Cunningham’s Encyclopedias – Scott Cunningham

March 27, 2007 at 2:35 pm (Magical Correspondences, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic
Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews
Scott Cunningham
Llewellyn, various

I’ve been using these books for a decade and realized I’ve never actually reviewed them–so here you go.

There’s a good reason these three books are classics in neopaganism (and why my copies are quite well-worn). They’re wonderfully complete books of correspondences for plants, minerals and various things that smell good, respectively. The author did a good bit of research on the history of each element he talks about, as well as gives modern uses for them in magical terms.

As with the rest of his work, his writing style in these encyclopedias is easy to read and gets the point across. Unlike some more recent works, he doesn’t pack the books fullk of useless filler–every page is full of useful information. He doesn’t rely on a thousand pre-crafted spells and rituals. These books provide information on the tools to be used, and what they can be used for, but it’s up to the individual practitioner to decided how it’s done.

I have very few of the books I started out with back in the mid-to-late-90s, and these three have withstood the test of time–and a shifting practice. I only lament that Cunningham is no longer with us; I’d love to be able to tell him how formative his works were to my own practice.

Five pawprints out of five.

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Magickal Connections – Lisa McSherry

March 20, 2007 at 7:54 pm (Magical group dynamics, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Magickal Connections: Creating a Lasting and Healthy Spiritual Group
Lisa McSherry
New Page, 2007
253 pages

This is the newest of a number of books that have come out in recent years on effective creation and management of pagan and occult groups. The author has been the high priestess of an online Wiccan coven for the better part of a decade, and speaks with good authority on the topic.

There’s a LOT of good material in here. McSherry blends straightforward advice, anecdotes, and exercises and rituals to aid the reader in hir endeavours. She’s adamant about the fact that starting a coven (or any other group) is not an easy task, and any HP/S is in for a LOT of work, even if s/he does manage to find people to distribute the work among. However, for those willing to take on the work of leading and administrating a group, there are some definite gems in this book.

Where she really shines is communication. A lot of the reason for the success or failure of any group, pagan or otherwise, is the communication involved. McSherry covers many angles of the emotions involved, as well as techniques for more effective communication, both in person and online. And, true to her first book, The Virtual Pagan, she does offer particular advice for cyber covens, though I’d also recommend her earlier book for a more in-depth view.

Do be forewarned–although the cover says that the book covers “groves, covens, temples, and magickal families”, a lot of the material is more “coveny”. This is understandable given McSherry’s extensive experience in a coven setting. However, those who are interested in starting magical orders or other types of non-coven group may want to supplement their research with materials that are more specific to their type of organization. (Don’t skip over this book, though–the more general information is very worth it!)

My only other complaints have nothing to do with the author and everything to do with the publisher. I found a number of typos throughout the book; another copy edit may have cleaned those up. However, the real downer is the actual physical quality of the book–the paper for both the pages and the cover is incredibly thin, enough that you can see the next page faintly through it. And the ink on some of the pages is smudged. The layout and cover design, on the other hand, are excellent, and easy on the eyes.

But don’t let the paper quality deter you–this is a wonderful book, and a must-have if you’re thinking of starting a coven. Reading this and using the advice given should help nip a lot of problems in the bud.

Five pawprints out of five.

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The Witches’ Sabbats – Mike Nichols

February 13, 2007 at 7:07 pm (History, Mythology, Paleopagan Cultures, Wicca and Witchcraft)

The Witches’ Sabbats
Mike Nichols
Acorn Guild Press, 2005
132 pages (not including preface, etc.)

It’s been a good long while since I’ve read anything specifically pertaining to witchcraft; most of my studies and practice in the past few years have been less about religion, and more about practical and metamorphic magic, as well as smatterings of shamanism. But I’d heard some good stuff about this book, and decided to snag a copy for myself.

If you need a really good resource on the history of the eight sabbats, this is your book! I’ve seen a number of books published in recent years on specific sabbats, but they always seme to be stuffed full of prefabricated rituals. This is a wonderfully streamlined book that will be an excellent addition to both beginning and experienced pagans’ libraries; beginners will get a good overview of the origins of the sabbats, while more experienced folk can breeze past the books of pre-written rituals and use the information in The Witches’ Sabbats as inspiration to create their own rituals from scratch.

