Guide Patti: In the years you’ve been a practicing Wiccan, the religion has had a significant shift towards the mainstream — after all, your books are available in Barnes and Noble, but thirty or so years ago that would have been unheard of. We’ve obviously got entire websites devoted to Wicca. As a more public perception of Wicca steps into the limelight, what sort of changes — both positive and negative — do you see affecting religion as a whole?
Sirona Knight: (Big smile) My books are even available at WalMart now — that is surprising philosophically, but not economically! After all, we live in a consumer driven society. Years ago, I remember scouring the used bookstores for hours just to find anything written about witchcraft and shamanism. The Internet has changed the way we access information, and in the process has influenced popular opinion. For example, I regularly appear on the XZONE Radio show, and I used to get a lot of negative callers about ten years ago. Now most everyone calling in knows that Wicca doesn’t have anything to do with devil worship. Satan is not part of Wicca. Thanks to movies such as the “DaVinci Code” more people are coming to embrace the divine feminine and the concept of the Goddess. More and more credible information is coming to the forefront — such as learning about the alterations in the King James version of the Bible and Mary Magdalane’s writings. With more information and additional education, the sticky, shallow ignorance of the masses is melting away. I feel this is a very positive direction in the perception of Wicca, and as a whole, for humankind.
Unfortunately any biped can come out of the forest and email me. That can be a problem sometimes, and I do get some strange emails. 99 out of 100 email I receive are exciting emails from people who are currently practicing, or those who are interested in practicing Wicca, Druidism, or Shamanism. I have also received hundreds of emails and letters from people who have had interesting experiences with angels, faeries, elves, animal spirits, past lives, and even UFOs.
Guide Patti: With the amount of information out there right now for people new to Wicca, I often get emails from people who ask, “What should I read?” If you were to recommend five books that any serious student of Wicca should have in their library, what would they be—and why those particular titles?
Sirona Knight: First, I would suggest couple of my books such as The Witch and Wizard’s Training Guide and Celtic Traditions. They are excellent resources for everyone interested in Paganism. Next, I would suggest Jean Markale’s book on Merlin, Priest of Nature, for a in-depth study on Merlin, one of the most famous wizards of our time. Then, I would suggest Phyllis Curott’s Book of Shadows or my book A Witch Like Me to read how witches live, make magic, and work. To complete the list I would recommend Frazier’s The Golden Bough, Funk and Wagnall's Folklore Encyclopedia, Marija Gimbutas’s The Language of the Goddess, Patrick Ford’s translation of The Mabinogion, everything ever written by Joseph Campbell, and Peter Beresford Ellis’ The Druids. I have extensive bibliographies in all my books so readers can pick and choose what interests them.
That’s more than five I realize, but I feel deeply that the more you read the better you will understand what you are practicing and those that went before you. A holistic, spiritual education can be a powerful tool. Today, there are also a lot of Internet sites with credible information such as Ancient Texts. Once you read the ancient texts, you are never the same. It penetrates every cell of your being.
Guide Patti: You live in northern California, which has some incredibly beautiful scenery. It seems that in many parts of California, you’re only a couple of hours from whatever scenery you need—whether it’s desert, mountains, beach, forests, rolling hills, etc. What is it about the natural features of the land that inspires you on a spiritual level?
Sirona Knight: I’m a native Californian and adore living in this state. I love being in an area where the elements are all around me. I feel as though I am cradled in the arms of the trees that form a huge ring around my home. There are enormous outcroppings of granite and white quartz where I go to sit with my dogs and cats, and you can actually feel the strength pulsating through the Earth. Oaks, pines, firs, madrones, and maples surround me. In particular several of the ancient oak and ash trees are gnarled, and have faery knots at their feet. They look just like forest dryads standing guard. There is a 200-foot ash tree and sugar Pine that have entwined themselves around each other like lovers as they tower up to the sky. When I am near the trees, they enlighten me. When the wind moves through the trees in the early morning and late evening, it makes a glorious, symphonic, ocean-like sound that vibrates through every cell in my body.
My house overlooks a small mountain creek formed from quartz where water nymphs play in the waterfall and pools of water. An ancient maple has woven herself through both banks of the creek, providing a natural bench to sit on. A pair of nesting ravens took up residence there about six years ago. Whenever I need inspiration or just want to clear my mind, I go down to the creek and become One with nature. It’s a place where I can strongly sense the energy of the Goddess and God around me in all its splendor. Many of the ideas for my books, particularly Greenfire, Moonflower, The Shapeshifter Tarot, The Witch and Wizard’s Training Guide, Faery Magick and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Elves and Fairies came from being in this place and feeling the divine quintessence of the elements and nature spirits.
