Scott Cunningham

[Pandoras]

What is your opinion of Scott Cunningham?

I put this in the Books forum for other MWers, but I'm also interested in the opinions of the authors that visit MW.

Do you like him/his work? Did he influence your work? Did you know him? Please share your thoughts on Scott Cunningham.

[raven grimassi]

What is your opinion of Scott Cunningham?

I put this in the Books forum for other MWers, but I'm also interested in the opinions of the authors that visit MW.

Do you like him/his work? Did he influence your work? Did you know him? Please share your thoughts on Scott Cunningham.

Scott was a student of mine from 1979 to 1983, or thereabouts. He was an interesting fellow with a great sense of humor. I found him to possess a good understanding of herbs. He and I differed in our views of Witchcraft/Wicca and we drifted apart over the years. But I spoke with him briefly several months before he crossed over.

Scott seemed to favor a self-styled approach to the Craft, with a sort of "do whatever feels right" philosophy. My personal approach was (and is) a focus on time-proven methods with defined structure, which provides a framework to safely and effectively bring ones intuition to bear on ritual and magical practice.

I think Scott's book are fine for new beginners, but they can create an unsound foundation if one has nothing of substance with which to compare them against. So I do not personally recommend them alone, but always in conjunction with other books.

Best regards - Raven

[Faeawyn]

Altho I have a great deal of respect for Ravens work.....I simply LOVE Scott's stuff. I agree with his "do what feels right" methodology. I feel that in order for one to tap into their own personal power, it must be a personal journey. His books are very well written, easy to read and follow, and filled with useful information :)

[Yasmine Galenorn]

I loved Scott's work when I was first beginning. It's a bit too 'Wiccan' and 'safe' for my tastes, but I find it from the heart, with an innate sense of herbalism that few other authors seem to have touched. I'm very much eclectic/shamanic and firmly believe in finding your own path--sometimes that will be in another tradition, other times it will be a solitary journey. I recommend Scott's work to beginners because I think it *is* safe and goes at an easy, gentle pace.

He seemed like such a gentle soul, from what I've heard of him/read of him.

Yasmine :colorful:

[Dawa Lhamo]

I recommend Scott's work to beginners because I think it *is* safe and goes at an easy, gentle pace.
:colorful:

I agree. Several people I know who came to the Craft in their adolescence started with Cunningham. And while I think the write-your-own-tradition is useful for many people, I prefer a lot of structure, even if, philosophically, I am more eclectic. And I find that the easiest way to be eclectic is to read a lot of different, but really in-depth books. What I find disappointing are the people who never read anything else *but* Cunningham. Even comparatively. I find it difficult to have an engaging conversation with them. But that's just me. ^_^

Tashi delek!
Dawa Lhamo

[mucgwyrt]

no, I dont like him.
I have only read one of his books, but as I've said before I dont know where he got most of his info, and his "you should make your alter look j u s t l i k e t h i s" is a bit starchy and restrictive. But thats just me.

[RubyRose]

no, I dont like him.
I have only read one of his books, but as I've said before I dont know where he got most of his info, and his "you should make your alter look j u s t l i k e t h i s" is a bit starchy and restrictive. But thats just me.

I actually have 3 of his books. Wicca & Living Wicca (the solitary practitioner ones) and the Encyclopedia of Crystals and Gemstones ... which is a nice beginning reference for stones, and particularly handy for me, since I haven't updated my list of crystal correspondence in my Book of Shadows, so Scott Cunningham's book is more detailed than what I currently have on crystals at present.

Living Wicca, I purchased fairly recently, mainly because I had the first one, and thought why not and secondly, because there were some interesting bits on forming your own tradition/path.

While I like structure, I do like the idea, as a whole that you don't have to do things in relation to Paganism/Wicca (whichever you're into) if you're not comfortable, or don't feel its right for you. But that's just me, and having caste only one life altering circle in almost two years of being pagan, well I think 'being comfortable' is essential, if not a necessity of Paganism.

But I'm blabbering, so I'll stop.
Bendithion,
RubyRose

[copperbeech]

i like cunningham's works, though i don't count him among my base recommendations for others to read. as others have stated, i feel he's a good starting place, to give people the foundation to develop the sense of knowing what's right for them, but much beyond thati am not that into his writings.

[Aowyn]

no, I dont like him.
I have only read one of his books, but as I've said before I dont know where he got most of his info, and his "you should make your alter look j u s t l i k e t h i s" is a bit starchy and restrictive. But thats just me.
I think you may have browsed over an important paragraph or two, that is if you were looking at the book i am thinking of. I seem to remember him writing that the set up presented was just his preferred and that it might be good for getting ideas from but not to feel restricted by it if it doesnt float your proverbial boat. :wave:

[FlyingBear]

I like his work, and I agree with PO'ers. It's a safe stone to start on down the path. I definately prefer it to SRW's stuff.

