Christian magical practices”) he also talked about Christian mysticism.

[@adamcrawford6060]

Thorn Mooney is the correct name to have to host a lecture on witchcraft.

[@b.a.davis-howe487]

All of my ritual books are MS Word docs printed in 3-ring binders, because I'm constantly making changes to my practices. Different colored binders for different systems, so I can easily grab the right rite.

[@olivercharles2930]

Jeez, at least keep it interesting if you are going to believe in this nonsense. Write it in goat blood on ancient parchment at the 12th of january or something

[@titotobi-lawal2083]

@@olivercharles2930 how is what someone else does with their time affecting you in any way, you seem like a big loser

[@strangelaw6384]

Why would you make changes? Do rituals stop functioning as intended at some point?

[@scaper8]

​@strangelaw6384 Maybe less a loss in functionality and more a refinement of a technique or result?

[@strangelaw6384]

@@scaper8 oh, is refinement and improvement through trials and tests common among such disciplines?

[@Alverant]

My local Renaissance Faire has a store that sells blank books with leather binding and high-quality paper. Now I kinda wanna get one for my own grimoire.

[@julietfischer5056]

All kinds of interesting blank books for every type of practitioner exist. And for writers. Who look at the pretty book and can't think of anything worthy of it.

[@ItsDaJax]

I too, have seen such fanciful books. They come with a grave price, though. One a peasant like myself, with a meager bank account fears the risk of.

[@davidsalisbury1427]

Oh that's me at 16:16 thanks for showing off my library!

[@Tinil0]

Hah, how's it feel to be a face of "modern wicca"?

[@markusironwood9736]

I knew you looked familiiar.

[@nerunastus]

​@@DisposableSupervillainHenchmany so pressed

[@gimmekromer1151]

​@@DisposableSupervillainHenchmanIf you dont like It leave

[@DisposableSupervillainHenchman]

@Johnathan.Demetrius.H Don’t waste your time. Magic isn’t real at all. You should instead try to educate yourself with a scientific understanding of the world. Because science is actually real. Or you could go back centuries and believe in the most absurd garbage imaginable. Your choice.

[@TheFloon]

I about jumped out of my seat when Thorn popped up. She is wonderful! So glad to see you doing a collab with her.

[@oldcowbb]

perfect timing, just started the Agatha series yesterday

[@spiritofstar]

Love Agatha series how are you liking it so far?

[@oldcowbb]

@@spiritofstar the escape room format is a little bit silly, but the last couple episodes were pretty well written

[@Hiddensecret9]

There’s something uplifting about people finding significance in something mass-produced. It shows that meaning comes from the memories and connections we create around these recipes, not just from their origins.

[@margaretwordnerd5210]

It also encourages diverse thoughts. After hearing too many Christians boast that the bible is the only book on religion anyone needs, I polled a few dozen Wiccans/Pagans/Heathens how many books they had about religion, magic, and related topics. Nearly all answered in double digits, most owning 30 or more. IMO many sources with differing opinions can provide a better foundation than one book.

[@thesupertaco1934]

Please do a video for chinese folk religion or shenjiao like you did for shinto

[@schwermetall666]

The scenario of someone copying Jesus' letter as a token for protection possibly without even knowing how to read (perhaps having the copying done by a specialist) reminds me of that scene in the first (?) Pirates of the Carribean movie (bear with me now) where the two comic-relief characters sit in a rowing boat on the open sea, one of them reading the bible, prompting his companion to point out that the first can't even read, to which he responds: "It's the Bible, you get credit for trying!"

[@cornupswar]

I do wanna give the other credit for his rebuttal: "pretending to read the Bible is a lie! That's a mark against-" (gesturing up at the sky). They both have their valid reasons for their argumentation, frankly.

[@JadeCryptOfWonders]

I have a copy of the Luban grimoire of Chinese magic, very interesting stuff from a historical figure most famous for furniture rather than sorcery.

