Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Wiccan Journey Although it is estimated that there are over 1 million practicing Wiccans around the world today, Wicca is one of the world’s few religions that is more likely to be studied entirely on one’s own than through in-person guidance. Depending on where you live, you might be able to find a coven or circle where you can meet fellow Wiccans and ask questions, but most newcomers to Wicca find themselves traveling solo. Luckily, there is no shortage of information about the “Old Religion” in print and online. Yet with all of the diverse and often conflicting perspectives out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. That’s why best-selling author Lisa Chamberlain created the Wicca Starter Kit, bringing together three of her most popular guides—Wicca for Beginners, Finding Your Path, and Living a Magical Life—to get your journey well underway. Wicca for a Guide to Wiccan Beliefs, Rituals, Magic, and Witchcraft Wicca for Beginners was created as an entry point for anyone seeking information about this fascinating religion. It is intended as a broad introduction, addressing the most commonly asked questions by people new to Wicca. Lisa covers the history of Wicca, including its modern foundations as well as its ancient inspirations; the Wiccan God and Goddess and their multiple aspects; the Sabbats and the Esbats comprising the Wheel of the Year; core elements and tools of Wiccan ritual; basic principles of magic from both ancient and modern sources; and even an example ritual and spell suitable for beginners. By the end of this guide, you will definitely have a solid understanding of the essence of Wicca! Finding Your A Beginner’s Guide to Wiccan Traditions, Solitary Practitioners, Eclectic Witches, Covens and Circles One of Wicca’s greatest strengths as a spiritual practice is the variety of paths one can choose from. Perhaps you want to join a coven within an established tradition, or maybe a more individualized practice is your calling. In Finding Your Path, you’ll learn about the wide spectrum of contemporary Wiccan practice, from traditional “orthodox” covens to looser, more “eclectic” covens and circles, as well as the more recent phenomenon of solitary practice, which has appeal for both traditional and eclectic Wiccans alike. Lisa covers everything you need to know about covens and circles, including their history, their structures, and how to find your Wiccan community. You’ll also be introduced to the main Wiccan Gardnerian, Alexandrian, and Dianic, as well as other less common traditions. If you don’t already have a sense of the amazing diversity of this innovative religion, you certainly will after reading this book! Living a Magical A Guide to Initiation and Navigating Your Journey in the Craft New Wiccans will encounter two essential 1) should you formalize your practice of the Craft with an initiation ritual? and 2) how do you integrate your new beliefs into your day-to-day life? In Living a Magical Life, Lisa addresses questions regarding coven initiation and solitary self-dedication, as well as less often-discussed topics like navigating common obstacles along your spiritual path, leaving behind old beliefs that no longer serve you, and developing and strengthening your inner psychic guidance system.
Lisa dispels all the common misconceptions about this diverse religion, giving her readers the perfect foundations for taking their first steps on their Wiccan journey.
Unlike other Wicca guides, Lisa's books provide information that's found across many Wiccan traditions, rather than coming from just one person's perspective. In fact, she writes the kinds of books she wishes had been available when she was just starting out in the Craft all those years ago.
When not writing or experimenting with spellwork, Lisa loves to read, play piano, and spend time surrounded by nature.
I SO appreciate the free books on KU. It has really helped my grow my craft. Like many other witches starting out I went straight for Wicca. I am glad I did, it was a good foundation. However I am feeling called to work more with my ancestors and connect with spirits and archetypes from mythology. Wicca does say you can do these sorts of things, pretty much anything, so long as the basic "harm none" is followed. But there are a lot of ceremonial aspects to Wicca, as well as a heirarchy that I am less than comfortable with. I find that I enjoy learning more shamanic/folksy magic along side learning about my own culture(s) and new cultures as well.
One of them is that the author is very particular about saying that Wicca is a very personal path and that there is not necessarily a "right" or "wrong" way of doing things as long as you are making attempts to follow traditions. You can even take traditions that have been passed down and incorporate your own techniques and this is valid.
She gave some good basic differences about different types of Wiccan practices such as Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Dianic, etc.
From what the book says, it states that over half of Wiccan / witches are solitary about their practice. This made me feel a lot better because I've been looking to learn about the Wiccan path for years and I'm only now beginning to understand that covens come in small numbers and are the equivalent of getting "married" in terms of belief systems and ideologies (you have to come quite frequently to sabbats / esbats, other kinds of ceremonies, deal with different personalities).
Hence, it makes more sense for me to be independent when it comes to my path and it is perfectly OK to do this and authentic me / there is nothing wrong with me when it comes to choosing this.
