Drawing Down the Moon Revised & Updated edition

by Margot Adler

Now fully revised-the classic study of Neo-Paganism Almost thirty years since its original publication, Drawing Down the Moon continues to be the only detailed history of the burgeoning but still widely misunderstood Neo- Pagan subculture. Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction. In this new edition featuring an updated resource guide of newsletters, journals, books, groups, and festivals, Margot Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern America's Pagan groups.

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

Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Margot Adler was an American author, journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess and radio journalist and New York correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR).

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1946, Adler grew up mostly in New York City. Her grandfather, Alfred Adler, was a noted Austrian Jewish psychotherapist, collaborator with Sigmund Freud and the founder of the school of individual psychology.

Adler received a bachelor of arts in political science from the University of California, Berkeley and a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York in 1970. She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1982. Adler died in 2014.

Reviews

[Eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the grandmamma books on modern Paganism. The book has lots of fascinating history, but it's a snapshot of 1979 Pagan America and England, plus a tiny bit of updating for the new edition than an all-encompassing survey. The new stuff felt less like the reconsideration the subject deserves and more like "where are they now?" tack-ons to the original material. Many groups Adler profiled originally have dwindled or died entirely, while she ignores several groups and movements I know were active and influential in the Pagan scene in '86.

Adler's psychological bias comes through strongly, as well. She gives primacy to the archetypal/metaphorical interpretation of deity, where the majority of Pagans I know adamantly insist that their gods are real.* Might Adler have leaned toward the psychological interpretation even when her interviewees didn't espouse it? Or might she have been looking for people who had that interpretation from the beginning?

This is an important look at the history of modern Western Paganism, and I respect it for that. But I don't consider it the indispensable read it might have been when it was published in 1979. Maybe if I'd had the 2006 edition instead of the 1986 edition, I would've been more impressed.

*ETA: Recently, I've met several Pagans who've been active in the community since the '80s. They trace the uptick in "devotional polytheists," that is, people who believe in the literal existence of deities (as opposed to folks who see them as archetypes or metaphors), to the 2001 publication of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. If that's true, the Pagan landscape would've been very different when Adler was researching and writing this book, and I might have been a much happier (witch)camper.

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margot Adler talks to adherents in different traditions all across the United States, and a few in Europe, in order to banish some of the mystery and misconceptions surrounding neo-pagan groups.

"Since Pagans are a very diverse group, it is wrong to say all Pagans believe this or that, but here are some beliefs that many people in this book share: The world is holy. Nature is holy. The body is holy. Sexuality is holy. The imagination is holy. Divinity is immanent in nature; it is within you as well as without. Most spiritual paths ultimately lead people to the understanding of their own connection to the divine." pg 11, ebook.

I didn't know much of anything about pagan religions before I read this book, mainly because I am from a particularly conservative part of the country and there are very few groups of this type around. It's hard to get to know people if there aren't any to talk to. In some circles, just the word "pagan" inspires fear because it's not clear what this means or people might be threatened by how someone's beliefs might be different from their own.

"Neo-Pagans look at religion differently; they often point out that the root of the word means "to relink" and "to connect," and therefore refers to any philosophy that makes deep connections between human beings and the universe." pg 24

Adler examines an extraordinary number of pagan groups, an almost bewildering amount. I liked that this book introduced me to so many different paths and ideologies, but at the same time, it began to get somewhat repetitive as she broke down all of the different groups.

But as the friend who had recommended this book reminded me, Drawing Down the Moon was created in the years before the existence of the internet. It was intended not just to explain what these groups were, but also operated as a catalog of sorts, for readers who were looking for the right path for themselves.

Recommended for spiritual seekers who are looking for a tradition that fits or for anyone who is curious about the stunning variety of spiritual beliefs there are out there. I learned so much.

