Harmony Nice: Wicca - a modern guide to witchcraft and magic

It is time for an other book review. This time I will be taking a look at Harmony Nice's book from 2018 by the title of Wicca - a modern guide to witchcraft and magic. Harmony Nice is an influencer, a youtuber, who makes videos about fashion and Wicca. She is also active on other social media, such as Instagram. She wrote this book after being asked to do so by a publisher Orion Springs (which is not an occult or pagan publisher).

So that is that, now let's get into the book itself.

What did I like about the book?

• Nice has a very positive tone to her writing. Reading the book made me feel like I was listening to her happily telling me about how happy she is to have found Wicca. 
• Although some parts are very floofy and lofty in their description of things, she gives very good practical advice for example on how to celebrate sabbats. There is some very down-to-earth advice to be found in the book.
• Easy to read. This book is very easy to read and it took me only a few hours to do so. There is no difficult language, although at times I felt like it was almost too simplified. But that might be editing.
• The book is beautifully layouted, but that unfortunately adds little to the content. It does look good on Instagram, though.
• Ethics. Nice discusses the Wiccan Rede and ethics in casting spells etc. at some length and returns to these points in other parts of the book. 

What problems do I find with the book?

First off, what is going on in this book in regards to editing? There is no clear structure, and the chapters seem almost at times to be randomly placed in the book. For example, there are two chapters on the moon in completely different parts of the book... I am not certain, but I am willing to think that this might be the fault of editing less so than of the author. But I have never published a book (yet) so I cannot say for sure.

The content is however where I find most issue. Let me summarize:

• A book with the main title Wicca, should be about Wicca. If the second chapter is about divination I will not be able to think it is seriously written. I do however think that this is a symptom of the author's youth and of the fact that divination is a huge part of her own life.
• Nice gets that basics of Wicca right (except for it's history, I'll return to that soon), but mentions belief in deity very briefly. For a book about a religion I feel that it is a huge red flag if deity is mentioned in passing. She does list gods and goddesses of different pantheons, but that has little to do with actual worship, or with the core beliefs of religion.
• Not giving credit where credit is due. Nice cites Lady Gwen Thompson's poem known as the Long Rede while saying that the original author is unknown. A common misconception which is easily rectified through a simple google search.
• The history of Wicca. This point really bugs me. Wicca is a modern religion created in the middle of the 20th Century by Gerald Gardner based off of Margaret Murray's Witch cult-theory which had been definitively debunked by the 1970s. Yet Nice writes that Wicca is centuries old and was "popularized" by Gardner in the 1950s. In the 21st Century we cannot go on propagating this kind of misinformation if we as Wiccans are to be taken seriously. However. This might have something to do with the sources she has read. She cites Scott Cunningham extensively but almost no other authors. Which leads me to the next point.
• Sources. Scott Cunningham is almost her exclusive source. Cunningham's Living Wicca is one of the most popular books written by any Wiccan author still being sold, but it is dated. It is a book that has gotten many a beginner into Wicca, and it still does. But we need newer, better books, more modern ones. That is why I believe so many new, badly written books are surfacing: there is a demand, but the good books drown in the sea of instagram-worthy bestsellers without any substance. 
• Vague language such as "it is believed" and "it is thought". For example when talking about the Gardenerian tradition, Nice writes that "there is thought to be a system of hierarchy ...". This is something that could easily be fact-checked. In many instances she writes about certain things as if they were uncertain. I think this speaks mostly of her inexperience and the fact that she might not (my guess) have read that many books on Wicca yet. But we are all there at the beginning. As we grow and learn we learn more things. And most of us are happy learning the bare basics and that is fine too. However, if you pass your uncertain knowledge on as fact, do not be surprised if someone corrects you. Especially for solitary practitioners of Wicca, gaining quality knowledge about their religion can be a very demanding process (this is also why we need good books about the subject).

From what I have understood from her own comments she was approached by the publishers about writing a book about Wicca and received a fairly short time frame for doing so. This might explain some of the issues I have with the book. However, I think that any serious publisher would fact check the books they are publishing (unless of course they are looking to make a lot of money quickly, which I fear might be the case here).