Anyway, this book has a lot of helpful resources for understanding the Wheel of the Year, being a solo practitioner of Wicca, self-initiating yourself for this kind of lifestyle, and describes that it can be very lonely for those who choose this lifestyle. I can agree and I completely see why she is saying this.
This book comforted me in terms of being more comfortable with my spiritual path so far and has helped me realize that I've used things like candles, stones, tarot, astrology, etc. for years and never associated it with being Wiccan exactly but I can say that I am. Now I'm at a point where I want a more active relationship with nature and this is what is leading me to connect with this lifestyle. I'm grateful that she wrote this book as an educational, unbiased resource that can help point me in the right direction of being a solo witch.
This kit is great for beginners to Wicca. I had no prior knowledge or background about this subject before reading these books.
Now, I feel like I have a good base knowledge of this subject, and I know which direction I’d like to focus on for more reading in the future.
Each of the books in this kit builds on the other, so you aren’t getting an overload of information all at once. The subject matter builds, and there are many books listed for more reading if you decide you want more knowledge.
The author does a great job of letting you know that there is no one perfect way to practice Wicca. It’s very individualized, and you have to find which path calls out to you the most, and then probably do more research on the path you’ve chosen.
I recommend these books, and plan to read more in the future.
If you're looking for a book about the Wicca religion, the basic jist of what ,why, who,when, ECT. then this book is a great general breakdown. Lisa offers a wide variety of resources from books to websites. This book answered some basic questions and gave me some answers as to why this book stood out to me, to understand the difference between Wicca, witchcraft, Covens vrs solitary ,it's a great starting point to understanding the stigmata associated with witchcraft / Wicca being "evil". I recommend this book to anyone who is curious.
This is an amazing book on Wicca for beginners. Chamberlain has an excellent writing style, gives you a really solid foundation on all topics covered in this book (covens vs solitary, deities, and incorporating magick into your daily life), but ends each book with resources to further deepen your knowledge - which is very much in the spirit of what Wicca is all about! I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who is curious about Wicca and looking to start on their path but doesn't know where to start.
This was an interesting read and a good, if extremely high-level, introduction to Wicca.
My issue with this guide is that it appears to be a half-breed of a guide, halfway to self-help, or religious history, or some other influence, rather than being solely about Wicca.
Still, it is a good base and I would say the keyword in the book title is "starter", and the work "Kit" is a huge exaggeration: one cannot start anything on the Wicca path with this book alone and will require other sources as this book does not have enough substance to it.
Lisa Chamberlain always does a fantastic job of summarizing rich, nuanced topics as well as providing additional reading if anything covered sparks an interest to know more. I've lived and worked in my craft since I was a teenager, although grad school and establishing myself did Create some distance between me and my craft because of the energy required. Now that I'm reconnecting with my craft, Lisa Chamberlain is a fantastic resource for refreshing as well as expanding my knowledge.
I've recently renewed my interest in a Wicca and this kit was a good and interesting reading with new information to me and refreshed memories. I would have enjoyed more in depth informations about some topics, but I understand that the point is to find what gets your attention and keep researching yourself. I'll definitely look into the author's other releases
Really enjoyed reading this collection. Im not necessarily new to the craft, nut a little rusty. Been years since I practiced. Lovely read for everyonee. A little vague at times, but it is an introduction, great through resources for further information.
This starter kit was very informative and a great place to start. By simply providing information about the Craft, this book helps beginners as they pursue their journey of finding their own path.
I have wanted to find information on Wicca, I've been drawn to it for years and now I'm ready to learn everything I can, I loved these books and look forward to reading more by Lisa chamberlain!!! Thanks!!!
Lisa makes it easy to learn and follow and keeps me wanting to learn more. I'm enjoying Lisa's books immensely as I'm journeying along my path. I love the additional reading recommendations. Thank you for your guidance.
Listened to this on Audiobook, and it was really interesting. I've always been interested in paganism, and religions rooted in it. The narrator was great.
These books are a wonderful introduction to Wicca. Lisa's unbias approach leaves the reader to choose their path without pressure to conform to any one tradition. Though I have encountered many witches throughout my life, and have a fairly deep understanding of Wicca, these books helped inspires me in many ways. If you are looking to better under Wicca, begin your own practice, or just want to brush up on the basics, these books are a good resource.
Research about celtic runes led to interest in paganism and Wicca, which led to me reading this set, thinking it might offer me a way to include more spirituality and connection to nature in my life. These books were interesting and I liked how they were very accessible and open-minded, but they soon made me realize the Wiccan path is not mine. I still read all three books though, because it is always good to learn about things you don't know much about.