[aphrodite · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow, was this book absolutely incredible.

this is the first resource pertaining to witchcraft/paganism/wicca that I’ve read and I can safely say it was an invaluable one. as far as I understand, this is one of the few (if only) historical reference to modern neo-paganism and adler did an amazing job detailing the complexities of it.

this book was incredibly insightful with how it described magic, polytheism, and all things pertaining to nature based religions. as I begin to start my personal journey with my spirituality, this book helped put into words a lot of concepts & feelings I had. I still have lots and lots to figure out before I even begin to label myself but this gave me the tools to build my foundation.

it also gave a general history and description of the major earth-based/neo-pagan/wiccan religions that have emerged in the last century that was extremely interesting to read about.

even if you aren’t a witch and/or pagan but are interested in learning about many common beliefs and first hand accounts, I would absolutely recommend this.

***I do want to make one note and say there was a completely unnecessary use of the N-word in chapter 13 when the author documented an interviewee saying:

“In a way we’re trying to have the same rights blacks have asked for: asking that ‘Witch’ like ‘n–‘ stop being a pejorative term.”

this was not the author’s words (and I don’t know if it’s her beliefs) but I still wanted to make note of it because it was abrupt, didn’t add anything, and it’s quite frankly an ignorant and incomparable statement to make.

as I was reading this book I told myself I would include some of my favorite quotes but now that I’ve finished I realized I have over 50 highlights in my ebook so that will not be happening LOL. but let’s just say I will be re-reading this book many, many times for years to come!!

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another one that did not live up to the write up that got me interested in it in the first place. While the content is about the growing movement of Witches, Druids, Pagans and Goddess worshipers in modern society it really is hard to follow. It seems more a collection of chapters that are always falling back to snippets of interviews with one person or another or critique of someone else's book. Every chapter became just more snippets of interviews so I found it a bit incoherent. I was often asking myself what point was the author trying to get to? I never did figure that out. It was so repetitive that I got to the point where I was just skimming some sections.

Yes,I get that the movement is fragmented and there are many different facets to neo-paganism just as there are to a well cut jewel. But could she not just stop long enough to actually delve into one facet and give a clear view of it instead of taking an interview with a person, well....parts of one, and then bringin up some book someone wrote and then saying how that book has been discredited (why bring it up in the first place then) and at the end of the chapter on that topic you still had no understanding of what her point was.

There has to be better books out there than this one. I was so disappointed as it has such a reputation as being one to read for this topic. Where was her editor? It just seems so fragmented and piece meal.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am sure there are far better reviews out there for this book than I could write but I'll say that you can believe the hype about this book. I had heard about this for many years but never actually took the time to read it and boy do I feel silly now after completing it. This is probably one of the best resources for Pagans and non-Pagans alike in terms of accurately representing the cultural resurgence of Goddess and Nature oriented religions. After reading this I truly feel proud to call myself Neo-Pagan as I feel a great deal of what I believe in was examined and put into real context in some shape or form throughout the text, most surprisingly that despite what I previously believed a very large group Neo-Pagans share the same views of technology (pro opposed to con) as I do and simply seek to strike a balance between the natural and artificial. I would highly insist that anyone serious about studying Pagan topics take the time to read this. It may be large at over 600 pages but Margot Adler kept her chapters succinct and to the point and I feel little of this book was "filler" content.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to prefer grounded, matter-of-fact works on Paganism. And wow, I understand now why DDTM is considered the grandmother of contemporary Pagan literature and scholarship. It's very, very good.

Decidedly (but by no means exclusively) Wiccan in focus, Adler looks at the emergence of Neo-Paganism across the United States, its roots, and some of the myths (in and out of the community) surrounding it. A journalist by nature and a peer writing among peers, Adler has great respect for both the Pagan community and its practitioners, as she does journalistic rigor. She's interested in separating fact from fiction, and she looks, for example, at conceptions of European Witchcraft as claimed by Wiccan founders and early 20th cent folklorist scholars (Robert Graves, Margaret Murray, etc) vs ongoing anthropological scholarship.

While Adler is interested in reporting the truth, she never does this to belittle, but to shine further light on myth-building's role and purpose in Paganism. Murray's ideas may be discredited today, for example, but this doesn't make Wicca's founding invalid. Rather, all this and more speaks to Adler's core thesis: If Earth religions, polytheism, and nonhierarchical spiritual practices are missing from society, one must simply recreate them to fit the contemporary needs. And the needs are there.

