Customer Reviews

The Crafted Cup: Ritual Mysteries of the Goddess and the Grail

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This book may startle and even distress some Pagans, as the tradition integrates much imagery and influence from the Holy Grail traditions and myths. This book has some vaguely Christian flavor, but is also VERY Pagan, and I feel is a true Pagan tradition. Not a book for lightweights, it contains in-depth discussion on theology, scientific basis for practices, and both religious and philosophical points of view on magickal practice. I would heartily recommend this book for anyone who's interested in another point of view on Pagan tradition (rather than the usual fare put out by Cunningham, Silver RavenWolf, and others, although they are good authors!). This book also includes a full set of Sabbat and Esbat rituals, initiation and Priest/ess rituals, and a very impressive list of qualifications necessary to become initiated into their tradition. A nearly-indispensible resource book on my shelf!

I came across this book in 1996, while still Christian and afraid to look into Paganism. After reading this, I realised that there is a place for the Christ in Paganism and it led me to look further. This book has several interesting forechapters, one of which is titled "the Christ and the Craft" a wonderful essay and addressed both my own fear of having to give up Christ to be a Pagan and the fear and anger many Pagans feel towards the Christ as a result of bad experiences in the religion named for him ( I have had them, too, so i can identify with both sides).

Another, titled "Fundalmentalist Prayer Sorcery" would shock many Pentacostal and other Fundamentalist groups, but what goes on in their services can indeed be considered a form of sorcery. It makes very interesting reading.

The main part of the book, which contains the various rituals of the Ordo Arcanorum Gradalis (Hidden Order of the Grail) really spoke to me. I liked the language as I am still up for a good well-done liturgy or ritual. The services flow very nicely and the Handfasting Ritual has phrases for handfastings of lesbians and gays (one phrase "staff to staff" or "rose to rose" has a nice medieval feel to it). The Grail Mass is a wonderful ritual...the equal of liturgies such as those of St. John Chrysostom.

I heartily recommend this book, both to those who are Christian and searching and to Pagans who will find fresh inspiration in its pages.

amazing collection of knowledge that has not been gathered this way in any book since.