I won’t fault the book for not having in-text citations because the earliest drafts were written nearly 40 years ago. However, the lengthy bibliography promises many wonderful book hunts, and is additionally a cornucopia of nonfluffy sources. Much of the material in the book originated from essays that may still be found online (including Mike’s own website). However, there is some unique material here. Additionally, for those of us raised on books rather than computers, and whose optical systems are thus conditioned for the visual setup of paper rather than a very long webpage, this is an ideal format. And it won’t run out of power, doesn’t need to be turned on, and is a heck of a lot easier to carry around.

Oh, and for those of you who are in the habit of skipping the foreword and preface? Don’t, especially not with this book–there are some really good pieces of information in them.

My only little bitty quibble is that it’s occasionally quite evident that the chapters were written individually. It’s mentioned a number of times that the Celts started their celebrations the sundown before the big day, something that probably only needs to be mentioned once at the beginning; and he occasionally also refers to something “in another esay” or somesuch.

Still, this is only a tiny complaint, and overall I think this is an awesome book. I can definitely see why the writings are considered classics in the realm of neopaganism, and this is a great way to not only have a convenient, easy-to-navigate, portable version of these writings, but to also give something back to the guy who did all that hard work and who often goes uncredited.

Five celebratory pawprints out of five.

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The Wicca Handbook – Eileen Holland – BBBR January 2007

January 10, 2007 at 7:43 pm (Bargain Bin Book Reviews, Books I Didn't Care Much For, Wicca and Witchcraft)

The Wicca Handbook
Eileen Holland
Weiser, 2000
309 pages

This, folks, is THE stereotypical fluffy Wiccan book.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with Wicca as a religion (or any other religion, for that matter). However, the way that the author writes about her religion was enough to make me want to throw this one out the window a number of times–just in the first 50 pages!

Here’s a run-down of the various complaints I have:

–Shoddy historical research and other questionable content

She accepts, without question, the stories about Gardner learning from Dorothy Clutterbuck and how Gwen Thompson received the Wiccan Rede from her (conveniently deceased) grandmother, and that there are plenty of family traditions with centuries-old teachings passed down (p 6, 8,11) . Finally, she supports none of these with outside evidence; the only footnotes she uses are for direct quotes, mostly from the Farrars’ works.

Holland is also an advocate of the whole “natural witch” idea that supports the concept that some people are “naturally” better than others at magic (which I find rather elitist)(p. 13). Anyone can work magic; it’s a matter of achieving the proper mindset, not your past lives. And she assumes that all inverted pentacles are Satanic, forgetting that certain British traditions use it as a symbol for the second degree (p. 37).

–Blatant bias against anything outside the pale of her own personal preferences; this isn’t a book presenting Wicca objectively–it’s the Gospel of Wicca according to Holland. She also basically says that all Wiccans focus primarily on the Goddess and that the divine is female (numerous references to the Goddess as primary deity). She also talks about how dangerous it is for anyone to work with elementals (p. 50-51). While she may have issues with them, she should be presenting them as her own experience rather than the ultimate truth (a common theme for a lot of this book).

She has a serious issue with many religions and practices outside of Wicca, including Satanism (which she goes after numerous times), Chaos magicians, and anyone who practices animal sacrifice (which, by the way, includes Afro-Caribbean religions such as Voodoo adn Santeria)(p. 14). Her descriptions show quite blatantly that she doesn’t have a clue what she’s talking about in regards to any of them and that she’s filtered them all through her white-light filter without really taking the time to walk in the others’ shoes. In fact, she advises the readers not to evfen *read* about anything outside of her personal biases (p. 26). It’s pretty obvious who Holland’s boogey-men are. She’s also pretty phobic about non-vanilla sexuality, which is revealed in her nervous approach to the cords and scourge (p. 41). And, no surprise at all, she speaks out vehemently about “black magic” (p. 15-16), which brings us to…

–Severe lack of consistency

This is a major inconsistency. After pontificating for pages about the evils of black magic, what does she include? Not one, but two love spells designed to attract a specific person, which any experienced pagan will tell you is a major ethical no-no! (You can find them on p. 107-109)

She also says that the title of witch shouldn’t be used “lightly” (p. 12), and then on the next page she says that if you feel like calling yourself a witch, that means you must be one!

