Over the years, many witches have told their tales of awakening in memoir form. While the backgrounds and settings of these narratives are all richly unique, what they share is a theme of reclaiming one's power by embarking on an underworld journey that ultimately releases them to eschew cultural pressures and tap into their own raw, suppressed magic. In this post, we run through the best recent memoirs about witches and magic that can enlighten and inspire your own journey.
Diana Helmuth's memoir offers an honest look at seeking spirituality outside the confines of Western religion. A provocative seeker's journey, Helmuth's 2023 book straddles the line between memoir and literary documentary as the writer searches for the answer to why witchcraft is such an alluring path for so many young women today. Written from the perspective of a curious skeptic, the memoir sees Helmuth showing up wary of both organized and disorganized religion as she connects with practitioners and guides in the world of witchcraft.
Readers are treated to a 365-day journey of investigating incantations, liturgy, rules, and coven structure. Along the way, we can appreciate and relate to the strange mix of feeling as though one is coming close to touching the divine and wincing through absurd moments of blunders and self-consciousness.
As one of the most popular magic memoirists, Perdita Finn has told parts of her story throughout several different books. However, she focuses exclusively on what she refers to as her personal underworld journey and the miracles of healing that happened following the death of her father in 2023's "Take Back the Magic: Conversations with the Unseen World." In the memoir-meets-guide, Finn sets things off by recollecting a strange inheritance that arrived in the mail after her father's death, which led to her exchanging letters and conversations with her deceased father. The book alternates between a personal memoir and a guide to communing with the spirit world.
Maria Toll's memoir chronicles an enchanted path of magical awakening that takes readers on a journey from Brooklyn to Ireland in search of fulfillment and the realization of a deep longing to connect with the earth. Practitioners and curious minds who are interested in the medicinal and "potion" sides of magic will enjoy Toll's account of her year-long sabbatical spent studying under an herbalist in Ireland. In addition to chronicling her own spiritual growth and connection with the earth, the writer shares the magical knowledge and rituals she collects along the way.
Elissa Washuta's "White Magic" is an essay-based memoir that is as much about the American experience as it is about the writer's relationship with magic. While Washuta's early exposure to spirituality as a Native American woman came in the form of tarot cards and sage, she developed a deeper yearning for the occult that could connect her to the spirits and powers that communed with her ancestors. Intertwined with Washuta's spiritual journey is a raw commentary on abuse, addiction, bipolar misdiagnosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
When "Initiated: Memoir of a Witch" by Amanda Yates Garcia was published in 2019, it was welcomed as an anthem of reclaiming power through self-mythology. In the memoir, Garcia shares her recollection of a traditional Wiccan "coming of age" experience that included initiation under the tutelage of her mother at age 13. However, the author's true spiritual journey only begins once she undergoes a series of her spontaneous initiations. While peppering in spiritual revelations, the memoir leaves its mark with the author's quest for self-discovery and growth as she reconciles themes of witchcraft and feminism with cultural expectations.
Did we miss one of your favorites? Leave a comment below and tell us how it has helped you on your spiritual path.
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