Wicca Awakens
By Keith Morgan ( Kimberley Morgan)
Small format paperback book.
First published 1987 by Pentacle Enterprises, London
Expanded edition released 1992 ( this is the book displayed here from my own library)
62 pages
This is a small but influential introductory booklet on modern Wicca and practical witchcraft written by Keith Morgan ( aka Kimberley Morgan) and published in 1990 by Deosil Dance / Pentacle Enterprises. The full subtitle is “A Beginner’s Guide to the Practical Aspects of the Old Religion.”
The book emerged during a period when modern Paganism and Wicca were becoming more publicly visible in Britain. Unlike some later commercially polished “beginner witchcraft” books, Wicca Awakens has the feel of a coven teaching manual or esoteric course booklet. It was intended as a practical introduction to the philosophy, ethics, symbolism, and ritual mindset of traditional Wicca rather than simply a spell book.
Morgan presents Wicca as:
- A nature-based spiritual path
- A mystery tradition rooted in ancient seasonal cycles
- A magical practice based on harmony with natural energies
- A personal path of spiritual awakening and self-development
The booklet explores subjects such as:
- The meaning of “the Old Religion”
- Basic ritual structure
- Natural magic and energy work
- Pagan symbolism
- The God and Goddess polarity
- Seasonal observances
- Coven-based teachings
- Personal responsibility and magical ethics
The tone is serious and instructional rather than sensational. Morgan treats Wicca as both a spiritual philosophy and a disciplined magical path. The are , as is typical of Morgan’s books, only a few roughly drawn images. Typeface is clear and easy to follow.
Relationship to her Other Books
Wicca Awakens appears to have been the first in a connected series of teaching texts by Kimberley under the pseudonym Keith Morgan. Later companion works included:
- Traditional Wicca: Magickal Techniques of Teachings of the Old Religion
- Alternative Wicca: The Expansions of Consciousness Regards Natural Magick and Its Application in Contemporary Wiccan Practices
Descriptions from later editions describe these books together as a kind of progressive coursework for students interested in Wiccan and Pagan practice. I agree with that.
Readers often describe Morgan’s writing as:
- Mystical and reflective
- Rooted in British Pagan traditions
- Less commercial than modern Llewellyn-style Wicca books
- Focused on spiritual philosophy rather than quick spells
- Influenced by initiatory or coven-based teaching traditions
I would tend to agree. I’ve read her books for years and usually found all of them to be informative and accessible. The books offer a decent grounding of witchcraft and the Occult and I’ve covered some of her other works in previous articles.
Because the booklet was produced by a small Pagan press and had relatively limited circulation, original copies are now somewhat uncommon and collectible among Pagan book collectors.
Morgan’s writing style suggests inspiration from:
- Gardnerian Wicca,
- Alexandrian Wicca,
- British occultism,
- ceremonial magic traditions,
- and the wider Pagan revival movement.
Historical Context
The late 1980s and early 1990s were an important transition period for Wicca in the UK. Earlier initiatory traditions such as Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca still dominated serious practice. Solitary eclectic Wicca was beginning to grow rapidly. Occult and Pagan publishers were expanding beyond underground circulation. Interest also grew in Celtic spirituality, Earth mysteries, and ceremonial magic was increasing.
Books like Wicca Awakens helped bridge the gap between older coven-based traditions and newer self-taught practitioners.
Magical and Philosophical Emphasis
Morgan’s approach seems strongly aligned with:
- Nature mysticism
- Ritual consciousness
- Psychic and energetic development
- Traditional witchcraft aesthetics
- Experiential learning through ritual
Rather than presenting Wicca merely as a religion of rules, the book frames it as a transformative path — an awakening of awareness and relationship with nature, spirit, and hidden forces.
There is also a distinctly British occult atmosphere to the work, connected to the landscape, folklore, and older Pagan revival traditions of the UK.
Why Some Modern Readers Still Seek It Out
Today the book has a kind of “cult classic” reputation among collectors of older Pagan literature because it preserves an earlier style of Wiccan teaching before the explosion of mainstream witchcraft publishing in the late 1990s and 2000s.
People interested in:
- traditional British Wicca,
- early modern Pagan publishing,
- occult history,
- or vintage witchcraft manuals
And often find it fascinating as a snapshot of the spiritual culture of that era.as I too did when first read the book in the noughties. It serves as both a concise guide to Wicca and as a time capsule of the development of Wicca and witchcraft revival. Getting your own copy these days is quite tricky alas but odd copies do turn up.
Be sure to check my articles on Morgan’s books !
ISBN-10 | 1872189202 |
ISBN-13 | 978-1872189208 |
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