[@OntologicalShock777]

There are also many practitioner of Magic in the Philippines. the concept of writing is magic itself is seen in the members of Philippine Benevolent missionaries association Inc. and there are also pseudo-Latin incantation spells circulated on f.b group founded by Filipinos imbued in amulet as protection. we Filipinos are magical thinkers so there are many followers of this modern digital occult.

[@bcataiji]

Magic is not a thing, so they are not really practitioners of Magic. It is all a sham just to pass time, exert control, create an air of mystery, etc.

[@acupofwhitetea]

It's a very old concept even before Christian arrived. Anting antings, magic oils and incantations (oracions) was already used until Missionaries inserted their anti Non-christian beliefs in the mix. The only difference is that one have an ego and demonized the indigenous beliefs when the structural framework and concept is completely the same. We still use magic healing oils and relics, especially when it is sold/endorsed by the church or vendors around the church.

[@bcataiji]

@@acupofwhitetea , nobody is using magic anything because there is no magic. You are not addressing the real issue here.

[@bong_water]

@@bcataijijust because you don’t believe don’t mean we don’t? quite rude actually.

[@itsfort]

I love how many cultures have the idea of writing being magical.

[@Narmatonia]

Considering ubiquitous reading and writing are today, it’s interesting to think of a time where any kind of writing could’ve had a magical interpretation to regular folk

[@Despotic_Waffle]

Is the nature of modern society not magical? I for one thing it is. We are communicating by leaving messages 'in the air' from millions of kilimetres away

[@j.2512]

dumb people always think anyone smarter than them is a wizard and must have used witchcraft to succeed

[@stevengentry9396]

Owen Davies has an excellent book on the subject called Grimoires: A History of Magic Books. In it, he describes many of these works, and goes into detail about many of the same points brought out here, as well as others. A fascinating read.

[@richardhall4124]

Scholars always asking why are grimoires but no one's asking how are grimoires

[@KellyDVance]

My old one is probably lonely as I haven't touched it in the decade since becoming atheist. But I'm sure it appreciates your concern.

[@williamhowland9977]

… Weiss, is that you?

[@lecantalouprouge]

That's so funny 😂

[@jellyfish_bubbles]

I was gonna comment this!!! 😂my first thought❤

[@popcornfourdinner]

Stop it 😂

[@aaveragegamer6429]

Just got one for Halloween, perfect timing

[@joesmith942]

Is there something in there to improve your candy haul?

[@Elusive.magick]

@@joesmith942I love candy. My book of spells might have some chocolate stains.

[@ProTobigen]

My personal grimoire is a simple black spiral bound sketchbook. It's served me well.

[@Elusive.magick]

I agree. I realized that a book that can lay totally flat as I do ritual work is invaluable. Nice thick pages that hold color well. I love the leather bound books but they aren’t practical for a working witch.

[@excessiveone9952]

Are you in a server called Theocord?

[@heyhey-jayjay2189]

i’m really glad this video exists for when new baby witches go looking for videos about grimoires, from an academic and anthropologic perspective i’m glad it exists

[@chasemorrison4411]

Great Halloween content!

[@richardw2977]

Great video as always! I can’t help but notice the similarity at 3:00 with the Abracadabra incantation. Another example of magical geometric writing.

[@BrazilianCitizan]

This reminds me a lot of what Dan McClellan talks about certain strains of modern evangelical Christianity treating the bible itself as a divine image or amulet

[@Duiker36]

Fun fact: gospel is a shortened form of "good spell". And prayers where you ask for anything are basically magic, because you're requesting intercession as a direct result of your actions. (There are entire debates about whether or not there are legitimate things you're allowed to ask for, such as salvation or grace or wisdom.) Prayer is pretty standard as the key component in a lot of practices in Christian esoterica. The invocation of angels, especially specific angels, also happens surprisingly often.

[@shayalynn]

@@Duiker36 Can you explain how gospel is a shortened form of good spell? Because the New Testament wasn’t originally written in English. Are you talking about the form of the word in Greek which is actually transliterated as euaggelion and often gets translated to “gospel” but really means “good news/message.” There’s an etymological connection with the word good/well (eú) and with the word messenger (aggelos), which you can see in the word euaggelion, and a messenger (aggelos) can be any form, whether a human messenger or an angelic messenger which is send out by a sender to carry a message to a recipient. Is this what you’re referring to?

