More Favorite Books

Writing about books that influenced me was so much fun that I have more to say about the topic. Here is Part II of my favorite books. These are books that influenced my spirituality, my philosophy and my basic worldview.

Okakuro, Kakuzo: The Book of Tea
This is a pocket-sized book about tea and its importance in Japanese culture. I do like tea, but the important thing I gained from this books is the concept of shibumi. Shibumi is hard to translate into English, but basically it's a pure simplicity...the essence that is left when you pare away all that is superfluous and unnecessary. It's a guiding star of my mental processes and design ethos.

Melody: Love Is In the Earth 
This is the encyclopedia of crystals, gemstones and minerals. It contains practical information about them like physical characteristics and where they are found in addition to the metaphysical information. I like how she includes numerology and astrology as well. My go-to guide for working with the stone beings.

Chopra, Deepak: The Path to Love: Spiritual Strategies for Healing
I like Deepak Chopra's work because the spiritual teachings of Yoga are sometimes difficult to transmit in writing. The books written by many of the old masters from India tend to be a bit scrambled and hard to follow. Deepak does a great job with conveying Vedic philosophy to an international audience. This book is a great resource for healing one's own heart and participating in healthy relationships of all kinds, not just romantic ones.

Kerouac, Jack: Dharma Bums
Mountain climbing, freedom, non-conformism and the importance of self-discovery in nature...this book was right up my alley. It's hard for me to say that his books are teaching tools per se, but still...they mean something to me, especially this one.

Farb, Peter: The Face of North America
This is a classic of natural history. It gave me a much richer and more complex understanding of how North America was formed and why the land looks the way it does. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to deeply connect with nature in this part of the world. Farb does a pretty good job of being easy to understand while not sacrificing the integrity of the information.

Plato: The Republic
So, I ought to mention in one of these book posts that I majored in philosophy in college. Whether or not one is interested in the finer points of logic, understanding philosophy helps us to understand the evolution of thought. It was a big help to me in understanding the world of today and my place in it. The Republic is a must-read in the philosophy genre; it is a classic work that endures through the centuries.

Diamond, Jared: Guns, Germs and Steel AND The World Until Yesterday
In my humble opinion, Mr. Diamond is the Darwin of our time. Both of these books were epiphanies for me. Want to get past the mindless brainwashing of pop culture? Read these books and understand how societies evolved, how geography has influenced technology and the spread of culture and how modern culture is so very, very alienated from nature. Just go read them.

My Favorite Books

The Pagan Experience - WK 1- September 7: Books! Tell us about a favorite book. We come across many literary adventures as students of a spiritual path. Some become familiar companions; others reference sources. Some may have been what propelled you on your current spiritual journey, or took you in a completely different direction than what you had imagined. And, then there are those that speak to every level of your soul. What’s on your shelf?


Ah, books - gateways to the world, portals of infinite possibility, kettlebells for the imagination, dear friends. Books have played such a huge role in my life, my thinking and the formation of who I am today.

One of the things I'm enjoying about teaching spirituality is recommending my favorite books. Here are a few of the books that have shaped my worldview, with comments about what I've learned from each and in no particular order:

Hesse, Herman: Siddhartha

The story of Buddha. Need I say more? This idea of enlightenment through personal experience,
detachment from the world of the senses and rejection of the illusion of worldly life, it is a powerful thing. As a person who grew up practicing Yoga, it was instrument to my development.

Menen, Aubrey: The Space Within the Heart

Though the author never practices a pose, this is truly what Yoga is all about. The examination of the self to peel back the layers of self-deception and cultural conditioning...this is liberation. This is enlightenment. It goes along with Siddhartha; it's basically the same journey, but as told through the experience of a modern layperson.

Thoreau, Henry David: Walden

Living simply in close relationship with the land, and again, examining oneself outside of the dominant culture...this is the way to clarity. Plus his prose is beautiful.

Robbins, Tom: Jitterbug Perfume 

Pan, beets, living a juicy and magical life...this book is a touchstone of my childhood. I read it quite young, pre-puberty. Then I lost track of it for years. Couldn't remember the title or the author. Found it by chance through a conversation with an internet acquaintance. Have bought multiple copies. 

Valiente, Doreen: Witchcraft for Tomorrow

One of my first books about the Craft, and my favorite one in my early days. I'm not into that type of practice anymore, but it will always be a foundation of my work.

Living the Martial Way: Forrest Morgan

This was the guidebook of my warrior years. I'd highly recommend it for any martial artist. It gave me the clearest explanation I've heard, before or since, of what honor truly is and how to live honorably.

Morgan, Marlo: Mutant Message from Forever

Caveat: I have heard about this woman's lack of permission from the tribe to publish these books about their tribal wisdom and traditions. I heard about it long after I read it, and I was dismayed. I don't support this kind of cultural appropriation. But at the same time, this book really moved me. I absolutely love the idea of having a list of positive commandments, things we *should* do. I love the concept of "innertainment" and entertainment being intrinsic human abilities, rather than a gift that only some people
are given. 

Adams, Douglas: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Exploring the galaxy on only 30 Altarian Dollars a day, the meaning of life and a very tolerant view of different beings. This book, while a work of fantasy, has shaped my view of life. I re-read it regularly and always, always know where my towel is at.

Abbey, Edward: Desert Solitaire

The beauty of the desert, another journey into the self and a deep connection with nature. Are you sensing a theme yet? I hadn't really realized how many books I've read that touch on these themes. I'm an explorer. It's kind of my thing.

