Paganism -Witchcraft,-Magic and More-The books and practices

Have you read a book on witchcraft?

yes	74.8%	[ 419 ]
no	19.8%	[ 111 ]
burn in hell you witches	5.4%	[ 30 ]
Total Votes:			[ 560 ]

[Javier Cross]

So are there more people discussing the thread, yet?

[Loona Wynd]

Javier Cross

So are there more people discussing the thread, yet?

There haven't been any new people or any responses yet. It takes time.

[Chausiku Imani]

This is incredibley helpful. You have no clue how long I've been looking for some real, actually good, books. Reading through thread this has been great. Thank you. Blessed be.

[Loona Wynd]

Chausiku Imani

This is incredibley helpful. You have no clue how long I've been looking for some real, actually good, books. Reading through thread this has been great. Thank you. Blessed be.

The list needs to be updated with more books and sources. That was simply one portion of my library that I had written down. I hope these books help you. As you read feel free to discuss the books here.

[Loving-Wiccan-Witch]

Loona Wynd

Introduction

Welcome to the witchcraft and paganism book thread. It occured to me the other day that while there are so many topics on books, there are none just for books related to paganism, witchcraft, and other related topics. Now I posted one about a specific book, but got to thinking, why not have a thread where all books on witchcraft and paganism can be discussed. I have read a multitude of the books out there and would like to discuss more of the books and practices here. So this thread was born.

This thread is here primarily for the discussion of witchcraft and paganism as is written in the books. While people who have not read a book on the subject are welcome, it is better if you (the reader/poster) has some idea about witchcraft or paganism. While some authors are better than others, no book is unwelcome in this discussion. Just expect to be questioned a lot of your source is one of the "questionable" ones.

I am wiccan myself and its hard to find anyone with in which I can speak to without being judged or mocked or for that matter being taken as a joke so I would love to share my opinion and talk with people about my beliefs. For I am always will to learn and as well share my knowledge to those who are willing to listen

[Loona Wynd]

xxxEMOSTONERxxx

I am wiccan myself and its hard to find anyone with in which I can speak to without being judged or mocked or for that matter being taken as a joke so I would love to share my opinion and talk with people about my beliefs. For I am always will to learn and as well share my knowledge to those who are willing to listen

This is a discussion on books and authors and the techniques and practices in the books. personal experiences based on the rites published is accepted as proper discussion as is a discussion on disagreement of content and what the meanings of words are.

So do you have any books or authors you would like to discuss?

For example you call yourself a Wiccan. I was wondering what resources you have used to get that title for yourself.

[Satyr Prince]

xxxEMOSTONERxxx

I am wiccan myself and its hard to find anyone with in which I can speak to without being judged or mocked or for that matter being taken as a joke so I would love to share my opinion and talk with people about my beliefs. For I am always will to learn and as well share my knowledge to those who are willing to listen

may i ask what tradition?

[Loona Wynd]

Strega Mama

xxxEMOSTONERxxx

I am wiccan myself and its hard to find anyone with in which I can speak to without being judged or mocked or for that matter being taken as a joke so I would love to share my opinion and talk with people about my beliefs. For I am always will to learn and as well share my knowledge to those who are willing to listen

may i ask what tradition?

I was going to get into that discussion when she provided the sources she has used to research her path. I do want to try and keep this topic based on books and the practices in books. While personal practice and deviations and revelations/reflections are relevant in the end the content should be traceable to a book.

[Loona Wynd]

Since you are here Strega, I was wondering if you would be willing to discuss in depth any issues you have with Grimassi's book on Italian Witchcraft. As far as I am aware Way of the Strega and Italian Witchcraft are essentially the same book with a different title.

The reason I ask is because I have come to realize that Diana is the Goddess who has always been there for me. She was the one who called to me as a teen. The last full moon ritual I did to a goddess was to Her. I quoted Aradia and the Charge and felt her presence under the moon. It felt like what I had longed for in recent years as I had left her and my past practice behind.

I left the practices I had done for years as they were essentially written by Silver Ravenwolf and I felt that I needed to completely scrap everything I had done. One full moon I performed the rites in the book To Ride a silver broomstick regarding the moon and star Goddesses. The rite echoes by Aradia again in how Diana is referred to as the Star Goddess as well.

In the end the only book out there seems to be Grimassi's works. I have had mixed reviews about the other Leland works (The Etrucan mysteries and occult practices ect) but wanted your insight. I feel that it may benefit me to learn more about those aspects of Diana.

I never felt that the Roman view was all that there was to her.

