The Problem of "Advanced" Wicca

A complaint I hear often—and have made myself—is that there are not enough books out there on "advanced" Wicca. There are dozens of beginner books, many of which are unnecessary repetitions of what authors like Cunningham and RavenWolf have already written.

 Whatever you may think of their work, they were forerunners of the current 101 book craze, which unfortunately is still going on. They and a few others were here first, and everyone after has been writing variations on the themes they set down. I have seen precious few voices that are genuinely unique since the 90s—and even fewer attempting to teach anything besides the standard "Chapter 1 – Why Wiccans aren’t Satanists; Chapter 2 – How to Cast a Circle; Chapter 3 – Here’s some correspondences; Chapter 4 – Why you shouldn’t cast love spells."

You could easily lay the blame for this at the feet of publishers, who are first and foremost businesses that have to stay afloat just like any other businesses. Most of the presses that are willing to put out Pagan books are small, and don’t have much in the way of a marketing budget—they have to put their energy in to what will keep their doors open, and in a way, the glut of crappy 101 books is what enables authors like myself who don’t write for beginners to do what we do. Publishing is a cutthroat business, and even very successful authors in this genre aren’t exactly rolling in dough, unless they have the time and capital to become their own publicists and spend 365 days a year selling themselves.

In my opinion, however, the lack of "advanced" literature isn’t really a commercial issue. What most people who complain about the dearth of Wicca 201 books don’t seem to realize is that writing about advanced Wicca is damn near impossible, because nobody can really pin down what advanced Wicca is.

Why not? Well, for starters, ask any ten Wiccans who have been around for more than five years what the most important aspects of their practice are, and you’ll get ten very different sets of answers. Wicca as a religion is not that complicated. You learn the essentials, like how to cast a Circle, what the holidays are, what the tools are, and after that, then what? You deepen your understanding of those things, and then you branch out, adding different subjects and techniques that you consider vital to your own personal practice. You find ways to integrate your spirituality into your daily life.

Beyond Wicca 101, many people begin to specialize. What one person finds meaningful will not be all that appealing to another. Some want to learn to lead group rituals and teach; some don’t. Some decide to focus their practice on healing and become massage therapists, herbalists, midwives; some lean toward a more shamanic approach and learn about trance dance, drumming, and astral journeying. Some want to learn more about ceremonial magick. Some would rather learn about plants and make things grow.

How, then, do authors cover all of this? Past the beginner stage, there are so many possible directions, how do you write a book that effectively describes all of them?

You don’t, really. If you look at the books that are already out there on advanced Wicca, most seem to have one thing in common: they are all over the place. Many seem to be a random collection of essays on divergent topics that the reader may or may not care about.

I don’t believe for a second that every Wiccan out there reads Tarot, casts Runes, does Reiki, drums, dances, studies Kabballah, communes with the Faeries, brews herbal tinctures, heals with crystals, deciphers hieroglyphics, memorizes pantheons, draws astrological charts, and bakes a mean souffle. When on Earth would they sleep?

None of these topics are essentially Wiccan; they come from all sorts of cultures and traditions. I have no problem with eclecticism in and of itself, but the fact is, when most authors sit down to write about advanced Wicca, they have to write about everything but Wicca.

Those subjects that are Wicca-specific, or can be approached from our worldview, are the sort of ideas that require much more in-depth treatment than most authors are willing to give. I hate to say it, but a distressing percentage of our authors have become slaves to quantity, putting out multiple books year after year, often in order to keep from having to get a day job. The result is a serious decline in quality between their early work and their later work. Even the best writer can’t keep up that kind of pace without phoning it in after a while.

There have been great strides in what is available out there for those who are past the 101 stage, but by its very nature, advanced Wicca is not likely to fill the shelves any time soon the way the beginner material does. In the past five years there have been more books printed addressing our relationship with Deity; creating ritual; bringing spirituality into one’s daily life; looking more deeply into ethics; and exploring the Elements.

I have noticed that, while there are many books about Wicca, there are not many on how to live as a Wiccan. Compare the titles in the Pagan section of a bookstore with those on Christianity, or Christian living; there is a book for Christians on just about every aspect of life. There are even Christian diet books. (Are You Eating With Me, Jesus?)

How many books have you seen on how to live as a Wiccan when life sucks? How to face life’s worst moments and most difficult challenges? Where are the books on surviving grief, abuse, and loss and still maintaining your faith as a Wiccan? How to bring your entire life in alignment with your values, and how Wicca influences those values, or should? How, if everything is sacred, every choice we make from what to eat to what shoes to buy is an expression of our spiritual beliefs?

