A Witch’s Book of Silence was born out of decades of studying, practicing and teaching the art of Witchcraft. During that time, I witnessed research move from library carrels to hand-held devices and the hand-written letter (d)evolve to email and text messaging, The Age of Information ushered into the Craft burgeoning numbers of people seeking training and, failing that, whatever information they could access concerning Craft Traditions. Simultaneously, I noted how Witches continued to hone Knowledge, Will and Daring while Silence fell out of fashion–a silly and inconsequential relic of the past.
As a teacher, I saw students struggle with practicing silence. I saw their development stunted by their fear of silence.
A Witch’s Book of Silence is a slight but provocative book comprised of teaching stories, ethical considerations and discussions concerning silence, secrecy, magic, integrity and honor in the Craft. It examines the ways we deny the importance of silence and the impact that has upon us individually and collectively. I offer a variety of exercises designed to bring the practitioner into deep relationship with silence and thereby, themselves, nature and the Gods.
The practice of silence develops in the Witch several integral and honorable characteristics. While written from the perspective of a Feri Witch, I believe the concerns, practices and resolutions proferred within A Witch’s Book of Silence will be equally valuable when applied to any spiritual path which asks that we develop deep self-awareness, personal integrity, cognizant communication with non-human entities and the use of meaningful speech imbued with creative force.
In spite of what I thought I knew, it turns out that self-publishing comes at a great cost unless I want to turn the book into a pdf and stick it on the internet for free.
My experience as a reader of print-on-demand books was disappointing. Usually printed somewhere less humid than the climates I’ve called home, I’ve seen covers of beloved books curl up into damp scrolls while lying on a coffee table. I want to avoid that!
Ideally, A Witch’s Book of Silence will be published in hard cover in one, short-print run. A larger run would require a climate controlled space large enough to store thousands of hard-cover books while I send them out one at a time to you, Dear Readers! Certainly, if this fundraiser does well, I can consider a larger run and a storage unit.
Upcoming expenses include:
I’d like to complete any rewrites, final edits, design and typesetting processes by late September. The printing company says it will take 3-4 weeks for books to be delivered to me. So, barring any unforseen events, I should have it ready to ship by mid-November.
I prepare to cast this magic out into the world with the sincere hope that A Witch’s Book of Silence helps you, the reader, confront and overcome your own resistance to embracing silence so you can experience the richness and depth of experience it bestows. There are myriad blessings in the quiet spaces betwixt and between. My intention is to help you open fully to receive them!
I hope you will contribute what you are able so this project can come to completion.