The Witches' Book of the Dead

Praise for
The Witches' Book of the Dead

“Dare to take the ancient journey into the realm of the dead, guided by the necromantic knowledge of the Witches and Warlocks of old. This book is not for the fearful but rather for the sincere seeker of the netherworld in all its truth and dark beauty. Stride now into this dark world with necromantic Warlock Christian Day, who has touched the shadowland and now brings it to you within each and every chapter of this well-researched tome. Begin your journey now!”

—Rev. Lori Bruno, Hereditary Strega and High Priestess of Our Lord and Lady of the Trinacrian Rose Church

“Christian Day has stirred up all the ancient lore of Majick and placed it in the hands of his readers. Very well researched.”

–Rev. Laurie Cabot, High Priestess of the Cabot Tradition and founder of the Cabot Kent Hermetic Temple

“
The Witches' Book of the Dead
is a well-researched and thoughtful compendium of magical lore, necromancy, spirit contact, and mediumship. It mixes a rich background of historical information with practical applications of ritual and magical practice. Day is not afraid to draw back the veil and peer behind it. Let him show you what he has discovered! A very good read; a volume full of worthwhile information.”

—Raymond Buckland, author of
Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft

“Impressively researched, compelling, and immensely readable, Day's first book resurrects the vast power of the spirit world and offers it to modern-day practitioners.”

—Fiona Horne, radio and television personality and author of eight books including
Witch: A Magical Journey

“In these pages, you will discover clear, lucid instructions for contacting the dead, as well as explanations for why you might want to do so. While simultaneously emphasizing the sacred nature of his subject, Christian has written a fun, easy-to-read and easy-to-access instructional manual for interaction with the ever-present souls of the dead.”

—Judika Illes, author of
The Encyclopedia of Spirits, The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft
, and
The Weiser Field Guide to Witches

“Jam-packed with practical advice, easy-to-follow instructions, and covering everything from exorcism to necromancy,
The Witches' Book of the Dead
truly is the quintessential guide to working with the spirit world. A must have for every magical practitioner's bookshelf!”

—Dorothy Morrison, author of
Utterly Wicked

“A powerful modern manual for practitioners seeking to add necromancy to their repertoire, rooted deeply in history and tradition.”

—Christopher Penczak, co-founder of the Temple of Witchcraft and author of
The Plant Spirit Familiar

“This book is an invaluable text that can open pathways to subjects otherwise deemed unapproachable in a way that makes necromancy understandable to all.”

—Leilah Wendell, author of
The Necromantic Ritual Book, Encounters with Death
, and
Our Name Is Melancholy

“Christian Day presents every aspect of necromancy clearly, practically, and matter-of-factly. From start to finish, this is a fascinating compendium of necromantic lore, and I recommend it highly!”

—Oberon Zell-Ravenheart, headmaster of The Grey School of Wizardry and author of
Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

“This book is fresh, exciting, and like nothing you have ever read before!”

—Rosemary Ellen Guiley, author of
The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits

“A shocking, witty, and scholarly thesis offers the historian, the sorcerer, and the curiosity seeker something to ponder and something to remember—we do not walk alone.”

—Bloody Mary, Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, occult historian, psychopomp, and owner of Bloody Mary's Tours

“This book delivers a call back to an often-neglected source of power, wisdom, and guidance: necromancy and communion with the unseen side of humanity. It is a fascinating compendium and a useful tool but definitely a controversial challenge. Read and enjoy,
but apply the techniques with care and caution
!”

—Orion Foxwood, co-founder of the House of Brigh Faery Seership Institute and author of
The Tree of Enchantment

“Filled with mystery and magick,
The Witches' Book of the Dead
is deliciously dark, edgy, thought provoking, and beautifully crafted.”

—Ellen Dugan, author of
Practical Protection Magick

“Christian Day is an amazing resource when it comes to magic and Witchy legend and lore. Day breaks down Witchcraft history, humanizes the folks who have always stood casting and conjuring at the outskirts of society, and then celebrates them like one would cheer a rock star. A great book and mystical look into connecting with the other side and transforming the universe around us.”

