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Summary: A Witchcraft Tradition and Political Manifesto
Review: Miriam Samos (Starhawk) documents her twenty years of growth in Witchcraft and feminism in "The Spiral Dance...". Ms. Samos provides excellent detail concerning the rituals of her Witchcraft Tradition, and includes a number of contemporary reference citations."The Spiral Dance..." is as much a political manifesto as about Witchcraft. Ms. Samos' repeatedly discusses the shortcomings of "patriarchal" politics and religions, stating that matriarchal religions are more equitable. Yet unlike Wicca (where the God and the Goddess are worshiped equally), the God and men are relegated to a weak supporting role in "The Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess". Ms. Samos' includes 52 pages of her tenth and twentieth anniversary notes in a separate, appendix-like section. This arrangement places the notes out of context. The notes belong as footnotes within the main text. I recommend this book. "The Spiral Dance..." provides detailed insight into Witchcraft not available in other books.
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Summary: My first Witchy Book..
Review: Like many others this is the first ever Witchy book I laid my eyes and mind upon. The Creation Myth within the book is what did it for me .. it was beautiful, poetic, inspiring. Unlike the 'Christian' one I was brought up to 'believe'. Even tho' I am now (after 4 or so yrs) no longer Wiccan (per say) I still use it for the Elemental Meditations and other various exercises. It's well worth getting not just for the information and insights but for the exercises which have helped me more than once! I especially like Starhawk's insights into how she has grown/changed in the time after the book was first published.
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Summary: Up for some exercises?
Review: With the exception of chapter two, this book is actually pretty good. The only problem I had with chapter two (The World View of Witchcraft) and some other parts of the book was the psychological references. Start talking about my different "Selfs" and I start to blank out. I got over the feminist perspective fairly quickly and found the book to be rather entertaining. Spiral Dance is a very positive, peaceful, calming look at Witchcraft. I don't think it would have killed Starhawk to include some more information on the God in chapter 6, but something is better than nothing. I could see this book being very empowering for a woman, but for the male it could do either of two things. The book could make men get upset about the excessive feminism, or feel closer and more in touch with the Goddess aspect of Divinity. I'm glad to say I fit into the latter category. I really like the 20th anniversary edition for the fact that I can read her comments from ten and twenty years after she wrote the book. It's interesting to see the different ideas between 70's Starhawk, 80's Starhawk, and 90's Starhawk. The book has a lot of good exercises for the beginner and those who really like to do exercises. Not a good starting point for the absolute beginner, but defiantly something for someone fairly comfortable with the basics of the Craft. A great book.
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Summary: A [poor] book, but it suits a certain mindset
Review: I have to give this book two reviews. The first one is from my perspective when I first bought it and the second one is my take on the book now. When I bought this book, I was just getting used to the fact that I didn't believe in Jesus anymore. I was looking for something that was spiritual but not didactic. It said a lot of what I was thinking. Western religion was too extroverted, Eastern religion was too introverted, and there needed to be a bridge. REligions were sexist. Many of the myths of religions seemed absurd and Starhawk was telling me that they were metaphors. There were also ceremonies, mystical beliefs and the sense of wonder. It was the perfect book for someone looking for something to believe in. Now, I can't believe I believed in this [book]. Most of her ideas are stolen from Judaism (Spiral Dance = Hora, lunar cycles is a Jewish practice and has nothing to do with menstruation) and the more flaky aspects of Jungian psychology (the feminine is gentle. The masculine is aggressive - yeah right! Have you seen women fight? Any episode of Jerry Springer can disprove this trite little theory) and her history is laughable. Once upon a time, says the author, there was a beautiful Matriarchy where women ruled and men were subserviant or at least agreeable but then bad men decided to make a patriarchy. She even glosses over human sacrifice as "symbolic" as if the hill of baby skulls unearthed on archaeological digs around pagan holy sites are "symbolic" baby skulls. As far as "make-it-up-as-you-go-along" spirituality this is a classic. As for serious scholarship, this is fluff. As for feminism, this book is useless, worse than useless - counterproductive. Instead of fighting for jobs, equal pay, child care and reproductive freedom, women are being told to channel the goddess and make a big deal out of menstruation cycles. It is a nice voice to add to the debate, but it has become a prevalent voice. For a better critique of goddess religions see Rene Denfeld's "The New Victorians", for a history of modern paganism, check out Margot Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon" which actually has some serious scholarship and tries to avoid making things up. (Then again, are you going to accuse Adler's granddaughter of being a flaky Jungian? I don't think so.) If you are questioning your religious beliefs, you might like this book.
