Title: Disabled Witchcraft
Author: Kandi Zeller
Publisher: Microcosm Publishing
Pages: 192
Publication Date: September 17, 2024
Accessible, inclusive, anti-capitalist magick
Magick is all around us and should be for everyone. But the practices in many witchcraft books can be difficult for many of us to perform due to chronic illnesses, sensory issues, allergies, or other disabilities—and the financial limitations that often go hand in hand with them.
In this guide, disabled witch Kandi Zeller sets out to change that. Through 90 inclusive (and sometimes spicy) magickal rituals designed for witches with disabilities of all kinds—especially the invisible ones—Disabled Witchcraft lays out a truly accessible magickal practice with a solid dose of humor and heart. If your spoons (aka available energy and executive function) are limited on any given day, that doesn't need to be a hindrance to following your spiritual path. From guidance on using crystals for nervous-system regulation to tarot readings for spoonies to laying a curse upon unjust health systems, you'll find practical tools to harness the magick of your disabilities, fight both ableism and capitalism, and embrace a more expansive version of the path.
As you can see above from the blurb as provided by the Publisher, this book sets out to offer 90 different rituals for disabled witches, in order to make their path more accessible. These themes obviously run throughout the book and I would say that it has achieved its goal of creating a volume that will help to connect disabled witches to their path without breaking the bank, or potentially triggering flare ups or other issues that disabled witches might have.
The writing style is very informal and conversational, making it an accessible book for all (very light swearing is included, if that matters to you.)
I think that this book will be great for those that are disabled, as the collection are easy spells (see my note about spell vs ritual below).
I will admit that as someone who leads a coven, and who sometimes leads public ritual I was hoping that this book would go a bit more in depth, and would provide what looks closer to what is commonly referred to as ritual.
Note on Ritual: This is definitely a book that will be helpful to disabled folks, but for those who might have experience in witchcraft like myself, please know that I wouldn't classify these as rituals per se, but more so spells. If you're of the mindset that ritual is a longer process in which there are multiple steps, perhaps casting circle, calling quarters, evoking Deity - then the word ritual will be something different in this book. There are journaling prompts, referred to as pondering questions with each, and occasionally a single action (such as lighting a candle), along with incantations. These, to me, would be considered spells, and not rituals.
Having a book of journaling prompts and spells is perfectly fine, but I did want to make that distinction for those who might have a different understanding and different background to the word ritual, such as myself.
Overall I did enjoy the book, and the ideas within. Many of them will be helpful for myself and my practice, and this has given me a lot to think about when planning my rituals that I lead, especially public facing ones where I am unfamiliar with the abilities and energy levels of participants beforehand.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the Publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
About the Author
Kandi Zeller (she/her) is a queer and disabled writer and editor at the intersections of spirituality, creativity, and justice. She’s an eclectic witch who loves weaving whimsy and intention into everyday life. She muses about these themes at All The Threads, her Substack newsletter. To find out more about her work, visit KandiZeller.com. When Kandi’s not doing word witchery, she loves spending time with her partner and housemates, going to bookstores, thrifting, and making art of all kinds (from painting to art journaling to dance).
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