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Witchcraft for tomorrow

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The number of books on witchcraft these days can be staggering. This incredible quantity of choices can leave an individual feeling overwhelmed and uncertain of where to begin. Unfortunately, the relatively new individual is often not even aware of their option to read "Witchcraft for Tomorrow" by Doreen Valiente. This is unfortunate, as this book offers a wonderful basis for understanding witchcraft as an individual continues to study and gain personal experience.

Whereas many authors spend the majority of the time describing how to work with the various techniques within witchcraft, Valiente attempts to describe the nature, purpose, and historical contexts of these techniques. For example, rather than giving extensive instructions on how to cast a circle, this author describes the occult significance that many have attributed to the circle as well as how the circle appears in various pre-Christian religious practices. In this way, she confers an understanding of the nature of the circle and its uses upon the reader. Then, in the "Book of Shadows" section, the reader is instructed how to cast a circle effectively equipped with that understanding.

The author's discussion of history of ancient pagan religion as it affects modern witchcraft is particularly noteworthy. I commend Valiente for refraining from both insisting that witches have always done things as they are done today and accusing those like Gardner from inventing modern witchcraft from whole cloth. Instead, Valiente carefully suggests historical sources of various elements from which modern witchcraft may have formed. In doing so, she draws from many varied sources, such as Hinduism, Celtic religious practices, and Greek philosophy. Often, she will draw parallels between two sources. In this way, the reader is given a potential idea of how modern witchcraft may have developed and grown as a result of the mingling of religious ideals over time.

Even in her "Book of Shadows" section, Valiente chooses to remain someone open-ended, non-dogmatic, and even vague in her instruction. She gives rather basic and general rites, possibly out of both a love for simplicity and a desire to encourage the reader to personalize the craft workings through the process of developing it into formal practice.

One notable example of her non-dogmatic approach occurs as she discusses the quarters during the process of circle casting. In this discussion, Valiente mentions the elements as they correspond to the cardinal directions. She refers to the correspondences that she specifies as, "In Britain, a time-honored attribution." By giving a concise indication of the geography of this tradition indicates that she would expect the elemental correspondences to be attributed differently in other geographical locations. In fact, she goes so far as to suggest a system by which the reader can determine appropriate attributions for a given locale.

Valiente's mostly non-dogmatic approach and desire to provide a basic understanding of the underlying concepts in witchcraft makes for a rather informative book. Anyone who wishes to move beyond the process of learning basic instructions of how to perform various rites should consider adding "Witchcraft for Tomorrow" to one's library.

I rather enjoyed Witchcraft for Tomorrow. Lady Doreen presents a form of the Craft true to its Wiccan roots, but does so without violating her oaths. "This book is simply intended to aid those who want to worship the Old Gods and make magic in the old ways. The desire to do this has become so widespread that I feel it should no longer be denied." She offers her book as a starting point, even for those who must self-initiate.

The book consists of two sections, The first is divided into eleven chapters: The Old Gods (watch out for some material here that is no longer taken seriously by scholars), Witch Ethics, Witch Festivals, Witch Signs and Symbols, The Magic Circle, Witch Tools, Methods of Witch Divination, Witches' Attire, The Witches' Alphabets, The Working Site, and Witchcraft and Sex Magic.

The second section is Liber Umbrarum, A Book of Shadows. Herein will be found Casting the Circle; The Rite of Self-Initiation; The Full Moon Esbat Rite; The Sabbat Rite; Initiation into the Coven; The Coven Spell; The Seven Pointed Star; The Runes of Andred; The Spell of the Cord; Invocation of the Moon Goddess; Invocation of the Horned God; and Chants and Dances.

The book includes a broad spectrum bibliography and and a useful index. Although other authors have published material directly from traditional Books of Shadows, Lady Doreen's book presents material taht may be useufl to the solitary practitioner as well as the coven. Although this book requires more thought than a Cunningham book, I find it more solidly grounded in Wiccan tradition. Well worth the extra brain work.

Valiente is an author anyone seriously interested in Wicca should read. She presents Wicca as it was before being watered down and muddied by the likes of Ravenwolf, Dunwich, Conway, and McCoy. The only flaw I would point out in _Witchcraft For Tomorrow_ is from a historical basis. Valiente relies heavily on the theories and views presented by Margaret Murray. While I hesitate to use the term "disproven" in relation to those theories and views, they are certainly no longer taken seriously by scholars in the field. Read it for a Traditional view of Wicca as created by Gerald Gardner. For an accurate historical perspective, try _Triumph of the Moon_ by Ronald Hutton.

This book was published in 1976. One reading it would never believe it had one picked up a copy today. Her amazingly lucid explanation of what modern witchcraft is and is not, goes above and beyond all expectations. This is honestly the only book one needs to begin. Anything published after this is just a re-write.

She seems to have forseen the growth of the modern movement. Indeed this is the fastest growing spirituality in the world. I would say religion but that implies organization and belief. Witchcraft doesnt require either.

Had it been published by a bigger publisher, it would have indeed been a best seller. Given the time, there were still many misconceptions regarding witchcraft. As far as my spiritual developement was concerned, in 1976 I would have never considered myself a witch. Had I been given this book, things would have been different. This is not your average "teen witch" fashion statement. More like wisdom from Granny- the wisest witch to date-Thank you Lady Doreen.

I have read this book as a practicing Gardnerian and reccomend it to all of my students. It is excellently written, easy to read and thorough, as well as having a complete Book of Shadows in the back. It is not for the mere inquisitor, however, and should be considered by the serious students of the traditional British Craft. Blessed Be!

I thought this book to be relatively good. However, I would not reccomend it as a book for beginners. It does have some very complex material that is probably best if you have already studied paganism. Also, the author did have a tendency to go off topic.

Sometimes she gets to rambling, but this historical treatise successfully marries the witchcraft tradition with the other major Western magical traditions (Golden Dawn, OTO, etc.), as well as certain Eastern ones (Tantra, sufism). Although this book contains little in the way of practical advice, it's a clear exposition of the craft and its origins from the standpoint of a highly respected witch. A must for serious students.

Even though this is from the person that along with Gerald Gardner is the founder of witchcraft as we know it today, it is just more of the basics of Witchcraft for a beginning witch. I guess for me personally it restated that I was practicing it right and knew what I was talking about. If you're interested in witchcraft I would recommend this book along with Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today and even though it's a little different Aleister Crowley's Magick in Theory and Practice and Book Four. Witchcraft is surpsingly simple if you that one plus one equals two unless you are going to do group rituals those I found were complex but solitary witchcraft is very easy.

This book is an excellent resource! I find Doreen's writing style just addicting. This woman really knows what she is talking about on all subjects relating to modern witchcraft! I think the best part of this book was the Book of Shadows that she wrote in the back. I partically have an affinity for "The Coven Spell" and have used it with others in the past and find it works great to aid in building the cone of power. Overall, it is a keeper!

Much Love & Many Blessings,
Thorn Nightwind

If you wish to be Wiccan, this book will help you.
This book presents accurate foundational material about what Traditional Witchcraft was when Gardner birthed it and how it was practiced.
Even the history in the book, which is just wrong, is what WAS taught in the early days of what would become Wicca.
Even if your new age Wicca is unlike Valiente's work, you owe it to yourself to learn in what way, and perhaps even why.