Review: The Phosphorous Grove

Review: The Phosphorous Grove September 5, 2017

Christopher Penczak’s The Phosphorous Grove: Aflame With Love Upon the Witch’s Tree is unlike any other book that he’s published. The book was originally limited to 50 hardcover copies that he would gift out as a thank you for fundraiser events and volunteer work at the Temple of Witchcraft. Four years later he’s now released it as an unlimited paperback. The book is a collection of prose of mystical verses. Christopher originally was going to have a career in music and these lyrical verses tap into that aspect of his creativity. These verses are ones that came to him after an immensely emotional time of his mother’s passing, and as such the book is dedicated to her and a work of gratitude for her support on his path as a musician in his younger years and his path as a witch.

Image Credit: Dustin Lee | Edited by: Mat Auryn | CC0 License
Image Credit: Dustin Lee | Edited by: Mat Auryn | CC0 License

Christopher realized that these verses were seemingly Qabalistic in nature, but from a more witchcraft point of view. They are an artistic elixir of Qabala, Alchemy, Hermeticism and Witchcraft and are divided by Sephiroth and Paths on the Tree of Life. Christopher illustrates the whole book with original artwork that compliments every piece of poetry. He writes in the intro that, “In the end, I realize that the poetry itself paints a picture of the eternal sabbat of the Mighty Dead, the phosphorous grove where we are all aflame with love, will, and wisdom. May it be a humble roadmap to get you just a little closer to the Timeless Tradition.”

The back of the book contains a glossary for more archaic words and terms he uses as well as an explanation of what some of the symbolism he uses is referencing. This is also the main book that I use for bibliomancy divination in my personal practice for questions of a spiritual nature, holding the book in my hands and asking a question then opening it up to look at what verse is present for my answer. The work as a whole conveys something beyond the words and the images. It is a great piece for meditating on and reflecting on the Tree of Life from the eyes of a witch.

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