Pagan Roots: Reclaiming Concepts of the Sacred, by Yvonne Aburrow.

It will be published by 1000Volt Press on 22 April 2025 and available from all online stores.

Cover art by Lydia Knox

Contemporary Paganism has sought to recover some concepts that were lost or rejected in past centuries, but has ignored or rejected others that were absorbed into Christian discourse. Can we reclaim some of these terms and recover their original meanings?

Praise for Pagan Roots

Words have real power, and in Pagan Roots, Yvonne Aburrow invites readers to explore and reclaim the transformative energy behind key spiritual terms. Whether you’re just starting out or have been practicing for years, this book is accessible yet rich with insight. Aburrow dives into the language of spirituality and the divine, offering practical exercises, journal prompts, and ritual ideas to help you integrate these powerful words into your own Pagan practice.

—Dodie Graham McKay, author of Earth Magic and A Witch’s Ally

Yvonne Aburrow guides you through the first steps of acquiring and developing the language essential to exploring and refining your Pagan spirituality and understanding the unique ways modern Pagan traditions express a connection with the numinous. That process culminates in an examination of certain words that are commonly used in Christian contexts, seeking to reclaim and restore an understanding of them that is more appropriate within a Pagan context. This book is a must-read whether you’re seeking to deepen your Pagan faith or want to understand loved ones who follow such a tradition.

—Jarred the Wyrd-Worker

Yvonne Aburrow’s latest book, Pagan Roots: Reclaiming Concepts of the Sacred, is a fascinating read for anyone either involved with, or interested in, contemporary Paganism. It is divided into three parts. Part One provides a detailed overview of where contemporary Paganism has come from, together with an explanation of its main precepts. The second part, Pagan Concepts, gives the distinctly Pagan meanings for many words (e.g., “darkness” and “polarity,” which are “foundational to the worldview of many contemporary Pagans.” The third part, Reclaimed Concepts, examines many words used by other religions and faith traditions (e.g., “grace” and “holy”), and explains how they might be “reclaimed” and applied in a Pagan context. It includes an extensive bibliography, for following up some of the fascinating ideas they present.

—Rev. Sue Woolley, Unitarian minister and author.