While time and experience will lead a great many practitioners to explore these ideas on their own, many people never consider how life's curveballs can shake their faith until it actually happens, and having learned no coping mechanisms and having no tools, they find themselves without a rudder.  We can't assume that everyone will mature at the same rate or without any help.  Even the most spiritually adept people I know will seek out a book for comfort or advice when they find themselves dealing with something new.

I believe that the void in our literature when it comes to these subjects is in part due to Wicca’s relative immaturity as a religion. We are a young faith based on very old ideas, but if we want to survive, if we want Wicca to exist in a hundred years, we are going to have to stop focusing so much on the easy stuff and the white-light-and-bunny-farts and face the dark, the difficult, and the scary. Our literature is going to have to do the same.

Books are still hugely influential for most of us, as the number of potential students still grossly outdistances the number of qualified human teachers. It is a bit scary to think that authors are in large part in charge of the evolution of our religion, but books are the primary avenue by which new people find the path. If books form the backbone of many people’s early education, and those books are largely superficial and don’t go beyond "this Deity goes with love, that Deity goes with prosperity," what kind of future do we have?

As an author, I consider it an honor to be a part of the future of my religion. As a woman there aren’t just a whole lot of denominations out there I could have a direct influence on like I can Wicca. This is a huge responsibility, and one I wish more authors really took to heart. When it comes to guiding people past the 101 stage, we could be doing so much more, and I hope that we will; such a shift will take time, and it will take courage. 

Wicca is not just about choosing a divinatory tool or finding your power animal. It’s about living the path, having sanctity and purpose infuse your every cell—it’s about being Wiccan from balls to bones.

Of course, I don’t really expect to see Wicca: from Balls to Bones on the shelves any time soon.

It is kind of catchy, though.

Comments

[Inanna]

You really speak to me here, Dianne. We are a young faith, and a small one, but we need to create and grow our literature. We need thealogy, ethics, psychology, poetry; we need more serious books that come out of our worldview. I suspect that the people who make a contribution to serious Wiccan and Pagan literature aren't going to be the same people who write to get published. (Which is not to say that we don't have prolific authors who aren't also important thinkers; Starhawk is the most obvious example, I think.)

It's funny how we call ourselves a religion of clergy, yet I find myself asking, where are the clergy, really? Where are the serious and intelligent Wiccans? (It's not that we don't exist, obviously! But I have trouble finding others....) Whom do I go to within my own faith for spiritual counsel? Whom do I look up to as an example of living a Wiccan spiritual life? Who are my thealogians? Where is the spiritually mature face of Wicca?

[Hermitwoods]

I found this entry VERY inspiring to me.
Thanks! :-)

[gd1ess]

Have you read "Three Books Of Occult Philosophy" by H. C. Agrippa? It gets into some more advanced stuff..

[Blackhawk]

Wonderful entry. I've been thinking about these things for a while, as well. The concept of Wicca's present state of immaturity was one subject I blogged about earlier this year ( Wicca: An Immature Religion? http://www.dragonsweave.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=9) and Inanna's comment about the lack of thealogians mirrors my own feelings (Wiccan Heresies: Demanding More from Our Clergy http://www.dragonsweave.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=5). I tend to like your writing more than my own, however... You *did* say you were writing Wicca: from Balls to Bones, didn't you?

[dawn marie]

I am new to Wicca/Paganism, and most books are as you say. I have a druid book that is over my head a bit, bit it lacks the things you describe. Where is the pagan "devotional"? Maybe it needs to be a collaborative effort.

Here is a title, "I am a witch! Now what?"

[lorekeeper]

I've heard it said that there is a dearth of "advanced Wicca" books because the mystery that is the true essence of Wicca can't be described. It can only be lived, be felt. You learn the basics -- cast a circle, call the dieties, trance. Then you have to *do it,* and keep doing it. As a soloitary I struggle with this myself. You can't be Wiccan just by reading books. Wicca is an experiential religion.

I do agree, however, that there could be far more in the way of serious works of Pagan philosophy, ethics, etc. Frederic Lamond's RELIGION WITHOUT BELIEFS is back in print again after a long hiatus. One of the only books of its kind in its day, written by a true Wiccan elder. That is a place to start.

