tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post1786361012085789561..comments2024-03-27T11:02:51.168-04:00Comments on Flying the Hedge: Book Review: The Big Book of Magical Incense by Sara L. MastrosWillowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833903403803495986noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post-69609643091053849622022-02-06T11:38:30.797-05:002022-02-06T11:38:30.797-05:00This book is a much needed addition to the occult ...This book is a much needed addition to the occult book world!Willowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15833903403803495986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post-43500228332382591122022-02-06T11:28:07.112-05:002022-02-06T11:28:07.112-05:00I know you're going to love it.I know you're going to love it.Willowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15833903403803495986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post-29860174100138833052022-01-30T20:32:35.176-05:002022-01-30T20:32:35.176-05:00As someone who has been burning incense since at l...As someone who has been burning incense since at least the age of 10 (and using it in a spiritual/magickal context since my mid-teens), the moment I caught wind of this title a few months ago, it piqued my interest. <br /><br />While mentions of incense appear quite frequently in books on Paganism/witchery/spirituality, relatively few (Cunningham's classic on the subject aside) have been penned that focus solely on this topic. What a welcome addition to the hefty roster of fresh witchy/Pagan releases hitting the shelves these days. <br /><br />Thank you for providing us with another open, direct and highly engaging book review, dear Willow. <br /><br />Autumn Zenith 🎃 <a href="http://witchcraftedlife.com" rel="nofollow">Witchcrafted Life</a>Witchcrafted Lifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02992822472797191121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post-65861322244382700292022-01-28T19:16:30.729-05:002022-01-28T19:16:30.729-05:00Thank you so much for clarifying! Thank you so much for clarifying! Willowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15833903403803495986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post-15604320349701164652022-01-28T01:00:52.431-05:002022-01-28T01:00:52.431-05:00Hi! I'm Sara Mastros. I'm so happy you l...Hi! I'm Sara Mastros. I'm so happy you liked my book. As to your question at the end, I am in fact Jewish by blood, as was my mother, her mother, and countless generations before us. Additionally, I am reasonably well educated in Jewish tradition broadly, and something of an expert on Jewish magic in particular. Additional, I spent many years as an professional educator in Jewish communal life.<br /><br />While Judaism is a closed community (the only ways to be Jewish are to come out of a Jewish vagina or to be invited and formally accepted by a Jewish community), none of the practices in the book are closed. That is not just my opinion, but also the opinion of my rabbi, and most (but not all) of the rabbinic authorities with whom I regularly study and work. I am fully authorized to teach everything I taught in the book. However, as we say in Judaism, "Two Jews, three opinions." With the exception of supervised students who have asked me to guide their learning, I would never push anyone to engage in practices that make them uncomfortable.<br /><br />Since I think we share very similar values, and are committed to a world where minority cultures and religions are respected, I will, however, gently caution that, unless you're Jewish and well educated in Jewish magical practice, it is not appropriate for you to police the teaching of Jewish magic. That being said, I completely appreciate that it came from a place of love, concern, and ethical responsibility. Jews are perfectly capable of policing how and and when and where we teach while living as a marginalized community. We've been doing it for thousands of years.The Professorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08496516038405576606noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4440943230379430538.post-58682925939394354472022-01-26T09:51:27.766-05:002022-01-26T09:51:27.766-05:00Never have I clicked "add to cart" faste...Never have I clicked "add to cart" faster after reading a review. This sounds -exactly- like something I'd love, and it's a topic I've been wanting to learn more about. Thanks for being so thorough!Adrienne Maevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13500154680714083777noreply@blogger.com