—Jeff Belanger, founder of
Ghostvillage.com
, author of
The World's Most Haunted Places
, and host of
30 Odd Minutes

“Christian writes with wisdom and authority, and makes the reader feel safe and secure, knowing they are being lead through advanced ritual practices by someone who knows his stuff A-Z.”

—Edain McCoy, author of
Advanced Witchcraft: Go Deeper, Reach Further, Fly Higher

“Without a doubt this is the most useful and unambiguous book available to the modern practitioner.”

—Peter Paddon, author of
The Book of the Veil, Through the Veil
, and
A Grimoire for Modern Cunningfolk

“You may not agree with all that Day proposes—and you get the sense he'd probably welcome a good intellectual brawl—but you can't deny that this passionate, personal take on the meaning and practice of magic is thoughtful, bravely-drawn, and fascinating.”

—Lesley Bannatyne, author of
Halloween Nation: Behind the Scenes of America's Fright Night

“Christian Day has outdone himself with this rare, beautifully written, brilliant work. If you are tired of reading regurgitated, watered-down 101 books or have found yourself in a place where you wish to delve deeper into the core of the occult, then this is a must read.”

—Starrfire Price, founder and webmistress,
PaganSpace.net

“If you're one of those of the living who subscribes to the notion that magick is exclusively about love, light, and life, and death is a subject to be avoided, put this book down. It is neither for the faint of heart, weak of mind or the fear enslaved soul.”

—Mulysa Mayhem, priestess of Hekate, Magickal Tattoo Artist, and Owner of Good Mojo Tattoos, Beverly, MA

“
The Witches' Book of the Dead
offers contemplative, genuine methods, while written in a gratifying narrative style. Read it for the information other manuscripts have lacked.”

—Sabrina The Ink Witch, artist and founder of
www.theinkwitch.com

“From Altars to Yew wands, no (grave) stone was left unturned in this well researched and beautifully written compendium of necromancy.”

—Marla Brooks, author of
Workplace Spells, Animal Spells and Magick
, and host of
Stirring the Cauldron Radio

“A rare gem on the proverbial bookshelf of any working Witch!”

—Rev. Jonathan Sousa, Southern Italian Traditionalist and author of
WitchHeart: Essays in Traditional Craft Philosophy

“
The Witches' Book of the Dead
is without a doubt one of the most in depth works on darker magic I have ever had the pleasure to read.”

—Corvis Nocturnum, author of
Cemetery Gates: Death and Mourning through the Ages

“Destined to be a classic in occult literature.”

—Denise Alvarado, author of
The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook

“This beautiful tome piercingly reaches to the psyche of genuine magickal practitioners, reminding us that we have always, and shall continue to, work with forces beyond our immediate consciousness. For those exploring the serenity of shadow and the deeper levels of Craft, this book is most definitely for you.”

—Raven Digitalis, author of
Shadow Magick Compendium
and
Goth Craft

First published in 2011 by

Red Wheel / Weiser,
LLC

665 Third Street, Suite 400

San Francisco, CA 94107

www.redwheelweiser.com

Copyright © 2011 by Christian Day

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel / Weiser,
LLC
. Reviewers may quote brief passages.

ISBN: 978-1-57863-506-1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on request.

Cover design by Jim Warner

Skull image on cover © Christian Day

Candles on cover © Shutterstock / dragasanu

Interior by Kathryn Sky-Peck

Typeset in Garamond BE

Printed in Canada

TCP

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1992 (R1997).

Dedications

This is a book of the dead and so only the dead shall be honored here:

Mary Elaine Taeger, 1950–2008

Mom, you always encouraged me to be strong, to stand up for what is right and true, and to believe that I could do anything.

John Day, 1947–2000

Uncle Johnny, you were a father to me throughout my childhood. You were Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the very embodiment of compassion.

Shawn Poirier, 1966–2007

Shawn, you were my first true mentor and the best friend I've ever had. You taught me to believe in magic and that the spirit world is real indeed.

Rebecca Larivee, 1969–2011