Rating: 
Summary: Impressive book!
Review: Ms. Lipp is a very good writer. She has a very good flow into her words and great knowledge. I have to admit, i was sucked into her pages. Many were wonderful chapters that were written in ways i never heard of, but, well understood. Some topics were advanced (not a lot though), but, her "explaining" was very well detailed and her book didnt read like every other pagan or wiccan author. This book shouldnt be passed up and would have to say its one of the better books on the self this year.
Rating: 
Summary: Even her ex thinks it's great!
Review: Since I've been outed as the author's former husband by another reviewer here, I feel free to speak out on her behalf. Deborah Lipp (*never* Lippman, by the way) is one of the smartest, most passionate, spiritually deep priestesses I have had the honor to work beside. Oh she's opinionated all right (something I've "never" been accused of myself), but her opinions are based on years of experience and experimentation, more than a decade of it with myself and our joint students. Her knowledge of magic, Hinduism, and other Pagan belief systems is thoroughly solid and she brings that knowledge to her writing. She is both a Wiccan and a Druid (as are many Neopagans, including myself), so she knows a great deal about how to do (and not do) public rituals as well as private ones. 90% of what she says will resonate loudly with the British Traditionalist Wiccans on the conservative side of the orthodox-eclectic spectrum of Wiccan practice and belief, yet even those dedicated to the liberal side would do well to get and study this book. While it's true that you "can" do almost anything in ritual, that is precisely why so many rituals are just so very awful so very often. "The Elements of Ritual" should be the second or third (good) book a new Wiccan gets about ritual, and will reward the lifelong practitioner with many "aha!" moments. Have your study group get multiple copies and you'll be set for a year of exciting arguments and self-discoveries. I know I got years of them from her! (G)
Rating:
Summary: Thank you
Review: thank you for a textbook that will be used by my students.
I focus on the structure af ritual and this is the only book that i have seen that goes over what is needed in such a good manner
Rating:
Summary: If you're a Wiccan with a brain, READ THIS.
Review: The cover of this book seems to indicate that _The Elements of Ritual_ is merely a book about the four elements--air, earth, fire, and water--but it turns out to be so much more. The author uses the four elements in a metaphorical way, analyzing what goes on during each part of a Wiccan ritual from the practical point of view (earth), the intellectual (air), the mystical (fire), and the mythological and emotional (water). She dissects the entire ritual, from the pre-ritual preparations to the closing of the circle, from these four points of view. For example, when she gets to the part where the gods are invoked, she talks about gods--what are they anyway?--from all four angles. It's very interesting stuff, and makes a lot of sense. She uses her analysis to form opinions about some of the controversies in the Wiccan community. Wiccans are forever arguing about things like when the Cakes and Wine should be done--mid-ritual? afterward for grounding? Lipp has definite opinions about how things should be done, and while you don't have to agree with everything she says, at least it's refreshing to see someone actually say "This is the way to do it" so that you can *choose* to agree or disagree, rather than floundering about in a sea of "do whatever you want" books that leave everybody confused. All of her opinions are backed up by sound arguments. I wish I'd had this book several years ago, when I was just getting into the Craft. With all those contradictory books on the market, how does one know whether one is picking up bad ritual habits that at best waste energy, and at worst anger the gods? I'm glad to see someone take stands and back them up. This is being touted as an intermediate book. I think that's true, in that most Wiccans who've been around a while could still learn something from this book. I know I did. However, don't let that scare you off if you're a beginner! This insightful guide might help you make sense of some of the more confusing books out there. I'd love it if everyone who wrote about Wicca had opinions as considered as Lipp's.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent theory and philosophy, but horribly narrow-minded.
