Product Description

The eight Wiccan festivals mark the turning of the seasons. The nature-based beliefs of Wicca connect with the natural world and the sense of spiritual heritage. In this book the core beliefs of Wicca and the significance of the festivals are examined. What do the festivals mark and how do they relate to traditional spiritual beliefs and to our lives today? The way in which the festivals are celebrated through rituals, affirmations, spells, songs and chants is also looked at. The book also features information on how to create oils, candles, incense, food and wine for the celebrations and rituals for both the lone practitioner as well as for groups.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #161936 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

From the Publisher
An inspirational guide to celebrating the eight Wiccan festivals, in which everybody – Wiccan or otherwise – can take part.

About the Author
Gail Duff has been a writer, broadcaster, speech therapist, singer, songwriter, dancer, folk animateur and community arts worker. For as long as she can remember, the seasons and traditions of the year have been an important focus of her life. She feels that she was born a Pagan and has been a practising Wiccan for over eight years. She has successfully resurrected some of the folk traditions of south-east England and regularly takes part in many more.

Customer Reviews

Through the seasons with "The Wheel of the Wiccan Year"
The author of "The Wheel of the Wiccan Year", Gail Duff, is described as "writer, broadcaster, speech therapist, singer, song-writer, dancer, folk animateur and community arts worker" which gives a good indication of her background. It also explains why group celebrations are a significant part of the book, featuring drama and spoken declamations with casts of characters and choreographed actions. That is not to say that the solitary practitioner should feel left out, since each
Sabbat celebrations can easily be tailored for the single celebrant.

In her introduction, she explains that a reader can embark on her book at any point since there is no beginning or end to a wheel. Then she begins with a section about Wicca before moving on to brief sections about The Goddess and God and the Elements. The significance of the Wheel of the Year with its Sabbat celebrations follows together with advice about working alone or in a group and how to make use of the book itself. There is a section about the history of the Book of Shadows and tips for creating your own before she moves on to advice about tools and equipment. The section about Rituals includes indoor and outdoor venues, the altar and preparing yourself. She explains how to cast a Circle, although she is quite insistent on the 'protection' aspect to keep out "any evil influences" which I found rather concerning, and Calling on the Elements first then Calling on the Goddess and God to share the ritual. It is brought to a close with Cakes and Wine, winding down, enjoying the post-ritual celebrations and a humorous reminder that, if things go wrong, don't be afraid to laugh!

Each Sabbat has a separate chapter in the book which includes the Festival and its meaning, legends underlying it, aspects of the Goddess and God associated with the Sabbat, folk customs, meditations, craft projects, symbols, seasonal foods and finishes with a group drama presentation or complete ritual appropriate for that particular Sabbat.

I enjoyed this book very much and consider it an invaluable addition to my pagan bookshelf since Gail Duff's writing style is easy to follow and flows well. I found it easy to dip into the book at any time for ideas and inspiration but feel that it should be used selectively rather than followed slavishly. The rituals are accessible and easily tailored to serve both solitary or group celebrations while the meditations are helpful in following the Wheel of the Year through its seasons. (I don't envisage using the quite long and complex group dramatisations which are a major feature of the book, but they might be useful for covens designing their own Sabbat celebrations) "The Wheel of the Wiccan Year" is subtitled "How to enrich your life through the magic of the seasons" and I feel I can recommend it to anyone who wishes to celebrate their Sabbats in tune with Nature.

Fantastic
This book is just great as it goes step by step into the Wiccan (not witchcraft mind!!!) beliefs about the deities at each festival, typical activities, incense, altar decor, cake and wine suggestions all to each festivals theme.
To add to it there is an extended introduction explaining each step of ritual and why it is done. It is fresh because it doesnt just state a premade ritual it explains aspects you can adapt or use or ignore for your own construction, and provides an example of a group ritual if you do not want to write your own at the end of each chapter

The other fantastic thing is that it is British orientated meaning no confusing Americanisms, American times and "2 cups of" in the recipes or suppliers in the US only. This i find a breath of fresh air to read!! She works logically around the agricultural year in Britain noting known traditional practices in this area.

My only quibbles with the book are part of the Samhain festival and other parts that are dotted with historical inaccuracies and assumptions that otherwise shadow this writing genre. She mentions the debatable 'nine million' and associated elements which some readers would have to argue against. Also there are parts missing obviously editing errors such as incense for Beltane if I remember correctly!!

otherwise it is a very enjoyable book which led me as I assume it would other readers to pursue other areas to deepen my understanding of the wheel and gives the groundwork to understand the more complex arguments elsewhere, yet still stands alone as a brilliant wiccan-minded workbook for the Sabbats.