Pirsig, Robert: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

This book helped me articulate my commitment to quality (arete) as my highest philosophical ideal. It's a rich work from a modern day philosopher.

And so it goes. I could keep listing books and listing books. There are too many. Suffice it to say that I credit my good education to my personal studies far more than I do any formal education I've received. While I haven't so far been blessed with the resources to travel the world, I know a great deal about it and the people who live here. I like to think I know a little bit about the human condition, and how we developed as we did. Why? Books. 

I have few regrets in life. Divesting myself of my library when I moved out west is one of them. There are books that I still try to find on my shelves, that I sold 15 years ago. Some I know by sight, but can't remember the title or author. Even so, my collection has rebounded and expanded. And I admit, I look for bookshelves when entering the home of a new friend or lover. See you on the flip side...I've got to go do some reading in my hammock!

Ethical Symbolism

A lot of Pagans begin their journey as solitaries, with books. I was sort of in that category myself. Actually, I had a ritual partner who was at the same point in the journey, and we did support each other quite a bit. But having said that, I mostly studied books on my own at first.

In most Pagan 101 books, a brief section is devoted to symbolism. Allow me to generalize and give you a summary:

"Hey guys, symbols are great and powerful - you should use them! Here are a few lists of magical alphabets and other mysterious symbols from around the world. Naw, don't worry, you're a baby witch, WHAT COULD GO WRONG?! You can use symbols in spells, write your Book of Shadows in a secret alphabet, make sigils and create talismans. Oh, and mark all your most personal ritual tools with these things, too! Yay symbols!"

At the time, I didn't think too much about it. But on the other hand, I didn't use any symbol that I didn't really understand or with which I had no cultural connection. I also didn't think too much about my avoidance of these things…in retrospect, it really was intuition. Thanks be to the Goddess for which, by the by!

Here's the thing: there is a big divide in opinions about symbolism. Some people are of the opinion that symbols only have what power we give them. Others believe that the symbol itself becomes imbued with energy accumulated by past usage of that symbol by many people.

I personally fall into the second camp. I think that symbols speak to us on the deepest levels of our being, and that powerful symbols become so to the degree that they do so. That's a mouthful. Let's show that in another way:

Symbol--->Evokes powerful emotion/transformation--->Symbol gets used by many people=Powerful Symbol

So what is this mysterious energy that imbues symbols? I believe that it's the residue of the ritual energy of the many human beings who have used the symbol, and that it is stored in the Akashic Records, aka the collective unconscious. So you could say that symbols are sub-language keys to universal wisdom.

Pretty heavy, right? I also think symbols deserve a bit more than a tiny section in an overview book.
Now, I understand the challenges that authors face. There is a lot to know when embarking on a study of magic, and space is limited. I'm certainly not targeting any particular author or book (above image of symbols is just an example). I get it. But it's also fairly irresponsible to write a book aimed at complete newbies wherein you tell them to use symbols without explaining why.

This same principle applies to Pagan clergy, ritual leaders, teachers and mentors. I've run across plenty of people who teach a particular technique, belief or usage of symbolism who say "do it this way". When asked why, their answer is sometimes "because I said so". They may embroider that answer with all sorts of comely clothing, much of which preys upon the insecurities of those new and uncertain of their path.

I propose that we use some ethics and common sense when choosing symbols to incorporate into our magical work. Take the time to find out where the symbol came from. If you don't know about that culture, time period, tradition, learn about it. Learn about what the symbol represents, and if possible, how it was used. Try to find out when it was used, and when it was not. It may also help to know who used the symbol (clergy, laypeople, men, women, etc). You may not find answers to all of these questions, but they are a good checklist to keep in mind.

Clergy, teachers and mentors, use the Campsite Rule as it applies to baby Pagans (with thanks to Dan Savage; if you don't know his work, go read Savage Love immediately):

"In a relationship/interaction with a large age, power and/or experience gap, the older partner/more experienced partner has the responsibility to leave the younger/less experienced partner in at least as good a state (mentally, emotionally and physically) as before the relationship/interaction. The campsite rule includes things like leaving the younger/less experienced partner with no brainwashing, no unwanted guru worship, and not overburdening them with your own opinions/baggage." *

If you are learning from someone else, cultivate a "Spiritual BS meter". Any of the following scenarios may mean a red flag:

• Answers are phrased in a way that demeans you.
• The answer is "because I said so" on a consistent basis.
• Consistently tells you that what you think you know is wrong.
• Symbols are secret knowledge that you have to bow & scrape/pass unseemly hazing rituals/pay outrageous amounts of money to obtain.
• Only your teacher/guru/HP/book knows the REAL meaning. Everything else in the outside world is wrong or deceptive.
• Your teacher/guru/HP can use the symbols however they want, but you can't. (note: this is not an excuse to avoid proper research, learning and preparation of your own)
• Never says "I don't know".

Seekers, use critical thinking skills to do your own research. Taking this extra time will help you understand the context in which the symbol was originally used. It shows respect to the culture or tradition from which the symbol came. It makes your ritual work safer, and if I'm wrong about stored power, you still become more informed.

Everybody - try it for yourself. Meditate with symbols and see what impressions and feelings come up. Use symbols in rituals, spells, sigil and talisman construction. Become really familiar with them, and record your results. Remember, Contemporary Paganism is a living system, and you get what you give. Do the work - it's worth it!






*Slightly modified to fit this context, changes mine