I have had dolls in my home for as long as I can remember, none of them toys. In the Lukumí tradition, dolls are spiritual tools, bridges between the living and the ancestors, and at times between devotees and the Orisha. Each doll is dressed and adorned to reflect its spiritual resonance and is placed with intention and respect. In my family’s practice, guardian dolls are positioned to “watch” over what they are charged to protect: a window or doorway to safeguard the home, or the room of a child who needs comfort or safety.
Because of this lifelong familiarity with dolls as sacred objects, I was delighted to read Najah Lightfoot’s newest book, The Spiritual Magic of Dolls. Early in the text, she writes, “I decided to step out of my comfort zone, and teach material on a subject which is near and dear to me… the spiritual magic of working with dolls.” I am very glad she did.
Rather than anchoring her work in a single tradition, Lightfoot explores the use of dolls across a wide spectrum of magical and cultural settings. She reminds us that dolls are more than mere toys. If we allow them, they can become much more. Drawing on her own experiences and travels, she offers expert guidance on integrating dolls into one’s spiritual life, transforming them from decorative collectibles into active, sacred companions on the practitioner’s path.
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Lightfoot’s gifts as a storyteller shine throughout the book. She shares personal anecdotes, moments of discovery, and the relationships she has developed with dolls over the years. Seamlessly woven into these stories is practical and magickal instruction: how to choose a doll, how to prepare it, and how to attune oneself to the magic that emerges through intentional work with these objects.
Lightfoot takes on subjects many writers avoid, such as how to sense when a doll is ready to work with you, or how to hear the magic you have poured into it as it begins to reveal its own insights. In her hands, dolls are not merely egregores or golems but spiritual allies who watch, listen, and evolve alongside the practitioner.
One of the book’s particularly welcome strengths is Lightfoot’s clear-eyed treatment of Hollywood portrayals of dolls. She reminds the reader that the sinister image of the magical doll is largely a cinematic invention and not reflective of the spiritual and cultural roles dolls have long held in many communities. Her discussion of film is also unexpectedly delightful, especially her exploration of famous dolls from both horror and comedy. I was thrilled to see her give attention to Trilogy of Terror, a classic often referenced by those with even a passing interest in uncanny dolls.
Beyond debunking Hollywood myths and offering her own caution and guidance about dolls, Lightfoot poses deeper questions: Why do certain dolls resonate with us while others provoke discomfort? How do we discern whether a doll is inviting connection or signaling that it is not meant for us? She writes with compassion for readers who admire dolls, collect them, or are entirely new to magical work, guiding each toward greater self-awareness and a stronger intuitive relationship with these powerful tools.
Lightfoot ultimately succeeds in her central objective: reconnecting the reader with the spiritual potency of dolls. She guides us through history, culture, travel narratives, film references, and even therapeutic considerations, crafting a holistic and accessible account of dolls as living magic. Many people feel deeply attached to one or more dolls in their lives; this book shows how to honor that attachment with intention, purpose, and spiritual depth.
Some readers on social media have framed The Spiritual Magic of Dolls as a book for doll lovers, makers, or collectors. While those readers will certainly enjoy it, I believe Lightfoot has written something more ambitious and more valuable. This is a book for magical practitioners, one that expands the practitioner’s toolkit by illuminating a resource already present in many of our homes.
If the book has a shortcoming, it is simply this: it is so thorough, so rich in guidance and information, that it would benefit from an index to help readers return easily to specific practices, stories, or instructions. I would hate to dog-ear the pages.
Even so, The Spiritual Magic of Dolls is a remarkable work, warm, wise, and deeply practical. It belongs on every practitioner’s shelf.
- Publisher: Red Wheel Weiser
- Publication Date: November 3, 2025
- Print Length: 208 pages
- ISBN-13: 978-1-57863-885-7
- Editor’s note: Red Wheel Weiser shared a review copy of the book with The Wild Hunt.
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