[Satyr Prince]

Loona Wynd

I was going to get into that discussion when she provided the sources she has used to research her path. I do want to try and keep this topic based on books and the practices in books. While personal practice and deviations and revelations/reflections are relevant in the end the content should be traceable to a book

I think we typed our responses at the same time, you just beat me to the "submit" button, and yours is a much better followup than mine, lol.

Loona Wynd

Since you are here Strega, I was wondering if you would be willing to discuss in depth any issues you have with Grimassi's book on Italian Witchcraft. As far as I am aware Way of the Strega and Italian Witchcraft are essentially the same book with a different title.

The reason I ask is because I have come to realize that Diana is the Goddess who has always been there for me. She was the one who called to me as a teen. The last full moon ritual I did to a goddess was to Her. I quoted Aradia and the Charge and felt her presence under the moon. It felt like what I had longed for in recent years as I had left her and my past practice behind.

I left the practices I had done for years as they were essentially written by Silver Ravenwolf and I felt that I needed to completely scrap everything I had done. One full moon I performed the rites in the book To Ride a silver broomstick regarding the moon and star Goddesses. The rite echoes by Aradia again in how Diana is referred to as the Star Goddess as well.

In the end the only book out there seems to be Grimassi's works. I have had mixed reviews about the other Leland works (The Etrucan mysteries and occult practices ect) but wanted your insight. I feel that it may benefit me to learn more about those aspects of Diana.

I never felt that the Roman view was all that there was to her.

With Grimassi, I take everything with a grain of salt. I wont say his books are entirely useless, but they do carry alot of his personal baggage. Mostly concerning what he learned when he was with a fraudenerian coven. Italian Witchcraft (which yes is a re-titled "ways of the strega" allegedly because of llewelyn decided the new title was more marketable) was my first book as I transitioned from ENP into Strega. This it is useful for, as long as one pushes their studies beyond him. I learned what I could from Grimassi's works, then moved on. I only warn people against his books because of the fraudenerian influences and because too often i've seen people stop their studies at him, taking his word as absolute truth. Well, that and his Aradia de Toscano, but that's a different rant as you know. His base is also in Etruscan, where mine is in Sicilian. In the end he, like the rest of us, is trying to fill in the gaps of a transformed folk faith. He just does so with material from other paths, whereas people like me attempt to use folktales and local lore. If one can take all of that into account when reading his books, and read with a guarded mind then they are an alright supplement.

Diana of the woods is who she was before helenization, also called Diana Nemorensis. In Sicily she is queen of the fairies, as there is a heavy bit of fairy witchcraft culture there (using "fairy" in the loosest possible translation). I've been meaning to buy some of the black walnut anthologies, as those are put out by the Temple of Diana to see if they can meaningfully fill in more gaps for me. If you feel you may be ready to, then read "Italian Witchcraft" and take what you can from it. I find myself in a situation similar to you, where there just isn't that much published. If/when i get ahold of an issue of black walnut, i will report if it seems to be a good source on the pre-helenic Diana.

[Loona Wynd]

What about Leland's other works?

[Loving-Wiccan-Witch]

Well me from a lack of books I did most of my research online or from speaking to others all wile just going with my heart and mind kinda an instinctive feeling on what was right... I do write tho and I enjoy it because it keeps jumbled thoughts in order

[Satyr Prince]

Loona Wynd

What about Leland's other works?

I've found Etruscan Roman Remains to be helpful, and I personally find it makes alot of sense, with him explaining the etymological evolutions of italic diety names. He takes from alot of the same sources I do, like Pietre. I'll admit I haven't looked much into his writings outside of his writings on Italy, so I cannot speak for the other books.

[Loona Wynd]

Strega Mama

Loona Wynd

What about Leland's other works?

I've found Etruscan Roman Remains to be helpful, and I personally find it makes alot of sense, with him explaining the etymological evolutions of italic diety names. He takes from alot of the same sources I do, like Pietre. I'll admit I haven't looked much into his writings outside of his writings on Italy, so I cannot speak for the other books.

He was the one who originally wrote down Aradia or the Gospel of the witches. I have taken a lot from that over the years. There are several rituals I have found in the book. I did try to start Etruscan Roman Remains as well as the other occult book dealing with Italian witchcraft. It was not what I expected and I never got that far. I am thinking I may try to read them again after I read Grimassi's book for some basic introduction.

[Loona Wynd]

Loving-Wiccan-Witch

Well me from a lack of books I did most of my research online or from speaking to others all wile just going with my heart and mind kinda an instinctive feeling on what was right... I do write tho and I enjoy it because it keeps jumbled thoughts in order

Are there any books you have read?