I was disappointed in this book, especially since I had read so many good reviews and was really looking forward to it. I get the feeling from this book that it doesn't really know what it wants to be. I bought it because I thought it would help me better understand how to use elements in my tarot reading, but it seems to me to be more of a mish-mosh of elements, wicca, and personality analysis.
It only covered the most basic elemental information with regard to the cards and the book, overall, was much more focused on Wicca rituals than I had anticipated. It has one useful chapter about what the elements are, with correspondences and such, but I didn't even agree with all of the correspondences and I'm not sure it was much more than you could find by a search on the internet. That goes, as well, for the appendixes at the back corresponding stones, colors and herbs with elements and such.
Beyond that, the quizzes, while sort of fun to take, seemed not to be accurate, for me at least. I think this might be because the focus of the information she is presenting seems too simplistic. I find it very difficult to categorize that maybe I'm a water person in this specific area of my life, without taking into account my Leo Sun Sign and many of the other elements that are so significant in the make up of our personalities.
Furthermore, there is a section on Jungian and Myers-Briggs personality types that seem wholly out of place. She was sort of able to tie in the Jungian stuff, but it really added nothing to the book and the insertion of both of those theories seemed to me to be put in there for no other reason than to put "data" in there.
Finally, it was a little oddly laid out. Sometimes she would put the quiz before the information about that specific quiz, other times she would not. I found myself, at times, reading and thinking, "how do I know which one of these applies to me?" Yet, because the quizzes didn't seem that accurate to me, I could never really tell anyway.
The bottom line is that I'm not sure I get the purpose of this book. I wanted a very advanced book on elements, and while she had some basic elemental information in there, it seems as though a lot of the information is in there so as to make enough to write a book, when the really useful stuff could have fit on a blog -- and is probably easily obtainable on many blogs, for that matter.
There are some meditations interspersed, and spell work at the end that some people might find useful. It was a nice effort, but missed the mark for me.
For anyone who has said "What is beyond 101?" This book is a good answer. Exploring the elements like this takes you back to the basics of magick, and expands upon that knowledge to give you a more solid foundation for future workings.
"An excellent book"
2007-10-18
- Reviewed By User: A16BZ4A67DJIOR
I am fairly new to Wicca and I can say that I didn't know what to expect from a book written by a traditional point of view. I received it in perfect condition and I started reading immediatelly. I am very satisfied by the quality of the book and the writer's style. She is very informative and specific. She gives plenty of information and the total is solid and full of helpful ideas. It is obvious that she knows well her subject and it is an excellent tool for someone who wants to work with the elements. I would recommend it without hesitation to anyone who wants to seriously work with the elements. If you are looking for just superficial work don't buy it but if you are truly ready to discover yourself and the elements by hard (and sometimes fun) work then this is the book for you.
Useful and enlightening even if you only read it, and more valuable still when used as a guide for study and reflection. I highly recommend it for students and teachers of religious forms of witchcraft, as an aid to magical study and to self-knowledge and improvement.
"Recommended for Non-pagans as well."
2006-04-13
- Reviewed By User: ADSB6SQMLIMK9
At first I was reluctant to get this book because of the quizzes, but they are really the best part of the book. They are quite accurate and they piqued my Non-pagan friends' interest in the book! I am happy that Llewellyn is publishing books from authors like Ms. Lipp.
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Expedited Available
"Disappointing"
"Exploring the elements"
"A Must for the Serious Student or Teacher"