Introduction^13
I see spirit in the unification of mind and soul. Now, I am not saying that Asatrú folk
should all embrace Wicca, and I am not saying that Wicca folk should all embrace
Asatrú. The word one uses to denote his or her spirituality is unimportant because it is
what we have in common that is more important than what we do not. No matter what
one calls this recent spiritual awakening, it cannot be experienced without both mind
and soul because spirit is the very union of mind and soul.
I do not know what the future will hold, but I do know where the Wiccan religion is
currently. In fact, while not uniquely qualified to report on the state of Wicca, I am
certainly one of the few. You see, I live immersed in its diversity. Unlike many of the
very founders of the modern Wiccan religion, I see firsthand what folk are doing and
saying. Unlike the founders of specific organizations or traditions of Wicca, I have the
blessing of witnessing a wide sampling of the Wiccan community. Yes, sometimes it
feels more like a curse, but the good outweighs the bad. Some folk have taken great
objection to my observations, and sometimes those objections have been voiced in very
hurtful ways. I try not to get angry, knowing that their harsh words are brought on by
the sense of love for Wicca that I share. So who am I? What gives me this relatively
unique vantage point?
I am nobody. Sure, I have a few books in print and a few to come, but you wouldn’t
know it by looking at me. What gives me this vantage point has nothing to do with
writing books. No, it has more to do with selling books. Although I own the place, my
chief occupation is bookstore clerk, that being a rather unique position because the
store in question is a Pagan book store specializing in the Wiccan religion, its books,
and its supplies. I am also the host of http://www.PaganNation.com, an online community
whose growth has been beyond my wildest expectations. Combining these occupations
is where we see my unique position. Not only can I observe the Wiccan community, but
because I am an author, I can report on it. I am not removed from my audience in any
way, and I do listen. You see, the main reason I have these occupations is because I
want to answer that same question I mentioned a few paragraphs back. Loosely, that
question is: What is god? In a grander sense of the question: What does it all mean?
This book is what I have found thus far in my quest to answer that question. It is how I
answer five questions about myself and about humanity:n What a piece of work am I?
n How noble am I in reason?
n How infinite am I in faculty?
n In form and moving how expressive and admirable am I?
n In action, am I like an angel?It is in the questioning of these things that we find our place in the world, the
natural order to our existence. It is the expression of doubt. A comment on how I
question my own existence: While such questions might seem a bit pompous, anyone
who has honestly asked them of oneself knows the answers are rather humbling.e WB Intro.p65 13 7/11/2003, 5:45 PM