Book Review: Naturally Modern Magic by Lacey Burbage

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While I may not have loved my last read, I certainly loved Naturally Modern Magick: The Essential Compendium of Spells and Rituals for Health, Happiness, and Prosperity by Lacey Burbage. This absolutely gorgeous spellbook is an excellent resource for new and old witches alike, offering a plethora of well-researched spells for every occasion, and I mean every occasion. The elaborately illustrated pages remind me a lot of my two books, and, like my books, Naturally Modern Magick doesn't skimp on information.

Like most spellbooks, Naturally Modern Magick opens with the very basics of spell casting, covering everything from casting a circle, cleansing, and grounding. There is the assumption that the witch has some background knowledge already, but the refresher is nice all the same. Burbage also makes it clear that the plants and other spell ingredients are not just tools, but "spiritual kin." I absolutely love this approach, which is a stark difference from my last book review of A Witch Alone. Animism is a key tenet of my practice, and finding like-minded authors is always a pleasure.

This brief introduction also mentions the importance of consent in witchcraft, especially when it comes to spells being cast for or on another person. There is nothing worse than trying to start a relationship with a kidnapping. Be mindful of what you are doing and whether or not you have asked for proper consent. This also goes for keeping your pets safe, ensuring they are not present when using potentially harmful or toxic ingredients. There is no list or mention of which ingredients could be toxic, so it is up to you to do your due diligence when working any of the spells found in Naturally Modern Magick.

I genuinely love the spells Burbage has created. There are spells for grounding, cleansing, love, luck, manifestation, and so much more. There is even a spell for meeting your spirit guides and protecting yourself while traveling to the Otherworld. I love the inclusion of such spells for us hedge witches. There are also several spells that use cinnamon sticks for divination, rice for a spell base, and clay to bind herbs to make talismans, amulets, and charms. All of these are such clever ideas and have given me much to think about when it comes to future spell writing. I cannot stress enough how important it is to read others' spells. The creativity of others never ceases to amaze me and has influenced more than a couple of spells found on my blog. In fact, Burbage has inspired me so much that I have already started writing some new spells that include rice, clay, magical inks, and even magically-infused paper!

Burbage not only offers an enormity of spells, but also includes how to make base ingredients such as moon water or magical rice that can be used in a plethora of other spells. For these magically charged ingredients, she offers a list of potential uses in other magical spells, even referencing their use in some of the full spells and rituals she offers later in the book. I love that Burbage did this and wish more authors would take note.

Two of my favorite spells, apart from the spell for protection during hedge riding, include a spell for an accessory charging station and a charm to stop replaying situations in your mind (I am notoriously anxious and often replay moments over and over and over and over and over again...) The accessory charging station works the same way as a phone charging station, except for jewelry, charms, amulets, crystals, and other such objects. It is such a clever idea!

The only true downsides to Naturally Modern Magick are that many of the spell ingredients are not commonly found at your local grocery store and will, therefore, require a trip to a specialty shop, and there are no substitutions or modifications for the spells. This makes some of the items expensive and therefore out of reach for many witches. Furthermore, without modifications, some spells that require walking or other movement, access to the outdoors, ecetera, may not be accessible to all witches. I realize there is a page and word limit in such books, as I have written two similar books, but this is something to consider if you plan on picking this book up.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed Modern Magick: The Essential Compendium of Spells and Rituals for Health, Happiness, and Prosperity by Lacey Burbage and highly recommend picking up a copy if you are interested in expanding your spell repertoire!

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