A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft: 366 Ways to Witchify Your Life by Deborah Blake

9780738750927

408 Pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd, Llewellyn Publications
Release Date: October 8, 2017

Nonfiction (Adult), Religion, Spirituality, Metaphysical, Health, Mind, Body, Magic, Witchcraft, Reference

This book is written to be used on a daily basis. Each entry is written about the day, Goddess, God, spells, and objects. These prompts make the reader think and ask questions. If you are looking for a way to connect with divinity every day, this would be a perfect book for you.

This, like every book I've read by Deborah Blake, was brilliant. She provides information without making you feel either talked down to or like your daft for not knowing, which I've found can happen with other books on this subject. She's informative and down to earth and this book will make its way straight to my bookshelf because to me it's essential for this subject.

A great book for the witch in your life. It is easy to follow with great writing. I highly recommend it.

A somewhat simple book structured a bit like a self-help book. It would be useful for those who don't even practice witchcraft as many of the activities can be easily augmented to fit any religion or no religion. If you are just starting a journal and need prompts this could also work well for that purpose. I enjoyed reading through it and may utilize it myself next year.

This was an absolutely lovely book, which I will endeavor to purchase a physical copy of. I appreciate getting a look at an eBook version via Netgalley, but due to the nature of the content, I do believe that a hard copy is preferable.
The daily nature seems like it might get overwhelming but the entries are very easy to do and often require you to contemplate something throughout your day rather than make you complete a larger thing that might require planning.
Thank you for allowing me access to this book! I already own one of Deborah Blake's earlier works and love her writing and approach to Witchcraft.

Such a nice book with easy everyday words through out a year in the pagan life. Llewellyn always having the best books and the best covers.
Loved it!

A good book for anyone who is a beginner or even expert in witchcraft. It tells the importance of each and everyday in the whole year. A great way to improve in witchcraft and as an individual. Worth reading, more like a spiritual read.

So fun! I’m not Wiccan or even considering it really but I find it very intriguing. I love these little exercises as a way of easing into it and seeing a bit of what it’s about. The daily exercises are pretty easy for the most part. The one problem that I have with daily exercises in these yearly books is sometimes the tasks aren’t easily accessible to do that very day, for example, going into a shop to look at stones. One of these shops is nowhere near me! Perhaps it would take a bit of browse through before each month so you can plan around some of these. Aside from this, it’s an easy to follow book with lovely spells and affirmations. Even if you’re not a believer in magic these would be good for relaxation and clearing your mind. With the new year coming up it’s a perfect time to pick up this book and get started!

While I love books like this that feature a page or two to check in on daily, they are nearly impossible to review anywhere near the publish date without speeding through it, which I think isn't a fair or cool review.

This was published in October and I feel awful for not getting a good fix on it until now way past the perfect time for gift giving. I read about a week at a time and have gone back to the beginning to read the specific entry for each correct day to come to my review conclusions. My apologies to both the author and the publisher.

I'm open to wee bits of all religions that will help me make my life and the world better, so Wiccan or Witchcraft fits this goal and my values. In fact, if I'm honest, most of the religions that are based on nature and the natural elements in our world make a lot more sense to me as a whole. (Please don't tell my parents that paid megabucks for my Catholic school upbringing although, I think they have an idea by now.)

A Year and a Day features a page or two for each day as well as something to try if you are willing to go along with and expand upon the thoughts for the day. I appreciated that because instead of only throwing something at me every day, it allows the reader to interact with the daily concept in a way that makes it stick better.

Now, I'm not going to lie and say that each and every day was like oh my god, I have to try this or there weren't some days that were a bit too woo-woo for me, yet I learned something or learned to look at something in a new way each and every day. Like the origins of Saint Brigid, that didn't start with Catholicism like we were taught in school. Her story was around way before then and while it doesn't really differ all that much, this version does make her more approachable and human, like us.

There are some days that feature crystals and I'm admittedly not there yet. Although the idea of maybe having your own memorable object and thinking related thoughts while holding that object is a way to compare the practice and a beginning. Think a rabbit's foot, which is sort of passe, or a picture of your childhood or a pen that you go for an achievement from a special person that is no longer with us and you may get my version of this practice, at least until I'm ready to totally let go, learn more, and go whole hog with the concept.

What is wonderful about books like this from all of the religions is the process of learning and checking in every day. I also use a similar Zen Buddhist book and am about to mix in book called Earth Prayers: From Around the World: 365 Prayers, Poems, and Invocations for Honoring the Earth that I picked up at a library sale to see if it helps me get in touch with myself and the world daily like the other two.

My suggestion, if you are an ebook user, would be to put these on your e-reader so your nightstand isn't full of these small books that force you to work a little harder to remember to read them every day. (or maybe I'm the only lazy one.) Each night, before diving into my latest reads on the Kindle, I check into these books for a bit of conscious-expanding reflection, both on life and my own day.

So, even though it's already Feruary, this would not only make a great gift book in the future but one for yourself too and you aren't going to miss anything by starting now. I promise!

I've been Wiccan for almost 12 years now, and I still love learning new things about Wicca and Witchcraft, and the author of this book never fails to deliver new, fun, and charming material that will make you embrace who you are. I've read all of this author's books and loved every single one, this one included. The text is written in her signature lighthearted prose that makes you feel as though she is there with you.

