I've always had a hard time remembering which ways the waxing and waning moons are. I like the simple trick of DOC in the book!
I really don't like the part about saying Hekate rules the dark moon and witches call upon her to do negative work. Hekate is not an evil Goddess.
I love the idea of making a goal and setting mini goals for each Sabbat.
This book made me drift off and think about the other planes and realms, with our true selves being there. I thought, "This (physical plane) is the Matrix."
The part about giving gifts on Yule and the birth of the God made me think of baby Jesus and the gifts bestowed upon him. Did Wicca (or witchcraft) take this from Christianity or is it the other way around? Because Jesus was really born on Easter time, not Yule yea?
Handfasting
Is it really that.. inceremonial and dedicated? It lasts for as long as they love each other? Sounds more like boyfriend and girlfriend than a marriage?
I like how they say to not worry so much about making sure everything on your altar is perfect and that you have ___ tool and ____ tool to celebrate the Sabbats. It's about connecting with the Divine, so don't get caught up like the world has with Christmas!
The Ancient Ones
Huge eye roll. We have to awaken them? Really? If thousands of Pagans are calling upon these energies they're not asleep. I think this is some fluff mystical crap added in this part right here.
I don't agree with the part where they say the Lord and Lady (or Divine) will only carry out your magic if it's positive. Magic is magic, energy is energy, there's both positive and negative.
I really don't like how throughout this book they only point out the obvious examples like every other book. "Merlin" and "fire energy=sex", you'd think they could find more examples.
The part about looking inside a box for your familiar, putting the lid on and getting it back out when you need it........ really? I've... not ever heard of that before...
Finally they say you can use magic for negativity as well.
This chapter makes a great distinction between prayer and magic (ch. 16).
They also finally say that not all witches are Wiccan.
I do do magic for other people even if they don't ask for it. My wording is in a roundabout way though so it doesn't affect their higher will. Example: "I give _____ the strength to make the changes she
wants to make" No, "make ___ quit ____".
They gotta stop the x3 stuff. Karma doesn't work that way.
I like how they explain color energy.
Crystals
Not all crystals can touch water, salt, sunlight or it can harm them. Make sure you research your crystals before you cleanse them!
Connecting with crystals, something I thought would work well is buy an unknown crystal to you, take it with you a couple days, meditate on it, see the energy it gives you and then look up the correspondence to see how it is matches up.
