Customer Reviews

The Practical Pagan: Commonsense Guidelines for Modern Practitioners

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Finally, a book that deals with the realities of being pagan in a mundane world.

Bravo to Ms. Eilers for taking the time and energy to put a lot of very valuable reference material together in one place and make it available to everyone.

For those not familiar with Dana Eilers, she is a witch, she is a lawyer. She has worked for legal council for such groups as WARD, AREN and WADL. She has put in "years" of voluntary time to various Pagan/Witch/Wiccan groups as legal council as well as just time spent helping bring order to a chaotic situation.
Her book does the same thing. While we are all aware of our spiritual paths, we do encounter legal entanglements that may or may not be of our own making.

In those things that we mess up for ourselves, Ms. Eilers offers advice and council as to how to unmake those messes and avoid them in the future. Much of it is common sense, hence the name of the book.

In those cases where our problems may be because of the religious path we choose to follow and are being either discriminated against or denied our rights, Ms. Eilers has placed chapter and verse of the law at our fingertips, to enable us to understand, in plain English (my goodness, a lawyer who speaks plain English, how unique and so definitely Pagan!) what our options are, where to seek council and material to provide any legal representative we may choose to aid us.

There is way too much material in this book (another plus for Ms. Eilers, she didn't cheap out on the information) to even try to recap the book. Everything from definitions of key words to meeting and greeting other pagans to proper behavior with pagans and with the mundane world.

Yes, this is a must have on your library shelf!!!! I would love to have several copies I could give away to some of the people I meet everyday in the pagan world, just so I pass along the common sense some people don't use that the Goddess gave them.

If nothing else, give this book a serious read. Ask at your local libraries and make sure they get a copy and keep it in stock. It is a much needed book in our community and will prove to be a valuable tool to the community over the years.

I actually just finished reading this book and I found it to be a fairly fun read. Ms. Eilers has a breezy style and an obvious sense of humor. Unfortunately, most of this book is pure fluff-how many of us really need to be told to bathe daily and wear clean clothes? Duh. If this is information you need, you'll probably require more help than you can get from a book. It's common sense, folks. The information offered is hardly earth shattering, but if you've got a few hours to kill and you're in the market for a bit of fun, then by all means, give it a read. But unless you're a real newbie to the Pagan path, there's not much to recommend. Harmless.

I had high hopes for this book, but I was pretty disapointed by book's end.

It's obvious to the reader that this author has (too much) experience with law by the end of the first section (she's a lawyer, and tells you so at least 5 times). The book is laden with references to 'defending yourself in court' against discrimation, but the author goes on to tell you to try to hide your religion from work and State Agencies whenever possible. Well, she doesn't say "hide" exactly, but it's damn near close (remove jewelry, don't wear a lot of makeup or be eccentric).

The book is full of common sense that makes you say "DUH!" a lot:
- It's common sense that you should not walk into an interview (courtroom, school, etc) professing your religious beliefs - I don't really think that part of the book applies to Pagan's only!
- Also, the part about The Department of Children and Families being discriminatory really bothered me. Being Pagan is no reason for your children to be taken away, and could never hold up in court if you are a great parent otherwise.
- Of COURSE you don't take your underage children to places where there's nudity or sexual contact (especially in the name of religion!).
- She spends a lot of time talking about being a "good" pagan. Basically she tells you about 15 times to bath yourself, take care of your kids, give them good food, and keep your finances in order, etc. Seriously, that applies to EVERYONE. And I don't think a person that's not taking care of their kids is going to read it in this book and have an "aha!" moment.

I didn't learn anything about being pagan from this book because, well, I'm already Pagan. You don't need a book from a condescending teacher (lawyer) telling you to bathe and clean your children to learn about the religion.

This book is getting 2 stars, however, for the section about learning more about Paganism. Although I could have found all of that information on the internet (for free), it was a nice addition to an otherwise preachy essay.

This book is a must have for those people even slighlty interested in Paganism. It is informative, direct and to the point with every topic covered that might be initially asked when confronted or wondering about Paganism.

Ms. Eilers is honest and forthcoming in her answers regarding the questions frequently asked by Pagan and non-Pagan alike. Her honest sharp wit and humor, experienced in Paganism and everyday life, brings one into a clearer understanding of Paganism and its traditions.

Contrary to some of the the reviews I have seen for this book, I picked it up at the local Borders shop and could not get my nose out of it for two hours before I decided to take it home with me. Filled with pratical advice on what goes on and what does not in covens, how to find other pagans in your local area, how and where to find the tools you need. I found it very helpful and an interesting read. Great for the beginning praticioner or someone exploring a pagan path.

I would also recommend buying The Idiots Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft.

