Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore & Herb Craft

Written by Ann Moura (Aoumiel)
Published by Llewellyn Publications

Green Witchcraft presents the basics of a pagan system known to the author as Green Witchcraft, a variety of neo-paganism much like Wicca or other nature-based faiths. Green Witchcraft presents the fundamentals of practice in this religion, as well as worship for the major holidays. Chapters cover the basics of magic and green practice, green living, and the esbats and sabbats. Appendices cover mail-order resources and a look at the Aryan and Dravidic influences on Western religions. "Green" in this sense should not be assumed to mean "environmental" as it often does in society, though there is nothing here that overtly violates environmental principles and much that seems attune with Green Party politics. More a book of practice than a theological text or a philosophical argument (though it tries those in places), Green Witchcraft should help pagans learn how to incorporate their faith into their daily lives.

Moura's prose is clear and engaging. She goes out of her way to make complex philosophies and concepts understandable to the public reader. Too bad she doesn't see the need to cite her bloody sources. While Appendix A attempts to provide some background links between her theological claims and provable anthropology, this is too little, too late, and Appendix A lacks any solid support itself. Perhaps everything she says is provable and all readers should believe every word, but we are given no real reason to do so. Even established mainstream religions go out of their way to support their arguments with respected sources, historical documents, or other solidly reliable sources; why, then, do some pagan authors never seem to want to support their claims? Their opponents would argue that it's because they can't support their claims... why play into their hands like that by not providing some evidence, even anecdotal? Ultimately, any religion must be accepted upon faith, but a religion still fighting for legitimacy must be extra-careful about answering questions truthfully, addressing any weak points, and trying not to look as if you've made all this up because it sounded good. To mar an enjoyable, possibly useful book with spurious claims is dangerous and a shame.

However, Green Witchcraft is in other ways a solid text. The basics of an entire religious system are laid bare here for readers to peruse and judge, and then possibly adapt. Moura incorporates deities from a variety of pantheons into her worship and explains this choice to the readers; this ecumenism is friendly to those who want to blend her green system with their own existing pagan practice. The sections on the various sabbats are particularly well-done; Moura provides a brief snapshot of the holiday as a whole, from preparing the altar to ceremonies, rituals, and activities. It would have been nice to have had more historical notes there, but she is otherwise quite thorough.

Green Witchcraft is suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about aspects of modern paganism, including those who do not themselves want to be pagans, but just want to learn more about what witches really believe and do. While no one text can possibly foresee and answer any question a reader may have or avoid disappointing someone, Green Witchcraft is still a good introduction to a pagan system sure to interest and inspire many readers searching for a faith that makes sense to them.

Grade: B

Review submitted by Dindrane