Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71976 in Books
• Published on: 1992-08-31
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Synopsis
Written in the form of letters from an experienced witch to her two apprentices, solitary witchcraft is offered, not as a substitute for coven worship, but as a fulfilling lifestyle in its own right. This book provides spells for all the key festivals of the witch's calendar - describing the therapeutic powers of trancework and herbalism and outlining the Pagan approach to finding a partner. Her lyrical letters, accompanied by pen-and-ink sketches, bring the reader to an understanding of the solitary witch's lifestyle and beliefs.

Customer Reviews

Slightly dissapointing
I bought this book on the recomendations of other buyers and was slightly disappointed really. I am a complete novice and found it all a bit long winded and complicated for a beginner. It was interesting, but she not very suitable for beginners IMO. Will finish it an and wait for another book i ordered to arrive.

A good introduction
I am a beginner, and have found this book very helpful. It is well written, and very intelligent. I like the letter format, as there is a huge amount of information, but it is in bitesize chunks. Beth writes well about the context and history of witchcraft, interspersed with practical information such as how to cast a protective circle, and suggestions for (very poetic) spells for each pagan celebration.

The only thing that I haven't enjoyed is the huge amount of focus placed on worshipping the Triple Goddess, and Horned God. I know you can't just do spells, without there being spiritual meaning behind them. But I know (from talking to people who know alot more about this stuff than I do), that Beth does concentrate alot on HER particular idea of the Goddess and God. For someone who doesn't like being told what to believe, I found this quite offputting. It is good to get a grounding in these beliefs I think (historically, they are important), but from what I know of Paganism, it is much more flexible than this.

Disappointing
I found this book very hard to get on with due to it's format as letters. I think that the idea behind it is great, you learn along with the original letter recipients. Unfortunately in practice it completely lost my interest. I by far prefer her second book 'The Hedge Witch's Way: Magical Spirituality for the Lone Spellcaster' which is an excellent beginners book.