Hedge Witch: A Guide to Solitary Witchcraft

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The title and synopsis implies that this is a nonfiction book about witchcraft. Although it does cover some areas of witchcraft, it is primarily focussed on Wicca. Wicca =/= witchcraft. But, this book does do a great job of covering the basics of Wiccan beliefs and practices and if that’s what you are looking for, this could be a good place to start. A lot of the beliefs in this do not line up with my own personal experiences with the gods, and unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. Hedge Riding – the practice of Shamanic and Astral voyage – is covered in-depth in her follow-up book: Pagan Portals Hedge Riding. Each of my books describes a different aspect of the work of a hedge witch or hedge priest/ess or covers a subject relevant to that. in high school I graduate with honors in horticulture and agriculture. I was always gravitated to our high-schools green house. my teachers said I had two green thumbs and possibly a green toe. Meanwhile try as she might, the wonders of hedgecraft don’t come easy to Rowan with her aunt lecturing her non-stop about the majesty of such craft and telling her she must try harder, all while trying to make new friends, really doesn’t make for a very relaxing summer after all even when she does start to make friends and develops a crush on a rather handsome individual which obviously means she will make a total fool of herself.

This kind of thing is called a petitioning. It works effectively if you have made, through the plant, a connection with Nature that is respectful and of goodwill. (Some other plants that can help with prosperity magic are flax, oats, wheat, pine and oak. But each species has its own particular take on matters such as sufficiency or abundance. Your spells can be framed accordingly.) There are many, many ways to practice hedge magic and hedgerow spirituality now in the present day and to reinterpret the themes and ideas. In my own work, they can be blended with such things as natural magic, Wicca, Green/environmental spirituality and faerie lore. (We may work alone but that does not mean that we are uninfluenced by other approaches and styles.) For me, hedge witchery and hedge priest/esscraft must be creative, aligned with the times that we live in, exploratory, healing and, as far as possible, original. Therefore, dear visitor, if you proceed, your hedge magic and spirituality will not be like exactly like mine because your own individual style will emerge with experience. After all, you are a free spirit. This book is an absolute joy to read. It is both simple and profound. It guides the reader step by step in the core practice of the hedge witch (spirit travelling into the Otherworld – known as ‘hedge riding’.) And all is presented in the context of natural magic and nature’s cycles. The author’s approach is non-dogmatic, encouraging everyone towards an individual and creative approach. She knows from experience just how to walk with one foot in Faerie and one in the Everyday World – without recourse to hallucinogens – and she tells us about it and what can be gained from it. This is the real deal. And although it is written for beginners, it made me think and it reinspired me. I give it ten stars! I suggest we speak charms like the following – asserting what our hearts really want for the future’s children. And doing it in the hope that we will see at least some of it come into being while we ourselves are still alive. I was delighted to hear from Lucy Wright about her inspirational work as a ‘hedge witch morris dancer’. This is self-initiated solitary morris and is for everyone, particularly those who normally feel excluded from morris ‘on the grounds of gender, race, class or disability.’ She goes on to say, ‘I’m busily trying to invite as many interested people as possible (they can dance wherever in the world they happen to be) and sharing the resources they might need to give it a go.’Lughnasadh has to do with offerings and petitions to try and ensure an adequate harvest. Which may be of crops or may be of other things. Here is a suggestion for a charm. Upon her arrival, things are rather suspicious as magical events are causing unrest and panic in the secret community of those wise to such practices and when it becomes clear that even the cowans- non magical folk - are taking notice, Rowan is determined to find out what is going on and put a stop to it no mater what. There were many things that I thought this book did well. But it really hasn’t aged too well. I didn’t like how the book regularly implies that to be a spiritual person, (and ultimately a witch) one must embrace sexuality and sex. As an asexual, I do not agree with this. Also there are several sweeping statements such as ‘Like all men…’ and ‘Like all young people…’ that I feel stereotype people based on gender, age and sexuality. In the way that there are too many men speaking on behalf of women, Rae Beth does not get to speak on behalf of all men. In today’s world of war, disease, social injustice and environmental harm, it is easy to succumb to cynicism or to feel despair. But a hedge priest/ess or witch works on the boundary between this world and the Otherworld – between what is here and happening and what remains to be seen. With the help of the gods and goddesses of the Earth, we can hold bright visions of the future – and hold them as a magical act of the soul. And we can cast many spells to help make the World a better place.

