Practical Pagan: Commonsense Guidelines for Modern Practitioners

Contrary to some of the the reviews I have seen for this book, I picked it up at the local Borders shop and could not get my nose out of it for two hours before I decided to take it home with me. Filled with pratical advice on what goes on and what does not in covens, how to find other pagans in your local area, how and where to find the tools you need. I found it very helpful and an interesting read. Great for the beginning praticioner or someone exploring a pagan path.I would also recommend buying The Idiots Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft.

This book is an excellent selection for every Pagan's shelf. It is full of common sense answers and information that everyone can understand. It is especially perfect for those just starting out or for those who wish to better understand Pagans and their beliefs.

This book is a must have for those people even slighlty interested in Paganism. It is informative, direct and to the point with every topic covered that might be initially asked when confronted or wondering about Paganism. Ms. Eilers is honest and forthcoming in her answers regarding the questions frequently asked by Pagan and non-Pagan alike. Her honest sharp wit and humor, experienced in Paganism and everyday life, brings one into a clearer understanding of Paganism and its traditions.

Common Sense seems to be one area where many people today are somewhat challenged, whether it be in their religious dealings, relationships, or simple daily life. In her book, Dana points out those obvious "common sense" ideals and weaves them not only into Paganism, but into a Practical Pagan daily life, as well.She dispells many myths about Pagans and Paganism, traces many of the societal predjudices against pagans, and offers suggestions for remedy if you should find yourself in a situation where you believe you are being discriminated against for your Pagan beliefs.It's a fun book, written in a "let's sit down and talk" style. Not preachy, and not bogged down with legalese (she is a lawyer, afterall!) the book breaks things down to some very basic facts concerning personal choice and personal responsibility. Truly entertaining are many of her "If you do this don't be surprised by this" scenarios. As she says... "DUH!"A worthwhile read for Pagans and non-Pagans alkike!

Finally, a book that deals with the realities of being pagan in a mundane world.Bravo to Ms. Eilers for taking the time and energy to put a lot of very valuable reference material together in one place and make it available to everyone.For those not familiar with Dana Eilers, she is a witch, she is a lawyer. She has worked for legal council for such groups as WARD, AREN and WADL. She has put in "years" of voluntary time to various Pagan/Witch/Wiccan groups as legal council as well as just time spent helping bring order to a chaotic situation.Her book does the same thing. While we are all aware of our spiritual paths, we do encounter legal entanglements that may or may not be of our own making.In those things that we mess up for ourselves, Ms. Eilers offers advice and council as to how to unmake those messes and avoid them in the future. Much of it is common sense, hence the name of the book.In those cases where our problems may be because of the religious path we choose to follow and are being either discriminated against or denied our rights, Ms. Eilers has placed chapter and verse of the law at our fingertips, to enable us to understand, in plain English (my goodness, a lawyer who speaks plain English, how unique and so definitely Pagan!) what our options are, where to seek council and material to provide any legal representative we may choose to aid us.There is way too much material in this book (another plus for Ms. Eilers, she didn't cheap out on the information) to even try to recap the book. Everything from definitions of key words to meeting and greeting other pagans to proper behavior with pagans and with the mundane world. Yes, this is a must have on your library shelf!!!! I would love to have several copies I could give away to some of the people I meet everyday in the pagan world, just so I pass along the common sense some people don't use that the Goddess gave them.If nothing else, give this book a serious read. Ask at your local libraries and make sure they get a copy and keep it in stock. It is a much needed book in our community and will prove to be a valuable tool to the community over the years.