Wicca Craft: The Modern Witches Book of Herbs, Magick and Dreams (Library of the Mystic Arts) [Mass Market Paperback]

Gerina Dunwich (Author)

Book Description

Series: Library of the Mystic Arts | Publication Date: October 4, 2005

Wicca Craft traces the origins of this positive, nature-based religion, which preaches brotherly love and harmony with and respect for all life forms--beliefs very similar to Native American spirituality. It reveals the traditions, tools, and symbols of Wicca craft and offers step-by-step methods for performing Wicca rituals.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 195 pages
• Publisher: Citadel; 1St Edition edition (October 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806512385
• ISBN-13: 978-0806512389
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gerina Dunwich (b. December 27, 1959, Illinois, United States) is a professional astrologer, occult historian, and New Age author, best known for her books on Wicca and various occult subjects. She is also involved in paranormal research and is the founder of the Paranormal Animal Research Group, which investigates cases of alleged hauntings by animal spirits.

Her first newspaper article (co-written with her cousin, Barbara Williams) was published in October 1976. It was an interview with singer/songwriter Jim Peterik from the local Chicago band, the Ides of March (and later, Survivor). By the spring of 1980 Dunwich was publishing a small press literary journal called Golden Isis, a one-woman operation that specialized in Goddess-inspired poetry and off-beat fiction.

In December 1993 she moved to Fort Covington, Franklin County, New York, where she opened a small shop on High Street called "The Country Witch" (later renamed "The Calico Cat Whatnot Shop"), which sold antiques, curios and various occult supplies. She officially established Coven Mandragora on Candlemas 1996 and served as its High Priestess. That same year she established the Wheel of Wisdom School (an educational organization offering correspondence courses on the sabbats) and the Pagan Poets Society (a literary circle for writers and publishers of Pagan poetry), along with a local networking organization known as North Country Wicca. In February of 1998 she received a ministerial license from the Universal Life Church. Dunwich is also the founder of the Bast-Wicca tradition.

A respected spokesperson for the Wiccan/Pagan community, Dunwich has been a guest on numerous radio talk shows throughout the United States and Canada. She has lectured and presented workshops at festivals and gatherings across the country, such as the CraftWise Pagan Gathering (Waterbury, Connecticut), the Real Witches' Ball (Columbus, Ohio), and Panpipes' Pagan Day Festival (West Hollywood, California).

A member of the Fellowship of Isis, Circle, the Pagan Poets Society, the Authors Guild, and the Authors League of America, Dunwich's biography is listed in a number of reference works, such as Who's Who in the East, Personalities of America, The Wicca Source Book, The Modern Witch's Complete Sourcebook, and Crossroads: Who's Who of the Magickal Community (published by The Witching Well Education and Research Center, 1988). She is also mentioned in Anne Carson's Goddesses and Wise Women (The Crossing Press, 1992) and other works. Her articles, poetry, and reviews have appeared in numerous publications, including Playgirl, American Woman, Magical Blend, Sage Woman, Circle Network News, and Pagan Free Press.

Gerina Dunwich lives in Western New York, where she owns and operates an antique shop. She is currently working on a new book.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look- it's NOT put out by Llewellyn., November 14, 2000

By 

S. Herberth (Springfield, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wicca Craft: The Modern Witches Book of Herbs, Magick and Dreams (Library of the Mystic Arts) (Mass Market Paperback)

For those tired of the cookie cutter approach to paganism that seems to be the main offering lately, I highly reccomend checking this book out. Ms. Dunwich writes in a clear style, offering practical and not-so practical insights into magick and the Wiccan religion. It's been awhile since I read this, but I think it was delightfully free of "fluffy bunny" touch too. It's not that everything else is -bad-...just that this is -good-. Also, she doesn't endlessly refer to her other books on the subject.

(How many witches does it take to change a lightbulb? A: Please refer to my latest book, Buckland's Guide to Practical Lightbulb Changing...)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dunwich: only the best., February 14, 2000

By 

Katie Hoffman (DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wicca Craft: The Modern Witches Book of Herbs, Magick and Dreams (Library of the Mystic Arts) (Mass Market Paperback)

As a follower of the Wiccan path for 4 years now, I am happy to say that any Gerina Dunwich book you can buy will be worth every cent. If it weren't for the way I connected with this book from the first page, I don't think I would have been as passionate about my religion as I am now. I'm not saying I wouldn't have found another author to read from, but I probably would have been fearful to buy another book, lest it too be bad. ANYWAY, I own five of Gerina's books and this one is a great overall starter for anyone interested in the Wiccan Way. Appropriately, the book begins with a short, but wonderful history of the craft followed by an index of everything from Sabbats to herbs to sample rituals (though it's always best to write your own, this book gives you a great idea of what to strive for). My goal is to eventually own all of her books, for I am positive that I will benefit greatly from her writings. BUY IT!