Review: The Elements of Ritual is a great buddy to Wicca primers. It's about freaking time the elements and know-how have been explained. She goes through the four elements and spirit, why they are what they are, why we use them, and how we can use them effectively in life. She also explains why rituals are set up the way they are, etc. At first, it looks like another primer, but it isn't; where most Wicca books explain ritual and the elements in 1 or 2 pages, The Elements goes through a thorough examination that brings about a complete and total understanding of one of the most important systems of magick. And yes, the four elements + spirit can be found in magickal traditions other than Wicca. Now, on to what I don't like. In this book, Deborah Lipp is *horribly* narrow-minded. She falls under the trap of the one-way-only attitude. The first example I spotted was found at the bottom of page 35: "... I have seen covens using four candles (appropriately colored) to represent the four elements. This strikes me as silly, lazy, and uncreative. Water should represent Water, not something fiery. This is a case of people forgetting the meaning behind the symbol."
How *insulting*. Not only insulting, but childish, and short-sighted. The author seems to overlook the fact that candles are lights. They LIGHT the four elements, they don't FIRE them. Candles are traditional, and easy to see in the dark. I don't think anyone wants to be tripping over bowls of water in the west when it's totally dark. Also, it's immature to nitpick over ritual details, and make a big deal over them. Calling people lazy, uncreative, and silly, just because they do things differently. She seems to have lost a bit of her focus on magick. She tries in the next paragraph to backpedal, but that doesn't change her childish insulting. Grow up.
On page 38, she talks about idols. "You'll still have to choose *one* way to represent them [the Gods] on your altar - otherwise your altar will be hopelessly crowded, and your ritual hopelessly confused." Mrs. Lipp, the Gods aren't confined to ONE method of representation, and the practitioner / worshipper doesn't need to be confined to ONE method of representing them. Altars don't have to be prim and proper - the Gods aren't so petty as to care little about the practitioner's habits of cleanliness. The state of the altar doesn't mysteriously doom or redeem a ritual - it's all in the user, not a piece of furniture. An altar is only as hopeless as the useer deems it to be. The same goes for the ritual.
Pg. 39: "Idols aren't gods, but for the duration of the ritual, they become gods, and they retain a bit of that essence the rest of the time. In ritual, we act as if the idol is in fact the deity, just as we act as if the picture or lock of hair is the person in a magical spell."
Has Mrs. Lipp become confused? First of all, idols do NOT become Gods - the Gods are all about us, and in EVERYTHING. We are the manifestation of the Gods, so her statement is pointless and redundant. Secondly, we don't worship art pieces; we worship the divine around and within. Thirdly, a lock of hair / picture of someone is a LINK, a CONNECTION to the subject. Visualizing an object becoming something / someone else is likened to shape-shifting or magickal cloning.
Mrs. Lipp also compares religions numerous times throughout the book. It's subtle, but it's there. At the end of page 47, she compares the good and evil concepts of Christianity to the polarity system of Wicca. After touching on good and evil, she quickly follows up with "Wicca, however, embraces nature and natural cycles in all her permutations...". Comparing religions is nothing more than poking the bleeding wound, so to speak. There are many, MANY Christians who are also lovers of nature. Pagans aren't the only ones in the world. And, the Christian concept of good and evil is also a polarity; it's not wrong, and it's as valid a concept as the Wiccan polarity of male and female. The only difference is, the polarities of Wicca and Christianity don't agree with each other. But that doesn't mean they're wrong. This is only the surface. I'm not trying to nit-pick, but I want readers to be aware of the good and the bad contained therein. People tend to believe less of the bad, until they're pointed out - which is what I have tried to do. The book isn't bad. It's very useful, and philosophically extensive. This book IS worth reading, it IS worth spending $16.95. The Elements of Ritual does its job well, and goes further - it delivers tips and techniques that are invaluable. The "Emergency Ritual Toolkit" is ingenious, something my idiotic self would have never thought of: a box full of spare ritual supplies, in case you're in the circle and forget to grab the lighter from the kitchen, or if a candle accidentally gets snapped in two. The arrangement of the books sticks to its elemental theme; each chapter is ordered into sections of Earth (How is this done, what are variations of doing something, what are the practical considerations, etc.), Air (explains the topic, the ideas behind it, and so forth), Water (the mythology behind the topic, metaphors, emotional impact, etc.), and Fire (What is the mystical meaning of blah blah blah, how are the Gods involved, meditation, etc. It seems as if I've torn the value of the book to shreds, but it really is worth a look. Just remember to think about what you're reading; many people don't do that anymore.
