Pagan Spirituality: A Guide to Personal Transformation

by Joyce Higginbotham, River Higginbotham

In a world filled with beginner books, deeper explanations of the Pagan faith are rarely found. Picking up where their critically acclaimed first book Paganism left off, bestselling authors Joyce & River Higginbotham offer intermediate-level instruction with Pagan Spirituality . Respected members of their communities, the Higginbothams describe how to continue spiritual evolution though magick, communing, energy work, divination, and conscious creation in a pleasant, encouraging tone. Learn how to use journaling, thought development, visualization, and goal-setting to develop magickal techniques and to further cultivate spiritual growth. This book serves to expand the reader's spiritual knowledge base by providing a balanced approach of well-established therapies, extensive personal experience, and question-and-answer sessions that directly involve the reader in their spiritual journey.

Genres: Paganism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Witchcraft, Religion

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jessica Newton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked their book "Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions" better. There's no real need, in my opinion, to read both. One or the other is sufficient.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

In one sense, this is a typical advanced Paganism book: rituals, guided meditations, journaling exercises, etc., all designed to help you progress spiritually. In another sense, this is nothing like most Paganism books, advanced or otherwise. The Higginbothams pull from the works of Ken Wilbur, Jim Marion, and Don Beck and Christopher Cowan to create a Pagan model of spiritual growth and development. Beginning with an archaic, infantile state and moving through progressively more complicated developmental stages (roughly equivalent to preschool, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, etc.), the authors describe how people at different stages approach Paganism, ethics, and magical practice. The exercises are included to help readers see ways that this model describes their own experiences. Scattered throughout the book are suggestions for those who teach Paganism on how to work with students at these different stages, along with warning signs of how people at each stage may have trouble working in a class setting. I found the whole concept fascinating: so few authors bring this depth of thought to Pagan practice.

There were a few drawbacks. I thought the labyrinth meditations were repetitive to the point of annoyance to read, although that's deliberate on the authors' part, and I understand why they chose that approach. And without reading the original writers they draw from, I'm not sure if the Higginbothams are representing their ideas accurately, or in context. (For example, a quick scan of the Wikipedia article on Spiral Dynamics (Beck and Cowan's theory) mentioned several criticisms that didn't make it into Pagan Spirituality.) But overall, I recommend this as a thought-provoking change of pace from most Paganism books.

[Kosjitov · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure if 3 stars is the appropriate rating for this book but I consider it the midway point. That does not mean that this book is bad, by any means!

The truth is, after reading so many straight Wiccan oriented books that to have a general neopagan book was a welcome diversion and this moreso because it did not have one true dogma to base itself around. The book is perhaps a bit verbose and roaming but that is in many ways to its strength. Too many books encourage narrowing view points/spiritual interests. The authors did well in trying to keep a broad scope in dealing its pagans.

I particularly enjoyed the spiral dynamic and how it was presented, explained, and aspects/influences reiterated later on. Again, fresh perspective and insight always welcome. I may not have agreed with everything written but some of it made logical sense and i can say i understood the jist. The most important part for me was understanding and reviewing the outlines of spiritual growth and our phases. Several other things like divination were of least importance. The middle ground was energy work. To its detriment, I found the exercises to be the least enticing and skipped them entirely.

This is a book you may find useful early on in walking the path or at a time where you feel stunted spiritually.

[sjams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how the authors integrated psychology theories into Paganism practice. The theory in this book was worth the read whether or not I find the exercises helpful. It reminded me that spirituality is something that needs to be practiced and is a process of growth rather than being perfect at everything all at once. But the exercises aren't really something I would commit to. After reading this book, I know that I want to progress because of the great description of different stages of being, but I don't think the ways the authors indicate are going to work for me. Which is okay, because I have other sources!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book's bland title doesn't do justice to the depth of the material presented here. The authors draw on theories of spiritual development and transpersonal psychology to identify different stages of individual and cultural development and explore how these different stages show up in Pagan spirituality specifically. There is a lot of focus on the perspective of the teacher/ group leader and how you may want to respond to individuals at different levels of development. I didn't agree with everything in the book, but I found it both refreshing and mentally stimulating to read and consider. I'd love to explore this in a group context some time.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and in-depth view of Pagan spirituality both in practice and in theory. Once again, Higginbotham does not disappoint in her views on what makes Paganism a unique and renewing spiritual path for many.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the discussion questions, journal entries, and exercises that went along with the text. It set the book up to be interactive. I also felt it was well researched while maintaining it's readability.

[Tim Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fairly good and describing pagan spirituality but I think it gets a little bogged down by the all the terminology and theories of others.

[Amanda Hobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overall work about pagan spirituality. Wonderful at contextualizing pagan spirituality within broader discussion of the construction of spirituality. Good activities as well.

[Tracy]

One of my favorite Pagan authors. I spent a weekend with her at a women's retreat and she is incredibly knowledgeable about a variety of topics.

[Terry Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. One of the few books on modern Paganism that compares Magic to science.

[Zanna Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for the Pagan Path.