[@RobRoss]

When I was 12 I was earnestly trying to conjure demons as a science-based investigation into their existence. I remember going everywhere I could asking “where can I find the Grand Grimoire” and everyone staring at me blankly. I wish I had been born 20 years later.

[@RobRoss]

Gaaah I remember also asking about the “Key of Solomon.” Zero feedback, even from reference librarians. I hate adults who think they are protecting people from “bad books.”

[@moonshadowsong]

Don't go to thar road kid, dark magic or so called connected to Jani or devil is dengras, noting us free, It may need to sacrifice your loved one for most unholy things like sleep at dart place ,eating rotten flash , and if you made the connected with them you dome when ever you ask them some you need price to pay, And it's hard to turn back

[@drestonjclaw2839]

Please go over Thelema. It has inspired so much of modern religious movements.

[@syddlinden8966]

As a practicing pagan and witch, I would strongly argue that the magic is specifically in the knowledge that the book conveys. There's certainly a specific mystique to a handwritten, calligraphy-heavy grimoire, but the important thing is that it's telling you how to do the spell, make the oil, brew the tincture or tea, set the warding, etc etc ...

[@ccolorsplit]

I've been studying witchcraft and occultism for a few years now, now from a scholarly perspective but from a practical "devotional" perspective. I think this video is very accurate and does a very diverse group of practices justice :)

[@DeadGators]

9:32 Oh *that's* why my Nanny told me to put a Bible under my pillow to have good dreams when I was a kid! (It did not work.)

[@Amoudiiiii]

It didnt work because from what i know as a muslim the blessing is not from the book itself its from the words in it, recitation is what actually makes the difference

[@artemis.nnnnnbbbbb]

probably didn't work because sleeping on a heavy hunk of paper under the pillow probably isn't very comfortable and wouldn't let u sleep well(or that bibles don't actually do much)

[@DeadGators]

​@@artemis.nnnnnbbbbb It was soft leather and sized big enough that it was actually pretty comfortable. But with you on the last bit. I'm not religious anymore and don't believe in supernatural stuff.

[@khairakhalila0110]

​​@@AmoudiiiiiIt's not the recitation either, it's the believing in the words that matters

[@CountJeffula]

@@khairakhalila0110yes, like Santa.

[@ericreativecuts]

I used to work in occult shops and I've met some web witches. I'd say that even if a website is less tangible it still represents a sacrifice of time and energy spent in creating it. It's still an act of love and devotion. Maybe not as difficult as doing it by hand, though I certainly wouldn't find it easier. It's really the act of creation that powers the magic so the medium is less important.

[@jenny_azoth]

*steeples my fingers thoughtfully* excellent. most excellent.

[@LBoogie88]

Your videos are very well done. It's been a while since I've wanted to binge a KZbin channel. Thanks for the content you put out

[@alexreid1173]

I have a few thoughts from my own experience! Having digital collections of information is very common, but a lot of people (including myself) have both physical and digital collections. I write the most important things by hand in physical journals, but I keep a lot of longer texts purely digitally (it’s thousands of pages). I think many people still consider physical books and writing to be important. It’s very common for spells to incorporate writing on pieces of paper. Handwriting is encouraged in a lot of spaces. I mostly avoid handwriting because I have joint issues with my hands, but magical and religious writing is the main exception for me. These things always vary wildly between individuals and groups, but I thought I’d give my two cents.

[@brettisernhagen9446]

If we could define prayers as a type of spell (or the other way around) could books like the Book of Common Prayer be seen as a type of grimoire?

[@krzysztofczarnecki8238]

I suppose so, for me prayers always seemed like socially acceptable goetia - you talk to some supernatural being asking it to do something for you or someone else, and sometimes offering to do something in return. It's just that some supernatural beings are "more equal than others". That would put it somewhere in the similar library section as the Key of Solomon.

