Wicca Made Easy: Awaken the Divine Magic within You

by Phyllis Curott

America's most renowned Wiccan shares the beliefs and practices of this sacred feminine spirituality in an introductory book.

Welcome to the oldest spiritual tradition in the world.

One of the first Wiccan Priestesses to 'come out of the broom closet,' Phyllis Curott has forever changed the perception of Wicca in the Western world. In this book, Phyllis re-introduces the life-sustaining wisdom and techniques that will connect you to the Divine and to the love, abundance and spiritual wisdom of Mother Earth. You'll learn how to:

  *  attune your body, mind and spirit to Nature's rhythms to create a life of harmony, peace and fulfillment
  *  enter spirit realms and work with spirit guides, power animals and spirits of place for guidance and healing
  *  cast gorgeous spells and create sacred spaces and altars to nourish your soul
  *  practice empowering lunar and Sabbat rites to experience divine communion
  *  embody your spirit, empower your purpose and manifest your gifts

This engaging and inspiring book will open your heart, your mind and your spirit to the Sacred around and within you. It's time to awaken your life to its divine magic!

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

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2018

About the author

Phyllis Curott is one of America’s first public Wiccan Priestesses, an attorney, and an author whose groundbreaking books, published in fourteen countries, have made Wicca accessible to the world and awakened an entire generation to the Goddess. She is founder of the Temple of Ara, the world’s oldest shamanic Wiccan congregation, and was the Vice Chair Emerita of the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions, and creator of the historic Inaugural Assembly and drafter of the Declaration for the Dignity and Human Rights of Women adopted by the 2015 Parliament. Named one of the Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year by Jane Magazine and called one of "America's leading voices" by Time Magazine, Curott was inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegium of Clergy and Scholars in 2014. Curott received her Bachelor's Degree degree in Philosophy from Brown University and her Juris Doctor from New York University. She is currently living on Long Island and working on her next book, Wicca: Awaken the Divine Magic within You, out November 2018 with a companion online class Spring 2019 for Hay House.

www.phylliscurott.com
Represented by Cullen Stanley International

Reviews

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview:
This book is a guide to awaken the divine magic within yourself. Through this book you will keep a journal to write about your experiences and reflections, dreams and more. This book also includes practices to follow to connect with yourself and the Divine. This book guides you in things such as, How to Cast a Circle, How to Set Up an Altar, Drawing Down the Sun and Moon and much more.

Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about Magick and the Divine. As well as practices which was lovely to practice and do. I also really loved that the author was open and made sure to include anyone no matter the gender and who they identify as.
The whole book was good and I enjoyed that in the start it went threw some history and history on the author and their journey to discovering Wicca.
Overall I liked this book and I will be looking more into this author.

[Ephelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se c'era un libro su questo argomento che avrei voluto leggere era proprio questo, data la mia curiosità verso la Wicca.
Scoperto per caso tre o quattro anni fa, ne scaricai un estratto per il Kindle (che arrivava solo all'introduzione e alla piccola biografia dell'autrice), rimasi subito affascinata dal modo di scrivere della Curott e mi dissi che quello non era un libro da leggere in digitale, ma purtroppo per vari motivi e casualità non riuscii mai ad ordinarlo.

Sono passati anni da allora ma non ho mai dimenticato questo libro, e quando questo inverno l'ho visto sui scaffali della mia libreria di fiducia non ci ho pensato due volte e l'ho acquistato subito.
Le mie aspettative sono state disattese? Si e no.

Phyllis Curott è una delle prime Sacerdotesse wiccan americane a rivelarsi al mondo, pratica da più di 40 anni e leggere la sua storia, leggere del modo in cui è venuta a conoscenza di questo mondo, è stato non solo interessante ma anche molto emozionante. Avvocatessa dalla mente razionale, si trovò ad un punto della sua vita a ricevere costantemente messaggi, sogni e visioni lucide da parte di un mondo altro, fuori dalla nostra normale concezione. Come tuttɜ noi, anche lei aveva una visione della stregoneria e di chi la pratica distorta da film, libri e, soprattutto, dal patriarcato e dalla chiesa, ma una volta aver partecipato al suo primo incontro capì che c'era molto di più e che la stregoneria, la Wicca nel suo caso, è molto di più. È amore verso la Madre Terra, verso il prossimo e verso se stessi, trovando in parte anche gli insegnamenti che i suoi stessi genitori le hanno dato fin da bambina. Anziché a una religione specifica, le insegnarono a credere alla bontà del cuore umano e a vivere secondo la Regola Aurea: tratta gli altri come vorresti essere trattatə. Una regola che tuttɜ dovremmo seguire.

