witta?

[*ULA*]

Is Witta a Celtic version of Wicca? I'm not familiar with it- does anyone have any info?? *yes i know that's a dumb question, you guys are lovely little encyclopedias :) *

thanks in advance, ULA! :heartthro

[Mariposa De La Luna]

I have a book by that title, it was given to my husband, and it says it is an Irish Trad. I haven't read it yet but taking a quick look at it, it looks like your basic Wicca book.

[gunner]

no, ula, not a "dumb question" to repeat what's been said here before, the only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked. and thanks for the "encylopedia" compliment

[Xois]

Witta is completely made up. The name and word does not exist. There was just a big to-do about the book by that name. It is historical revisionism.

Xois

[aquinnah]

:confused: If it doesn't exist then I am confused - I have a book entitled Witta: an Irish Pagan Tradition by Edain McCoy, published by Llewellyn. I refer to it frequently for my solo work, and bring some to my circle as well. I find it close to Green witchcraft.

[Dria El]

Originally posted by aquinnah
:confused: If it doesn't exist then I am confused - I have a book entitled Witta: an Irish Pagan Tradition by Edain McCoy, published by Llewellyn.

"published by Llewellyn" could be an explanation. They aren't well known for being very ethical. On my site (http://communities.msn.com/AlongTheWay2000) there's a section called "Make A Difference". In that section theres a graphic you can click on to get an idea of what I'm talking about. They've screwed around with alot of traditions.

Dria El

[aquinnah]

:rolleyes: I sit at my keyboard humbly corrected. I found the information on Llewellyn interesting. I studied Rom culture in a Sociology course in college and find Juana Bruja's comments accurate. I purchased Witta about a year ago, and have not read it cover to cover, I kind of peruse it when I'm looking for ideas for ritual. I also own Green Witchcraft by Aoumiel. I didn't realize until just now that they were both published by Llewellyn. In truth, I see parallels in the writing styles that make sense in light of my new insights. It's kind of like a one-size-fits-all approach, just change the cover and add a few new names and re-publish the same stuff. Interesting.... I was in a bookstore in a nearby city last weekend and picked up a book by Cunningham and was ready to buy it when I something told me that I had enough printed material already. Like what I need to know won't come from a book ("if that which you seek, you find not within yourself....") I put it down and just got some candles and Beltane incense instead.... Off to my garden - Aquinnah

[Xois]

That particular McCoy book has been proven to be fraudelent

[aquinnah]

Are any of her writings reputable? Who is responsible, the publisher or the author, or both? Patricia Telesco is quoted on the back cover as saying "The writing is strong, interesting and educated... the author's background in cultural history shines throughout the book." I wonder what part of Telesco's statement is represented by the "...".

[Dria El]

Originally posted by aquinnah
Are any of her writings reputable? Who is responsible, the publisher or the author, or both? Patricia Telesco is quoted on the back cover as saying "The writing is strong, interesting and educated... the author's background in cultural history shines throughout the book." I wonder what part of Telesco's statement is represented by the "...".

That I can't tell you. I haven't read anything by her yet and books published by Llewellyn aren't high on my reading list. I wouldn't put it past them to twist her quote either. Oh well.

There are lots of authors published by other companies. You might want to try some of those. I can put together a list of books I've read if you want it.

Dria El

[aquinnah]

thanks Dria El - many years ago I read The Findhorn Garden and the Mists of Avalon - both changed my life. I have Drawing Down the Moon, The Spiral Dance, Z. Budapest's The Grandmother of Time, and one of Diane Stein's books , the title of which escapes me now. I am of Celtic ancestry, Irish and French, and Celtic paganism interests me. I've been on the path for around a decade, but only started participating with others in the past five years since I moved to the island. Any info you can give is welcome - oh and I bookmarked your site!
Bright Beltane Blessings!

[Mariposa De La Luna]

Daria El - I can't get beyond your first page. I'd like to read that info. I ckecked my book and it turns out its the same one. I have another book by McCoy, The Sabbats A new approach to living the old ways. its mostly full of info for every sabbat from different celebrations at the same time to food with recipies, music, and such. It also has rituals in it but I find it a valuable resourse. Of course there isn't much original material just alot of research and compiling it.

