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The Circle Within: Creating a Wiccan Spiritual Tradition

The Circle Within: Creating a Wiccan Spiritual Tradition

List Price: $12.95
Your Price: $9.71
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wow
Review: A book that doesn't give the same old fluff, with a couple of spells drivel. I'm impressed and surprised that it took someone this long to actually write a book dedicated to the spirituality of wicca.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Walking the Path
Review: I found this to be a truly exciting book that changed how I viewed the celebration of the divine in my life. It made me realize that you, and you alone, are responsible for how you think and feel. This also means you are the only one responsible for how you express the divine in your life. I await the other books that she is writing. I hope you find it as helpful, enlightening, and joyful as I did.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not much to say
Review: I had high hopes for this book. Do only were the reviews glowing but the first few pages, which I read using "look inside this book", were beautiful. In fact so is the rest of the book. Sylvan is a gifted writer, and her style is the reason for the two stars I did give this book. Unfornately, the wonderfully written words fail to express anything of substance. Sylvan says over and over that Wicca is about daily practice and not monthly festivals, and that is essentially it. On how to incorporate Wicca into your daily life Sylvan basicly says to love all and live in balance. As if this was new advice. The book is also pitifully short - it would probably only take up 50 pages of regular sized paper.

Besides the writing itself, this book does have one saving grace. The book of moonlight. If you thought Sylvan's prose was good, wait til you see her poetry. Though she only gives us a few tidbits to work with, they are treasures.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Beautiful writing
Review: I must compliment the author, they are a brilliant writer, this book was wonderfully poetic, and very easy to read.

For a beginner, someone who's only been practicing a year or two, I'd rate this 4, it's past 101 and will convey some messages that it might otherwise take a good deal of time and practice to realise.

Ultimately though, I was personally disappointed in this book. :(
I'd used the read inside feature and was hooked by the sweetness of the writing, but found it was very lacking in anything new - each time the author said something, I was like, "Yes, very true, in fact she could expand it further by talking about ....". I then realised I've actually been practicing about the as long as the author, and as a I was starting to suspect, sure enough, I found I'd read nearly all the books in her bibliography!
Still, I will definately recommend this to others, as it says a lot of things I would, but written far better than I ever could.
;)

There were generally only a few tiny points I had any quibbles with, the really big one being her discussion of trancendance & immanence.
Zeus isn't any more immanent that Jehovah is in the New Testament. Immanent refers to indwelling, i.e. divinity that is part of us and the world, e.g. "We all come from the Goddess, and to her we shall return, like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean".
Trancendence refers to deity that is seperate, apart, 'the potter but not the pot'. By this definition, Zeus is more Trancendant than Immanent. Zeus is not part of us, not indwelling in the world, Mount Olympus is more unreachable for mere mortals than the Christian Heaven ever was. In her final conclusion, panentheist rather than manifest would be more accurate.

So, anyway, regardless of my disappointments, if you're starting to want a little more than Wicca 101 can offer, this would be a beautiful and inspiring book to read. If you've been practicing a while longer, use that precious search inside feature to check the bibliography!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Solid, not fluffy, enjoyable
Review: I truly enjoyed reading this book. It is an in depth study of creating your own daily Wiccan practice. It's well-written, with unexpected doses of humor. The author has managed to write a book that conveys the depth of affection and respect she has for the Lord and the Lady, without becoming cloying or sycophantic. A good read, one that I would add to any intermediate Wiccan booklist.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally beyond 101!!
Review: I was very pleased with this book. The author does not put on airs. She writes what she knows and practices. She delves into the spirituality of Wicca assuming the reader already has an understanding of 101 topics. This book was a joy to read. I only wish it had been longer!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fills a void in Wiccan literature
Review: I've never written a review for Amazon.com, but had to do one for this book. I came across Dianne's website some time ago & was intrigued with her way of looking at Wicca. When I found out she'd published a book, I tracked it down & was even more profoundly moved by her observations. This is a woman who will make you THINK.

There are many books I've read about Witchcraft & Wicca. Plenty of info on tools, quarter calls, the gods/goddesses, etc. But I found something missing in most of them.

The most basic, essential thing of all: relationship with the Divine & how it affects your life on a very basic level.

There were times during this book where I had to stop & say, "YES! YES!" Cheers for Ms. Sylvan for having the heart & drive to write this book & get it out to the public.

Also, I have to say that the litergy in this book is some of the most beautiful I have ever read. The chapter titled "The Book of Moonlight" is going to be used often in my practices.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fills a void in Wiccan literature
Review: I've never written a review for Amazon.com, but had to do one for this book. I came across Dianne's website some time ago & was intrigued with her way of looking at Wicca. When I found out she'd published a book, I tracked it down & was even more profoundly moved by her observations. This is a woman who will make you THINK.

There are many books I've read about Witchcraft & Wicca. Plenty of info on tools, quarter calls, the gods/goddesses, etc. But I found something missing in most of them.

The most basic, essential thing of all: relationship with the Divine & how it affects your life on a very basic level.

There were times during this book where I had to stop & say, "YES! YES!" Cheers for Ms. Sylvan for having the heart & drive to write this book & get it out to the public.

Also, I have to say that the litergy in this book is some of the most beautiful I have ever read. The chapter titled "The Book of Moonlight" is going to be used often in my practices.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally Somthing Beyond Wicca 101!
Review: If you've been a witch for as long as I have, you've probably begun to despair of finding books that will help you to grow spiritually. I initially became a witch as a result of reading The Politics of Women's Spirituality, Drawing Down the Moon, The Spiral Dance -- books that grabbed my attention and changed my life. And, of course, there are now hundreds of what I'd call Wicca 101 books which re-hash the basics of witchcraft and then provide what I find to be incredibly boring lists of correspondences, cookie-cutter rituals and spells, bland discussions of ethics, etc. And then, almost nothing. (Ellen Reed Canon is one shining exception.) Until now. Dianne Sylvan has written a delightful book for witches who want to develop a daily spiritual practice. And, also surprising in this genre, she really writes very well; reading her clear lucid prose is a pleasure. Suffice it to say that I've copied quite a few quotes from her book into my journal and loaned this book to others within my circle who have also loved it. In particular, I enjoyed Sylvan's discussion of making one's home a temple.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If I could give this book a higher score I would!
Review: It has got to be one of the best books I've ever read on Wiccan spirituality. It certainly covers a lot of very important material no one else has.

While it is based on the Wiccan religion, almost any pagan would get something out of it.


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