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Reviews & Comments On Spirit Speak
By Jason Miller 2009
Living in and around Philadelphia, I had heard a lot about Ivo
Dominguez over the years, but never got to meet him personally until
just recently. I ran in Buddhist and Ceremonial Magick circles, he ran
more with the Pagan crowd. There was a lot of overelap, and people kept
telling me that we should meet, but it just never happened. When I saw
that my publisher, New Page Books, had picked up Ivo's book Spirit
Speak, I figured this would be a good chance to see what this guy is
all about. If I had only known how good he really was, I would have
made a special effort to meet him years ago.
Spirit Speak is exactly what it says it is and more. Many books
like this tend to try to make encyclopedic lists of spirits and
mythical creatures that stem from different cultures the world over.
These occult taxonomies are interesting to read but have little to
offer in the way of practical information. Dominguez avoids this
pitfall by dealing with large general groups of spirits that the
practitioner is likely to encounter, and than makes subdivisions within
each category. Rather than rely exclusively upon tradition for these
divisions, the author parses on the basis of the observable qualities
of the beings. In so doing he provides a genuinely useful taxonomy of
the occult that describes the nature, behaviors, and ways in which we
can communicate with the spirits.
But the book offers more than just information on spirits. In the
first four chapters he presents his vision of the subtle body, examples
of various levels of spirit contact, common impediments to
communication, and exercises for facilitating contact and for dealing
with problems that can arise from spirit contact. These potent
exercises are original and won't be found anywhere else. The emerald
heart technique alone is worth the price of admission. These exercises
and rituals are fleshed out further in the appendixes of the book.
The book is not written in the voice of a Witch or Ceremonial
Magician, though it is clear Dominguez has a profound understanding of
both. This book is written simply from the perspective of one who
knows. Spirits are spirits after all, and tech is tech no matter what
tradition of magick or witchcraft you approach from. Not to be smug,
but after twenty plus years of intense study and practice, there are few
occult books that I learn a lot from anymore. I learned quite a bit
from this book, which is the highest recommendation that I can give.
Spirit Speak – Knowing and Understanding Spirit Guides, Ancestors, Ghosts,
Angels, and the Divine
by Ivo Dominguez, Jr. (New Page Books)
Review by Mark Stavish (2008, voxhermes yahoo group)
I was sent a copy of Spirit Speak several weeks ago and have been reading it off and on since it arrived. Despite the size, slightly over 200 pages, Spirit Speak is a densely written book filled with a great deal of information on all of the topics listed in its subtitle and more. While there are hundreds of books on the market purporting to address the nature of invisible beings and our interactions with them, few of them are as comprehensive as Spirit Speak. Written in very specific and clear language, Dominguez provides readers with a comprehensive overview of the psyche, our psychic structures, cosmology, and how everything fits together in it. In addition he provides unique insights into the methods of communicating with these invisible intelligences, problems that may arise, how to address them, and even addresses the role of thought forms, group mind, and other created psychic structures in group and individual work. One of the subjects that grabbed my attention was something called the Square of Abeyance. Having worked extensively with the Cube of Space outlined in the Sepher Yetzirah, and knowing others who have used it as well, it was a pleasant surprise to see this basic symbol presented again. Dominguez states, “The Square creates a space where energy patterns and frequencies that are not native to the Physical Plane of Reality are made null and void. They are held in abeyance, which, depending on their nature, results in stasis, dismissal, or dissolution.” The Cube, while evident across alchemical and qabalistic manuscripts is a powerful symbol nearly completely ignored in modern workings, and in my discussions with Dr. Joseph Lisiewski on the subject, have come to the conclusion that it is a fundamental form by which we formulate, relate to, and gain mastery over our subconscious. Paracelsus is said to have stated to this effect, that the subconscious was a cube.
On the down side, some of the graphics and text associated with charts in Spirit Speak are a little fuzzy on the edges, which seems to be a problem with the few New Page books that I have seen. This in no way takes away from the books value or content however. While some of the methods presented will appear too New Agie for Traditionalists, and too magickal or structured for those used to a more ‘go with the flow’ background, this too should not pose a problem for readers as the theoretical content, personal insights, and general advise are worth the cover price. This is one of those books that you will be glad you have on your shelf, whether it is because you wish to talk to Aunt Zelda, invoke an Archangel, celebrate Midsummer’s Eve, or find out what it is that is going bump in the night.
A must-read for anyone who works with/in the spirit realms, April 27, 2008 (From Amazon)
By Diotima Mantineia (North Carolina)
A remarkable book that fills what was a gaping hole in modern magical/occult literature. Spirit Speak gives a clear overview and deeper understanding of the mechanisms of and requirements for contact with non-physical consciousness independent of the dogma of various religions and spiritual traditions.
The author's knowledge of his subject is both broad and deep, and is given further authority by his years of personal experience in working with the world of Spirit. You'll get clear, reasoned explanations and examples spirit contact, distilled through a practical mindset and dished up with wonderful metaphors that help clarify unfamiliar concepts.
While laying out a solid conceptual and philosophical framework for understanding spirit contact, the book also gives plenty of practical techniques and advice. In fact, the chapter on "Preparations and Interventions for Higher Order Workings" is worth the price of the book all by itself.
Already a classic among those who read the book in its earlier, self-published incarnation, to those of you who have read the original, I can suggest without reservation that you add this version to your library. It has been considerably expanded as well as re-written.
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