Harmony Nice has been a Wiccan for a few years as she wrote this book. The lack of experience shows. I believe however that this is a place where she can grow, and that she can produce quality content once she gains more experience in the Craft.

I read this book mostly as Nice's own story about her personal journey into Wicca, but as it is made out as an instructional book about the religion this does create some problems. For example, writing about Wicca and having divination so soon in the book makes it look like divination is an integral part of Wicca. Yes, some, maybe even most Wiccans, use divination, but it is not an integral part of being a Wiccan. And divination is not exclusively Wiccan, but a tool used in many traditions.

Do I recommend it?
I think it is a book that could get many newcomers interested in Wicca. Like Silver RavenWolf's Teen Witch drew me into Wicca as a teen, I believe this book might function as a starting point for so called "baby witches" (by the Goddess do I hate that term).

I hope that if future editions to this book are made, some facts might be corrected and more sources added, or at least a list of recommended reading. In fact, I do hope that in a few years we might see a new, more informed, book by Harmony Nice.

For advanced readers this book has almost nothing to give, but for the person interested in learning about Wicca, and who follows Harmony Nice, I might even recommend this, especially if you can get it from a library or second hand. However, there are better books out there, and Teen Witch is still, despite RavenWolf's many faults as an author, a much better book than this.

~Stella

Book Review: Living Wicca by Scott Cunningham

Cunningham, Scott: Living Wicca - a Further Guide to the Solitary Practitioner. 2018 (12th printing), original copyright 1993. Llewellyn Publications. ISBN: 978-0-87542-184-1

Living Wicca was the second ever book I read on the subject of Wicca. The year was 2004 and I was 15 or had just turned 16. I had been introduced to Wicca earlier in the year, and been lent the book Teen Witch by Silver Ravewolf (I might discuss that one  at some point) which I read cover to cover. In my eagerness to learn more about this religion that held such a calling for me, I entered the library with as much courage as I could muster. I was scared that if I asked for books about Wicca my parents, who did not approve, would find out. But despite that fear, and the fear of being reprimanded by older women, I went and I asked.

The librarian who helped me found one book that she could get me. It was located in Oulu - which felt like the opposite end of the country - and asked if I was willing to pay the reservation fee for them to mail the book between our cities. I happily paid my weeks allowance (I did not have a huge allowance), and waited for Living Wicca by Scott Cunningham to arrive. Once it did, I fashioned a faux cover from colored paper for it and read it at night under the covers by the light of a flashlight. That is how secretive I had to be. I also made coded notes from the book that I still have to this day.

That was the backstory of my relationship to this book. I eventually read more books, and now own quite a few Wiccan titles myself. I purchased Living Wicca for myself late last year, but did not get around to reading it until recently. Here I will give my thoughts of the book.


Living Wicca - a Further Guide to the Solitary Practitioner

Living Wicca is dedicated by Scott Cunningham "to solitary practitioners everywhere". After the success of his book Wicca: A Guide to the Solitary Practitioner he worked on bringing about further instructions to solitary Craft practitioners. Wicca was emerging as a religion and demand for information was growing, especially information for Wiccans practicing alone.

Living Wicca consists of three main parts. Part one deals with learning, of how to teach yourself and learn without a coven or teacher to guide you. Cunningham states that every book is a teacher in itself, and urges the practitioner to read everything. He does however stress, that one should always be critical and not accept everything one reads, as books just as well as the people who wrote them, can be in the wrong. This part of the book also deals with the questions of taking magical names, of self-initiation, Wiccan mysteries and Wicca in everyday life.

Life itself can be seen as a ritual to the Goddess and God.

- Cunningham, p. 35                        

Part two of the book deals with different practices of the Craft. The first thing that Cunningham tackles here is prayer. I truly enjoyed this chapter as Cunningham talks of prayer almost like a conversation with the Gods. Some Wiccans I have spoken with have great trouble relating to prayer because of the subservient stance Christian practitioners have to it. I think this is simply a stigma that needs to be broken, and Cunningham tackles the subject in a very down-to-earth manner. 

This part also deals with some parts of rituals, such as circle castings, and invocations to the Goddess and the God, as well as a chapter on magic and why the Circle is needed.

The moon illuminates the earth

With wondrous silver rays;

Illuminate me through the night

And through the sun-lit days.

