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Devoted To You: Honoring Deity in Wiccan Practice | 
 enlarge | Author: Judy Harrow
Publisher: Citadel
Buy New: $15.00
New (22) Used (20) from $4.49
Media: Paperback
Edition: First Printing
Pages: 324
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0806523921
Dewey Decimal Number: 158
EAN: 9780806523927
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| Customer Reviews:
 Excellent look at Deity May 28, 2006
Angel (Australia)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book is actually a collection of essays compiled by Ms Harrow that explore the myths of and ways of worshipping particular deities in order to inspire Pagans in ways in which they can worship their own Gods.
The book begins with a very strong and interesting chapter on Anubis written by Geoffrey W. Miller. I really enjoyed his retelling of the myth of Anubis and Bata. I'd never heard the story before and until then, had no mind to explore the Egyptian mythology at all. His reteling made it accessible though and I was able to see the meaning of the story as well. I wasn't as impressed by his ritual but I did think he captured Anubis's personality ad offered some useful ways of working with him and other Gods of the underworld
The chapter on Brighid that followed was far and away my favourite. Alexei Kondratiev certainly knows how to use Celtic mythology to construct ways of worship, don't he? I particularly enjoyed his prayers and a now using one of them every night before bed. His description of her personaity and the idea that those she is patron to are her fster children was very, very accurate as well. He captured her supremely well andave memany idas on working with her.
To be honest, I wasn't overly impressd with the rather dry chapter on Aphrodite by Maureen Reddington-Wilde. It may be just that I have no interest in Greek mythology whatsoever but I also had no interest in Egyptian until I read the chapter on Anubis. I think she gave too much information on history ad not enough on the actual Goddess herself. A disappointing chapter.
The final chapter was also a favourite. It explores ways in which we can care for Gaia (Mother Earth) and includes many exercises in connecting with her and assessing the amount of damage as individuals we do unknowingly. I found it quite inspiring, reassuring, helpful and filled me with a sense of determination to better care for the Land.
Oveall, this book is more than worth the read. We need more Pagan books like it, books that focus on the spiriutality of beingPagan and not just the 101s of the "this is what we believe" variety. I enjoyed this book immensely.
 In depth study on 4 deities March 26, 2006
W. Martin
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Get four books for the price of one. That's what you have here. This book is for the more advanced Wiccan. Divided into four chapters, one written by each of the authors, you get an in-depth overview of one of four deities. Anibus, Brigit, Aphrodite and Gaia are all focused on in the Turning of the Year.
Ms. Harrow wrote the introduction (and conclusion). In which she explains that she hopes the readers will use this book as a template to focus on their own deity of choice.
Chapters each have their own unique feel. The things they have in common are a wealth of knowledge on the God or Goddess they are devoted to exploring. Correspondences, rituals, meditations and stories grace the pages of each chapter. I learned a lot about each deity that I hadn't known before.
This book is not for the faint of heart or those looking for some light reading. There were many times when I had to reread a passage to get the full meaning out of it. References to other writings are footnoted. Each chapter ends with a list of resources for additional study. There are songs, poetry and maps, as well as photography included in the book's pages.
If you are ready to bring your connection to God and Goddess to the next level, this book is for you. Expect to do some work, this book is for the serious Wiccan student.
W. Lyon Martin Author/Illustrator of An Ordinary Girl, A Magical Child
Very interesting book. August 2, 2005
J. Durham (Malden MA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I really liked this book. I found it to be a very "smart" book. Its definitely not wicca 101. The personal experiences with the dieties made me want to explore my own paganism. The only problem that I have with this book is Judy Harrows' chapter. In my opinion she was a little rude when it came to her own practices. It is obvious that she does not believe that the gods are literal beings but she seems to convey it in such a way that she is practicing "real" paganism as opposed to the fake reconstructionists. Overall I would say buy this book.
Wicca Spirituality Explored March 30, 2003
Boudica (Ohio USA)
35 out of 36 found this review helpful
This book explores the spirituality associated with Wicca. It is an examination of the exploration of personal experience with Deity.The book is broken down into four sections. Each section takes one of the four Sabats not associated with the seasonal change. It explores a personal relationship between the Sabat, the person and the Deity of their choice. Covered here are Samhain/Anubis by Geoffrey W. Miller, Imbolc/Brigit by Aexei Kondratiev, Beltaine/Aphrodite by Maureen Reddington-Wilde and Lammas/Gia by Judy Harrow. The aspects of the Deity chosen are discussed and the myths and legends surrounding the particular deity are told. The associations as seen by the person with their personal Deity and the connection between the Deity and the Sabat chosen are all covered in depth and on a personal level. These are intimate looks at how these people celebrate Deity and how they connect with and are guided by their chosen Gods and Goddesses. There are stories of the Deities, discussions on personal connections and personal experiences. The book also includes rituals of connection to these Deities. The spirituality of these relationships are explored in depth, making this book unique in its content. This book carries the reader into very personal spiritual experiences almost allowing the reader to feel the connection between the writer and Deity. This is a book of sharing as no other book I've seen lately. The emphasis is on what Wicca should be all about; the spirituality and the connection between individual and Deity. The writers carry this over from personal experience into life, community and into the earth itself. We don't see many books of this nature on the market. I wish we had more like this. It is well written, covers many different aspects of the topic and even has an index for reference. This is an essential book to add to your library no matter what your level of practice or length of time on your path. And if you are just starting out, it is an excellent guide for you to begin your chosen path.
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