Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner (2002) - Plot & Excerpts
Books on Wicca religion by author Scott Cunningham are often recommended to me, and this particular one is generally considered to be his most popular and best-sold one. It’s often recommended to beginners instead of advanced practitioners, and I, curious to see what all the fuss was about, decided to check it out.I have to say, it’s definitely not my favourite book on Wicca, and there are much better books out there intended for a beginner’s audience. I have some issues with the way Cunningham presents Wicca as being either ‘light’ or ‘dark’; good or bad. He is firm on the fact that a Wicca would never do anything to cause another being harm, and tells aspiring Wiccans to stay away from the ‘dark side’ of magic. From what I’ve gathered, Wicca is about recognizing both the light and the shadow of life and nature, accepting them as a cycle, as one whole – two sides of the same coin (also existing within a person, by the way). I don’t think Cunningham’s is a balanced or healthy approach, and not typical of Wicca, either.Another problem I have with this book, is that Cunningham really doesn’t seem to delve into the spirituality/philosophy behind Wicca, nor behind its rituals, its tools, its materials, and its incantations. Of course, there shouldn’t be too much depth in a beginners’ book, but here he makes it come across as if there’s nothing behind it at all, except some sort of vague connection/feeling to and for Mother Earth. His chapter on magick was especially lacking since he didn’t explain the reasoning/philosophy behind it all; nobody just looking into it can grasp the concept of magick and how it’s used in Wicca from the way he’s written that particular chapter. A lot is missing, too – where is the chapter with practical and specific information on elemental magick, for example?And when he does give away a bit of helpful information on a specific topic, he does so scattered throughout the entire book – he’s constantly referencing different chapters/pages both back and forth, which seriously made me question the sequence in which he penned down this book. I consider Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner to be far too fluffy, presenting an unrealistic, sweet, and ‘good’ view of Wicca. It’s also vague and broad, not even touching upon the different traditions existing within Wicca; at times, it feels more like a book on general paganism/new age than on Wicca itself. I also have a bit of trouble with the fact that Cunningham sometimes claims things without backing them up, and throws around out-of-context sentences that seem to make no sense unless one conjures up a skewed explanation/reasoning for them (such as the comment that both love and the field of (para)psychology fall in the water-category of spells; p. 43). (Again, this is also an example of titbits of info hidden away in one or two sentences throughout the book.)I did, however, very much enjoy his chapter on music, dance, and instruments. I thought this was executed rather well, made some nice references to elemental magick, and covered a subject that I don’t come across that often in general Wicca books. However, again, this information is useful for paganism in general, not specifically Wicca. Sadly, this isn’t a very good book in my opinion, and not one I would specifically recommend as it paints an unbalanced and incomplete view of the Wicca religion. There’s still other books by Cunningham that I wish to read, which have higher ratings as well (his works on herbs, crystals, incense/oils, etc.), and I certainly hope that they’ll be better than this one.If you’re a beginner looking for a good start, I would rather recommend Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice, by Thea Sabin. It’s much more complete, especially in the philosophy/beliefs section, and paints a realistic picture of Wicca. It’s also doesn’t push the author’s personal opinion on its readers as much as Cunningham does in his book.
Wicca is truly a beginner's book, and one of the best I've read. I haven't gotten much further than beginner books in the last ten years, so I might know. ;) The organization is really compelling: by layout out theory before ritual and aspects of practice, rather than indulging the reader and jumping straight into "Magick!", the reader has a true chance to decide whether or not any of it aligns with his or her belief system. There are so many useful little tips in this book that even though it convinced me that I would not be happy as a Wiccan, I am happy to try many of the exercises Cunningham puts forth for trying to attune myself to a deity.In general, this is a very clear and easy book to read, with a good general overview of many, many things. After reading the (necessarily) short section on the sabbats, I decided that I probably should get a proper book on those so I have a better understanding of some others' points of view of them. Then, of course, it has a large bibliography with a good range of books on Wicca, should you read this and then decide that this really is the path for you. For me, when I began reading the rituals for the sabbats in the Book of Shadows portion, the nameless Goddess and God that were constantly invoked put me off. I am now definitely a politheist; I need names for the goddesses and gods in the ceremonies and I need them to be individual entities, not just names put on for show.A lot of the information confirmed a lot of the other intro books I've read regarding Wicca, but done in a much better manner. If I knew someone who was really into duality and I could see them becoming Wiccan, I would give them this book as a starting point – but only as a starting point. As Cunningham himself points out, it's a path of self-knowledge and seeking, and in such a religion there is no sitting back and letting someone else do the work. And that's one of the very good things about it.
