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Wicca/Witchcraft Resources
Compiled by George KnowlesAs we have quite a number of new members to the group who are also new to 'Wicca and the Craft of the Wise', I thought to put together a list of resources that may help you in your search for more information. A list like this however cannot be definitive, based as it is on my own preferences. You will find for instance I may have left out many popular authors and titles that others would strenuously advocate, but that is just the nature of things, what's good for one person may not be good for another. The best advice I would give to anyone is to shop around and pick on what suits you best. Many people seem to think that Wicca and Witchcraft is a figment of the imagination, something born out of Hollywood, they cannot comprehend it as the ‘Spiritual Path’ that it is. As such it requires diligent hard work, sincerity, discipline and persistence, if it is to work for you. You need to know that there are good and bad resources out there, as well as good and bad authors and teachers. There are also many defaulters who would lead you astray for their own gain, selling what many of us would call "Witchcrap". So don’t just take my word for it: read, research and question all that you find. Most of the books I mention below I have in my own library, those marked with the ( * ), I have been advised are well worth a mention and are on my 'books to get' list. But first let us consider two questions: “Where can I find information about ‘real’ witches and witchcraft”, and “How and where can I find or buy books on the subject?” In answer to the first, if you have a computer your life is made easier, but so much more complicated because it. There is so much information available on the WWW that again I would advise caution before you accept what you see, hear or read. When surfing sites, apply your own questioning judgment as to what is true, false or fiction. There are many good search-engines you can use to aid your research, my own preference and the one I use the most is: http://www.google.com/ Simply key in a word like ‘Witchcraft’ and you’ll be surprised at the amount of options it will find for you, refine your keyword for more advanced searches. “How and where can I find books on the subject?” The first place to start is the occult reference section of your local library, but these often tend to be depleted and unless you know the authors name, title and ISBN number, to order books in can take an inordinate amount of time. The same thing can apply to bookshops, while some may carry a small selection of the more contemporary bestsellers, Scott Cunningham, Starhawk and others, you’ll need to search out specialist 'Occult shops' for anything more advanced and sadly these are few and far between. The best place to search of books therefore is once again on the WWW, and you will of course need a credit card. Aside from the main online-bookstores like http://www.amazon.co.uk/ (or amazon.com) and http://barnesandnoble.com/, here’s one of my favourite places to look: http://abebooks.com/ This is an excellent site, I found most of the books in my own library here. It has a huge searchable database of second-hand and hard to get books available in the UK and USA. You also have the option to buy through Abe and they pay the bookseller, or you can contact the bookseller direct and buy through them. Another place you can find some real bargains is from auction sites, here’s three I have used with good results in the past: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WICCANSHOPPERS/ http://www.epaganauctions.com/ Finally, before I get into the main list of resources, a little advice about on-line shopping. Many of the larger sites mentioned above i.e. Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Ebay etc, also have subsidiary sites in different countries. “Why should I buy from the USA when I can get the same book in the UK and save on shipping and postage, vis-à-vis? Diligence in your research can save you pennies” :-) Introductory Books:The Truth About Witchcraft Today by Scott Cunningham (about Scott Cunningham) Wicca: Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham Living Wicca by Scott Cunningham Earth, Air, Fire & Water - By Scott Cunningham What Witches Do - By Stewart Farrar (about Stewart Farrar) Earth Magic - By Marion Weinstein Principles of Wicca - By Vivianne Crowley (about Vivianne Crowley Witchcraft for tomorrow - By Doreen Valiente (about Doreen Valiente) *Wiccan Magick: Inner Teachings of the Craft - by Raven Grimassi General Practice:A Witches' Bible - By Janet and Stewart Farrar (about Janet Farrar) *Modern Magick - By Donald Michael Kraig* The Tree, The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft - By Raymond Buckland (about Ray Buckland) Witta - An Irish Pagan Tradition - By Edain McCoy Candle Magic - By Phillip Cooper Rune Magic - By Donald Tyson *Wiccan Magick: Inner Teachings of the Craft - By Raven Grimassi* *Witchcrafting - By Phyllis Curott* *Covencraft - By Amber K* *True Magick - By Amber K* *Positive Magick By Marion Weinstein* *Magical Rites from the Crystal Well By Ed Fitch* Rituals and Sabbats:A Witches' Bible - By Janet and Stewart Farrar *The Goddess Celebrates - By Diane Stein* *The Wheel of the Year - By Pauline Campanelli* Relating to Men:Wicca for Men - By A.J. Drew *The Flowering Rod - By Kenny Klein* *His Story - By Nicholas Mann* More Advanced Reading:The Golden Dawn - By Israel Regardie (about Israel Regardie), others books include: How to Make and Use Talismans *A Garden of Pomegranates (an Outline of the Qabalah) *The Tree of Life (a Study in Magic) *The Art of True Healing *The Middle Pillar *The Philosopher's Stone (a Modern Comparative Approach to Alchemy from the Psychological & Magical Points of View) *The Art and Meaning of Magic *A Practical Guide to Geomantic Divination *Foundations of Practical Magic (an Introduction to Qabalistic, Magical and Meditative Techniques) *Ceremonial Magic (a Guide to the Mechanisms of Ritual)
