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Title: The Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water & Earth in the Wiccan Circle by Deborah Lipp ISBN: 0-7387-0301-X Publisher: Llewellyn Publications Pub. Date: July, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.43 (14 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Excellent theory and philosophy, but horribly narrow-minded.
Comment: The Elements of Ritual is a great buddy to Wicca primers. It's about freaking time the elements and know-how have been explained. She goes through the four elements and spirit, why they are what they are, why we use them, and how we can use them effectively in life. She also explains why rituals are set up the way they are, etc. At first, it looks like another primer, but it isn't; where most Wicca books explain ritual and the elements in 1 or 2 pages, The Elements goes through a thorough examination that brings about a complete and total understanding of one of the most important systems of magick. And yes, the four elements + spirit can be found in magickal traditions other than Wicca.
Now, on to what I don't like. In this book, Deborah Lipp is *horribly* narrow-minded. She falls under the trap of the one-way-only attitude. The first example I spotted was found at the bottom of page 35: "... I have seen covens using four candles (appropriately colored) to represent the four elements. This strikes me as silly, lazy, and uncreative. Water should represent Water, not something fiery. This is a case of people forgetting the meaning behind the symbol."
How *insulting*. Not only insulting, but childish, and short-sighted. The author seems to overlook the fact that candles are lights. They LIGHT the four elements, they don't FIRE them. Candles are traditional, and easy to see in the dark. I don't think anyone wants to be tripping over bowls of water in the west when it's totally dark. Also, it's immature to nitpick over ritual details, and make a big deal over them. Calling people lazy, uncreative, and silly, just because they do things differently. She seems to have lost a bit of her focus on magick. She tries in the next paragraph to backpedal, but that doesn't change her childish insulting. Grow up.
On page 38, she talks about idols. "You'll still have to choose *one* way to represent them [the Gods] on your altar - otherwise your altar will be hopelessly crowded, and your ritual hopelessly confused." Mrs. Lipp, the Gods aren't confined to ONE method of representation, and the practitioner / worshipper doesn't need to be confined to ONE method of representing them. Altars don't have to be prim and proper - the Gods aren't so petty as to care little about the practitioner's habits of cleanliness. The state of the altar doesn't mysteriously doom or redeem a ritual - it's all in the user, not a piece of furniture. An altar is only as hopeless as the useer deems it to be. The same goes for the ritual.
Pg. 39: "Idols aren't gods, but for the duration of the ritual, they become gods, and they retain a bit of that essence the rest of the time. In ritual, we act as if the idol is in fact the deity, just as we act as if the picture or lock of hair is the person in a magical spell."
Has Mrs. Lipp become confused? First of all, idols do NOT become Gods - the Gods are all about us, and in EVERYTHING. We are the manifestation of the Gods, so her statement is pointless and redundant. Secondly, we don't worship art pieces; we worship the divine around and within. Thirdly, a lock of hair / picture of someone is a LINK, a CONNECTION to the subject. Visualizing an object becoming something / someone else is likened to shape-shifting or magickal cloning.
Mrs. Lipp also compares religions numerous times throughout the book. It's subtle, but it's there. At the end of page 47, she compares the good and evil concepts of Christianity to the polarity system of Wicca. After touching on good and evil, she quickly follows up with "Wicca, however, embraces nature and natural cycles in all her permutations...". Comparing religions is nothing more than poking the bleeding wound, so to speak. There are many, MANY Christians who are also lovers of nature. Pagans aren't the only ones in the world. And, the Christian concept of good and evil is also a polarity; it's not wrong, and it's as valid a concept as the Wiccan polarity of male and female. The only difference is, the polarities of Wicca and Christianity don't agree with each other. But that doesn't mean they're wrong.
This is only the surface. I'm not trying to nit-pick, but I want readers to be aware of the good and the bad contained therein. People tend to believe less of the bad, until they're pointed out - which is what I have tried to do.
The book isn't bad. It's very useful, and philosophically extensive. This book IS worth reading, it IS worth spending $16.95. The Elements of Ritual does its job well, and goes further - it delivers tips and techniques that are invaluable. The "Emergency Ritual Toolkit" is ingenious, something my idiotic self would have never thought of: a box full of spare ritual supplies, in case you're in the circle and forget to grab the lighter from the kitchen, or if a candle accidentally gets snapped in two. The arrangement of the books sticks to its elemental theme; each chapter is ordered into sections of Earth (How is this done, what are variations of doing something, what are the practical considerations, etc.), Air (explains the topic, the ideas behind it, and so forth), Water (the mythology behind the topic, metaphors, emotional impact, etc.), and Fire (What is the mystical meaning of blah blah blah, how are the Gods involved, meditation, etc.
It seems as if I've torn the value of the book to shreds, but it really is worth a look. Just remember to think about what you're reading; many people don't do that anymore.
Rating: 5
Summary: If you're a Wiccan with a brain, READ THIS.
Comment: The cover of this book seems to indicate that _The Elements of Ritual_ is merely a book about the four elements--air, earth, fire, and water--but it turns out to be so much more. The author uses the four elements in a metaphorical way, analyzing what goes on during each part of a Wiccan ritual from the practical point of view (earth), the intellectual (air), the mystical (fire), and the mythological and emotional (water). She dissects the entire ritual, from the pre-ritual preparations to the closing of the circle, from these four points of view. For example, when she gets to the part where the gods are invoked, she talks about gods--what are they anyway?--from all four angles. It's very interesting stuff, and makes a lot of sense.
She uses her analysis to form opinions about some of the controversies in the Wiccan community. Wiccans are forever arguing about things like when the Cakes and Wine should be done--mid-ritual? afterward for grounding? Lipp has definite opinions about how things should be done, and while you don't have to agree with everything she says, at least it's refreshing to see someone actually say "This is the way to do it" so that you can *choose* to agree or disagree, rather than floundering about in a sea of "do whatever you want" books that leave everybody confused. All of her opinions are backed up by sound arguments. I wish I'd had this book several years ago, when I was just getting into the Craft. With all those contradictory books on the market, how does one know whether one is picking up bad ritual habits that at best waste energy, and at worst anger the gods? I'm glad to see someone take stands and back them up.
This is being touted as an intermediate book. I think that's true, in that most Wiccans who've been around a while could still learn something from this book. I know I did. However, don't let that scare you off if you're a beginner! This insightful guide might help you make sense of some of the more confusing books out there. I'd love it if everyone who wrote about Wicca had opinions as considered as Lipp's.
Rating: 5
Summary: WOW
Comment: This book uses the ritual and elements to delve deep into the life of the Goddess. It makes the ritual more meaninful and challenging to those participating. It is an excellent book. Put this on your "must read" list.
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