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| wicca movement reviews: Wicca Ethan Doyle White, 2015-10-01 The past century has born witness to a growing interest in the belief systems of ancient Europe, with an array of contemporary Pagan groups claiming to revive these old ways for the needs of the modern world. By far the largest and best known of these Paganisms has been Wicca, a new religious movement that can now count hundreds of thousands of adherents worldwide. Emerging from the occult milieu of mid twentieth-century Britain, Wicca was first presented as the survival of an ancient pre-Christian Witch-Cult, whose participants assembled in covens to venerate their Horned God and Mother Goddess, to celebrate seasonal festivities, and to cast spells by the light of the full moon. Spreading to North America, where it diversified under the impact of environmentalism, feminism, and the 1960s counter-culture, Wicca came to be presented as a Goddess-centred nature religion, in which form it was popularised by a number of best-selling authors and fictional television shows. Today, Wicca is a maturing religious movement replete with its own distinct world-view, unique culture, and internal divisions. This book represents the first published academic introduction to be exclusively devoted to this fascinating faith, exploring how this Witches' Craft developed, what its participants believe and practice, and what the Wiccan community actually looks like. In doing so it sweeps away widely-held misconceptions and offers a comprehensive overview of this religion in all of its varied forms. Drawing upon the work of historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and scholars of religious studies, as well as the writings of Wiccans themselves, it provides an original synthesis that will be invaluable for anyone seeking to learn about the blossoming religion of modern Pagan Witchcraft. |
| wicca movement reviews: Her Hidden Children Chas Clifton, 2006 A history of wicca and neopaganism in the United States focusing on the post-WW II period. |
| wicca movement reviews: A Community of Witches Helen A. Berger, 2021-11-24 A Community of Witches explores the beliefs and practices of Neo-Paganism and Witchcraft—generally known to scholars and practitioners as Wicca. While the words magic, witchcraft, and paganism evoke images of the distant past and remote cultures, this book shows that Wicca has emerged as part of a new religious movement that reflects the era in which it developed. Imported to the United States in the later 1960s from the United Kingdom, the religion absorbed into its basic fabric the social concerns of the time: feminism, environmentalism, self-development, alternative spirituality, and mistrust of authority. Helen A. Berger's ten-year participant observation study of Neo-Pagans and Witches on the eastern seaboard of the United States and her collaboration on a national survey of Neo-Pagans form the basis for exploring the practices, structures, and transformation of this nascent religion. Responding to scholars who suggest that Neo-Paganism is merely a pseudo religion or a cultural movement because it lacks central authority and clear boundaries, Berger contends that Neo-Paganism has many of the characteristics that one would expect of a religion born in late modernity: the appropriation of rituals from other cultures, a view of the universe as a cosmic whole, an emphasis on creating and re-creating the self, an intertwining of the personal and the political, and a certain playfulness. Aided by the Internet, self-published journals, and festivals and other gatherings, today's Neo-Pagans communicate with one another about social issues as well as ritual practices and magical rites. This community of interest—along with the aging of the original participants and the growing number of children born to Neo-Pagan families—is resulting in Neo-Paganism developing some of the marks of a mature and established religion. |
| wicca movement reviews: The Meaning of Witchcraft Gerald Brosseau Gardner, Gerald B. Gardner, 2004-03-01 Thought to be the father of modern witchcraft, Gerald Gardner published The Meaning of Witchcraft in 1959, not long after laws punishing witches were repealed. It was the first sympathetic book written from the point of view of a practicing witch. The Meaning of Witchcraft is an invaluable source book for witches today. Chapters include: Witch's Memories and Beliefs, The Stone Age Origins of Witchcraft, Druidism and the Aryan Celts, Magic Thinking, Curious Beliefs about Witches, Signs and Symbols, The Black Mass, Some Allegations Examined. The Meaning of Witchcraft is a record of witches' roots-and a tribute to a founding pioneer with the courage to set that record straight. |
| wicca movement reviews: Neo-Paganism: Historical Inspiration & Contemporary Creativity John Halstead, 2019-08-29 A living relationship with the wild natural world is our birthright as human beings. But centuries of civilization, patriarchy, transcendental monotheism, reductionist science, and capitalism have broken the connection between humankind and nature. To be Neo-Pagan today is to reclaim our original relation with the world. It is nothing more and nothing less than to be fully human again. To (re-)learn what this means, we need to strip away the layers of estrangement that have accreted to our collective soul over the centuries. So we look back to our pagan ancestors. Though separated by time, there is a connection between us and them. We carry it in our flesh and blood. At our most fundamental, we are still the same human beings we were then. We can be pagan again today because we live under the same Sun and on the same Earth, we feel the same wind blowing through our hair and the same rain falling on our skin. |
| wicca movement reviews: Contemporary Pagan and Native Faith Movements in Europe Kathryn Rountree, 2015-06-01 Pagan and Native Faith movements have sprung up across Europe in recent decades, yet little has been published about them compared with their British and American counterparts. Though all such movements valorize human relationships with nature and embrace polytheistic cosmologies, practitioners’ beliefs, practices, goals, and agendas are diverse. Often side by side are groups trying to reconstruct ancient religions motivated by ethnonationalism—especially in post-Soviet societies—and others attracted by imported traditions, such as Wicca, Druidry, Goddess Spirituality, and Core Shamanism. Drawing on ethnographic cases, contributors explore the interplay of neo-nationalistic and neo-colonialist impulses in contemporary Paganism, showing how these impulses play out, intersect, collide, and transform. |
| wicca movement reviews: Contemplative Wicca Teresa Chupp, 2018-11-15 Contemplative Wicca provides an exclusively contemplative practice of Wicca based on science, the concept of Oneness, and the traditional Wiccan veneration of nature. It offers a monotheistic, pagan theology and a unique and forward-thinking viewpoint on which to base spiritual practice, extending the current discussion of Wiccan custom and belief. This book explores how Oneness provides the logical underpinning for contemplation and the spirit of unity, which is so essential to healing society today. Little formal pagan theology has been done to date, and doing it is necessary to further interreligious dialog and to establish paganism in general and Wicca in particular as legitimate religions. This book is intended to remedy this lack and contribute to the discussion of Wicca among pagan scholars and serious practitioners who may be seeking to incorporate contemplative ideas into their work and the construction of their faith. |
| wicca movement reviews: Paganism River Higginbotham, Joyce Higginbotham, 2013-05-08 A comprehensive guide to a growing religious movement If you want to study Paganism in more detail, this book is the place to start. Based on a course in Paganism that the authors have taught for more than a decade, it is full of exercises, meditations, and discussion questions for group or individual study. This book presents the basic fundamentals of Paganism. It explores what Pagans are like; how the Pagan sacred year is arranged; what Pagans do in ritual; what magick is; and what Pagans believe about God, worship, human nature, and ethics. For those who are exploring their own spirituality, or who want a good book to give to non-Pagan family and friends A hands-on learning tool with magickal workings, meditations, discussion questions, and journal exercises Offers in-depth discussion of ethics and magick |
| wicca movement reviews: Modern Wicca Michael Howard, 2010-09-08 An insider's look at the history of Witchcraft The evolution of Wicca is as dynamic and colorful as the Witches who helped shape it. One of the most enigmatic and progressive practitioners of his time, Gerald Gardner was arguably the most instrumental Witch in spreading the Craft around the world. Drawing on his decades of personal involvement with Wicca, Michael Howard offers an intimate portrait of Gerald Gardner's life and traces the history and development of modern neo-pagan Witchcraft. Howard reveals little-known facts and stories surrounding the men and women who shaped Wicca over the past sixty years, including Aleister Crowley, Alex Sanders, and influential initiates such as Doreen Valiente. From the Museum of Magic and Witchcraft on the Isle of Man to the origins of the Book of Shadows, Modern Wicca tracks the expansion of Wicca as it spread from the United Kingdom to the United States and beyond-and takes you inside the political controversies, behind-the-scenes rivalries, and once-guarded secrets of pagan ritual, Wiccan spells, and the Craft of the Wise. Praise: This is an extremely important book, representing an account of Wiccan history from somebody who has himself been a major actor in it.—Ronald Hutton, author of The Triumph of the Moon |
| wicca movement reviews: Wiccan Beliefs & Practices Gary Cantrell, 2001 This book covers such topics as what Wicca really embodies, the ethics of a Witch, how to get started, mysteries and rituals, spellcraft and spells, the physically challenged Witch, and much more. |
| wicca movement reviews: Witching Culture Sabina Magliocco, 2010-11-24 Taking the reader into the heart of one of the fastest-growing religious movements in North America, Sabina Magliocco reveals how the disciplines of anthropology and folklore were fundamental to the early development of Neo-Paganism and the revival of witchcraft. Magliocco examines the roots that this religious movement has in a Western spiritual tradition of mysticism disavowed by the Enlightenment. She explores, too, how modern Pagans and Witches are imaginatively reclaiming discarded practices and beliefs to create religions more in keeping with their personal experience of the world as sacred and filled with meaning. Neo-Pagan religions focus on experience, rather than belief, and many contemporary practitioners have had mystical experiences. They seek a context that normalizes them and creates in them new spiritual dimensions that involve change in ordinary consciousness. Magliocco analyzes magical practices and rituals of Neo-Paganism as art forms that reanimate the cosmos and stimulate the imagination of its practitioners. She discusses rituals that are put together using materials from a variety of cultural and historical sources, and examines the cultural politics surrounding the movement—how the Neo-Pagan movement creates identity by contrasting itself against the dominant culture and how it can be understood in the context of early twenty-first-century identity politics. Witching Culture is the first ethnography of this religious movement to focus specifically on the role of anthropology and folklore in its formation, on experiences that are central to its practice, and on what it reveals about identity and belief in twenty-first-century North America. |
| wicca movement reviews: Wicca, Witch Craft, Witches and Paganism Julia Steyson, Glenda Blair, Glinda Abraham, 2021 Wicca, Witch Craft, Witches and Paganism: A Bible on Witches This book is the bible on witches and paganism by experts on this secretive and underground world! It is finally unlocked for you. Discover and learn everything there is to know about witchcraft, spells, and witches. This masterpiece is a collection of the best works of Wicca experts Julia Steyson, Glenda Blair, Glinda Abraham. This book is a collection of the following books written by them: Wicca Spell Book: The Ultimate Wiccan Book On Magic And Witches A Guide To Witchcraft, Wicca And Magic In The New Age With A Divinity Code by Julia Steyson, AND Practical Magic: A Witchcraft Supplies Book of Wicca, Spells, and Runes by Glenda Blair AND Witch Book: A Definitive Guide To Witch Craft, Paganism and Everyday Magic by Glinda Abraham. This bible on witches and magic and spells is hundreds and hundreds of page long with many illustrations and will teach you so much on this magical subject including:Information deitiesThe Wiccan Rede HolidaysA full Gardnerian ritual to use as a solitary practitioner or in a coven settingCorrespondences for crystals, herbs, flowers and more...The moon phases and what they really stand forRitual explanationsSpells for abundance, love and healthSabbat recipes and craftsMultiple ways on finding your magickal nameWays to connect with Goddess and God energyThe Goddess explainedThe Horned God explainedThe Universal Spirit of Wicca explainedHow to identify and create your unique blend of magickHow to set up your Pagan or Wiccan altarHow to use magickal tools (safely!)How to manifest the energies you most desire in your lifeHow to understand and use tarot cards and other divination methodsHow to celebrate Pagan and Wiccan holidays.How to perform the right spells for the occasion. AND MUCH MUCH MORE..... This is the most in-depth and detailed guide on wicca, witch craft, paganism and spells you can find. It ls all here! This is a BIBLE! |
| wicca movement reviews: Wicca's Charm Catherine Edwards Sanders, 2005 Traces the author's one-year journey into the Wiccan culture where she interviewed neo-pagans and witches in her quest to understand modern pagan spirituality, explaining the growing attraction of this religion that celebrates the wonder of creation and the life-giving energy of women. Original. |
| wicca movement reviews: Witches of America Alex Mar, 2015-10-20 Witches are gathering. When most people hear the word witches, they think of horror films and Halloween, but to the nearly one million Americans who practice Paganism today, witchcraft is a nature-worshipping, polytheistic, and very real religion. So Alex Mar discovers when she sets out to film a documentary and finds herself drawn deep into the world of present-day magic. Witches of America follows Mar on her immersive five-year trip into the occult, charting modern Paganism from its roots in 1950s England to its current American mecca in the San Francisco Bay Area; from a gathering of more than a thousand witches in the Illinois woods to the New Orleans branch of one of the world's most influential magical societies. Along the way she takes part in dozens of rituals and becomes involved with a wild array of characters. This sprawling magical community compels Mar to confront what she believes is possible--or hopes might be. With keen intelligence and wit, Mar illuminates the world of witchcraft while grappling in fresh and unexpected ways with the question underlying every faith: Why do we choose to believe in anything at all?--Adapted from book jacket. |
| wicca movement reviews: Seasons of Wicca Ambrosia Hawthorn, 2020-05-12 Strengthen your practice, deepen your faith—Wiccan rites and rituals for every season Rooted in nature, spiritualism, and a reverence for the divine, Wicca is a religious practice focused on the balance and harmony between life and nature. Seasons of Wicca offers practical guidance and empowering rites and rituals that will bring the magic of Wicca into your daily life. Discover the origins of Wicca with an overview covering the importance of working with nature and the deities. Explore in-depth primers on the Wheel of the Year and the crucial purposes of the elements, and embark on your own spiritual path with step-by-steps for Sun Celebrations, Moon Celebrations, and Wiccan Rites. Seasons of Wicca includes: Start of the season—Begin your practice with practical advice on setting up an altar and casting a circle, as well as the tools for magical transformation, like tarot, runes, candles, and crystals. Modern Wicca—Choose the Wicca tradition that's best for you with a look at the practices and deities of popular traditions, such as Gardnerian, Celtic, and Solitary Wicca. Seasonal ceremonies—Find easy-to-follow rituals for Wiccan sabbats and full moon esbats, as well as rites for major changes, like handfasting, a Wiccan wedding ceremony, and handparting to mark the end of a relationship. Celebrate the changing of the seasons, sabbats, and deities with the life-changing rites and rituals in Seasons of Wicca. |
| wicca movement reviews: The Modern Witch's Guide to Happiness Luna Bailey, 2021 It's time to give your inner witch a voice. Unlock the magic of modern witchcraft and infuse your every day with happiness. This is your essential spiritual guide to happiness. Including everything you need to know to become a modern witch, from working with tarot cards and healing crystals, to taking direction from the stars, this book will teach you how to harness the power of the natural world, dispel toxic energy and develop your own psychic ability to find happiness. Illustrated throughout and containing simple yet effective practical tips and tricks, self-care rituals and cleansing spells for the everyday, this treasure chest of a book will empower you to live your life to the fullest-- |
| wicca movement reviews: The Inner Mysteries Janet Farrar, Gavin Bone, 2024-04-22 A look into the underlying principles behind modern magic in witchcraft, The Inner Mysteries provides an integrated training system (Liber Actios) for both solitary witches and coven-based trainees in the form of magical energy practice and cosmology. By fully explaining how magic works, this volume makes numerous Wiccan practices approachable, including Circle casting, Raising energy, Elemental work and Drawing down the moon Illustrating how Wicca is a modern, nondogmatic and dynamic tradition still in a state of evolution, The Inner Mysteries outlines the tenets of progressive witchcraft, putting connection with the Deity at the forefront of witchcraft practice. In addition, this book also covers the history, spirituality and metaphysics of witchcraft, and how to form a coven. |
| wicca movement reviews: The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements James R. Lewis, Inga B. Tollefsen, 2016-04-12 The study of New Religious Movements (NRMs) is one of the fastest-growing areas of religious studies, and since the release of the first edition of The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements in 2003, the field has continued to expand and break new ground. In this all-new volume, James R. Lewis and Inga B. T?llefsen bring together established and rising scholars to address an expanded range of topics, covering traditional religious studies topics such as scripture, charisma, and ritual, while also applying new theoretical approaches to NRM topics. Other chapters cover understudied topics in the field, such as the developmental patterns of NRMs and subcultural considerations in the study of NRMs. The first part of this book examines NRMs from a social-scientific perspective, particularly that of sociology. In the second section, the primary factors that have put the study of NRMs on the map, controversy and conflict, are considered. The third section investigates common themes within the field of NRMs, while the fourth examines the approaches that religious studies researchers have taken to NRMs. As NRM Studies has grown, subfields such as Esotericism, New Age Studies, and neo-Pagan Studies have grown as distinct and individual areas of study, and the final section of the book investigates these emergent fields. |
| wicca movement reviews: Witchcraft Today Gerald Brosseau Gardner, 2023-11-23 The Meaning of Witchcraft is a non-fiction book written by Gerald Gardner. Gardner, known to many in the modern sense as the Father of Wicca, based the book around his experiences with the religion of Wicca and the New Forest Coven. He claimed he was allowed to tell more than ever before and cast light on the rituals and beliefs of witches. The book's main message was that neither the practices of witches nor their intents were harmful. The book tells the history of witchcraft in Europe. The author traces back to pre-Christian times, studies the rituals and beliefs of templars, and states that the belief in fairies in ancient, medieval, and early modern Europe was connected with a secretive pygmy race that lived alongside other communities. The preface to this book was Margaret Murray, who stated that witchcraft took its root in the pre-Christian religions and had nothing to do with spell-casting and other evil practices. Instead, Murray proposes to view witchcraft as the sincere expression of that feeling towards God which is expressed, perhaps more decorously though not more sincerely, by modern Christianity in church services. |
| wicca movement reviews: Introduction to Pagan Studies Barbara Jane Davy, 2006-10-27 A text on the academic study of contemporary wicca and paganism throughout the world. |
| wicca movement reviews: Initiated Amanda Yates Garcia, 2019-10-22 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes meets Women Who Run With The Wolves in this gorgeously written, fierce, political, personal, and deeply inspiring (Michelle Tea) memoir about finding meaning, beauty, and power through a life in witchcraft. An initiation signals a beginning: a door opens and you step through. Traditional Wiccan initiates are usually brought into the craft through a ceremony with a High Priestess. But even though Amanda Yates Garcia's mother, a practicing witch herself, initiated her into the earth-centered practice of witchcraft when she was 13 years old, Amanda's real life as a witch only began when she underwent a series of spontaneous initiations of her own. Descending into the underworlds of poverty, sex work, and misogyny, Initiated describes Amanda's journey to return to her body, harness her power, and create the magical world she longed for through witchcraft. Hailed by crows, seduced by magicians, and haunted by ancestors broken beneath the wheels of patriarchy, Amanda's quest for self-discovery and empowerment is a deep exploration of a modern witch's trials - healing ancient wounds, chafing against cultural expectations, creating intimacy - all while on a mission to re-enchant the world. Peppered with mythology, tales of the goddesses and magical women throughout history, Initiated stands squarely at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism. With generosity and heart, this book speaks to the question: is it possible to live a life of beauty and integrity in a world that feels like it's dying? Declaring oneself a witch and practicing magic has everything to do with claiming authority and power for oneself, of taking back our planet in the name of Love. Initiated is both memoir and manifesto calling the magical people of the world to take up their wands: stand up, be brave, describe the world they want, then create it like a witch. |
| wicca movement reviews: Women in New Religions Laura Vance, 2015-03-13 An in-depth history of selected New Religions that highlights the roles of women in their founding and continual practice Women in New Religions offers an engaging look at women’s evolving place in the birth and development of new religious movements. It focuses on four disparate new religions—Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism, The Family International, and Wicca—to illuminate their implications for gender socialization, religious leadership and participation, sexuality, and family ideals. Religious worldviews and gender roles interact with one another in complicated ways. This is especially true within new religions, which frequently set roles for women in ways that help the movements to define their boundaries in relation to the wider society. As new religious movements emerge, they often position themselves in opposition to dominant society and concomitantly assert alternative roles for women. But these religions are not monolithic: rather than defining gender in rigid and repressive terms, new religions sometimes offer possibilities to women that are not otherwise available. Vance traces expectations for women as the religions emerge, and transformation of possibilities and responsibilities for women as they mature. Weaving theory with examination of each movement’s origins, history, and beliefs and practices, this text contextualizes and situates ideals for women in new religions. The book offers an accessible analysis of the complex factors that influence gender ideology and its evolution in new religious movements, including the movements’ origins, charismatic leadership and routinization, theology and doctrine, and socio-historical contexts. It shows how religions shape definitions of women’s place in a way that is informed by response to social context, group boundaries, and identity. |
