To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft

New Generation Witchcraft #1

by Silver RavenWolf

Throughout the world there is a New Generation of Witches - people practicing or wishing to practice the Craft on their own, without an in-the-flesh magickal support group. "To Ride a Silver Broomstick" presents both the science and religion of Witchcraft so you can become an active participant while growing at your own pace. This book is ideal for anyone, regardless of religious background: male or female, young or old, beginners and initiates.

Genres: Wicca, Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Paganism, Religion, Spirituality, Magic

360 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1994

About the author

Silver RavenWolf (Pennsylvania) is a nationally recognized leader and elder of Wicca, and through her writing has been instrumental in guiding the future of one of the fastest-growing faiths in America today. The author of seventeen books, she has been interviewed by The New York Times, Newsweek Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal, and her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Bust Magazine, the Baltimore Sun, the St. Petersburg Times, the National Review, Publishers Weekly, Body & Soul Magazine, and Teen Lit Magazine.

Her many titles include the bestselling Solitary Witch, Teen Witch, To Ride A Silver Broomstick, To Stir A Magick Cauldron, To Light A Sacred Flame, American Folk Magick, Angels: Companions in Magick, Silver’s Spells for Prosperity, Silver's Spells for Protection, Silver's Spells for Love, Halloween, and the Witches’ Night Out teen fiction series. Her new book Hedge Witch is forthcoming from Llewellyn in September 2008.

Reviews

[Connor · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book, like almost all Llewellyn Press books, is total crap. It's a dumbed down version of a religion that Allister Crowley thought up over the course of a very drunk weekend.

If you want to read something about real pagan religions, take an anthropology course.

If you want to be a magician, turn towards Peter Caroll and Robert Anton Wilson.

If you want to piss off your parents, start getting good grades.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fluffy, new-agey wicca presented as canon. Wicca has no canon. Spirituality has no canon. This is like WicDonalds. Wicca in a Box.

Think outside the broomstick. Read Cunningham's work for a better intro to Wicca. One that doesn't condescend.

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as a beginner in Wicca as a teen. Now that I am older, I realize a lot of what was written came across as condescending and that a lot of it was incorrect. That being said, I don't feel the need to bash this book. Many people start out with less than stellar resources and then branch out to find more credible resources and as Yoda would say "Unlearn what you have learned." There are some tidbits to be gleaned such as the detail of supplies and a list of the very basics of different types of witches. Seeing what is good and what is not is part of the critical thinking process of all religions and life in general. It is a good starting out book and a person will adapt to more reliable autors like Scott Cunningham, Starhawk, Raymond Buckland and Margot Adler if they continue in their pursuit of knowledge. For teen books and people new to the Craft this isn't terrible. It is fluffy but starting out there is no need to read a thesis paper that will only confuse someone. Taking it for what it is and the purpose this serves, I give it three stars (for the record I did eventually sell the book to a used bookstore rather than keep it to loan out like other Wiccan and Pagan books.)

[Loran (Inked with Curiosity) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book but I'm only giving it 3 stars for a couple of reasons. I'll start with the cons. First of all I often felt like Silver RavenWolf was talking down to me. I understand the book was written for a beginning practitioner but a lot of the time it just seemed like the author was boasting instead of teaching. Secondly a lot of the examples of actual magic the author claims to have done to strengthen a point are just so far fetched I just don't believe her. It turns Wicca which is a beautiful religion into something fluffy and more suitable for TV which is what the author claims to be debunking in the first place! And lastly while the book has a lot of information in it some important aspects are left very vague which for a beginner to magic can be disastrous.

However Silver RavenWolf does cover a TON of material in this book and is able to introduce a beginner to a lot of different practices that can go into Witchcraft. She does a good job at defining tools, stones, colors, and holidays. I had a lot of fun reading this book even if I didn't agree with parts of what the author had to say. This not being the first book on Wicca/Witchcraft I have read, I can say a lot of what Silver teaches in this book goes against a lot of what I already know. But I think there are things in this volume worth learning and reading. However for someone who wants a serious introduction to this religion or intermediate and advanced practitioners with no sense of humor ... look elsewhere.

[Granny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Please don't take this personally, it is not aimed at anyone but Silver.

Years ago when I first heard of Silver Ravenwolf (in the early to mid-1990's) I searched her online and found her website. It looked like the online version of a New Orleans tourist trap: Black background with yellow typeface, very 'oogy-boogy' in it's presentation, and many items for sale which are in violation of the three fold law, such as "Come to me" oil (I may have the name slightly wrong, but it was certainly along those lines, it could be "I bid you come" oil or something similar.) I remember poppets that had a revenge intent, an oil like that, too. After that; I avoided her books, no matter how positive the review.

