What do you think?
The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries : Part II
Many books have appeared about witchcraft in the past few hundred years. Some were presenting the Craft as a curious pastime and highlighted only its “cookbook” aspects (how to get a lover and how to do your enemy in), but missed the dignity and majesty that the Earth religion contained. Some presented the Craft as a highly ceremonious pageantry where you needed to invest your life savings to get the proper tools, robes and glittering chalices, as if the power lay in the high quality of objects you needed. Such attitudes missed the humble common sense originating from the Craft, which made it such a desirable religion for peasants and Earth-loving folks. And then again, some books presented the Craft as a fossilized, hierarchical power structure, in which there are those who are “adepts” or “third degree” or otherwise achieved “guruhood.” The rest of us folks just weren’t fit to tie the laces on their sandals. Reminiscent of another religion or two? Precisely. Such books missed the all-pervading idea of human equality in the Craft. Lastly, there are many books which perverted the Craft to such a degree that in presenting it, they even forgot or “wrote out” the “major deity” concerned with Craft of the Wise, namely the Female Principle of the Universe. Those writers reflected their own sexism and fear of women, no matter how learned their books appeared. Taking out the heart of the theology destroyed people’s images of the gentle path.
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
January 4, 2015
I've been waiting to read this book for ages, and now that I finally have started to read it I'm so disappointed and angry! This is so much crap!
Where are all the women's mysteries and magic? It all comes down to "we have to stop this chauvinistic, male-centered, women-oppressing world-spread society!" And what mysterious and magic solution is there? Not teaching men the craft until the equality of sexes is a reality (quote!) ... Wait, why isn't everybody just scared to death? Exactly.
There will always be men who think women are a step below, as, apparently, there will always be women who think men are all pigs.
Women (or people) that believe that women are necessarily better than men, or/and that a matriarchal society would be better than a patriarchal one just because women and not men are in charge, are in my opinion not better than men (or people) who believe that women are to stay home and make children because they are good for little more than that.
When will the world stop preaching differences and teaching that one thing is better than the other? Where's the sacred duality thing?
This is a bad book and a bad teaching, I honestly wouldn't expect that from people who blare they are connected to Nature, and the Goddess and Mother Earth and blah-blah-blah.
Yes, everything has a mother, a feminine start, but, apart from the son of the Virgin Mary (whose actual virginity is at least questionable), everything has a father, too, a masculine start. I may be an underrated genius, but it seems to me that things couldn't be simpler.
Neither men nor women are the better half of the world, our society should be neither matriarchal nor patriarchal: we are supposed to live together in peace and harmony as people and that is what Witchcraft, as any Nature-centered religion/philosophy/way of living, should be teaching.
I surely agree that women must stand for their rights, but I disagree 100% that the way to do so is struggling to "take over" and putting men a step below.
Oh God (Goddess?) am I disappointed!!
Where are all the women's mysteries and magic? It all comes down to "we have to stop this chauvinistic, male-centered, women-oppressing world-spread society!" And what mysterious and magic solution is there? Not teaching men the craft until the equality of sexes is a reality (quote!) ... Wait, why isn't everybody just scared to death? Exactly.
There will always be men who think women are a step below, as, apparently, there will always be women who think men are all pigs.
Women (or people) that believe that women are necessarily better than men, or/and that a matriarchal society would be better than a patriarchal one just because women and not men are in charge, are in my opinion not better than men (or people) who believe that women are to stay home and make children because they are good for little more than that.
When will the world stop preaching differences and teaching that one thing is better than the other? Where's the sacred duality thing?
This is a bad book and a bad teaching, I honestly wouldn't expect that from people who blare they are connected to Nature, and the Goddess and Mother Earth and blah-blah-blah.
Yes, everything has a mother, a feminine start, but, apart from the son of the Virgin Mary (whose actual virginity is at least questionable), everything has a father, too, a masculine start. I may be an underrated genius, but it seems to me that things couldn't be simpler.
Neither men nor women are the better half of the world, our society should be neither matriarchal nor patriarchal: we are supposed to live together in peace and harmony as people and that is what Witchcraft, as any Nature-centered religion/philosophy/way of living, should be teaching.
