Title: Circle of Fire - A Practical Guide to the Symbolism and Practices of Modern Wiccan RitualAuthor(s): Sorita d'Este and David Rankine
Published 2011 by Avalonia BooksISBN: 1905297165
ISBN-13: 978-1905297160
Paperback, 168 pagesList: $13.25
View this Book on AmazonReviewer: Mike Gleason
As a rather prolific reviewer I often find myself receiving books which fall into one of two categories - books whose authors I completely agree with/understand or books whose authors I almost completely disagree with. Of late, I have been reading and reviewing books by authors who fall into the first category and, in fairness, I feel compelled to explain why this is.
This is the third book in a row I have read by the same authors. Sorita d'Este and David Rankine come from a background which is very similar to my own. They are part of the initiatory branch of Wicca; came into it at a time when the currently perceived divide between "Wicca" and "Witchcraft" did not exist; and feel that while self- dedication is certainly possible, self-initiation is not.
Although some readers may see this as a "101" (basic) book, which it is in some ways, it actually rises to the level of an intermediate book in that it goes into more depth of explanation. It is easy enough to find books which can lay the basic foundation for Wiccan practice. Finding explanations which move beyond the "this is the way it has always been done" or "this is the way I was taught" is more problematic. Sorita and David give their reasoning for doing things their way AT LEAST TO START, while encouraging further explorations as you gain experience and can make effective judgments about what you encounter and feel.
One thing I really liked in this book was that as well as describing various gestures and figures, illustrations and photographs were provided so there is no room for questions or misunderstanding. There are numerous appendices covering a range of topics, but they are kept brief and interesting.
I recommend this book without reservations of any sort, for those walking a Wiccan path, at any level of training or experience.
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