Wicca for Beginners: A Guide to Wiccan Beliefs, Rituals, Magic, and Witchcraft

Wicca Books

by Lisa Chamberlain

Everything You Need to Know to Start Your Wiccan Journey It is estimated that there are over 1 million practicing Wiccans around the world today. This number used to be much smaller, but interest in Wicca, Witchcraft, and contemporary magic has increased exponentially over the past few decades. The dramatic rise of this Nature-based religion is due at least in part to the Internet—just twenty years ago, people curious about these subjects often had little access to credible information, especially those without a good New Age or Occult bookstore nearby. But the appeal of Wicca is also growing in tandem with the increasing complexities of our modern, high-pressured mainstream society. The world we live in today seems wholly distant from the one our ancestors lived in—a world where humans and Nature were at one, their existence intertwined in the natural cycles of life. Amid all of our gadgets and other man-made distractions, many people forget to take notice of the sheer beauty of the natural world that still surrounds us. Wicca teaches us to appreciate the Earth, celebrating the intricate changes in the seasons and everything they bring—from the bounties of the Summer harvest to the cold and darkness of the Winter months, when Mother Nature rests in preparation for the next explosive cycle of life that begins in Spring. As you’ll discover in this book, Wicca is a reincarnation of the very earliest religions, practiced for millennia before the advent of Christianity. It is often referred to as “the Old Religion,” and many Wiccans consider their practice to fit within a broader tradition of Witchcraft that has been passed down over the centuries. Wiccans celebrate and share many of the same beliefs our ancestors held, with practices that honor the old ways while being compatible with contemporary life. The divine is worshipped as both masculine and feminine, with a focus on balance and harmony with Nature, and a recognition of the magical power inherent in the Universe as well as in ourselves. It is an empowering religion, rooted in ancient times and yet well-suited for the 21st century. Foundations of Wiccan Belief and Practice Wicca for Beginners was created as an entry point for anyone seeking information about this fascinating religion. It is intended as a broad introduction, covering the most basic questions that people curious about Wicca tend to have. Whether you're just looking to learn more about the Wiccan way of life, or you want to start practicing Wicca yourself, you will have a solid understanding of the essence of Wicca after reading this The history of its modern foundations as well as its ancient inspirations An introduction to the God and Goddess and their multiple aspects The Wiccan holidays of the Wheel of the the Sabbats and the Esbats Core elements of Wiccan ritual, including an overview of ritual tools Principles of magic—both ancient and modern An overview of Wiccan covens, circles, and solitary practice Example ritual and spellwork suitable for beginners Sample tables of correspondence identifying the magical properties of selected colors, crystals, herbs and oils Until fairly recently, centuries of suppression of the Old Religion meant that Wiccans and other Witches had to maintain strict secrecy about their practices.

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

123 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2014

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is an extremely watered down introduction to the author's interpretation of Wicca, and readers would be better served by picking up Thea Sabin's "Wicca for Beginners" which is perfect for the absolute newcomer and concisely explains the spiritual and religious heart of the Wiccan religion without watering things down. There are shelves upon shelves of excellent introductory texts for aspiring Wiccans or curious non-Pagans. Anything by Doreen Valiente, Lilith McLelland, or Thuri Calafia would be much more informative, educational, and beneficial.
I can't recommend this book, especially not to the absolute newcomer who has no prior knowledge of Wicca or modern Paganism. The Gods are barely even paid lip service, and I saw no exploration of personal accountability and ethics. No, including a brief section on "An it harm none, do what ye will" does not count, especially since it neglects to explore the context of those eight words.

[Minerva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it 4 stars because it was a good book. But it helped me realized that I am not interested in becoming Wiccan, because I am not interested in witchcraft. But overall, it was a good book, a lot of useful information & even a chart for the uses of crystals X)

[Ana Rancier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hola readers!
¿Os llama la atención la brujería? Es un tema que todavía sigue siendo un poco tabú, hace ya un tiempo que me llama la atención, sobre todo lo referente a la luna, astrología, etc.
El otro día pase por Fnac y decidí comprar dos libros sobre el tema, uno de ellos es este, el otro os lo enseñaré más adelante.
Me ha parecido bastante interesante, es un libro cortito, apenas tiene 125 páginas, el inicio trata sobre la historia de la brujería, en específico de la religión Wiccana pero también te habla de los sabats, los esbats, los elementos, las herramientas que se utilizan en los rituales y también como llevar un libro de las sombras, está muy bien para quien quiera interesarse en el tema.
En definitiva, me ha gustado mucho conocer un poco más sobre el tema y eliminar el tabú de que tiene que ver con el demonio, todo lo contrario, una de las filosofías de la Wicca es hacer lo correcto sin hacer daño.