The 2006 edition, which was the final edition revised before Adler's death, definitely rounds out the book's perspective and provides some sobering reflection on the '70s and '80s. I admire Adler admitting that, yes, perhaps the feminist '70s' utopian aims were far too optimistic in retrospect.

There's two reasons why I decided to give this book four stars instead of five. The first is that, as great as the latest edition is, it's showing its age. A couple statements made by sources are questionable, even if their perspectives show insight into the wider Neo-Pagan community. There are also a few glaring omissions; by 2006, many more Pagan groups and religions were emerging beyond those covered in this edition. It would've been great to see more focus given to Hellenism, for example.

The second, and the greater reason for the ding, is its approach to Dianic Wicca. DDTM acknowledges ahead of the 2011 controversy that most Dianic covens do not allow transgender people in. But this isn't really followed through or exposed as a particularly cruel decision. Reading the book in 2021, it's an odd moment; DDTM looks optimistically and compassionately at feminist Paganism as an outlet for women's spirituality. But without any teeth to concerns over who does (or rather, doesn't) get to be involved in the 20th century feminist Pagan movement, it all rings hollow. Especially in 2021.

I can't fault Adler too hard on this. The original DDTM was written during the height of the second-wave and published the same year as The Transsexual Empire. The revised edition pre-dates the 2011 controversy. DDTM is a product of its time. But you'd think, even in 2006, that the lack of recognition and support for trans women in the Dianic tradition would deserve more scrutiny. Especially given how progressive the book was on matters of gay men's spirituality.

Granted, I do honestly believe that this would have been the case if another edition was introduced in the following years, something that unfortunately could not come to pass. And for prospective readers interested in U.S. Neo-Pagan history, whether as scholars or practitioners, take the criticism as the glaring exception over the rule. This is a wonderful book and an easy recommend.

[Cathy Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clearly written history of paganism in America, including witches, druids, heathens and the whole ungainly lot of us. The book was first published in 1979, and has undergone a couple major updates. I could wish that the revisions were better incorporated, but it would be almost impossible to keep up with the rate of change in the pagan community. She's made a fair attempt to keep current; still, half the internet links I looked up are now defunct. Some of the groups she covers in-depth sound pretty obscure and eccentric to me. Feraferia? Never heard of it before. She's made an attempt in this edition to catch up on bigger trends, like internet groups and the growing number of solitaries, but I'm hoping that some day she does a real rewrite, to bring this ambitious work truly up to date.

The style here is journalistic and business-like. There's a little personal history as well.

This isn't a book that's likely to help you find your path, and really there are enough books attempting that already. This will simply tell you where it all came from. And it does so, better than any book or other reference I've yet found.

[Kimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good overview of modern paganism, I think, but I am using the term modern relatively. It's true, she did update the book in the 2000s, but most of the information in the bulk of her chapters was from the seventies with only minor updates at the end about how things were totally different now. I feel like as highly as this book was recommended, there really needs to be something similar done that truly is modern, not from decades ago. It just isn't accurate anymore.

A problem I have with some other authors I've read on this subject is that they tend to let their own religious views cloud their judgment and Wicca/Witchcraft/What-have-you can do no wrong, but I like that Adler addressed that there is a problem of exploiting native peoples and other culture's religious practices. I was also very excited that she said she'd talk about how diverse the Pagan community was, but all she did was mention Voudoun and Santeria a few times before only ever quoting and studying white people. That was kind of a bummer, and really only sort of enforced the idea that people of color aren't involved. That just sort of left a sour taste in my mouth.

I'd say this work was pretty solid. It was more academic than instructional, which was what I wanted. But it just sort of left me disappointed. I think I wanted more out of this.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

originally published quite a long time ago, and it shows - would've appreciated more on racism in neo-pagan communities (particularly norse pagan communities) & the often appropriative behavior of many white neo-pagans (the casual way that "borrowing" from native american spirituality is discussed... Yikes) & the TERF-y nature of dianic wicca (also yikes)

again - I get that the most recent edition of this book was published in 2006, so it's not a criticism of this book really that it's outdated when it's almost 20 years old! just be prepared if you read that it's a reflection of a different time

[Tempest · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's important to get the most currently updated version. I found the references section to be one of the most useful. It's not a "how to" book, or a B.O.S, it's more of a social study of paganism, the culture, history, beliefs, etc... It's definitely a worthwhile read, but it can be a difficult read. There is a lot of useful information to be found in it. As I said before, definitely get the most updated version you can find.

