SECTION IV - ASK AUNTIE AHN

Ask Auntie Ahn
By Ahneke Greystone

The subject is books. Ah, books! As evenings grow longer, what greater joy than curling up in your favorite chair, surrounded by the volumes you have been saving for just such a time. A cup of tea. The purr of a cat in your lap (or, in Ahneke's house, the not-so-subtle plop of a very large doghead into the midst of the papers!). And, quietly, in the bright circle cast by your reading light, to journey to another place of mind and spirit.

Auntie Ahn is often asked what books to recommend regarding pagan spirituality. I decided to ask what others suggest; to combine our myriad of paths and come up with a diverse offering of titles. At the beginning of the Summer, I polled several e-mail lists and asked members to list their favorite books. I was thrilled to learn about new books and to expand my own library. I hope this will be of interest to those who are well-read, as well as to those who are just beginning.

If finances limit you to a public library as a resource, things can get a little tricky. Most of the following will not be found in libraries, which is a sad fact. But your youth or your monetary circumstances may limit you to the selection there. In that case, I suggest you focus on archeology, myth and archetype. Look for books on comparative religion and the spirituality of indigenous peoples from around the world. Books on meditation can be found in the card catalog under Eastern religions/yoga. Women's studies sections in public libraries are often chock full of intriguing items, and the Goddess often lurks quietly there. Hiding in the censored stacks. Psychology books will teach you about archetype and visualization. Something as simple as books of Fairy Tales will reveal to you the Universal Truths shared throughout the ages.

I offer this advice to expand your reading horizons. Read bibliographies! Pay close attention to authors referenced in the books you are currently reading. Take your time with your books. Savor the reading of them. There is no rush. Make liberal use of a highlighter and make notes in the margins. Be eternally curious. Read what is recommended and what is not, as sometimes there is much to be learned even by acknowledging where your thoughts differ from another's. Never be afraid to ask for advice. If you respect someone, you are bound to receive an intriguing answer if you ask them, "What three books influenced you the most?" The books we love are an intimate glimpse into our personalities, and sharing them with others is a meaningful gesture.

"My" three books are a bit of an odd lot. Reflecting my feminist worldview, my deep belief in personal accountability and my lifelong study of Eastern philosophy, my top three would be The Spiral Dance, Atlas Shrugged and the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. I read new releases regarding pagan spirituality, but tend in my middle age to read more on women's experiences across the boundaries of religion. For instance, I am currently rereading Her Share of the Blessings: Women's Religions Among Pagan, Jews and Christians in the Greco-Roman World.

I hope you enjoy the list that follows. Each book was highly recommended and deeply meaningful to those who suggested it. And the recommendations came from the experienced and the novice. May you find yourself in a cozy spot, with a moment of quiet and a good book in your hand of such are the peaceful moments of life constructed. Happy reading!

As always, I can be reached at AuntieAhn@aol.com, on this subject or with any questions you'd like to send my way.

Ahneke Greystone, who is Auntie Ahn

For your reading pleasure, listed with the most highly-recommended books first:

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner, Cunningham,
Spiral Dance, Starhawk
To Ride a Silver Broomstick, Ravenwolf
Drawing Down the Moon, Adler
Living Wicca, Cunningham
Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Positive Magic, Weinstein
Wiccan Mysteries, Grimmassi
Green Witchcraft, Moura (Aoumiel)
Power of the Witch, Cabot
The Witches' Bible, Farrar
Celebrating the Great Mother, Johnson and Shaw
Earth Power, Cunningham
The Witches' God, Farrar
To Stir a Magick Cauldron, Ravenwolf
Pagan Ways, O'Hara
A Grimoire of Shadows, Fitch
Return of the Goddess: A Divine Comedy, Cunningham
21st Century Wicca, Hunt
The Witches' Goddess, Farrar
Dreams of Isis, Ellis
Be a Goddess, de Grandis
When God was a Woman, Stone
Modern Witch's Spellbooks, Morrison
The Sabbats, McCoy
True Magick, Amber K.
Awakening Osiris, Ellis
In the Shadow of the Shaman, Wolfe
A Pictorial Guide to the Tarot, Waite
Advanced Candle Magick, Buckland
Dragons of Eden, Sagan
When, Why, If, Wood
Coming of the Cosmic Christ, Fox
Aradia, Gospel of the Witches, Leland
Celebrate the Earth, Cabot
Elemental Power, Wolfe
Trancing the Witches' Wheel, Galenorn
The Mists of Avalon, Zimmer Bradley
Beyond Einstein, Kaku
Casting the Circle, Stein
The Great Cosmic Mother
Valdemar Series, Lackey
Norse Myths, Crossley-Holland
Candle Magick Workbook, Pajeon
The Rebirth of Witchcraft, Valiente
Embracing the Moon, Galenorn
Contemporary Paganism, Harvey
The First Sex, Davis
Basic Magick, Cooper
Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System, Anodea Judith
The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries, Budapest
The Sea Priestess, Fortune
The Golden Bough, Frazer
Circle Round, Starhawk
A Book of Pagan Rituals, Slater
Every Day Magic, Morrison
CovenCraft, Amber K
Wheel of the Year: Living the Magical Life, Campanelli
Book of Shadows, Budapest
To Light a Sacred Flame, Ravenwolf
The Art of Ritual, Beck and Metrick
The White Goddess, Graves
The Golden Bough, Frazer
The Power of Myth, Campbell
Celtic Magic, Conway
Motherwit, Mariechild
Dialogue with Death, Easwaran
The Goddess and the Tree, Reed