Debra Burris changed my mind about weather magic. I’ve been afraid to work with weather for fear I’ll do accidentally cause harm. Burris offers the reassurance that it’s just another way to do energy work. If you’ve ever wished for a storm to pass by that’s weather magic. So why not learn about it?
That refreshingly commonsensical approach would be enough to recommend the book, but there’s a truly revolutionary thought hidden here in the practical spells. The genius of Weather Magic: Witchery, Science, Lore is that it doesn’t just focus on changing the weather. It treats weather as a form of magical energy, harnessing the power of wind and water to fuel magical results. Lightning becomes an ally. Wind charges magical tools. Clouds become a medium for divination. Isn’t that a great idea?
Burris is exactly the right person to write this book. She’s a professor of physics, guiding student research into thunderstorms. She’s also an elder in the Georgian Tradition of Witchcraft (my kin!) She says firmly, “As a physicist and a witch, I refuse to separate my science from my magic.”
So it’s no surprise that her book is grounded both in sound weather science and solid magical technique. Each section includes a clear explanation of how weather systems work – what a frontal system is, how storms form, the mechanism of lightning. This information helps us to understand how to create weather protectors to avert storms and invoke wind and rain. That’s not all though, the book then harnesses this knowledge to create visualisations and spells to accomplish the usual aims of magic, including healing, protection and manifestation.
There’s an inventive playfulness in this magic. A pot of boiling water becomes a way to manifest an intention. A vessel of water can capture the energy of a thunderstorm. A wild wind can wipe a slate clean. Wait until you see what she can do with a hurricane!
Burris does offer a note of caution. She respects weather as a powerful partner and reminds us to give thanks to nature for the gifts we receive. With that in mind she encourages us to experiment and make our own magic. She says, “My goal is to inspire.”
I particularly love that there’s an overlap between Weather Magic and my own book Cord Magic. Both books mention the sailor’s magic of tying knots in cords to capture a wind so it can be released later. However she caught a point I missed. Burris points out that when the knot is untied it releases the wind, but while it’s being tied it calms the wind. Brilliant! It must be that scientific-magical perspective that allows her to notice the energy working both ways.
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