[Kerr Cuhulain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource on the history of modern Wicca.

[Steve Cran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a classic, written in the 1980’s and has had several editions put out later. Due to the age of the book there may have been many developments in the Pagan arena , so some of the information might still seem dated. The authoress herself passed away on July 28, 2014.

 

Since Gerald Gardner birth the modern witchcraft revival, the Witch Craft Pagan community has grown by leaps and bounds. The most popular facet of the Pagan movement is the growth of Wicca, Gerald’s child. The face of the craft has changed a lot since it’s inception, especially here in America.  Using interviews and research Margot Adler gave us an accurate picture of the Pagan movements growth. In the beginning Wicca centered around the God and Goddess and one had to be initiated into a coven in order to practice.

 

Once the craft moved over to the United States of America things began top change radically. The first change as marked by the Susan B. Anthony Coven founded by Z Budapest represented the feminine version of the craft which is wholly Goddess centered. This is called Dianic Wicca. In terms of participation Wicca and Paganism have become les coven centered and more festival and group oriented. There was also a movement away from tradition towards being eclectic but now that is reversing.

 

The book not only covers the current trends in Wicca but also covers the history of witches and how people perceive them. The most noted controversy regards the birth of the craft. Some people say that Gerald made it all up and that there were no witches stretching back to the beginning of time. Some like Margerite Murray feel that it was around. In ancient sources there are mentions of Witches working Hekate and ISIS. Practitioners like Isaac Bonewits feel that there may have been pocket of groups that worshipped the Goddess, but not certainly all of them. The medieval witches may have been a figment of the inquisitors imagination. In any case there are three types of witches. The first type of witch is the Family Traditional Witch. Many of these are non coven based and very individualistic. Their practice is not entirely pure as it has been contaminated with modern ideas. The second type is the gothic witch who model themselves after the Inquisition witch. The third is the modern Wiccan.

 

In terms of Wiccans there are many branches or schools.  The first is obviously the Gardnerians and then the Alexandrians. But there have cropped up other types like the Algards which combine the first two. There are also Georgians and they have their own way of doing rituals. Other orders that are new creations have popped up in San Francisco like the New Order of the Reformed Golden Dawn. One of it’s founder Aidan Kelley has since moved back to Catholocism. He  believes the Goddess most pof the Pagans are worshipping is actually the Virgin Mary. She has the compassion.

 

In addition to covering witchcraft there is also coverage of Druidic and Egyptian orders in the Pagan Sphere. Some have found their own path to the Gods like the Church of Aphrodite and Ferfaria. The Church of All Worlds was creted with inspiration from Stranger in a Strange Land.

 

By and large Pagan if they wish to call themselves tend to be rather well educated city dwellers who have a strong ecological bent. Many will want to use the term witch due to negative connotations while other’s wish to reclaim the word. Some believe in secrecy to avaoid trouble while others are out in the open about things.

 

A great book for those just getting started into paganism

[Collin Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adler's "Drawing Down the Moon" is a fantastic anthropological overview of Neo-pagan religions in the United States since the 1970s. Written in a very engaging and approachable fashion, the prose is simple yet sufficient. Adler is able to remain objective whilst analyzing various aspects of the Craft and other pagan traditions despite being involved with them herself. She also frequently acknowledges where the study, conclusions, or data may be lacking finesse. Overall, a monumental piece of work in Pagan Studies and a fascinating read, highly recommend to anyone with any interest in the subject of Neo-paganism and earth-based religions.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it really gave a clear picture of different pagan groups to help the mainstream gain understanding. I wonder though how much has changed since its publication....

[Jayme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I loved this book so much. Adler's background in journalism and her personal experiences with the occult combined perfectly into a history that's objective and meticulously researched while remaining engaging and personal. It's packed full of descriptions of pagan groups, both past and present; origins of the occult in America; interesting historical interludes; and huge appendices full of even more resources.

