36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wicca Spirituality Explored, Mar 29 2003
By Boudica - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Devoted To You (Paperback)
This book explores the spirituality associated with Wicca. It is an examination of the exploration of personal experience with Deity.
The book is broken down into four sections. Each section takes one of the four Sabats not associated with the seasonal change. It explores a personal relationship between the Sabat, the person and the Deity of their choice. Covered here are Samhain/Anubis by Geoffrey W. Miller, Imbolc/Brigit by Aexei Kondratiev, Beltaine/Aphrodite by Maureen Reddington-Wilde and Lammas/Gia by Judy Harrow.
The aspects of the Deity chosen are discussed and the myths and legends surrounding the particular deity are told. The associations as seen by the person with their personal Deity and the connection between the Deity and the Sabat chosen are all covered in depth and on a personal level. These are intimate looks at how these people celebrate Deity and how they connect with and are guided by their chosen Gods and Goddesses.
There are stories of the Deities, discussions on personal connections and personal experiences. The book also includes rituals of connection to these Deities. The spirituality of these relationships are explored in depth, making this book unique in its content. This book carries the reader into very personal spiritual experiences almost allowing the reader to feel the connection between the writer and Deity.
This is a book of sharing as no other book I've seen lately. The emphasis is on what Wicca should be all about; the spirituality and the connection between individual and Deity. The writers carry this over from personal experience into life, community and into the earth itself.
We don't see many books of this nature on the market. I wish we had more like this. It is well written, covers many different aspects of the topic and even has an index for reference.
This is an essential book to add to your library no matter what your level of practice or length of time on your path. And if you are just starting out, it is an excellent guide for you to begin your chosen path.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
In depth study on 4 deities, Mar 26 2006
By W. Martin - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Devoted To You (Paperback)
Get four books for the price of one. That's what you have here. This book is for the more advanced Wiccan. Divided into four chapters, one written by each of the authors, you get an in-depth overview of one of four deities. Anibus, Brigit, Aphrodite and Gaia are all focused on in the Turning of the Year.
Ms. Harrow wrote the introduction (and conclusion). In which she explains that she hopes the readers will use this book as a template to focus on their own deity of choice.
Chapters each have their own unique feel. The things they have in common are a wealth of knowledge on the God or Goddess they are devoted to exploring. Correspondences, rituals, meditations and stories grace the pages of each chapter. I learned a lot about each deity that I hadn't known before.
This book is not for the faint of heart or those looking for some light reading. There were many times when I had to reread a passage to get the full meaning out of it. References to other writings are footnoted. Each chapter ends with a list of resources for additional study. There are songs, poetry and maps, as well as photography included in the book's pages.
If you are ready to bring your connection to God and Goddess to the next level, this book is for you. Expect to do some work, this book is for the serious Wiccan student.
W. Lyon Martin Author/Illustrator of An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting book., Aug 1 2005
By J. Durham "Sage" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Devoted To You (Paperback)
I really liked this book. I found it to be a very "smart" book. Its definitely not wicca 101. The personal experiences with the dieties made me want to explore my own paganism. The only problem that I have with this book is Judy Harrows' chapter. In my opinion she was a little rude when it came to her own practices. It is obvious that she does not believe that the gods are literal beings but she seems to convey it in such a way that she is practicing "real" paganism as opposed to the fake reconstructionists. Overall I would say buy this book.