First and foremost, Witchcraft or Wicca is a religion. In The Sabbats, Edain McCoy reveals the eight major holidays of this faith and the many ways in which they are celebrated.
There are two basic types of holidays. The first come at the Solstices and Equinoxes. The others divide the time between those dates in two, resulting in eight major holidays or Sabbats with approximately the same amount of days between them. The balance, here, gives the appearance of spokes in a wheel, so this cycle is commonly called the Wheel of the Year.
The holidays represent two things. First, the harvest cycle. Each holiday represents a time in the growth of crops. From planting to growth, from harvesting to letting the lands lie fallow in the cold winter, the festivals follow the agricultural cycles of ancient times. However, they also represent the eternal love of the God and Goddess, following the God's birth from the Goddess and his death before she gives birth to him again. This also follows the pattern of the Sun which moves from warm and high in the sky to cold and low in the sky.
The book is filled with ways you can follow the Wheel of the Year, whether you work with a coven, with your family, or by yourself. You will learn the secrets of ritual construction and handicrafts appropriate to each of the festivals. You will also learn recipes for traditional foods for each holiday and even songs appropriate to the Sabbats.
This is a wonderful, joyous book filled with color, information, and wisdom. If you are involved with Paganism in any way, this book is a must for your studies and practices. This book functions as both a resource and as a practical manual for the celebration of the holidays. Get your copy today.
Many different types of books have value. Some, like encyclopedias, are broad works which give general introductory material. Such books help people learn if they are really interested in something and need to get a basic idea of what is involved.
Then there are also in-depth resources that reveal intricate and detailed information. Sometimes this type of resource will contain lots of interesting bits of information, but have no continuity.
Breaking the mold of the latter is Edain McCoy's wonderful book, The Sabbats. This is one of the most in-depth studies of the eight major Pagan holidays ever written. In it you will discover the history of the eight holidays — Samhain, Mabon, and the rest. But that is not all. You'll also learn ways to celebrate the festivals including games, arts and crafts, music, recipes for traditional foods, and much more.
I suspect that you will read this book twice. First, it is such fun that you are going to read right through it, learning all about the holidays you celebrate. You'll learn their sources and alternate methods of participating in the festivals. This alone will add greatly to your understanding of the Wheel of the Year.
But second, you're going to pull this book out and go through it every time a Sabbat is about to occur. You'll look at it for new ideas and deeper understandings of the day. Of course, you might also want to use the glossary of common Pagan terms on a daily basis, so don't put this book on a back shelf!
This is a book you will learn from initially, and then learn more from every time you open its fun and intriguing pages. This book must be on your shelf.
Many different types of books have value. Some, like encyclopedias, are broad works which give general introductory material. Such books help people learn if they are really interested in something and need to get a basic idea of what is involved.
Then there are also in-depth resources that reveal intricate and detailed information. Sometimes this type of resource will contain lots of interesting bits of information, but have no continuity.
Breaking the mold of the latter is Edain McCoy's wonderful book, The Sabbats. This is one of the most in-depth studies of the eight major Pagan holidays ever written. In it you will discover the history of the eight holidays — Samhain, Mabon, and the rest. But that is not all. You'll also learn ways to celebrate the festivals including games, arts and crafts, music, recipes for traditional foods, and much more.
I suspect that you will read this book twice. First, it is such fun that you are going to read right through it, learning all about the holidays you celebrate. You'll learn their sources and alternate methods of participating in the festivals. This alone will add greatly to your understanding of the Wheel of the Year.
But second, you're going to pull this book out and go through it every time a Sabbat is about to occur. You'll look at it for new ideas and deeper understandings of the day. Of course, you might also want to use the glossary of common Pagan terms on a daily basis, so don't put this book on a back shelf!
This is a book you will learn from initially, and then learn more from every time you open its fun and intriguing pages. This book must be on your shelf.
Anonymous
Posted July 19, 2000
I highly recommend this title to anyone who is interested in Wicca or even currently practicing Wicca. I found the descriptions, recipes, and crafts very interesting and fun ideas to do to make the sabbats more enjoyable and even involve the children. I even purchased a copy for a gift!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.fairiegoddess
Posted October 12, 2012
I loved this book. Very informative. I use it all year round. Excellent. I loved the recipes and instructions on how to make your own tools. I will be making my own robe! :0)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.i bought this books as a gift for a friend. she said she likes it so far
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted February 9, 2009
This is a good, informative book on the sabbats. I learned a lot from this book. It is particularly good for beginners.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 9, 2006
This is a wonderful book... Explains what all of the Sabbats mean, and how they are celebrated... Also shows different decorations that can be made for each Sabbat, and several treats that you can make as well...
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 22, 2005
This book is good for anyone!! Has some great information on history of the Sabbats, Activities and foods.
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Posted April 8, 2001
Ms. McCoy's research has been criticized before now, so I shall not add to that amount of ink spilled. However, in this book, she has laid out the Sabbats, their meanings, their mythologies <more or less correctly>, and brought them into a new Millenium for a new generation of readers. For those new to the Craft, or those seeking an alternative spirituality that works, in the modern parlance, '24/7', THE SABBATS is an introduction that will guide an open-minded reader to new ways of thinking, new ways of feeling, new ways of expressing a hithertoo unfelt spirituality. Not for the newcomer, but recommended to the open-minded who has found conventional religion neither satisfying nor realistic in today's modern world.
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Posted January 18, 2009
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted October 25, 2008
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Anonymous
Posted October 26, 2008
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Overview
First and foremost, Witchcraft or Wicca is a religion. In The Sabbats, Edain McCoy reveals the eight major holidays of this faith and the many ways in which they are celebrated.
There are two basic types of holidays. The first come at the Solstices and Equinoxes. The others divide the time between those dates in two, resulting in eight major holidays or Sabbats with approximately the same amount of days between them. The balance, here, gives ...