Isaac Bonewits (1949–2010)

I believe that one of the most important things that a teacher of the Craft can impart on their students is an understanding of the difference between our mythology and our history. While both are vitally important to understanding where we came from and who we're trying to become, it is a distinction that needs to be made. Many books (too many) claim the created mythology of the "history of modern Wicca" as real history. Bonewits, however, makes the distinction clearly and relatively show more concisely, in a book that is geared towards non-academics without being "dumbed down". This is absolutely a book that I would recommend (even require) any of my students to read and seriously think about as a first step into the Craft and paganism. It's a great introduction to the subject, as well as a springboard for more involved texts like Hutton's "Triumph of the Moon". show less

This book is OK but rather dated and not very deep. It's a genuine puzzle, the division between objectively verifiable scientific results and the routine technology that can be built on that, versus the fuzzy side of experience that is variously subjective, unverifiable, erroneous, fraudulent, illusory, etc. Magic and various sorts of psychic phenomena certainly, hmm, well they don't really straddle the line. More like they huddle on the illusion side of the line and regularly knock on the show more door, requesting entry into the objective realm. Sometimes they are granted tourist visa or restricted residence visas.

This book is a kind of 1970s request for magic to be granted citizenship in the world of science, or at least a plan for pulling together the necessary documentation for a formal request.

For me, the much more interesting game is to look at various facets of experience and to examine how we try to categorize them and how those categories help or hinder the various projects of happiness, power, etc.

Bonewits provides an excellent annotated bibliography - again, a bit dated, but still very worthwhile. show less

When I first met Isaac, I thought he was an odd little man who had to be a bit daft, and was a bit wary about reading one of his books. I was mistaken. Very well researched, thought out and presented, Bonewits' "Essential Guide to Druidism" is a must for any Pagan library, PERIOD. While it is a bit of a dry read in places, it is an excellent example of writing that walks it's talk. There are more books out there on Celtic Pagan/NeoPagan traditions than you can throw a dart and hit, but few.. show more very few.. would hit the mark. This book is an absolute foundation piece to any Celtic path. Well done! show less

Lots of practical advice available in this book. So much so, in fact, that at times it seems to drain some of the real aesthetic and spiritual pleasure out of ritual.

I had a problem, in particular, with Bonewits explanation of the theology behind his basic ritual theory. Overly-focused on magical work (and redefining worship and prayer as a way of "doing magic on ourselves" to commune with the gods), his theology sounds a great deal like some kind of RPG explanation of worship: it "feeds" show more the gods "mana." Why this is necessary, or why we should even bother to do it instead of refraining from ritual and allowing the gods to lapse into nonexistence--he never takes the time to discuss. Certainly, conceiving of the gods as spiritual parasites (even in a symbiotic relationship that can give "blessings" in return, like a battery you charge until you're ready to use it) does not inspire me to perform meaningful or beautiful ritual.

On the other hand, this book is full of very practical advice. Perhaps nothing you couldn't figure out on your own eventually, but certainly a good resource for a beginner to have on hand. Bonewits covers a wide variety of topics (incorporating music and chanting, addressing group dynamics, writing effective prayer, etc.) that can help provoke the reader to consider what they might do in similar circumstances, which is infinitely helpful. If the reader can find a way to a meaningful theology of their own that helps them connect meaningfully with their gods, Bonewits practical advice will most assuredly help them in crafting a ritual to speak to those sacred relationships. show less