1/2The section on Darkness opens with brief introductions to various "darkside" subcultures including the Gothic scene, forms of vampires, BDSM, and others. Although I do not feel they necessarily relate to Paganism (Dark or Light) it is an interesting segment nonetheless especially since it seems quite difficult to find fair and objective overviews of them. In addition, later on in the segment, he also introduces some other paths that could be considered Dark aside from Paganism, including Taoism and modern religious Satanism, and he provides enlightening information in regard to both. He goes on to discuss various Dark archetypes; the "Darker" aspects of many Pagan Deities; the Shadow, the part of the individual or of society that one represses and typically denies, in its personal and collective senses; as well as ethics, blood, pain, and sacrifice. He also tackles the concept of evil in a Pagan context and how it has the potential to be present within both Light and Darkness.
This is perhaps the first book which really investigates the notion of Darkness from the viewpoint of polarity. It was certainly a wonderful examination of the concept of Darkness within a non-dualistic worldview, yet I had hoped for more information on its place specifically within Paganism since the book's subtitle asserts that it concerns itself specifically with Dark Paganism. At this point in time, there are very few books addressing Dark spirituality or Dark Paganism directly, although this is slowly changing. A more widely available book on a very similar topic is published by Llewellyn: Nocturnal Witchcraft, which I have read as well, but I believe that putting in the extra effort to obtain Out of the Shadows is well worth it. I personally feel that Out of the Shadows discusses the concept and meaning of Darkness in a much more in depth and thoughtful way than Nocturnal Witchcraft which seems more obviously interested in discussing superficial aspects or symbols associated with it. I do not think it gives the uninformed reader as much of a necessary philosophical background on the nature of Darkness as does Out of the Shadows.
The section on magic could in fact have been published as a separate book in and of itself (the author realizes this as well), but it is still a nice compliment to the first section. It provides a sound, down-to-earth introduction to the theories behind magic, yet it is not dry or overly academic in its presentation, it does not "demystify' magic at all. It is wonderful to find a resource that truly emphasizes the importance of personal knowledge and symbolism in magic and as such he provides guidelines for how a magical ritual or spell is structured, yet he refuses to supply pre-fabricated spells or correspondence tables. Instead he addresses various means of raising energy and directing it. He has some very lucid things to say about mind-altering substances in magic and ritual. In fact, he makes a really remarkable comment that I wish more Pagan authors would make clear (especially in introductory books!):
The only use I have for the spell books I collect is in artistic appreciation. Sometimes these spells give me ideas for my own spells and rituals, but typically I read them merely for the pleasure of reading a type of poetry. A spell is a poem in that it should reach inward to the individual with its symbolism and touch one's heart and soul. When a spell has personal meaning in this manner, if it gives you goosebumps or makes you pause in silent reflection of its words, that spell has the potential of being effective in magic working. (214)He also briefly delves into Chaos Magic and sex magic.
I would definitely recommend this book to someone who is seeking to deepen their awareness of Darkness or to flesh out their particular flavor of Paganism with a greater knowledge of Darkness. Even if one decides that a Darker Pagan path isn't really for them, they should have a better grasp and understanding of those who do. It should also help those Pagans (much like their Christian counterparts) who still think that modern Satanists are evil people who actually eat babies, etc. The section on magic should be of great use someone who wants an intelligent, non-fluffy introduction to magic. It is much more suited to the novice than is the first section of the book.
1/2In keeping with its emphasis on traditional coven work, it is divided organizationally into three main parts that correlate to the three main initiations within the Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions (i.e. First Degree, Second Degree, and Third Degree Initiations), yet it also has a number of smaller chapters addressing other topics. For instance, there are lovely chapters on the Wiccan God and Goddess that include thoughtful explanations of their main aspects as well as a contemplation of the role of the masculine and feminine polarity within Wicca. The Wiccan Sabbat cycle, the Wheel of the Year, is also well considered and the mythology behind it is explored in a depth that is difficult to find elsewhere. Scattered throughout are a series of beautiful Charges and other pieces of religious poetry. A section devoted to Invocation of Deity is also included. The subject of magic is treated very well, in my opinion, because it does not merely focus on the superficial aspects of it; it goes beyond describing magic as a means for material gain and wish fulfillment:
The true purpose of all magic is transformation. This can be transformation of the outer world, but more importantly, it is the transformation of the inner world that is the aim. In the Western magical system of Alchemy, the goal was less that of finding physical gold, but more of finding the true gold of the spirit. The rituals, purifications, and mental discipline necessary to produce gold bring about a change of the consciousness. The original purpose of the quest then becomes irrelevant. It is the process of seeking that is important.(200)Yet another exemplary feature of this book is that it emphasizes the concept of balance within Wicca. In particular, it addresses the necessity for balance between Light and Dark principles, a topic not often given the amount of thought as it should.
