The authors illustrate through charts, graphs and scholarly
research what the American Pagan really is. In this book the Neo-Pagan
community was asked to take a survey entailing income, education,
political leanings, sexuality and a number of other hot topics
such as religious path choices and family dynamics.
The authors themselves are from outside the Pagan community,
looking in. They distributed as many surveys as they could at
public gatherings and through the network of covens and groups
that Ms. Berger had developed from her previous scholarly book
A Community of Witches. Unfortunately, such venues are limited
in the very nature of our religion. I’m sure a great many
solitary Pagans that were not reached through this survey could
have significantly changed the outcome of the researchers’
conclusions. Because our Pagan community is on the whole so very
hard to find, even the authors themselves admitted that the sampling
was terribly small to draw a truly accurate assessment of the
entire Pagan community.
The book while full of wonderful tidbits of information is extremely
dry reading. But if you want to know the education levels of the
Neo-Pagan community as compared to the greater US population,
the figures are all here in black and white. Good news here folks,
more than half of the respondents had some college or a college
degree.
If you are looking for the facts and figures to show that the
Neo-Pagan community is a viable and recognizable force, this just
may be your book. You will have to want to read a book with little
or no lightness though, this is a book written by researchers
for researchers. I do recommend this volume for learning a good
overview of who we are, what we do, and what we believe outside
of our common religious Pathways. The Pagan community should know
where we stand as well as where we came from so we can move confidently
into our yet to be future.
Witches on broomsticks? Wizened old ladies with warts? Not in
this book. The Magical Crone was written to dispel the ageism
that many women find hamper them in older life. In the pages of
this book you will find history, rituals, spells and meditations
all aimed at the older woman. There are many close looks at the
three forms of Goddess as Maiden, Mother and Crone.
The authors start by defining what a crone is. They take us on
a journey of self-discovery through intimate workings with four
Goddesses. Each Goddess is honored and explored for a set period
of time. We are instructed in the writing of a “Crone Journal”
where we examine our life’s accomplishments and foibles
as well as our dreams for the future. Afterwards we are treated
to special crafts with blessing rituals to sanctify the results.
The last chapter in the book turned out to be my favorite. That
chapter was a series of short biographies about elder women who
the authors considered exemplary crones.
I was disappointed with the book as a whole. I am approaching
my crone-hood. I had expected there to be more ritual and information
specific to the Crone. I would have liked to see at least one
ritual of Croning. Instead I found that the rituals, meditations,
crafts and spells could easily be used by anyone of any age or
gender. In fact some were very similar to ceremonies I had attended
in my twenties.
The book seems to be trying to be all things to all people. I’m
not sure the authors focused on a particular audience as they
wrote. Some portions of the chapters are written for the beginner
and other areas are written for those with more experience. In
my opinion, the book is Wicca 101, Part II. It is not at all what
a woman reaching the status of Crone, an elder in the Craft, would
want or need.
This book is absolutely spellbinding in its appearance. The hard
cover volume is stocked full with beautiful, full color photography
and artwork. If you are looking for a coffee table book, then
this is the one for you.
If on the other hand you are looking for a book with a little
bit more substance skip over this one. While the pictures are
breathtakingly done and the book design is masterful there is
little more than your standard spells and charms and other such
stuff in the first half of the book. The meditations are a little
better than the spells but they all focus on preparation for love
charms. The charms themselves are quaint little crafts, and if
you have nothing better to do one afternoon, they may prove to
be entertaining.
If you choose to use the spells in the book be prepared to open
your purse strings. Each spell comes with a list of necessary
ingredients. You will also be calling on the gods by their Hebrew
names. If you are not calling on the Gods, then you will call
out for the angels. There are quotes from the bible and sidebars
with interesting bits of old superstitions like horseshoes. There
is even a painting of St. Christopher.
The authors repeat some of the otherwise harmful misconceptions
of witchcraft, among them the inclusion of the phrase “to
the higher good of all” at the end of the spell weavings.
I found the somewhat one sided out look of goodness and light
to be much sugarcoated silliness.
If you want a book to look at the pictures, this one is perfect.
If, on the other hand, you are looking for a book to bring you
further along your spiritual path. this one falls very short of
the mark. There are many better beginner books available.
This book is exactly what it sounds like. It is a small pocket
sized edition. Listed inside are a variety of correspondences
ranging from the moon phase to oils and herbs. A short two page
chapter on ethics states the standard "harm none" code
we all should know. There are sample spells and circle casting
phraseology. The author includes several pages to record your
own spells or rituals and the results of each one for future reference.
There is nothing really new here except a bunch of listings all
in one easy to transport book. There are several authors in the
bibliography who's information is sometimes less than accurate
but for the particular herbs and colors etc, that I have personal
knowledge about the information in Ms. Connor's book seems accurate.
If you are just starting to create your own spells, this book
can be helpful. A more experienced witch might like to flip through
it if they have 10 minutes or so to spare to refresh failing memories.
