Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend: A Collection of Mysterious and Invaluable Arts and Remedies, for Man as Well as Animals

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Pow-Wow and American Grimoire, but I’m glad I did. This book is a unique deep dive into the traditions of American folk magic, especially the practices rooted in Pennsylvania Dutch culture, like "Braucherei" or pow-wowing. It’s a mix of spellwork, prayers, remedies, and mystical lore that really shows how European traditions were adapted in early American communities.The layout is clean, and the author does a good job explaining the historical context behind these spiritual practices without stripping away the mystery or authenticity. Some sections feel like you’re holding a piece of living history in your hands — not just a book, but a grimoire in the true sense.I especially appreciated the balance between respect for the traditions and practical insight. Whether you're into folk healing, occult history, or just curious about America’s magical roots, this is a great read. It’s both a reference and an inspiration.Highly recommend for spiritual seekers, history buffs, and fans of the esoteric.

The five stars is for the time period this was originally written and the glimpse into American history it gives the reader; not any recommendation as a how-to book. To cite one example- sick live stock need a vet- not symbols painted in the dirt or onto a barn wall. That being said the book is an interesting look into the history of it's time and the beliefs that must have spurred a collection such as this to be written down and preserved; so religious and sociological scholars and anthropologists might find it useful. Wouldn't recommend you try to make your own hex bag or poultice or chant bible verses to heal anyone. But it does give an interesting perspective on its times and what some of the people believed then and were doing as a form of worship.

I found this book via a reference made by Michael John Greer. It is a Christian grimoire according to Folk traditions of Pennsylvania during the time period of early settlement. Great addition to any library of books. It was particularly interesting to see the repetition of certain remedies being used, as though they were more favored, or perhaps the extent of folk knowledge was at its' peak for the time period. I highly recommend this book if anyone is interested in knowing more about the spiritual and historical roots of America.

I purchased this book from amazon for $13.99. This is a good remedy book. It's a remedy/spell book if you ask me. I purchased a actual remedy encyclopedia book and it was garbage I don't like it at all, However this Pow wow or long lost friend book is more of a remedy book than the actual remedy encyclopedia book I purchased. The only reason why I didn't give this pow wow book 5 stars is because the writing on the page is really faint/ light , in most areas other than that this is a really good remedy/spell book. It's kinda like a old folk magic remedy/spell book because it also talks about The Holy bible while doing your spell and remedy work. It is old school. I like this book, some new agers may not. Even though I'm a younger person I still like old school vs new. That's just me personally. The only downfall is that the writing is so faint, Hopefully your copy will have darker print if you decide to purchase this book. To list a couple of things that the book talks about out of dozens and dozens for time sake. How to take pain from a wound, How to stop a toothache, How to destroy warts, How to stop bleeding, How to banish the whooping cough, Protecting your home, Protection against fire arms, Protection against your enemies. There's a page in the book that list unlucky days. They're a couple of pics in the book and the pics are black and white. The book is just under 100 pages long. Oh and you may not like this but I have to tell you the truth. Some remedies listed in this book include sacrificing animals.

This copy is incomplete, and not true to the original. Missing are the crucial directives ( + + + ) for making the sign of the Holy Cross three times at the end of certain spells, without which the spell hasn't the proper sealing, and has the potential to spin the wrong way. I wish the publisher had tried to be more faithful to the original.

This book sometimes comes up in my family since we are Pennsylvania Dutch. I had always heard the one about smelling the stink from between your toes, but did not know that there were so many prayers and spells as well.

I have wanted a copy of this book ever since I started reading the "Silver John" series by Manley Wade Wellman. The book is loaded with old time remedies for various conditions and spells to ward off witchcraft. It is these spells that appear in the "Silver John" books, and it's interesting to see them in their original setting. I don't particularly recommend actually using these "cures" and "treatments," but it's very interesting to see how folks thought back in the "good old days." This book absolutely opens a window on what people actually believed would help them to cure illnesses, treat certain conditions, and to ward off evil. As I said earlier, I don't recommend using these methods, but it will certainly enlighten you into the old-fashioned way of seeing things.

Despite the name, this is a book of Pennsylvania German folk-magic and folklore. It includes a wide range of pieces of advice regarding folk-medicine, agriculture, and folk-magic. Some charms seem to be pervasive and enduring, such as the use of the SATOR square to cure cattle of witchcraft-related ailments.The work is remarkably wide-ranging in its pages, and unlike simple collections of superstitions, this is a how-to book which provides a great deal more information about how these practices would generally be used.Highly recommended.