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best, sadly....., October 8, 1999

By 

Philip Davis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wicca Craft: The Modern Witches Book of Herbs, Magick and Dreams (Library of the Mystic Arts) (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading the great book reviews of this book, I actually expected it to be better than it was. I ought to shoot a hole with a gun through this book for not explaining ritual. She gives examples of rituals, yet doesn't perform how to explain them and in simple terms....her methods of ritual are odd. I never cast a circle with white paint or chalk. It's not a bad idea, but a beginner reading this book wont know the importance that feeling and energy has when casting a circle. Her introduction and 1st chapter (History) is excellent. Also, her information on the Sabbats are also excellent, but one should stop and think, she started the Sacred Wheel of Wisdom school. But, her Sabbat rituals are not the best (they appear in chapter four: Pagan Rituals). Who wrote these rituals? Gerina? Although in each of the rituals, they speak of the reason one is celebrating, they are lame, can get wordy, and some have, in a sense, ridiculous props. For better rituals read The Wiccan Path: A guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Rae Beth. Chapter Three on Tools and Symbolism is not bad, but Gerina needs to realize that nothing is set in stone, not even her words, and one does not need a ceremonial robe or sword just to practice Wicca. Did this author not have money and convenience in mind? Don't get upset over the inverted pentagram either. Remember, Gerina, like most Wiccans, are past the point of seeing any evil within the pentagram and when it's seen, it means to us what we have been taught, the correct thing. So, if she wants or uses the inverted (horned god) pentagram, that's fine with me. She could have explained magick a little better, but it's a nice introduction. It's nice that she explains charms, amulets, and talismans....but....Gerina is exploring dangerous territory when she starts speaking about magick word squares. She speaks of even making a spirit appear before you. She should not make unverified (yet, maybe not to her) promises, especially not to absolute curious individuals and beginners. Why does she mention parchment? As in all her other books, what century does this woman live in? Back to magick word squares, an experienced Wiccan knows how magick works, but can one explain how a magick word square works? Chapter Eight entitled the Witch's kitchen is very interesting, and I was very pleased to find a recipe for Handfasting cake and also a recipe for old fashioned Witch's soap, as well as a flying and love potion, all very interesting as well as a variety of types of incenses. All very interesting. Her chapter on Wortcunning is so-so. Her section on folk names is interesting and useful, but when she starts on all those lists (which, in a sense, can be helpful) and correspondences, the chapters begin to get long and drawn out. Luckilly, she kept her chapter on Pagan deities to a minimum, she goes on for hours in some of her other books. Her lists of herbs, as I said, can be helpful, but like in all her other books, methods and types of administration or using herbs in general is not discussed. Moving on, she does some nice research on her chapter on tree magick, but a beginner may wonder why this section is included. She includes some folkloric spells and divination reguarding and containing trees. Her chapter on dreams is not bad, and I disagree with the book reviewer who said for better dream information go to RavenWolf, that's not necessarily true. RavenWolf doesn't explain different types of dreams, for the most part, only her opinions. Like always though, Gerina Dunwich takes us on a trip through her ancient grimoire reguarding dreams. Notice, it seems, all her dream divinations are reguarding love. She repeats things from book to book. She gives two spells reguarding dreams. One includes fasting with water for a whole day for best results. I really did like her chapter on dream magick. The final chapter (a book with no conclusion) is on Pagan periodicals, a chapter that could be seriously outdated.... This is a good book, don't get me wrong, and it can answer a lot of questions about Wicca, but Gerina really did leave a lot out, and personally I am not afraid of mischievous ghosts, elves, and fairies like this author seems to be with her neoclassical New England style of writing.... In closing, this book, although will get a beginner started, may be better for a nonpractitioner, but I could be wrong. It would answer a lot of questions and hopefully dispel fears of the unknown.