Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!!
Review: A terrific introduction to Paganism. It opens with an excellent drawing that shows paganism as an umbrella that encompasses a variety of earth-centered religions/philosophies and gives a quick description of each of those. There are discussions of what pagan rituals are (e.g. handfasting, etc), what the wheel of the year is, what magic is, what the holidays are. Symbolism is shown with meaning. One thing I really like about this book is that it also provides how to talk about beliefs with Christians who might have misinformation of what paganism is. There's also a neat chapter on "a pagan view of diety" that talks to how we each interpret divinity. There are also some really good exercises to explore our own beliefs and even some topics for journaling. Really an excellent book to explore our spirituality and learn how to put words to it.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Finest New Books On Paganism
Review: As a veteran Witch who has been practicing for over twenty years, the new arrivals on the metaphysical shelves of the bookstores have been, of late, a disappointment. I find most shelves stocked with book upon book of superstitious claptrap, mechanistic models of magick and cookbook-style spellbooks which lower Neo-Paganism, Wicca and Witchcraft to the lowest common denominator.However, when I picked up this book, I was pleasantly surprised, then delighted, to find that the authors wrote with calm, unemotional prose, with nary a foolishly rhymed spell in sight. Mature, insightful thought is the rule of the day in this book, something that I deeply appreciate, and the authors to go great lengths to anticipate and answer the many "whys" of Neo-Paganism in clear prose that neither talks down to the reader, nor dumbs down the topic. The topics that are covered include discussions of beliefs about Divinity and the nature of Divinity itself, a cosmology that includes the "New Physics", and a discussion of how magick works. All of these topics are covered thoroughly, intelligently, and ethically, with a no-nonsense view towards helping the reader come to their own conclusions on the subject matter. The "Satan" issue is covered with a thoroughness that surprised me, and included information that I have never seen portrayed in a Neo-Pagan work before. My only complaint is that the section on ethics was shorter than it could have been. I am one of those Witches who upsets people at Pagan festivals with my view that we need to talk about ethics at any opportunity and work at creating an ethical system that helps the incoming flux of new Pagans understand the behaviors our community does and does not promote. One of the reasons I am so adamant about ethics is because unlike Christianity, which is the religion most Pagans convert from, Paganism doesn't have a lot of do's and don'ts. That is a good thing, however, people who grew up with a lot of rules are not used to thinking for themselves, and often, simply -don't- think. They often wind up hurting themselves and others and hide behind the belief that they are "doing what they will, and harming none." A bit more discussion on exactly what "harm" means, and how to interpret the Rede more effectively would help people who are used to being told what to do learn to make good decisions themselves. Other than that one minor quibble, I would say that this is one of the least shallow beginner books on Neo-Paganism that I have read, and is certainly a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend to everyone, not just beginners. I hope that it becomes as influential as Starhawk's "The Spiral Dance," because it deserves to be that widely read.
Rating:
Summary: Finally!
Review: Finally we have a book that maps out magickal systems as they relate to science, specifically- Quantum Physics. So refreshing to see that the authors of this book are down-to-Earth and non-flaky (no McWiccans here) and delve into the nature of reality and the universe.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Work on the Topic to Date!
Review: I cannot praise this book highly enough. Joyce and River Higginbotham thoughtfully, thoroughly and sensitively explore and explain the very heart of Pagnism and the depths of Pagan Spirituality. This book is ideal for building understanding between Pagans and their non-Pagan family and friends, even if only the first chapter is read. The book offeres vivid models, exploratory questions, exercises and meditations to help the new Pagan explore and develop his/her personal spirituality. This book would be a wonderful addition to a World Religions course and a perfect foundation text for a Paganism 101 class. It will be a primary text on my own students' reading list. It is destined to become a classic and a mandatory complement to every Pagan's home library.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting to someone who knows nothing about Paganism
Review: I found this book very interesting. I've read occult books here and there but decided to read this one day. I liked it. It held my attention. I can't comment on the Pagan side of things but I can comment on the science and religious side. There are errors, rather there are "misinterpretations" from their side when they are trying to make a point. I found that particularly disturbing. Not all of it was incorrect but there was some.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting to someone who knows nothing about Paganism
Review: I found this book very interesting. I've read occult books here and there but decided to read this one day. I liked it. It held my attention. I can't comment on the Pagan side of things but I can comment on the science and religious side. There are errors, rather there are "misinterpretations" from their side when they are trying to make a point. I found that particularly disturbing. Not all of it was incorrect but there was some.
