Do you think you can't practice magic if you don't have just the right herbs, incense, or bright shiny crystal wand? Do you want to know the reasoning behind what you're doing when you cast a spell? Christopher Penczak tackles both of these issues in Instant Magick: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Spellcraft.

The author begins by explaining that the title does not imply these techniques are quick fixes that require minimal effort. The lack of tools or elaborate ritual may suggest this especially if you are used to spell books that require very specific ingredients. In fact, Mr. Penczak teaches about the energy behind magic and what it takes to work with that energy to bring about desired results. You don't need fancy tools or regalia.

In the chapter entitled Anatomy of a Spell, the author goes through the bare bones of magic in three steps - altering consciousness, focusing will, and directing energy. He gives very clear and easy to follow exercises for each step in order for you to become proficient in your spells.

The book has a heavy Wiccan and new age flavor, so the influence of things such as the Wiccan Rede and positive thinking techniques are very evident. He does attempt to stay away from dogmatism however in that he discusses five different magic worlds or paradigms from which to use as springboards for your spellcraft. These include the elemental worlds, the world tree, the web of life, the universal body, and the planetary paradigm. He gives a solid introduction of each world and how you can relate it to creating your own magic.

Visualization is the basis for this work. If you believe you aren't talented in this area, this book would still be a good starting point on your journey to learn about the energy behind magic.

As with the exercises for each of the three steps of magic mentioned above, he gives excellent practice visualizations to take you deeper into each paradigm and improve your visualizing skills. There are also appendices if you want to add physical props or other correspondences to your work such as stones, incense, deities, and planets.

This is a practical magic guide. While he starts out with spells that may seem very mundane such as finding a parking spot, the author recognizes that attitude plays a large part in successful magic. He helps you develop confidence in your skills by teaching you to build on small successes.

Mr. Penczak honestly states that he does still enjoy more elaborate ritual along with these techniques. This book does not negate any particular path. Rather, he positively reinforces each paradigm he works with. By explaining the basics of magic outside of a tradition, he gives the reader confidence to develop their own system and trust their intuition. Instant Magick would be a good resource for the beginning magician.