- Evening prayer, Cunningham, p. 53

The third part, and indeed half the book, centers around how to create your own Wiccan tradition. Cunningham breaks down the process into a comprehensible and easy to grasp method, giving concrete advice on what to include and how to write your own material. With a firm starting point in the basics of Wiccan beliefs, morals and practices, he provides a framework upon which one can create a working Wiccan tradition. Each chapter within this part of the book contains a comprehensive list of suggested further reading (I have myself taken many clues from here).

He deals in deity concepts, tools of the Craft, ritual design and different ceremonies, and symbols, to name just a few. Here he also writes about teaching, weather one should teach, when and whom, as well as what ethics govern teaching. At the end of the book there is a glossary of terms, and then a bibliography. 

My thoughts

I always enjoy reading Cunningham's works. His language is easy to read and there is good flow to it. Beacuse I had read the book before I new what it was about, but as 15 years have gone by my memory was rusty. Re-reading it, however, felt like coming back home to a warm meal after a long day out in the cold. 

Cunningham writes in a manner reminiscent of an uncle teaching a child in the gentlest of manners. He is not judgmental in any way, but he is firm when he for example states that certain things have to be a part of your new tradition for it to be counted as Wicca, but leaves the possibility to the reader to formulate their own beliefs upon the previously existing framework. 

Wicca is a religion that teaches specific beliefs. We should be fully familiar with them if we're to practice this religion. It may take time for you to completely accept some of these beliefs. Study, think, pray and experiment. Wiccan beliefs are the heart of Wicca.

Cunningham, p. 114

I really like this approach, and maybe it stuck out to me because I have heard so much of the "you can take whatever beliefs you want into Wicca" that I have grown sick of it. Yes, you can include a lot in your Wiccan practice and beliefs, but without the core principles of Wicca, it ceases to exist and becomes something else. This is something that irritates me extremely in a book I am soon going to review, but I will take that discussion then.

What I really enjoyed is that Cunningham has included so much suggested reading. I especially enjoyed the suggested reading in the third part of the book, as he sometimes not only lists books, but even the relevant pages. I feel like he has been very thorough in his research and made an effort to make the study of the Craft as easy as possible for the (new) practitioner. 

Cunningham has a very positive tone throughout his writings. He on one hand encourages the student to read as much as possible, from as many sources as possible, and on the other encourages the student to just go out there and do it, to not think too much, but rather just start practicing. 

In conclusion I would say that I like this book very much, and I would recommend it to both beginners and more advanced practitioners of Wicca. It is an easy read with good information, and with merely 168 pages it is amazing how much good information is in it. I would however suggest for the beginner that at list a slight grasp of what Wicca is about is needed before reading this book. If looking for one, I can recommend Wicca: A Guide to the Solitary Practitioner. 

If you have read this book, or if you have questions, leave your comments down below.

Blessed Be!

~Stella

Review: Witch Casket November box

I did a couple of reviews for the Witch Casket subscription box at the beginning of the year, but have not done any since. There are a few reasons for this: First of all I did not order all the boxes during 2018. I got the boxes for January and February, May, June and July, and then November and December. Because of a hectic summer I did not have time to review the boxes I got during Summer, but I will review the last two boxes of the year. The second reason I did not review the boxes I got during the summer is that I had some thoughts and issues I was going through in my mind. I will write a separate blog post about these thoughts at some point.

For now, however, I am back to reviewing the boxes. Also: I pay for these boxes myself, and no one has asked me to review them. All opinions expressed in these reviews are 100% my own, and I take full responsibility for them. So without further ado, here is the content's list for the November Witch Casket:

• Witch Casket Exclusive – Altar Bell
• Witch Casket Exclusive – Altar Cloth
• Witch Casket Exclusive – Charm Keyring with info card
• Witch Casket Exclusive – Magickal Spaces Parchment Scroll
• Witch Casket Exclusive – Crystal Ball Enamel Pin 
• Witch Casket Exclusive – Black Candle with spell card
• Witch Casket Essentials – Bay Leaves with info card
• Amethyst Pendant
• Purple Banded Agate & Info Card
• Lavender Incense Cones
• Berry Berry Loose Leaf Tea by TeaCakes of Yorkshire
• Square Art Print by TeaCake Art
• A6 Art Print by Ilinca Mitchell Art

In all the box contained 13 items plus the usual list of contents/monthly letter and Witch Casket business card. The theme of the month was the witch's magical space. The wrapping paper in the box was white and the colour theme was white and pink. This is one thing I have enjoyed with the caskets: the comprehensive colour-themes. 

