Resources: Suggested Investigation

I hear questions about resources from various places and I would like to introduce to you to some of these books and online resources.
When I discovered that I was Pagan in 1980, books were scarce. Not only were there very few compared to today, but they were hard to find. Even the university library only carried one or two books. This was in the days you had to find something in a library or in a store in print. Today there are a lot and it is a matter of finding the ones that have the best information and pearls of wisdom. If you enjoy a book, look for a recommended reading section. This section will give you additional sources. If the book does not have recommended reading, view the bibliography. See what books you can get at your local library. Before you buy a book, flip through the pages. If you are on a site like Amazon, preview the book if you can with a tool such as “Look inside” and check out reviews. Not all of these recourses are for everyone. Pick out from this list what works for you and leave the rest. This a list of beginner books that I recommend:


“Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner” by Scott Cunningham.

“Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner” by Scott Cunningham. I recommend any of Scott Cunningham’s books. Go with your interests.

“Witchcraft for Tomorrow” by Doreen Valiente.

“Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft” by Raymond Buckland.

“A Witches’ Bible” by Janet and Stewart Farrar.

“A Witch’s Book of Answers” by Eileen Holland and Cerelia.

“The Witch’s Book of Wisdom” by Patricia Telesco.

“The Goddess is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch” by Deborah Blake.

“The Inner Temple of Witchcraft: Magick, Meditation, and Psychic Development” by Christopher Penczak.

“Wicca: A Year and a Day” by Timothy Roderick.

”The Spiral Dance” by Starhawk. I recommend her other books. She is both a feminist and activist author.


Once you grasped the basics, and allowing at least a year and a day for learning not only content but about yourself, move on to these books:

”The Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water & Earth in the Wiccan Circle” by Deborah Lipp.

“The Study of Witchcraft: A Guidebook to Advanced Wicca” by Deborah Lipp.

“Personal Magic: A Modern-Day Book of Shadows for Positive Witches” by Marion Weinstein.

“Wicca: Another Year and a Day” by Timothy Roderick.


There are books about various topics I recommend:

Herbs and Gardening:

“Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs” by Scott Cunningham.

“The Master Book of Herbalism” by Paul Beyerl.

“A Compendium of Herbal Magick” by Paul Beyerl.

“Garden Witchery: Magick from the Ground Up” by Ellen Dugan.

“The Charmed Garden” by Diane Morgan.

”Elder Hour” with hosts Chelsea Shelby and Juliet Diaz. Podcast.


Stones and Crystals:

“Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic” by Scott Cunningham.

“The Crystal Bible: A Definitive Guide to Crystals” by Judy Hall.

Gods and Goddesses:

“The Witches’ Goddess” by Janet & Stewart Farrar.

“The Witches’ God” by Janet and Stewart Farrar.

“The Isles of the Many Gods” by David Rankine & Sorita D’Este.

“The Horned God of the Witches” by Jason Mankey.

“Dedicant, Devotee, Priest: A Pagan Guide to Divine Relationship” by Stephanie Woodfield.

”Lord of Light & Shadow” by D. J. Conway

“Maiden, Mother, Crone” by D. J. Conway


Magickal Symbols:

”Sigil Witchery” by Laura Tempest Zakroff.

“Odin’s Runes” by Zara Greene.

“Ogam: The Celtic Oracle of the Trees” by Paul Rhys Mountfort.

“Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom” by Erynn Rowan Laurie.


Protection Magick:

“The Witch’s Shield” by Christopher Penzcak.

“Practical Protection Magic” by Ellen Dugan.

“Psychic Self Defense” by Dion Fortune.

“Psychic Shield” by Caitlin Matthews.


States of Consciousness:

“Psychic Witch” by Mat Arryn.

“The Witch’s Eight Paths of Power” by Lady Sable Aradia.


Energy Work:

“Magical Powers for Beginners: How to Raise & Send Energy for Spells That Work” by Deborah Lipp.

“The Inner Mysteries: Progressive Witchcraft and Connection with the Divine” by Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone.

“The Witch’s Eight Paths of Power” by Lady Sable Aradia.


History of Witchcraft:

“The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft” by Rosemary Ellen Guiley.

“An ABC of Witchcraft” by Doreen Valiente.

“The Rebirth of Witchcraft” by Doreen Valiente.


Biographies:

“Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses” by Mary K. Greer. It is a good book for exploring women Wiccan leaders.

“Triumph of the Moon” by Ronald Hutton is about Gerald Gardner.

“Doreen Valiente: Witch” by Phillip Heselton.

“Fire Child: The Life and Magic of Maxine Sanders ‘Witch Queen’” by Maxine Sanders. Maxine was Alex Sanders wife, and this book provides a good look at Alex and his world.

“Stewart Farrar: Writer on a Broomstick” by Elizabeth Guerra and Janet Farrar.

“Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley” by Richard Kaczynski.

Kitchen:

“A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook” by Patricia Telesco.

“Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Wicca in the Kitchen” by Scott Cunningham.


Crafts:

“Witchcraft on a Shoestring: Practicing the Craft Without Breaking Your Budget” by Deborah Blake.

“Spell Crafts: Creating Magical Objects” by Scott Cunningham & David Harrington.

“Thrifty Witchery: Magick for the Penny-Pinching Practitioner” by Martha Kirby Capo and Vincent Higginbottom.


Magick with the Moon:

“Moon Magick” by D. J. Conway.

“Moon Spells: How to Use the Phases of the Moon to Get What You Want” by Diane Ahlquist.

“Moonlore” by Gwydion O’Hara.


Other:

“Composing Magic: How to Create Magical Spells, Rituals, Blessings, Chants, and Prayers” by Elizabeth Barrette

“Rhyming Dictionary” by Merriam-Webster

“Earth Prayers: From Around the World, 365 Prayers, Poems, and Invocations for Honoring the Earth” edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon.

“Sun Lore” by Gwydion O’Hara.

Podcasts are a great way to learn, there are a lot out there and I recommend these:

“Circle Sanctuary Network Podcasts” with Selena Fox and others. It includes podcasts in Spanish. There are many that are archived.

“Seeking Witchcraft” with Ashley.

”The Witch Wave” with Pam Grossman. Good interviews.

“Earth Speak” with Natalie Ross. Good content and strong language.

There are some other resources:

“Sage Woman” magazine.

“The Old Farmer’s 2022 Almanac”. The 2023 issue is currently available.


Websites:

Mandragora Magika – This site has “Find a Group”, book lists, festivals lists and lists of places to go shopping.

Spiralscouts.org – This is for children and young people.

Meetup.com – Pagan/Wiccan groups advertise events on this site.


I will continue to post on Wednesdays.

Auburn Greene