| Book Reviews |
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| The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews by Scott Cunningham Paperback: 288 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.79 x 9.04 x 6.07 Have you ever wanted to make incense for Yule or Ostara, but didnt know what herbs to use? Or wanted to make some bath salts to draw love or creativity to you, or oils to use when dressing candles? Then this is the book for you. I have used this book more than any other Wicca book that I own. Its my absolute favorite because I love working with herbs and making my own incense, bath salts, brews and other kinds of witchy things. The author starts off with the basics; magick, the right proportions to use, how to bless, cleanse and empower your incense/oil/bath salts, etc, what kinds of ingredients you may need, and how to make up your own recipes. Then he tells us how to make, and gives us many many different ways to do the following: |
| Incense Ointments Oils Inks Tinctures Herb Baths Bath Salts Brews Ritual Soaps Sachet or Herbal Charms Powders A Miscellany of Recipes Then he talks about substitutions and that if you dont have Frankincense for example, then you can use Copal or Pine Resin, or if you dont have Yarrow, then you can use Rose. He also gives Planetary, Elemental, and Astrological substitutions as well as different herbs you can use for Love, Happiness, Protection, Prosperity, Spirituality, Peace, Luck, Courage, and many other things. Cunningham not only shows us how to make these things, but gives us specific recipes to use for all kinds of situations. He puts a lot of emphasis on intent, and says that its ok to make your own up, or substitue if needed, and gives us a great guide line to do just that. If you like to write your own spells and rituals, then this book is a muct have. I really cannot think of anything wrong with this book, except maybe that he didnt have a Samhain incense recipe, lol, but that was ok, because I used the corrspondances in the back and made my own. Other than that, this book really is a complete book of incense, oils and brews, just like it says. Another thing I like about the book is that it gives some history, well not like "this is what hapened then" or anything but for example he gives recipes for flying ointment, but the herbs used are very dangerous and poisioness, but we warns us to definatly not use this, thats its just there for historys sake. He puts in parenthesis "dont even think about using this" LOL. All in all, this is an excellent book, and I would definatly recommend it to anyone who likes to work with herbs, or make their own incense and oils. I would even recommend it to the beginner and of course, the experienced witch. -Rowan Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham Paperback: 240 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.60 x 8.99 x 6.02 This was the first book I ever bought on Wicca. Scott Cunningham is one of the best known and loved Wiccan authors. It was a pretty controversal book when first published. A lot of witches who were in covens said that only a witch can initiate a witch. He was the first person to really say that it is OK to practice alone, and initiate and dedicate yourself. This book is why there are so many solitary Wiccans today. This book is great in that it explains all the basics to practice Wicca alone. It covers topics like what Wicca is, the god and goddess, magic, altars, tools, rituals and how to perform them, how to cast a circle, the sabbats, reincarnation, initiation, dedication, and it even has a book of shadows which talks about herbs, crystals, spells and magic. I would recommend this book to the beginner, although it may leave you wanting for more. Cunningham addresses the basic aspects of practicing Wicca as a solitare, but only gives the essentials. But once you read this, you will definatly need to read other books to enhance your practices. But it gives a great explanation on what witches do, how to cast circle, tools, etc. I would also recommend his book The Truth About Witchcraft. Thats another good one. Scott Cunningham puts out good info in an easy way to understrand. Even if you have never even heard of wicca, after reading this book you would have a basic knowledge of what it is. This book helped me so much. I still go back and consult it often. He describes the God and Goddess so beautifully. When I read it, I couldnt help but fall in love with them. His rituals are easy, yet poetic and inspiring. His descriptions are clear but very detailed at the same time. I love this book, and it will always be special to me because it taught ne at a time when I was really seeking for answers. I am Wiccan beacuse of this book. -Rowan Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland Paperback: 251 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.77 x 10.90 x 8.52 This book was written in 1986, and is a classic. Buckland was a student of Gerald Gardner, the "father" of modern Wicca, as well as the founder of Seax Wica. This book does not adhere to a specific tradition or denomination of witchcraft, but rather helps to teach the elements common to all, whether Celtic, Saxon, Finnish, etc. He is credited to bringing Wicca to the U.S. and witches have praised him for bringing it here, and for teaching it to eager seekers. First of all, I think the beginner could benefit from this book, as long as it was not the first book, or even second or third that they read. This book is packed with info, and even has space