So on to the items. I will not discuss every item in the box. First, here are some general thoughts: I liked the art prints, the pin,  and the stone included. The incense I will be giving away to someone since I already have a lot of Lavender incense in my stash. The amethyst pendant was a nice piece that I might use for something different than a piece of jewelry, we'll see. 

The black candle spell was nice. It is a basic spell that can easily be adjusted to personal needs. A good spell to have in your arsenal. The bay leaves were also nice. I love their smell and I have been using them a lot. However, I would not recommend burning them, as the once I burned did not so much go up in flames or smoke, but in sparks that flew everywhere. So do be careful burning bay leaves.

The tea was lovely and I really enjoyed the fact that there was a description of the content of the tea. I do not know if this was the first time Witch Casket added the content but it is something I have been sorely missing in earlier teas. 

The scroll had a really pretty artwork and a nice description of the witch's altar. As with previous caskets I feel the information could be even more in depth, but I also understand that this might not be possible considering the format of this subscription box.

The altar cloth.

The altar cloth was a nice addition to the casket, even though mine had a very chemically smell when it arrived. I am also worried about how the print will last if I need to wash it. There were no washing instructions included, but I would suppose that a mild temperature or even a hand wash would be best considering the print. 

The altar bell: I laughed when I saw this because a while back I had been looking at a silver-coloured bell for my altar. In the end I decided not to buy it as it felt like it was not the right time. So receiving a bell in the Witch Casket felt like it was meant to be. The only thing I do not like about this bell it that it has the Witch Casket logo printed on one side in quite big letters. I do not like keeping branded items on my altar so this bothers me a little bit and makes me feel like not using the bell at all. I am hopeful that I might be able to somehow remove it. 

The charm key ring has proven very useful. I like the fact that the container is waterproof thanks to the rubber ring on it. I used it during December in a ritual I will describe later. The fact that it was so easy to carry this with me really helped with the spell I was working with. Also I really like the fact that this is a reusable item that also looks discreet.

Lastly a few more general notes: I am happy with my box. It arrived during the second week of December, which is the latest I have received any Witch Casket. I think the large amount of mail and parcels arriving for the Holiday season is to blame for this. As I write I am also still waiting for my December box. I am expecting it to arrive next week, but I know that my friends in Vasa have already received theirs, so it might just be that the mail service in Kokkola is a bit on the slow side.

Review: Witch Casket February box

I finally have time to review the February box from Witch Casket. For those who do not know Witch Casket is a "vegan friendly, magickal witchy subscription box," according to their homepage. They are a mother-daughter company and make themed monthly subscription boxes. The February box is the second one I ordered, and this post will be my review of the box. So to start off, here is the list of contents:

The list of contents included in the box.

The theme of the February box is self love. This shows throughout most of the content, packaged in black and purple. In all I really like how nicely everything is packaged and how the color theme runs throughout the whole box. This creates a feeling that everything is well thought through. I will not comment on every product, but here are my thoughts on some of them. I will start with my least favorite things and move up from there.

Both boxes I have received so far have contained what I would describe as lifestyle, fashion or statement products, that do not directly have a magical application. Last time there was a badge and a hat. This time we get a keyring with the text "good witch", a badge with "mirror mirror" on it and a relaxation/meditation eye mask. These are the products I have spent most time pondering on what their function is in the box.

Don't get me wrong, these are really nice products, and things I can make use of. I love badges, for example, but I fail to see what this "mirror mirror" badge has to do with the box itself. Maybe I just feel that it could have said something relating more to the theme of the box, like "love yourself". The keyring has come in handy since I have been needing a new one.

The meditation mask with the text "Let me be, I'm meditating" is nice and edgy and it fits nicely. My biggest problem with it is that it is made out of cheap polyester (plastic), with no information about the material or how to care for it. I would appreciate it a hundred times more if it were made from natural fibers which would have made it more environmentally friendly. The thought behind the eye mask is nice and I will be using it on long trips.