I surely agree that women must stand for their rights, but I disagree 100% that the way to do so is struggling to "take over" and putting men a step below.
Oh God (Goddess?) am I disappointed!!
November 19, 2009
I appreciate that she offers up a feminist perspective of religion; but because she lacks references and has a clear agenda of debunking Christianity, the books fails to remain ingenuous.
January 29, 2017
Another fabulous and ultra feminist contribution to the Pagan community. Some people can't handle Z's straightforward, almost militant feminism. Keep in mind that she's from another generation of witches who had to fight against the establishment so to speak during the time of women's liberation and social change. She's from that era of women warriors who trail blazed a path for the rest of us, generations who weren't event born at the time. Keep THAT in mind when reading this book. It's all about empowerment, standing up and speaking out. This book is a must have for any feminist witch, any feminist period (pun not necessarily intended). Budapest made incredibly significant contributions to the Pagan community during a time, when many 'newbie' witches hadn't even been born yet, so if you are ignorant of the struggles faced by women back in the day, especially pagan women, don't be so quick to write Budapest off as a militant feminist. I consider her work a must have for any spiritual and magickal collection.
January 18, 2023
It is a lie to generalize all feminists as man-haters. When you read feminist works from this time period, however, you can understand why this sentiment could have been spread.
I enjoy goddess culture works because I want to get in touch with my feminine energy. That being said, I feel like it should come with a warning. It can be limiting to see womanhood as a monolith distilled down to biological essentialism, and to see womanhood as separated from manhood, for we embody all within us.
I had read this off and on for the past few years and adapted some of the candle magic spells.
I enjoy goddess culture works because I want to get in touch with my feminine energy. That being said, I feel like it should come with a warning. It can be limiting to see womanhood as a monolith distilled down to biological essentialism, and to see womanhood as separated from manhood, for we embody all within us.
I had read this off and on for the past few years and adapted some of the candle magic spells.
October 1, 2011
A book that might be too female chauvinistic for some, it may be a good book for others who are looking for inspiration and empowerment in a world devoted to the dis-empowerment and subjection of women under man's ownership. (No, those words are Not too harsh.) For me, I thought the book was good enough to not only buy my own copy, but to trade even this copy in for a hardcover....something I only do for, what I consider, are the best of books.
(Yes, there's actually a hardcover out there that's not in German. You just have to stumble across it.)
I seriously recommend many of Budapest's books anyway, along with books written by Miriam Starhawk. The two authors' books ought to go together on the same shelf of a personal library.
(Yes, there's actually a hardcover out there that's not in German. You just have to stumble across it.)
I seriously recommend many of Budapest's books anyway, along with books written by Miriam Starhawk. The two authors' books ought to go together on the same shelf of a personal library.
April 16, 2010
This book is a classic in the category of women's spirituality. When reading, one needs to keep in mind when it was written. The women's movement had not yet combined in any way with spirituality and Z clearly was a path maker in helping women combine female centered spirituality with the feminist movement. This book has been criticized for being militant and sexist in its point of view and in all honesty, it is, but those were times when things needed to be pushed. There were no alternatives for women to worship a divinity that looked like them. In His image just wasn't working for many of us, so yes, it had to push buttons, wake women up and give them some basic material to begin working with.
February 11, 2022
Now THIS is witchcraft in its most potent, wild and untamed form!
This book is the perfect anecdote to the grey-faced, boring, defanged, overly prescriptive Wicca books men started writing in the 80s.
Some of the practices are a little outdated- For example I think it's generally advised not to put essential oils directly on your skin, nowadays. And when anointing a candle, witches generally recommend you avoid the wick. But aside from that, this book is perfect. It's full of energy, life, fun and enthusiasm. It's real witchcraft, and you can feel it as you read.
I highly recommend this book to all women. I wish I found it sooner.