[@Maariu01]

Thank you for breaking this down I needed this to understand more. Ive done a purification and consecration of the sphere ritual from time to time for healing and protection.

[@nikok410]

The Secret Moon Book of Moses, that sounds pretty cool :D is it super-effective against Majora's Mask?

[@Ardabor-GrimoriosyBestiarios]

Thank you very much for your work and dedication, these topics about magic are very entertaining for me and at the same time they help me with my personal research. Greetings from Uruguay

[@kurthill9070]

17:03 thank you for making this point eloquently. i can't stress the audacity of dematerializing the metaphysical.

[@this_is_jmdub]

This is why I love this channel

[@PhoenixBeI]

Well, one one side, ancient people used to carve petroglyphs with symbols. It's possible that these were forms of written word that we simply don't understand and can't decipher. On the other, some years ago, I was at a Shuar community in Ecuador. They had some legal issue going on, and everyone gathered in the community hall to hear about it. The man talking, my friend Flavio, was holding a document in his hands. He referred to it as sacred because it spoke. The words written on the page was deemed speech. Since the paper, nothing more than a sheet of paper, became sacred the moment such important information was written on it. Thus, the paper spoke. Makes sense that people deem written symbols, of which writing is one, to be magical.

[@strangelaw6384]

to what degree is this religiosity on par with e.g. worshipping of local deities?

[@daem0nfaust]

I enjoyed grammar books when I was a kid!

[@veryberrykeri]

one thing that i've tried to do to deal with the de-mystification of the written word, as a witch, is to try and use or create shapes and symbols that are less relational to linguistics, so at least some of the written work isn't immediately subconsciously interpreted as mundane

[@ViridianCrisis7]

Yeah I’ve found that trying to make sigils is helpful in maintaining the ritualistic mindset as they’re not so grounded in the mundane the way writing is

[@ajplays-gamesandmusic4568]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWLUcnaaZdx7mpIsi=FJAP8juLPfMxM5b8

[@naturalistmind]

That's a great way to think about it, raised and educated in the United States I always separated religion and magic and reading but you don't necessarily have to. I must think about this.

[@daniel.santos]

Never thought I’d see Smosh on RFB. What a wide wild world we live in.

[@pflh2391]

My favourite magic is the one from my culture. The magicians inscribe energy onto special composition of metal, sand, & wood made with secret recipes & precise apparatus The magic itself is powered by sun, wind, water, & more. It is then contained in a box unusually constrained into a room. There are also smaller, weaker versions of the medium that can be brought anywhere It is said that the magic can connect 2 people from each end of the world in a snap. Transfer knowledge from wherever your are In my native language, we call the magical tool as 'pasokon', or as more widely known in english as 'computer'

[@melissajenkins9960]

lol I love this. Computers and cellphones. As an aside I do think it’s neat that we as humans figured out how to take natural elements and ultimately create things like computers. Science like that blows my mind.

[@lmeeken]

Re: digital documents, it's worth noting that digitization isn't actually dematerialization. Every bit of information has a physical presence - the file is stored as magnetic information on a hard drive of the user's computer, or of a cloud server somewhere, and the image of the text is physically rendered in the LCD/LED/e-Ink cells of the screen, all of which are material substrates for the words and texts. I suspect traditions as plastic as the ones described here will readily accommodate this kind of materiality. Some modes feel quite obvious - a thumb drive containing a grimoire or library of grimoires easily lends itself to being an amulet - while others likely require some degree of abstract thought - when a powerful document is hosted across multiple physical servers in what we call the "cloud," often miles away from the reader, there are multiple ways for someone to assign auratic power to the text/object.

[@SilentStormParadox]

"Where is grimoires?!" "I'll do you one better. What are grimoires?" "I'll do you one better. Why are grimoires?"

[@MSHNKTRL]

but nobody asks: "HOW are grimoires?"

[@JeffreyOller]

@@MSHNKTRL Nobody asked, should we grimoire?

