New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic

by Cory Thomas Hutcheson

Overview

Explore Nearly 500 Samples of Folk Magic, Stories, Artifacts, Rituals, and Beliefs

One of the most comprehensive collections of witchcraft and folk magic ever written, New World Witchery shows you how to integrate folk traditions into your life and deepen your understanding of magic. Folklore expert Cory Thomas Hutcheson guides you to the crossroads of folk magic, where you'll learn about different practices and try them for yourself.

This treasure trove of witchery features an enormous collection of stories, artifacts, rituals, and traditions. Explore chapters on magical heritage, divination, familiars, magical protection, and spirit communication. Discover the secrets of flying, gathering and creating magical supplies, living by the moon, working contemporary folk magic, and more. This book also provides brief profiles of significant folk magicians, healers, and seers, so you can both meet the practitioners and experience their craft. With New World Witchery, you'll create a unique roadmap to the folk magic all around you.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738762128
Publisher:	Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Publication date:	04/08/2021
Pages:	480
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Cory Thomas Hutcheson (Central Pennsylvania) is the cohost of the popular podcast New World Witchery. He has a doctorate in American Studies with specializations in folklore, religion, and ethnicity from Penn State. He is a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of American Folklore and Folklife Studies and American Myths, Legends, & Tall Tales, and he has written for popular occult publications, including Witches & Pagans.

Table of Contents

List of Exercises/Practical Work xiii

Chapter 1 The Crossroads-An Introduction and Guide to This Book 1

First Rite: Naming

Chapter 2 Are You a Good Witch?-Defining and Categorizing New World Witchery 13

Second Rite: Initiation

Chapter 3 Seventh Son of a Seventh Son-The Call to Witchcraft and Magic 35

Chapter 4 Killing the Moon-Initiation Rituals 53

Third Rite: Casting the Spell

Chapter 5 The Ladyhearted Worker-Magic for Healing and Love 73

Chapter 6 Hair, Milk, and Blood-Cursing Magics 91

Fourth Rite: Second Sight

Chapter 7 Wonders, Signs, and Tokens-Divination and Fortune-Telling 111

Chapter 8 Bloody Sod and Silver Spade-Treasure-Hunting Magic 131

Fifth Rite: Flight

Chapter 9 Salting Her Skin-The Witch in Flight 149

Sixth Rite: Chewing the Root

Chapter 10 Hidden in Plain Sight-Everyday Magical Ingredients 169

Chapter 11 Roots, Stones, and Bones-Gathering Magical Supplies 187

Chapter 12 Ladders, Dolls, and Bottles-Crafting Magical Objects 211

Seventh Rite: The Familiar

Chapter 13 The Witch's Companion-Creatures and Witchcraft 233

Chapter 14 The Dark Man in the Woods-Diabolical Rumors and Rites 249

Eighth Rite: Hallowing the Ground

Chapter 15 A Scratch above Her Eye-Defending Home and Hearth from Witchery 265

Chapter 16 The Devil's Tramping Grounds-Magical Spaces and Places in the New World 281

Ninth Rite: Calling the Moon

Chapter 17 Topsy-Turvy Days-A Calendar of Bewitched Days 301

Chapter 18 At Dawn on the First of May-Magic by the Hour 323

Tenth Rite: Working the Charm

Chapter 19 Devils' Books and Letters from Heaven-The Written Word and Witchcraft 343

Eleventh Rite: Necromancy

Chapter 20 Those Are My Boys-Friendly Spirits in Folk Magic 361

Chapter 21 The Witch's Ghost-A Haunted Legacy of Magic 377

Twelfth Rite: Invisibility

Chapter 22 Dangerous Games-Folk Magic in Contemporary Times 393

Coda

Coda-The Thirteenth Rite: Witches in the Popular Imagination, for Better or Worse 409

Bibliography 415

Index 433

Editorial Reviews

"A whimsical and extensively researched journey into the lore and folk practices of the New World...This is, in every way, a love letter to lore and easily one of the most fun and fascinating books about witchcraft I've ever read."—Josh "Bones" McWilliams from the Cursed! and Hex—Files podcasts

"Filled with hundreds of examples of American folk magic and folklore, no better word than 'trove' would describe such a manuscript as this, as it's truly filled with valuable information on the magical heritage of North America."—Jake Richards, author of Backwoods Witchcraft

"A wonderful combination of culture, history, and ethnography culminates in a valuable guide to the world of healers, spirits and magical approaches to living."—Tony Kail, anthropologist and author of A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo

"Deep and extremely thorough, New World Witchery encapsulates the diversity of American folk magic as a distinct multifaceted contribution to the history and execution of witchcraft."—Christopher Orapello, cohost of the Down at the Crossroads podcast and coauthor of Besom, Stang & Sword

"Hutcheson has crafted a definitive, yet accessible, book exploring the history and practices of North American witchcraft and magic. Trust me, you need this book on your bookshelf."—Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells

"[This book] provides just the right blend of magic and folklore that we need to navigate the complex streams of modern Witchcraft."—Lilith Dorsey, author of Water Magic

"A veritable goldmine of history, folk magic and occultism, New World Witchery is the finest contribution to the study of witchcraft in the United Sates yet."—Via Hedera, author of Folkloric Witchcraft and the Multicultural Experience

"Overflowing with hundreds of pieces of folkloric knowledge, it is an unparalleled resource for traditional witches seeking to ground their practices in New World lore."—Christine Grace, co—host of the Betwixt and Between podcast

"This is an exceptional manuscript. Well written, readable at a number of educational levels and I like the organization of topics...I predict that this will become a classic in the genre."—Jack Montgomery, author of American Shamans: Journeys with Traditional Healers

"Hutcheson has given us a perfect compendium for the time: well—organized and beautifully written...[This book] is filled with history and strange delights and invites the curious mind to go both farther afield and deeper."—H. Byron Ballard, author of Roots, Branches, and Spirits

"[Hutcheson] lays a sumptuous banquet of folk tales and witchlore before us, collected carefully over years of respectful research and written for this modern age, combined with page after page of lord—get—your—hands—dirty practical workings."—Tara—Love Maguire, co—author of Besom, Stang, and Sword and co—host of Down at the Crossroads podcast

"Cory Hutcheson has gifted us with a wide—ranging and in depth look at the witchcraft and magical traditions of North America...The book is a dream and a charm all of its own."—Aidan Wachter, author of Six Ways: Approaches and Entries for Practical Magic

"[Hutcheson's] gentle, magical voice takes the reader through one of the most expansive and thorough examinations of North American folk magic I've ever seen. It is a masterwork."—Fire Lyte, host of the Inciting a Riot podcast

"A perfect blend of history, folklore, practice, and path—crafting that any magical practitioner can benefit from. Cory writes with a warm and conversational voice that is a pure joy to read."—Laura Tempest Zakroff, author of Weave the Liminal

From the Publisher