Here are some sections to give you a bit of the flavor of the book!

How to Know if You’re Ready for Initiation

How do you know if you’re ready to become an Initiate of Witchcraft or to join a coven? When is it the right time? The first thing I ask a seeker is, “How many books on Witchcraft have you read? How much do you know about Alexandrian Witchcraft? How much do you know about Gardnerian Witchcraft, if that’s what you’re seeking initiation into?” Today, many, many books have been published over the last seventy years by Alexandrian and Gardnerian authors. My best advice would be to read as many as you can, including this one. If you haven’t attempted to absorb as much information on the subject as you can before seeking the Craft then, no, I don’t think you’re ready. You need to do your research. And no, that doesn’t just include Google, Wikipedia, or Facebook groups, but actually reading the rich and varied books by serious Initiates of the Craft and wrapping your brain around their traditions.

The books on Witchcraft are not going to tell you everything about a tradition, as many secrets remain unpublished, but they will give you the flavor. They will provide you with enough to know if the Craft is something that you’re drawn to. Are you enjoying these books? Do you want to devour the material? Are you excited to practice the rites therein? Is it something that you feel incredibly drawn to? Are you prepared to approach the Craft with the seriousness of a truly valid priesthood?

If you do not approach the Craft with the same dedication and fervor that a Catholic would have upon entering the seminary, then no, you’re not ready. If you’re not completely serious about the Craft as a priesthood—one that you want to join, train in, and make a vocation and spiritual foundation of your life, then walk away. This is a fertility cult. It is a mystery priesthood. It will become and transform your whole life. If you’re not ready for that kind of transformation, if you’re not ready to be a true priest or priestess, then you are not ready for the true initiation into Witchcraft. It is perfectly ok if you’re not ready. Take all the time that you need. Read every book you can find on the subject. Educate yourself. Immerse yourself in the history, timeline, culture, and legacy of the Craft.

You simply cannot prepare yourself for initiation just by reading a few beginner Witchcraft books or because you’ve made some witchy friends on social media. It’s not enough to be excited about the idea of being a Witch. Witchcraft is not a hobby or casual pursuit. You must actually study and make a real connection with Witchcraft on the inner planes before you’re ready to take the leap. I can guarantee you that no one decides to become a rabbi without first immersing themselves into the ideology and culture of Judaism. You must do the same in the Craft if you’re really going to open the doors of initiation. Ultimately, you’ll know when you know. It’s quite like falling in love. You do not have to ask the question, “Am I in love?” You know when you’re in love, so when you feel you’re in love with the Craft enough to penetrate the Mysteries of initiation and become a priest or priestess of Witchcraft, then you’re truly ready. I promise you that the magic will find a way.

(Page 8)

The Moon Goddess

The moon has always been the primary symbol for the Goddess of Witchcraft, and it is by the moon that you will often discover her face in pre-Christian peoples. Isis, Diana, Artemis, Astarte, Hecate, Selene, and Luna are just a few examples of moon goddesses who remain popular among Witches and magicians today.

The moon is associated with both magic and the occult, and it symbolizes the inner planes and the spiritual matters of man. It is a nocturnal light that we see in the sky. From our earliest primal roots, Witchcraft (and religion in general) would have been primarily explored at night. Daylight hours were too precious and necessary for survival, especially when winter was right around the corner. During the daylight, you were able to gather, hunt, and eventually plant and harvest. You were very busy working so that you could eat and live. The evening hours would be the natural time you had to reflect, to commune, to celebrate, and to work magic. This is why the sun is the physical manifestation, and the moon is the spiritual manifestation in Witchcraft.

Women’s menstrual cycles also last approximately 28 days, linking them to the moon by those early peoples who made such a connection to the moon’s own monthly cycles. The association may also explain the moon’s early association with fertility. As the full moon resembles the womb of a pregnant mother, it is easy to imagine the sympathetic link associated between the moon and the Goddess as a lifeforce.

It was also by the moon that we developed some of the earliest calendars as a way of measuring time and marking the seasons. These calendars were oriented to the moon, as evidenced by their 28-day cycles. This is where the word “month” originates. The lunar calendar had 13 moons, or months, and it was only when we switched to a solar-based calendar that twelve months occurred. Now, we occasionally have what is called a blue moon: a time in which a twelve-month year has an inescapable thirteenth moon cycle.

(Page 119)