Customer Reviews

Faery Wicca, Book 2: The Shamanic Practices of the Cunning Arts (The Ancient Oral Faery Tradition of Ireland)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Check out the word-for-word similarity with this book and "The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries" by Evans-Wentz, or "Earthlight" by RJ Stewart. And what's even worse is that these and many other authors are not even credited in the book! The author presents this material as her own.

This book is not one I recommend, even used. As with the first book some of her information is simply wrong, such as her assertion that Cu Chulain was a shapeshifter who could take on the form of a wolf, hound, eel or bird, and her confusion of the Daghda with his harp. This occurs in that same section where she states he could take the form of a harp whose playing changed the seasons. In reality it was one of his famed possessions, not himself - in point of fact in one tale it is stolen and he must go with Ogma to reclaim it which would be rather difficult if he and it were one and the same. Those details aside though my biggest issue with this book is that the author takes Christian charms from the Carmina Gadelica, Vol. I & II: Hymns and Incantations (Forgotten Books), alters them slightly to be more appropriate for her "faery Wicca" by changing references to God and Jesus to Danu, and calls them traditional faery Wicca charms, without ever citing the real source she is drawing on. Not only is this misleading to people reading the book who are not familiar with the source material, but it is unfair to the source material itself to fail to credit it. Her faery faith is not old or traditional - it is clearly her own invention based off of altering genuine traditional material without ever admitting that is what she is doing. If you want to practice faery faith magic just read the Gadelica for yourself - you can rewrite the charms your own way and know where they came from.

As an Irish gent recently relocated to Boston, and having come across the works by the Irish-American author, Ms. Stepanich, I must say that I find her understanding of Irish mysticism to be quite enchanting. I took the time to read the reviews below and found it quite interesting that many of them sounded as if they were written by the same person and that that person just might be one of the other "authors" so favorably highlighted. Such a shame to attempt to slaunder one individual to stroke your own ego! Makes for bad business. My end comment: a lovely spiritual practice is presented in this book and the first one. As an old druid I must say, she has got her finger on the pulse of the Faery more accurately than any other contemporary author.

If there is any realism in this book (see review from 'midwest'), it's due to the fact that most if not ALL of the material in this book belongs to several other authors! Wake up!, do the reasearch and check it out for yourself, you'll be amazed. (RJ Stewart at least has integrity and original insights)

Do not, repeat, do not, waste your time with this one. Nothing but a bunch of inaccurately (and pompously) regurgitated pablum. A shame and disgrace to the ways of Ireland and Faery that it purports to teach.

...the issue is that the author has taken her information from others who have taught and written about Faery for *decades* longer than she has, and BLATANTLY stolen it. There has been litigation against her. Even Llewellyn won't publish her books anymore because they are afraid of getting sued. Folklore, Meditation, Folklore, Meditation, and then more Folklore- that is the way to learn the Faery Faith.

While I enjoy and use the first book as a reference item I did not enjoy this book at all. The use of Shamanic and Faery Wicca within a book just boggles my mind. As they are two different practices. I DO NOT recommend someone to use this book..There are far better books out there that deal with "true shamanism" without mixing it with wicca.

... Because it's full of plaguerized ideas and misinformation. Kisma may have "forgiven all that have spoken ill of her" on this matter, but I don't forgive her for perpetuating fallacies and misinformation in this terrible book.

I echo a reader from Boston's review.
I *used* to own both these books, one and two. I recycled them, hoping they'd find a useful life. I wouldnt GIVE these away to some unsuspecting person.
Kisma plagerises (and still gets things wrong) is incapable of reasearch, and when questioned on her "facts", replies that the questioner is "mean and too scholarly".
Well then, I'm proud to be in the "mean" camp.
Do not waste your money, especially at the ridiculous prices being asked for here!!
As has been stated, better to spend your hard earned bucks on WY Evans Wentz, RJ Stewart, et al. I own these books, they blow Kisma away. Kisma who?
She's out of print? GOOD!! Best thing that ever happened to this culture raping liar.
Deserves negative 5.
PS, whomever said "those who didnt like it probably didnt use it as intended"?
Puhhhhleese.

Again, this book like the first is among the first books on Wicca that I read and, like my review for the first book, when I learned that much of the material has been plagerized and the books pulled out of print, I've found myself reevaulating my thoughts on this book.

I found this book to be cumbersome and a difficult read. More material to reference when you need to look it up then a straight through read.

I keep the books out of curiosity and to say I have them. I don't really read or use them for heavy reference any more.