[Dria El]

Originally posted by SAHM
Daria El - I can't get beyond your first page. I'd like to read that info. I ckecked my book and it turns out its the same one. I have another book by McCoy, The Sabbats A new approach to living the old ways. its mostly full of info for every sabbat from different celebrations at the same time to food with recipies, music, and such. It also has rituals in it but I find it a valuable resourse. Of course there isn't much original material just alot of research and compiling it.

Here's the link to the page I was talking about. Make A Difference! (http://communities.msn.com/AlongTheWay2000&naventryid=160)

BB Dria El

[Dria El]

Originally posted by aquinnah
thanks Dria El - many years ago I read The Findhorn Garden and the Mists of Avalon - both changed my life. I have Drawing Down the Moon, The Spiral Dance, Z. Budapest's The Grandmother of Time, and one of Diane Stein's books , the title of which escapes me now. I am of Celtic ancestry, Irish and French, and Celtic paganism interests me. I've been on the path for around a decade, but only started participating with others in the past five years since I moved to the island. Any info you can give is welcome - oh and I bookmarked your site!
Bright Beltane Blessings!

Cool, I'm glad you liked it. I add more to it all the time. I may run out of the allotted space soon but I'll either open another community or start a 'real' website. Who knows. Here's a list of some of the books I've read so far.

West Country Wicca by Rhiannon Ryall
Green Magic by Morwyn
A Witches Bible Complete by Janet & Stewart Farrar
The Witches Goddess by Janet & Stewart Farrar
The Witches God by Janet & Stewart Farrar
What Witches Do by Janet & Stewart Farrar
The Mabinogion by Evangelline Walton
An ABC of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente
Spiral Dance by Starhawk
Sea Priestess by Dion Fortune
The White Raven by Diana Paxson
The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler
Aradia by Charles Leland
Shamanism-Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy by Mircea Eliade (which I'm reading now)

I know I'm missing some but I just can't think of them right now. This should give you a good start though. Oh, and this doesn't include the astrology, herbal, etc. books. I hope this helps.

Dria El

[Dria El]

Originally posted by aquinnah
I am of Celtic ancestry, Irish and French, and Celtic paganism interests me.

Oh, and I'm Irish, English, Scottish... basically a mutt. lol

Muttingly,
Dria El

[Mairwen]

West Country Wicca by Rhiannon Ryall

This book has been proven to be nothing but pure fiction.



The Mabinogion by Evangelline Walton

Missed this translation. I'm more familiar with Lady Guest's translation. Who published this one and when?



Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler

Anybody but me think she needs to update this book like Starhawk did "Spiral Dance"? It's horrible outdated ~ still a useful resource, though.

[aquinnah]

Woof! (that's from Kashmir, my purebred American Mixed Breed pound puppy - she likes mutts!)

thanks for the reading list - I have also read alot of Campbell's stuff, as well as Jean Shinoda Bolen's Goddesses in Every Woman and Crossing to Avalon. I was raised Catholic, not very strictly, and always liked the Blessed Mother more than her son. I was glad to learn her true identity when I began to explore paganism!

Yours in mixed Celtic ancestry,
aquinnah

[Mariposa De La Luna]

Thanks for the link! It worked. :) I'll read the article more in depth soon. I just recently realized the Farrars aren't published by Lewellyn. See what happens when you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME.

[Dria El]

Originally posted by aquinnah
Woof! (that's from Kashmir, my purebred American Mixed Breed pound puppy - she likes mutts!)

thanks for the reading list - I have also read alot of Campbell's stuff, as well as Jean Shinoda Bolen's Goddesses in Every Woman and Crossing to Avalon. I was raised Catholic, not very strictly, and always liked the Blessed Mother more than her son. I was glad to learn her true identity when I began to explore paganism!

Yours in mixed Celtic ancestry,
aquinnah

Hiya Kashmir! I loooooove puppies (what I call ALL dogs!) :D

Woofingly,
Dria El