Here are the contents of the February box.

The self-love bath/shower potion has been really nice. It is scented with a lavender perfume. The pentacle necklace from Curiology has to be one of the most unique pentacles I have ever seen. It is made from this holographic acrylic which makes it look pink, purple, green and some other colors at the same time. Not maybe what I would wear normally, but I am sure I will have a chance to include it with some outfit. To me it feels more like a fashion statement than religious jewelry.

The Blue Lady loose leaf tea was an interesting blend of black tea and maybe citrus? I don't normally like teas with lemon in them, so this is not my favourite tea. However, that is not my problem with it. My problem is that I would like to see the list on ingredients, which is something I could not find anywhere in the box. Especially for people with allergies or people on certain medication it is vital to know the ingredients of the tea they drink. Some herbs can counteract certain medicines and some ingredients might cause allergic reactions. I also like to know what is in the tea I am drinking.

Now moving on to the items I loved:

The self-love ritual kit, the art by TeaCakeArt, the candle snuffer and the affirmation card deck. Sorry for the glare that blurred out the text on the cards.

The candle snuffer is a practical tool I have been missing for a long time. I have been wanting to thrift one for ages but just have not found one. So when I found this black candle snuffer in the box I was thrilled. What is more, it is small and compact which is good if I need to travel with it.

The affirmation card deck has come in handy many times. I like that the cards are printed on sturdy cardstock and that they come in their own little pouch.

The self-love ritual kit was also very nice. The smell of rose and lavender that I was met with as I opened the bag was very pleasant. I am not a huge fan of tea candles so I have used some pink tapered candles dressed in lavender essential oil for the ritual included in the kit. It is a handy little ritual for learning to meditate and become mindful of the positive aspects of ones life.

In all I am very happy with the February box. Here is a compilation of the best parts and some thing I am missing or feeling thoughtful about:

+ I absolutely love the color theme and how it goes hand in hand with the content of the box. Most content seems to have a connection with the theme and the "side" products tie in with the themed products. The theme works and is well built.

- I would like to see some more background information for some products (and some ingredient lists for the tea). For beginning witches, especially, getting more instructions and information on how to use products and the symbology behind items, colors and herbs would be really helpful.

+ On that note I will continue by saying that the small information cards that do come along with some of the items are really nice and useful. They are a good introduction and I wish they came with more of the items. I have started collecting mine in the book that came with the January box.

-/+ I feel there is too much plastic in the box. I would feel better about the contents if they were packaged in paper as I am trying to reduce the amount of plastic I use. However, the box itself, as well as the small plastic bags can be reused. The bag for the tea and ritual kit are resealable, and what is even better is that they can be opened without tearing the top section off. So a big plus for that.

+ Even though I am not a fan of polyester, I do like the small organza bags that come with the badge and the keyring. These can easily be used to hold charms, gems or other things. I wish that the gemstone and the items from Curiology would also come packaged in small fabric bags instead of in plastic.

So that is it for the February box. All of the items have seen some use and will continue to do so. And I will continue ordering the box for as long as I can. It is not a hugely expensive subscription box, but I do not make a lot, so I had a break in ordering this item during March and April. The next box I review will be the May box, which just arrived.

If you have any questions or thoughts you can leave them in a comment below. I am not sponsored by Witch Casket. The opinions expressed are entirely my own. I pay for the box with my own hard-earned money, and the only contact I have had with the company is when I e-mailed them to change my address.

Have a blessed magical day!
~Stella

Review: Witch Casket January Box

It has taken me a while to get there, but I am finally ready to review the first box I got from Witch Casket. I will not talk about every item in it, but rather focus on the general impression and a few specific products. Disclaimer: This is my personal review and thoughts on this subscription box. I pay for it with my own money and I am not sponsored in any way by Witch Casket.

***

Witch Casket is a small company run from Britain by mother-daughter duo Deb and Ella. The subscription box was launched in November 2016 and has subscribers in 20 countries. The box does not come with tracking so be aware of this if you consider a subscription. Deb and Ella are however very responsive to e-mail and are active on social media, posting pictures of their caskets shipping out.