–Other points of interest

She stereotypes gay couples by saying all of them have a “male” partner and a “female” partner (p. 18)–guess she’s never met any lesbian couples that were made of two butches or two femmes.

Don’t get me wrong–there is a lot to like about this book, too. It’s chock full of excellent correspondences of all sorts. She explains the uses of the various altar tools, as well as the correspondences of the four traditional elements, among others. She includes a lot of rudimentary information on the basics of spellwork, though each topic is covered briefly enough that anyone wishing to work with spells as a beginner would do well to supplement this book with others. However, once you have a basic understanding of spells, there are a lot of good basic suggestions in this book.

It does follow the usual format of 101 texts in that it skims over the surface of a bunch of different topics; for example, you wouldn’t want to base an entire practice of totemism solely on her brief chapter on animal correspondences and spells. But it is a useful collection of information for the beginner.

If she’d cut out the first 40 or so pages of the book, it would have been a wonderful collection of introductory information. The problem is she prefaces it with a bunch of blatant biases and inaccuracies and presents it as universally Wiccan. It’s a good book wrapped up in awful dogma. If you can ignore the latter, the former is a good addition to the paganism 101 book shelf. Unfortunately, a lot of newbies may not know the difference and may swallow her biases as holy writ.

One and a half pawprints out of five.

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21st Century Wicca – Jennifer Hunter

January 6, 2007 at 3:31 pm (Wicca and Witchcraft)

21st Century Wicca: A Young Witch’s Guide to Living the Magical Life
Jennifer Hunter
Citadel, 2000
219 pages

Amid the recommendations of Cunningham, Ravenwolf, the Farrars, and other classics, some of the best books get overlooked. However, I was fortunate enough that a friend in college first introduced me to 21st Century Wicca. I recently reread it just to remind myself if why I liked it so much, and I’m glad I did!

This is, quite simply, in my opinion, the best Wicca 101 book alongside Cunningham’s “Wicca for the Solitary”. While the latter book goes into more ritual detail, “21st Century Wicca” discusses everyday life as a Wiccan.

While the usual basics are in here, Hunter really shines with the personal testimony and the attention she gives to what it’s like to be a Wiccan in the “real world”. She addresses issues that a lot of high school and college-aged Wiccans (who make up the bulk of the 101 crowd) are concerned with, such as whether or not to find a group, the virtues of self-initiation, and coming out of the broom closet.

It’s an exceptionally realistic look, without going into persecution complexes. The added quotes from people who have been practicing pagan ways for varying amounts of time just makes the book that much more valuable, showing the reader that it really is a very individual path and there’s no single “right” way to do things.

No matter what age you are, if you’re new to Wicca this is an excellent introduction.

Five pawprints out of five.

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The Second Circle – Venecia Rauls

January 3, 2007 at 5:29 pm (Neopagan Subculture, Wicca and Witchcraft)

The Second Circle: Tools for the Advancing Pagan: Tools for the Advancing Pagan
Venecia Rauls
Citadel, 2004
240 pages

This is one of several books on Paganism 201 that have come out recently. It’s definitely recommended!

The comparison of the pagan path to the progression of apprentice – journeyman – master is aptly utilized. I’m also very impressed by the book chapter, wherein Rauls shows the reader the many different avenues that can be travelled outside of the metaphysical section. That’s where paganism 201 can really be found!

I’m also fond of all the Jungian imagery she brings in. She talks particularly about his concept of synchronicity, and how it relates to magical practice. Definitely another good lead for the intermediate seeker.

And I do have to give her two thumbs up for explaining the differences between pets and familiars. Her discussions on magic, particularly how deities aren’t always necessary, and the ethics of magic, are also highly recomended reading!

