D.J. Conway, Moon Magick: Myth and Magic, Crafts and Recipes, Rituals and Spells Most useful for: | Beginning students | Content: | Briefly discusses the lunar calendar; provides for each moon a list of holidays, a discussion of deities, correspondences, recipes, crafts, lore, myths, and rituals; provides a list of moon deities and symbols. | Commentary: | Rather than emphasizing the monthly phases of the moon, this book is organized by the lunar month--well, sort of! Instead of choosing one of the many different lunar calendars (wherein the first full moon of January may be the Wolf Moon, the Snow Moon, or go by any of many other names, depending on which system you follow), chapters have been written for the full moon of each month, with an extra one added for the 13th moon of the year, whenever it may fall. The information on festivals is accompanied each month by rituals and myths having to do with the deities whose festivals occur that month, but you could certainly use these forms (and the recipes, crafts, etc.) at different times of year--I personally found the organization confusing and I have a hard time finding anything in this book (good thing it has an index! :)). The myths aren't bad but they may not be the ones you're familiar with (i.e. don't buy this book for the myths--and if there's one in here that interests you, do further research). On the other hand, I was pleased to find a source of rituals devoted to a variety of different deities, something you don't see often, and I like the inclusion of practical ways to celebrate (the crafts and recipes) as well as formal rituals. | |