[Toviel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this book thinking it was a recent release, however it’s simply a reprint. It does have the advantage of being the only Wiccan e-book available from my local library.

WICCA FOR BEGINNERS technically an introduction to witchcraft, but only barely. Is there a level under 101? If so, it should apply here.

The book focuses on the philosophy and theory behind modern Witchcraft and it’s common instruments. Very little content involved actual spells or instructions; almost every section of the book reads “[x] can be done one way, but some traditions do it another way! Or you can ignore it entirely!” The instability of the author’s rhetoric, despite being accurate to the Wiccan community as a whole, makes for a confusing read. Outside of the Sabbats, very little about the actual religion behind Wicca or the core tenets is explained.

At the same time, the author doesn’t really say anything wrong. Considering the plethora of witchcraft 101 literature steeped in bad history, racism, or sexism, WICCA FOR BEGINNERS is largely inoffensive. It’s not all that helpful, but a new witch isn’t going to be hurt by reading it, either.

The reading list included at the end does point the aspiring witch to many of the landmark books published about the Craft a baby witch would greatly benefit from reading.

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was preeeeetty basic, but I loved the tables of correspondence at the end and the suggestions for further reading :D

[Mihr Chand · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear concise guide to the world of Wicca.
As a Hindu and a Sikh, I was keen to compare the parallels between the primeaval Vedic faith practiced on the Indian subcontinent (that later developed into the Dharmic faiths )and the faith of the Celtic peoples of Europe .While I may not choose to follow this path, I can at least hold an educated discussion on the topic. The list of further reading at the end of the book shall prove to be useful in my quest .

[Mariana Prieto Montañez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Para ser un libro de principiantes, se explica de forma muy clara y profunda. Me gustó que la autora fuera empática con quienes se inician, y que además hiciera una crítica a ciertas figuras (varones) tan aclamadas en la wicca o el paganismo que realmente no eran muy espirituales y éticas

[Dana Haro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo informative!!!

Seriously the best book so far that I have read on anything spiritual. She actually explains it in a way that I could understand.

[Tiffany Hurst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very basic book but for someone like me who knows nothing on the subject and was strictly curious on the topic and what it pertained to it wasn't a bad read.

[Dorian Jandreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not new in Wiccan belief, but reading this book was still interesting. Author shortly described history, tools and etc. Also included Tables of Correspondence and one ritual.

[T. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this beginners guide! I listened to the Audible version. A great way for me to explore the Wicca culture, easy to understand, very informative. A most helpful resource!

[Lily (inactive) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not impressed by this book. The heavy influence of the writers own interpretation was very visible as well as the influence from Buckland. In my opinion it is not a good book for beginners because it was so biased. Would recommend other books more for example „Wicca“ by Harmony Nice. The two stars are for the fact that it was nonetheless pretty well written.

[Aitziber Madinabeitia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nada que no esté fácilmente y gratis en Internet desde hace 20 años

[Mar Galindo · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my first approach to Wicca I think it was the perfect read for me. Everything cover in this book was genuinely for people who don't know anything about witchcraft, Wicca or magic besides the things we see in the media. I've been interested in reading about this for a while now and I'm very satisfied with the things I learned reading this book. Of course there still some things that I don't understand completely but I wasn't expecting that from just one book. I definitely need to read more about Wicca.

[Artemis Crescent · Rating 4 out of 5]

The guide 'Wicca for Beginners' acts as a basic introduction to the history, beliefs and practices of the Wicca religion and the Craft.

Such a friendly voice Lisa Chamberlain writes with! And Wicca is a very unusual and obscure religion in that there are no definite texts, structures and rules to follow. Or there shouldn't be, not really. Some Wiccans in a coven/circle or in solitary do follow traditional or "old" practises, in order to give thanks to and positively improve the earth and their lives. Wicca is also an extremely flexible, ever-changing, ever-growing, and personal lifestyle for many. This teacher’s guide tells us that Wicca is, for the most part, self-taught. Nothing is set in stone.

Magic is energy; it is a part of nature, and within all of us: to use individually and independently.

Whatever you believe in, whether you consider yourself a witch or a Wiccan or both, whatever magical correspondents (mindsets, colours, seasons, divine lifecycles etc.) and tools (stones, herbs, natural symbols etc.) and ritual practises best suit you, whatever you spiritually connect with, and whichever divinity and deity (Goddess and God) you resonate with and feel a personal affirmation towards, it is all entirely up to you. Wicca is all about nature (the sun, the moon, earth, sky, water, wood etc.) and spirituality (layers/higher planes of the universe, the mind and the energy matter of everything). There is no right way or wrong way to be a witch, so long as you have no intention to cause harm.

'Wicca for Beginners' - Very brief at 100 pages, but an effective starting point. Lovely stuff.


