Wiccan Beliefs & Practices

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but could have been better
Review: Gary Cantrell's Wiccan Beliefs & Practices covers the basic tenants of modern Wicca, whether practicing as solitary witch or with a small coven. The book's authored by a Wiccan High Priest and covers ethics, codes, how to develop personal spells and rituals, and the legal protection of Wicca as a religion: all topics seldom covered in competing titles.

Rating:
Summary: Not that Bad
Review: Hello All. I bought this as one of my beginner books. Yes it is about his beliefs however it is a good reference book. I did find his charts very useful, and there is humor along the way. I think the worst author out there is Edian McCoy. I agree that some of the stuff he has no use for is stuff I will have use for but when reading there are books that have a few great chapter and a couple that stink. Too bad you cannot make a single out of the chapters that you you want. Like they do with CD Singles.

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars compared to many other Wiccan guides
Review: I really like Gary Cantrell as an author because he's one of the few Wiccan writers who aren't all childish and bubbly with their constant "I can't express in words the amount of joy and peace I feel each and everyday" phrases. It's like...heh, yeah, I went through that phase too. He covers rituals for the holidays which I was hopelessly clueless about before reading this book. A big plus to this was that it contained a lot of information that I thought was really useful and yet it's generally the same price as some other Wiccan books that I didn't like so much. Gary Cantrell is conveniently to the point and often reminds readers that what he's saying is only his opinion and not fact. A good read.

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars compared to many other Wiccan guides
Review: I really like Gary Cantrell as an author because he's one of the few Wiccan writers who aren't all childish and bubbly with their constant "I can't express in words the amount of joy and peace I feel each and everyday" phrases. It's like...heh, yeah, I went through that phase too. He covers rituals for the holidays which I was hopelessly clueless about before reading this book. A big plus to this was that it contained a lot of information that I thought was really useful and yet it's generally the same price as some other Wiccan books that I didn't like so much. Gary Cantrell is conveniently to the point and often reminds readers that what he's saying is only his opinion and not fact. A good read.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but could have been better
Review: The majority of information contained here was quite good. What stood out in my mind the most was that the author, at the beginning of each new topic, stated that "this was only his way". By the fourth chapter, I wanted to ring him up to tell him never to do that again. It really took away from the book. He could have stated in the introduction -- JUST ONCE -- that this book was about "his" wicca and that would have been fine. It drove me batty.

Overall, it's a fine book. He covers some great topics (like coming out) and it's a nice, fluffy beginning book. I honestly believe had the author put a lot more effort into this, it could have been wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: Good for beginners...
Review: This book is pretty good for those just starting out. Lots of information, and the graphs and such are great. The author gives descriptions of different Wiccan traditions, without telling you that there is one that you NEED to follow. I think the book is geared more towards the solitary, and will be useful to anyone beginning their walk down the Wiccan path.

Rating:
Summary: Good for beginners and curious non-wiccans, too
Review: This was my first book on Wicca or paganism as a modern spiritual practice. I was doing religious research when I picked it up; I was not Wiccan and did not become one until I had done further research and meditation, but this was the book that answered my initial questions and got me started on the path I walk today.

The book covers definitions of Wicca and of Diety and then talks about Wiccan ethics, then ritual preparation, then rituals and holy days themselves, all before a single mention is made of spellcasting. This is the way it should be: Wicca is first and foremost a way of life. Magic(k) is always secondary.

The author shares some personal stories and devotes an entire chapter to "the humorous side," reminding us never to take ourselves too seriously. He also includes a chapter on "coming out of the broom closet," which, though not applicable for everyone, does cover the pros and cons of telling people who you are, and some of the basic legal aspects as well (opposition to pagans, pagan alliances in various communities such as the military, legal protection of Wicca as a religion in the U.S.) These chapters seem to get criticized a lot, but I was grateful for their inclusion (especially when I chose the Wiccan path and needed to worry about those subjects.)

Appendices at the back include two versions of the Rede, the Charges of Goddess and God, some nice examples of ritual invocations (the author encourages writing your own if you can), and a (very) "general dictionary of gods and goddesses." The bibliography includes some good websites (and great books) that can help you network with other pagans.

All in all this book is a great resource (and a very modern one -- 2001), whether you're looking for the right path, already following the Wiccan one, or interested in finding out what it is Wiccans do. It's necessarily more focused on the author's tradition (which is a sort of eclectic), but he stresses that there is no single correct path and encourages experimentation and further reading.

