Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year - A Review

This week I'm doing a review of a book published by  Simon & Schuster writen by Judy Ann Nock called The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year.

I would like to preface this review with a confession.  I do not practice Wicca. I am a solitary atheist witch. I work in alchemy and dabble in metal work.  I use chants, herbs and metals to cast my spells and do a bit of image reading. I also receive no compensation for the reviews that I do.  I am sent the books at no cost to me and I provide a review to share with you, and sometimes a freebie to use as a giveaway as well.

Now, that we have that out of the way let's have a look at this book.  Like most of the of these style books our author takes on on a journey around the wheel of the year. Beginning with Samhain, we have a break down of the history behind each of the holidays and including meditations, a rituals, crafts, references to the astrological influences of the season and some legend and lore.  As the title indicates this is a look at the Wiccan holidays and hence employees the typical Wiccan perspective on the seasons and rites.  In one of the Samhain meditations titled "Descend to the Realm of Hecate" the author refers to the Goddess as "the crone goddess of wisdom", of which there is no historic reference. In fact quite the contrary. Hecate is most often depicted as a maiden and only Aleister Crowley referred to her as such.  I have written several pieces related to this reference and they can be found here.  I did like the reference to the Dead Supper and the ritual carving ideas. Most books leave out a way to incorporate our modern traditions into the seasons of the past.

The rest of the book continues through the wheel with similar set up.  Ostara of course lists egg decorating as the craft and includes a table of natural dyes which is a nice addition to those wishing to stay along the lines of the natural witch. I found the Litha Mediation "Dancing with the Sidhe" especially rewarding. I can also see how the Edible Lammas Effigy would work wonders, if for nothing else but satisfaction in our current political climate, but I digress. In additional to the standard wheel, the author included a year and a day lunar calendar as well as several tables in the back of the book.  Over all a great addition to any Wiccan library and a great companion book to the two books I reviewed last year in the series.  You can find that review here.