One of my personal favourites was Fred Adam's Feraferia, who '...wanted to create some institution that would emphasis a paradisial way of life...' and '...combine a sense faery with service to nature.' They're all vegetarians. Sign me up. Also, a solid shout out to the Church of All Worlds, inspired by Stranger in a Strange Land. Adler had an entire chapter devoted to the influence of science fiction and fantasy on neo-paganism, as well as the genres' extensive systematic exploration of neo-paganism itself.

I also appreciated the discussions on sexuality, gender, and race, as well as the issues surrounding these intersections that have plagued these communities (and everyone really) for years. Loved this quote:

'...no one really has the slightest idea what a woman (or, for that matter, what a man) is. We do know that whatever a woman is, it is hidden under thousands of years of oppression. We will need at least a century of living in a society devoid of prescribed role divisions to begin to answer that question. Since everyone is operating in the dark, the two prevalent views among feminists, and the views of others, are all simply opinions, or perhaps intuitions.'

This revised edition gets us up to 2006, so there is also a bit of interesting discussion about internet witches and occultists, but I would be down for a new edition already. I would love to see Adler's objective lens describe the rise of WitchTube and WitchTok, and the subsequent monetization of these lifestyles.

Speaking of which, I've been recently drawn to this topic through its current trendiness/revival and I've been struggling to know which titles will scratch that itch. I think I'm mostly interested in the history of witchcraft, folklore, and the occult over the how-to books. So it feels a little bittersweet that I've finished this one since I'm starting to suspect it's one of a kind.

[Yvonne Aburrow]

I finally got around to reading this book. Super interesting. The edition I read was updated in 1985/6.

So it’s about the Pagan movement before the internet. It’s interesting to see which individuals and organizations have since been revealed to be problematic; which organizations and publications are still in existence; and what the prevailing attitudes of Pagans were at the time — towards politics, ritual, feminism, ecology, the word “witch”, the word “Pagan”, the role of initiation, the role of men in witchcraft — all issues that are still being debated.

For those who were not around in the 1980s, it is still worth a read, so you can see how longstanding some of these debates are, and how people found other Pagans before the internet existed.

[Eaon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Illuminating, definitive even. I haven’t much to say otherwise, just that Adler wrote (and revised) a comprehensive view of neo-paganism and witchcraft in the States. From multiple sects, to critiques on its origin (i’m looking at you, Wicca) this read was wholly fulfilling on my path to gain more spiritual knowledge.

[Bon · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 15% or so. This just feels aged and Bad.

[Leo Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

DRAWING DOWN THE MOON by Margot Adler is good survey of the contemporary American neo-Pagan movement. Unlike much that sprang from the 60s and 70s (they did a lot of dope and acid back then), the movement is chaotic, creative and often playful. The core tenants are pretty straight forward. Honor nature, since neo-Paganism is an earth-based religion. Do no harm to others, but other than that, you're free to enjoy life. Etc.

Like a good survey book, it introduces a ton of pagan traditions. There's Wicca, the [more-or-less] traditional British tradition. And "traditional" Irish traditions. And Druids. And Afro-European traditions that combine Santeria with Egyptian philosophy. Not to mention several hard-core, 'off-the-grid' earth religions. And another derived from Robert Heinlein's classic science fiction novel THE STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. And several "Heathen" traditions that celebrate the Norse gods and aspire to live the "Viking Way", etc.

Needless to say, the variety is dizzying. And at times, goofy and sooooo 60s. Like I felt when I attended a Dead show in the late 80s and saw these aged hippies wheeling about, ecstatic and decent and creative and open... but somehow unformed and anachronistic.

Still, Adler really shines when she "looks behind" this crazy quilt-work to make larger socio-cultural observations. Like how "traditional" craft practitioners, like Wiccan covens, place an emphasis on male-female polarities and sexual fertility which ostracize gays and lesbians. And how both feminist, all-female Dianic covens, and "Fairy" traditions allow gay people to practice the craft.

An enlightening book. Which I first read in the 80s. After having a conversation with my nephew, wherein I learned we'd both been invited to join Wicca groups in college, I grew nostalgic. So I looked the book up in my library's online system, and was shocked to learn they had an updated, 2012 edition, so I checked it out.

