Concepts of Wicca and Feri for the interested outsider?

[Snowdrop]

I'm interested in learning about both of these religions, but I have no interest in joining either of them.  So, anyone have any recommendations for books that are accessible to the novice but at the same time aren't chock-full of things like exercises?  

Aside from the fact that they're mostly of dubious quality, most of the beginner books on Wicca I've seen are largely devoted to sections on acquiring magical tools, how to cast a circle, some basic spells, etc. -- stuff that anyone who actually wants to be a Wiccan would probably find useful, but it doesn't really help me much.  

What I'd like is resources that tell me basically what Wiccans and members of the Feri faith believe and the philosophical underpinnings for why they believe it.  (Or in light of the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, what the underpinnings for Wiccan practices are --- why is it important that Wiccans do what they do in the way they do it?)

[Sage]

(Or in light of the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, what the underpinnings for Wiccan practices are --- why is it important that Wiccans do what they do in the way they do it?)

 
I really enjoyed The Circle Within by Dianne Sylvan - you can read my review of the book here.

[SunflowerP]

What I'd like is resources that tell me basically what Wiccans and members of the Feri faith believe and the philosophical underpinnings for why they believe it.  (Or in light of the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, what the underpinnings for Wiccan practices are --- why is it important that Wiccans do what they do in the way they do it?)

 
As regards Wicca, that will vary (sometimes considerably) depending on how the term is used.  You'll likely find Jenett's basics page useful both for getting a handle on the different usages, and for picking up much of what you want to know.

Feri is also fairly orthopraxic... or, at any rate, more centred on praxis than doctrine; Feri folks aren't generally known for being particularly ortho-anything.  I notice you say "Feri faith", which sounds like a conflation of Feri, which is usually just called Feri or the Feri tradition, with "fairy faith", which gets used in a number of contexts (some of them highly dubious, most of which have nothing whatsoever to do with Feri, and spelled either "fairy" or "faery") but the source of the phrase is almost certainly Evans-Wentz' The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, which isn't about a faith/religion but is a compendium of folklore about fairies.  There may be Feri practitioners who speak of what they do as a "faith", but I have difficulty imagining the ones with whom I'm acquainted doing so.  You may find this site useful for getting a bit of a handle on (one line's take on) Feri.

What you're after is far more likely to be found on websites; nearly all books presuppose that the reader is, at minimum, considering whether they wish to practice.

Sunflower

[Snowdrop]

I notice you say "Feri faith", which sounds like a conflation of Feri, which is usually just called Feri or the Feri tradition, with "fairy faith", which gets used in a number of contexts (some of them highly dubious, most of which have nothing whatsoever to do with Feri, and spelled either "fairy" or "faery") but the source of the phrase is almost certainly Evans-Wentz' The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, which isn't about a faith/religion but is a compendium of folklore about fairies.  There may be Feri practitioners who speak of what they do as a "faith", but I have difficulty imagining the ones with whom I'm acquainted doing so.  You may find this site useful for getting a bit of a handle on (one line's take on) Feri.

Ah, no, I meant Feri, not fairy faith; it's just bad phrasing on my part.  I couldn't figure out how to make a noun referring to people out of Feri.  (Ferians sounds pretty awful.)

ETA: Which is, you know, a pretty good indication of the fact that it's really something I could stand to learn more about.

[Tana]

Ah, no, I meant Feri, not fairy faith; it's just bad phrasing on my part.  I couldn't figure out how to make a noun referring to people out of Feri.  (Ferians sounds pretty awful.)

ETA: Which is, you know, a pretty good indication of the fact that it's really something I could stand to learn more about.

 
Try Valerie Walker's page for some information.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a Feri, but heavily leaning to the primal parts of it.)

[Tana]

Try Valerie Walker's page for some information.

(Disclaimer: I'm not a Feri, but heavily leaning to the primal parts of it.)

Ah dang, forget it. Sunflower already linked to it, which I should've known, but haven't seen. It's getting late over here and my brain is giving me a 404, I guess. :

[Nyktelios]

What I'd like is resources that tell me basically what Wiccans and members of the Feri faith believe and the philosophical underpinnings for why they believe it.  (Or in light of the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, what the underpinnings for Wiccan practices are --- why is it important that Wiccans do what they do in the way they do it?)

 
Cora Anderson's book, "Fifty Years in Feri Tradition" is probably the best resource for the practice and philosophy of the tradition without all the exercises there are in T. Thorn Coyle's books, for example.

As for Wicca, the ones I like best are "Witchcraft For Tomorrow" by Doreen Valiente, and "Wicca" by Vivianne Crowley (which is heavy on psychological theory, but still a very good book on traditional Wicca).

[Sanacrow]

Cora Anderson's book, "Fifty Years in Feri Tradition" is probably the best resource for the practice and philosophy of the tradition without all the exercises there are in T. Thorn Coyle's books, for example.

 
Thorn's books are more accurately about Morningstar, which is her own thing. (Rooted in Feri, but not Feri.)

Cora's book is good. I usually also recommend Victor's "Thorns of the Blood Rose". It's poetry, but so is the heart of Feri. Also, Feri is much more divergent than many other traditions and there is more diversity of practice as well as reasons for those elements of practice and the beliefs behind them.

Feri has recently gone through (is still going through) quite a bit of a schism. (Some really general bits of one particular part were are on the Wild Hunt blog (http://wildhunt.org/2011/01/when-schism-happens-to-pagans.html), with links to 4 people's takes.)

Also keep in mind that most of the information available to folks with no intention to actually become Feri is going to be very limited, and the majority will be from one particular section of one part of that schism. (One that has a very different take on many/most things Feri than many/most of the other initiates.)

Sana

[Wetterdistel]

Ah, no, I meant Feri, not fairy faith; it's just bad phrasing on my part.  I couldn't figure out how to make a noun referring to people out of Feri.  (Ferians sounds pretty awful.)

 
chiming in a bit late, but Lilith's Lantern is another good resource on Feri.

[Tana]

chiming in a bit late, but Lilith's Lantern is another good resource on Feri.

 
Hello! Nice to see you around again! :

[Raincloud]

I'm interested in learning about both of these religions, but I have no interest in joining either of them.  So, anyone have any recommendations for books that are accessible to the novice but at the same time aren't chock-full of things like exercises?  

Aside from the fact that they're mostly of dubious quality, most of the beginner books on Wicca I've seen are largely devoted to sections on acquiring magical tools, how to cast a circle, some basic spells, etc. -- stuff that anyone who actually wants to be a Wiccan would probably find useful, but it doesn't really help me much.  

What I'd like is resources that tell me basically what Wiccans and members of the Feri faith believe and the philosophical underpinnings for why they believe it.  (Or in light of the orthopraxic nature of Wicca, what the underpinnings for Wiccan practices are --- why is it important that Wiccans do what they do in the way they do it?)

 
Bonewits's Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca was helpful for me. It's also short, so not too much reading.

[SatAset]

I'm interested in learning about both of these religions, but I have no interest in joining either of them.  So, anyone have any recommendations for books that are accessible to the novice but at the same time aren't chock-full of things like exercises?  

There is a lot of information on http://www.feritradition.org.  

Also, Thorn Coyle's first book Evolutionary Witchcraft is her two year Feri course in book form.  It is a workbook and has exercises, but it does explain them too.

[eldri]

I couldn't figure out how to make a noun referring to people out of Feri.  (Ferians sounds pretty awful.)

***I usually just say "Feri"--which I use for singular And plural--(like 'deer')

Good Hunting!
eldri