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Circle Round: Raising Children In Goddess Traditions
 
 
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Circle Round: Raising Children In Goddess Traditions [Hardcover]

Starhawk (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)


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Book Description

November 10, 1998
Harvesting the first tomato from the garden.  Marking new and full moons.  Saying grace and evening prayers.  Losing the first tooth.  All these are part of Goddess celebration--and this lovingly written book shows the way to share the celebration with children.

As a one-of-a-kind resource for people of many faiths and beliefs, Circle Round encourages us to gently open children's awareness to the sacredness of life, our connection to Mother Earth, and our responsibility to preserve Her gifts.  At a time when child-rearing is intensely affected by the stresses of modern life, Starhawk, Diane Baker, and Anne Hill offer new ways to foster a strong sense of family, whether that family is headed by a single parent, stepparents, same-sex parents, or loving communities of friends.  Here then are new traditions, meaningful and symbolic, to bring to your home.

Of paramount importance in Goddess tradition is the wheel of life, the never-ending cycle of birth, growth, love, fulfillment, and death.  Each turn of the wheel is presented here, in eight holidays spanning the changing seasons, in rites of passage for life transitions, and in the elements of fire, air, water, earth, and spirit as they embody ever-changing nature.  And each holiday, rite, and element section is enriched with songs and rituals, step-by-step craft and cooking projects, family-oriented activities and read-aloud stories for you and your children to share.

On December's Winter Solstice try baking Wish Bread with your child, putting in hopes and dreams for the coming year.  For Beltane in May you may choose to say a blessing for mothers or make an altar of flowers in bloom.  If your teenager is going off to college, the Leaving Behind and Carrying With rituals may ease anxiety.  Water play is important as you give your toddler a bath.  And you may want to encourage your older child to grow a plant and experience firsthand the life-giving power of the earth.

Crafted with your limited free time in mind, Circle Round offers an array of easily adaptable material to fit your own needs and worldview.The result is a sourcebook filled with wisdom--and the hope that you will add a piece of Goddess tradition to your family's life, to honor Mother Earth and bring Her presence to your home and your children's world.


Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The 20th-century reclamation of Goddess traditions has evolved from a small counterculture revolution of the mid-1900s to the birthright of an entire generation of children and young teenagers. However, the parents--who were adults when they first turned to paganism--are discovering that raising children in a pagan tradition can prove difficult amidst the near void of resources to assist them in teaching this way of life. Relying on age-old learning methods, such as songs and storytelling, Circle Round fills this void with techniques that are truly rooted in traditions. This priceless resource offers guidelines for helping children discover the different facets of the Goddess tradition--from altars to sabbats--and suggests recipes, creative projects, and other activities resuscitating the values of family in our latchkey society. --Brian Patterson

Review

"A bountiful harvest...Families will find in this book...an enduring friend and reliable adviser."
--NAPRA ReView

"Wonderful...With the term 'family values' so carelessly tossed about these days, it's nice to read a book which so thoroughly demonstrates them."
--The Roanoke Times

"Clever, inspiring, and jam-packed with ideas."
--Sonoma County Independent --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 464 pages
  • Publisher: Bantam; 1St Edition edition (November 10, 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0553100165
  • ISBN-13: 978-0553100167
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.7 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

69 Reviews
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 (54)
4 star:
 (7)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (3)
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (69 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start, but Seriously Lacking: I wanted advice, not a history lesson, May 21, 2006
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I would recommend this book for the stories and the recipes. It gives a wide variety of stories for the Goddess has many faces in many cultures. There are some neat recipes (one of which I am in the process of making at this moment). It gives descriptions of each Sabbat that are kid-friendly. There is also a portion dedicated to involving your children in your rites, but never forcing it upon them.

However, there are some areas in this book that leave you confused, unanswered, and even concerned. The glaring example of this is when they bring up the issue of children being teased or even harrassed for their faith. I expected some tips on helping your children through this time of crisis, but I did not expect a long diatribe on Pagan oppression. Yes, instead of answers you get a history lesson on the Burning Times. I'm sorry, but I don't feel that will help a child deal with being ridiculed.
Another section that seriously concerned me was when they discussed sexual activity. Another reviewer has expressed her concern over this area of the book and so I will not speak long on it. When it discussed love-making, it gives the impression of "the sooner the better." One can see the problems with this so I won't beat a dead horse.

All in all, it was a great beginning, but seriously needs re-vamped. Perhaps one day we can be graced with a seriously revised Second Edition.
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94 of 109 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Really taken aback, October 9, 2005
I expected this book to have ideas, rituals, projects, etc. to share with your child/children on the traditions of the god and goddess, which it did. What I didn't expect was the small section on Youth and Maiden Lovemaking, and the irresponsible advice it touted. Written by a 14-year old (which is surprising enough) who obviously has no idea what he's talking about, it opens with "A lot to being a Pagan is being a good lover. My attitude is, why not start sooner than later?" This child is 14! Our kids are already out there experimenting at early ages, and now we have this boy promoting that?! Next he talks about STDs - "You may hear about STDs, and the fact is, the *only* way to prevent STDs are condoms and outercourse." Uh, no...the *only* way to fully prevent an STD is abstinence, but since that is not a realistic way to think, why not say that condoms will *protect* you from STDs, but not always *prevent*, so make sure you use them correctly and responsibly. And you can't get an STD from "outercourse"? Really? I think this kid needs to go back and do his homework on this one.

It's a shame, because up until this point, this chapter was really beautiful and informative, but by throwing in this drivel it managed to take away from the previous good advice and end this chapter on a negligent and dangerous note.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Resource for Younger Families, September 6, 2005
This book is a great resource for families that have very young children. I found that my schoolage and teen children really wouldn't be served by this book. A better choice for families with slightly older children is, Celebrating the Great Mother. The activities are more appropriate and appealing. I will say that this book had me thinking about bread baking in a whole new way, and I will be incorporating that in our family rituals and celebrations.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
NOT LONG AGO I (Starhawk) was part of a circle of women celebrating the First Blood ritual of my Goddess-daughter Shannon. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
magic gongs, twelve wild swans, cle round, moon candle, threefold return, wicker man, faery tales, salt dough, center spokes, paper cylinder
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Baba Yaga, Mother Winter, Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Spirit of Winter, Summer's Spirit, Tool Chest, Diane Baker, Spring Equinox, First Born Daughter, Starhawk Circle, Anne Hill, Old Man Maddog, Fall Equinox, Grandfather Deer, Beautiful God, Fata Morgana, Green Man, Horned God, King Arthur, First Blood, Robin Hood, Burning Times, Shining Isle, Summer Shore
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