Books to read?

[AWanderingSoul]

Hello! Can anyone recommend books on the various paths and views of pagans? I've been doing my own research, but I feel I need a little help weeding through it. I'm looking for books the really get down to the root of different paths and the different rituals, runes, and belief systems. I am a solitary practitioner looking for a bit of guidance!

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[Jenett]

Hello! Can anyone recommend books on the various paths and views of pagans? I've been doing my own research, but I feel I need a little help weeding through it. I'm looking for books the really get down to the root of different paths and the different rituals, runes, and belief systems. I am a solitary practitioner looking for a bit of guidance!

That's a really broad set of topics! Are you interested in a specific path, or trying to figure that out still?

One thing you'll find is that there are many many many Pagan paths out there, and only a fraction of them have much material in books about them. In most cases, you'll find more information from websites, and from talking to people who practice those paths (online or in person.) The books are helpful for giving you a sense of broad categories (or if about a specific path, that author's take on that path) but

I have a recommendation list for people interested in religious witchcraft on my Seeking website (which is designed for people looking for more information: I focus on religious witchcraft because that's what I do, but the Beginning section has general info, and some of the other sections may also be of interest to you.)

If you're potentially looking for people to do things with, my usual suggestion is to start by seeing what groups are near you or might be within driving distance, and starting by investigating those paths (even if you're not entirely sure about a particular group.) It's a practical way to narrow down the options. (And folks here can help with suggestions if you're willing to share a general location, like the nearest big city/region of state/etc.)

I also have one anti-recommendation, which is Alex Mar's Witches in America, which came out about 18 months ago and you might see pop up in searches as a result.

I think it's a book with a tremendous number of problems for other reasons, but I think it's particularly a poor choice for people looking at different paths, because she includes some material that makes exploring those paths in detail possibly very much a problem for sincere seekers later - basically, info that may warp how you approach those paths in weird ways. Also, despite the title, she focuses on a handful of paths, and of the four, only one and a half (counting generously) are actually witchcraft.

I go into more of the issues over here. I link both because of this specific book, but also because I think it highlights some of the issues with someone trying to get information about a bunch of different paths without thinking about what they're aiming for. Obviously, that's not something you know right at the start, but there are thoughtful, self-aware ways to do that searching, and ways that aren't so good.

[AWanderingSoul]

That's a really broad set of topics! Are you interested in a specific path, or trying to figure that out still?

One thing you'll find is that there are many many many Pagan paths out there, and only a fraction of them have much material in books about them. In most cases, you'll find more information from websites, and from talking to people who practice those paths (online or in person.) The books are helpful for giving you a sense of broad categories (or if about a specific path, that author's take on that path) but

I have a recommendation list for people interested in religious witchcraft on my Seeking website (which is designed for people looking for more information: I focus on religious witchcraft because that's what I do, but the Beginning section has general info, and some of the other sections may also be of interest to you.)

If you're potentially looking for people to do things with, my usual suggestion is to start by seeing what groups are near you or might be within driving distance, and starting by investigating those paths (even if you're not entirely sure about a particular group.) It's a practical way to narrow down the options. (And folks here can help with suggestions if you're willing to share a general location, like the nearest big city/region of state/etc.)

I also have one anti-recommendation, which is Alex Mar's Witches in America, which came out about 18 months ago and you might see pop up in searches as a result.

I think it's a book with a tremendous number of problems for other reasons, but I think it's particularly a poor choice for people looking at different paths, because she includes some material that makes exploring those paths in detail possibly very much a problem for sincere seekers later - basically, info that may warp how you approach those paths in weird ways. Also, despite the title, she focuses on a handful of paths, and of the four, only one and a half (counting generously) are actually witchcraft.

I go into more of the issues over here. I link both because of this specific book, but also because I think it highlights some of the issues with someone trying to get information about a bunch of different paths without thinking about what they're aiming for. Obviously, that's not something you know right at the start, but there are thoughtful, self-aware ways to do that searching, and ways that aren't so good.

So broad, I know! I just want to make sure to take in as much information as possible as I look for my personal path. I understand that people believe in one deity, multiple, or none at all. I'm trying to figure out what suites me before I really move on to anything else. Everything helps!

