Study of Witchcraft: A Guidebook to Advanced Wicca

(Paperback)

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The Study of Witchcraft is a compendium for Wiccans who want to deepen their understanding of their traditions. Advanced Wiccan reaches beyond Wicca, delving into topics as diverse as history, psychology, divination, and lucid dreaming, The Study of Witchcraft introduces the reader to these topics, discussing each in depth and offering a one-of-a-kind course of study -- including recommended reading, offering readers --increasingly, solitary witches -- a self-study guide and a rich resource. The Study of Witchcraft includes information for all sorts of Wiccans; traditional, eclectic, radical, groups, and solitary. Wide-ranging topics also include Western occultism, myth and folklore, meditation, astrology, the Burning Times, history, herbalism, and much more. Deborah Lipp opens the book with a discussion of the past 40 years of Wiccan history and talks about the diverse people who call themselves Wiccans. Then, throughout the study guide portion, she offers information tailored to different types of Wiccans. Essentially, The Study of Witchcraft is a veritable master's degree in Wicca in book form! * Written for the needs of the modern wiccan, who learns primarily by self-study.

Reviews

Lipp, author of The Way of Four and Elements of Ritual, suggests that the reason there are not more advanced Wicca books is because advanced Wicca happens when you stretch beyond Wicca itself. She goes on: When I was trained as a young traditional Wiccan, I was expected to make an extensive study of topics that ranged far beyond Wicca and witchcraft. For Lipp, the areas beyond memorizing the elements of the pagan calendar and spell casting that young Wiccans ought to be exploring include such obvious topics as the evolution of modern Wicca from Freemasonry and the history of witch hunts. However, she breaks new ground when she encourages readers to explore such traditional spiritual practices as meditation and the study of comparative religion. She writes, Certain advanced Wiccan skills, such as deep trance or channeling, depend on a greater ability to still the mind, quiet the ego, and reach an inner balance. Indeed, Lipp invites readers to enter into psychotherapy in order to gain deeper self-awareness. Each of her chapters is supplemented with a helpful homework section and an annotated bibliography for further reading. Advanced practitioners of all stripes should be delighted with this enduring contribution to the literature. (Oct.) Publisher's Weekly, Copyright A(c) Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Bio

Deborah Lipp is an active "out of the closet" member of the Pagan community and has appeared on various media sources