at the end where he asked questions and you can write them out, like a lesson plan. He goes into detail on many different subjects essential to practicing wicca, but I would not call it a complete book. I didnt really like this book when I first read it, it was something that I learned to really appreciate as I read more and became more interested in coven work and traditional Wicca. I do like the fact that he doesnt "dumb-down" this book, but thats why I wouldnt recommend it for the first book someone reads on wicca. The material in this book is written for covens, but there is one chapter for solitares, and all the material can, of course, be adapted for solitare use. This book is good if you are interested in coven work, and traditions like Gardnerian and Alexandrian. It gives great descriptions on how to do certain rituals and it has good info on the basics, like the sabbats, tools, spells, herbs, magickal alphabets, dreams, divination, initiation, the god and goddess etc. The only thing that he doesnt talk enough about is the spiritual side to Wicca, which I think is much more important that the practical side. He does give a bit of history of wicca though, which is interesting and informative. I've heard this book called "Bucklands Big Blue Book of BS", which for some it may be, but for the serious practitioner, I still think its worth reading. Buckland does seem to be full of himself, but the info presented makes up for that. Also, if a beginner was to read this, they would probably not understand it, they would think it was dry (as did I, because I was a beginner when I first read this) and they definatly wouldnt appreciate it as much as an informed individual on the subject. I still go back to this book as a reference every so often. So if your serious about witchcraft/wicca, buy this book. Its interesting, and a classic. Oh, one more thing, Buckland tells you in this book, that this has to be exactly like he says, or that is wrong if it is not done this way. Dont listen to him. Feel free to do as what fits you. Thats another thing I didnt like about it. Read at your own risk, lol. -Rowan The Witch Book: The Encylopedia of Witchcraft, Wicca and Neo-Paganism by Raymond Buckland Paperback: 626 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.54 x 9.23 x 7.31 This is an encyclopedia of witchcraft and Wicca, and has definitions and explanations from everything to witchcraft in the media, Wiccan terms, Wicca's key players, and much much more. It's a thick book with so much info. If you wanted to know what an athame was, its in there. If you wanted to know the biography of Doreen Valiente or Alister Crowely, it's in there. There is just so much, I use it for a reference all the time. There are of course, things he could have added, but the rest of the material make up for what he didn't add. It doesn't explain how to practice Wicca or anything, it's just an encyclopedia, not a how-to book. A beginner would really benefit from this book, because if they didn't know what something was or who someone is, they could just look it up. This should be on the shelf of any Wiccan. -Rowan |
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| Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life by Pauline Campanelli, Dan Campanelli Paperback: 159 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.51 x 10.02 x 7.03 This book has a chapter for each month of the year. In each chapter, they talk about the Sabbats (if there is one in that month) as well as other lore and folk practices for each month. They give recipes, projects and folk lore and it has a real "homey" feeling to it. Its easy to read and most importantly, quite enjoyable. The style of the writing is soothing and almost poetic- not boring. The only thing I would say about this book that is "bad" is that if you don't live in the country and nature isn't a part of your everyday life, then some of the material presented would do you little good. This book is very much nature oriented and the lore, recipes and projects all have to do with nature and country living. If you live in the country, or have a lot of natural materials available, then you should buy this book. -Rowan Witchcraft for Tomorrow By Doreen Valiente I recomment anything by Doreen Valiente. Her books are about traditional Wicca, and are extremely good. Some topics she covers are...The Old Gods; Ethics;The Sabbats; Symbols; The Magic Circle;Tools; Divination; magick, and more. In the second part, there is a Book of Shadows with instructions on how to cast circles, perform rituals, celebrate the sabbats, initiation, chants, dances, the goddess and god, and more. She is very intelligent, and its enjoyable to read her books. There is a lot of historical information in here too. Since she was one of Gerald Gardner's Hight Priestesses she knows about the historical side of Wicca as well as trhe practical. Every Wiccan should own at least one book by Doreen Valiente. -Rowan Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler I absolutely love this book. It would be one of the first books I would grab if my house was on fire, lol. This book is huge! It has 584 pages and even has photographs (I love Pagan books with photographs, lol). This book was first published in 1976. Its neat to see that the author did not start out as a Pagan when researching for this book, but became one when she was doing her research. This book takes a historical view of neo-paganism, as the author tries to dispel negative stereotypes associated to Pagans and Wiccans. The