Let's be clear here, I have no issue with someone in the Craft making a living based on their gifts; we all have to pay the bills, but I do have an issue when someone promotes the dark side of the Craft. Especially for financial gain.

Interestingly, I checked back a few years later and her website (at that time) had a white background, I don't remember the typeface; I believe it was a pale pink (but if I'm wrong, it was something soft and pastel, and a long stemmed rose across a Tarot deck spread in a half circle. All photographed with a soft focus lens.

All her other items for sale were gone, only promotional pages about her as a writer and her books currently in print remained.

For me the message seemed to be that the leopard would change her spots, whatever it took to make a buck. Once her writing started to take off, she took off the hoo doo or vodoun image that had previously worked in her favor.

A well-meaning non-Pagan friend gave me a copy of Teen Witch for my daughter. Thank goodness I read it first! I remember Silver giving out a love spell. A love spell for teenagers? Can you imagine High School with love spells flying around?!? Read Gwinevere Rain's "SpellCraft for Teens". The author wrote this book while she was still a teenager and it is *way* better than "Teen Witch". The chapter on ethics alone makes the book worthwhile. Yeah, Gwinevere Rain, a teenager, thought to write on ethics. Why didn't you, Silver?

I think the other big issue most people have (I certainly do) is her trashing other faiths, specifically Christianity. I have worked for over 15 years in interfaith, and I have found that *surprise*! There are some Christians who are open-minded, and curious about what our faith is about. Check out a Unitarian Universalist Church with a CUUPs group. Or some of the the independent Methodist Churchs. Or Unity Church of Christianity. And many others. It is heartening that the one result of the current crisis against Muslims is that more interfaith groups are forming. The Live Oak Local Council of the Covenant of the Goddess has been a member organization of Interfaith Action of Central Texas (in Austin, TX) for about a decade.

Many of us have been wounded by Christianity. To you I say, you're a Witch, heal yourself and move on. It is not healthy to carry your anger and hurt through your life. And also, when it comes to other faiths, we will not receive respect until we are willing to give respect.

If you want specifics on Silver's attitude toward Christianity with quotes from her books, Google "Wicca for the Rest of Us" and click on the page "Continuing Anger Over Silver Ravenwolf" by Cassie Beyer. For those of us who are working for peace between religions, reading that page gave me a slow burn. Don't promulgate hate, Silver. It will not serve you.

We should be better and have more peace in our hearts than those who would harm us. Because what we send out, returns to us three times, right?

[Briar · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been almost 10 years since I wrote my original commentary on this one, which I'm going to leave below the updated version.

A lot has changed in the world, and for me personally, since I first read any of Silver's books. I picked this one up, and the rest from this series, as well as her teen witch book, waaaaay back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, I was mesmerized. Baby-witchling me ate up her words, even the things that made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't have the life experience or anything else to help me articulate what it was that made me uncomfortable, and even now there are other people who can do so better than I could.

Basically, I don't recommend this one. At all. There are far better sources for you to pick up if you want to learn about witchcraft and/or Wicca. There are also different kinds of Wicca out there (a lot of traditional Wiccans, from what I've seen/heard, are not particularly fond of Silver and other authors like her), and even more varieties of witchcraft. (Feel free to send me a message if you want some recs.)

I don't remember enough of the specifics of this book to detail exactly, point by point with page references, why it's not great, but it shouldn't be hard to find other people's dissections of it by googling something like "Silver Ravenwolf cultural appropriation." That should get you started. (Cultural appropriation is not the only issue with her books, that's just an example search phrase to use.)

No author is perfect, but yikes. I'm not sure this is all from TRASB, but what I do remember of skimming through these books a few years ago are: cultural appropriation, racism, saying Wicca=Witchcraft and only Wiccans are real witches, Christian bashing and hatred (I mean...I get where those feelings come from, but get a grip already), crappy history that isn't actually accurate (ex.: she promotes the 9 million dead witches Burning Times thing), etc. She also refuses to stop using slurs, despite people bringing it up with her quite recently, which is oh so charming.

However...If you did pick this up, don't despair. You can take something useful away from pretty much anything you read. Just read it critically and don't take anything any singular author says as "The one true and only way" to do things. Be critical, do your own research, and if something feels off/wrong/whatever, listen to your gut about it.



