A journey through shadow, Dark Goddess Craft by Stefanie Woodfield takes the reader through their inner selves and into a place of personal transformation. Beginning with introductory chapters on the nature of dark goddesses and how to work with them as well as the process of transformation, Dark Goddess Craft goes from the basics through the rituals themselves.
With the first four chapters being dedicated to introductory information, chapters five through fifteen are the meat of the journey and transformation process. These fifteen chapters are separated into four sections, the first being preparatory then going into The Descent, Challenge and Rebirth. In the last three sections, each chapter is dedicated to a dark goddess. From the well known Hekate an Persephone to less known Akhilandeshvari and Sedna, each chapter and that goddess is an integral part of the reader's journey.
The chapters dedicated to Goddesses begin with an introduction and include devotionals and offering suggestions. Each chapter also include rituals applicable to the reader's journey with their shadow self such as a ritual to overcome obstacles in Kali's chapter. Other things included in these chapters include a section about Graveyard Dirt in Oya's chapter as well as a release of transgressions in Sedna's, a recipe for black salt in Hekate's, incense in Blodeuwedd's and powder in Oya's.
Dark Goddess Craft ends with a conclusion which really can assist the reader in bringing this journey to a close. Furthermore there is an index as well as a bibliography. I always enjoy seeing a bibliography especially when there are citations as there are in this book. This really lends credence to information given as well as allows the reader to look further into a topic using the author's sources, should they wish.
When it comes to reading this book, it's incredibly important to read it through, in order. The chapters are organized in such a way that they clearly walk a path through this transformative process for, and with, the reader. However that is only if the reader wishes to manifest this journey in completion. If they simply want to do one specific thing which the ritual does, then the reader could go to that one specific chapter, or section.
All in all I absolutely love this book. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these goddesses and the rituals included are incredibly meaningful and easy for a practitioner of any level. That being said this kind of work is deeply emotional and shouldn't be done without forethought. In the end though, I highly recommend this book.
~review by Jessica Elizabeth
Author: Stefanie Woodfield
209ppg; $19.99
2017; Llewellyn Publications