A big plus: the cover and the title aren't annoying or completely stupid like so many of the Pagan/Wiccan books I see. I love to read, but I'm embarrassed to be seen with some of those titles! With this one, no worries.

Rating:
Summary: Good for beginners and curious non-wiccans, too
Review: This was my first book on Wicca or paganism as a modern spiritual practice. I was doing religious research when I picked it up; I was not Wiccan and did not become one for quite a while, but this was the book that answered my initial questions and got me started on the path I walk today.

The book covers definitions of Wicca and of Diety and then talks about Wiccan ethics, then ritual preparation, then rituals and holy days themselves, all before a single mention is made of spellcasting. This is the way it should be: Wicca is first and foremost a way of life. Magic(k) is always secondary.

The author shares some personal stories and devotes an entire chapter to "the humorous side," reminding us never to take ourselves too seriously. He also includes a chapter on "coming out of the broom closet," which, though not applicable for everyone, does cover the pros and cons of telling people who you are, and some of the basic legal aspects as well (opposition to pagans, pagan alliances in various communities such as the military, legal protection of Wicca as a religion in the U.S.) These chapters seem to get criticized a lot, but I was grateful for their inclusion (especially when I chose the Wiccan path and needed to worry about those subjects.)

Appendices at the back include two versions of the Rede, the Charges of Goddess and God, some nice examples of ritual invocations (the author encourages writing your own if you can), and a (very) "general dictionary of gods and goddesses." The bibliography includes some good websites (and great books) that can help you network with other pagans.

All in all this book is a great resource (and a very modern one -- 2001), whether you're looking for the right path, already following the Wiccan one, or interested in finding out what it is Wiccans do. It's necessarily more focused on the author's tradition (which is a sort of eclectic), but he stresses that there is no single correct path and encourages experimentation and further reading.

A big plus: the cover and the title aren't annoying or completely stupid like so many of the Pagan/Wiccan books I see. I love to read, but I'm embarrassed to be seen with some of those titles! With this one, no worries.

Rating:
Summary: Good for beginners and curious non-wiccans, too
Review: This was my first book on Wicca or paganism as a modern spiritual practice. I was doing religious research when I picked it up; I was not Wiccan and did not become one until I had done further research and meditation, but this was the book that answered my initial questions and got me started on the path I walk today.

The book covers definitions of Wicca and of Diety and then talks about Wiccan ethics, then ritual preparation, then rituals and holy days themselves, all before a single mention is made of spellcasting. This is the way it should be: Wicca is first and foremost a way of life. Magic(k) is always secondary.

The author shares some personal stories and devotes an entire chapter to "the humorous side," reminding us never to take ourselves too seriously. He also includes a chapter on "coming out of the broom closet," which, though not applicable for everyone, does cover the pros and cons of telling people who you are, and some of the basic legal aspects as well (opposition to pagans, pagan alliances in various communities such as the military, legal protection of Wicca as a religion in the U.S.) These chapters seem to get criticized a lot, but I was grateful for their inclusion (especially when I chose the Wiccan path and needed to worry about those subjects.)

Appendices at the back include two versions of the Rede, the Charges of Goddess and God, some nice examples of ritual invocations (the author encourages writing your own if you can), and a (very) "general dictionary of gods and goddesses." The bibliography includes some good websites (and great books) that can help you network with other pagans.

All in all this book is a great resource (and a very modern one -- 2001), whether you're looking for the right path, already following the Wiccan one, or interested in finding out what it is Wiccans do. It's necessarily more focused on the author's tradition (which is a sort of eclectic), but he stresses that there is no single correct path and encourages experimentation and further reading.

A big plus: the cover and the title aren't annoying or completely stupid like so many of the Pagan/Wiccan books I see. I love to read, but I'm embarrassed to be seen with some of those titles! With this one, no worries.

Rating:
Summary: SAY WHAT!?
Review: While not the greatest book on Wicca that I've ever read, it most definitely was not the worst (take Ravenwolf's Teen Witch for that title!). While a lot of his sources are in doubt and his history is a bit murky, the basics are pretty solid, though in some areas it grows a bit weak. And he warns in the very beginning that this book is about HIS beliefs and practices that he's developed throughout the years, which is something that is encouraged in Wicca: individuality. If you're a beginner, don't read this as your first book. And if you're past beginner, there's nothing new in here; it gets pretty redundant. But if you're in that middle phase, past feeling your way through but not quite walking confidently in the dark, this could help you through.