Animism—this is a concept that has undoubtedly been a part of spiritual, religious, and magical practices, in some form or another, for ages, but it seems only in recent years that animism and animistic practices have worked themselves into more modern magical traditions. (I actually cracked open a good handful of witchcraft/magic books published before 2000 to see if I could find any references to animism and they were few and far between.) So why the recent resurgence of interest in it? 

Perhaps it’s because in an age where technology rules, social media ensnares, and even our thoughts, beliefs, and ideas are constantly being bombarded with advertisements, most of us, especially the magically inclined, have a deep yearning to walk on the wild side, as Sargent puts it. Just recently, for instance, I was driving my car and happened to glance down at the touchscreen display to change the radio station, only to see, yes see, not hear, a 2 inch by 2 inch advertisement for Wendy’s. Even more recently, I was rewatching an episode of the original Charmed with my brother on Amazon Prime, when one of the commercials conveniently gave me the option to “hit enter on my remote” to add whatever product they were pushing to my next delivery. 

Yes, all of this is just getting to be too much and for the Witch, a desire, no, a need, to return to a more primal, more animistic, more feral state is all too real. And this is where Denny Sargent’s book Feral Magick: Unleash Your Inner Animal Self filled a void for me. The whole premise of this book was to show how one can release themselves from the shackles of the doldrums of the everyday world and return to that state of wildness that we all secretly (and not so secretly) yearn for. We are, after all, animals at heart and no amount of societal conditioning will change that. So why not embrace it? 

While I found value in a good number of the rituals and exercises presented throughout the book, I was especially fond of the simple yet effective ways he presents to sense nature. He calls this ‘sensory reprogramming’ and states that:

Sensory reprogramming encourages a shift in consciousness that can bring you into a direct experience with wild nature and its animating spirits, and open you to a new way to perceive the world. (p. 26)

Following this are methods of opening up your primal senses—seeing, hearing, scent, touch, and taste, all of which are extremely accessible. I will say though that I was fortunate to have had a bit warmer of a week here in Chicago which made getting outside to do these a bit more bearable, but I imagine these exercises would be so much more impactful if I did them at the height of summer when wildlife was at its peak.

Since the whole point of this book is to teach the reader how to tap into and unleash their wild animal self, it makes sense that the topics of instinct, insight, and intuition would be discussed. Sargent does a great job of really defining these:

Your instinct allows you to act without thinking. Your intuition gives you access to immediate knowledge. Your insight connects you to your primal animal self. (p. 41)

The magical practices in this book were quite fun. It felt so good to be able to step outside, kick off my shoes, and reconnect with nature, even in the cold Chicago winter. (My neighbors probably think I’m weird, but that’s part of the fun.) I really enjoyed the chapter on bonding and trance work. The magical practices were fantastic, but in this chapter Sargent says something incredibly important:

In many ways, the purpose of this book is to become that child again and embrace the spirits and the joy of nature that animated your world as a child. (p. 149) 

To be able to free oneself from rigid, mundane, ‘adult’ ways of thinking is, in my opinion, one of the primary keys to unlocking a potent supply of magical power. Children are wild and free and act off instinct, which is what this book encourages all of us to do. In mastering this, we can master so many other forms of magical practice. 

About the Author

Denny Sargent (aka Aion, Hermeteicusnath) is an eclectic ritualist and a member of a number of initiatory magick groups. Today the Western Magickal Tradition, Tantrika, and Taoism form increasingly important foci for his studies and writing. He is the author of Your Guardian Angel and You, The Tao of Birth Days, and The Magical Garden, which he wrote with his wife Sophia. He has contributed to a number of magazines, including PanGaia and Green Egg. He and his wife live in Seattle.

Book Information

• Feral Magick by Denny Sargent
• Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
• Publication Date: July 7, 2025
• Dimensions: 6×9
• Page Count: 208
• Purchase link.