THE WITCHES’ GODDESS
By Janet and Stewart Farrar, published by Phoenix (USA) and distributed by Robert Hale at £9.99. 320pp. ISBN: 0-7090-5844-6
A new paperback edition of a well-known standard Alexandrian wiccan text. The book is essentially divided into three sections, the first discussing a range of Goddess concepts and issues such as the Mary question, lunar and triple goddesses and women as Goddess, followed by a dozen or so rituals for invoking a range of goddesses and ending up with a pretty comprehensive and wide-ranging directory of Goddesses from around the world. The whole book is well-indexed and finding what you want is easy.
The discussion in the first part is generally sound and well presented, while not being startlingly original, and the directory of Goddesses an excellent reference work which is likely to become indispensible. I hesitate, however, over the usefulness of the section of rituals. The ritual for Brighid, for example, claims to seek to invoke Her in Her role as a Goddess of inspiration, but is rigidly scripted word for word from beginning to end. If this ritual actually works, wouldn’t Brighid be able to inspire Her worshippers? Obviously some of the rituals are better than others - the user must decide which work for him or her and ignore or adapt the rest. Otherwise a sound book and recommended particularly for the directory of Goddesses. (Oh yeah - and Janet’s got her tits out again.)