Resources for seeking a Traditional Wiccan coven and how to evaluate a group once you’ve found one, more information on the traditions I’m part of, witch-friendly stores and Pagan gathering places in West Michigan, and a list of books about Wicca.
Online Resources
Seeking: First Pagan Steps and Tools by Jenett — A thorough set of resources, suggestions, and advice (there’s also a Getting Started guide)
Advice for the Absolute Beginner Wiccan by Thorn Mooney — Written in 2016 but the main points stand, and Thorn has since written Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide
Thorn Mooney’s YouTube channel — Videos about Wicca, many answering questions from seekers and beginners
Will You Be My Teacher? Essential Questions for Beginners by John Beckett — A list of questions to ask when you’re considering finding a teacher on the Pagan path
The Advanced Bonewits’ Cult Danger Evaluation Frame by Isaac Bonewits — A tool to evaluate groups and their leadership based on observations of their behavior
Mandragora Magika’s Michigan listings — Covens and groups in Michigan (a relatively new resource)
Alexandrian Wicca Seekers and Initiates (Facebook) — For seekers to connect with Alexandrian initiates and covens
Gardnerian Wicca Seekers and Initiates (Facebook) — Same, but for Gardnerian initiates and covens; there’s a list of coven leaders and their locations
The Pagan Bookshelf: Black Voices, a book list by Lisa Jade
The Wild Hunt: Modern Pagan News & Commentary — Daily news and opinion from the wider Pagan world
Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca
Chthonioi-Alexandrian Tradition — a statement of identity
Chthonioi Alexandrian Wicca on Wikipedia
Sheaves of Demeter Coven — a C-A coven site with lots of info about the trad
Blue Star Wicca
About Blue Star by Teazel, Vela Grove (includes an Intro to Blue Star video)
An Introduction to Blue Star Wicca on H2G2
Blue Star Wicca on Wikipedia
West Michigan Stores & Gathering Places
COVID-19 note: Please check websites for special hours or call ahead to make sure the store will be open. Get vaccinated and be safe!
Artes & Craft, Hartford (witchcraft-specific, will ship)
Grand Rapids Pagan Pride Day (Sept. 18, 2021)
The Healing Center, Lakeview (spiritual/alternative healing; not Pagan)
The Health Store, Greenville (source for essential oils & sage; not Pagan)
Spirit Dreams, Grand Rapids
Books
This is not an exhaustive list, just a few good places to start (or explore further) as you research Traditional Wicca. Each book’s year of first publication is listed; some have had several editions. Pick up whatever edition you can find at the library, at the used bookstore, or Amazon/Barnes & Noble/etc. If your local library doesn’t have a copy on the shelf, search MeLCat and request the book via ILL from any participating Michigan library. (Libraries can lend ebooks and audiobooks too!)
Introductions
Being a Pagan: Druids, Witches, and Wiccans Today (2001) by Ellen Evert Hopman
Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions (2002) by Joyce and River Higginbotham
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Paganism (2002) by Carl McColman
Wicca for Beginners (2006) by Thea Sabin
The Path of Paganism (2017) by John Beckett
Traditional Wicca: A Seeker’s Guide (2018) by Thorn Mooney
Pagan Classics
Witchcraft Today (1949) by Gerald B. Gardner
The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959) by Gerald B. Gardner
What Witches Do (1971) by Stewart Farrar
Drawing Down the Moon (1979) by Margot Adler
The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (1979) by Starhawk
Witchcraft for Tomorrow (1987) by Doreen Valiente
A Witches’ Bible: The Complete Witches’ Handbook (1996) by Janet & Stewart Farrar
Deeper Dives
A Witch Alone: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic (1991) by Marian Green
When, Why… If: An Ethics Workbook (1996) by Robin WoodThe Heart of Wicca: Wise Words from a Crone on the Path (2000) by Ellen Cannon Reed
Psychic Self-Defense (2001) by Dion Fortune
Praise to the Moon: Magic & Myth of the Lunar Cycle (2002) by Elen Hawke
Wicca: A Comprehensive Guide to the Old Religion in the Modern World (2003) by Vivianne Crowley
The Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water, and Earth in the Wiccan Circle (2003) by Deborah Lipp
78 Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot (2007) by Rachel Pollack — a new edition came out in 2019
Doreen Valiente: Witch (2016) by Philip Heselton
Transformative Witchcraft: The Greater Mysteries (2019) by Jason Mankey
The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft (rev. ed., 2019) by Ronald Hutton