Four-stars, through really 3.5 rounded up. The book is an interesting anthropology of a fringe but mainstream group that's present throughout America, though often hidden.

[Gabriel Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2006 revision of a book I first read in 1984. It's a book that stayed with me in the back of my head through thirty odd years of spiritual dabbling and wandering and, given where I am now, has an additional fascination.
What strikes me most is how the tone of the book feels so much more personal than it did when I was 22. It's not an academic tome (though the research is thorough, the biases are clearly and reflexively pointed out and Adler goes to great trouble to present alternative points of view). Today, I'd say it's a useful counterpoint to Ronald Hutton's The Triumph of the Moon, offering the US version of neo-pagan history but with an insider's access. It's also full of common sense and good humour. Adler values the absurd and no time for power trips. If I feel she's sometimes a little kinder than she needs to be, that's probably my own bias showing through.
Sadly, Margot Adler died in 2014. The table I'll need for my Great Heavenly Dinner Party (of people I wish I'd met when they were alive) keeps getting bigger and bigger.

[Mikol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gets 5 stars for influence.

A couple of years prior to this read I had a spontaneous spiritual emergency as I came out of a meditation sitting in the sand at Alki Beach in Seattle.

I was familiar by this time with Starhawk and Reclaiming and had met people at the pagan bookstores and had taken a class or two with some pagans.

This book was a matter of fact reading about who's who in the pagan subculture, some history and an introduction to paganism in general. I liked that it was a survey of a number of paths. I started to get the sense of pagan life as a "normative" place/space. For some reason this was important to me at the time.

The info is dated by now but it was a great intro to the evolution of neo-pagan community.

In that same I met the pagans at the Unitarian Universalist Church north of the UW in Seattle and I joined their pagan group CUUPs and would support that venue for the next 10 years.


Mike

[A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a disappointment. The author engaged critically with some of the ideas and group philosophies she was describing, mostly in regards to feminism, but skipped over the blatant culture appropriation and racism. She wrote in a neutral to complimentary voice about the AFA (which is now classified as a hate organization), for example, even quoting someone who said, "Folk Asatruars aren't racist, but..."

Some things haven't aged well due to information that came out well after the book's 2006 edition (e.g., the abuse allegations against Marion Zimmer Bradley). Some are a snapshot of the philosophies floating around the neo-pagan movement in the sixties that seem juvenile or out-of-touch now. There's a lot of gender essentialism that reads as kind of awkward to me. I'd be interested in an analysis of the neo-pagan movement that incorporates intersectional feminism and a greater focus on the importance of antiracism and decolonialization.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This kinda felt like reading an NPR episode, which is fitting because Adler was a host. Sometimes the book dragged, but there were some really intriguing parts of the book, I particularly liked Adler's reflections, and the reflections and opinions of Devlin.

I read the most recent edition of Drawing Down the Moon, and I'm glad I did, as it would have been really out dated had I read a second hand edition. This edition allows the reader to see where Adler views the craft in 2006, compared to where it was in earlier editions.

I would say this is required reading, as it's a good reflection of the craft and where it was at a certain point in time.

[Deanna MacDonald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting and I learned a lot, but gets very repetitive and seems to throw a lot of bits of information around without drawing any comparions or conclusions. Could use a heavy editing hand. 2.75 stars if I could give it that

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent look at alternative spiritual paths in contemporary America that are inspired by ancient pagan practices.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this inspiring. It opens a world of possibilities for fashioning a spiritual vision and path from my own experience.

[Rachael Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started looking at Wicca again, this book came up in list after list.  It was on lists for beginners and it was on lists for "people looking to get back into paganism."  When I started reading about Wicca and the occult way back in 1998 it was on all of the lists and that was before it got an updating.  I bought the book and it sat on my coffee table through a pregnancy AND a maternity leave and then it was moved to my bookshelf.  It just looked so big and I always have so many books to read.

Then I reached a point when I realized that I really DID want to start studying again.  I went back to the beginning and read the first that got me interested in the craft.  Then I read a book off the suggested reading from that book.  Then I decided that there was nothing to it but to do it and I grabbed up this massive tome and took to reading 10 pages a day very patiently.