author traveled around the country and interviewed many people of many different pagan groups and asked their opinions on certain matters related to paganism today. The book was updated I think, 20 years later, so some info is updated, yet some is no longer relevant in 2003. There are personal stories from different Witches, there are surveys and the results that she took, and the author puts in her opinions here and there, which I like. Sometimes you may get a little bored if you dont know or dont care about what she talking about, but thats why I would not recommend it to a beginner. She talks about various Pagan paths and organizations out there, some that are still here, others that no longer are together. She gives a lot of history too onNeo- Paganism and Wicca and on different people and groups who are prevelant in the Pagan community. Here is the Table of Contents. 1.Background Paganism and Prejudice A religion without converts The Pagan world view 2. Witches The Wiccan revival The craft today Interview with a modern witch Magick and ritual Women, feminism and the craft 3. Other neo-pagans Religions of the past- The Pagan reconstrustionists Religions of Paradox and play Radical Faeries and the growth of mens spirituality 4.The Material Plane Scholars, Writers, Journalists and the Occult Living on the Earth 5.Epilogue 6.The 1985 questionaire 7.Rituals 8.Resources(organizations,festivals,newsletters) The bottom line? This book is a classic. Every Wiccan should own this book, yet if you are a beginner I doubt that you will understand it. *She does not teach Craft basics in this book* This book isnt about how to practice Wicca, its about the history of Neo-Paganism, and its about different groups, (NOOTGD, Womens groups; Dianic Wicca, Mens groups; Fairy Tradition, The Church of All Worlds, The Discordian Society, The Aquarian Tabernacle Church,Church of the Eternal Source,Covenant of the Goddess, CUUPS,NROOGD, Reclaiming, Witches League for public awareness, and many many many more groups,covens, newsletters, and organizations. There are also many different Pagan festivals and gatherings listed and explained. Go buy this book if you are Pagan. It is very, very resourceful, and very interesting. Its a must have!!! -Rowan A Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches Handbook by Janet Farrar, Stewart Farrar I loved this book. This was the first book I read on traditional Wicca and it definitely wont be the last. The book is in fact two books in one, Eight Sabbats for Witches and The Witches' Way. It is extremely interesting, especially if you are interested in seeing how a traditional Alexandrian coven work and what they believe. There is so much historical information in here too. It's really thick, 584 pages, so it may take you awhile to read. If you're a beginner it may be a bit dry or hard to understand. It very intense but will be a great read for someone who has been practicing longer and has a good grasp of Wicca. In it they explain how to do rituals that are based on (if not taken from) Gardners book of Shadows. The whole first part is on the Sabbats, and has a lot of great historic information on each, and other information.The second part is full of info like history of Wicca, lunar rites, initiation rituals, divination, healing, astral projection, tools, circle casting, the great rite, running a coven, and different types of magick. There are also photos in here, so thats nice. But I do think that every Wiccan should read this book, as well as others on traditional Wicca, because I think the history of Wicca is very important for every Wiccan to know even if they don't practice traditional Wicca. -Rowan The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley Everyone has heard of King Arthur, Quenevere, Sir Lancelot, and Arthurs evil half sister, Morgaine le Fay, right? Well what if Morgaine was not evil, what if she was a Pagan Priestess of Avalon? Forget what you have heard about these people. This story is told from the womans point of view, and is much more exciting, and realistic. (spoliers!!) It starts out with Igraine, Arthur and Morgains mother as narrator. She is married to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, and her sister, Vivianne, is high Priestess of Avalon, the voice of the Mother Goddess on Earth. Igraine was raised in Avalon as a priestess, but was married to Gorlois. One day Vivianne and the Merlin of Britain come to visit Igraine and tell her that she is to bear a great king who will unit Britain, and keep peace between the Christians and Pagans, yet she will not bear it to her husband Gorlois, but to Uther Pendragon, who becomes the next high King. The story continues to when Igraine marries Uther, and gives birth to Arthur. Igraine already has a daughter, Morgaine. Vivianne comes and asks to take Morgain to Avalon to train as a Priestess, and Arthur to be fostered so that he can one day become king. So then the story shifts to Morgaine telling the story, as it focuses on her for pretty much the rest of the story. To make a long story short, Morgaine and Arthur grow up, something happens between them (wont tell you what, gotta read it to find out!) and Arthur becomes king, marries Guenevere, Lancelot falls in love with her, and Morgaine gives birth to Mordrid, her son. Ok, so I cant retell stories good, bear with me here, lol. Lots and lots of other things happen, but I dont want to spoil the story for anyone who might want to read it. If your interested in the Arthurian legends, then you MUST read this!! Its