La Curott non si interessò solo alla Wicca ma anche allo sciamanesimo, diventando infatti Sacerdotessa wiccan e sciamana, e questo manuale è specialmente incentrato su riti sciamanici uniti alla Wicca, ed è per questo motivo che questo manuale forse non fa del tutto per me. Già dai primi rituali ho capito che se ne avessi provato qualcuno dei tanti descritti (in modo minuzioso ed esaustivo) in questo volume non mi sarei sentita del tutto a mio agio, del tutto fiduciosa della loro riuscita, sono interessantissimi da scoprire e imparare, ma credo siano troppo "mistici" per me. Tutta la parte sulla Wicca ed i suoi insegnamenti base è perfetta (insegnamenti comuni al paganesimo da cui la Wicca si rifà), meritano di essere trascritti sul proprio grimorio (e la stessa parte su come compilare grimorio e libro delle ombre è una delle parti più interessanti), ma per il resto non posso dire di aver trovato un manuale perfetto per me, se pure è stato piacevole leggerlo e sicuramente tornerò sulle sue pagine per prendere spunti e rileggerne alcune parti. Non mi pento di averlo comprato e letto, anzi, sono felice di aver conosciuto una figura affascinante come quella di Phyllis Curott, di cui sicuramente recupererò altri libri, specialmente il suo autobiografico "Book of Shadows: A Modern Woman's Journey into the Wisdom of Witchcraft and the Magic of the Goddess" (in italia tradotto come "Il sentiero della Dea" edito da Venexia Edizioni), dai più considerato il più adatto tra i suoi saggi per i neofiti alle prime armi.

[Teri Uktena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Phyllis Curott for almost 20 years. I was excited she was coming out with a new book and interested at how she would present Wicca to a new audience. Unfortunately the first 1/3 of this book is about Shamanism, not Wicce. She never truly describes Wicce or how it's different from Shamanism, witchcraft or Paganism and so doesn't really get into how it's interconnected with them. The rest of the book is a general listing of the various aspects of witchcraft with some very general descriptions of how to use them which I'm not sure are detailed enough to actually be useful.

For beginners I think her auto-biography "Book of Shadows" would be far more helpful.

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot better than I thought I would. Curott did a lot better with being thoughtful about trans/nonbinary people than most people who write about Wicca. There were a few places where she could have done better and ended up being accidentally a little terfy. But definitely way, way better than other Wicca/Witchcraft books I've read, so definitely progress. Really engaging writing. A lot of great information. Will definitely be going back again to re-look at notes and such. It's worth reading if you are into learning about different spiritual paths, especially if you need something a little more trans-friendly.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicca Made Easy

Phyllis Curott has written an amazing book on Wicca which really will help you if you are looking to become Wiccan and don't know where to start.
What I personally like about this book is that it is practical. You are not only reading about Wicca, but you are taking your first steps in it as well.
May I suggest that if you are going to do the practical work, read through the book first and then take your time re-reading the book and doing the exercises in order.
The perfect book for anyone wanting to take their first steps into Wicca.

[Stefania Ultraviolet · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
Cose positive:
- apertura mentale
- accettazione della comunità LGBT+ (con attenzione ai pronomi e alle diverse casistiche)
- semplice da capire ma non superficiale
- fornisce regole ma non limiti
Cose negative:
- forse avrei apprezzato un audio da scaricare o un riferimento multimediale per le meditazioni, capisco che questo sia un libro, ma la soluzione di "registrarsi da soli e poi meditare sulla registrazione" non è proprio comoda

[Anie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not really my type of book.

Cutout is a good writer and there are absolutely some good exercises in here - I think that many people would get a lot out of doing some of the exercises (I put myself in that group). The book gets 3 stars for that, because that alone makes it good, not just ok. I also want to say that I deeply appreciate Curott's attention to gender diversity, because that is a fraught thing in Wicca still.

However:

1. While the title makes this seem like an intro to Wicca book, it really isn't. Pick up Cunningham for that.
2. A good chunk of the book is actually dedicated to core shamanism. I have my own feelings about that practice and they are not very positive. Those feelings extend to big chunks of this book - there's a lot of talk about "indigenous spirituality" as if it's a monolith (which spirituality of thousands, I ask, all of which are different???).
3. Curott perpetuates the "Wicca as ancient religion" myth, plus some of the Burning Times stuff. This was published in 2018 - no!! You can just follow a new religion and be honest about that and your religion is still valid!
4. In a beginner-oriented book, the section on herbs doesn't mention safety like.... at all.