What do You think about Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner (2002)?
When I took my first brave step into exploring paganism this is one of the books I fortunately encountered. Although I don't class myself as Wiccan now, it certainly provided a fantastic overview of this spiritual path and introduced me to elements of paganism that I have kept as part of my own belief structure ever since. The ancient Celtic calendar, also known as the Wheel of the Year, is given an adequate introduction and there are some beautiful poems and blessings for each Sabbat, plus ideas on how to celebrate, what ritual is and the tools commonly used and their meanings. It's a great reference book and ideal for beginners or just those with a curious mind.
—Johnny Martin
The author did a good job in covering the basics of Wicca for the solitary practitioner. As a Wiccan, I did notice a few places where he could have elaborated or where he treated an issue in a more complex manner than necessary. With that said, it is still a good "starter" book. Cunningham expresses Wicca as a duality, though he explains that some Wiccans may mostly worship the Goddess "as a reaction to the patriarchy of mainstream religions." This makes it sound like a rebellious act. It may simply be to connect more to the feminine power within. On the tools, the broom (besom) is used as a purifier or banisher but have not heard of it associated with water--as it is made from wood and tree/plant bristles and normally associated with Earth(North.) I have read that the censer, crystal sphere, bell, and pentacle are generally secondary to the wand, athame, cauldron, and chalice. Of course he may be introducing these tools to provide a larger list than other writers. The athame is the magic knife and I noticed he tried to correct this in his glossary though he does not explain its many uses. The part on preparing for ritual with the bath, proper clothing and jewelry is unnecessary and might put the reader off as being too structured. On the steps of ritual, he puts forth a good basic design though a bit lengthy on details. The 3 most important are the Three C's (consecrate, cast, call) to be done in that order, which he could have said in very few words. I disagree with his footnote (Breaking the Circle,) that some Wiccans believe a counterclockwise movement is negative. Contrary to this, many books say moving clockwise is waxing or growing energy, and moving counterclockwise is waning, or letting go of energy--(to mirror the moon's cycles.) I have been witness to the deliberate use of counterclockwise action in my years of practice with others.I also disagree that Wiccans believe in reincarnation and past lives. There are so many converging beliefs that you cannot make a general statement. What Wiccans recognize are the cycles of birth, life, and death and see in nature that life can begin anew--as the plants deep in the soil. How far they take that belief differs. I did like the addition of using gestures and mirror work because this is rarely mentioned in beginning wicca books. I also found his use of stones as his source of power in practice and in visualization interesting. His explanations on the Sabbat are a start to understanding the earth's cycles and I admire that he tied it to the goddess and her son/consort as a life cycle. This can be a complex concept. The part on breathing, meditation and visualization was excellent. The practice on energy-play was new to me and seems helpful. The BOS part is a good sample of what could be in your individualized book. I did think the Spells section was too short, though I was impressed with the spells he cites. They are unique and the actions make sense symbolically. Doing magick for the bill he needs to pay was a great example in setting your intent and visualizing a desired outcome. As this book is an intro to Wicca it should be supplemented with other sources to compare. I got the book after years of practice, which made it repetitive but yet each Wiccan book holds different things that may speak to you so they are all worth browsing. Note: Many introductory Wicca books are written by male authors. I would recommend adding some books on the divine feminine to balance them out.
—Diane Cortese
Despite myself, I just love this book. Anyone wanting to follow the crazy dream (in the positive sense, of course) of practicing Wicca on their own will read this book again and again for inspiration. Cunningham apologizes for absolutely nothing, but in the spirit of Wicca itself, he makes room for a huge realm of improvisation and creativity within the limits of the Wicca concept. He draws the line, but he invites the seeker in so generously...If you are interested and want a very easy "in," you will not be able to put this book down. The real challenge, of course, is actually putting the ideas into a meaningful practice when the last page has been turned. That's where the very hard (and rewarding) work comes in.Cunningham's book can justly be criticized for over-simplifying and trivializing the practice. From the standpoint of a seasoned practitioner, it does both. At the same time, his work is so much in the spirit of Wicca as an outlet for religious love of the earth, relgious creativity, religious joy, religious gratitude, and the poetry of ritual. Call it a gateway book for much more richness to come.
—Erik Akre