His favorite book of mine is Magical Household. A little bit for every room in the house, including the garage and garden.


:tub:

[wakywitch]

I loved Scott Cunningham's books as a beginner, and 17 years later, he is still my favorite author of pagan books.
Wish he was still alive tho. Would have loved to express to him what an impact his works have had on my life!

[Gede]

MM~
I'm one of the ones that never started out with Scott Cunningham and merely read his books years aftering setting out because everyone else seemed to be screaming his name from the rooftops and I wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

I've only read the two books in the Solitary Practitioner series and I thought they were straight-forward, honest, scaffolded well and in a sense down-to-earth and adorably honest. I loved the energy I received from the writing and while I do not consider myself Wiccan I still admired the books.

Namaste, Gede...

[Ladyvi]

for those with little to no access to a group. it is a good beginning. good basics and exercises. i do stress to venture forth to other things.

i have been solitary for a long time. and found no problem in building a foundation. but then i always put in the front. should i or shouldnt i. looking at the consequences and if the time is right for that sort of action. it has served me well.

no i am not solidly wicca or any path for that matter. i have druidry as home base but maintain a multi theistic approach to my practice.

scott cunningham was and (lolol) still is a rather engaging fellow.

[PoisonIvy]

I love his books! I use his Kitchen Witch book all the time. And I use The Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs when I do my shopping. His books are easy to read and he makes everything very clear! I recommend them to any beginner!

[Calen]

Living Wicca was among the first two books on Paganism that I read. I enjoyed it, and appreciated his open writing style. I didn't find that it was restrictive at all. I wouldn't say his stuff is the end-all-be-all, but definitely good to start with. I look forward to reading his herb reference book.

[SohaliaGrimorie]

After 8 years of never reading a book on Wicca or Paganism (most of my information and practice came from the internet, other Pagans and also personal exsperimentation and exsperience) I decided, now I'm in a "getting in touch with my roots" stage of my life, I'd pick up a book and have a bit of a read.

I picked up WICCA, the first of the solitary series, and have to say I loved it! I love his open and honesty writing style, the way he constantly said "here is an example, but REMEMBER you don't have to do it my way, I encourage you to use your own ideas and experiment". Going back and reading a begginer book after aprox 8 years was actually a very enlightening exsperience, and I feel I picked up the perfect book for me. I saw the basics of Wicca much more differently than I did when I was 12, and a lot of things felt more exsplained in the book than any other places I got information from in the past.

[Lezli]

What I really enjoy about Scott's books (especially "Spell Craft" and the other short books) is that they are just packed with simple, creative, useful ideas. I don't use everything he recommends, but I don't do that with any author. I take what works for me and move on. But there are a lot of good ideas in those thin little books. I find that impressive.

[yavanna]

I like his stuff, he isn't my favorite author in general but hes up there. I know this is a silly reason to like him, but I really love the illustrations. I think in terms of books on magickal herbalism he's tip top.

[Hærfest Leah]

I like his stuff because its easy to read.

[shuvanilu]

I love his books. They are very open minded, and are a great jumping off point. I also think that his Insence/Oils/Brews and his general herb books are great referrences when you want to write your own spells. I can tell by how he wrote, that he had a wonderful spirit and heart.---shuvanilu

[Knate]

Scott Cunningham's books are still some of my favorites. I dont consider myself a Wiccan, but his "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" still to this day amazes me. I owe a lot to him, for he helped my find my own path, I wouldnt be where I am now without him.:hahugh:

[David19]

I've got his Wicca: a guide for the solitary practicioner, even though i'm not actually a wiccan and it's cool and everything, there's some good stuff in there, although i was thinking of selling it (not 'cause it isn't good, but i'm a student who desperatly needs some extra money!), but i haven't decided yet if i will, i've been looking through Earth Power in the shop's and it seems cool, would anyone here recommend it?, i want to work with the elements and i've heard Scott Cunningham was an expert or something on elemental magic, aside from Deborah Lipp's Way of Four (which i want to get), i haven't seen much published for elemental magic.

[brymble]

i've had most of his books in my collection at one point or another. his was one of my first books, but i was fortunate enough to have a teacher who encouraged me to research multiple sources and draw my own conclusions. like many here, i would recommend it to a beginner (especially to young people, as i'm not very impressed with silver ravenwolf's teen writing) but not alone.

[Philosophia]

His book "Wicca" was my first book and, even though I'm not a Wiccan, I do find he is a good foundation for anybody beginning their path.

[occultish]

Scott seemed to favor a self-styled approach to the Craft, with a sort of "do whatever feels right" philosophy.

^I tend to agree with Cunningham on the do-what-feels-right approach. I think some of the rules I've read in the Wiccan books are ridiculous. (You HAVE to do it this way or it won't work!...o really?) <--why I am no longer a Wiccan.

I find Cunningham to be a good author for referencing correspondences. His books are a smidge on the fluffy side but not like SRW.