If you read the Holy Book and you want more, I recommend following up with The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess by Starhawk, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America by Margot Adler, as well as Budapest's second book The Grandmother of Time: A Woman's Book of Celebrations, Spells, and Sacred Objects for Every Month of the Year (which I'm currently reading, and is also excellent.)
Blessed Be :)
This book is the perfect anecdote to the grey-faced, boring, defanged, overly prescriptive Wicca books men started writing in the 80s.
Some of the practices are a little outdated- For example I think it's generally advised not to put essential oils directly on your skin, nowadays. And when anointing a candle, witches generally recommend you avoid the wick. But aside from that, this book is perfect. It's full of energy, life, fun and enthusiasm. It's real witchcraft, and you can feel it as you read.
I highly recommend this book to all women. I wish I found it sooner.
If you read the Holy Book and you want more, I recommend following up with The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess by Starhawk, Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America by Margot Adler, as well as Budapest's second book The Grandmother of Time: A Woman's Book of Celebrations, Spells, and Sacred Objects for Every Month of the Year (which I'm currently reading, and is also excellent.)
Blessed Be :)
March 20, 2015
Zsuzsanna comes from a heritage that not only respects women, but is composed of women celebrating the rites of passage at every stage of life. It's about women supporting women. She has opened many roads to the idea of a very organic way of life. Love her books, love her philosophy. This book is spiritual, but not religious, if you understand the difference, which is what attracted me
October 11, 2012
Z Budapest's mother Mazika Szilazgy was a brilliant artist. I was deeply impressed by her work, and I'd love to see it in situ in Budapest.
I have now told you the best thing about this book. The photographs of Z's mother's art.
Z drank the Margaret Murray kool-aid a little too deeply. Okay, a lot too deeply. She doesn't have any grasp of history and yet builds her religion upon it.
I still want to know how Alexander the Great (who Z calls "the Pig") managed to burn down the library at Alexandria when it wasn't built yet. According to Z, he did this in order to destroy the matriarchal texts there. Yeah. Right.
I have now told you the best thing about this book. The photographs of Z's mother's art.
Z drank the Margaret Murray kool-aid a little too deeply. Okay, a lot too deeply. She doesn't have any grasp of history and yet builds her religion upon it.
I still want to know how Alexander the Great (who Z calls "the Pig") managed to burn down the library at Alexandria when it wasn't built yet. According to Z, he did this in order to destroy the matriarchal texts there. Yeah. Right.
February 3, 2008
The book is cool because she basically created Dianic witchcraft (Goddess worship only) but I always found it a bit dry. Its also very 2nd wave feminist and at this point her politics are, in my opinion, outdated. Its a good reference book, and is worth keeping around for its historical value.
December 29, 2007
I just met Z. what a woman of honor she is and I high recommend this book!
January 16, 2010
A solid book with good energy. I have respect for Budapest, she is one of the elders of our community. An excellent feminist work.
March 26, 2023
> Imagine if women understood that Mary is not a virgin (in the Christian sense) and that she has a daughter, not a son.
🧝🏻♀️💃🧚🏻♀️🏃♀️🧟♀️👩🌾👩🔧🧘🏿♀️👸🙇🏻♀️💆🏻♀️🧔♀️🧎♀️👩🍼👩🚀🦸♀️🧖🏻♀️
> Witchcraft is not a matter of faith, it is a matter of observation.
🧝🏻♀️💃🧚🏻♀️🏃♀️🧟♀️👩🌾👩🔧🧘🏿♀️👸🙇🏻♀️💆🏻♀️🧔♀️🧎♀️👩🍼👩🚀🦸♀️🧖🏻♀️
> Witchcraft is not a matter of faith, it is a matter of observation.
June 16, 2025
Very inspiring, lots of history , and practise suggestions.
November 23, 2020
There's a lot of problematic information in this book, and I'd never recommend it to a newbie. For one, I don't believe the author's claims of ancestry relating to witchcraft and a lot of the information presented has been debunked and is misleading. I don't really like her turn against men either - when it comes down to it, or concept of the patriarchy is established and promoted by men and women.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2024
I first read Zsuzsanna Budapest’s The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries over 20 years ago and recently revisited it. While some of Budapest’s ideas are of a time and place, I was surprised by how much the core of her message still resonates.
