Lots of practical advice available in this book. So much so, in fact, that at times it seems to drain some of the real aesthetic and spiritual pleasure out of ritual.

I had a problem, in particular, with Bonewits explanation of the theology behind his basic ritual theory. Overly-focused on magical work (and redefining worship and prayer as a way of "doing magic on ourselves" to commune with the gods), his theology sounds a great deal like some kind of RPG explanation of worship: it "feeds" the gods "mana." Why this is necessary, or why we should even bother to do it instead of refraining from ritual and allowing the gods to lapse into nonexistence--he never takes the time to discuss. Certainly, conceiving of the gods as spiritual parasites (even in a symbiotic relationship that can give "blessings" in return, like a battery you charge until you're ready to use it) does not inspire me to perform meaningful or beautiful ritual.

On the other hand, this book is full of very practical advice. Perhaps nothing you couldn't figure out on your own eventually, but certainly a good resource for a beginner to have on hand. Bonewits covers a wide variety of topics (incorporating music and chanting, addressing group dynamics, writing effective prayer, etc.) that can help provoke the reader to consider what they might do in similar circumstances, which is infinitely helpful. If the reader can find a way to a meaningful theology of their own that helps them connect meaningfully with their gods, Bonewits practical advice will most assuredly help them in crafting a ritual to speak to those sacred relationships. ( )