The Spiral Dance (English)

Part history primer, part instructional manual, this influential book casts witchcraft in the image of the great goddess figure. In short, Starhawk weaves a tale of Neolithic goddess worship, but from the point of view of a modern feminist. Starhawk goes to great lengths to educate her readers about the shift from what she calls "The Old Religion" to Christianity, where, according to her, the goddess figure was all but crushed. She writes of deadly witch hunts in medieval Europe, and sheds light on the once widespread fear of women, which led to outright misogyny. However, Starhawk also recounts the rise of the great goddess figure in the days before the Bronze Age, and reveals the relationship between ancient Celtic and Druid beliefs and neo-paganism. Starhawk also attempts to dispel stereotypes about witches by drawing parallels between Wicca and Native American spiritualism. Starhawk discusses the ancient invocations, rituals, and herbalist practices used by witches. She also brings to life the epic battle between pagan cosmology and messianic rule. As an added bonus, this 20th Anniversary Edition includes a new commentary by the author. minimize