Psychic Self-Defence - By Dion Fortune (about Dion Fortune) The Cloud upon the Sanctuary – By Carl von Exkartshausen (see Carl von Exkartshausen). The Golden Bough - By James George Frazer (about George Frazer) The Key of Solomon the King (Clavicula Salomonis) - By S. Liddell MacGregor Mathers (about MacGregor Mathers) The Magus (A Complete System of Occult Philosophy) - By Francis Barrett (see Francis Barrett) Understanding Chaos Magic - By Jaq D. Hawkins Magick in Theory & Practice - By Aleister Crowley (about Aleister Crowley) The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts - By Arthur Edward Waite (see Arthur Edward Waite) The Satanic Witch - By Anton Szandor LaVey (see Anton Szandor LaVey) Gods and Goddesses:*The White Goddess - by Robert Graves (see Robert Graves). *The God of the Witches - by Janet and Stewart Farrar *365 Goddess – by Patricia Telesco *The Book of Goddesses and Heroines - by Patricia Monaghan (an excellent encyclopedic type resource on Goddesses and Heroines) *The Hebrew Goddess - by Raphael Patai *The Dark God - by Nicholas Mann *His Story - by Nicholas Mann *Mysteries of the Dark Moon - by Demetra George (an excellent resource on Goddesses, the Mysteries of Renewal and especially Dark Goddesses) Reference Books:Cunningham's Encyclopedia Of Magical Herbs - By Scott Cunningham, also: Cunningham's Encyclopedia Of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft by Rosemary Guiley Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft - By Raven Grimassi Animal-Speak (The Spiritual & Magical Powers of Creatures Great & Small) - By Ted Andrews (see Ted Andrews) Buckland's Complete Book Of Witchcraft - By Raymond Buckland Tree Wisdom (The definitive guidebook to the myth, folklore and healing power of Trees) - By Jacqueline Memory Paterson Relating to History:A History of Witchcraft (Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans) - By Jeffrey B, Russell Malleus Maleficarum - By Jacobus Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer, translated by Montague Summers (about Montague Summers) The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology - By Rossell Hope Robbins (an excellent resource on the “Acts and Laws’ governing the ‘Witch-Trials’, and the infamous people responsible for them”. The Geography of Witchcraft - By Montague Summers The History of Witchcraft and Demonology - By Montague Summers The Triumph Of The Moon - By Ronald Hutton Wiccan Roots - By Philip Heselton Witchcraft a History - By P.G. Maxwell-Stuart Mythology:Dictionary of Roman Religion - By Lesley Adkins & Roy A. Adkins European Myth & Legend - By Mike Dixon-Kennedy Oxford Dictionary of World Mythology - By Arthur Cotterall Who's Who in Non-Classical Mythology - By Egerton Sykes Who's Who in the Ancient World - By Betty Radice Magazines and Periodicals:Enchante - http://www.herodotus.com/ Sagewoman - Price $18 - PO Box 641, Point Arena, CA 95618 The Beltane Papers - http://www.thebeltanepapers.net/ - Price $13 - 1333 Lincoln St. #240, Bellingham, WA 98226 Green Egg - (Church of All Worlds) - http://www.greenegg.org/ Green Man The Pagan Dawn (UK) - http://www.paganfed.demon.co.uk/pagandawn/home.htm - Price £12.00 for annual subscription Circle Network News - http://www.circlesanctuary.org/circle/index.htm - Price $13 - PO Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 Of A Like Mind - Price $13-33 - PO Box 6012, Madison, WI 53716 The Pomegranate - http://www.interchg.ubc.ca/fmuntean/ Thesmophoria - Price $13 - 5856 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618 Obsidian - http://www.madstone.com/ Common Boundary: Spirituality and Psychology The Crone Chronicles - http://www.cronechronicles.com/ Broomstick: By, For and About Women Over Forty Connections - http://www.cuups.org/content/publications/connectintro.html Waxing & Waning - http://www.purplepentacle.com/w&w/main.html Online Resources and Organizations:http://www.controverscial.com/ - How could I not include this somewhere :-) This is my own site and contains basic information about Wicca and Witchcraft. Some of it's highlights include: a series of articles on Tree's based on the Celtic tree calendar, and a whole host of biographies making up a veritable 'Who's Who of Witchcraft past and present’, many of the above links ‘about authors’ will take you here :-) http://www.witchvox.com/- This is a mayor site documenting many current events & info about Pagans. Want to know what's happening in your area, or looking for a resource, here's the place to seek and find it. http://www.cog.org - Covenant of the Goddess (CoG). This is an internationally recognized Wiccan church with an organization of Wiccan clergy, covens and solitaries. They have chapters (called “Councils”) that work in major Cities and local areas (currently concentrated in the Bay Area, Orange County and Los Angeles). Politically they are proactive and have social and professional networking for Education, Legal Assistance, Information and Referrals. They advocate and support Clergy and Elder’s, and perform and give out Handfasting Certificates. There’re Interfaith Network provides representatives for Paganism at World Religious Conferences, and there’re Children's services includes the Boy Scouts Of America Paganism merit badge, and the 'Hart & Crescent Award'. Each year they sponsor and hold a National Festival on Labour Day weekend, alternating the festivals sites between the East coast, Midwest and the West coast area’s. For further information contact: Covenant of the Goddess PO Box