Adler does a phenomenal job with this book.  It could use another update, just because things go so fast now, but it was full of all kinds of information.  This book isn't necessarily aimed at the seeker and it gives a nice history of the Neo-Pagan movement.  Here were names that I recognized from my days hanging around the new age section in the B. Dalton and explanations of their backgrounds and beliefs.  Adler looks at a few of these different traditions and religions and there were some I had never heard of that fascinated me into rabbit holes.

Honestly, I feel like this book truly set me back on my path.  I feel like I'm not alone and in the stories she told second hand in this book I definitely recognized myself.  There is so much value in that, especially in a subject that is full of books that read like instruction manuals and have a tendency to make you feel like you're doing things wrong if you don't do them like the author.  This history and deep cultural dive was something else and is totally worth your time if you are interested in what Neo-Pagans are about.

[Cameron Kobes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible. I wish I had read it earlier. To be clear, I'm not a Wiccan or Neo-Pagan or Druid (except in D&D sometimes). If somebody told me they could literally tell the future by reading my palm, or literally affect the weather by doing a song and dance, I would react with skepticism. And, the cultural appropriation that I see in many of these groups troubles me.
But. This book, with its fascinating and exceedingly broad history and anthropology of a movement that's been right next door to me for my entire life, a movement that in the past I've viewed with either hostility or indifference, really opened my eyes to the idea that people can have freedom in their spiritual practices. Freedom comes with risks, but we all still have the freedom to be spiritual in the way that each individual prefers. For some people, this idea might have been obvious. It looks obvious now. I took so many notes while reading this book, starting with Egyptologist James Breasted's quote: "Monotheism is but imperialism in religion." So much of this book and the ideas and practices it describes come down to that rejection of imperialism. Seeing that people can have transcendent experiences in a variety of ways, accept and embrace the wide mystery without turning to ignorance and superstition and without being confined to the institutionalized ways of doing things, was a revelation to me. I realized that although I wouldn't have been willing to put it into these terms, I have been striving for an authentic way to be spiritual without being religious for quite a long time. I felt that this book pointed me in the right direction. The fact that I happened to start reading it on June 21, the summer solstice, may or may not be a meaningful coincidence.

[Diana S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although starting the discourse from America (as the title suggests), Margot Adler offers a wide perspective that comes from various cultures around the world that ultimately reached and affected American Pagans. I didn't think about it and was gladly surprised, although it's something you should expect, since America's various ethnicity itself. Then, I personally think that "Drawing Down The Moon" is a book of interest to everyone studying the subject (as a practitioner or anthropologically or both), no matter where you live.
Moreover, since the author first published it in the 70s (and then renewed it up to 2006), she guides you as you observe the phenomenon of Paganism/Witchcraft from the start to its never-ending changes and growth. Plus, as a bonus (at least for me and probably for everyone interested in the 60s/70s culture and its effects on politics, activism, etc) this book widely tells about Queer, Feminist and Ecological movements at their very start and goes on about all of the ways they intertwined with Neo-Paganism (and maybe also enriched it).
You'll end up the book feeling way more prepared and it will be easier to understand what and who (there are many names quoted, important and "not", but as much fascinating) other texts or people are talking about. Last but not least, all this knowledge you've received will feel as a result of a long conversation with a friend. Margot Adler has a wonderful and funny voice, even with a sometimes difficult and intricate topic like this.

[Salem ☥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If you are a woman and dare to look within yourself, you are a Witch. You make your own rules. You are free and beautiful. You can be invisible or evident in how you choose to make your witch-self known. You can form your own Coven of sister Witches (thirteen is a cozy number for a group) and do your own actions... Your power comes from your own self as a woman, and it is activated by working in concert with your sisters... You are a Witch by saying aloud, 'I am a Witch' three times, and thinking about that. You are a Witch by being female, untamed, angry, joyous, and immortal.'"

This book was unfathomably good. It's hard to write a review about something so long and so jam-packed with information, but holy shit! A phenomenal compilation of interviews, retellings, general information, and stories all related to paganism/the occult. Despite some outdated language, the chapters about feminism and queer practices were perfect!