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[Jenett]

So broad, I know! I just want to make sure to take in as much information as possible as I look for my personal path. I understand that people believe in one deity, multiple, or none at all. I'm trying to figure out what suites me before I really move on to anything else. Everything helps!

So, one of the first things that might help (or might complicate things a bit first) is that most Pagan paths are about shared practices, not shared beliefs.

It's actually fairly common in group work (even small initiatory tradition groups with lots of agreements about how things work) to have half a dozen people in ritual with half a dozen (or more!) different beliefs about the nature of deity, whether all the names we have for deity are different beings and individuals or all aspects of a single divine force, and ... well, just about every other question of theology or cosmology you can think of.

Obviously, some practices make more sense if you're at least open to some beliefs or approaches - it's not all or nothing. But it means that people who go into trying to find a path based on belief can be very very confused.

Here's a couple of links from my Seeking site that might be of help in narrowing down some things to think explore more:

• The links on the page here (the Cauldron's Pagan Primer and Teen FAQ are both great: the Teen FAQ is highly useful for new folks of all ages.
• An article on the question of "I believe X, what path am I" that talks about the things I mention above in more detail.
• Resources for learning about a variety of paths : this has links to a number of places you can find mentions of a wide range of paths. I suggest including some of them in your general reading and seeing which options you find most interesting.
  
  This list of questions, focused on groups but also useful for contemplating what you might find interesting in paths. It may help you narrow down where to look.
  

[/list]

[AWanderingSoul]

So, one of the first things that might help (or might complicate things a bit first) is that most Pagan paths are about shared practices, not shared beliefs.

It's actually fairly common in group work (even small initiatory tradition groups with lots of agreements about how things work) to have half a dozen people in ritual with half a dozen (or more!) different beliefs about the nature of deity, whether all the names we have for deity are different beings and individuals or all aspects of a single divine force, and ... well, just about every other question of theology or cosmology you can think of.

Obviously, some practices make more sense if you're at least open to some beliefs or approaches - it's not all or nothing. But it means that people who go into trying to find a path based on belief can be very very confused.

Here's a couple of links from my Seeking site that might be of help in narrowing down some things to think explore more:

• The links on the page here (the Cauldron's Pagan Primer and Teen FAQ are both great: the Teen FAQ is highly useful for new folks of all ages.
• An article on the question of "I believe X, what path am I" that talks about the things I mention above in more detail.
• Resources for learning about a variety of paths : this has links to a number of places you can find mentions of a wide range of paths. I suggest including some of them in your general reading and seeing which options you find most interesting.
  
  [li$i]This list of questions, focused on groups but also useful for contemplating what you might find interesting in paths. It may help you narrow down where to look.
  

Thank you so much. This should keep me busy for a bit! (:

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[/list]

[hisotka]

So, one of the first things that might help (or might complicate things a bit first) is that most Pagan paths are about shared practices, not shared beliefs.

It's actually fairly common in group work (even small initiatory tradition groups with lots of agreements about how things work) to have half a dozen people in ritual with half a dozen (or more!) different beliefs about the nature of deity, whether all the names we have for deity are different beings and individuals or all aspects of a single divine force, and ... well, just about every other question of theology or cosmology you can think of.

Obviously, some practices make more sense if you're at least open to some beliefs or approaches - it's not all or nothing. But it means that people who go into trying to find a path based on belief can be very very confused.

Here's a couple of links from my Seeking site that might be of help in narrowing down some things to think explore more:

• The links on the page here (the Cauldron's Pagan Primer and Teen FAQ are both great: the Teen FAQ is highly useful for new folks of all ages.
• An article on the question of "I believe X, what path am I" that talks about the things I mention above in more detail.
• Resources for learning about a variety of paths : this has links to a number of places you can find mentions of a wide range of paths. I suggest including some of them in your general reading and seeing which options you find most interesting.
  
  This list of questions, focused on groups but also useful for contemplating what you might find interesting in paths. It may help you narrow down where to look.
  

[/list]

Many thanks for your awesome recommendations