[@ajplays-gamesandmusic4568]

There's a really great Alan Moore video where he talks about Ritual Magic, and how a lot of our spooky magical terms can be boiled down to the power of creativity and language. A Grimoire referrers to Grammar. Magic spells, the act of spelling. Written language was powerful before the printing press, because most people could not read or write. The bard was feared as much as witches or wizards, because a sorcerer could curse you, and your family, but the Bard could spin a clever yarn that's capable of making you the laughing stock of your entire kingdom.

[@grazia23]

Amazing video, refreshing to see interesting well-researched content.

[@LearnRunes]

Aleister would be pleased to hear you say his surname the way he preferred it said.

[@siddhartacrowley]

Yes

[@Wolffanghurricane]

the mi6/cia agent? Who cares what spooks think?

[@joshualove1403]

I would love a deep dive on magical practices of Isese and other Yoruba and west African practices

[@Uncle_Steve71]

I am impressed with your research! Well done.

[@LangThoughts]

On the magic of writing: One grimoire mentioned by Dr. Henry, Liber Raziel, is mainly published today, not for use as a grimoire, but because some Jews believe that keeping a copy of the text in a building acts as an amulet that protects said building from fire. I have even seen it microprinted on cards for the amulet use.

[@davidalves31057]

I guess somebody has been paying attention to Agatha All Along 😊 Great content as usual!

[@sirnookronghang4100]

This video is making me rethink everything....

[@lesm6389]

Always fascinating to watch! As a side note, I became aware of "The Long-Lost Friend" because of a fantasy book series, but it wasn't... over-fantasticalized? if that makes sense, as often happens with grimoires and related things when they cross over into various forms of fictional media.

[@lipingrahman6648]

The magical nature of writing is still a power, my, now most aged grandmother keeps a little peace of paper with a passage from the Quran on it. My great uncle brought home a bottle of water from Mecca with a verse in it.

[@krzysztofczarnecki8238]

Orthodox Jews also do that, they use written passages from the Torah as amulets, either wearable (tefillin), or mounted in the doorway (mezuzah).

[@onecalladay]

I keep wondering why you don't mention the books in the library at the Unseen University? The Librarian will be disappointed. Thanks for all your work.

[@divinebitter1638]

Ook Eeeek!

[@syddlinden8966]

Shorthand in the practicing community: Grimoire is for reference, possibly public. Book of shadows is a journal, private.

[@ebonyblack4563]

Heard about a person today who buried a spellbook they were given from an uncle... I was beside myself at the possible lost history...

[@quiestinliteris]

I have never heard Gardner introduced as "British civil servant" before. XD I also do not know why I find that so funny.

[@mynotificationsareoff.400]

Thank you for another thoughtful episode

[@-Thauma-]

Oh, I recently came across the word Grimoires, when I read about the story behind the movie 'Hereditary"..

[@drestonjclaw2839]

I am a self-described witch/Celestial Wiccan who innately knew the materiality of one’s book of shadows and/or grimoires is an especially important fact. I believe the handwritten word has its own powers. Yet however, this is not all that practical for record keeping. I personally have a physical copy of my grimoires, written in my special cyphers, and I also have a digital version as well. Digitalization is somewhat required for magick practitioners who are in unwelcome environments, and “not out of the broom closet” with their beliefs. Having a google docs file hidden in one’s locked phone is much easier to hide than a whole book.

[@DisposableSupervillainHenchman]

You’re just wasting your time since magic isn’t real. You might as well try to catch Pokémon.

[@mcdade7489]

Great video. I also really liked your shirt😊

[@thebashar]

I am reminded of the first pirates of the Caribbean movie where the one illiterate pirate claims “he gets credit for trying to read the Bible”

[@Sytheduke]

I wonder what Dr Frankfurter wears for Halloween.

[@dwcheshire]

What would be the relationship of a prayer to a spell?

[@olivercharles2930]

Both are wishful thinking. That's about it.

[@OntologicalShock777]

Prayer is the righteous way of doing magic. spell is the heretic way of doing magic.