Blessed be.


Final Score: 4/5

[Wenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive book that is aptly titled. It spans from historical roots to current society, explaining the various ideas surrounding witches, magic, paganism and connects it with the Wheel of the Year that grounds pagan/Wiccan celebrations, Christian holidays, and ritual tools in reason linked to nature (the earth), and deities. In other words, it creates a whole picture that interlaces all the world's components, including science. By acknowledging the variety of ways Wicca is and has been practiced, the authoress opens the religion to everyone, banning none, with the Hermetic Principles giving guidance and Mother Nature providing the temple.
This book should be read by all theological scholars to encourage an understanding of country/pagan religions and thus, a realistic basis for many modern-day mainstream religious rituals. With the mystic put into context, the connection between science/religion/spirituality is unveiled and the need to demonize banished. A great book for people looking to understand the roots of religion and why various tools (such as incense), are used, and how to use them.
On a personal note, it just makes sense that the earth is part of life, to be worked with, not used and abused as a toy for human destruction, and this book lays it out in an easy to read and understand manner.

[Morgan Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again another for beginners. Which is great! Though it becomes highly repetitive sometimes :)

[Toria · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking for a little more meat in an introductory book on what Wicca is... this book is EXTREMELY short. Felt like a glorified wikipedia page. Not a bad or useless read, but... meh.

[Perséfone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un libro bastante interesante y que si recién estás empezando a saber sobre la Wicca te cuenta su historia básica. Me gustó mucho.

[B. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the absolute most basic introduction to Wicca that i have read to date. I have practiced Wicca for almost 20 years and I honestly appreciated the bare bones approach to displaying the religion. You have to remember that Wicca and Witchcraft are not organized religions. There is no right or wrong way to do it. This book does not have the author’s personal beliefs in it as some people may have suggested. Believe me I’ve read some pretty opinionated books on witchcraft and this is not one of them. However, with that being said, if you find yourself reading this thinking the author is wrong and is not representing Wicca the way you know it, consider the fact that you may not be Wiccan. Its ok to be Eclectic as most people who don’t resonate with Wicca tend to be, but to look at Wicca straight on and say its wrong is unwise.
In the beginning the author suggests you take what you like and leave behind what you don’t. That is basically the entirety of witchcraft, its a cherry picking religion where each persons beliefs and practices are unique to the individual. If you read this book and relate to it and find yourself agreeing with the practices and beliefs then you could consider yourself Wiccan. If you read this and are annoyed at how “incorrect” it is, I’m going to tell you, its not. Again, you don’t have to be 100% into everything the author says to be a Wiccan but this is a book showing you the bare bones of the religion.
This book IS the bare bones. Its not going to tell you everything you will ever want to know and possibly you wont even know where to go once you are done reading it but that’s because your practice is your own to learn and figure out. This book will give you the basic understanding of the religion just to get you started so don’t look at this like a bible because its not. Its your job to write your own BOS or grimoire.

[Leah Beechy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is titled perfectly. It truly is a guide for beginners looking to learn more about Wicca. There is comprehensive information given without being overwhelming to someone who is new to the topic of Wicca. Topics include but are not limited to: history of Wicca, deities, core beliefs and holidays, practical and ritual magic, use of an altar and tools.

Wicca for Beginners was very well-written and gave me a lot of great information. It had a solid introduction to a lot of the foundational knowledge needed for a beginner, but also acknowledged that there are many other sources from which you can find information, even if it doesn't necessarily match up with the author's information. She even went so far as to provide additional sources for continued research.

It was evident that a lot of care went into making sure both the information in this book and the materials that Chamberlain (author) suggests for the aspiring Wiccan are accessible to many types of individuals. For example, the lack of assumption on gender of the practitioner (typically assumed female in witchcraft) also makes this book friendly to all readers. Additionally, the author tries to offer alternatives to obtaining materials rather than just assuming the reader could afford to buy everything mentioned in the book.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a beginners guide to Wicca. I will definitely be referencing this book as I move forward in my knowledge and practice of Wicca, and I plan to read more books by this author.

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a beginner, I've been studying Wicca for over 25 years and have practiced off and on, but I've been out of touch with that side of myself for a little while, so when this attractive little book appeared in front of me, I saw it as a way to rekindle my own inner interest and fire. In that, this book served me well, but overall it is a highly average work and lacking in several areas. There are far better introductions to Wicca out there (I still recommend ANYONE at any stage of their journey read "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioiner" by Scott Cunningham - it opened up my whole world and truly changed my life). I feel there is too much emphasis in Chamberlain's book on some specifics of tools at the expense of explaining more of the spirit and philosophy of Wiccan practice first. I felt as though this book spent more time talking ABOUT the subject it was going to explore instead of actually exploring it.

