Jeff Russell

Christopher from California visiting from JMG's blog.

Thanks for the interesting review, Jeff.

"the belief that psychic phenomena of some kind or another might be real, and that they likely had some kind of physical explanation amenable to discovery by scientific experiment was one you could hold without being banished to the outer darkness."

I think Star Trek's original series is a great example of that.

"the spell itself (by which I mean the words spoken) is simply a tool for concentration and communication with the subconscious"

I'm reading Neville Goddard and Joseph Murphy lately, who I think both would agree with that. Once the subconscious is trained to believe and expect the specific outcome, the conscious part is done. It's holding the belief that I struggle with!

"you might be able to dispense with the ritual or alter the symbols once you get very good, but there's a reason they are as they are"

JMG also pointed out that following the path others have trod, connects one with egregores built over a long time.

Wikipedia shows Skelton was a prolific author. Looks like Spellcraft was his first book on magic, written at age 53. He later wrote more books on magic:

Magical Practice of Talismans (1985, US title: Talismanic Magic)
Practice of Witchcraft Today: An Introduction to Beliefs & Rituals of the Old Religion (1988)
A Gathering of Ghosts (1989, with Jean Kozocari)
A Witches' Book of Ghosts and Exorcism (1990, with Jean Kozocari)
Earth Air, Fire, Water : Pre-Christian and Pagan Elements in British Songs, Rhymes and Ballads (1990, with Margaret Blackwood)
Practice of Witchcraft Today: An Introduction To Beliefs and Rituals (1990)