I do have a few complaints. On p. 24, she says that all alchemical texts were really just referring to sex–in actuality, sex is just one way alchemy can be interpreted; the original alchemists were speaking both of the literal physical components as well as personal enlightenment. Also, I think her chapter on omens and synchronicity shpuld have warned that people very easily can create self-fulfilling prophecies, *looking* for ways to prove what they *think* (subconsciously) will happen and ignoring other signs (ie, anything long and cylindrical being called a cigar).

In her section on visiting magical spaces created by others, either ancient or modern, she neglected to tell people not to mess with others’ ritual areas–ie, if you see a sand painting by a modern Native, don’t add things to it just because you think you should! And, on p. 134, she says that animal sacrifice is illegal. It is, in fact, legal, according to the 1993 US Supreme Court ruling 508 US 520, the Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye vs. City of Hialeah. Also, she harps on the “evils” of illegal drugs (and some legal, such as salvia), but then advocates the use of legal drugs for magic–including alcohol. A drug is a drug, and all drugs can cause a useful state of consciousness, depending on dosage. The reason so many people overdose or have bad trips is because of misinformation, which perpetuates the bad stereotypes.

Finally, I really didn’t like the final chapter. She talks about “roles” within paganism, such as healer, warrior, bard, oracle, etc. I think this gives the idea that you *have* to specialize in something–I tend to agree with Robert Heinlen: “Specialization is for insects”. We are all healers, warrior, scribes, and oracles–and whatever else we need to be.

However, overall, I would recommend this book to someone looking to branch out. I’ve been a pagan and a magician for a decade, and I really could have used this book about 7 years ago. This is an incredibly realistic look at what options are available to the intermediate pagan, without a ton of fluff and filler. It even got me thinking some about where I am now–and that says to me that it’s a worthwhile read for anyone, just to get you thinking about your path and where you are on it. I’d especially pick it up if I was feeling stuck or discouraged–there are some really good ideas in here!

Four pawprints out of five.

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Enchanted Cat – Ellen Dugan

December 29, 2006 at 11:30 pm (Animal Magic, Mythology, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Enchanted Cat: Feline Fascinations, Spells and Magick
Ellen Dugan
Llewellyn, 2006
165 pages

This is one of several books on the market that specifically deal with cat magic. Unfortunately, so far from what I’ve seen they all seem to follow the same basic template and include the same basic information. This newest one is no exception.

Granted, there’s only so much material on the topic, and Dugan does make a valiant effort to make this book stand out. It’s more practical than some of the other books on the topic, involving more spells and simple rituals. Of course, some of the connection these spells have to cats is a little stretched–a number of the spells simply have a few cat hairs involved.

Additionally, she has one of the better chapters on feline familiars from a practical standpoint. She explains some of the ways you can actually work magic with the cat, and gives us more than just a naming ceremony and a blessing. The feline power animals chapter has some decent working material in it as well, though it shouldn’t be taken as a substitute for an entire introductory book to totemism.

But for the most part, she falls back on the usual–cat mythology and lore, cat correspondences, and even cat astrology and feng shui. It seems like she was really fighting for content here. And she falls back on the idea that certain colors of cats are better at specific types of magic–if that were true, then shouldn’t red-headed people be better at some types of magic than blondes and brunettes?

This would be a cute book to give to your friend who likes cats quite a bit and is just getting started in witchcraft. It’s a 101 book and it’s limited by its subject matter. It stands out in some ways from similar books on the market, but it’s nothing earth-shaking.

Three and a half pawprints out of five.

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Your Magickal Cat – Gerina Dunwich

December 29, 2006 at 11:18 pm (Animal Magic, Mythology, Wicca and Witchcraft)

Your Magickal Cat: Feline Magick, Lore and Worship
Gerina Dunwich
Citadel, 2000
169 pages

In recent years there have been several books out detailing the magical and religious lore surrounding cats throughout history. This is one of the older ones, though not the first. However, it follows pretty much the standard formula–after all, there’s really only so much you can dig up on one particular animal. Cats seem to get all the books, though, simply because they’re the animals most associated with witches, the target audience.

