Looking for a way to deepen your spiritual journey? Or are you just taking your first steps down the Pagan path? Here are some resources to help, no matter where you are!
Exploring the Trails – Starting Out
Taking the first steps down any new spiritual path can be exciting, and sometimes a little scary! Here are some books to help guide your way:
Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce and River Higginbotham
The Inner Temple of Witchcraft by Christopher Penczak
Woman Most Wild by Danielle Dulsky
The Holy Wild: A Heathen Bible for the Untamed Woman by Danielle Dulsky (while I’m not a particular fan of the retelling of some Christian stories, it did bring up some deeper things for me and I liked some of the other concepts in it)
Soul Coaching by Denise Lynn
Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland
To Walk a Pagan Path by Alaric Albertsson
Magical Housekeeping by Tess Whitehurst
Down the Winding Path – Intermediate Reading
The Path of Paganism by John Beckett (advanced beginner/early intermediate)
Trance-portation by Diana L. Paxson
Seasons of Moon and Flame by Danielle Dulsky
Paganism in Depth: A Polytheist Approach by John Beckett (advanced intermediate)
Goddesses and Gods
Aphrodite by Monica S. Cyrino (Gods and Heroes of the Ancient World Series)
Cerridwen: Celtic Goddess of Inspiration by Kristoffer Hughes
Awakening Shakti by Sally Kempton
Special Topics
A Practical Guide to Pagan Priesthood: Community Leadership and Vocation by Rev. Lora O’Brien
Bewitching the Elements by Gabriela Herstik
Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans by Ivo Dominguez, Jr.
The Essential Guide to Possession, Depossession, and Divine Relationships by Diana L. Paxson
Traditional Wicca by Thorn Mooney
Water Witchcraft by Annwyn Avalon
Fiction
Sometimes you can learn just as much (if not more) from fiction!
The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
The Tiffany Aching Series (part of the Discworld) by Terry Pratchett, including:
- The Wee Free Men
- A Hat Full of Sky
- Wintersmith
- I Shall Wear Midnight
- The Shepherd’s Crown
Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce (and the Immortals Quartet)
Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce
Circe by Madeline Miller
Moonheart by Charles de Lint
Widdershins by Charles de Lint
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
The Books of Bayern Series by Shannon Hale, including:
- The Goose Girl (sets up the context for the series but doesn’t really dive into the system of magic until the next book)
- Enna Burning
- River Secrets
- Forest Born
Lore
Mythos by Stephen Fry
Heroes by Stephen Fry
Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch (though the introduction has a Christian bent, the actual lore in the bulk of the book is good)
Songs on Bronze by Nigel Spivey
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Fairy Tales of the Fiercer Sex (audiobook) – read by Alison Larkin
Metamorphoses by Ovid (very long, but good if you can get through it)
Empathic Abilities
The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People by Judith Orloff
Esoteric Empathy by Raven Digitalis
Blogs
Under the Ancient Oaks by John Beckett
- So You Had a Religious Experience – Now What?
- What It Means to Work with the Gods
- Am I Hearing a God or Am I Going Crazy?
- How Do I Know If A God Is Calling Me?
- UPG: Why Unverified Personal Gnosis is Good and Necessary
- The Four Centers of Paganism
- The Big Tent of Paganism
- Sitting in a Bland Funeral Thinking About What We Should Do For Our Dead
- Stealing Fire from the Gods
- Paganism as an Orientation
- Get Over Your Fear of Religion
- Toward Deeper Rites: The Obligations of Our Seasonal Celebrations
- Confronting Stereotypes and Prejudice Against Paganism
- Believe Your Experiences – Wisdom From the Shredded Veil
- Priesthood Over A Lifetime
- When You Return To The Mundane World
- Eight Things to Make Your Paganism Stronger This Year
- Cooking a Spiritual Feast in a Potluck Community
- How I Know My Paganism is Real: Eight Key Events
- Building the Pagan Institutions We Need Now
- Priesthood as Service to the Gods
- Learning to Trust Your Experiences
- The Pagan Practice of Prayer
- Is This the Same God?
- How the Gods Give Me Meaning
- My Paganism Has No Disclaimers
- 15 Roles of Pagan Priesthood
- The First of Your Tradition – Becoming a Pagan Priest On Your Own
- Learning to Pray from a Pagan Perspective
- The Best Way to Learn Magic is to Do Magic
- Meditation to Open and Heal the Heart
- Twelve Ways to Deepen Your Magical Practice in the New Year
- Nine Crystals for Love and Romance
- Affirmations for Healthy Relationships
- Nine Feng Shui Tips for Love and Romance
- Seven Powerful Ways to Heal Your Chakras
- Nine Crystals That Help You Sleep
- Ten Crystals That Cleanse Your Aura
- Thanksgiving Kitchen Witchery
Witch on Fire by Heron Michelle
- Salvation of a Southern Witch
- Witchery as an Orientation and Sacred Mission
- Aphrodite’s Thealogy of Perfection
- Four Rules of Witchcraft for Personal Sovereignty
- Aphrodite’s Rose-Colored Glasses
- That Time Aphrodite Blew Up Her Altar
Patheos Pagan – A collection of Pagan blogs (including some of the above)
Podcasts
The Priestess Podcast by Julie Parker
Embodied Podcast with Elizabeth DiAlto (not always about spiritual topics, but still a lot of good stuff)
Myths and Legends by Jason Weiser and Carissa Weiser
Recipes
(Because one of my friends was sad when he clicked on this page entitled “Spiritual Soul Food” and there weren’t any actual recipes.)
Priestess of Aphrodite 