Akasha Wolfhaven
This is the first blog I have ever written about a book, and I do plan on blogging about more interesting books as I go along. Just to inform you these are based on my opinions, points of view, impressions, and observations based on what I read, which is the first five chapters and the part of the sixth of this book entitled "To Ride A Silver Broomstick," written by Silver Ravenwolf. NOW!, anyone who is reading this (or has read this) is probably wondering why I titled my blog the way I did. Anyone who has read this blog or is reading this blog is probably automatically assuming this is going to be on the lines of something negative. All I can say is take it as you will, but I am only being TRUTHFUL about my perceptions based on what I have read so far on this book (and from personal experiences before I even picked up this book I once owned. 
Once you read this blog, most of you will know exactly while I titled this blog the way I did. My opinions, thoughts, observations, points of view, and whatnot, may change as I read along this book or they may stay the same, but I am being HONEST about my perceptions, and only want to help those that are interested in Wicca or what Silver likes to call "the Craft."
This book definitely is a self-finding, self-discovery book spiritually and maybe even mentally. It is ideal for those who like journaling, as she does require in the beginning of the book that you have a notebook or a three-ring binder handy for assignments she wants you to do, who are interested in this path and are considering following it, or who ever is interested in educating themselves about it but doesn't want to choose it as their path. Silver does point out, and I will tell you the same that Wicca and Witchcraft, the Craft, and being a Witch all mean the same thing. Silver, however likes it to be called "the Craft" or "Witches", but I call it all ways because they all mean the same. As I have said, I have had personal experiences in this path, and I believe it is real. As I have read though this book and did the assignments, I did go through some self-changing experiences within myself that I thought I would never go through. I did experience many thoughts and points of view by observing and questioning my faith patterns and Silver's faith patterns leaving me with many questions if this was actually her "true" path because I found some disagreements with Silver on some issues. It was because of her, I experienced questions in this faith, and I will tell you why. ( Don't worry. I am a Solitary Eclectic Witch, which means I follow no path or sect or practice, I am open minded to all types and if I am not into it, I respect those that are.)
There are many good points with Silver Ravenwolf. She is very informative in a "to the point" and brief way based on her resources she gathered about the path of Wicca and Witchcraft as far as religion and the science itself. She put a suggested reading list on the end of each chapter, I want to say. She also made glossaries of some of the terms used, the traditions, paths, or sects, and other types of things that are very informative and worth taking notes on. Silver Ravenwolf does have a very convincing way of making you want to go out and study the subject of what we practice, the religion, or the science further to master it, if you choose to. Her resources are truthful, and she points out the wonderful, beneficial results you can get from choosing this path. However, I feel Silver Ravenwolf was only telling the "half-truth." For example, she mentioned a term "satantic witches" in her glossary on the type of sect, path, or tradition. Silver writes, and I quote, "Witches do not believe in the Christian Devil. There are no such thing as Satanic Witches." BINGO!!! I DISAGREE THERE!!! Silver was either deny the truth, hide the truth, or live in a fantasy world. In magick, whether it be magicians, practitioners, or WITCHES, there are "all kinds." Some use it for either good or bad, some use it as both, and some treat it as neither. Some use it as a different religion. In Christianity, there is a religion called "Satanism" , and Satanists do use Witchcraft as a means of ritual. So, there are such things as Satanic Witches, just different relgious belief and ritual structure. Silver had to bring Christianity into it. She mentioned, "Witches do not believe in the Christian Devil" twice. Then says, "There are no such thing as Satanic Witches." Come on Silver, if you wanted to focus on the good, you should stick to the good, but you should be more honest by writing a chapter about the downfalls of this path and why we have the bad name we do. Silver also mentioned "the left hand path" briefly, but she mentioned it only once only mentioning what it is and what they do. Not more was discussed about it, she dropped the subject and closed it up in her locked treasure chest of fear. I think a chapter of warning should of been written between these chapters if she was going to bring that stuff on there. The truth is in magick there are "ALL KINDS" of Witches, Practitioners, and Magicians. It is just the path they chose. She should of been more informative about it, and if she felt it was so bad, she should of wrote a chapter of warning on between there. I understand Silver was trying to defend the Wicca and Witchcraft path and traditions and its bad name, but any Wiccan knows that there is both good and evil because nature and the Universe is both. It can also be neither, and whatever...both or neither, good or bad...there is always a reason. Every action results in either a benefit, consequence, or neither and there is always a reason for it. Silver should of been completely truthful, and I also feel she should of added "the burning times" because that was why we were prosecuted. She should of meant to say "NOT ALL WITCHES ARE BAD!!!" In this case, I didn't see a thing about that on there. If you really want to help someone enter the path, if they really are interested and want to, always tell them the TRUTH both good and bad.