Rating:
Summary: Paganism, An Introduction to Earth Centered Religions
Review: I just finished this book after a couple of weeks. I don't really get a whole lot of time to read so I grab something when I can. This book... Wow. There really isn't that much more to say except to elaborate a bit on the wow. So here goes.
The book looks to be very well thought out. It seems to have a purpose unlike so many other books of this genre. It doesn't talk down to the reader or make you feel stupid. This book actually takes into account that the reader my either be a 20 year pagan veteran or a first year fluffy bunny. It speaks to everyone in language that is easy to understand and flows very well. I did get a little lost in Chapter 5: The Living Universe, when the authors were explaining "The Cosmic TV". I thought I understood it pretty good so far and the TV reference flummoxed me a bit. It eventually hit me later on in the book like a knowledge grenade...boom!.. Then I understood! Each chapter has reference numbers throughout indicating an actual reference to an author of a book that is actually a subject matter expert or at least close enough for it to count. The authors really seem to love the subject and you can tell they care about what they are writing in the way the chapters are crafted. Each chapter has exercises, visualization exercises and discussion questions that can be used in a group setting or for individual study. I read through the visualizations and have yet to actually go through them in meditation. They do look helpful, well written and easy to follow. I may have to buy a recorder now so I can tape them! The questions in the chapters are very thought provoking. If you keep a notebook of your Pagan studies, these will be good questions to ask yourself. There are three chapters that I've rarely seen discussed in such detail; Chapter 4 "What about Satanism", Chapter 5 "The Living Universe" and Chapter 7 "Ethics and Personal Responsibility". In writing about Satan in Chapter 4, the Higgenbothams really open the reader up the Paganism's view on the subject. It is good to see authors write more than, "...we don't believe in that and that is that!" Chapter 5 discusses some really good science behind the working of the universe and Paganism's role in it. Paganism's Ethics in Chapter 7 have rarely been discussed in books other than a few paragraphs. A whole chapter is refreshing! I spoke to a college ethics class a couple of years ago and couldn't find very many references to help flesh out the class. I did a lot of tap dancing! I really could have used this book!
For someone that is learning about Paganism, this would be an excellent reference tool or an excellent textbook. Very fitting since the Higgenbothams have been teachers for years.
If you are looking to learn about Paganism, Neo-Paganism, the Pagan Movement or a just a general reference on Earth Centered Religions this book is a must have. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: A balanced and useful treatment
Review: If you're a Pagan and your friends and relatives are questioning your choice, ask them to read this book. If they still want to think that you're hellbound, worship Satan or are just a little ditzy, it will put the ball squarely back in their court. And if you want some powerful reasons for incorporating a Pagan belief/ethical structure into your life, you'll find them very concisely arranged here. The Higginbothams have done an excellent job of explaining why more and more people today are choosing to follow an earth-centered path in their spiritual practices and daily lives. The book cites every religion from Catholicism to Sufi regarding mysticism, explores the scientific basis of the universal interconnectedness that Pagans claim to experience, and even manages to clearly explain that a Pagan worshiping Satan would be like a squirrel piloting a space shuttle.. context makes it impossible. This book is NOT another in the long line of shallow 'how-to' Pagan spell/workbooks. It does manage, however, to explain the 'why' of earth-centered spirituality extremely well. IMHO, the best 'Intro..' on this subject to come out in many Moons.
Rating:
Summary: Best overview
Review: In reading many books about Paganism since the onset of my interest in it, I found this one to be one of the most comprehensive, while still writing at a non-scholarly level that is easy to understand. It gives (what I think is a) realistic view of what Paganism is and is not.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect for new and experienced pagans alike...
Review: Joyce and River have done an excellent job in pulling everything together. They have taken the actual belief system and put it into words and practical meanings. It's good to know the 4 directions, and the different holidays, but it's even more important to understand what you beleive and WHY you believe in it. They stressed responsibility, which is greatly appreciated. This book is a must read for all pagans out there!!! Even if your library is full of different pagan books, you won't find one quite like this one!
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