Wicca Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
by Scott Cunningham — Book Review

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, has been the classic introduction to Wicca for a whole generation of solitary Witches.

Cunningham's unadorned style and clear instructions on the very basics of the Witchcraft are as useful today as when the book was written.

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner offers simple rituals that a novice will have no difficulty following. It also includes an Author's Book of Shadows, to get you started.

And Cunningham encourages exploration and innovation, empowering Wiccans -- solitary and otherwise -- to let the practice emerge from within, rather than in adherence to strict rules... an enlightened approach.

Particularly helpful for new Witches is the glossary of Wiccan terms. All in one place, an explanation of the common Witchcraft terms.

Some of the beneficial practices in Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, include . . .

Learning to sense energy
How to design ritual
Laying out an altar
Initiation and self-dedication
Making magick with runes and other tools.

If you have some experience in Wicca already, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner may be too simplistic for your needs. It offers little of the depth of Wiccan philosophy that, say, The Spiral Dance presents so meaningfully.

However, its collections of chants, recipes, rituals, etc., still make it a useful resource.

And if you're new to Wicca, it will be a resource you use again and again.

And, it includes a handy index. Always a plus!

Excerpts from Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner

...Magic isn't a means of forcing nature to do your will. This is a completely erroneous idea, fostered by the belief that magic is somehow supernatural, as if anything that exists can be outside of nature. Magic is nature. It is a harmonious movement of energies to create needed change. If you wish to practice magic, all thoughts of it being paranormal or supernatural must be forgotten. P. 6
The Goddess and the God are of nature, both the delightful and the dark. We don't worship nature as such; some Wiccans probably wouldn't even say that they worship the Goddess and God. We don't bow down to the deities; we work with Them to create a better world. This is what makes Wicca a truly participatory religion. P. 18
The circle is constructed with personal power which is felt (and visualized) as streaming from the body, through the magic knife (athame) and out into the air. When completed, the circle is a sphere of energy which encompasses the entire working area. The word circle is a misnomer; a sphere of energy is actually created. The circle simply marks the ring where the sphere touches the Earth (or floor) and continues on through it to form the other half. P. 57
It is the wise Wiccan who celebrates on the Sabbats and Esbats, for these are times of real as well as symbolic power. Part 68

-- Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, by Scott Cunningham. Llewellyn Publications, 1999. ISBN 0-87542-118-0. (All bold text, my emphasis.)

Rating for Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner: 4 Stars

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