Originally published in the 1970s, The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries was a groundbreaking guide for women seeking spiritual practices rooted in a goddess-centred worldview. It challenged the traditional patriarchal dominance of mainstream religions.
Budapest’s book is well-organised, surprisingly complete, and accessible to beginners. It covers Feminist Witchcraft (including the tools of the Craft, how to set up a space, cast a circle, and spellcasting), Dianic rituals, Sabbats, Esbats, and other holidays, the Goddess and God, prophecy (including tarot, runes, astrology, dream interpretation, and past lives), the politics of food, and more.
A central theme in Budapest’s work is that witchcraft is inherently political, and she doesn't shy away from integrating social issues and radical feminism into spiritual practice. While some may find her views aggressive and essentialist, her voice speaks passionately to the ongoing need for equity, respect, and power in women’s lives today. The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries is not inclusive by modern standards. Still, it's an essential book in the history of feminist Witchcraft in the U.S. and remains a valuable resource.
Originally published in the 1970s, The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries was a groundbreaking guide for women seeking spiritual practices rooted in a goddess-centred worldview. It challenged the traditional patriarchal dominance of mainstream religions.
Budapest’s book is well-organised, surprisingly complete, and accessible to beginners. It covers Feminist Witchcraft (including the tools of the Craft, how to set up a space, cast a circle, and spellcasting), Dianic rituals, Sabbats, Esbats, and other holidays, the Goddess and God, prophecy (including tarot, runes, astrology, dream interpretation, and past lives), the politics of food, and more.
A central theme in Budapest’s work is that witchcraft is inherently political, and she doesn't shy away from integrating social issues and radical feminism into spiritual practice. While some may find her views aggressive and essentialist, her voice speaks passionately to the ongoing need for equity, respect, and power in women’s lives today. The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries is not inclusive by modern standards. Still, it's an essential book in the history of feminist Witchcraft in the U.S. and remains a valuable resource.
October 3, 2026
THE HOLY BOOK OF WOMEN'S MYSTERIES
Feminist Witchcraft, Goddess Rituals, Spellcasting and Other Womanly Arts
by Zsuzsanna E. Budapest
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Some books are simply books.
Others feel like a door opening.
The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries felt like a book about reclaiming a voice.
Zsuzsanna E. Budapest brings together feminist spirituality, Goddess traditions, rituals, symbolism, celebrations, spellwork, and reflections on women's lives and experiences. What stood out to me most was the underlying message that women deserve a spiritual life in which their bodies, experiences, wisdom, creativity, and voices are not treated as something secondary.
This is unapologetically feminist.
And I think that's part of its importance.
Budapest came from a generation of women involved in the women's liberation movement and feminist Witchcraft, a period when women were challenging many established ideas about gender, spirituality, sexuality, and authority.
Reading this book today means reading it within that historical context.
Some of the language may feel intense to modern readers.
Some practices may feel dated.
Some readers may disagree with Budapest's approach.
But I don't think that means we should dismiss the conversation.
🌙 Why women should read it
I think women can find something meaningful here in the idea of reclaiming parts of themselves that society has taught them to silence.
Our bodies.
Our intuition.
Our creativity.
Our sexuality.
Our aging.
Our emotions.
Our spirituality.
Our voices.
Our right to say yes.
Our right to say NO.
And our right to determine who is allowed across our personal boundaries.
The book repeatedly returns to the idea that women can support women, celebrate the different stages of life, and create traditions that recognize women's experiences rather than treating them as something shameful.
That message still matters.
👑 Why men need to read this book too
And yes—I absolutely believe men should read this book.
Not because men need to become witches.
Not because men need to adopt every spiritual practice in the book.
And certainly not because women need to be placed above men.
Men should read it because understanding women's experiences is part of learning how to respect women.
A man should understand that a woman's body is hers.
Her spirituality is hers.
Her voice is hers.
Her boundaries are hers.
Her choices are hers.
Her "no" means no.
