The Witch Compass: Working with the Winds in Traditional Witchcraft

Experience the Witch Compass: Your Vehicle, Map, and Destination Explore the compass of the eight winds, a magical circle at the heart of Traditional Witchcraft. More than a tool for protection or raising power, this framework provides the ritual means to traverse the worlds and a mythic landscape that can be accessed at any point in time and space. Traditional Witch Ian Chambers teaches how the Witch Compass represents an entire worldview, a cosmological map, and a method for magic and revelation. He helps you develop your own compass and use it for divination, spirit work, and practical sorcery. This book shows you the world through the lens of your Witch Compass and reveals the many realms and spirits available to you.

Table of Contents:
Contents Exercise List xiii Foreword by Griffin Ced xv Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Orienting: What Is the Compass in Traditional Witchcraft 19 Chapter 2 Origins: History of the Compass 41 Chapter 3 Magical Horizons: Where We Choose to Meet the World 71 Chapter 4 Journey into Myth: Turning the Wheel and Treading the Mill 93 Chapter 5 The Four Kings: Anchoring with the Wind Gods 121 Chapter 6 The Language of the Gods 155 Chapter 7 Ensorcelling the Witch Compass 185 Chapter 8 Magic at the Edge: Enchantment with the Witch Compass 211 Chapter 9 Conclusion: Tying Off the Knot 229 Selected Recommended Reading 235 Glossary 239 Bibliography 241

About the Author :
Ian Chambers is a long-time practitioner of modern Traditional Witchcraft and folk sorcery. Ian has received inductions in several Traditional Craft sodalities and maintains working relations through the Ced and Y Plant Brân lines of witchcraft. A selection of Ian's writings has appeared in various magazines, including The Cauldron, White Dragon, and The Hedgewytch, and current works may be found at By The Pale Moonlight at Patheos Pagan. Griffin Ced has an extensive background in both the Occult and theatrical arts. His dramaturgy background comes from both theatre and film, where he has worked on thirty-three films and a large number of stage productions. Griffin also has several works on the tarot and Gnostic British Traditional Witchcraft. ~

Review :
"With this invaluable book, the aspirant unto traditional Craft and the seasoned practitioner alike are carefully guided through the workings of the compass as the map, via which the Crafter may traverse magical realities, encounter spiritual presences, and commune with ultimate Truth."—Gemma Gary, author of Traditional Witchcraft "A scholarly, inspiring, and eminently informative work. I give it my highest recommendation."—Lon Milo DuQuette, author of The Magic of Aleister Crowley "I'm delighted to see a book that studies and explores the use and properties of the compass that is so important to the witchcraft tradition. Chambers has drawn from a wide range of sources including Howard, Cochrane and Chumbley—names I love to see in a bibliography. This is a book that I will refer to often and will be amongst the very well-thumbed editions on my bookshelf."—Graham King, author of The British Book of Spells and Charms "This is the first book to set out how to approach the compass, not as some set formula or dogma, but as a series of powerful but flexible principles that can be adapted to our needs, our mythos, and our landscape. This is one of the very few really essential books on Traditional Witchcraft to appear in the last several years."—Stuart Inman, Magister of the Clan of the Entangled Thicket and Tribal Doyen of Toteg Tribe "I found this a most fascinating and informative book, describing as it does the rationale behind the actual working of the compass, with plenty of practical demonstrations and exercises to enable the reader to experience the compass for themselves…This is a sorely needed book that gets to the heart of the inner workings of the compass and provides a wealth of most valuable material for both the beginner and more experienced practitioner alike. I congratulate Ian on producing an approachable and understandable book which will add greatly to the sum of available knowledge on a sometimes obscure and difficult subject."—Nigel G. Pearson, author of Treading the Mill "Chambers brings in profound cosmological dimensions, and in doing this he teaches how mysteries and narratives can be woven into a most magical and profound web of wisdom...The Witch Compass [is] quite simply essential reading."—Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold, author of Craft of the Untamed and Trollrún "From his own personal training to a deep dive in a variety of historical and occult literature, Ian carefully weaves a pattern showing the many uses, systems, and the deeper ritualist function of the Witches' Compass, otherwise known as the maze or circle. Yet this book is much more, guiding the reader through a series of ritual exercises meant to develop their perception of different realms, beings, and their own ability. I am sure this book will be a valued resource to any who seriously pursues this path of power and wisdom."—Kerry Wisner, author of The Willow Path "A remarkably well-put-together scholarly analysis of a key element of Traditional Witchcraft. Ian identifies the history of the compass and traces its origins beyond its first mention...to concepts and ideas located in the earliest history of mankind."—A. D. Mercer, author of The Wicked Shall Decay: Charms, Spells and Witchcraft of Old Britain "Mr. Chambers writes in an erudite manner, exploring one of the most misunderstood concepts prevalent within Traditional Witchcraft...This work, in providing an exegesis of the compass and in particular its relationship with the Wind Gods, will, I hope, correct many of these troublesome misconceptions."—Daniel Brân Griffith, author of In Spirit and in Flesh