I also am pretty sure that at some point someone tried to do a whole document find and replace for some error, because every mention of "cast a circle" is "cast circle"???

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've already read "The Book of Shadows" by Phyllis Curot, where she describes her journey from 'mortal' to witch. I thought that was a good book.
"Wicca made easy" is more of a beginners book with knowledge about wicca.

I recommend this book for beginners in Wicca, or people who want to examine their own spirituality. For Wiccans who have already mastered the basics, it is a nice refresher of the basics and can provide new inspiration. At least it did for me.

Her writing style is spiritual and floaty, but at the same time very clear in what she means. This provided me with renewed inspiration to pick up my practice again.

Side note: The book still talks about 'smudging' with white sage. This is no longer advisable today, as it is a sacred practice among Native Americans and is threatened with extinction. Instead, it is better to use other types of herbal bundles or incense for cleansing. I don't think this book should be canceled immediately because of this. We need to recognize that there are other options for this ritual, where we treat others with respect.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really accessible, perhaps at risk of being a little dumbed down at stages (but hey they don't call it "Made Easy" for nothing!). I feel like it's a really good introduction if you want to get a broader introduction to understanding Wicca, to get familiar with some of the terms and to get an idea of what you want to research in more depth. I read this first on my kindle, then bought it in hardcopy so I could reference it more easily. It's full of really good information and exercises, and I often refer back to it for inspiration, checking the Sabbats and looking for meditation practices. It's by no means a complete guide (will there ever be?) but an incredibly accessible starting point.

[Ana Melo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comecei a ler o livro quando me vi rodeada de conhecimentos Wicca e senti que estava de alguma forma interessada e conectada com esses mesmos conhecimentos. E não me enganei. O livro apenas me mostrou mais provas do quão sinto que a adoração Wicca está ligada a mim e eu adaptada a ela e à sua ética e comportamento.
Foi uma leitura esclarecedora, possuindo exemplos, práticas e explicações para quem deseja descobrir mais à sua volta em relação á magia e à destruição de antigos preconceitos.
Posso dizer que me deixou com uma vontade ainda maior de prosseguir com os meus estudos com maior afinco e motivação.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Supremely dull and disappointing. Disclaimer: I haven't read a Wiccan book since Silver RavenWolf in high school, and I don't consider myself Wiccan. I do consider myself a half-assed hearth-witchy-generally-pagan-and-fairly-spiritual person.

I started reading this to see if there was anything new I could learn about metaphysical things, spirituality, and so on for both myself and a novel I'm working on. I found this to be very cringey in many parts, dull in many others, and roughly the same as what I got from dear old Silver back in 2000.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, to this day I use it in my practice! I have reread this book like three times, used it in my rites, and even given parts of it to friends in need of help spiritually. I have a special place in my heart for it. I highly recommend this book to any one, not just Wiccan or witches.
This book is a peaceful read in my opinion. Starts from the beginning, where every starts at first. As you read the book, you follow Phyllis's journey, as you read the book, you unlock your magickal divine energy. You "Awaken the Divine Magick Within You".

[Andrew McAuliffe-Shave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic primer with a particular interest in Shamanism. Not a bad place for a beginner to start but for those accustomed to The Craft it won't be satisfying enough. As usual though, Phyllis' writing style is enjoyable, clear and concise. There is no waffle or a constant repetition of information you find in other basic books from chapter to chapter.

[Jess Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author walks this path

The author walks this path and speaks from that perspective. There is lots of good information in this book. Go through it and enjoy it. Having the corresponding Kindle or physical book can be helpful. It beats constantly backing up the audiobook to write something down. I found having both helpful.

[Jacinthe]

I started by purchasing Mrs. Curott’s new Tarot Deck and was highly moved. I had been looking for a spiritual help for a long time. This is by far the best book on Wicca that I’ve ever read. I read this in 3 days, it was so good. For me, it had exactly the help I had been looking for.

[Mushroom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can be slow and difficult to read at times but overall its a good book full of all the information you need as a beginner witch, it doesn’t just give you a bunch of spells, it tells you the meaning behind what you are doing and why you are doing it.

[Madeleine S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book if your into spirituality

[Sele85 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho preferito l'Arte della Magia della stessa autrice. Questo a volte è troppo sintetico.

[Chiara Valfrè · Rating 1 out of 5]

grandma said to never trust wicca

[Marta Dieffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Io consiglio sempre i libri della Curott, perché li trovo perfetti per neofiti e non! Io adoro il suo modo di scrivere e soprattutto di approcciarsi a questo mondo! Ti aiuta a capire e conoscere, anche con degli esercizi pratici!