User:Freddy111

Super Witch A Wiccan Guide to Self-Empowerment and Personal Development by Robert Chapman publisher: PublishAmerica price: $16.95

Super Witch claims to be the first self-help book written for Wiccans and Pagans. This claim may be valid as I have never seen any other Wiccan self-help books in the stores. Although the title and cover may seem trite, the content of the book is worth the cover price (which is somewhat higher than average book prices). It is published by PublishAmerica, a company with a mixed reputation, but largely unknown. Super Witch is not a book for those who are looking for spells or quick and easy fixes to their life problems. This book is for people who are ready to become more independent, self-empowered and take control of their lives. This book takes the reader through a step-by-step process of listing stressers, finding the root of each problem, overcoming the problems, appropriate response methods, goal setting, positive affirmations, and even how to make your environment more conducive to spiritual and magickal work. The last chapter of the book is written for group self-empowerment work but can be adapted for solitary work.

The author offers a few true life stories that are humorous and believable and appropriate to the sections they are found in (I laughed out loud more than once). The reader immediately gets the sense that this author is a real person whom they can relate to. He does not claim anywhere to have any education in psychology or counseling but seems to base his writings on life experiences, which makes the book more approachable; although he does make a veiled reference to having had some type of clergy training.

The negatives about Super Witch include it's somewhat high cover price, it's obscurity (mostly available on-line but have seen it at the mall), the cover (tacky super hero theme), and the author's vague allusions to certain aspects of his history (such as the traditional training he mentions on page 46). The positive about the book is that the self-empowerment techniques really do work and everything the author says seems to make sense. The book makes you think and makes you realize how easy it is to improve yourself, which is the point.

Super Witch brings to mind books by earlier Wiccan authors like Scott Cunningham or Silver RavenWolf with it's light and motivational style. However, the author also gives the impression that his life was not always "light and motivational" and that he has overcome great personal issues and is now sharing his techniques with the reader.

This Robert Chapman (there being several authors with the same name) is also the founder of a pagan shaman organization called Tribe of the Crow and Stag www.crowandstag.net. There seems to be a connection between this author and Llewellyn author Silver Ravenwolf and Black Forest Clan, though the information given publicly is vague.

I recommend this book if you have low self-esteem or have trouble dealing with people or life issues. I don't recommend this book if you are looking for spells or general wicca information.