Recommended Books for the Beginning Pagan

Unfortunately, there are a lot of crappy pagan books out there geared toward beginners. I wish that I had been able to find a list like this. It would have saved me a lot of money and time. At the same time, I do like reading some of the bad ones so I can skewer them later. I am the Queen of Swords after all. But I digress. Here is a list of the pagan books that I highly recommend and keep using as references myself. They are categorized where appropriate, though they are in no particular order within the categories. One word of caution, these authors are good but they cannot and should not take the place of your own discretion. It's okay to disagree with what an author says and to find your own way. Books are a jumping off point, not the whole journey. Happy reading!

Pagan/Wiccan

Twelve Wild Swans by Starhawk and Hilary Valentine - a beautifully written book with exercises to gain magical skills, do inner work and reach out to your community; more female-oriented but can be used by anyone
Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Scott Cunningham - a true classic; this book has everything you'll need to get you started
Embracing the Moon by Yasmine Galenorn - this is a pagan (not Wiccan) book; a very practical approach with some great spells to start with
The Inner Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak - this book is a must have for every pagan library; he explores the very foundations of pagan practice with meditations and visualizations; the exercises are extremely helpful to get some experience under your belt
In the Circle by Elen Hawke - at first I wasn't overly impressed by this book, but then I kept going back to it as a reference; lovely exploration of seasonal imagery
To Stir a Magick Cauldron by Silver Ravenwolf - this is actually the second book in her series, but I recommend starting with this instead of To Ride A Silver Broomstick because it has more clear writing and more "meat"; Silver's witchcraft history should be taken with a HUGE grain of salt

References

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham - has the metaphysical properties of many common gems
Love Is In the Earth by Melody - has the metaphysical properties of almost any stone that you can think of and plenty you've never heard of; truly a crystal bible; one warning: Melody is a little out there, ignore the UFO stuff because the rest of the info is good
Magical Aromatherapy by Scott Cunningham - how to use scent in magic and a listing of the properties of many herbs and essential oils
Magical Herbalism by Scott Cunningham - how to use herbs in magic and a property listing of the more common ones; check his Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs for a more comprehensive listing

Goddess Path

The Goddess Path by Patricia Monaghan - an absolutely beautiful book on many different goddesses such as Hera and the Muses; has rituals and journaling questions
The Goddess Companion by Patricia Monaghan - daily meditations on the Goddess; has excerpts from ancient hymns and chants for each day
365 Goddess by Patricia Telesco - a goddess for each day; great for a quick devotion in the morning
Teen Goddess by Catherine Wishart - it's supposed to be for teens, but if you ignore the spells to get boys, there are great ideas for bringing the goddess into your everyday life
Goddess Meditations by Barbara Ardinger - lovely and powerful meditations to get in touch with many different goddesses, including your inner goddess
Sage Woman Magazine - a goddess-oriented magazine; lovely writing and illustrations; food for thought 4 times a year
Invoke the Goddess by Kala Trobe - wonderful guided meditations to meet Hindu, Greek and Egyptian goddesses; also includes basic information on the goddesses

Witchcraft History
- The Witch-Hunt in Early Modern Europe by Brian Levack - a great overview of the witch trials; scholarly without being dry
- Witches and Neighbors by Robin Briggs - a little long but thoroughly explores reasons why people were accused of witchcraft
Copyright K. Mayberry. Not to be used without permission.
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