21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great book for young men looking at Wicca!, April 1, 2005
This review is from: Sons of the Goddess: A Young Man's Guide to Wicca (Paperback)
Christopher Penczak approaches Wicca from the standpoint of the young man first finding his footing on this spiritual path. As he states in his opening introduction, Wicca is a religion with images of women and learned Sages for teachers and sometimes the younger man may find it hard to relate or find imagery with which he can relate.
Christopher Penczak is very well equipped to tackle this job as well. He is a young man with many book credits to his name on the topic of Wicca. His series on the Inner and Outer Temples of Witchcraft is well known and admired, as well as his books on various types of Magick.
The book is divided in to nine chapters covering a variety of beginners topics on Wicca, including starting on your path, stories Mothers and Sons from mythology, and Men's Mysteries. Each of these chapters focuses on the young man approaching Wicca for the first time. From basic Wiccan beliefs to mythologies that focus on the relationship between the Goddess and her sons, to the man's place in Wicca, the topics focus on the young man, giving him place in a religion that can sometimes seem very Divine Feminine.
There is a chapter on Meditation Magick, something Mr. Penczak is very expert on and it focuses on basic meditation practices and once you have mastered this you can use this practice to work some of his basic magick exercises, such as his "Protection Shield", a very good shielding practice, and also opening up yourself to speak with spirits of all kinds.
Throughout the book, there are little "dialogue boxes" scattered in the margins of the book. These boxes discuss some questions you may have when reading the various chapters. From "The Burning Times" to questions about different Deities or stone properties or "Voodoo Dolls" Mr. Penczak anticipates questions the reader may have and very expertly and directly answers them in a clear and concise manner.
The book also provides illustrations on various topics discussed in the book. The Chakra system is illustrated, poppets, wands, various symbols and tarot cards, all laid out as examples to compliment the discussions.
Further reading will provide you with "Roles and Responsibility", a discussion on the "Wiccan Rede" and a "Code of Honor" that Mr. Penczak includes as a basic guide to personal ethics. There is a
discussion on taking your choice of religion public, how to approach your family with this decision you have made, and what is right for you! This is an excellent chapter and I found it to be very clear and some very good, solid advice for any beginner starting on this path.
There are also chapters on performing rituals, spellcrafting, and the Wheel of the year, which all give some very good information about tools you will need, elements and their relations to our workings.
There is basic ritual construction, which he does elaborate on further making this a great introduction to ritual and personal adaptation of it to be your own. Spellcrafting covers the basics of spells, what they are, different kinds, times to work and how to do your own spells. Some very easy to do and very essential spells are included. And no beginners book would be complete without a very good overview of the Wheel of the Year and the celebrations that are the heart of Wicca.
The final chapter is on personal dedication to Wicca and the Craft. Mr. Penczak discusses what it means to being a witch, making the decision to walk this path and once you have truly made the decision that this is the right path for you, he has provided a simple yet elegant "Self-Dedication Ritual" to celebrate and mark the choice you have made.
The book has a good bibliography with some excellent sources for those who wish to read further.
If you are a young man who is looking for a book that addresses the path of Wicca from the perspective of a young man and is written specifically with the young man in mind, this book is a great starting place and a good reference tool. I feel Mr. Penczak has done an excellent job covering an aspect of Wicca that has not been directly addressed before. It is clearly written, well illustrated and the focus is excellent. This would also be a good choice for any parent whose young man is looking for the first time at the path of Wicca and wants something that specifically addresses his needs. boudica
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
great for the younger set, August 10, 2005
This review is from: Sons of the Goddess: A Young Man's Guide to Wicca (Paperback)
I bought this book for my 15-year-old son and recently discovered that my 9-year-old daughter has been reading it. This is a great relief to me because there are NO books on witchcraft that specifically target children, and although this is written with young men in mind, Christopher's clear-as-crystal language is well understood even by my daughter.
Teaching children the path has been something that I have struggled with. How do you explain so many things, and where do you begin? Well, this book was the answer for me. My son was able to read it on his own and ask questions or make comments as usual. But this is a WONDERFUL outline for my young daughter as well! Christopher really out-did himself in the simplicity of his language in this book. It is so easy to understand, but that is the norm for all of Christopher's books.
Highly recommended for teens, and also as a guide for teaching your younger children. What a blessing!
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