incredible! Its very interesting because it deals with the rise of Christianity and how the Pagans were struggeling to maintain power in Britain. Those parts were very interesting specially for Pagans. Oh yeah, the author was Pagan, so it has a Pagan perspective too. A good part of the book focuses on Avalon, the home of the Priestesses and what goes on there and how Vivianne's planning ultimatly is to save the Pagans from being driven underground, and to hopefully have equal footing with the Christians. I cant hardly express how great this book is. It was made into a TV movie, and even thats good. I have it on DVD and I watch it a lot. I love the parts when Vivianne is expaining the Goddess to Morgaine, and when they have the Beltane celebration and Morgaine is the Virgin Goddess, and at the end when Morgaine is at the Convent, and sees the little girl praying to the virgin Mary and realizes that the Goddess hasnt been driven away, but has taken another incarnation. God! That gives me chills whenever I see that part. Anyway.... if you have never read the book...then go out an buy it. Its pretty lengthy, but once you start reading it, you wont want it to end. I'm so biased against other Arthurian books now though. Every book on Camelot or Arthur I want to buy, I dont because if its not like the Mists of Avalon, then I dont want to read it. I'm weird like that. -Rowan The Spiral Dance by Starhawk This book is one that is recommended to beginners a lot of times. It doesn't teach Wicca, it teaches Goddess worship and women's spirituality. It was one of the first books of its kind and gave women, especially feminists a spirituality that directly spoke to them at a time when women were searching for a way to reclaim their power in society. Starhawk was very political in the first edition of this book and she melds religion with politics in her practics. Its refreshing because not many pagan authors get into politics. There are a lot of outdated ideas contained in this book, but at least the author corrected herself in the footnotes of the later editions. Still, this book could teach you much about myth, magic, meditation and honoring the Goddess. I would recommend it to every Pagan for both its historical value and practicality. -Rowan Natural Witchcraft by Marian Green 192 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.56 x 9.17 x 6.04 Marian Green is one of my favorite authors. Her books were the reasons why I take a more natural approach to my path. First off, let me say that if you do not live in the country or can't easily get to a natural place, Marian Green probably isn't the author for you. Her books are for those who deeply feel connected to the earth and take a more natural path. She is very thorough in her ideas and explanations. Some topics she covers are: Plant Power, Linking with the Landscape, Moon Mysteries, The Sun's Symbols, The Arts and Crafts of the Wise Ones, etc. Marian Green is concerned with the way Wicca and witchcraft is heading today - too often nature and the old ways are taken out of witchcraft and she feels we should return to our roots and live a more natural life. This book isn't' exactly Wiccan - its more about witchcraft and a natural spirituality. I have heard some people say that they don't like her books because she puts down modern Wiccan beliefs and practices, but thats not true. She has her opinions and she's free to express them. I agree with much that she says, though not all. Its refreshing to read something original and creative, something that not just regurgitated like other Wiccan books. So, if your interested in the path of the natural witch, then this book is for you! -Rowan The Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente Doreen Valiente is another one of my favorite authors - probably my most favorite. She is witty and charming and full of historical information. This book is out of print, but WELL worth finding. This book talks a lot about the beginning of Wicca and who the people were that started it all. She talks about people like Gerald Gardner, Alex Sanders, Robert Cochrane, Sybil Leek, Charles Leland, Margaret Murray, Alister Crowley and many more people who played a part in Wicca's origins and history. I would say this book is good for both the beginner and experienced Wiccan. If you ever wanetd to know about Wicca's history, than read this book! All Doreen Valiente's books are excellent and one can learn so much from them. If you can get ahold of this books, buy it! -Rowan Enchanted-Titania's Book of White Magic by Titania Hardy I got this book as a present last Yule, and i loved it. The whole approach of the book is great, Titania writes as though she is writing to a friend which makes the whole thing feel much more personal. Its got 13 chapters, covering a range of topics about Wicca and white magic. There are rituals in her book, which are presented beautifully and are very easy to adapt if you so want to. Her ideas are very original and totally unique, which makes a change from some of the other books on the market, which all sound a bit the same. Titania introduces new ideas to encorperate towards magic too, such as the use of ribbons, which she mentions a lot. Another great thing about this book is the amazing pictures. On more or less every page there are beautiful pictures, which i find really inspiring. I think this book is good for beginner or a more experienced Wiccan as there is lots to gain from this book. Go buy it! ~Yanesse Avalon~ |
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