[Lynna Landstreet]

I'm actually currently working on an advanced Wicca book, which I worked out the outline for based partly by asking various experienced Wiccans I know what they wish they could find addressed in a book but haven't been able to so far. Some of the issues you mentioned here were among those they listed; others I may add to my list. So this has been very helpful in giving me a bit more understanding of what kind of topics might be helpful to address...

[rosewood]

Here's a few. I consider them "advanced" but perhaps after 20 years of practice I'm still new?

Twelve White Swans
Pagan Book of Death and Dying
Evolutionary Witchcraft

The Fifth Sacred Thing is a novel, but it inspires what a city of witches would look like, every day, living with witches.

[Kwan Yin]

Hi Dianne - I had actually typed in "wiccan grief counseling" on google last night. With two sudden deaths in the family, and a dear friend who is likely dying of cancer, I'm asking these Wicca 201 questions as well. I have a strong coven to help me through, but we're all readers too, and I was searching for something to read for strength in this time, and something to give to my sick friend to bolster his spirit. Your entry came up through another link and spoke to where I am on this search! Keep writing, our community needs this voice! Thank you.

[Heath]

I am so glad to finally start finding articles such as this one on the Net. It's about time we looked at and discussed our faith as a faith, not just some new trend. I have found a few other sites like this and they are so refreshing! Wicca, the religion, being in service to the Gods has NOTHING to do with getting attention because you were a nerd in high school, being jobless while you have a huge collection of sci-fi memorabilia, weighing 300 pounds because you live on junk food while you play "pagan" X box games, or live for the next Rennaissance festival. If you're just a lazy hippy, then admit it, stop giving my religion and way of life such a bad image. What do African drums and white people with bad teeth and dredlocks have to do with practicing Witchcraft?????!!!!!!!!!!

[Gothiccan]

Wonderful article, with which I wholeheartedly agree. Wicca has a lot of maturing yet to be done. Personally, I think our primary problem is, well, us. As much as it pains me to say so, Wicca in its current incarnation stands for absolutely nothing. The use of magick is an optional component, various satellite disciplines (as mentioned in the article) are not core components, and hell, even all of the traditional teachings are completely dispensable. Ceremonial magick? Well, that seems to have taken a back seat to new age politics. Balance? We are about as unbalanced as can be. Polarities? The Goddess no longer approves.

Yup. Wicca is in a helluva mess. And usually it is the "Wiccans" who are the problem who seem most okay with it. But I still have hope.

Gardener and Co. managed to lay down an excellent framework for a fantastic religious approach. I think when we get back to what I see as the stronger roots (as mentioned, polarity, gender equality based on naturally observed truth rather than political correctness, ritual, reckoning with the "dark" as well as the "light", etc.) of the faith, then we will find real growth, both personally and as a community. For the moment however, while we are experiencing overall growth in numbers, it is a revolving door, with many leaving as quickly as they came...once they realize how shallow we actually are.

Hard stuff? Yeah. Sorry about that. But sometimes the medicine just tastes bad. It's not the publishers that are the problem (which you did not say), it is us. We get what we ask for...and we like our religion "lite" and without obligations.

Here's a first step though: While I am slow to flame another poster, I propose we pitch the word "Thealogy" from our vocabulary altogether. It reveals gender-identified narcissism, and frankly, feminism has no place in something that is supposed to be about balance. Think about it.

[Wade MacMorrighan]

Personally, what you describe as "Advanced Wicca" [eg. astrology and herbalism] is not what I consider to be "advanced Wicca". Indeed, many of the books I have seen on specialized advanced topics bear this out: they speak of the "running" of Circles and the work of Priestessing, as well as "Aspecting", for example. Moreover, the one aspect that needs to be written about extensively are traditionalist Pagan techniques for engaging in a trance and channelling the Gods. Many Pagans I know from very ecclectic communities have reported that they were lead to a state of trance, while chenneling a Deity, that they were aware that their mouths were moving, but they could not recall what was being said. This is what I consider to be "Advanced Wicca". Sadly, this has not been written about in the efforts of personal training, except in only the most cursory or peripheral manner. Albeit falls into this same "trap", Willow Polsons is one of the best books on the topic of "Advanced" studies ["The Veil's Edge"]. While Grey Cat's "Deepening Witchcraft" does not touch upon the technical particulars of "Aspecting", she does detail the finer points of "Priestessing", as well as the ability to shape-shift, and responcibility of "Wiccan" clergy when one *is* Aspecting, to aid them and keep them safe during the process, etc.

