The Craft: A Witch's Book of Shadows

I have been An active Solitary Pract. for 3 years now. When approached by a friend asking questions about how he can learn more about Wicca I dove into my vast library of books to find one that would help give a decent eye opening view. When I stumbled across "The CRAFT" and its companion (Which I forgot I had purchased years ago). Having never read it I was intrigued as to why, I opened it up and started reading could not believe what I had missed out on. A lot of the facts Mrs. Morrison covers where not explained as in depth when I first begin my path in a small coven years back. I loaned the book and it companion to my friend who when he returned it to me said "WOW I never knew how warm one could feel after reading a book and actually doing to exercises." I would suggest this book and its companion to any new comer to the craft. Not as a sole source but, defiantly as a starting point. A few others I have enjoyed are Scott Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for Solitary Practitioners and Living Wicca a further guide. Good luck and Blessed be!

I do not give many good reviews, but in my belief, this book deserves a great, glowing, FANTASTIC one, even though I did not agree with some of the correspondences and dream meanings( who ever does?). Most Wicca 101 books have the same thing over and over: history, tools, ethics, sabbats, and a couple of spells. This book covers each of these subjects in *complete* detail, (in all my time of Wicca, I have never seen a book have the entire Book of Law, Rede, creed, and analyses each throughly) but it also includes research on the elements, time influences, color meanings(goes beyond basic colors), wind, flower, herb, tree, and stone meanings. She includes daily activities and "lesson plans" in each section, which I found incredibly helpful and soothing. It talks about *each and every* full moon esbat and how to celebrate each one! I have studied for years and never found knowledge on the moon esbats! I didn't even know they had names, let alone specific rituals! When she covers sabbats, it gives research/celebration ideas, a ritual, and it's correspondenses. Her chants and rituals are well thought out and poetic. In the back, she lists specific herbs, flowers,trees, and deities for specific types of spells so you can write you own! She includes a suggested reading list in the back for even more extensive research. If there is one book on Wicca to get, this would be my choice. Blessed Be.

This book is one of the best books i have come alongin my study of the craft. This book contains information on Wicca(ex. The Wiccan Rede, principeles, creed) including the book of law in the Appendix. There is information on the elements, and exercises to help you with them, correspondences, herb/flower/tree information, and rituals to help you with Sabbats. It even provides information on ritual tools, but gives information on how to make them! It explains magickal timing, like the different moons, Sun and Moon times and the connection to the God and Goddess. Although dream symbols are different for everyone, it provides information for some basic things that helped me. This book has things that i before had no clue about and I've been studying for years! All in all, GET THIS BOOK! Whenther you're just starting out or have been studying for years!

Dorothy Morrison has given us a lot of really great books, but in her book "The Craft" she has provided the beginner with everything in one place. Even the experienced witch will find some information in this book that is a "gee, I didn't know that". She mixes the basics with history, theory, and something that is badly needed in our community... ethics. While a lot of books approach the "how to", Dorothy examines the "should you" aspect of walking the path called "The Craft". She looks at Wicca as a Spiritual path, with all the associations connected with working in a religion.If you are looking for a great place to start, this book is a wonderful beginning point for anyone looking to walk the path of Wicca. Included is all the info you are going to need on tools, spells and Deities. The workbook "The Craft Companion" is a lovely addition too, as it is a place for you to keep your progress as you walk the path of the Craft. Personal Journals are always a good way to measure how you grow as you learn.