And her "yes" should never be assumed.
Respect isn't something a woman should have to fight to receive.
🛡️ Teach respect early
This is why I believe books that explore women's experiences should have a place in education and discussion.
Obviously, a book like this should be taught in an age-appropriate and academically contextualized way rather than presented as unquestionable truth.
But imagine teaching young people to ask:
What does respect look like?
What are boundaries?
Why does consent matter?
Why should someone's body never be treated as property?
Why is it important to listen to women's experiences?
How have women created their own communities and traditions?
Why have women's spiritual and cultural contributions sometimes been overlooked?
These aren't lessons only girls need.
Boys need them too.
Men need to understand that respecting women does not make them weaker.
It makes relationships healthier.
It makes communities stronger.
And it teaches people that another person's autonomy is not an obstacle to overcome.
☯️ Feminine & masculine
One thing I would especially like readers to take from books like this is that feminine and masculine don't have to exist in a war against each other.
There is room for both.
There is room for strength and compassion.
Logic and intuition.
Protection and nurturing.
Independence and partnership.
The goal shouldn't be domination.
The goal should be mutual respect.
🔮 A book from its time
This is also a book that deserves historical context.
Budapest was writing during an era of significant feminist and social change. Some passages can feel very much of their time, and some readers may find the gender framework overly broad or confrontational.
I think that's worth acknowledging rather than ignoring.
At the same time, reading older feminist works can help us understand how ideas about women's autonomy, spirituality, sexuality, and power developed over time.
We can appreciate what earlier generations fought for while continuing to expand the conversation.
💭 My biggest takeaway
What I ultimately took from this book is:
Women deserve to know themselves.
Women deserve to celebrate themselves.
Women deserve to support one another.
Women deserve spiritual and cultural traditions that recognize their humanity.
And men need to understand that respecting women means respecting their autonomy.
A woman's threshold is not yours to cross simply because you want to.
Her body isn't yours because you're attracted to her.
Her kindness isn't permission.
Her relationship status isn't permission.
Her marriage isn't permission.
Her clothing isn't permission.
Respect the threshold.
Ask.
Listen.
Accept the answer.
And if the answer is no, step back.
That is not weakness.
That is respect.
📚 Themes / "Tropes":
🔮 Feminist Witchcraft
🌙 Goddess Spirituality
👑 Women's Empowerment
🌿 Feminine Mysteries
🧙♀️ Witchcraft & Ritual
✨ Intuition
🔥 Reclaiming Women's Power
🌸 Women's Spirituality
🛡️ Boundaries & Autonomy
❤️ Self-Love
🌕 Rites of Passage
🌱 Women Supporting Women
📖 Feminist History
☯️ Feminine & Masculine Balance
✨ Spirituality & Personal Power
🌙 Celebrating Womanhood
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — A powerful exploration of feminist spirituality, women's autonomy, community, and the importance of respecting women's voices and boundaries.
#TheHolyBookOfWomensMysteries #ZsuzsannaBudapest #FeministWitchcraft #Witchcraft #WitchBooks #GoddessSpirituality #DivineFeminine #FemininePower #WomensEmpowerment #WomensSpirituality #WomensHistory #FeministBooks #WomenSupportingWomen #FemaleEmpowerment #Boundaries #Consent #Autonomy #RespectWomen #FeminineEnergy #MasculineEnergy #SpiritualityBooks #PaganBooks #PaganHistory #BookReview #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #NonfictionBooks #BooksThatMatter #ReadToLearn #BookCommunity
Feminist Witchcraft, Goddess Rituals, Spellcasting and Other Womanly Arts
by Zsuzsanna E. Budapest
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Some books are simply books.
Others feel like a door opening.
The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries felt like a book about reclaiming a voice.
Zsuzsanna E. Budapest brings together feminist spirituality, Goddess traditions, rituals, symbolism, celebrations, spellwork, and reflections on women's lives and experiences. What stood out to me most was the underlying message that women deserve a spiritual life in which their bodies, experiences, wisdom, creativity, and voices are not treated as something secondary.
This is unapologetically feminist.