This book is an excellent selection for every Pagan's shelf. It is full of common sense answers and information that everyone can understand. It is especially perfect for those just starting out or for those who wish to better understand Pagans and their beliefs.

Common Sense seems to be one area where many people today are somewhat challenged, whether it be in their religious dealings, relationships, or simple daily life. In her book, Dana points out those obvious "common sense" ideals and weaves them not only into Paganism, but into a Practical Pagan daily life, as well.

She dispells many myths about Pagans and Paganism, traces many of the societal predjudices against pagans, and offers suggestions for remedy if you should find yourself in a situation where you believe you are being discriminated against for your Pagan beliefs.

It's a fun book, written in a "let's sit down and talk" style. Not preachy, and not bogged down with legalese (she is a lawyer, afterall!) the book breaks things down to some very basic facts concerning personal choice and personal responsibility. Truly entertaining are many of her "If you do this don't be surprised by this" scenarios. As she says... "DUH!"

A worthwhile read for Pagans and non-Pagans alkike!

The Practical Pagan is written for those who have just discovered that they are drawn to the Path of the Wise. It also serves as a wake up call for those who have been Pagan for a while that sometimes neatness counts. Ms. Eilers reminds old timers about, and instructs newcomers in the fine art of being a good human being and what it means in real world terms to be a Pagan in the 21st Century.

Many people enter Paganism from more organized, mainstream religions where right, wrong and ethical codes of behavior are spelled out by books and by religious leaders. No such official source exists for the new witch because Paganism is an unorganized religion. Most newcomers are overwhelmed by this lack of guidance. Sometimes this lack of written rules leads many to believe that anything goes. Nothing can be further from the truth. This book helps to set the record straight.

In a friendly and teasing tone, the author guides the newcomer in exploring what exactly a Pagan is. The easily read chapters explain what it means to be Pagan, how and whether to join a coven, how to get involved in the Pagan community and how to go about choosing a specific Path. This book examines the myths about Pagans and Paganism, discusses the real world issues of coming out of the broom closet and offers some very down to earth advice on living as a Pagan in the mundane world.

There are chapters about your sex life and even one called "Help! There is no Pagan K-Mart" which discusses how and where to find all those wonderful ritual tools, clothing and accessories many Pagans are so fond of collecting. The author even reminds us that jeans and T-shirts are perfectly acceptable ritual-wear, if that's what makes you comfortable.

I found the author's humorous quips to be enchanting, but some might take offense at the repetition of the importance of being honest, forthright citizens of the world. Since I personally hold similar views about people (not just Pagans) being honorable and trustworthy people in their dealings, I found myself nodding my head in agreement. I can think of more than a handful of Pagans I'd like to see read this book and get the message that being Pagan is not a license to break laws or to justify being self indulgent.

This book is a good read and an excellent addition to a beginner's Craft library.

W. Lyon Martin Author/Illustrator of "An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child"

this book offers common sense for pagans trying to get along in the world, such as when and who to tell you are pagan, how to describe paganism to those who ask, and dealing with the responsibilities of everyday life. this book is not for anyone looking for a book on how to set up an altar, or magick spell recipes, but it's full of suggestions of where to find that and other kinds of information, and where and how to meet up with other pagans. it outlines the skeleton of a life that you will fill with pagan spirituality.

An awful lot of the pagan literature out there is all about how to cast a circle and celebrate the seasons, what tools to use and which color of candles to burn. Refreshingly, there are also several books out now that deal with the philosophical and deeper theological aspects of pagan practice and thought. All of this is wonderful, interesting and useful, but sometimes we forget that we pagans live in the real world, too. Alternately, as soon as we start living in the real world, we forget (at least some of the time) our paganism! Either way, we are losing out on the true meaning and daily joy of our spirituality.

In THE PRACTICAL PAGAN, Dana Eilers points out -- with humorous examples and a (usually) gentle voice -- that it's not as hard as you may think to be pagan in today's world: what you need to be is a practical pagan. She starts off helping you identify whether or not you are pagan (or how much of one you are), and proceeds into chapters about self-education, pagan networking (whether you want to practice with a group or not), "looking" pagan and finding pagan supplies ("Help! There is no pagan K-mart!"), telling (or not telling) your family/friends/coworkers/significant others, discrimination issues and your rights under the law, even your sex life.

Though Ms. Eilers occasionally gets preachy about being a clean, good, decent person, she does make a point ("like it or not, you are an ambassador for pagans everywhere"). And although she tends to repeat herself and there are four or five passages where a little judicious editing would have been nice, the spirit of the book (and the general good style) are not appreciably diminished. THE PRACTICAL PAGAN is a guide for the beginner and a timely reminder for the more advanced; I'd recommend it to any pagan as a useful and entertaining read.