And here's what still-a-baby-witchling me had to say, before finally gaining access to better sources:

I know that many Pagans do not like Silver Ravenwolf, but I've always enjoyed her books, both fiction and non-fiction. This book is no exception. She offers the same information as any other author on the subject, but in a much more lighthearted and down to earth style. As with any other book concerning Paganism in any form, I would recommend that someone learning about Wicca and/or witchcraft at least give her a chance before coming to a conclusion. This book, in my opinion, is a very good beginner's book for those studying Wicca and/or witchcraft.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know a lot of people do not like Silver Ravenwolf's teachings or this book series for their own reasons, however, I have really enjoyed reading this book.

The book is a very basic text about Witchcraft and is a great starter book for anyone wanting to learn more about the craft= from the origins of the craft to the very many different sects of the craft in general. For example a Gardner practitioner does not practice the same as a Strega witch.

To Ride a Silver Broomstick is simplistic in it's writing style and is easy to read and understand. I have read other Wicca books, including Buckland's Big Blue and have found that often, they take complete concentration and lots of quiet time- things I often lack; but "Broomstick" is something I can easily read while working, pick it up read a page or two, put down, go back to work and pick back up again.

I recommend this to anyone who is wanting to learn about the craft without being bogged down with details, dates, and strict rules.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silver RavenWolf offers the most down-to-earth, practical, non-fluffy guides to Wicca and magick. This was the first book I ever read on Wicca back in the day. Though Wicca is no longer the right path for me (I'm just straight-up Pagan these days) I still find Silver's books to be full of useful knowledge, ethics, and practices.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right off the bat I'd like to let everyone know that I lean towards Traditional Wicca more than Eclectic, and this is the first Silver book that I've ever read. So this review is coming from someone who is relatively conservative as far as their witchcraft goes.
This book catches a lot of flak. Honestly, it's not that bad. Sure, it has some bad information in it (like most 90's era Pagan books and a lot even today if we're honest), but there's also a lot of interesting and useful things to be found here.
I actually have held off posting a review here about this book for several months because of how crushing popular opinion is regarding RavenWolf's books. I avoided reading these books for years because of the bad reviews. I think that the anger in many of those reviews is misplaced, and that people are still upset about Teen Witch, to the extent that they're unwilling to give her other work an unbiased evaluation.
Ravenwolf was actually very displeased with Llewellyn about Teen Witch, since she basically had to write it under contract in order to get the other two books of the New Generation Witchcraft series published. The Teen Witch Kit actually began as a portable, traveling altar concept, but it was plasticized for cost efficiency and Teen Witchified due to that book's popularity.
I'm not going to quibble over the use of the words Wicca and Witchcraft (most early Wiccans referred to what they were doing as Witchcraft, anyway) or Silver's choice of the term 'Natural Witch'. My approach when reading books about Wicca, Witchcraft or other metaphysical subjects is to read the entire book carefully, do the exercises that I feel might benefit my practice, and make notes about what was helpful or useful or new to me.
I actually found a lot of useful things in this book; the sections on Tarot, gems & herbs, ritual composition, record-keeping and maintaining a working inventory of your consumable spell supplies are filled with sticky notes and colored flags. She recommends a number of excellent books at the end of almost every chapter, and if someone just dipping their feet into the pool took the time to read those books listed they would be off to an excellent start because of the variety of perspectives provided in those selections, and the depth of content provided. This book is more of a general guide, and I think that was the intention; that people would dig deeper in the subjects that interested them while also getting an overview of the bigger picture so that they were informed about what's out there.
The only real criticism I have about this book is that I felt that the section on the Gods and the religious aspect of Wiccan practice - which is its heart - did not get enough attention. Even though the scope of the book is broad; the Gods are just too important to gloss over. What is there is good; Silver recommends actually forming a personal relationship with the Gods and getting to know them. She does tend to say 'use' in reference to the Gods when writing about ritual and spellcraft, but again, that's a relatively minor quibble. If you have a personal relationship with deity, you'll never think of it in that way anyhow. Not everyone is a hard polytheist, though. These are my personal takes on the issue.
What I enjoyed the most was Silver's gung-ho attitude. She's pumped about every activity, exercise and subject that comes along the whole way through. You get the impression that this is a woman who enjoys what she does and also takes her craft seriously. She and I may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but I still learned some new things from her and was interested enough to pick up the other two books in this series to work through. I've already started the second one.

I want to give a shout out to Maggie Shayne for recommending this book on her website and in her own book Magick and the Law of Attraction; had it not been for her wholehearted recommendation I may never have picked it up. Folks, if this lady is any indication of the kind of Witches that Silver Ravenwolf's Black Forest Clan produces, I'd say they must be doing something right.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting overview, but lacking in non-anecdotal evidence for her methods. I also really would have liked to see more of a scientific discussion of the workings of the universe. Great ethos and pathos, but virtually no logos (other than historical context).