And I think that's part of its importance.
Budapest came from a generation of women involved in the women's liberation movement and feminist Witchcraft, a period when women were challenging many established ideas about gender, spirituality, sexuality, and authority.
Reading this book today means reading it within that historical context.
Some of the language may feel intense to modern readers.
Some practices may feel dated.
Some readers may disagree with Budapest's approach.
But I don't think that means we should dismiss the conversation.
🌙 Why women should read it
I think women can find something meaningful here in the idea of reclaiming parts of themselves that society has taught them to silence.
Our bodies.
Our intuition.
Our creativity.
Our sexuality.
Our aging.
Our emotions.
Our spirituality.
Our voices.
Our right to say yes.
Our right to say NO.
And our right to determine who is allowed across our personal boundaries.
The book repeatedly returns to the idea that women can support women, celebrate the different stages of life, and create traditions that recognize women's experiences rather than treating them as something shameful.
That message still matters.
👑 Why men need to read this book too
And yes—I absolutely believe men should read this book.
Not because men need to become witches.
Not because men need to adopt every spiritual practice in the book.
And certainly not because women need to be placed above men.
Men should read it because understanding women's experiences is part of learning how to respect women.
A man should understand that a woman's body is hers.
Her spirituality is hers.
Her voice is hers.
Her boundaries are hers.
Her choices are hers.
Her "no" means no.
And her "yes" should never be assumed.
Respect isn't something a woman should have to fight to receive.
🛡️ Teach respect early
This is why I believe books that explore women's experiences should have a place in education and discussion.
Obviously, a book like this should be taught in an age-appropriate and academically contextualized way rather than presented as unquestionable truth.
But imagine teaching young people to ask:
What does respect look like?
What are boundaries?
Why does consent matter?
Why should someone's body never be treated as property?
Why is it important to listen to women's experiences?
How have women created their own communities and traditions?
Why have women's spiritual and cultural contributions sometimes been overlooked?
These aren't lessons only girls need.
Boys need them too.
Men need to understand that respecting women does not make them weaker.
It makes relationships healthier.
It makes communities stronger.
And it teaches people that another person's autonomy is not an obstacle to overcome.
☯️ Feminine & masculine
One thing I would especially like readers to take from books like this is that feminine and masculine don't have to exist in a war against each other.
There is room for both.
There is room for strength and compassion.
Logic and intuition.
Protection and nurturing.
Independence and partnership.
The goal shouldn't be domination.
The goal should be mutual respect.
🔮 A book from its time
This is also a book that deserves historical context.
Budapest was writing during an era of significant feminist and social change. Some passages can feel very much of their time, and some readers may find the gender framework overly broad or confrontational.
I think that's worth acknowledging rather than ignoring.
At the same time, reading older feminist works can help us understand how ideas about women's autonomy, spirituality, sexuality, and power developed over time.
We can appreciate what earlier generations fought for while continuing to expand the conversation.
💭 My biggest takeaway
What I ultimately took from this book is:
Women deserve to know themselves.
Women deserve to celebrate themselves.
Women deserve to support one another.
Women deserve spiritual and cultural traditions that recognize their humanity.
And men need to understand that respecting women means respecting their autonomy.
A woman's threshold is not yours to cross simply because you want to.
Her body isn't yours because you're attracted to her.
Her kindness isn't permission.
Her relationship status isn't permission.
Her marriage isn't permission.
Her clothing isn't permission.
Respect the threshold.
Ask.
Listen.
Accept the answer.
And if the answer is no, step back.
That is not weakness.
That is respect.
📚 Themes / "Tropes":
🔮 Feminist Witchcraft
🌙 Goddess Spirituality
👑 Women's Empowerment
🌿 Feminine Mysteries
🧙♀️ Witchcraft & Ritual
✨ Intuition
🔥 Reclaiming Women's Power
🌸 Women's Spirituality
🛡️ Boundaries & Autonomy
❤️ Self-Love
🌕 Rites of Passage
🌱 Women Supporting Women
📖 Feminist History
☯️ Feminine & Masculine Balance
✨ Spirituality & Personal Power
🌙 Celebrating Womanhood
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — A powerful exploration of feminist spirituality, women's autonomy, community, and the importance of respecting women's voices and boundaries.