1226 Berkeley, CA 94701 http://www.circlesanctuary.org/ - Circle Sanctuary is a Pagan sanctuary with a working herb farm situated on a two hundred acre nature reserve located between Mt. Horeb and Barneveld in Wisconsin. Selena Fox aided by Jim Alan and a small group of pagan friends, founded circle in 1974. In 1978, Circle was incorporated as a non-profit religious organization and became a legally recognized church. That same year Circle Network was started with the aim of providing a national and international contact service while organizing and coordinating festivals and gatherings. Their newsletter 'Circle Network News' was then distributed to provide up-to-date news and information to individuals and groups within the movement, while at the same time doing much to dispel the myths and untruths propagated by the media at large to the general public. In the early 80's, Selena was joined by Dennis Carpenter who she married in 1986, and together they continue to head the organization. Through Circle Sanctuary they are sponsors of the 'Pagan Spirit Alliance' (PSA) and give active support to the 'Pagan Spirit Gathering' (PSG) each year in Wisconsin. Circle also sponsors the 'Lady Liberty League’, which supports religious freedom for all Pagans. Through the League, help can be gained with Legal, Financial, Magickal and Emotional support in cases of civil rights violations. From its farm, Circle provides many services through their Social, Educational and Networking facilities including: Intensive training courses for Pagan ministers and a School for Priestesses (established in 1986). As ministers themselves, Selena, Dennis and others perform Handfastings (Weddings), Blessings, Funerals and 'life passage' ceremonies both at the farm and up and down the country. In 1992, they formed the 'Pagan Academic Network', the first inter-traditional network for Pagan scholars who participate in numerous academic seminars, networks and conferences in efforts to re-establish Paganism as an area of academic interest. For more information contact: PSA c/o Circle Box 219 Mt. Horeb, WI 53572 USA Tel: 608-924-2216.
http://www.paganfed.demon.co.uk/about_us.htm - The Pagan Federation (UK) is the leading organization supporting Paganism in the U.K., founded in 1971 to provide information on Paganism by countering the many misconceptions about the religion. The Federation works for the rights of Pagans to worship freely without censure as decreed in 'Article 18' of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public and in private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance". The Pagan Federation publishes a quarterly magazine called the 'Pagan Dawn', formerly known as 'The Wiccan', an influential periodical founded in 1968 by one of the Federations founding members, the late 'John Score'. Under his guidance in the late 60's, the Wiccan rose to prominence in both Britain and the United States as one of the worlds leading journals on Paganism. In collaboration with groups from Britain and the US, Score then played a key role in the formation of the 'Pagan Way' in America, and in 1971 it's counter part in Britain the 'Pagan Front'. The Pagan Front however, evolved separately from the Pagan Way, and eventually changed its name to the Pagan Federation. The Wiccan remained the means of dissemination for the Pagan Front/Federation, before changing it's name to the Pagan Dawn. Through-out the year, the Pagan Federation sponsors and arranges private (members-only) meetings, as well as public orientated events up and down the country. The highlight of these events is the Annual Conference held normally in November, which attracts an international gathering. The aim of the Federation is to provide information and contact between Pagan groups and genuine seekers of the Old Religion. To promote contact and dialogue between the various branches of Paganism in Britain and Europe, as well as other Pagan organizations world-wide, and to provide practical support and effective information to members of the public, the media, public bodies and government administrations. The Three Principles of the Pagan Federation are: Love for and Kinship with Nature. Reverence for the life force and its ever-renewing cycles of life and death. The Pagan Ethic: "If it harms none, do what thou wilt". This is a positive morality expressing the belief in individual responsibility for discovering one's own true nature and developing it fully, in harmony with the outer world and community. Recognition of the Divine, which transcends gender by acknowledging both the female and male aspect of Deity. Membership to the Federation is restricted to persons over the age of 18 years, who agree with the above Three Principles. For further information contact: The Secretary The Pagan Federation London WC1N 3XX United Kingdom Email: secretary@paganfed.demon.co.uk
To be continued. |
