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A review by cryptidbf
Magic for the Resistance: Rituals and Spells for Change by Michael M. Hughes
informative
medium-paced
1.0
I was really hoping to enjoy this book, but I only ended up hoping it would already be over. There were many things that rubbed me the wrong way in this book. If respecting cultures isn’t apart of your activism or magical practice then you’re not an activist.
The author uses “smudging” instead of cleansing which is cultural appropriation of a Native American practice. He also openly admitted to practicing Hoodoo within the book and even recommended different beings to work with. He doesn’t once talk about how if you don’t belong to the culture that you shouldn’t participate. He also tells of a story of a monkey sculpture he received in which he referred to it as “Voodoo Monkey”, I shouldn’t have to explain why this is incredibly insensitive.
Further along within the book he refers to himself as a “kabbalistic magician”, kabbala referring to Jewish Mysticism. If the author isn’t Jewish then I’m sure we can see the problem here. Another thing that bothered me was how he referred to demons as “lowlife dregs”
Overall it’s a book that is not worth reading or wasting your time on. Some information is helpful but if you’ve been a practitioner for awhile then you already know it.
The author uses “smudging” instead of cleansing which is cultural appropriation of a Native American practice. He also openly admitted to practicing Hoodoo within the book and even recommended different beings to work with. He doesn’t once talk about how if you don’t belong to the culture that you shouldn’t participate. He also tells of a story of a monkey sculpture he received in which he referred to it as “Voodoo Monkey”, I shouldn’t have to explain why this is incredibly insensitive.
Further along within the book he refers to himself as a “kabbalistic magician”, kabbala referring to Jewish Mysticism. If the author isn’t Jewish then I’m sure we can see the problem here. Another thing that bothered me was how he referred to demons as “lowlife dregs”
Overall it’s a book that is not worth reading or wasting your time on. Some information is helpful but if you’ve been a practitioner for awhile then you already know it.