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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 133.43
EAN num: 9781578633098
ISBN number: 1578633095
Label: RedWheel / Weiser
Manufacturer: RedWheel / Weiser
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 288
Printing Date: January 01, 2008
Publishing house: RedWheel / Weiser
Release Date: January 01, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 517279
Studio: RedWheel / Weiser
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Thought to be the father of modern witchcraft, Gerald Gardner published The Meaning of Witchcraft in 1959, not long after laws punishing witches were repealed. It was the very first sympathetic book written from the point of view of a practicing witch.
'The meaning of witchcraft is to be found, not in strange religious theories about God and Satan, but in the deepest levels of the human mind, the collective unconscious, and the earliest developments of human society. It is the deepness of the roots that has preserved the tree.'
The Meaning of Witchcraft is an invaluable source book for witches today. Chapters include:
• Witch’s Memories and Beliefs
• The Stone Age Origins of Witchcraft
• Druidism and the Aryan Celts
• Magic Thinking
• Curious Beliefs about Witches
• Signs and Symbols
• The Black Mass
• Some Allegations Examined
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers -
This book is very informative, if a little on the dry side. (LOL) He goes very indepth starting with the paleolithic times o forward. I enjoy Gardner's view from the inside.
Rated by buyers 
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The title is somewhat misleading - this is more a thesis on where witchcraft's roots are than the meaning. Almost 100 pages are dedicated to trying to "prove" Wicca is not related to Satanism (Black Mass, Some Allegations Examined parts I - III) which takes away a bit from the reading from the very first few chapters where Gardner goes into his theroy of where Witchcraft comes from. While these chapters are good reading, they mainly imply what modern history texts have already - that trade routes existed and people traded culture / religion as well as goods.
He puts forth some good references to the early days of pre-Christian Britain, but apparently doesn't go into any of Ceasar's writings about pre-Christian Europe (evidently the author who invaded, conquered, and the wrote about the local people of the time isn't a good source of information?).
Gardner also has a few "I cannot state XYZ because of my oath" in this book as well. Nothing is more frustrating than someone trying to imply that they have more knowledge than the reader but will not share the information. A better way to "get the message across" to me would be leaving all references to xyz out of the text altogether. This would leave out any impression that the author is pointing out that he could give more information on xyz but the average reader is not worthy of the information. University Professors that taught this way (Differential Equations for one) did not come across as great teachers of knowledge but as arrogant and self centered people who enjoyed making fun of other people's lack of knowledge.
Take this book with a grain of salt - some of the theories Gardner puts forth in this book can easily be debated since none of it can be proven or backed up with writings from people like Ceaser. Read this book, but also read other reference books (like Ceasar's account of defeating Gaul) in order to form your own opinion of the origins of witchcraft.
Rated by buyers -
If you don't know of Gerald Gardner, he was one of Aleister Crowlkey's last henchmen and the founder of the religion of Wicca as we know it today. He was also a big feature in Patricia Crowther's autobiography. This I believe to be, while not his best and definately a cash in or cash grab on his fame or notoriety, is his best written book. Especially, it doesn't seem like a cheaply made reprint of a key figure in the modern Wiccan movement. This reissue seems more professional, like a clinical disertation on the history and cult movement of witchcraft. Other reissues of these classic text seemed cheaply made. This is devoid of many typos as seen in his fiction and not as tacky looking as his Witchcraft Today. Even though currently I am pursuing a renewed interest in more conventional Christian ethics, this is worth looking into as an alternative religion and lifestyle.
Rated by buyers 
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I had never read any of Gerald Gardner's books before. Being more than a generation removed and being subjected to the formualted books on the subject I was suprised with the integrity of the subject matter.
It was unknown to me that Mr. Gardner was somewhat of an accomplished anthropologist and folklorist. This should be required reading of anyone with a serious interest in Wicca.
For those who haven't had the pleasure this work bears a resemblace to Star Hawks famously acclaimed The Spriral Dance,Sir James Frazier's The Golden Bough and Robert Graves The White Goddess.
It's also good reading for students of Welsh, Celtic and European-Arayan folklore in general.
I definitely intend to read all of his works.
Rated by buyers -
Students of witchcraft are often advised to read the works of Gerald Gardener. It is true that he is the father of modern witchcraft and his writings are the core of modern practices. Upon reading this book it is clear that things have come a long way in the past 50 years.
This book is not meant as an introduction for aspiring witches, but as a history lesson for those who might persecute witches. The book is filled with old practices and superstitions that formed the basis of modern witchcraft, as well as the origins of witch prosecutions.
The Meaning of Witchcraft may certainly deserve some scrutiny as Gardner obviously has an agenda and occasionally leaps to a conclusion that supports his claims when the evidence does not offer as much support as he claims.
The book is a heavy read that may take some effort to get through if you are used to lighter modern writing. Gardner is primarily concerned with the origins of witchcaft in Britain, and witchcraft's future in Britain. The book has many local anecdotes that may lose meaning over time and distance.
The information I found most interesting was the history of the Christians moving into Britain, how they pushed out the native pagan beliefs, and how those pagans left traces of their beliefs.
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