Laurelei Black

I love this author's American Folkloric Witchcraft blog, but I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book. It's basically a copy of the spirit information from the Lesser Key of Solomon, with additional drawings and some redrawn sigils (some nicely done, some pixelated). The author gives her experiences with each spirit in brief, so the only new material here is a few sentences from her working notes per page, and a strange introduction that raises more questions than it answers. Disappointing overall.… (més)

Verplichte literatuur voor iedereen die serieus met Aphrodite wil werken! Het boek belicht verschillende thema's gaande van het priesteressenschap, de tempelprostitutie, het heilige huwelijk tot de donkere aspecten van Aphrodite. Er wordt veel aandacht besteed aan de Gratieën en de toepassing van hun invloedssfeer in het dagdagelijks leven. Daarnaast komen overzichten aan bod van Aphrodite's titels, relaties en kinderen. Het boek bevat twee volledige rituelen die als inspiratie kunnen dienen om zelf aan de slag te gaan.… (més)

To begin with, while I do not know the author personally, I did have the opportunity to discuss this work with her prior to my reading it. The author went to great lengths to make sure I was aware that this book is not a work about Hellenismos, or written for Hellenic Reconstructionists. Within in the opening chapter she also explains that her influences are Gardnerian Wicca, Cochrane traditional Witchcraft, modern Druidry,and other Neopagan traditions. After reading the book, I have to say this is an excellent resource for practitioners of Hellenismos, Hellenic Reconstruction, and Hellenic Polytheists. If fact, perusing through the bibliography, one notices that the overwhelming number of resources are primary and secondary sources for the ancient Greek religion and ancient worship of Aphrodite.

The work includes what many will recognize as a Reconstructionist methodology. It includes a good bit of information on tradition style Hellenic rituals, with an excellent modern interpretation example that can fit into Hellenic Reconstructionist practice, a sufficient amount of historical perspective, a good list of epithets, and enough information as a primer on the subject. Where it lacks is the breezing over or ignoring of Aphrodite's other qualities, such as being a Goddess of the Sea and a Goddess of War.

What will some Hellenic Reconstructionists not like about this book? It is not a sanitized, lily white interpretation of Aphrodite's worship. Some so-called Reconstructionists are nothing more than bored intellectuals who were raised in a typical Puritan cultural paradigm. They either ignore, reject, or condemn the mystical, ecstatic, orgiastic, and erotic rites of the ancient Greeks. Their attempt is to sanitize and sterilize everything. These Hellenic Reconstructionists are fundamentally disconnected from what they espouse and what they actually do.

Overall, this is a worthy work for both Neopagan and Reconstructionist alike. The book is well written and presented, and I'm hoping to see a larger, more expansive book on this subject, from this author, in the near future. I fully recommend this work.… (més)