One of the very first books I ever read on operative Witchcraft was by Scott Cunningham. When I was only 14, I found the just-released Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs at my local library. It quite literally changed my life.
Since it was in the reference section and couldn’t be checked out (a fate given to many books on occultism since they were otherwise so often stolen!), I would visit each day after school, perusing its pages, eager to learn more. With binder in hand, I would faithfully transcribe the lore and spells from its pages with a sense of quiet reverence that made me feel as if I were entering into a spiritual relationship with the Witch’s Craft merely by being exposed to that knowledge. Later that same year, I would use some of this information in a ritual of my own design in order to dedicate myself to the path of Witchcraft.
Scott Cunningham [Llewellyn Worldwide]
Four years later, another of his books would change the landscape of the modern Craft forever. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner was the first book that explained a methodology of the Craft that was accessible to anyone, regardless of their proximity to a working coven. This was nothing short of revolutionary, as until that moment, Wicca was a closed system, requiring would-be practitioners to find a coven willing to take them in, something that was next to impossible for many, especially those who lived outside of big cities. Cunningham moved the focus from coven to individual, creating an alternate path that drew from the foundations of initiatory Wicca and applied it in terms of a spiritual practice instead of group religion.
While this introduced many new seekers to a Wiccan path, it wasn’t without its controversy. Some initiated practitioners would denounce the work as “watering down” the Craft. In the years since, it has proven to have done much the opposite, drawing new people and perspectives into modern Paganism, which has benefited the Craft overall. It’s just a fact that the works of Cunningham have enriched the public’s understanding of Wicca, spirituality, magic, and the occult, despite what some naysayers might spout on social media. The legacy speaks for itself, and the work stands on its own.
Though it wasn’t widely known, the fact that he was a gay man is something that I knew of at the time through the queer grapevine. I remember in the early 90s, a Pagan retail store local to me had a donation jar on their counter and was soliciting donations to assist with the costs of his medical care. I remember being told that he was suffering from AIDS. The reality of his sexuality was of course known to those close to him, which included other queer practitioners of the Craft. And from experience, I know that queens can be a chatty bunch, so it was known among many queer Pagans and Witches, at least where I was in the San Francisco Bay Area.
That a gay man should have had such a tremendous impact on Wicca and Witchcraft should give us a great sense of pride. His contributions to our shared Craft are immeasurable in that he ushered in a whole new era of thought into the philosophies of the Craft, presenting work that was at once both rooted in traditional rituals and observances, but allowed them to evolve, becoming more relevant to a modern world.
This month marks the release of a new book about his life. Written by his little sister, Christine Cunningham Ashworth, we are offered a glimpse into the personal life of Scott, the person, instead of just the occult author.
Cover of Scott Cunningham: The Path Taken, by Christine Cunningham Ashworth [Weiser Books]
Scott Cunningham: The Path Taken, Honoring the Life and Legacy of a Wiccan Trailblazer, is a revealing look at his life, from his childhood and upbringing and to the very moments of his all-too-soon passing in 1993 at the age of 36. Included are family photos, lots of personal memories, and even sections with Scott’s astrological natal chart and numerology report, offering the occultist an opportunity to try and better understand this person who gave us so much. Fourteen witches, spiritual practitioners, healers, and occultists of various stripes offered their own perspectives on how Cunningham’s work enriched their own practices, as well as how Cunningham’s various works affected and steered the occult and Wiccan movements. His work is often cited as having opened the doors to a life of occult study, demonstrating the importance of remembering his life and his work.
We get to see some of his motivations for what he wrote. He had so much that he wanted to share with the world that, toward the end, it pained him to know he could only do so much. He was driven by a sense of responsibility to the occult world, so common in those who are genuinely gifted. We also get a glimpse into the backlash that he received because of it: gossip, slander, and even death threats. He weathered them all, and his legacy stands on its own.
The book, at times, reads like a novel. Ashworth is an accomplished writer and is skilled at capturing the attention of the reader and providing a read that is both compelling and informative. To say it is a “page-turner” is not an exaggeration. It is a work derived from a jumble of family memories, giving it at times, a dreamy feel, and one that is both poignant and emotionally touching. It is an intimate look at the life and legacy of a man who in life was very private, but whose work made him famous in our occult and Pagan world.
In full disclosure, I also contributed a small piece for this book, where I honor Scott as one of the Rainbow Dead, the Mighty Dead of the Queer Craft. To me, Scott Cunningham is more than just a figure in the history of the Craft. He is a Queer Pagan icon. He wanted everyone to find a spiritual home where they were drawn. And he made sure that many people did just that. I’d like to think that he would be both surprised and pleased to know that his work helped so many people find their spiritual home in the Craft.
Scott Cunningham: The Path Taken is available for purchase wherever books are sold.
The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content.
To join a conversation on this post:
Visit our The Wild Hunt subreddit! Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/, then click “JOIN”. Make sure to click the bell, too, to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit.