The Illustrated Guide To Wicca - Softcover

Grist, Tony; Grist, Aileen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0806927798 ISBN 13: 9780806927794

Publisher: Sterling, 2000

Synopsis

Through ritual and magic, Wiccans seek to better their own lives and the world. Wicca is a religion--but also a craft, with practical things to do, and the secrets that unfold in this manual show how to activate the powers that lie deep within nature and us all. Here are the history, the ethics, the insights, and the gods and goddesses of Wicca all laid out, accompanied with spectacular images. With the tools of the trade, such as candles, incense, the magical knife, and the all-important wand, the work can begin. Set up a temple, and prepare for initiation, either with a coven or alone. Open the circle, raise the energy, make magic and feasts, conduct invocations and evocations, and carry out spells. And, most important, find your own way within Wicca, for there are no set rules--just a journey on the path that's right for you. 128 pages (all in color), 8 x 10.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

When Gerald Gardner, a retired British colonial administrator, introduced Wicca to the world in the 1950s, he compiled a volume of spells, rituals and magical lore that he called the Book of Shadows. The Grists, a British couple who converted to Paganism (he is a former Anglican vicar, she is a magistrate), offer this pleasant and profusely illustrated volume as a Book of Shadows for a new generation. Unlike Gardner, who emphasized group work, the Grists are concerned particularly with the solitary practitioner. Free of dogma, church and liturgy, Wicca is "a do-it-yourself religion," say the Grists. Although they provide a number of sample rituals, the authors urge their readers to "be quirky" and follow their own paths. This book may serve as a signpost to those paths, with brief discussions of spells, deities, temple architecture, annual festivals and other essential information. Even experienced practitioners will value the Grists' sensible advice. For example, the authors suggest their readers forsake pilgrimages to sacred sites in faraway places and instead make their own neighborhoods enchanted spaces. They also note that Wiccans should not drive home after a ritual until they are fully "earthed," lest the spirits make them reckless. The Grists address other sensitive topics with characteristic good humor. While those seeking to move beyond the basics will need a more detailed road map, this illustrated guide is a fine introduction. (July)

Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Sterling
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0806927798
• ISBN 13: 9780806927794
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128