[@ViridianCrisis7]

They’re the same thing. The only meaningful difference is who/what you’re asking to adhere to the request for you

[@tux_duh]

A spell is a prayer with extra steps essentially. Instead of just words or thoughts use ingredients, crafts, or offerings to bring your wish to fruition

[@Lutefisk445]

​@@OntologicalShock777 Christians practice witchcraft all the time. The only difference is they believe they're the only right ones in the whole world and everyone else is lost. Which is wrong, by the way.

[@mattisvov]

As it happens, I am at present playing "Midnight Suns" a witchcraft-themed videogame set in the Marvel universe. Here, the Darkhold (even single pages from it) is very much a magic object, not just a repository of magical information. It even seems to have an agency of it's own. I haven't watched Evil Dead in a long time, but if memory serves, the Necronomican there also came off as inherently magical. This is in contrast to the Lovecraft original. It is almost never talked about in terms of "bound in human skin" or things like that. The fact that it can be copied, translated, reprinted is however. The horror in the information it contains. Which fit the Lovecraft theme of "information we would rather not have". I have yet to find a modern Cuthulu Mythos writer explore the concept of "Necronomicon on a torrent site", but that would be absolutely terrifying from a Lovecraftian perspective.

[@robbabcock_]

A truly fascinating topic! Thanks, RFB!

[@authormichellefranklin]

Just to add one small thing: The European witch-cult hypothesis has been debunked. Recommend the works of Ronald Hutton and Jacqueline Simpson on this subject.

[@vanderlaz]

as someone who worships the greek gods and has near constant migraines, i think i’ll have to try that spell. cheers!

[@olive6634]

fellow pagan and migraine sufferer here, please go to the doctor and at least get a brain scan as it could be a tumor and if it’s not a tumor request a prescription for migraine preventative medication. do not rely solely on magic or gods to repair aliments

[@vanderlaz]

@@olive6634 oh my!! i was definitely joking about solely relying on the prayers, im not concerned too badly about it because the migraines have been happening for YEARS without getting worse or better and most of my family members suffer from migraines or headaches as well, so it could really just be some sort of genetic ailment. but i really appreciate your concern, stranger !! 💕💕 i promise i am constantly looking to science and medicine for cures, not just the gods lol.

[@TomThumb151515]

On January 6 people put a kind of protection spell on their door lintels. It’s based on the three kings it lasts for a year usually chalk or sticker like a blessing

[@aaronhodgin7007]

In the US South (maybe elsewhere to, I’m not sure) people sometimes put a Bible in the dashboard of their car to protect them from car accidents.

[@realpoopypants]

That's hilarious.

[@tyson7687]

Is there a way to watch "What Does It Mean To Be a Witch?" at this time? I realize the event has passed but would happily pay to watch the content.

[@ShukakuTheCrazy1]

Id personally love to see a modern fantasy series with witches that use the internet

[@MoonMoverGaming]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[@JAGzilla-ur3lh]

"Literary Magic" is such a great term.

[@jswets5007]

I would say that parts of Leviticus are grimoire like. Especially the parts that describe the ritual purification of people and priests before offering sacrifice and entering the Tabernacle. As well as the parts describing the sacrificial ritual(s).

[@hamodalbatal464]

One of the best videos ever!

[@LordSlag]

Well this is rare. A ReligionForBreakfast that I'm not interested in. I let the whole thing play in the background, upvoted, and wrote this comment to boost the channel anyway. Love your stuff, dude.

[@michaelryndyk4883]

Funny how different tastes are, i find this topic especially interesting

[@tmcantine]

The connection between writing and magic goes deep. I have long suspected this is even why we talk about "spells".

[@SaphirasGrimoire]

9:35 in the Book Sinuhe the Egyptian by Mika Waltari, Sinuhes Father is a doctor who writes spells on papyrus, then dissolves the symbols in wine and gives it to his patients to drink.

[@speedwagon1824]

8:56 From the screen 💻 to the ring 💍 to the PEN 🖊️to the king 🤴 wheres my crown 👑 thats my bling 💎 always trouble when i reign 😈

[@comradeghostboi7989]

🔮

[@liamcol09]

Super cool thanks for this!