#TheHolyBookOfWomensMysteries #ZsuzsannaBudapest #FeministWitchcraft #Witchcraft #WitchBooks #GoddessSpirituality #DivineFeminine #FemininePower #WomensEmpowerment #WomensSpirituality #WomensHistory #FeministBooks #WomenSupportingWomen #FemaleEmpowerment #Boundaries #Consent #Autonomy #RespectWomen #FeminineEnergy #MasculineEnergy #SpiritualityBooks #PaganBooks #PaganHistory #BookReview #Bookstagram #Bookstagrammer #NonfictionBooks #BooksThatMatter #ReadToLearn #BookCommunity
November 1, 2012
Great primer for female empowerment but is too unbalanced in its premise re: male/female. While it's true that everything begins as a mother-force, and father is not always necessary (i.e. parthenogenesis) demoting the god in us is limiting. The Good Great Mother of us all is both. We need the river (She) and the riverbed (He) in order to be effective in all realms.
Still, for women who have suffered greatly under patriarchal limitations, a visit into all-woman time would not be remiss to build a solid, unshakable base.
While the writing isn't the greatest, if you want a clear look into witchcraft as a path, it's a great start and a staple for your library. Budapest's long experience and contribution is still a must-read.
Still, for women who have suffered greatly under patriarchal limitations, a visit into all-woman time would not be remiss to build a solid, unshakable base.
While the writing isn't the greatest, if you want a clear look into witchcraft as a path, it's a great start and a staple for your library. Budapest's long experience and contribution is still a must-read.
September 30, 2011
I'm only giving this one for the sake of at least giving it a rating. Really disappointed. It took me a really long time to actually get hold of and as a Pagan I was really looking forward to it. I couldn't even finish it. This woman can't tell the difference between feminism and sexism and she's meant to be a feminist priestess and teacher? I pity for future Pagan generations. Bad.
Want to Read
May 15, 2008Do you think God will strike me down with a bolt of lightening for reading this? Something tells me that even though it is totally Pagan, that learning about it is not such a bad thing.
April 17, 2018
Budapest's older stuff is better than any of her new stuff.
July 30, 2026
This came up while I was searching for books on ecofeminism, the ideology I have decided to champion. I've realized ecofeminism and Celtic Spirituality are essentially one and the same. However, this book has nothing to do with worshipping the earth. Perhaps it came up because so many people think "goddess worship" is the same thing. Although I believe the earth is inherently feminine, it's not the same thing. Creating borderline OCD rituals to cultivate relationships with parasitic entities IS NOT THE SAME THING, and I don't recommend it. It's draining, the payoff is never that rewarding, they will take far more than they ever give back, AND if you decide to stop, you will likely be spiritually harrased by whatever it was you were worshipping. Diana is one of the worst ones. She is known for this. The earth will never do that. I'm so annoyed with books like this, and I find much of the information in this one to be archaic.
July 3, 2023
There's no doubt that Budapest is an icon in the Dianic pagan community, but unfortunately this book reads like its a manifesto of all the reasons the broader pagan community is suspicious of it. I'm not even offended by the hyper feminist "we should do spells to castrate men" bits. It's the radfem anti trans TERF rhetoric that makes this book one that should be left in the past.
Society has grown up, learned from our bigoted past. The Dianic community needs to embrace the fact that trans women are women. So long as relics like this book are cornerstones of the religion bigotry will be a part of it. We need new, better role models and books that don't paint transphobia as an essential part of Goddess-centered paganism. We're better than that now, right?
Society has grown up, learned from our bigoted past. The Dianic community needs to embrace the fact that trans women are women. So long as relics like this book are cornerstones of the religion bigotry will be a part of it. We need new, better role models and books that don't paint transphobia as an essential part of Goddess-centered paganism. We're better than that now, right?
April 29, 2024
I read this for historical context on the development of the goddess movement.
