Customer Reviews

The Circle Within: Creating a Wiccan Spiritual Tradition

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
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This is not yet another Wicca 101 book. Instead, this book focuses on helping Wiccans to fill their lives with their spirituality rather than just being Wiccan for sabbats and esbats. For a relatively small book, this one is packed with great ideas on how to deepen your Wiccan/pagan spiritual practice. Added to that, the tips are actually solid practical things that anyone can do, nothing airy-fairy or impossibly complicated. In fact, I felt that many of the points were fairly obvious, but these are definitely things that need to be pointed out. For example, she suggests that the reader go out into nature (in whatever form it's available) and attune to his/her local environment. Seems pretty evident for a nature-based religion, but it's easy to forget to commune with nature and deity when you're working full time and juggling a jillion other things too.

Another thing I found very useful was the section of 3 things to think about at the end of each chapter. Mostly, these are questions that relate to personal practice and make you think about things you can do to integrate it into your daily life and make it more meaningful. I like that she didn't just spout out information and leave you hanging; she gives you the beginning steps to help you digest and use the concepts.

Finally, at the end of the book is "The Book of Moonlight" which contains some prayers and rituals to jump start you into daily practice. The prayers and invocations are beautifully written and useful.

Dianne Sylvan is not at all pompous and doesn't pretend to be the ultimate authority. She writes with humor and practicality, and best of all, she wants the reader to not get stuck on her words alone. Several times, she tells the reader to adjust her material to suit their own lives and spirituality. This is a very nice and refreshing change from the endless slew of Wicca 101 books. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be a Wiccan, even while at work, school, etc.

I've never written a review for Amazon.com, but had to do one for this book. I came across Dianne's website some time ago & was intrigued with her way of looking at Wicca. When I found out she'd published a book, I tracked it down & was even more profoundly moved by her observations. This is a woman who will make you THINK.

There are many books I've read about Witchcraft & Wicca. Plenty of info on tools, quarter calls, the gods/goddesses, etc. But I found something missing in most of them.

The most basic, essential thing of all: relationship with the Divine & how it affects your life on a very basic level.

There were times during this book where I had to stop & say, "YES! YES!" Cheers for Ms. Sylvan for having the heart & drive to write this book & get it out to the public.

Also, I have to say that the litergy in this book is some of the most beautiful I have ever read. The chapter titled "The Book of Moonlight" is going to be used often in my practices.

Ms. Sylvan has written a very personable, enjoyable book. It is a great resource for pagans who are looking to develop a more personal relationship with the Divine. I loved the "Things to think on" at the end of each chapter in which she ask some questions pertaining to how you felt about the information covered in the chapter. I think this would be a great book for covens (or solitaries) to use for discussion and Part 2 "The Book of Moonlight" containing daily prayers and rituals has inspired me to create my own "book of moonlight". I have begun to incorporate several of her suggestions (morning and evening devotionals) into my daily life and I must say that I have really made a difference to me.

If you've been a witch for as long as I have, you've probably begun to despair of finding books that will help you to grow spiritually. I initially became a witch as a result of reading The Politics of Women's Spirituality, Drawing Down the Moon, The Spiral Dance -- books that grabbed my attention and changed my life. And, of course, there are now hundreds of what I'd call Wicca 101 books which re-hash the basics of witchcraft and then provide what I find to be incredibly boring lists of correspondences, cookie-cutter rituals and spells, bland discussions of ethics, etc. And then, almost nothing. (Ellen Reed Canon is one shining exception.) Until now. Dianne Sylvan has written a delightful book for witches who want to develop a daily spiritual practice. And, also surprising in this genre, she really writes very well; reading her clear lucid prose is a pleasure. Suffice it to say that I've copied quite a few quotes from her book into my journal and loaned this book to others within my circle who have also loved it. In particular, I enjoyed Sylvan's discussion of making one's home a temple.

don't get me wrong - i enjoyed reading "the circle within". dianne sylvan writes with an easy to read, conversational style, and i found that her words and thoughts related quite well to my understanding of wicca and my spiritual practice. i was, however, hoping that "the circle within" would not be just another 'intro to wicca' volume.

granted, if this is the first book on wiccan practice and spirituality that one reads, they may be somewhat lost, as the text does assume a basic understanding of the craft. i was a bit disappointed with the lack of depth that virtually *all* books on wicca suffer from, however.

based on the initial reviews and publisher's indications that this was a "move beyond the basics of wicca" book, i was looking forward to a deeper treatment of those aspects of wicca that are too often simply touched upon; wiccan ethics as one example, moving beyond ritual as another. while dianne sylvan does touch on topics, i didn't find that her depth of presentation or exploration was any greater than any of the intro books i've read as of yet.

she does present a great overview of developing a wiccan spiritual practice; i'd even go as far as to say that i enjoyed her overview as much as i enjoyed scott cunningham's "living wicca". but i already own "living wicca", and i was hoping for the next level.

perhaps my own expectations negatively colored my perspective, as i hold dianne sylvan's writing in the highest regard. she's an excellent author, clearly understands the material and clearly presents her thoughts and positions, and has written a volume that has become an important part of my spiritual library. but if the reader is expecting a book that explores wiccan spiritual concepts to a greater degree than those books already in publication, i believe they will be disappointed.