Life is a dance of light and darkness, joy and pain. To truly experience life, we must be prepared to embrace all its seasons; its day and night; its bright moments of ecstacy and the dark night of the soul when desolation comes; the warmth of the morning Sun and the peace and rest of eventide.(198)The only major flaw I located relates to how Vivianne depicts Wicca's history. Although she never actually comes out and declares Wicca to literally be an ancient, unbroken Pagan tradition, it seems fairly obvious that she is making that connection taking into consideration her account of history in the second and third chapters. She goes about citing the Horned God and Mother Goddess as the principle Deities of the Stone Age, the coming of Christianity to rural Europe and the Witch trials (though thankfully she does not specify the outragous figure of nine million as the number of those killed for practicing Witchcraft). However, many of her statements on this subject are somewhat ambiguous. For instance, a comment she makes in the first chapter could be interpreted as either Wicca is inspired by ancient paganisms, or that it is directly descended from them: "Wicca is called the Old Religion because it is based on the religious practices of our Pagan ancestors" (1). The interpretation in this case depends upon one's definition of the word "based". She proposes the theory that Witchcraft was "a religion, the remnants of the Old Religion of Europe, the indigenous Paganism that Christianity had oppressed" along with other theories (30). It is this theory though, Wicca's myth of its own origins, that she seems to accept as fact, and the more modern history of Wicca involving Gerald Gardner and Co. is viewed through this particular lens.
Other than the equivocation which seems so carefully crafted as to be deliberate in the section on the history of Witchcraft, Wicca is a wonderful book which deeply probes the religion, mythology, and symbolism of Wicca. I would not recommend it to beginners seeking instruction since that is not its aim, but for anyone who would like to investigate Traditional Wicca more thoroughly it is a great resource.
1/2At present, Wicca is a religion with many variations. Because it is such a personally-structured system, I can only state generalities about its creed and form here, filtered through my experience and knowledge, to create a picture of the nature of Wicca.(4)I believe his approach while definately open does not present the message some believe it does.
Cunningham's writing is simple, poetic, and quite general at times, but for a book which originally debuted in 1988, it does not present Wicca's pseudo-history to the reader as fact. In addition, it is not silly, downright insipid or unethical as some more recently published introductions to Wicca are, and unlike such books, Wicca places the emphasis on religion. This book is not proportionally more focused on spellwork than spirituality. He even goes so far as to say that "Many people confuse Wicca and magic as if the two were interchangable. Wicca is a religion that embraces magic. If you seek only to practice magic, Wicca probably isn't the answer for you" (6). He also indicates that magic in a Wiccan context usually is religious. True, the Standing Stones Book of Shadows does take up a significant portion of the book, but even that largely consists of religious invocations, prayers, Sabbat rituals, and statements of faith such as the now-famous "Thirteen Goals of a Witch", and there are virtually no pre-fabricated spells.
It will be a disappointment for those who already have a knowledge of Wicca (though the invocations, poetry, and prayers are lovely) since it is rather simplistic, but for the absolute beginner it is a beautiful and useful basic introduction to Wiccan practice. Perhaps my only serious criticism of his presentation of Wicca is a lack of consideration for what may be described as the darker aspects of it; these he virtually ignores. I read Wicca somewhat later in my investigation of Witchcraft, and at that time it did not impress me very much. However, now that I have been exposed to so many other Wicca 101 books, I truly realize its quality. It serves as a lovely "keynote" reading to begin one's study of Wicca; it is not a complete nor detailed look at Wicca, but it effectively sets the stage for further learning.
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1/2Magic is what happens when you have encountered the Divine. It is the life-altering experience of connecting to the divinity that dwells within yourself and in the world. it is all of the extraordinary events and manifestations that flow from your union with a real and present divinity. Real magic is your relationship with immanent divinity, and it is how you craft yourself as a Witch. [. . .] This connection means that you approach making magic as a spiritual practice, with respect and reverence, joy and gratitude, and, you may be surprised to learn, humor and spontaneity. (29)The section addressing Wiccan ethics and morality (contained in the chapter "Witchcraft Without Rules") is also rather impressive, and though I do not believe she is truly the first person to feel that there is more to Wiccan ethics than the Rede (and to a much lesser extent, the Threefold Law), she is certainly one of the first mainstream Pagan authors to write about it. Her "new" approach to ethics is also a great thing to expose new Wiccans to, and hopefully this view will catch on.
In its sense as an introductory guide, this book does a much better and more complete job than many others. It is not, however, faultless (but then again, what is?). In Book of Shadows, Ms. Curott presents the popular myth of Wicca's history as fact, while in Witch Crafting she presents a more conflicting opinion as to the roots of Wiccan practice. She tries to appeal to those who still claim Wicca's heritage as the main religion of pre-Christian Western Europe and yet also tries to asssert Wicca's status as a new religion based on ancient ideas, but not directly linked with them through time. She cannot seem to make up her mind on the matter, or else she has and yet is trying to gain a favorable reputation with those who hold both views. Another factor comes into play of you have read her previous book. Much of the material in Witch Crafting is paraphrased from Book of Shadows, which does not make the material less relevant, but it can be disappointing at times (and it gives one that weird feeling of deja vú!).