There are a lot of historical claims and blanket statements presented here with zero proof or references, as well as some generally harmful/incorrect information. I understand where it’s coming from, but generalizing matriarchy as *always* good, polygamy as desired (“right”) sexual behavior, equating elements from different cultures without reference or explanation, etc are not ideas that I think are overall positive for the movement.
That being said, the book was good for what I wanted it for, and Z definitely made some important contributions to women’s spirituality, whether I agree with her or not. It was revolutionary, and still is, to even consider woman as sacred in today’s culture.
There are a lot of historical claims and blanket statements presented here with zero proof or references, as well as some generally harmful/incorrect information. I understand where it’s coming from, but generalizing matriarchy as *always* good, polygamy as desired (“right”) sexual behavior, equating elements from different cultures without reference or explanation, etc are not ideas that I think are overall positive for the movement.
That being said, the book was good for what I wanted it for, and Z definitely made some important contributions to women’s spirituality, whether I agree with her or not. It was revolutionary, and still is, to even consider woman as sacred in today’s culture.
January 25, 2018
Amazing book- incredibly grateful for this author. Her writing expressed her palpable emotional generosity in her approach to sharing the spotlight with her sisters. As a millenial, this level of demonstrable emotional intelligence is rare in the generations that came before us and it speaks volumes to me that she stands out so much from the usual cognitive dissonance of the times.
February 2, 2020
I think Z is maybe a little TERF-y now?
Back when I first read this in college it really opened my eyes to the intersection of magic and politics, and made me realize that sometimes you just gotta curse somebody (for the psychological release, as much as any practical effect)
Back when I first read this in college it really opened my eyes to the intersection of magic and politics, and made me realize that sometimes you just gotta curse somebody (for the psychological release, as much as any practical effect)
June 3, 2014
A great reference book for Dianic and other pagans (although I would buy a copy as a reference manual, rather than get it out at the library and have to take back!)
April 12, 2020
A Dianic Wiccan book with elements of some Slavic traditions. Good for a beginner who prefers Western male based feminist thinking
November 12, 2024
Unfortunately, this book is way too relevant at this moment! Sigh! Great read though!
March 4, 2016
Women lack any identity in major religions of today. Zsuzsanna E. Budapest lifts the shroud surrounding the studies of Women's spiritualism.
Paganism/Wicca is the first form of spirituality and the only true spiritualism for feminist women.
This book was my biggest spiritual epiphany. I've met Zsuzsanna and had a chance to get to know her and the Susan B. Anthony Coven in San Francisco. I don't agree with everything she and the coven believe, such as the exclusion of transgender women--most trans women I've known are better women than gender-born women and are purer spirits than many women I've met, including the Susan B. Anthony Coven because they appreciate being female where gender-born women just submit and resign themselves to their existences. Trans women fully embrace and appreciate the feminine role and power.
If you're a woman who is grasping for your true identity and power as a female then this book is definitely an eye-opener--and I should know because I originally apprenticed under Sybil Leek between the age of 12 years-old and now I'm 60. Sybil appreciated the work that Zsuzsanna has brought forth before her death in the mid-1980s.
This is not just a book, but a bible for feminine empowerment.
Paganism/Wicca is the first form of spirituality and the only true spiritualism for feminist women.
This book was my biggest spiritual epiphany. I've met Zsuzsanna and had a chance to get to know her and the Susan B. Anthony Coven in San Francisco. I don't agree with everything she and the coven believe, such as the exclusion of transgender women--most trans women I've known are better women than gender-born women and are purer spirits than many women I've met, including the Susan B. Anthony Coven because they appreciate being female where gender-born women just submit and resign themselves to their existences. Trans women fully embrace and appreciate the feminine role and power.
If you're a woman who is grasping for your true identity and power as a female then this book is definitely an eye-opener--and I should know because I originally apprenticed under Sybil Leek between the age of 12 years-old and now I'm 60. Sybil appreciated the work that Zsuzsanna has brought forth before her death in the mid-1980s.
This is not just a book, but a bible for feminine empowerment.
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