Rating:
Summary: Advanced Wicca
Review: The Elements Of Ritual is a thorough investigation of advanced Wiccan ritual, an in-depth study for those who are serious about Wicca. The elements and stages of ritual are explained from several angles, i.e. the magical aspects, the mythology behind it, the philosophical and the practical. At the same time alternative and equally valid practical approaches are given. The author provides plenty of examples of writing one's own ritual as well as at least two alternative approaches for every step of each ritual. There are also meditations on the profound meanings behind each stage of the various rituals. A complete ritual text is supplied in the final chapter. The Elements Of Ritual is definitely not for beginners. It delves deep into the esoteric meaning underlying the ritual structure of this ancient religion while not neglecting all the practical applications and choices open to the practitioner. This interesting and detailed work contains illustrations and concludes with a bibliography and an index.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of good information, especially for a coven.
Review: The only thing I didn't like was although the author says what she has written is only to be used as a starting point, there were several occasions when she says that because of experience, her way is the best. A little to preachy for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but flawed
Review: This book has been so heartily endorsed here that my circle decided to make it our fall book to work through. It's an interesting book, and there are some valuable notions in it. But I find myself extremely disappointed with most of it. I haven't found anything terribly novel, and I do see several things I find really off-putting. The biggie is a marked tendency on the part of the author to reject certain ideas or ritual implements out of hand (watches, clicky lighters instead of matches, stick incense instead of loose-in-a-censer, glass bowls) because they "are too modern" or don't fit the "ambiance." I'm sorry, I thought Wicca was a religion, not the ceremonial branch of the SCA! If the world is itself sacred, I don't see why we should be expending so much energy to escape it. Especially the ceramic=okay, glass=modern, which, considering that glassmaking is hardly a new art, I think is just silly. What happened to the need for symbolism to also speak *to you?* Which brings me to Complaint #2, the one-true-wayism. Especially when it comes to things such as the need for billowing clouds of incense, the notion that smudging *must* be accomplished by sage (ever hear of cedar or sweetgrass?), and the sheer *amount* of altar must-haves that she endorses-- oh, and the recommendation that one consider attending ritual slightly intoxicated. I'm more than a bit stunned at the complete lack of recognition of addiction, disability, and allergy issues in the community, and perhaps that's just my Dianic background coming through. Say what you will about fluff, Feminist Craft goes out of its way to make sure rituals are fair, accessible, and participatory; and the things casually brushed over in this book remind me of why. The 9-zillion-candles plus element representations plus other altar bling-bling is just amusing, I suppose the author's coven has a dining room table-sized altar? I also bounce off the idea of trying to make every conceivable concept in the religion of Wicca fit into a four-point perspective-- sometimes it works, but most of the time it seems like an overheated effort to force everything to fit a paradigm for which it is ill-suited. I agree with other reviewers on the question of idols. While the notion of Deity temporarily inhabiting a statue is part and parcel of more than one Reconstructionist path, it doesn't really fit with Wicca, and "opened statues" should be explained far more thoroughly than the fairly light treatment which Ms. Lipp gives to it. I give it a C+.
Rating: 
Summary: Danger Will Robinson Danger!!!
Review: This book uses the ritual and elements to delve deep into the life of the Goddess. It makes the ritual more meaninful and challenging to those participating. It is an excellent book. Put this on your "must read" list.
Rating:
Summary: WOW
Review: This book uses the ritual and elements to delve deep into the life of the Goddess. It makes the ritual more meaninful and challenging to those participating. It is an excellent book. Put this on your "must read" list.
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