[@brockmckelvey7327]

"Traditionalism and Ecclecticism" I'm glad to see that the issues the Christian Church is facing are shared by other Religions too

[@deepfry8424]

I think a good idea for a video would be the differences between celtic christianity and catholicism. Because when I look it up, it says that it was never separate from the catholic church and was only seperate in terms of some practices and authority structure but it also said that the celtic church didn't recognize the authority of the pope until th Synod of Whitby in 664, so we're they considered to not be catholic until 664? Most things I see online say they were never seperate from the catholic church but I don't understand how there can be a church that's catholic and doesn't answer to the pope since I'm pretty sure that's a central part of catholicism. But yeah I can't find any videos on celtic christianity and online I just find conflicting sources so I just thought I'd throw that out there. ✌️

[@rbfninkelstein2147]

Great idea for a video! Just wanted to chime in that around the 7th century AD the power of the pope wouldn't have been as prevalent over Catholic Christianity as it would be later. The term 'Catholic' would refer to a rather loose organisation of Christians who professed a same 'basic' creed. Beyond that creed there would be a lot of room for differences in local customs and practices (for example how the Eucharist was celebrated or how Easter was calculated). The term really only means that they were not deemed heretics. (Roman) Catholicism as a uniform practice is something that came to be later. It is a different concept from how the 'Church' was viewed back in 663 AD or earlier. Sorry if my reply is too long, I just wanted to try to explain to you why you would find such paradoxical answers. I hope it helped somewhat, if not feel free to ask!

[@deepfry8424]

@rbfninkelstein2147 no that helps a ton, I was thinking it may have just been change in the catholic church over time or something along those lines but I just couldn't find much to go off of online. Thank you for the info it definitely helped!

[@dylantennant6594]

Could you do a video about Hecate one day? I know you briefly mentioned her in the Wicca video, but I find her worship both ancient and modern with Wiccan’s and Neopagans fascinating.

[@lalababayaga]

Magical papyry mentioned!!!

[@johnsharp3987]

When I lived in Khartoum, we had a guard who was from Chad. He would, as you explained, write extensive verses of the Quran on a special writing board, with soot -based ink, then wash the words off and give the water to people with ailments. He wrote in an archaic Maghrebi style script. Once while I was giving him a ride to a health clinic (he said “I’ve got a headache. And also malaria”) he told me he didn’t know how to read, although he wrote the passages from memory. I said, “What does it say on the back of that bus?” He reiterated that he didn’t know how to read. The sign on the bus that he couldn’t read said, “56 passengers”!

[@justinbirkholz]

I actually read the Mithras Liturgy and other spells from the magical papyri in my video on witchcraft! It's really interesting.

[@parkeryourefired]

When I was a kid, grimoires were the trapper keeper.

[@davieboy3814]

As a lover of books, I definitely appreciate their magic

[@BlackReaper0]

The part about christian magic writing was awesome.

[@warrendriscoll350]

Needs a followup or larger video. Magical texts is a big area.

[@radarlove232323]

I love grimpoires, both real and in fiction. My one great passion in life is making real workable grimoires that actually have the look and vibe of grimoires from fantasy and horror.

[@loglorn]

The facet of written magical/religious treatises being a sign of elitization is still noticeable in afro-brazilian religions; There is a correlation between the presence and importance of written works, be them commercially available books on Umbanda or Kardecist scripture or even the Bible, and the socio-economic status of the practitioners, with more marginalized practitioners being less likely to have written material as a considerable part of their religious beliefs and practices. It's particularly interesting that in more orthodox Candomblé this impulse towards intellectualization/elitization turned to sociological and anthropological descriptions of older attestations of afro-brazilian religion and west african religiosity like those found in the works of Bastide and Verger

[@rajatberry2277]

@rReligionForBreakfast can we have a video where we go through all the books in the backhround of your videos

[@mikewilson858]

Oh wow, I just started reading the Lemegeton yesterday