Mr. Cunningham's Wiccan philosophy differs from other Wiccan authors. Other authors stress Wiccan history, Wicca's established rituals, coven membership benefits, and the apprenticeship required before Wiccan initiation. Mr. Cunningham's philosophy emphasizes attitude rather than organization. Specifically, Mr. Cunningham discusses specific Wiccan beliefs and goals: belief in the Goddess and God; concern for the Earth; social consciousness; and the right not to be dominated by others. He states that sincere living and supporting these Wiccan beliefs is more important than perfect performance of dogmatic rituals: "Ineffective ritual kills spirituality."

This philosophy seems trivial, but it mirrors (British philosopher) Bertrand Russell's statements that ethics are more important than religious dogma. Mr. Cunningham's philosophy is very relevant to individuals who have fled the dogma of organized religions and who seek a more personal form of worship within Wicca.

Mr. Cunningham's approach offers much flexibility. A sincere practitioner can perform their own Wiccan initiation or have no initiation. Brutal physical ordeals are not required within an initiation rite. An initiation rite uses spiritual tools (chanting, visualization, meditation, etc.) to achieve ritual states of consciousness.

The book's first section discusses Wiccan Theory. This section discusses the Deities; Magick and Magickal Tools; Rituals, the Circle, and the Altar; the Days of Power (Sabbats and Esbats); and Reincarnation (a topic not discussed in other Wiccan books). The Deity discussion includes both the Goddess and God, and also the minor deities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, etc.). The Magick discussion differentiates between the types of magick performed by magickians and shamans, and Wiccan magick: "Wiccans don't perform destructive, manipulative, or exploitive magic."

The discussion of Rituals, the Circle, and the Altar describes ritual preparation in detail. Mr. Cunningham's book contains a Wiccan color chart (pg. 50) that I found both unique and interesting. The Wiccan color chart differs *greatly* from the West Coast "popular culture" color scheme so widely propagated by the entertainment industry. For example, in the Wiccan color chart Black signifies protection, the Universe, and lack of falsehood. In the popular culture color scheme Black symbolizes evil. Many individuals misinterpret Wicca's symbolic use of the color Black with *unfortunate* consequences.

The book's second section covers Wiccan Practice, and discusses exercises and magickal techniques, self-dedication, and ritual design. Exercises include breathing, meditation, and visualization. The Self-Dedication Section presents a self-dedication ritual, and (pg. 89) also encourages solitary Wiccans to participate in community activities that are compatible with Wiccan goals. The Ritual Design Section shows how the solitary Wiccan can modify the book's rituals to better meet their own philosophies and goals.

The book's third section is a Book Of Shadows. It includes collections of rituals, invocations, and recipes; and a guide to using herbs, plants, crystals, symbols and runes in Wiccan ritual. The discussion of Sabbat and Esbat rituals is especially detailed.

The book contains Appendices listing suppliers and publications. A Glossary is included. An extensive Suggested Reading List organized by Pagan/Wiccan topic also is included.

Mr. Cunningham is an excellent author, provides excellent detail concerning Wicca and its rituals, and provides a practical approach to Wiccan worship. His approach allows the solitary Wiccan to support community activities compatible with Wiccan goals while not being dominated by religious dogma.

This nice and valuable book is useful both for the true Wiccan beginner and also for the more advanced Wiccan.


An Excellent Starting Point   December 16, 2000
 147 out of 154 found this review helpful

I have to admit that, when I started my exploration of the Wiccan Way, this book wasn't the first on my list. I went through several other beginner's guides before finally ending up with Cunningham's work, and I definitely wish I'd come across it sooner.

Scott Cunningham makes an excellent portrayal of the core philosophy of Wicca, although accentuated with his own shamanistic bent. Cunningham's clear, crisp writing style makes reading his book seem like there's a teacher in the room with you. Truly, if you have any questions about the religion and practice of Wicca, it won't take you long to find your answers in "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner."

Possibly the greatest aspect of Cunningham's book, however, is that over half of it teaches through demonstration. After detailing Wiccan theories and common practices, Cunningham delves right into his own Book of Shadows, giving you a real-life example of the spirituality. This, if nothing else, makes the book a unique and essential part of any neopagan bookshelf.

For those of you with no real knowledge of Wicca, I would suggest another book, such as Amber K's "True Magick" or Silver Ravenwolf's "To Ride a Silver Broomstick." However, if you've just started on the Wiccan Way, I highly recommend this book to round out your beginner's training and start you towards greater wisdom.


Solitary Practioner, a MUST on pagan/Wiccan bookshelf!   May 1, 1997
 80 out of 84 found this review helpful

Cunningham's Guide to the solitary practicioner is an absolute must. With this book and "The Spiral Dance" by Starhawk any beginning Wicca or pagan can learn the essential basics of practicing non-christian traditional earth based religion.This book clearly outlines the principles of practice, but leaves specific interpretation up to the reader. This is a must, as in pagan religions there is truly no "right way". The standing stones book of shadows is an excellent guide to creating your own solitary tradition. What is truly impressive about this book is that all of the information can easily be trnsformed into group or coven practice. An excellent supplement text is "Incense,Oils, and Brews", also by Cunningham. It will help spur your creativity with wonderful recipes for all kinds of concoctions from alter oil to magical soaps and powders! Whether you are an initiate/novice, or third level priestess, this book can offer you insite into the solitary practictioner's world. I can not praise this book highly enough. I have been practicing for many years, and no longer am I solitary. Yet, my dog eared copy of Solitary Practioner is always a welcome sight, comfort, and wealth of basic information. dakotahblu :) Merry Part and Merry Meet Again!


The best guide for any Wiccan Practitioner   October 24, 2000
 47 out of 50 found this review helpful

If you are a Wiccan, or curious about the religion, or just like to read a good book with wonderful information in it, then Wicca by Scott Cunningham is a must buy. This is definately the best beginning book for any one who is serious about the Craft. He clearly gives detailed facts about how to become more spiritual with the God/Goddess, how to celebrate the Sabbats (holy days of Wicca), and how to cast circles and call the quarters. In his Book of Shadows, which is the third part of this book, he clearly explains what tools to use in rituals and how to use them. And of course, there's a list of prayers, blessings, invocations, and chants that well serve you well as it did me. I found myself after reading this book, and practicing his suggested magick, to take more pride in my religion and become more closer with the Lord and Lady. I was also able to finally dismiss my worries I had about converting to Wicca after many years going to a Catholic school. This books also contains a variety of recipes for making incense, oils, foods, etc. Buy and read this book to understand why Scott Cunningham is one of the best Wiccan teachers this generation has ever had.


Great For The Newly Interested   December 12, 1999
 43 out of 45 found this review helpful

What a great book! It's well organized - just look at the Table of Contents or the index, and you can find anything you want! It is one of the first books on the Craft that I read, and one of the few geared towards solitares! A wonderful reference for those who live in areas where others on the same path are scarce, and where an established coven is not readily available to teach them. It is written in a way that is comprehendable to both the experienced and the inexperienced Wiccan. From the basic altar set-ups and guideline Book of Shadows (which he even suggests adding to on your own) it is one of the few books that really lets the reader know that it is okay not to agree with everything it says. Cunningham himself attempts to give the reader the very important message that the reason Wicca appeals to so many is because of its ability to be tailored to the individual. A must-have in any Wiccan library! Bravo!