That said, as others have mentioned, the correspondence charts for crystals, colors, etc., are very nice to have (though this edition has a typo in the color chart where the same information is printed in two different boxes, thus leaving out the information that was SUPPOSED to be in that second box). The aesthetics of this new edition are quite lovely, and I hope anyone who stumbles upon this little volume will at least be inspired to further their reading with a more compelling text.

[Michael Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

First but not last

I have downloaded both Kindle and Audible Audio Books about Wicca. I've started many of them but have never finished any of them. This was the first book that really caught my interest and held my attention long enough to finish. It also is the book that is going to bring me back to some of the prior books to finish them. This book made me feel that my thoughts and feelings are acceptable around my interpretation and expression of Wicca. Now, I want to know more. She does a great job of explaining and connecting the different thoughts and beliefs while also acknowledging that you may run into others that don't agree, and that's okay. She expresses that the beauty behind practicing Wicca is that it's fluid and adaptable to what you feel connects you spiritually. I feel like she's started me on a spiritual journey towards things I've long believed but have repressed through a traditional Christian upbringing. I feel like she had given me a strong foundation for further investigating. The one thing I would like to have seen was more detail on how to go from research to practicing. She explains the tools and the spells, but it lacks the explanation of how to embue the tools with energy or I missed it. Overall, though, I couldn't have asked for a better beginning.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Review for the Audiobook read by Kris Keppeler)

This was a nice, short, to-the-point summary of Wicca. I liked that the author made it very clear over and over that there was no definitive truth for Wicca, and that anyone interested in practicing should read widely and find what feels true for them.

That being said, there were parts that I wish she had elaborated on. There were also a few moments in the texts where she referenced things that I had literally no bearing on and meant nothing to me. The major reason this book has 3 instead of 4 stars in that the audio narration was not phenomenal. The narrator mispronounced things, had awkward pauses, and had unusual inflections. Despite these things, I thought it was still 'readable' so to speak, and I found her voice very comforting.

Overall, this was a good jumping-off point if you're trying to figure out what Wicca is all about, and it's a great way to figure out what sort of things to start researching.

[Wren · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the title suggests this is basically an introductory guide into Wiccan beliefs and related practices. It is meant to provide a glimpse into the Wiccan religion and for those who might be a little curious. It is meant to inspire or encourage further research into the religion and its practices. The author keeps this book very generalized to provide the most basic framework of Wiccan beliefs and practice. She takes the time to clarify terminology and dispel myths surrounding various topics. It is very clear that this is meant to be a brief introduction to spark interest or help a person decide whether they want to dive deeper into Wicca. For me the appeal to Wicca was in the concept of Animism- the belief that seemingly inanimate objects have spiritual energy. If anything, I want to do more research into that rather than Wicca and Witchcraft.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Research about celtic runes led to interest in paganism and Wicca, which led to me reading the Wicca Starter Kit: Wicca for Beginners, Finding Your Path, and Living a Magical Life set, thinking it may 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.

[Callum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is proficient in providing the reader with a basic understanding of Wicca, and outlines the historical basis for the religion, as well as information on its development. The writing is quite engaging and so it makes for an easy read. The one rather frustrating element however, is that Chamberlain veers off course on several occasions, and takes time to criticise Christianity and other faiths which I felt was rather vitriolic. I read this book to gain an understanding of the Wiccan faith, not to see venom sprayed towards Christianity for being too 'patriarchal'. Alas, I would recommend this to anyone seeking a short introduction into Wicca.

[Renee Alarid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like learning about different religions; I am intrigued about what it is and how it works. I have been drawn to Wicca for years since Charmed came on in the 90s. I understand that it is a fiction tv show, but the idea behind the series piqued my interest. There is a remarkable parallel between Witchcraft and other religions.

This book is an excellent introduction to Witchcraft. I love how the author gives you multiple scenarios on how this can work (i.e., solitary, coven, a mix). The book focuses on the philosophy and theory behind modern Witchcraft and its standard instruments. It doesn't go into spells or casting.

[Celine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the writing style although the content covered was quite repetitive at times which came as a surprise as the book isn’t that long. Further, now that I live in the Southern Hemisphere I would have appreciated the author acknowledging differences in timing of seasons and rituals across hemispheres. I believe there was one sentence where it was mentioned when it could have fairly easily been integrated in graphics and other narrative. The tables of correspondence were nice. The basics on the use of an altar, tools, cleansing & consecration as well. Definitely a basic 101.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful

I found this book very helpful and insightful for a beginner who is learning the craft on her own for the first time. This guild is quite detailed and easy to read, it previews many different aspects of the Wicca religion in a non bias way for those who are coming from a Christian upbringing. The author has many other books that focus solely on certain topics to the craft/religion and I am looking forward to reading them all.