| wicca movement reviews: Teenage Witches Helen A. Berger, Douglas Ezzy, 2007 A popular new image of Witches has arisen in recent years, due largely to movies like The Craft, Practical Magic, and Simply Irresistible and television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Charmed. Here, young sexy Witches use magic and Witchcraft to gain control over their lives and fight evil. Then there is the depiction in the Harry Potter books: Witchcraft is a gift that unenlightened Muggles (everyday people) lack. In both types of portrayals, being a Witch is akin to being a superhero. At the other end of the spectrum, wary adults assume that Witches engage in evil practices that are misguided at best and dangerous at worst. Yet, as Helen A. Berger and Douglas Ezzy show in this in-depth look into the lives of teenage Witches, the reality of their practices, beliefs, values, and motivations is very different from the sensational depictions we see in popular culture. Drawing on extensive research across three countries--the United States, England, and Australia--and interviews with young people from diverse backgrounds, what they find are highly spiritual and self-reflective young men and women attempting to make sense of a postmodern world via a religion that celebrates the earth and emphasizes self-development. The authors trace the development of Neo-Paganism (an umbrella term used to distinguish earth-based religions from the pagan religions of ancient cultures) from its start in England during the 1940s, through its growing popularity in the decades that followed, up through its contemporary presence on the Internet. Though dispersed and disorganized, Neo-Pagan communities, virtual and real, are shown to be an important part of religious identity particularly for those seeking affirmation during the difficult years between childhood and adulthood. |
| wicca movement reviews: Magic, Witchcraft and the Otherworld Susan Greenwood, 2020-08-02 Anthropology's long and complex relationship to magic has been strongly influenced by western science and notions of rationality. This book takes a refreshing new look at modern magic as practised by contemporary Pagans in Britain. It focuses on what Pagans see as the essence of magic - a communication with an otherworldly reality. Examining issues of identity, gender and morality, the author argues that the otherworld forms a central defining characteristic of magical practice. Integrating an experiential ethnographic approach with an analysis of magic, this book asks penetrating questions about the nature of otherworldly knowledge and argues that our scientific frameworks need re-envisioning. It is unique in providing an insider's view of how magic is practised in contemporary western culture. |
| wicca movement reviews: Paganism for Beginners Althaea Sebastiani, 2020-04-21 Begin your journey of spiritual exploration with this modern guide to Paganism Introduce yourself to the world of Paganism and its diverse magick with this reader-friendly guide. Paganism for Beginners features a comprehensive overview of common Pagan practices, traditions, and core beliefs like open-mindedness, self-reliance, and freedom of choice. Paganism for Beginners is inclusive, inspiring, and the perfect way for seekers to explore this time-honored, earth-centric form of spirituality. You’ll nourish your soul and unlock the magick of the universe with: Pagan basics—Delve into deities, follow along with the Pagan calendar, and learn essential knowledge of Pagan symbols, rituals, and tools on your journey of spiritual exploration. Pagan history—Paganism is one of the world’s oldest religious movements. You’ll read about the roots of Paganism and how it’s evolved to serve modern practitioners yearning to reconnect with themselves and find more wonder, depth, and meaning in the world. Pagan traditionss—There are many forms of Paganism and each is known as a tradition. You’ll learn the defining details and ritual practices of traditions like Celtic Polytheism, Druidry, Wicca, and more. Embrace your spiritual path and live a more magickal life with Paganism for Beginners. |
| wicca movement reviews: A Book of Pagan Rituals Herman Slater, 1978-01-01 This collection of rituals, practices, and exercises has been drawn from ancient sources, some have been preserved and some rituals have been updated by scholars from various pagan groups. This deluxe one-volume edition is specially designed to be read by candlelight. |
| wicca movement reviews: Modern Witchcraft Deborah Blake, 2020-07-07 Deborah Blake's Modern Witchcraft is a guidebook to witchcraft as a female-empowering religion, including detailed instructions on how to practice self-care in today's society through goddess worship and magic. In a time when most formal religions are on the wane, Wicca is said to be the fastest growing religion in North America. What is it that draws people to Witchcraft, and how does a spiritual path with its roots in ancient beliefs and traditions transform itself into a practice that resonates so deeply with today’s modern woman? There are a number of explanations for the phenomenon, such as Witchcraft's connection to the natural world, or acceptance of members regardless of lifestyle choices. For women, however, the greatest appeal may be the worship of a goddess (or goddesses). No stern patriarchal God here. Instead, Wicca and most other forms of modern Witchcraft embrace deity in both the feminine and the masculine. Suddenly, women can look at the divine and see themselves reflected back. In addition, many women are frustrated, frightened, triggered, and down-right furious with the current social and political environment, but feel powerless to create positive change. Witchcraft can give them a sense of personal empowerment. There are many different Witchcraft paths and a multitude of approaches to its practice. This book will guide the reader on the journey to connecting with the feminine divine both without and within, and open the door to this magical religion that will enlighten, uplift, and energize their lives. |
