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When I first heard of this author, it was at just the right time. I had decided to expand in my intuitive/meditative areas, and this book was perfect for it.
Don’t let the name throw you: One of the things that I like about Penczak is that he leaves things open for “Reverse engineering”, but more on that later.
The book gives a good ground work for learning about yourself and your inner world. As you get more and more developed, you move on to more and more advanced exercises.
The good.
Having had some background in this area, I wasn’t at all sure how much would be simple review. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that while much of it was a review, it wasn’t merely “fluff”. There was a lot of theory to go along with the exercises, so you knew your reasons for practicing. One of the first things that the author has you do is start up a journal. This is excellent, especially working in conjunction with the discoveries you make as you progress through the lessons.
The lessons go from basic inner perception (seeing, listening, touching, tasting in your inner world) energy work, including making sure that you are grounded and centered, to sensible (but not paranoid) defense, to connecting with loved ones over distance for healing purposes with many stops in between.
Of particular benefit to me were the exercises dealing with chakra strengthening and balancing as well as the aura work. Before that I learned to put myself into a light meditative state (alpha state, if that sounds familiar) in seconds rather than minutes. Very useful.
One thing to note with the exercises: They require some steps, so it is best to either have a partner to work through this with you, or record the exercises for playback or, (as I did) get the CD companion. The CDs are of good quality and are designed to help you through the exercises as if you were working with someone. Without having the exercises read to you, it would be much more difficult to get the lessons done, as you would have to break your concentration to read the next line, and so on.
The Bad.
As much as I love this book, there are a couple of spots that I’m not too happy with. First and foremost, the author falls into the trap that many fall into currently: He goes on about quantum physics without really understanding it. I know that quantum theory is really exciting stuff, but if you don’t have a thorough understanding of it, or at least have a credible source, just leave it alone. Penczak doesn’t go overboard with this, but it’s enough that the chapter on how science and magick blend annoyed me.
This leads me to the other potentially bad mark, depending on who you are: This book was written from a Pagan/wiccan perspective. This may not be a problem for you, but I know that the very word “witch” sets off sirens and red lights for some. However, it doesn’t bother you or if you can work past it, you can rework the exercises to use your own name for the Divine if you wish.
The bottom line
If you are looking for a good grounding in basic energy work techniques, I can’t recommend a better book. Despite its minor flaws, it is a solid book that will keep you working and growing for a while if you are a newcomer, and provide an excellent refresher course if you’re a little more advanced.
The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation, and Psychic Development and the CD companion.
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