Customer Reviews

Dreaming the Dark : Magic, Sex, and Politics

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
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Enter the mysterious world of magic, sexuality, and the deepest part of yourself. This is the goal of "Dreaming the Dark" by Starhawk, author of the bestselling book "The Spiral Dance", considered essential reading in most Wiccan circles. Picking up where her other books leave off, "Dreaming the Dark" is a guide for putting one's beliefs into practice, an attempt to reach out to a world largely deprived of spiritual experience and reclaim the sacred within and fuse it with political activism.

Starhawk co-founded Reclaiming, a tradition of Witchcraft that emphasizes spirituality and political action, and a majority of the text is focus on examining structures of power. She separates power into two categories: "power over" and "power from within" and discusses how such structures have been used throughout history to suppress and control. Magic, as Starhawk defines as "the art and practice of changing consciousness at will", can be teamed with political action to cause effective change in our society and help to preserve what we hold as sacred.

For those unfamiliar with Paganism, "Dreaming the Dark" is the perfect collection of stories, chants, and bits of information that will give the reader and accurate portrayal of Pagan paradigm. Starhawk clearly examines what Witches and Pagans hold sacred, specifically Nature and how it is essential that action is taken for preservation. Beautiful and often poetic descriptions of the Goddess and rituals paint vivid picture of the triumphs and struggles of many in the Pagan movement.

"Dreaming the Dark" is not a book for the faint of heart, but it is necessary. It is challenging yet inspiring and deeply moving. For anyone interested in modern religious movement and especially those interested in politics, it is an essential read. "Dreaming the Dark" is not a book of spells, meditations, or ritual, it is an invitation, a calling to take a stand in the face of injustice and reclaim the whole of our being.

The writing skillfully integrates annecdotes with philosophy and there are exercises useful to any group of pagans. For Starhawk, Witchcraft and environmentalism and activism and gender awareness are natural companions; what Witch doesn't care about the earth and nature? What Witch would not know the power of the individual and of people together? How can anyone who honors the Goddess not strive to be aware of gender politics, sexism, and the power of sex? What Witch would not know the power of will, awareness, perspective? But as natural and integrated as these themes are for her, some traditional Wiccans and other pagans are very hostile about Starhawk. There is a lot for even non-pagans to learn from her, and I think every serious pagan should read her work. If it upsets you - please, ask yourself why; what exactly does she threaten? This book is dated, and the history is only as good as we (all) knew when it was first published, but if you want to understand group dynamics, if you ever wondered if Witches should be political, or environmentalist, or activist, or gender aware - read this book.

Dreaming the Dark was the first book I was able to read as I healed from a severe traumatic depression. It was an offered hand of a friend. It was wisdom, hope, and inspiration. Starhawk offers a guide to positive action, to change. Do you want to know HOW to save the world and yourself? Read this book. It will give you the confidence to change yourself and affirms, by stories rich with technique, the attitude that you are an important factor in social change and the evolution and adaptation of the human race.

In this inspiring book, legendary Starhawk combines the wisdom of the women's spirituality movement with anarchism and radical environmentalism. It should be required reading for anyone involved in peace and social justice activism.

Dreaming the Dark is without a doubt my favorite book. It has been unbelievably touching and helpful for discovering the right Pagan/nonviolence/earth-based path for me. I first discovered Starhawk through a friend who lent me another one of her books, The Spiral Dance, which I absolutely adored. In this book, I particularly enjoyed the section that describes various roles that come about in a coven or communal living situation and how to help the relationships develop so that they're less hierarchical and how to determine what role I'm currently playing and how to improve my own interactions with everyone. This is my favorite book my Starhawk and my favorite book overall. And that's saying a lot.

In this book Starhawk somehow managed to put together everything I've ever thought or felt. She intertwines the aspects of our culture that are designed to make us slaves and gives them a name. This book was, for me, the AHA! experience so many occultists speak of. I had a copy of it that I had highlighteted extensivly. Now, as I prerpare to replace it, I realize that if I highlighteted evwrything important, I would highlight the whole book.

Starhawk is an amazing writer who looks deeper than some authors would care to. Dreaming the Dark is her best book in my opinion, because it offers a deep understanding of women's spirituality, and goes where many others have not.

Her writing is friendly and knowledgeable, and you feel like you get to know her as a friend by the time you finish reading. I feel it is best for people to read this book for themselves, rather than me stumble around to find words to describe it. Her book is inspirational and encourages you to find your own way. I especially enjoy the chapters on groups, the beautiful chants at the end, and her comprehensive history of the burning times. A+++

If you're a solitary Pagan, if you're not much for politics and don't really mind the way of the world (and it's inner workings of the politico) you may find this book dry, droll and sorely lacking for any substance or practicality.

If you're in a group that needs help organizing or staying so, if you're a political Pagan or activist who wants to change the world and break the laws doing so, you may well get tons of information from this book.

First, this was a dry book and a hard read, not for the information presented but the style of writing had my mind wandering and hard to keep on course. Second, I may be a rare egg, but I know all too well the screw ups of our political hierarchy, I've studied Paganism, goddess traditions and our own political workings enough to know that we're oppressed yet don't know it; that we've been sold a bill of goods and eat it with capitalist zeal and that our environment is suffering for it. As for myself and my house, we're way too busy trying to survive to go off into the woods and chain ourselves to trees. I don't work hard to buy neat stuff, I work hard to provide food and shelter for my family. We try to live as responsibly as possible, recyling, composting, if we could live off the land, we would.. with that said, there was just a hint of guilt laid out in the book to suggest that if you're not against nukes you're for them, and so forth. That may put many people off and have them question, how much is this really about Paganism.. and how much is it about Starhawk's own agenda?

This book shows a possible change in paradgm from pre-war, pre-history to the modern dynamics of god and king. It is very clear and thought provoking, with good citations and excellent research. It's the best book Starhawk ever wrote, and I've read them all

This book amazed me when i read it. It's not really good for beginners but is a great read. This and the Spiral dance give a feminist Pagan point of view and describes how Paganism is a good religion for a woman who is fed up with the mistreatment of woman in the Christian religion.. Paganism is an open religion that accepts people no matter there backround, sex, sexual orientation, and color. We are all the Goddeses children and shouldn't judge each other based on minor, insignificant things.