Recently (finally) finished this. Review ⬇️
This book is separated into three sections. The first discusses some history of Western Occultism and how we arrived at the cisgendered and heteronormative model of polarity in Magickal traditions. Section two explores different sets of symbolism, and includes exercises thst can be adapted into ritual practics. Section three is supposed to be a "What's Next?" step, and focuses mostly on how to utilize different polarities in Sex Magick without explicitly gendering the process. Lipp includes her version of the Tree of Life with different polarities assigned to the Sephirots, several charts of alternate polarity symbolism, and an extensive reading/citation list.
I will admit that section one felt very heavy, despite being interesting and important to know amd understand. While the context was necessary, it wasn't why I wanted to read this book.
Section two, I was able to read through very quickly, and, being an Initiate of the same Tradition as Lipp, I found myself internally screaming "YES!" at so many of her explanations and examples. The alternative symbolism that still stands out to me most, was the idea of The Third. Not as in a triad polycule, but the end result. If the polarity at work is the Plow to the Field, then the end result is the Yield, the crops and the harvest. She also explains the different ideas of two poles meeting to create power, and also keeping apart as long as possible.
If I'm being honest, section three felt a bit like an afterthought and possibly could have been incorporated somewhere in section two. I do feel though that it was important to illustrate that while polarities don't need to be sexual, they can be, without relying on compulsory heterosexuality.
Throughout the text, Lipp emphasizes that her Wicca does use a cishet model of symbolism, but exploring these alternatives in no way invalidates the Tradition nor her devotion to it, even though she herself is not in a cishet relationship. She states she is not out to tear down any Tradition, but perhaps instead to expand the understanding of it, from within and without.
Overall, this book was refreshing and thought-provoking, and to date the best exploration of gender and sexuality in Wicca I've yet read. Lipp strives to illustrate a more inclusive practice while still upholding the familiar goals and processes of Magick and ritual. When creating the Wicca that would come to be named for him, Gerald Gardner did much the same; bringing forward new Lesser Mysteries to open the road to the experience of the Greater ones, so those Mysteries were more available to a wider spectrum of Witches.
Really excited to see this on my witchblr dash! I feel a lot of queer magic books rely too much in the binary of things and this just looks really refreshing definitely going to add it to my reading list!
