Customer Reviews

The Twelve Wild Swans: A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing, and Action

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...Well, sort of. No late night howling at the moon or camp songs, but this book is organized in a way analogous to camp. There are excellent tools in this book, for beginners to advanced Witches. In fact, I think it is one of the few books really suited for the intermediate to advanced Witch. This book could sustain one's personal work for quite a long time, if needed.

I do find it interesting to read the comments of the reviewer who mentioned the "rabid feminism." I certainly don't perceive this book to be that way. In meeting Starhawk and reading her work, I've never percieved her as a "rabid" feminist or man-hater... interesting how some men think anyone who uses "she" and "her" instead of "he" and "him" as generic pronouns is rabid. I've been putting up with books with a generic male audience my entire life! I guess I'm not really sure why some men are so offended by the book addressing a generic female audience instead.

I believe this book is an incredible, valuable addition to the available literature on Witchcraft, and I strongly recommend it, both to women and (secure) men. ;-)

Blessed be!

All too often, books on the Craft seem superficial. One is left with the feeling that there is a deeper mystery that is not being explained, a richer, darker, more passionate way to approach the Old Religion. The works of Starhawk and the Reclaiming Community stand apart from this depressing state of affairs. Each one unearths deep emotion and is filled with insight. This is the real thing, and that reality is felt bone deep.

"Twelve Wild Swans" is no exception. The lessons are based on an old, somewhat unsettling fairy tale. This story is approached from three different directions that enhance eachother. The most important thing, in my opinion, is the stress the authors both put on the seriousness of commiting one's self to the Craft. Witchcraft is a life altering journey, and that journey should not be embarked upon as a fashion statement. The Outer Path sections make this especially clear.

As a book that stresses dedication and a deep commitment to the Goddess, "Twelve Wild Swans" takes its place as a classic on par with, if not exceeding, "Spiral Dance". Thank you Starhawk and the Reclaiming Community!

Despite other reviewers comments, there is little "sexual bias" in this book. Starhawk is a woman, and seems to work with a lot of women, so it is natural that she does not assume men are her primary audience. This does not mean she hates men, and I have yet to find a single suggestion that men should not pursue their own spiritual pursuits. This book is usefull for both women AND men.

12 Wild Swans is a continuation of the Spiral Dance, providing new exersizes for both solitary practitioners and working groups. There is less discussion of politics, like in Truth or Dare or Dreaming the dark, and more focus on fairy tales and mythology as a clue to spriritual growth. It is aimed at both novice and experienced people, giving a solid framework while simultaneously building on that framework for those more experienced.

This is an excellent guide for personal growth and responsibility.

I just startd reading this book last night and I am so far blown away! I ,like the other reviewers ,am sick & tired of the books out there on Witchcraft that are all the same with only a different spin on how to do things.How many times can you read "how to cast a circle" with out being SICK of read the same thing over & over? This book has 3 ways to experiencing it.There's the path for the neophyte,a path you could consider for those who have reached 2nd degree and than there's a 3rd degree path having more to do with community.So all in all you could use this book 3 times and learn something new everytime! I think that is more bang for the buck,you're learning 3 paths for one purchase!! I highly recommend this book to ALL,can you tell?Blessed Be & Thanks StarHawk and Ms. Valentine.

I had the good luck to have worked with Starhawk in the year before her first book on Wicca appeared The Spiral Dance. I knew it would be a defining work because at that time there was little in print that described current Wiccan practice. Soon after its publication, if memory serves me right, the Reclaiming Collective was founded, attempting to create a living model in non-patriarchal political power and interpersonal relationships. It has been, as viewed from the outside, an ongoing experiment in applied feminist ethics, anarchist principles of consensus building and activist confrontational political witness. Now some 20 years into the experiment we have some subtle reflections on the practice of magic as personal and collective transformation hung upon a common fairytale. Unlike many works on Wicca this work has more implied in its practice than what is explicitly stated. Twelve Wild Swans will be considered a benchmark in the emerging and ever morphing traditions of neopagan magic practice. It is a good book to study and adapt to one's own coven's magic practice. Twelve Wild Swans is much appreciated and highly recommended for repeated readings.

This is the advanced Wiccan/Pagan book that practitioners have been waiting for. We are transformed as we follow Rose through her betrayal and redemption. I think I would have been overwhelmed reading this if I was a beginner because like the fairy tale, it assumes a spiritual life and previous magical experience would be very helpful. There is no hocus-pocus in this book. Meditiation is stressed and spells are practically non existent. This is real magic. The connection to divinity is profound.

The book is written in a feminine voice. The authors explain that it is not only to try to balance all of the books that are written in a male voice but also to avoid the constant repetition of god and goddess and he and she. It was refreshing to read a book written in this light. This book does not male bash or Christian bash, and I was also grateful for that as well.

I would go through this book line by line if I was either starting a group or working in one currently. While you can be a solitary and get a lot out of this book, I think a newbie solitary would have a hard time at first. Towards the end of the book, the authors drop solitary references and recommend ways to draw people of like mind into your life.

There is a lot of political activism and community spirit in this book. The authors recognize that we do not live in a vacuum and it is all well and good to do spells and prayers for the Earth but real, concrete involvement is really what's going to save the planet and our souls.

The writing is superb. Read this and be transformed.

I have been studying witchcraft for eight years, and I can tell you that although I love to read I was longing for a book that went beyond the usual 'witchy 101' books. I have been to Reclaiming camps in the past and found this book to be a natural extension of the mythic exploration that occurs at those camps. What is beautiful about the book is that they focus on the myth as a way of relating/acting in a sacred way in the world as well as a means of exploring yourself and healing. The book is even written in a way that is good for beginners to use.

This book takes the study of Wicca in an interesting light. You have the option of going through the book chapter by chapter or by using one of three methods of study. It is a wonderful, thought provoking story and is easily translated into everyday events. I especially recommend this for women and even more so to young women just entering the craft.

there a some wonderful descriptive reviews here and i don't really need to restate them. i usually do not like to write reviews in response to other reviewers. but i am making an exception here. one reviewer calls the starhawk a "rabid feminst". while i don't find that term to be the insult its meant to be, i just want to assure potential male and men loving female readers that this book is not at all "rabid". its nothing like mary dalys works. it does not come close to z. budapests works, and is not even as "rabid" as diane stein and shekhinah mountainwater. (i am a fan of the latter two, but would not reccomend them to men--and well, z has her place) this book does not say anything bad about men at all. it contains exercises created by male members of the reclaiming community. and its feminism is mild and blame-free. there is nothing in here that would offend any man unless he was extremely paranoid and filled with unexpressed guilt. that said i think this book is for every witch no matter what gender.

Have you noticed lately that witches and spiritual writers are calling to action? It is like Bolen's story of the millionth monkey. One monkey starts to wash a sweet potato thrown on the shore. Another monkey joins the next day. Soon monkeys on unrelated islands are washing a sweet potato thrown on the shore before eating them. Magic.

Starhawk's new book is one of these pathways. Doing the work within, alone or in your coven, is joining in to the action
that our world needs to become peaceful, balanced, and free.
Starhawk understands deeply that until we are all free, we are none of us free. Feminist, powerful, witch that she is she has provided us all, once again, a primer that delves even deeper and that asks us all to find our own way to action.

As usual, she does it all with bone honesty and deep respect for your path. Read it. Do it. Get busy.

Thank you for the book.