Who's afraid of the dark? I'm not after reading this book. The
two authors with a somewhat odd sense of humor take the reader
on a tour of 9 dark Goddesses and 9 dark Gods. They delve into
the Holy Ones' history and mythology in the first part of the
book. In the second part of the book we are treated to a varying
array of rituals, meditations and spells. The authors' unique
view of working on the dark side is both enlightening and refreshing.
I usually find myself approaching any book that contains actually
spells with a bit of dread but the workings in this book are very
intriguing to say the least.
I write my own spells and rituals when I have need, but I found
the original thoughts laid out in the many spells of this book
something that I could use in my own future workings. I particularly
was appreciative of the first chapter on how to properly work
with these dark Lords and Ladies. Some of the personalities can
be quite tricky to work with. Many of the Gods and Goddesses on
the dark side have a tendency to bring drastic change and massive
upheaval into a petitioner's life, so the repeated warning of
honoring and respecting these strong Beings is well placed throughout
the book's chapters.
If you find yourself in need of more than all sweetness and light,
this is the book for you. Spells and rituals range from the standard
protection to fertility to astral travel. Meditations and talisman
creations are among the many excellent workings as well. An thought
provoking and entertaining book, although, I wouldn't recommend
actually using this book to any but the most experienced practitioners.
I would also be careful when working with any of these Divine
Beings, you just might end up with more than you're prepared to
handle.
I’d read this book with a large grain of salt handy. I
personally found the commentary to be far removed from my understanding
of the text. I don’t know how Mr. Drew believes that his
interpretation can really explain the seemingly more violent aspects
of the text, but he does say he’s doing just that.
I found the text as hard to read and digest as the original writings
of a Shakespeare play. However, I feel that the text of Aradia
is just as an important classic to Pagan history as Shakespeare’s
writings are to modern literature.
Mr. Leland’s writings, whether he received them as he claimed
from a “hereditary witch” named Maddalena (and others)
or made them up on his own as suggested by more recent investigators,
is in the long run irrelevant. Many of our current Wiccan thoughts
and beliefs can be traced back to this text. Most notably among
them is the Wiccan Rede.
If we are to grow strong as a community we have to know where
we came from. If in fact the beginnings of the current neo-pagan
movement lead us back to The Gospel of the Witches, it is important
to know what the text actually says.
In the course of my reading this book, it occurred to me that
among the stories that Mr. Leland recorded are an assortment of
myths that our community longs for. If this book has any value
it is the mere fact that it contains the roots of what became
Gardnerian Wicca.
I wouldn’t run out to buy the book, but I would recommend
that if you have the chance you sit down and read through the
text and commentary to gain a better understanding of our Pagan
past.
Leave it to Ashleen O'Gaea to go where few have gone before.
In this book written with Wiccan clergy in mind, Ms. O'Gaea once
again breaks ground. She guides the reader through the book with
a gentle but firm hand. Many Pagans avoid issues of faith that
we have been taught by our religions of origin are taboo. Death
is one of these issues. In the early chapters of the book, the
author delves into the intricacies associated with Wiccan beliefs
associated with death and rebirth.
Unlike our Judeo-Christian brethren, Wiccan beliefs do not see
death as a means to a punishment or reward. I was forced to think
about my own reactions to the dying and death of my own loved
ones in terms of my Pagan belief system. In doing this I was also
led to examine other areas of my faith that I had side-stepped
because of previously learned behaviors. Clearly, this book is
one of the missing pieces in any guide to the Wiccan belief system.
The book also teaches the reader to see the endings of many other
aspects of life as a cause for celebration or reflection. According
to the author's views, which she convincingly portrays, death
is like birth. A new aspect of our spiritual journey is achieved
from our passage from this plan into the next. As there is pain
and effort involved in the birthing process to come into this
world, so there is with the process necessary to emerge into the
next incarnation.
This book was (and will continue to be) especially relevant in
my current life situation. I have many elderly relatives in various
states of health. In the past several years I have increasingly
aware of the mortality of the human body. On the flip side, the
thoughts put forward in this book have enabled me to move my Pagan
beliefs forward to a better understanding of death as a natural
occurrence. It is a part of being in this world and not the thing
to be feared that many of our non-Pagan neighbors have made it
out to be.
I do not think this book would be good for a beginner on a Pagan
path, but it is definitely a worthy addition to any Wiccan library
of a more advanced practitioner and a must have for any person
acting as clergy for their community.
I have read many feng shui books in the last several years. The
books are basically the same.They address the layout of your home,
the chi and the bagua. They tell you what are bad aspects and
give a few brief ideas you can use to 'fix' what is obstructing
the flow of chi in your life. Then you are left on your own. This
book is very different. After a brief introduction where we meet
the author and learn about her philosophy toward life in general
and feng shui in particular, we are plunged right into a long
list of very practical ways to balance our lives and clear up
our chi.
There are eight chapters each focusing on a different aspect
of home and life. As the reader progresses throughout the book,
lessons with very practical and easy to follow exercises are explained
in detail. The reader learns what to do, where to do it and, the
piece so often missing from other books, why to do it. The book
covers clearing clutter from both the physical and spiritual planes.
