The Book of Blessings and Rituals - A Review

Today I'm reviewing The Book of Blessings and Rituals - Magical Invocations For Healing, Setting Energy and Creating Sacred Space by Athena Perrakis, Ph.D.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Cover



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Release Date: 7/30/19


Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch.  I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft.  I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts nearly 400,000 views.


I'll begin this review with the physical book.  The review copy I received is a hard cover book but did not have a dust jacket.  The image on the front shows assorted religious emblems and is a very vibrant raised image on cover.  The art inside is illustrative art and lends itself nicely to the context of the book.  There is no index in this book but the table of contents is pretty extensive.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


The chapters are broken down by month and include an assortment of rituals and blessings that correspond.  January, for example has new year's blessings and directional invocations while September offers  prayers for Rosh Hashanah, Mabon  and a Honey Blessing Jar project.

As in many of her other books, the author provides a clear and concise delivery of the information within the pages. The chapters begin with a brief overview of each month which includes a brief history or explanation of that rites within.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


The October chapter provides a brief look at Samhain (Summer's End in Gaelic) and how the Celts may have celebrated this new year.  The author gives us several rituals and a project associated with the celebration of the dead. Creating an ancestor altar has been one of my yearly traditional for quite some time.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


I really enjoyed the diversity included in this book.  While reading up on Samhain I was delighted to find a section on Diwali.  Diwali is Sanskrit for light or lamp.  Its an ancient Hindu festival celebrated at the New Moon in October.

The blessing begins:

On this new moon,
we remember light's victory over darkness.
Diyas glow like treasures,
thunderous sounds boom triumphantly
illuminating the night with color and sound
Now is the time to delight in celebration.
Lakshmi, I honor you on this day.
Thank you for blessing us with your abundance.

Over all, this book is well organized, and provides a well rounded bit of information from an assortment of cultures. Including projects with each chapter provides the reader the opportunity to not only read about rituals they may not have heard about, but also the ability to put them into practice as well.   I believe this is a great book to have on your self to compliment an extensive religious text collection or to introduce yourself to new paths you may have otherwise missed.





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