Goth Craft: The Magickal Side of Dark Culture

Raven Digitalis has written an entertaining and comprehensive guide to Goth culture and its intersections with contemporary Paganism and magick. We were thrilled to discover many parallels between Raven's path and Tantra. If you're new to the Goth scene or to Paganism, Goth Craft is a terrific introduction. If you're already involved with one or both movements, the book will undoubtedly give you some new insights. Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson,

Raven has done it! This is one of the books that will make modern magickal practitioners think. The Gothic subculture, and the pagan community have been related and yet so far apart for a long time. Many Goths identify with pagan beliefs, yet many pagans are pushing Goths away for fear that we will become less accepted if the "modern world" finds that we are exactly as they have portrayed us to be, no matter how untrue that would actually be. Raven have finally wrote a book from the perspective of an initiated Witch and Priest, who is also a Goth, who knows what he is talking about regarding both communities. Plus, he covers controversial topics such as sex, drugs, and body modification. It is time for us as pagans and Witches to start evolving our Craft, and to do that requires new thinking. I believe Raven has given us that opportunity.

*courtesy of Copper-Moon.com* Many contemporary Goths are drawn are drawn to Pagan spirituality for its flexibility, lack of dogma, and deeply transformative nature. Similarly many Pagans are drawn to the Goth subculture for its artistic, explorative, and introspective nature. The cross-overs of each subculture are uncanny and when the two paths are combined they a birth a unique blend of magick and independent thought. Goth Craft focuses on this intermingling of Goth culture and Paganism, a unique convergence Digitalis calls Dark Witchcraft. According to Digitalis, darkness is a potent magickal force, not to be confused with evil. Though often maligned and misunderstood by popular culture, Digitalis explains, "When our dark side is brought into awareness, when we accept our faults, short comings, and the nature of our human tendencies, we begin to develop more fully...Illusion is shattered when we are forced to ultimately face ourselves". The book begins with a brief overview of Goth history and Goth styles. Digitalis then lays out the basics of contemporary Witchcraft and gives the reader a short introduction to several magickal traditions including Druidry, Qabalah, Shamanism, and Voodoo. The remainder text is devoted to the magickal currents of Goth lifestyle such as how to incorporate the Dark Arts of make-up, clothing, hair, and jewelry into daily rituals of spiritual alignment. In his chapter entitled "Philosophies of the Dark Witch", Digitalis explains how to channel through "dark emotionalism" including discussions on dealing with suicide, depression, cutting, and the "Dark Nights of the Soul". Goth Craft is the perfect handbook for Goth Witches or those simply interested in the Goth subculture and its magickal applications. It contains sufficient beginner material to enable the reader to understand magickal concepts while introducing more advanced theory for seasoned practitioners. Digitalis responsibly tackles topics most books shy away from including blood magick, sexuality and gender identity, death, vampires, and the magickal use of drugs. What's more, he provides a fascinating analysis of relating ancient Pagan practices to contemporary magickal traditions Rating: 5 out of 5 magick wands!

When I first heard of this book, I was a little leary. Over the past few years, there has been a spike in interest in all things dark as it pertains to magick, and there are some books out there that seem to have been cranked out sheerly to fill that marketing need. Not so with Goth Craft. Raven is writing from the perspective of someone who loves both magick and the Gothic subculture. He is steeped in the music, the aesthetics, and the philosophies of Goth, and this clearly comes through in his treatment of the subject of how and where Goth intersects with magickal practice. The book is genuine and well-researched, with a wide range of information. The very visual presentation of the book is an added bonus, and it really serves to underscore the fact that Goth has a strong aesthetic component. If you've ever wondered what those somber, black-clad souls were doing at your Pagan Pride Day, this is the book to help you understand.

This is one of those books that had the potential to be either really good, or abysmal. Fortunately, Raven managed to stick to the former, avoiding a trainwreck of trendiness and black-dyed fluff. If you're unfamiliar with the Goth subculture beyond a few outward trappings, this book will give you a solid introduction to the whys, hows, and manifestations of what it is to be Goth. However, like the introductory material on witchcraft that he presents, Raven manages to avoid dogma and snarkiness. This will make Goth Craft a particularly good guide for teens and early twenty-somethings who are just getting into both the Goth subculture and witchcraft, though people who are more established in one community or the other shouldn't turn away, either. What I really liked about this book was the fact that it doesn't shy away from potentially controversial material. The ritual use of drugs, sex (vanilla and otherwise) and gender issues are some of the topics that are covered in a respectful, intelligent manner. Raven also includes a good collection of rituals and spells aimed at the appreciation of the darker end of the spectrum of life, and provides some refreshing ideas to work with. He also shows the magic in "everyday" elements of Gothic culture, including conscious application of makeup and clothing, and the use of dance for reaching altered states of consciousness. I would consider Goth Craft to be primarily 101 level material, but it's on the higher end of 101-there are explanations of common pagan symbols and correspondences filtered through a Gothic worldview, but there's also a good collection of further resources. And I learned quite a bit about the Gothic subculture that I hadn't known before. So while the target audience seems to be younger folks in the Goth community who are interested in witchcraft, I suggest giving this book a chance if you're interested in a darker approach to magic that is well beyond the ooga-booga spookiness and sensationalism that some prior texts have fallen prey to.