| wicca movement reviews: The Way of The Horned God Dancing Rabbit, 2012-05-25 If you are the parent of a teenage boy, The Way of the Horned God will guide your son in growing to be a man who will be responsible, courageous, and true Son of the Great Goddess and Horned God. If you are a young man who is serious about Pagan spirituality and is interested in working toward harmony within yourself and with nature The Way of the Horned God is written especially for you. |
| wicca movement reviews: Modern Paganism in World Cultures Michael Strmiska, 2005-12-12 The most comprehensive study available of neo-pagan religious movements in North America and Europe. Modern Paganism in World Cultures collects the work of specialists in religion, folklore, and related fields to provide a comprehensive treatment of the movement to reestablish pre-Christian religions. Detailed accounts of the belief systems and rituals of each religion, along with analysis of the cultural, social, and political factors fueling the return to ancestral religious practice, make this a rich, singular resource. Scandinavian Asatru, Latvian Dievturi, American Wicca—long-dormant religions are taking on new life as people seek connection with their heritage and look for more satisfying approaches to the pressures of postmodernism. The Neopagan movement is a small but growing influence in Western culture. This book provides a map to these resurgent religions and an examination of the origins of the Neopagan movement. |
| wicca movement reviews: Voices from the Pagan Census Helen A. Berger, Evan A. Leach, Leigh S. Shaffer, 2003 Voices from the Pagan Census provides insight into the expanding but largely unstudied religious movement of Neo-Paganism in the United States. The authors present the findings of The Pagan Census, which was created and distributed by Berger and Andras Corban Arthen of the Earthspirit Community. Analysing the most comprehensive and largest-scale survey of the Neo-Pagans to date, the authors offer a portrait of this emerging religious community, including an examination of Neo-Pagan political activism, educational achievements, family life, worship methods, experiences with the paranormal and beliefs about such issues as life after death. |
| wicca movement reviews: New World Witchery Cory Thomas Hutcheson, 2021-04-08 Explore Nearly 500 Samples of Folk Magic, Stories, Artifacts, Rituals, and Beliefs One of the most comprehensive collections of witchcraft and folk magic ever written, New World Witchery shows you how to integrate folk traditions into your life and deepen your understanding of magic. Folklore expert Cory Thomas Hutcheson guides you to the crossroads of folk magic, where you'll learn about different practices and try them for yourself. This treasure trove of witchery features an enormous collection of stories, artifacts, rituals, and traditions. Explore chapters on magical heritage, divination, familiars, magical protection, and spirit communication. Discover the secrets of flying, gathering and creating magical supplies, living by the moon, working contemporary folk magic, and more. This book also provides brief profiles of significant folk magicians, healers, and seers, so you can both meet the practitioners and experience their craft. With New World Witchery, you'll create a unique roadmap to the folk magic all around you. |
| wicca movement reviews: Gods of the Blood Mattias Gardell, 2003-06-27 DIVAn ethnographic study of the development of racist paganism in the United States during the 1990s, examining the economic, cultural, and political developments racist paganism reacts to or makes use of./div |
| wicca movement reviews: New Age and Neopagan Religions in America Sarah M. Pike, 2004 Sarah Pike traces the history of New Age and Neopagan religions in the United States from their origins in the nineteenth century to their reemergence in the 1960s counterculture. She also considers the differences and similarities between the New Age and Neopagan movements as well as the antagonistic relationship between these two practices and other religions in America, particularly Christianity. Covering such topics as healing, gender and sexuality, millennialism, and ritual experience, she offers a sympathetic yet critical treatment of religious practices often marginalized yet soaring in popularity. Her book is a rich analysis of these spiritual worlds and social networks and questions why these faiths are flourishing at this point in American history. |
| wicca movement reviews: Women and Gender Issues in British Paganism, 1945–1990 Shai Feraro, 2021-06-26 This book explores the ways in which changing views on gender and the place of women in society during the latter half of the twentieth century affected women’s participation and standing within British Paganism. More specifically, it examines how British Wiccans and Wiccan-derived Pagans reacted to the rise of 'second-wave' feminism and the Women's Liberation Movement in the UK – with a special emphasis on the reception of feminist theory hailing from the USA – and to the emergence of feminist branches of Witchcraft and Goddess Spirituality during the 1970s and 1980s. The book draws on primary sources never before analyzed in an academic context and makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of knowledge on gender and religion during the twentieth century, as very little research has been conducted on the relations between the history of modern Paganism and that of second-wave feminism in the UK. |
| wicca movement reviews: A History of Pagan Europe Prudence Jones, Nigel Pennick, 2013-10-11 The first comprehensive study of its kind, this fully illustrated book establishes Paganism as a persistent force in European history with a profound influence on modern thinking. From the serpent goddesses of ancient Crete to modern nature-worship and the restoration of the indigenous religions of eastern Europe, this wide-ranging book offers a rewarding new perspective of European history. In this definitive study, Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick draw together the fragmented sources of Europe's native religions and establish the coherence and continuity of the Pagan world vision. Exploring Paganism as it developed from the ancient world through the Celtic and Germanic periods, the authors finally appraise modern Paganism and its apparent causes as well as addressing feminist spirituality, the heritage movement, nature-worship and `deep' ecology This innovative and comprehensive history of European Paganism will provide a stimulating, reliable guide to this popular dimension of religious culture for the academic and the general reader alike. |
