This book is a must have. It not only contains higly effective magical insight but it looks into some of the over all views of male and female energy and the way the world views them. Adding this book to your library could most definatly change the way you look at societys roles of gender as well as how you work in a coven. This book was one of my first beginning books and I wouldn't have traded it for any of the other books I've read to date. The " Spiral Dance " helps explain some of the enigmas behind and in magick. Starhawk sets down a very realistic and tangable over-view of what magick is and how to attain it. There is much depth on the Gods and Goddesses relation to male and female energy and what each is a representation of as well as how it relates to each individual ( man or woman ) Reading this book will help you to understand how the masculine and feminine energys work in the world and lay some serious questions about how society catigorizes and stereo types us all. It most deffinatly will help change the way you view the patrearchial system. It also lays a good foundation for the spiral dance. What it is, how it's celebrated and how it relates to the world we live in on a daily basis. The spell craft, oil, insence, tinicturs, brews, candle magick and meditation formulas are a most deffinate must for any witches library. This book will lay a firm foundation for anyone who is new to the craft as well as help advance an intermeadit or just plain lend some new insight or ideas out to thoose who have practiced craft for years. Without this book I would not have come so far is so short of time. I concide myself to be an intermeadit witch but don't think I would have gotten there without Starhawks exqusit book. It layed a positive foundation for my craft work to grow, and my hat's off to the author for providing what I have found to be one of my most helpfull and freaquently used reference books. I truly love this book and I'm sure any true seeker of the craft will find it helpfull. May this book help many others on the quest for knowledge, as much as it has me. Merry meet, Merry part until we meet again. BLESSED BE!!!!!!!!!! Tobie Heideman