The book is about 2/3 mythology, folklore and superstitions from various cultures. There’s the prerequisite discussion on Egypt, Bast and Sekhmet, as well as the Inquisition-era feline familiar. It’s pretty standard material that you’d find in just about any book on animal mythology; the one advantage is that it’s all collected in one place.

Dunwich does add some of her own original work throughout the book, mostly consisting of–you guessed it–spells. Her chapter on familiars isn’t particularly practical, though she does mention that not all pets a witch owns are familiars. Still, most of the information is vague, and a large portion of the chapter deals with how to name your familiar.

The chapter on feline totems is similarly basic, and this is one of the downfalls of the glut of 101 material–it skims over a bunch of topics without really going into any real depth. There’s really not enough in any of the “practical” material to really do much of anything beyond a couple of spells.

Then there’s the cat astrology section. Dunwich basically takes sun sign astrology and turns it into a kitty horoscope. You don’t need astrology to tell you what sort of personality your cat has–that’s what observation is for.

Overall, I’m not particularly impressed. The research on the historical end was good, but the practical material left a lot to be desired. Get it if you need a quick reference to feline lore, but otherwise feel free to spend your money on toys for your cat instead.

Three pawprints out of five.

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Bonewits’ Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca

December 19, 2006 at 1:30 pm (Wicca and Witchcraft)

Bonewits’ Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca
Isaac Bonewits
Citadel, 2006
224 pages

This is the first book on Wicca I’ve bought since my early magical experimentation, but this book kept catching my eye, so I snagged a copy. I’m glad I did.

I really recommend this as a basic history of neopaganism, to include debunking the Wicca is 10,000 years old myth, and intriguing discussion about
the early years of the community in the Gardner and Valiente era. It’s also exceptionally valuable for Bonewits’ definitions of various terms, and the appendix on the etymology of the word “witch”. Readers will also find the basic structure of Wiccan ritual and discussion of the variations thereof.

Bonewits used a wonderful array of resources, including the underappreciated Crafting the Art of Magic, as well as a decent list of recommended reading on a variety of related topics.

Occasionally I looked askance at his tone of voice–at first glance he seems rather self-aggrandizing. But I reminded myself that he has been in the neopagan community as it is from the beginning, and I think he deserves some slack for actually being there. Also, in his defense he states early on exactly where he’s coming from (dont say he didn’t warn you!) and I must say I absolutely LOVE his sense of humour! Puns, poetry, and the occasional sideways jab all make the read even better.

Finally, a little bit of a squee from yours truly–on pages 25-26 he talks about the neurotransmitter work my partner, Taylor Ellwood, has been working on. Not only did it make my day better, but it proves (along with up to date information on neopaganism in general) that Isaac is still an incredibly relevant author after 35+ years–after all, the magical community in general is constantly evolving, and a lot of people tend to get sort of stuck in their own era. Isaac, on the other hand, bridges the gap between the ’70’s and the…well..whatever you want to call this decade, quite well. Good job!

Five pawprints out of five.

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Crafting the Art of Magic – Aidan Kelly

December 19, 2006 at 2:14 am (Wicca and Witchcraft)

Crafting the Art of Magic, Book I: A History of Modern Witchcraft, 1939-1964
Aidan Kelly
Llewellyn Publications, 1991
224 pages

I first got this book back in about 2001 or so; I found it used at a shop in Pittsburgh. I made the mistake of loaning it out later–of course, it never came back.

I liked this book so much that I dropped $40 for a used copy when I was finally able to hunt it down.

This is an exploration into the roots of Wicca using primary sources, including Gardner’s own handwritten works. Kelly traces the roots of Wicca, including the dubious claims of the existence of old Dorothy Clutterbuck and the “ancient” witch cults, the influence of Margaret Murray, the Golden Dawn and other newer sources, and Gardner’s own creative additions.

It has, of course, generated some controversy. This page, for example, is a long criticism of the book as a whole. However, it is valuable in that it helps to debunk the “Wicca is 50,000 years old!” argument.

It’s too bad that the second volume never came out, but this one is an absolute gem if you can find it. Compare it, of course, to the above essay–everything should be taken with a grain of salt–but overall, I highly recommend this if you can find a copy of it.

Five pawprints out of five.

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