| wicca movement reviews: The Witch's Bible Gavin Frost, Yvonne Frost, 1972 |
| wicca movement reviews: Being a Pagan Ellen Evert Hopman, Lawrence Bond, 2001-11-01 More than 60 pagan leaders and teachers describe in their own words what they believe and what they practice. • Addresses how Pagans view parenting, organized religion, and politics. • Introduces the wide range of possibilities within the neo-Pagan movement. • By Ellen Evert Hopman, author of A Druid's Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year; Walking the World in Wonder: A Children's Herbal; and Tree Medicine, Tree Magic. Who are the pagans and what do they stand for? Why would some of the members of the best educated, most materially comfortable generation of Americans look back to mystical traditions many millennia old? During the last few decades, millions of people have embraced ancient philosophies that honor Earth and the spiritual power of each individual. Ways of worship from sources as diverse as the pre-Christian Celts, ancient Egypt, and Native American traditions are currently helping their followers find meaning in life while living in the Information Age. In this book Pagan leaders and teachers describe in their own words what they believe and what they practice. From Margot Adler, an NPR reporter and author of Drawing Down the Moon, to Isaac Bonewits, ArchDruid and founder of a modern neo-Druidic organization, those interviewed in this book express the rich diversity of modern Paganism. Hopman's insightful questions draw on her own experiences as a Pagan and Druid as well as on her extensive research. With coauthor Lawrence Bond, she examines how Pagans address such issues as parenting, organized religion, and politics. The resulting dialogues illuminate the modern Pagan revival. |
| wicca movement reviews: Wiccan Roots - Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival Philip Hestleton, 1999-10-01 |
| wicca movement reviews: Witchfather: From Witch Cult to Wicca Philip Heselton, 2012 A Life of Gerald Gardner Volume 2. From Witch Cult to Wicca by Philip Heselton From the author of the highly acclaimed Wiccan Roots, this is the first full-length biography of Gerald Brosseau Gardner (1884-1964) - a very personal tale of the man who single-handedly brought about the revival of witchcraft in England in the mid 20th Century. From Gerald's birth into an old family of wealthy Liverpool merchants, through an unconventional upbringing by his flamboyant governess in the resorts of the Mediterranean and Madeira, it tells how, having taught himself to read, his life was changed by finding a book on spiritualism. During a working life as a tea and rubber planter in Ceylon, Borneo and Malaya, he came to know the native people and was invited to their secret rituals. But it was only on his retirement to England, settling on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, that destiny took him firmly by the hand. Through various twists and turns involving naturist clubs and a strange esoteric theatre, he became friends with a group of people who eventually revealed their true identity - they were members of a surviving witch coven. One evening in 1939, as the hounds of war were being unleashed, he was initiated into the 'witch cult' by these people, who called themselves 'the Wica'. Gardner was overwhelmed by the experience and was determined that the 'witch cult' should survive. This book chronicles his efforts over the remaining quarter century of his life to ensure not only that it survived but that it would become the significant player on the world religious stage that it now is - the only religion that England has ever given the world, in the words of Ronald Hutton, Professor of History at the University of Bristol, who calls it ... a very fine book: humane, intelligent, compassionate, shrewd, and based upon a colossal amount of primary research. Born in 1946, Philip Heselton is a geographer and retired local government officer who has written extensively on Earth Mysteries and our spiritual relationship with the landscape. He has also carried out extensive research into the story of the modern witchcraft revival, chronicled in his books, Wiccan Roots and Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration. Hutton has described him as being ... the most interesting, valuable and enjoyable author who has yet written on what is becoming one of the greatest riddles in the history of modern religion: the origins of pagan witchcraft. ... Nobody has ever done more than Philip Heselton to reveal the world of magic, paganism, naturism and faerie that lay behind the garden gates of inter-war English suburban villas; and perhaps only he could have done it at all. |
| wicca movement reviews: Wicca Demystified Bryan Lankford, 2005 Wicca Demystified is a clear guide through one of the most talked-about and fastest-growing religious movements in the world. With Wicca’s rapid rise has come a torrent of misconceptions, misunderstandings, and untruths about Wiccan beliefs and practices. Longtime Wiccan high priest Bryan Lankford explains the history, beliefs, and practices of Wicca in a context everyone can understand. Among the topics he covers are why Wiccans worship a goddess as well as a god; how Wiccans celebrate holidays; the Wiccan view of death, birth, and the nature of deity; right and wrong from a Wiccan perspective; witch stereotypes and nasty rumors about Wiccans; the Wiccan sacred text; and much more. Wicca Demystified goes beyond the simple mechanics of Wiccan worship to provide a glimpse into the heart and soul of the religion. |
Wicca - Wikipedia
Wicca (English: / ˈ w ɪ k ə /), also known as "The Craft", [1] is a modern pagan, syncretic, Earth-centred religion.
