What books do you think should be in every witches' library? I'm looking to expand mine but because I've just bought a house, spending money is out of the question. So, I wanted to share my "Wish List" with all of you and see what you all felt was essential for every witch to have in their library.
Willow's Wish List
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Kin of Ata Are Waiting for You by Dorothy Bryant
The Witches' God by Janet and Stewart Farrar
The Witches' Goddess by Janet and Stewart Farrar
Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner
Real Magic by P.E.I. Bonewits
The Spiral Dance by Starhawk
Ancient Ways: Reclaiming Pagan Traditions by Pauline Campanelli
Aradia: The Gospel of Witches. by Charles Leland (Translation by Mario and Dina Pazzaglini)
An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present by Doreen Valiente
Cunningham's Encylopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham
Dictionary of Ancient Deities by Patricia Turner and Charles Russell Coulter
The Grandmother of Time by Z. Budapest
Wheel of the Year by Pauline Campanelli
The White Goddess by Robert Graves
I know there are a few books on here that I really should own by now. I just haven't gotten around to buying them as I've been busy reading some of the more obscure authors out there as well as the blogs of my fellow readers. This list comes from a book called Dedicant: A Witch's Circle of Fire by Thuri Calafia. I'm a little beyond the material covered in the book but its interesting to look at a beginners book that takes a different persepective on the path. I'm enjoying the read but I wanted to here from others out there. So, what do you think of this list? What should I already have/must have on my shelf? Have you read any of these books? What did you think of the ones you've read?
Showing posts with label Scott Cunningham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scott Cunningham. Show all posts
12 November, 2010
30 April, 2010
Beltane
May Eve and May Day or Beltane is one of the four fire festivals in the wheel of the year. It is a celebration of the sexual union between the Lord and the Lady and is the point where the Lady becomes pregnant with the Lord and he will be reborn at Yule. The May Pole is the most prevalent symbol of Beltane, but there are other ways to celebrate the coming together of the Goddess and the God. Even though I'm not a technically a solitary, building a Maypole at my parent's house is not exactly feasible, so I needed a few alternatives. So, I opened up my copy of Scott Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and found a much more do-able ceremony for Beltane.
If you do not own Cunningham's Guide for Solitary Practitioner, I strongly recommend getting a copy. It was one of the first three books I purchased when I started my "official" path last summer. Of all the rituals I've read for Beltane, his is my favorite. He recommends celebrating in a forest or near a living tree and then cast your circle. The rest of the ritual is posted below:
Create a small token or charm in honor of the wedding of the Goddess and the God to hang upon the tree. You can make several if you desire. These tokens can be bags filled with fragrant flowers, strongs of beads, carvings, flower garlands - whatever your talens and imagination can conjure. Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer and cast your circle.
Then, say the following blessing:
If you do not own Cunningham's Guide for Solitary Practitioner, I strongly recommend getting a copy. It was one of the first three books I purchased when I started my "official" path last summer. Of all the rituals I've read for Beltane, his is my favorite. He recommends celebrating in a forest or near a living tree and then cast your circle. The rest of the ritual is posted below:
Create a small token or charm in honor of the wedding of the Goddess and the God to hang upon the tree. You can make several if you desire. These tokens can be bags filled with fragrant flowers, strongs of beads, carvings, flower garlands - whatever your talens and imagination can conjure. Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer and cast your circle.
Then, say the following blessing:
Invoke the Goddess and the God:May the powers of The One,
the source of all creation;
all-pervasive, omnipoten, eternal;
may the Goddess,
the Lady of the Moon;
and the God,
Horned Hunter of the Sun;
may the power of the Spirits of the Stones,
rulers of the elemental realms;
may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
bless this place, and this time, and I who am with You.
Stand before the altar and say, with wand (or hands) raised:
Gracious Goddess,
You who are the Queen of the Gods,
the lamp of night,
the creator of all that is wild and free;
Mother of woman and man;
lover of the Horned God and protectress of all.
Descend, I pray,
with Your Lunar ray of power
upon my circle here!
Blazing God,
You Who are the King of the Gods
Lord of the Sun,
master of all that is wild and free;
Father of woman and man,
Lover of the Moon Goddess and protector of all.
Descend, I pray,
with Your Solar ray of power
upon my circle here!
Place the token(s) on the tree.O Mother Goddess, Queen of the night and of the Earth;
O Father God, King of the day and of the forests,
I celebrate Your union as nature rejoices in a ritous
blaze of color and life. Accept my gift, Mother Goddess
and Father God, in honor of Your union.
Enjoy Cakes and Wine and close the Circle.From Your mating shall spring forth life anew;
a profusion of living creatures shall cover the lands,
and the winds will blow pure and sweet.
O Ancient Ones, I celebrate with You!
Blessed Beltane Everyone!
Labels:
Beltane,
green witchery,
rituals,
Scott Cunningham,
spells,
wicca
