The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Goddess: 20th Anniversary Edition

What a motivating, Inspiring and strong woman Starhawk is. Thank you so much for the time, research and dedication you have put into your book, the Spiral Dance. Both my parents and grandparents and a great grandmother were Pagan as well as myself. I gained so much insight reading this book. I'm a better person having read it. You have motivated me to want to share the Pagan faith rather than just being Pagan. I highly recommend reading and/or listening to this book. It is wonderful in every way with perfectly genius positive and encouraging words of self help to live by. Suggested reading is a selfless gesture. I can't say enough positive words about this book. I am stoked and full of gratitude to Starhawk. This is like 20 books in one. A must get, read, and utilize book. Thank you. MoonShine

My favorite book on this subject, of all, to date. More than a suitable read for a thoughtful, intelligent, responsible and fair introduction for one who wishes to broaden his/her understanding of the ancient philosophies that underwent so much persecution, suppression, fear and suffering by so many. It's also particularly relevant for the new practitioner including some get-your-toes-wet guidance and exercises for practice and crafting. I won't lie, it has a bit of feminist bent on occasion, however, considering the initial release was what, 38, nearly 40 years ago, it's more than understandable given what was going on back then. Gender equality plus the right for one to freely worship in their belief or what feels most natural and sincerely connecting have all advanced light years in the past 40 years in most parts of the world; of course, there's still ample room before we reach the point of needing to not have the discussion concerning human rights any longer. I didn't mean to digress - the point I am trying to make is that this is by far my favorite book on the subject and it's become my preferred reference and go-to-guide time and time again and it's more than a worthy and pertinent source, still.

Why I no longer recommend “the Spiral Dance” to new Witches. For decades I have recommended “the Spiral Dance” by Starhawk as a second book (after “Drawing Down the Moon”) to new Witches. When it was first published, Starhawk was one of us, but had a few interesting ideas and had organized them in a well written book. It was, for a while, the best how to be a Witch book for many years. But as she continued to write books, I found them interesting, but less and less were they about Witchcraft. But it wasn’t until she started putting out revised versions of “the Spiral Dance” that I began to find myself in conflict with Starhawk fans. In the notes, she had begun recanting many of the parts of the book I liked. (like a rotating leadership for Covens, and co-ed Covens) Women started asking the men in our groups why “the Spiral Dance” had anything of value to them what so ever. The Problem is that in the 40 years since “the Spiral Dance” was first published, the occult scene has changed a lot. It used to be that we all read most of the same books, and then, only if were were lucky enough to find a copy of that particular book. But now, although we still read some of the same books, there are so many good books available, that it is impossible to read all of them. People are starting to preferentially read books only by certain authors. Some people prefer Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente and the Farrars, other people prefer Scott Cunningham, Silver Ravenwolf and Ray Buckland, still others gravitate to books by Starhawk and the Reclaiming collective. Although the divorce hasn’t happened yet, people are starting to put names to groups of traditions that may someday be separate Religions: British Tradition Witchcraft, Traditional Witchcraft, Wicca, and Feminist Spirituality. Recently, I downloaded the electronic version of “the Spiral Dance”. The latest version does not just have notes that I object to. There are whole sections of new content, and the some of the old content appears missing! (though she probably thinks the parts she removed are not that important) The changes are so large that they change the whole tone of the book. It is no longer a good beginning book on Witchcraft. But is still and excellent book on Feminist Spirituality. For this reason, I no longer recommend “the Spiral Dance” as a beginning book on Witchcraft. If you can Try to get hold of an old edition of the book, the red one with the pentagram mandala on the cover. It’s excellent. But the current version is not so good.

Starhawk’s (aka Miriam Simos) seminal work, “The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess,” was first published in 1979. In addition to the original text, this 1999 edition includes notes from both 1989 and 1999. The twenty years of notes highlights the evolution of the author’s thoughts. A lot of exercises are included for both individuals and groups. Portions of the original text harken to the Margaret Murray-inspired ‘this-religion-has existed-forever’ line of thought, along with ongoing references to the ‘Burning Times’, so in some regards, this book is a bit dated. However, the text is important because it highlighted the growing religion while Wicca (group worship—not solitary) was still in its infancy This book, I believe, served as a model for the many books that followed, particularly with the author’s inclusion of tables featuring herbs, colors, and etc., for the elements. There are numerous ways to practice this religion and there are many traditions; the author presents just one version. However, the ten and twenty year updates really reveal not just what changed for the author, but also what remained the same.

Other books set me on the path of Wicca, this is the one that keeps me there. Every time I pick it up I learn something new, I use Starhawk's beautiful poetic invocations regularly in my rituals. Working through this book got me through a very hard time, the first time I went out into the world without my parents or best friends to support me. I cannot overstate how wonderful I find it. The exercises are incredible, both simple and powerful, like the Tree of Life ground. And some are challenging and thoughtful like the Pentacle of Pearl and the Pentacle of Iron. The only tiny criticism I have is with the 10th and 20th anniversary editions. I wish the notes and additions were added straight into the text rather than in appendices. It's confusing to read the book, see the ** and have to flip to the back to see what Starhawk said 20 years later. For me this book would be necessary coven reading. It has given me a solid grounding in magical basics and I use the visualizations and exercises nearly every day. I believe you are really missing out if you haven't read this book. Even if you read it and don't find Starhawk's feminist politics to your taste, you will gain something the experience.

I've been a pagan for ten years, but "The Spiral Dance" had somehow escaped my radar. Despite being recommended to me by my mentor, I neglected it until I had the happy accident of picking up Starhawk's later book, "Dreaming the Dark," which rapidly became possibly my favorite pagan book ever. Starhawk's gift is for flawlessly gathering seemingly disparate but ultimately inseparable topics and crafts. She uses moving poetry to make incisive statements about religious experience, ecology, psychology, magic, economics, gender relations, and politics all at once. These ultimately inseparable questions of how the world works and how we can behave in it to the benefit of ourselves and others are rarely (almost never) so skillfully illuminated in relation to each other. People who speak of myth, magic, spells, and rituals often struggle to be taken seriously in the more left-brained realms of economics and psychological science. But Starhawk shows her rare ability to navigate both domains and explicitly discusses the utility of magical techniques for the task of moving between left-brained analytical and rapturous right-brained "starlight consciousness" to allow us to harness multiple modes of human consciousness in our daily life and our societal decision-making.

This book is exactly what I was searching for. A book based on divine feminine and magic. I’m very grateful for the very detailed resource.

Totally on board with her original version. I hate that she succumbed to the PC culture and felt she had to correct herself...twice. I never did read the updated notes. I just read it as it originally was. I dont care about pleasing anyone with my spirituality. I only care about doing whats best for me in my practice. I love her "take no crap" attitude and how brave she was for writing this during a time when women were seen as housewives alone. Praise Starhawk! She is the person who got me into wicca. At first I was considering basic, ancient traditional witchcraft and wanted to steer clear of the wiccan religion but once I read her book I was officially on board. Between her and Stevie Nicks, they make being a woman seem like the most coolest, mysterious, most splendid thing ever! Ive never felt so empowered! Thanks Starhawk for changing my life! Her and Z Budapest both! And Stevie! BLESSED BE!