This is a typical example of a book that literally fell into my hands when I most needed it. I was getting more than a little frustrated with my own progress in wicca, which seemed to slow down after so many esbats and sabbats and nothing more. And behold, in comes this treasure.

This book inspired me to set up my own daily spiritual routines, to turn everyday and otherwise mundane things into deeply significant sacred activities. In its inspiring simplicity and its beautiful use of language I found "The Circle Within" a rare gem, and a very good step from the "This is what you do as a witch" to the "This is who you are as witch" stage of development. Highly recommended to all who want to live the life of the witch!

The day I found this book, I was in the middle of needing to reconnect with my Goddess and God. I was browsing a stand w/different types of books when a book slid down and uncovered The Circle Within. And it was the only book of its kind. When I read it I was inspired and excited as Sylvan wrote straight to my heart and mind with traditions to bring me closer to my beliefs and helping me live it daily, not just practice it. Easy to read, concise and precise Diane Sylvan's book is truly a blessing.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. It is an in depth study of creating your own daily Wiccan practice. It's well-written, with unexpected doses of humor. The author has managed to write a book that conveys the depth of affection and respect she has for the Lord and the Lady, without becoming cloying or sycophantic. A good read, one that I would add to any intermediate Wiccan booklist.

Sylvan aims to help her readers take their Wiccan religion to the "next step" by integrating religion into every aspect of their lives. Going beyond basic book reading and the holy days of the year, Sylvan urges Wiccans to incorporate daily prayer, sacred space, and conscious, intentional living, thinking, and faith into their daily lives. Writing with welcome honesty and (a bit too much) sarcasm and humor, she discusses what it means to have a personal spiritual practice, how to form a relationship with the Deity, defining and walking an ethical path, creating sacred space, building a daily practice, defining the wheel of the year, and creating personal rituals. In the second half of the book she provides a number of rituals, prayers, and invocations related to the aforementioned themes. Theoretical, challenging, and highly personalized, this is not an introductory text but rather pushes the reader to take risks, make commitments, and dedicate their life, not just their holidays, to the Wiccan faith.

As a non-Wiccan but rather an aspiring pagan, this book still appealed to me and I found it easy to read, useful, and inspiring. Sylvan's attitude to her religion is so joyful that it's impossible to read this book without feeling uplifted and inspired to find the same dedication and joy on your own path. Her writing style is approachable, she avoids overtly fluffy Wicca while still embracing humor and joy. At times, her sarcasm and humor get a little repetitive and annoying, but on the whole this is an engaging and quick read. The greater part of the book useful not just to Wiccans but anyone starting down an alternative religious path--it encourages introspection, dedication, and observance, all of which will help anyone discovering religion through self-direction and study. The Wiccan elements, including invocation of the elements and conceptualizing the God and Goddess, are broad enough, not restricted by a specific practice or pantheon. Sylvan also recommends personalization of all of the invocations and rituals that she includes. As a result, the ideas in this text are highly applicable to Wiccans and Pagans alike, and if you follow Sylvans advice and personalize and adapt as necessary, this has the potential to be a very useful text.

The approach to religion and religious practice that Sylvan offers is not an easy one, but it should be able to function within, and even be a boon to, daily life. Sylvan advocates a conscious and daily religious mindset that will foster a connection with the divine, the Wiccan faith, and oneself. From prayers for waking, sleeping and eating to a religious approach to work to a commitment to ethical behavior and productive contributions to society, she calls for an intrinsic, personal, daily commitment. The payoff of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice is a strong relationship with the divine and the same sense of joy that the author claims to have in her own faith. Again, while many of the details introduced later in the book are Wiccan, this underlying principle is one that can and perhaps should be applied to all faiths and is especially useful to those walking a path without much guidance (such as Bibles, churches, and religious communities).

I believe there is something useful in this book for anyone on an alternative path. As a pagan, the Wiccan elements were lost on me, and I didn't find the rituals and prayers in the second half of the book particularly useful, but I appreciated the sentiments, the sense of joy, and the various thought-provoking, encouraging, and even personally demanding aspects. I hope that I am able to integrate the goals of daily conscious belief and practice into my own faith, even if I won't be able to use the meditations, rituals, and thoughts on the God and Goddess. All in all, I was glad to read this book, and was sufficiently engrossed to read the entire book in one day. I recommend it.

This book is sometimes billed as being intermediate or advanced, but it is perfectly appropriate for a beginner who has already read one or two other books. Nothing in here should confuse anyone who has an understanding of basic Wiccan beliefs and terminology. In fact, I would recommend it for beginners to read before they start doing full-blown rituals and spell casting. Sylvan discusses incorporating Wicca into your everday life, including cultivating a relationship with the Goddess and God through daily prayer and devotions and practicing ethical behavior in your treatment of others, yourself and the Earth (as a side note, this book also led me to some information on non-toxic house-cleaning, for which I am eternally grateful). My apologies to Scott Cunningham, but I found a lot of information in this book that I was hoping to find in his Living Wicca and was disappointed not to get from that book. This is overall a mature, well-written approach to Wicca, and I'm looking forward to reading The Body Sacred and any future books Sylvan might put out.