What is Wicca? A Beginner’s Guide to the Wiccan Religion
Wicca is a modern, Earth-centered religion with roots in the ancient practices of our shamanic ancestors. Its practitioners, who call themselves Wiccans, honor the life-giving and life …
Wicca | Definition, History, Beliefs, & Facts | Britannica
Aug 13, 2020 · Wicca, a predominantly Western movement whose followers practice witchcraft and nature worship and see it as a religion based on pre-Christian traditions of northern and western …
Wicca, Pagan, Goddess Info | Wiccan Supplies | Celtic Connection
Welcome to one of the oldest and largest Wicca, Witchcraft, and Pagan sites on the Internet! This is a place where followers of the Old Ways can celebrate the magical life. Explore Wiccan, Wictch …
What is Wicca? A Comprehensive Introduction - Wiccanbrew
Wicca is an ancient yet ever-evolving spiritual practice that seeks to bridge the gap between humanity and the divine. It is a unique and powerful system of beliefs that focuses on honoring …
Wicca for Beginners: Ultimate Guide to Become Wiccan
Oct 31, 2019 · This article is a complete guide on how to get started practicing Wicca for beginners. It covers initiation, covens, magic, spellwork, and more. Skip to content
Discover the Joyful World of Wiccan Spiritual Traditions: A …
1 day ago · Introduction. Wicca is a rich and diverse spiritual tradition that celebrates nature, magic, and the cycle of life. For those new to Wicca or those simply curious about its practices, this …
Religions - Paganism: Wicca - BBC
Oct 2, 2002 · Wicca is a Pagan Witchcraft tradition popularised by Gerald Brosseau Gardner. It emphasises spells and rituals and honours a Triple Goddess and a Horned God.
What is Wicca? - Wicca Academy
Jun 16, 2024 · Welcome to Wicca—a modern, nature-based pagan faith. Wicca empowers us to connect deeply with the world around us. We engage in rituals and practices rooted in reverence …
Wicca Overview: History, Beliefs, and Practices | The Pagan Club
Apr 29, 2019 · Wicca Overview: Wicca is a modern pagan, witchcraft-based religion that has gained prominence since its formalization in the mid-20th century. Rooted in ancient spiritual traditions, …
Wicca - Wikipedia
Wicca (English: / ˈ w ɪ k ə /), also known as "The Craft", [1] is a modern pagan, syncretic, Earth-centred religion.
What is Wicca? A Beginner’s Guide to the Wiccan Religion
Wicca is a modern, Earth-centered religion with roots in the ancient practices of our shamanic ancestors. Its practitioners, who call themselves Wiccans, honor the life-giving and life …
Wicca | Definition, History, Beliefs, & Facts | Britannica
Aug 13, 2020 · Wicca, a predominantly Western movement whose followers practice witchcraft and nature worship and see it as a religion based on pre-Christian traditions of northern and …
Wicca, Pagan, Goddess Info | Wiccan Supplies | Celtic Connection
Welcome to one of the oldest and largest Wicca, Witchcraft, and Pagan sites on the Internet! This is a place where followers of the Old Ways can celebrate the magical life. Explore Wiccan, …
What is Wicca? A Comprehensive Introduction - Wiccanbrew
Wicca is an ancient yet ever-evolving spiritual practice that seeks to bridge the gap between humanity and the divine. It is a unique and powerful system of beliefs that focuses on honoring …
Wicca for Beginners: Ultimate Guide to Become Wiccan
Oct 31, 2019 · This article is a complete guide on how to get started practicing Wicca for beginners. It covers initiation, covens, magic, spellwork, and more. Skip to content
Discover the Joyful World of Wiccan Spiritual Traditions: A …
1 day ago · Introduction. Wicca is a rich and diverse spiritual tradition that celebrates nature, magic, and the cycle of life. For those new to Wicca or those simply curious about its …
Religions - Paganism: Wicca - BBC
Oct 2, 2002 · Wicca is a Pagan Witchcraft tradition popularised by Gerald Brosseau Gardner. It emphasises spells and rituals and honours a Triple Goddess and a Horned God.
What is Wicca? - Wicca Academy
Jun 16, 2024 · Welcome to Wicca—a modern, nature-based pagan faith. Wicca empowers us to connect deeply with the world around us. We engage in rituals and practices rooted in …
Wicca Overview: History, Beliefs, and Practices | The Pagan Club
Apr 29, 2019 · Wicca Overview: Wicca is a modern pagan, witchcraft-based religion that has gained prominence since its formalization in the mid-20th century. Rooted in ancient spiritual …
