Featured Book Review
'Wheel of the Year' by Teresa Moorey & Jane Brideson © 2003 Capall Bann ISBN 186163 1863 Paperback 274 pages + Further Reading and Index $24.75(U.S.)
I was looking forward to this book for a variety of reasons, but I have mixed feelings at this point. On the plus side is the on-going emphasis on the fact that the suggestions given are just that - suggestions. On the down side is the sheer quantity of typographical errors which should have been corrected before printing. I also noticed what I assume to be a missing illustration (on page 28 are instructions for the construction of a medicine pouch which apparently refers to an illustration which does not appear in the book).
Unlike many books I have seen, the authors include the idea of "inverting" the Wheel south of the equator, and give the appropriate dates for the festivals. This is an idea which has not gained universal (or even planetary) acceptance, but it is nice to see it included here, since that may help it to become more accepted in the community-at-large.
Each festival has about 20 pages dedicated to it, and this allows for a depth of treatment I wasn't expecting in a book devoted to the entire cycle of the year. There is a wealth of background information given, as well as Goddesses associated with each festival, plants, notes on spells, crafts, recipes, astrological data, chakra information, and incense and oil ideas, among others.
Disregarding the typos, which is only a minor annoyance in spite of the number of them, this book was real joy to read. The style is reader-friendly; the information valuable across the spectrum from rank novice to experienced Elder; and, while many of the activities suggested are unavailable to folks living anywhere but Britain (there are few hill carvings in the U.S., for example), the recipes and visualizations know no such limitations.
This is a book about experiencing the Wheel of the Year, not about "learning" about the Wheel of the Year. If you take the time to follow the suggestions you will be rewarded by a deeper attunement to the natural rhythms of the world, and of your own rhythms.
I have read several books on the Wheel of the Year, and this is the one which was the most enjoyable for me to read. There was little emphasis on ritual (being mostly confined to chakra work and visualizations) which is often, in my opinion, overstated in such works. Although folklore is brought into the observances, it is nicely balanced by other aspects. In fact, that is perhaps the best way to describe this book - balanced. For sheer balanced enjoyment, it would be hard to beat this book. I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the seasonal observances. It is well worth the effort to obtain it from the publisher (at www.capallbann.co.uk).
Reviewer: Mike Gleason
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