I found myself reading the whole thing, just waiting for her to go deeper into concepts of metaphysics. To me, that seems an essential place to begin when studying witchcraft. If (at a beginner level) someone does not fully-explain the basic underlying mechanisms of their belief system, the argument seems to gain no further credibility throughout the text.

I can understand that perhaps, she knew that confirmation bias may play a key role the general reception of this book. Then again, this was written in the 90s, so perhaps her arguments were received differently then. ​

My favorite part about this book, though, was probably the stories about her family/life, and the various humorous anecdotes along the way.

[Darby Riales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very good for beginners in Wicca or those who just want to learn a bit about non-mainstream spirituality. Unlike other reviewers, I don't think Ravenwolf is condescending. I think she wrote it for people who have no idea what modern Witchcraft is.

It has worksheets and fun exercises to get in touch with your inner witch. I very much enjoyed it!

[Xa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow. Drivel.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

In my opinion, this author is a fraud.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked some parts of this book very much. Other parts made me feel like the author was being condescending instead of instructional.

[Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has some interesting history in it but for the most part, I feel like the contents are majority bullshit. I am not a practitioner nor believer of Wicca so my reading of this book was purely educational. I do not care if someone does believe the magic discussed within, and currently do know a few practitioners who are wonderful people, but I do think the author is a charlatan.

Why do I feel that way? Well, the author contradicts herself repeatedly about how the magic should only be used to help people and to better the world but then nonchalantly discusses how she hexes any criminal she sees on television. Really? You have no knowledge if this person is truly guilty but you are going to wish an ill fate upon them. How about when the author laughed telling the story of her friend who used a voodoo doll against her husband and he ended up in the hospital with open wounds on his legs?

Let's say that magic does exist. Other practitioners should intervene on such reckless use of this power and the duality of the author's teachings should be condemned. The author repeatedly points out how Wicca and Pagan beliefs are wrongly accused and have a bad reputation due to the lies and deceit that Christianity has spread about it. While this is likely true, the author did little to help in changing the hearts and minds of any outsider reading this book. In fact, the author probably does more damage to the cause and proves that a power so easily gained and so easily misused should absolutely be treated with suspicion while practitioners of the art should be approached with extreme caution.

I still hold an interest in the subject but I will not be reading anything else by Silver Ravenwolf. I urge other readers to seek knowledge or perfection of their craft elsewhere.

[Toviel · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I originally picked the book up nearly a decade ago, it might have gotten three stars. Unfortunately, the book is simply outdated--there are entire chapters devoted to letter writing and CDs, but nary a mention of the internet at all. The original edition was rewritten in the 90s, yes, but almost nothing was changed for the 2002 version. For a book allegedly written for the "new generation" of witches, it does very little to connect to the world of the current generation.

As the for the content itself, it's standard solitary Wicca 101. While a few terms and concepts are considerably outdated and the Murray "Goddess cult" theory has been thoroughly disproved, it does try to lay a solid foundation for starting solitary practice. Unfortunately, it's interwoven with anti-Christian tirades and a condescending attitude. It's not a book I'd recommend to beginners, since they wouldn't know how to tell the quality content from the bullshit, but it's a solid read for anyone curious about one of the biggest commercial successes in the witchy world.

[Nora Peevy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're studying to become a witch or researching Wicca and rituals, then the classic, To Ride a Silver Broomstick: New Generation Witchcraft by Silver Ravenwolf will fit nicely in your library. This book covers all the basics in a friendly conversational tone. Topics discussed include Wicca ethics, The Charge of the Goddess, creating your own sacred place, dedication and purification rituals, networking with other witches, spells, consecrating tools, meditation, divination tools, and a slew of other information. I highly recommend this book for any witch or anyone interested in learning more about Wicca.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have some grievances with this book (like the strange depiction of Christianity), but overall I found it extremely helpful. 100x better than Scott Cunningham's Wicca, even if I was begging for more, more, more!! More details, more exercises, more spells.

My copy is tabbed and ready for a reread. More details to come... maybe!!

[Madalynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This must be where WitchTok gets most of their problematic info. This is very outdated and many chapters could have been appendices.

Did you ever have a teacher in school that graded your notebook? SRW reads like one of them, literally telling you page by page what to write for these book "exercises" ....