So, what I look for as "advanced"-- and hope to see-- are more practicle techniques. Unfortunately, no one seems interested in publishing such material. This is ironic, because a Anthropologist studying such a tribe or religion would have no qualms about publishing such techniques himself or herself. I have used this analogy many times, and Willow Polson (who studied Anthropology in college) even agreed with this logic.

That being said, I *do* applaud you for your call that Wiccan lit. is in desperate need of growth, esp. when confronting "the dark night of the soul"!

Take Care,
Wade MacMorrighan

[Jael]

I like what you have to say. However, one of the reasons so many Christians choose to follow a Wiccan path is because Christianity went from being spiritual to being political and dominating HOW to practice.
I'd love to see more books on maintaining the faith through all ups and downs.
However, I don't ever want to see a bible that everyone turns to to prove thier point when it serves them to intrepret it in a certain way.

[Judith]

If you'd ever write a book like that ("wicca: from balls to bones"), this post could make an outstanding intro.

Cheers.

[Craz]

I read the circle within not long ago and loved it. It was very disappointing when I found that you didn't have many more books to read. I loved your writing style and the book really spoke to me. It was actually completely by chance that I came across this blog post and I didn't even realize it was yours until after I read it! Interestingly enough I again enjoyed your writing style and decided I'd by a book by this wonderful writer, only to find it was you! ha

I hope that this post means you're working on a new book... I know for sure I'd buy it!

[Colin]

Hello, and cherished blessings.
This may sound odd to some people, but to you it sounds realistic.

I am not giving away my destination or place of birth, but this story begins way back in 1983.
Like most people who have twins will understand that being a twin, we have esp(extra sencory preception). However I lost in the living world my twin sister.
Now it took me years to get over this, and when I finally accepted this, I became whole.
I started to research my hystory and fount that every 5th generation of twins in my family had special abilities. The odd factor in this was, it was meant to go to a woman/girl. But it was me a male.
I understood that women/girls had more abilities than male counterparts, but then given my own abilities (being a twin) this increased more.
I started to sence more things, I started to see things,(I looked into being a medium).
This wasnt for me, then i started to develop further(As if my sister who was in the white light, gave me strength everyday).
I started to develop telekannesis(spelling).
I moved inomatic objects just with one thought. It took me 3yrs to do this, but well worth it.
Then....As if by pure magic.and i do believe in this, When I would dream, I saw things I would see days later, (premonition.) scared me but i was prepared to handle it.
Then came the scary bit.
I asked myself one day, while sitting in a comfortable spot, in a glen and surrounded only by greenery(the green god) and the ocean.
I said (aloud)these words).now this might not happen for anyone, but magic is alive and deep within everyone. its deeper in the ground and its also around every living thing, if they concentrait enough..

the words..they just came to me out of no where.

sitting here, orb of light, take me to the sound of life, i will stay until im near. grounded by the light thats fearce,

bounded by the ties thats near, call upon the golden lear. come to me, ive called you close, give it up and send me across.

Now Some parts may ryme, but others wont, but the fact is. i dont know where this came from, i just came to me one day, it scared me because I started to see lights, like the colour of the rainbow, and also the flowers next to me looked as though they started to blossom, when spring/summer was way gone.

anyway ive got used to this, and it is like the green god of the wilderness,mother nature and all cherished things in life is listening to me..

so if anyone is out there that knows how to handle true magic and just not practiseing it...let me know. cause im a little scared..

I may have stronger abilities that come along with time...

thank you and bless it be.

young wolf xx

[Bendystrawsrock]

Wicca - From Balls To Bones. Epic! I'd buy it :D

But in seriousness, you have a point. I turned my back on Wicca at one point because I knew how to cast a circle, I knew this, that and the other thing. But I didn't know where to turn when things got hard. Living in the bible belt, the only Wiccans I had ever encountered were pouty gothic teenagers trying to get back at mommy and daddy for taking away their iPod. I had basically no support - I was alone, as dramatic as that sounds.

But it's all good now. I figured it out :D

[Advancedwicca]

This is a really interesting thread and something which bothered me for many years. I don't mean to spam but just in case people find this useful, I have written Beyond the Book of Shadows (www.advancedwicca.com) as a guide to wicca as a modern day mystery religion. It looks in detail about what we are trying to do in ritual and in the practice of invocation in particular. Hopefully it will be of use to those of us going a bit deeper into our chosen path.