I also feel Silver glamorized this Wiccan path a little bit. Maybe her intentions were good when she wanted to focus more on the good and beneficial aspects we get from being a Witch, but I feel she wrote this book in a hurry so far, and left the warning signs out if she wanted it to be a good religion in which it's a beautiful religion. I felt she "fantasized" the religion a little bit. I don't think she was being totally realistic about certain, small aspects. Silver made it sound like it was financially easy to just go out there and buy the decorations. In the old days, in this old religion, they never did anything of the sort. They had their own ways. It can be inexpensive, yes. But, they didn't go by colors or auras...all they had were their minds. You are the creator, sometimes....it isn't all that easy. We do believe in magick, but she made it look like Wiccan and Witchcraft is a "fairy-tale" religion. Wicca and the Craft are no "fairy-tale" religion. There is lots of work to be done, and it is an everyday learning experience, and not everyone can afford the decorations she can do. The reason why I sound this way is if you take a look at the title of the book, "To Ride A Silver Broomstick." It kind of sounds authorative. It seems like she wants you to follow this path "her" way. I mean really look at the title and compare names, it explains it all. She does sound authorative in her assignments, she does sound authorative in suggestions a little bit, and she focused more on the wonderful, beneficial aspects of it and failed to talk about the warnings and downfalls and to why we suffered the discrimination, "the burning times", and why Wiccans have such bad names.
I got at least two assignments to do in this book, but there is one assignment I disagree with and refuse to do. The first assignment needs some time and privacy because this is to have an encounter with my deities or pantheons through use of creative visualization and record the whole experience in my three-ring binder (notebook but I got me a binder.) The other assignment is a little more time consuming. On this one, you have to wait before the full or new moon and write down what you would like to happen, or something on the lines of that. To be honest, I haven't quite decided. So, I have to give that one thought because from learning experience be careful what you wish for. There is this one assignment, however, I will not do and totally disagree with. I will explain in the next paragraph. As I have said, Silver required you to have a notebook or three-ring binder with loose leaf paper handy because she will give you assignments to do as you read along. I will admit these assignments are life-changing in both positive and negative aspects. I have went through mental changes personally as I did these assignments. I have thought about things I never thought I could think of. Most of her assignments, so far, will take you through a self-discovery process either spiritually or mentally. Silver is very "cut to the chase" with her assignments, but she does get you thinking in all directions whether or not you choose this path. I will commend Silver for one thing. Silver Ravenwolf has not, so far, twisted your arm to choose this path. She just sounds authorative that if you want to follow this path to follow it "her" way. She never once gave me that impression of that type of brainwashing, so that is a good thing.
The assignment I disagree with Silver and refuse to do would be so time-consuming that you could waste the rest of your life with this assignment, and who has time to analyze and answer after and answer? That is what this assignment appeared to be for me, and I skipped it. If you want to do it, by all means knock yourself out; it may not be as time-consuming for you. Silver Ravenwolf briefly described this group or coven or organization named "The Council Of American Witches," that formed in the late 70s (I want to say 1976) that not even lasted near two years, This Council came up with some form of document called "The Principles of Belief." Silver briefly described that this council was notorious for engaging in practices of "sex magick" for either initiation or ritual. That could be possibly one of the reasons of the collapse, who knows. Anyways, Silver wanted us to read "The Principles of Belief" , in which I handwritten and copied by hand, and write down the ones we "disagreed" with and why. For starters, that could take a lifetime even if she rephrased it. It is ok to not understand or follow that belief, but disagreeing is a bit extreme. I found a pure belief inside me that "The Principles Of Belief" were prophetically written for us modern day Witches. I feel they foresaw the consequences based from their actions and experiences, and I feel that it was a well thought out. discussed, and carefully agreed upon rule they wrote down. If they still existed, I bet many more would be written. I believe The Council Of American Witches only got up to thirteen Principles of Belief. So, I thought the words "disagree" was a bit extreme, if she would of rephrased it to having a hard time understanding and why don't you follow it? It would probably save more time, but even if she did that...it would be time-consuming probably a lifetime. So I just found the assignment useless and time-wasting. Those beliefs were written for a reason, and that doesn't mean you don't have to understand it or follow it. I just feel they were prohetic rules to assist us in the modern day world, and they should not be "disagreed" upon, but more difficult to understand.
"To Ride A Real Broomstick" seemed to be more appropriate, honest, realistic title of this blog. That is at least my points of view from what I have read of it, which again...it was the first five chapters and part of the sixth one. It's just "food for thought" if you are considering wanting this book. It doesn't mean I quit reading this book by any means. I am going to continue on with it as the time passes and update on it. I just wanted to share my views on what I have read of it so far. It is entirely up to you whether or not you want this book. It is up to you whether or not you want to choose the Craft as your path. Everyone is different. My mother and a close friend once told me, "All religions are really the same, just different belieft structure and ritual."