You can open this book at just about any place to receive the
full benefit of one of the 168 feng shui tips. They are clearly
written, easy to follow and colorfully illustrated with diagrams
and photographs. There are tips that enact rituals and there are
tips for your body as well as mind. I think this book would be
a welcome addition to any Pagan home, whether you have ever ventured
into Feng shui before or not. As an example; Number 158 and Number
159 detail Empowerment from trees and Channeling energy from their
roots. What could be more Pagan?
The battle between good and evil, light and dark, rages supreme
in this well written book. The Witch, a Priestess of light and
The Doctor, a scientist of the paranormal, become entangled with
each other and the high leaders of a worldwide organization (The
Order) following the left hand path. The Doctor and the Witch
combine their talents in science and magic to foil The Order's
attempt to obtain three powerful talismans that will allow them
to push the world and the universe into black chaos.
The book is a bit on the dark side for my tastes. There are graphic
descriptions of torture scenes, which left me a bit uncomfortable.
Thankfully those portions of the book were brief and did not detract
from my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
The only negative thing I can say about the book has more to
do with the production itself, and not the engrossing saga unfolding
in its pages. There were an obvious number of proofreading errors
and problems with some of the paragraphs' type flowing together.
Still, all in all, I could figure out which words were missing
or misspelled and follow the story. I'm sure another reader who
doesn't spend their time getting paid to see these kinds of errors
in the written word would find them a minor inconvenience. (Note
from the book’s author: I received a pre-production copy
for review and the typos have been corrected)
What a surprisingly delightful book! The book begins with a prologue
complete with a gruesome child abduction and murder. After that
the story focuses on five completely believable women. Despite
their varying ages and backgrounds, the women have been drawn
together to form a coven. The women were drawn together because
of their overlapping beliefs and needs, and like many of us, a
witchy lifestyle just fit.
The magic they practice is completely ‘normal’. Their
celebration of ritual and use of spell work could have been practiced
by any number of real witches. Of course the book is fiction,
so the characters and plots do take twists and turns that can
hardly be described as everyday happenings. The reader follows
the women through the Wheel of the Year as they use their magic
and talents to help create a wetland sanctuary and catch the murderer
we were introduced to in the first pages of the book.
I couldn’t put the book down. If you like books in the
‘to catch a crook’ brand, you’ll love this novel.
Even if you normally don’t read this type of book, I strongly
recommend it. I can’t wait for the sequel Charmed
Circle due out in November of this year.
This book starts out with a brief lesson on science. Quantum
physics to be exact. The author makes quite a good argument on
the similarities between quantum mechanics and magic. She convinced
me, but then again, I have always compared using magic to using
electricity. Great when you know how to control it, but it can
fry you silly when out of control.
The book goes on from there, getting weirder with every chapter.
The author again and again warns those new to the Path to wait
before trying the various exercises and the rituals are meant
for covens and groups with experience only.
In this book we learn how to mend a tear in the fabric between
the worlds. We learn about humans who are really Fea and other
mythical creatures. We even learn all about controlling group
dynamics when something or someone is "off". There is
a lot of information and quotes from various big name Pagans in
the book.
I found the book on the whole a very good and easy read. I, however,
am entirely too much a part of THIS world to attempt some of the
more outlandish suggestions. Plus, since most of them are for
groups and I am Solitary, I doubt it will be any time soon where
I am even in a position to attempt the less outlandish rituals.
If you are part of an established, (and I mean one that's been
around for years) stable coven, this may be a good book to have
in your coven library. I'd buy a good salt shaker to go with it
though.
Get four books for the price of one. That’s what you have
here. This book is for the more advanced Wiccan. Divided into
four chapters, one written by each of the authors, you get an
in-depth overview of one of four deities. Anibus, Brigit, Aphrodite
and Gaia are all focused on in the Turning of the Year.
Ms. Harrow wrote the introduction (and conclusion). In which
she explains that she hopes the readers will use this book as
a template to focus on their own deity of choice.
Chapters each have their own unique feel. The things they have
in common are a wealth of knowledge on the God or Goddess they
are devoted to exploring. Correspondences, rituals, meditations
and stories grace the pages of each chapter. I learned a lot about
each deity that I hadn’t known before.
This book is not for the faint of heart or those looking for
some light reading. There were many times when I had to reread
a passage to get the full meaning out of it. References to other
writings are footnoted. Each chapter ends with a list of resources
for additional study. There are songs, poetry and maps, as well
as photography included in the book’s pages.
If you are ready to bring your connection to God and Goddess
to the next level, this book is for you. Expect to do some work,
this book is for the serious Wiccan student.
Four
goats (out of five)
Reprinted with permission. Original printing
Elements Magazine,
Litha 2003
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Voices
from the Pagan Census: A National Survey of Witches and Neo-Pagans
in the United States
The
Magical Crone: Celebrating the Wisdom of Later Life
Magickal Arts
The
Dark Archetype: Exploring the Shadow Side of the Divine
Book
Review: In the Service of Life: A Wiccan Perspective on Death
Book
Review: Lillian Too's 168 Feng Shui Ways To Declutter Your Home