At the end of 2017 I decided to order this subscription box. The boxes ship on the 15th of each month and I received mine on the 24th of January. I believe it took this long to arrive because of the Finnish post being very slow sometimes. Anyway, let's jump to the contents:

These goodies arrived in a nice white carton box.

The box was well packaged and the presentation was very nice. The contents were wrapped in a grey silk paper, which made it feel like it had been prepared with great care. The smell of Nag champa incense met me almost immediately as I opened the box. I will not list all the contents, but rather here is a list of the contents that was provided in the box.

The contents as listed on the note that came in the box.

The first two items I picked out of the box were the art print and the book mark, both of which are among my favorites from this box. The print by Tea Cake Art is simply stunning. And as I love bookmarks and Edgar Allan Poe, the bookmark with a quote by him was right up my alley. However, before I continue with other favorites, let me talk a little bit about some other products in the box.

The Witch-beanie is really nice, but I am not sure how much I will be wearing it. The material is listed as 100% acrylic (which I am sure that is not true for the embroidery which is sure to be polyester), and I cannot stand acrylic. I try to use natural materials as much as possible and acrylic is plastic. It is often used as a substitute for wool because it can be made to mimic the feel of wool. But as I mostly use beanies while out in the woods, on hikes and in camp life where my materials have to be able to withstand fire and weather, I would not be able to bring this with me. It does fit nicely however, so I will try to find use for it, or to find a nice new home for it.

Ginger loose leaf green tea.

I drink a lot of tea and always love sampling different teas. This was a nice sampling size: 8 grams of loose green tea with some ginger in it. What I did lack were brewing instructions. Green tea cannot been brewed in too high temperatures as it will turn bitter. But in too low temperatures you will not be able to taste the ginger. I brewed mine in a teapot at about 75 degrees Celsius. The ginger was very subtle, to the point where I could barely taste it, but that could also be due to the cold I am suffering (and ginger is good to drink where you've got that cold going on). In general a basic tea that could maybe have had a bit more ginger in it. Enough for four small teacups or one large teapot.

My favorites from the January Witch Casket.

I already talked about the art print and the bookmark. I also mentioned that the box smelled of nag champa incense. There are 12 incense cones in the package and a small burner to hold your incense. This is always a good basic incense to have and the smell for some reason reminds me of fresh, clean laundry.

The stone is a black line Jasper and is a new stone for me, so it will be exciting to start working with it. I love buttons, so the witchy themed button with "Wisdom begins in wonder" was really lovely. It came in a small organza bag which will surely find its use as a spell satchel.

Lastly there is the book, which is also the theme for the January box: Grimoires, spellbooks and witch's journals. The book is hardcover. It has a small strap for fastening a pen or pencil to it (this would by the way have been a great addition to the box), and an elastic band for keeping the book closed. There is a bookmark band and inside the back cover is a pocket for keeping small notes etc. The pages are cream paper and they are lines.

Notebooks are always good to have. I have not yet decided what to use mine for as I already have more notebooks than I could count. I do know, however, that it will come in handy and be put to good use.

So what are my final thoughts on this box?

• The box was very nicely packaged and the color theme and packaging throughout was well completed and thought out.
• Some of the products seemed more like lifestyle-products than as something to do with magic (eg. the beanie, sticker and skull spoon) but they do follow the general witchy theme.
• There could have been a bit more tea, but the amount included was a good sample size. Brewing instructions would be good to include.
• The emotional healing charm bag kit could have included more information about the separate ingredients included in it. Especially for beginners it would be good to know what qualities the ingredients represent. 

In general I felt like the products tied very loosely together with each other, and there was a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Some items clearly were linked to the theme of spell books/grimoires, but most felt like they were just products with a witchy theme. I am however positively impressed by the box and the quality of the contents. They provide inspiration to a magical life and to perform spells. Receiving the notebook at the beginning of the year inspires making notes about one's magical journey though the year of 2018. The bookmark begs to be used either to mark pages in that journal or in some book on magic one might pick up and read during this year.

In short, I am happy with the box and I am looking forward to reviewing the next one (which arrived earlier this week).

Many blessings!
~Stella