[Abraxas Abrasaxtes · Rating 2 out of 5]

When people fling around the word "Fluffy Bunny" in relation to Wicca, Silver Ravenwolf (amongst a few other authors) are the ones to blame for the phenomena. I read this when it was first published back when I was 15 or so and was originally enthralled by it, but as I've learned more about the Craft since then and read A LOT more on the subject I have to say that Silver Ravenwolf is the Queen of "Fluff." I agree with the other reviews on here that she has a very patronizing "voice" in her books and, to me, comes off as a soccer mom who shakes her pink glittery wand at you in scorn. To reference modern fiction, the first time I read Harry Potter and came across Dolores Umbridge, Silver Ravenwolf was the FIRST person who came to mind. Sure she has some decent exercises/meditations but at the end of the day Silver Ravenwolf is just too much fluff and not enough substance. In her defense most of her books are geared toward teenagers (and as I was "enthralled as a teen, she obviously reached her goal) but for the older, more seasoned, well-read crowd, this (along with the other books in the series) just don't cut it. On that note I also wonder why even WRITE a book specifically marketed to teenagers?! I realize how hypocritical this sounds coming from one who discovered the Craft as a teenager, but Wicca is something you have to be as much committed to as "ready for" and I don't think the average teenager can or should be either of. That and I don't know of ANY Coven that would take a new initiate under the age of 18 and if I did come across one It would most definitely raise a red flag. /rant

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of people turn their nose up to this book, but there’s a ton of topics and info covered in this book pretty decently.

This is NOT meant to be for longtime practitioners. Additionally, it’s good to keep in mind that everyone’s practice is different, so Silver’s practice might not be for you or your way.

As with any polytheistic religion, there are *so* many ways to practice and celebrate.

This is a good reference to have, especially as a beginner, but don’t end your journey with just Silver Ravenwolf. Continue it with other great authors (Raymond Buckland, Margot Alder, Scott Cunningham, Mystic Dylan, Mat Auryn, Ambrosia Hawthorne, Arin Murphy-Hiscock, Amy Cesari, Rebecca Beyer, etc.) and seek your own path.

Research the areas you want to learn most about and the different denominations. Not all Pagans are Wiccans. Not all witches are Pagan or Wiccan. You don’t have to fall into those categories if they don’t feel right to you.

No book is going to give you, or anyone else, a perfect way start to Paganism, Wicca or witchcraft. Something I keep in mind with this one is Silver brought Wicca to the teen masses with her books. It’s going to, by nature, be generic, like any other beginner book.

[Torey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been more than a decade since I first read this book - and I find it very charming.

Although many in the Wiccan community (myself included) are quick to criticize Ravenwolf for her 'fluffy bunny' approach to Wicca, there is no argument that her work has influenced countless thousands and has contributed to the phenomenal modern interest in Wicca, New Age and alternative spiritualities.

To Ride A Silver Broomstick is a typical 'Wicca 101' book. It introduces the reader to most of the widely-accepted Wiccan beliefs and practices. While teenagers are more likely to gain from reading this book, the 'average layman' tone of the book is inviting and refreshing.

I wouldn't go so far as to call Ravenwolf an 'authority' on Wicca by any means, but she definitely has a way of making the reader feel as though they, too, can become a part of something truly magickal.

[Kay Gray · Rating 1 out of 5]

Talk about condescending. Ravenwolf not only gets facts absolutely wrong, but she spends half the book coming down hard on other religions. And all this after saying how wrong it is to do any kind of baneful magic, because it's wrong and hurts someone and yourself. Pretty sure you don't get to go on several tangents about how Christianity is evil and lesser if you're going to tout how wrong it is to even think about hexing someone.

She also rushes the reader into full-on witchcraft (her version, anyway) without explaining much of what it is, what magic does, who the god and goddess are. Just jump right into this spirituality you might know nothing about! I'm sorry this was my first witchcraft book.

[Gaile · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first part of this book explains why the author chose the life style she did and chooses to call it "witchcraft" instead of Wicca. The second part explains the practices, rituals and holidays of the Wiccan religion. For those who are studying this, she advises using a notebook to take down the exercises in her book. She also lists of other books to read. I have read several books on the same theme and this doesn't differ much. A beginner would find this book very helpful.

[Wiccanmoon JulieJenks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still new to the readings of Silver RavenWolf. But I do really like this book a lot by her. I like the way she explains things in a normal understanding way. Lots of good info & tools in this book. I have the feeling it will be among one of my most treasured. Not sure why. But I just have a strong feeling that it will be a wonderful tool for me to look back to on different info...

[Inara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title in German:
Magie & Macht

[Lia N. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eek. I'm really glad this was a loaner

[Lilla · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter fluffy shite!

[Junkie for the Written Word · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel dumber having read this book.

[Summer Munger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silver RavenWolf is the Martha Stewart of Witchcraft. I loved her housewife take on the craft. It was like coming home to a hot cup of tea sprinkled with magic fairy dust.