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Summary: wonderful for beginner and advanced alike
Review: It was one of my first books on wicca and the goddess religion and I go to it for reference often.It is wonderfully balanced:it covers the religion and it covers the magickal aspects of wicca too,with excellent exercise for beginners and advanced,if you want to buy a book on goddess religion buy this one.I also recommend the annyversary edition of this book,that is updated,and the books by silver ravenwolf and patricia telesco. Antonella
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Summary: Overcomes my reservations about earlier editions...
Review: I encountered this book when I was fourteen years old, back in the days when this was possibly the most individual-oriented, approachable book about modern Paganism you could find. Since then, I've worn out the covers and dog-eared every page. Starhawk's approach to magick is the most rational, socially responsible one I've seen. Reading Spiral Dance, I never forgot that what's being described isn't just a self-help system, a political movement, or a system of ritual magick, but a religion. But about ten years ago, I stopped recommending this book. The historical sources Starhawk used in 1979 were accepted then, but they've since been thoroughly discredited, and I didn't feel comfortable with the idea that all the beautiful poetic discussion of Faith rested on a flimsy (even false) interpretation of Fact. Now that the twentieth anniversary edition (with explanatory notes and updates to the history) is out, I can recommend this book with a clear conscience and a glad heart.
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Summary: Beginning the Magickal path
Review: "The Sprial Dance" was the first book I read when I became serious about learning more about Wicca and neo-Paganism. I found this book extraordinary. It is filled with simple rituals, great information and excellent details to perform more complex rituals and magickal workings as skill and knowledge progress. Starhawk is a fabulous writer and I look forward to reading more of her works. I emphatically recommend this book to anyone on the Pagan path, whether you are just beginning or have been on it for some time.
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Summary: Absolutely Essential Pagan Reading
Review: The Spiral Dance is a complex myriad of thoughts, dreams, creation and spiritual exercises that can challenge even the most experienced magical practicioners. This is not a light'n'fluffy read, definitely not a basic introduction to witchcraft, wicca or paganism in any of its forms. For many years, this book was the only widely available text on the Great Goddess' religion and, with two updates to the original work, remains relevant to this day. This book challenges the reader to take their spiritual path more seriously and can be a truly life-changing and mind-expanding experience. All readers can find exercises to suit them. The feminist aspects teaches respect for the feminine to both men and women, being honest and confronting without going to excess. I'd recommend this to anyone seeking to find/understand themselves and their spiritual path, though I would also recommend that this is not a starting point but a way to expand your knowledge and practices. Beginners would be better off looking at Scott Cunningham and Jennifer Hunter for beginners guides. Fiona Horne's books are fantastic guides, with extra info for those of us in the southern hemisphere. Blessed be!
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Summary: i loved it
Review: i notice how alot of people say this book is feminist,i disagree she acknowledges the god(which alot of wiccans dont do including males) and she acknowledges males. she also said that she believes that a matrichial society would just be as damaging to males and females as a patrichicial one. how exercises are excellent especially the tools meditation ones, she has a wonderful style of writing. most definetely a must on every witch's bookshelf
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Summary: Wonderful... Excellent.. Yet not for Beginners
Review: This book was highly poetic, it did not talk down to readers, it was not a school 'how to' text book, and it has much highly useful information. The book cleared me up about 'polarality' and it explained all female covens and co-ed covens very honestly. The information in the back is helpful and so are the books that Starhawk has used. It should be noted that she is an ecofeminist before readers venture to this book. And if one does not have previous knowledge about Witchcraft they are likely to get lost. I don't see how this book 'bashes' men and though Starhawk does get very opinionated she is open and unlike many other authors make it seem like her way is the 'Only right way to do things' as many other traditions do. Overall, every Witch should read this book, though it is not perfect (not that any book is) it clears up many issues and gives a different and brighter perspective on the Craft.
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