Customer Reviews

The Goddess Is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Goddess Is in the Details: Wisdom for the Everyday Witch 'The Goddess is in the Details' is an absolutely fantabulous book. Filled with tips and suggestions on how to incorporate your Wiccan faith into your daily life, this is a must read for any Pagan. Not a Wicca 101 book, this one delves more deeply into the spiritual aspect of Wicca and how to walk the path every day, through the good times and bad times. I enjoyed this book very much and refer to it often. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to draw upon their spirituality day to day.

This is one book I actually recommend to others quite often. This wonderful little gem goes beyond 101 issues and formulated cook books. The book reads very casually, however, don't dismiss it on that account. The book is written in Blake's witty conversational style giving it the feel that you are sitting across from her having a bit of tea whilst talking about some very important issues that arise for any pagan oriented person who has been on the path for awhile. This volume fits nicely into the library of any pagan who does not live in a vacuum.

This book is greatly helpful to those wondering if they truly want to be Wiccan or Pagan. The author gives you the information about paganism and being a witch and what it is really like and how to apply it to your life everyday. The author writes the book in entertaining format that keeps your attention while giving you tips and ideas and also making you think about how you would live as a pagan at the end of each chapter. I plan on getting Blakes others books as well because of her writing style and because I know that her sence of humor make her books fun to read. The thing I liked most of all was the fact that the author describes being a witch as something that can be easy to live everyday if that is what you have in your heart. Granted you still have to use your instinct and intuition and the harm none law with certain aspects of the craft though.

I bought this book in hopes of working some more of my religious beliefs into my every day life. I've already been committed to my faith for a number of years and I wanted to recharge the day to day with meaning. I had hoped that this book would provide some suggestions to help me achieve that goal, but instead I found that the author seemed to talk down to the reader.
It felt like a lot of the jokes and asides that might have been meant to bring the otherwise spiritual guidance down to earth just made it seem condescending; as though the reader could only handle a few deep thoughts at once before an interjection if elbow nudging , "y'know what I mean?"

The author quotes some rather weighty texts, but then proceeds to dumb them down to the point where I found myself wanting to continue reading the books she'd quoted rather than her own. There was no extrapolation of the passages quoted, nor any real new ideas or concepts to be gleaned from her accompanying thoughts.

If you're new to the Pagan lifestyle, this book may give you a step beyond the basics but it doesn't offer anything more substantial than that. Wiccans looking for ways to lead a more spiritual every day life would do best to look elsewhere.

This is the first book I bought by Deborah Blake. After reading it I went and purchased the other two books she has wrote and that means a lot! This book is about every witch who wants to get a deeper connection with her/his spiritual path. It is filled with ideas and it is also very thought provoking. The exercises at the end of each chapter may seem easy but can get you thinking and discover many parts of yourself and your path. This is not a Wicca 101 book. It is written with much humor and wisdom and can make the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk too. I highly recommend this one for the witch who seeks a deeper connection either new or seasoned on the path!

This review originally appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 3/26/09.

I recently finished reading Deborah Blake's latest book "The Goddess is in the Details", which is releasing in May. What a wonderful read! As Blake points out in her introduction, there are "many books out there for the witch just starting out. Lovingly (or not so lovingly) referred to by many of us [Wiccans/Witches] as `Wicca 101' books." What has been lacking in the vast Wiccan book marketplace are books that talk more about what it means to be a Witch, the more spiritual and philosophical side of those who call themselves Wiccan. "The Goddess is in the Details" fills the void.

Blake's book asks, and answers, just about any question you could ask about what it means to be Wiccan. The book is divided into six parts: The Everyday Witch, The Inner Witch, The Outer Witch, The Social Witch, The Practicing Witch, and The Natural Witch. Within those six parts, Blake discusses everything from "The Seven Beliefs at the Heart of Being a Witch" and "Mindful Eating" to "The Witch and Marriage" and "Interacting with Others at Work and Play". Better still; at the end of each chapter, Blake has "Something to Think About" and/or "Something to Try". These ask you to consider how you deal with or view the things previously discussed or offers exercises to try to incorporate what you've just read into your life.

I tend to think of this book as kind of a "High Priestess in a Box". Any question you would think to ask a High Priestess, Blake answers. This makes the book an invaluable tool for Solitary practioners, individuals interested in becoming leaders within their respective spiritual communities, and any Wiccan looking to find what it means to be a Witch.

For me though, the best part of this book is the writing style. Deborah Blake and I have interacted frequently since our introduction in September of last year. She is a very warm and wise cracking lady and fortunately, she doesn't edit her personality out of her writing. This makes the book an engaging read, with a lot of heart, instead of a dull philosophical text.

I really enjoyed this book and can see myself reading it again. The book has the feeling of sitting with the author, enjoying a cup of tea and talking about the Craft. It seems to me to be more a book for those who have been practicing for awhile than for beginners, and, indeed, Deborah does state in the beginning of the book that it is not a "how to" book, nor is it one aimed primarily on those who are just embarking on the journey of the Goddess. I liked this book for it's advice on how to make the Craft more a part of everyday life.

I was referred to this book by my niece who is a practicing pagan. She said it would give me an over view of what pagan life practices were . This book is an easy read well written and shares the deeper meaning of what being a pagan is . The book has some spells in it but that is not the total message. It's about living in harmony with the earth and all things and all the wonderful gifts are available for use.

I purchased this book thinking it would be full of small ways to incorporate the Goddess into my every day. Unfortunately, all I got was preachy nonsense about eating right, exercising, and practicing safe sex. All of these things are good advice, but didn't everyone take Health in high school? I don't think any of these things make you more or less in touch with the Goddess. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I traded this book in for Cottage Witchery by Ellen Dugan and never looked back.

If you are looking for practical guidance with information on all pagan holidays and ceremonies...living with non Pagans, practicing on your own or in a group...this is basic stuff and would be a great book for you to try.

I like how the author stresses that there is no right or wrong here, that a person can practice as they choose, how they are comfortable. It isn't about fitting into a mold, it's about being yourself and being true to your craft.

This is a great book for those looking for basic overviews and advise.