Wiccan Publications & More Terms

Interested in reading up on Wicca, but don’t have a clue about some of the books, authors or publishers that you should be on the lookout for? In this article, you will learn of additional terms associated with the religion, as well as what publisher to seek out that puts out the most Wiccan literature.

 

There have been numerous books written about Wiccan and its practices. Some of the more well-known authors connected to the topic have had their hand in shaping the religion. Gerald Gardner was a writer and occultist, who played an important role in the public recognition of Wicca.

 

Gardner is responsible for the creation of several different texts. In 1936, he published “Keris and Other Malay Weapons.” In 1939, he was responsible for the fiction piece, A Goddess Arrives. Ten years later, he penned another fiction book called High Magic’s Aid. In 1954, his Witchcraft Today book was published, followed by the 1959 The Meaning of Witchcraft.

 

Another influential author regarding Wicca was Aleister Crowley, who wrote too many books to mention. Over his lifetime, he wrote commentary pertaining to magick, the Tarot, yoga, astrology, as well as Kabbalah. Some of Crowley’s titles you may be interested in reviewing include: The Book of the Law; Magick (Book 4); The Book of Lies; The Vision and the Voice; 777 and other Qabalistic writings; The Confessions of Aleister Crowley; and Magick Without Tears.

Llewellyn Publications: If you ever want to learn more about Wicca and want to know what publisher is responsible for putting out the most literature, this is one of the major publishers for Wiccan text in America.

 

magick: Yes, this term is spelled correctly. This is the common spelling of the word “magic” that comes from Neo-Pagan and Wiccan belief. This term originated from the lips of well-known occultist, Aleister Crowley, who wanted to make a distinction in language between what he perceived as “real magic,” which is much different from what he referred to as “false stage magic.”

 

Neo-Pagan (or Pagan): This is a rather broad term that takes a bit of getting used to. It is often used to refer to make reference to a wide-range of “non-Abrahamic and earth-based religious traditions.” You should also know that all Wiccans are Neo-Pagans, but not all Neo-Pagans are considered Wiccans.

 

Ordo Templi Orientis: With ties to Freemasonry, this is an group of the occult, which was founded by Aleister Crowley, who possessed a variety of interesting hobbies and interests, including mysticism, writing, chess, and mountain climbing. He is known for numerous writings on the occult and has influenced many who have followed in the path of Wicca.

 

skyclad: This practice deals with the performance of a ritual that is conducted without any clothes on. It can be used as both a noun and an adjective to describe a person who follows this practice. It was Gerald Gardner who established this practice and it is still alive and well today, but does not appear as a definite tradition in all Wiccan teachings.