Ways to witchify your life for every day of the year. It doesn't matter when you start this. Something new and exciting to add to your life every day. The style is inviting. The author addresses the reader and makes insightful recommendations. She also provides colorful examples of her life and how she implements the same things she recommends daily.

A useful day book for people interested in witchcraft/paganism but not sure where to start, with small things to do and think about every day for a year and a day that will help to deepen understanding for the beginner and help the more experienced pagan step back and reconnect.

To kick-start your witchy studies, I want to recommend "A Yeah and A Dar of Everyday Witchcraft" by Deborah Blake. This is a fantastic yearly study filled with all sorts of witchy goodness. Each day has some insightful bit of information, small spell, or tip on how to get deeper into your practice.

What is also great, you can start this on any day. You don't have to wait for the beginning the year, just pick the book up on the day you get it and start from there. If you've read any of Blake's books, you know she is very insightful and lays things out in a relaxed, comfortable way where you don't feel pressured to get things exactly perfect.Each day has a bit of history on a subject, for example, like eggs. And how they are used in magick or superstitions about them. Then there is a tip on how to add that into your practice.

This is a nice little book to incorporate some magick into everyday. Nothing too elaborate, but a way to reconnect if you are feeling a little pulled away from your studies. I highly recommend, this is a great read with lots of good stuff.

I loooove Deborah Blake. She's always easy to understand and when I was beginning in witchcraft her books became a bible to me. I think this is a great read!

I found this book to be a quick read, despite the number of pages it has. The book has some nice things to do, make or think about. You can use it for any year ahead that you wish. Pleased with it and how she set it up.

As someone toying with the idea of becoming a witch/dabbling in witchcraft this book was very interesting and informational for a beginner. I will purchase this book.

A great read. Lots of inscriptions and information on keeping in touch with your practice.

I think this is a great concept. I love the idea of having little "witchy" things to do each day. I'm a list following, schedule-making type person, so having something that applies to paganism really appeals to me. This is the type of book I'd really like on my shelf. Plus, look at the cover art- would that darling black cat lead you astray?

This book has a little bit of everything. As the title suggests, includes 366 daily exercises that pertain to witchcraft. Each day has a theme, and a little lesson. The tone is very approachable, which I think would be helpful to those who are just starting out along their spiritual paths. Because these ideas are generally pretty short, I think it'd be a good way to dip one's toes into the magick pool, so to speak. It's also time considerate, so even if you don't have a huge amount of free time, you'll be able to reflect on or complete most of the "try this!" activities on each day.

I also really like that the author gives suggestions, not orders. One thing that really, really turns me off from pagan books is when the author speaks as though they are the One True Knower of All Things and that their way is the One True Way or You're Not a Wiccan or whatever path. It happens far more often than you'd think, given that this branch of spirituality tends to be wider in its forms of expression. Blake is the opposite, the tone is very "hey, you could do this, but if you'd rather do that instead, go for it". It's a refreshing tone, that is well appreciated and didn't go unnoticed.

The "try this" suggestions that are listed, one per day, are really widely varied. They include tasks that are more directly spiritual like candle lighting and prayer, but also creative arts such as writing poetry and coloring. There's also a good mix of "self-help" type ideas, like organizing lists for yourself and topics for self-reflection.

A few of the suggestions are a bit less than accessible. There's one day, for instance, that suggests walking around a shop to find crystals. Not everyone has access to such places. But, I suppose that's where the "suggestion" part comes in- I plan on scrolling Amazon and counting that.

All in all, I plan on getting a physical copy for myself. I'm always one of those "new year resolution" people who always has these big dreams but then gives up in a week when the holiday glow has worn off. Hopefully, this will be a successful resolution to follow this book for a year.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I must start off by saying that I do enjoy Deborah Blake's books. I like to describe them as "casual, light-reading" as there is nothing too taxing or demanding in what she puts out. Her writing style reminds me a lot of Silver RavenWolf's in that is a personal writing style. It is almost like she is speaking directly to you. Llewellyn has previously put out two rather incredible "Year and a Day" books by Timothy Roderick whose approach was outlining what would be required in the first two degrees of Wicca as an Initiatory system. Deborah Blake's book is nothing like this. It does exactly as it says on the cover. It offers a year and day's worth of material to try out to make your life that little bit more witchy than what it otherwise would be. Spells, meditations, craft ideas and ways of connecting with the Earth and the seasons, for example, give questions and ideas to ponder.
I have to say that the approach for me was a little bit cloying but i definitely wouldn't say i didn't like it. I found it a pleasant read. However, for the experienced practitioner the book may not be all that engaging. To a newbie to The Craft I can see this book being of immense help and interest. The length of the book definitely gives you value for money though. At circa 400 pages it has some heft

I was a little disappointed in this book - I was hoping for something with little spells, witchy attitudes, and ten-minutes-a-day sized activities. Instead it's much more like a traditional book on witchcraft only split up into 366 tiny chapters, themed by months. (Admittedly I haven't read through it cover to cover, but I've dipped in several times and it's not conducive to dipping at all, which is how I tend to use these kinds of books.)