This small rite can be deeply healing, not only for the living but for the dead. It works best if you don’t try too hard but let it happen in a relaxed way. Other trees can help as well as the elder with this work. Some examples are yew (but never ingest it as it is poisonous), hawthorn and elm. But there is a much earlier definition contained in an old German word ‘hagazissa’ meaning ‘hedge sitter’. And another term found in Northern European traditions – ‘haegtessa’ meaning ‘hedge rider’. Each of these refers to a symbolic hedgerow, one which could be seen to divide the everyday world of the human community from what was perceived as being beyond it – the Otherworld of wild nature spirits and ancestral spirits and elves or faeriekind. This and similar symbolism seems to have come to Britain mainly with Saxon and other Germanic tribes. However, it has parallels within the Celtic tradition, such as the Green and Burning Tree which stands at the outer edge of Faerie. And there are now hedge witches all over the World, along with hedge priestesses, hedge priests and hedge Druids. This is an inspiring book. It is rich with the recent history of magic, with especial reference to witchcraft and Goddess worship, as well as being rooted in folklore. The author is herself an experienced sea witch and priestess. She guides the reader into the magic and spirituality of communion with sea tides and sea Goddesses and Gods – in rites that seem simple but are profound. This book is entirely grounded in the natural world – the tides of Moon and ocean, the scent of a sea wind, the overwhelming rush of the incoming tide in the Bristol Channel, the sea caves and cliffs of Devon and Cornwall, the island of Anglesey.I’ve heard it said that there’s not a great deal of practical difference between a solitary Druid and a Hedgewitch. This little book certainly gives that impression too! Irish pagan Harmonia Saille writes in a warm, friendly and engaging way, giving an overview of the path of the Hedgewitch. At Beltaine, find a hawthorn tree or have a sprig of it in the house. Bless the tree and all its species with increased abundance, good health and good fortune. If outdoors, pour out an offering at the base of the tree – spring water (but not if bought in a plastic bottle) or unsweetened apple juice. Leave in a bowl some cake or honey, cream or apple juice or other biodegradable treat. Or sing a song for them.) Unlike similar books on the subject, which often blend the tradition with other paths (Wicca being the most common) this book stays true to the roots of what Hedge Witchcraft is, and isn’t.

For all hedge morris dancers, there will be ‘a “Dusking” celebration that will take place at 16.43 on October 31st. This will be to welcome the winter and the gifts of reflection, rest and replenishment that the darker months can bring……’Set in a modern day magical world, The Hedge Witch follows Rowan on a summer visit to relatives in a small town, nestled in the Welsh countryside, before she starts sixth form. This places Rowan in her mid-teens and the themes of the novella match her age, with Rowan trying to fit in, make friends, assert her independence. A new book called Hedge Witchcraft,by Harmonia Saille, author of Walking the Faery Pathway, attempts to explain exactly what a hedge witch does, and how anyone with the willingness to learn can follow in the hedge witch's footsteps to learn her craft. The image I see when I hear the term "hedge witch" is that of a traditional wise-woman walking along a wayside in a meadow, a basket in her arm, gathering herbs and flowers from the hedgerows to use in the cooking pot or for a healing balm or maybe a magic potion. As she walks, she watches the way the leaves on the bushes blow in the wind, knowing from ancient weather-lore that this will tell her if it will rain or if the sun will shine. Rowan was also a great main character for this story. Mainly because she's in every way possible a typical teenager. She wants to belong. She wants some excitement. She wants a boyfriend and her first kiss. She doesn't want to be an outsider any longer. And that means that at times she does typical stupid teenage things. And then at times she doesn't, which makes her likable. THE GREEN HEDGE WITCH goes into detail about the symbolic hedge between the Worlds and how we may start to work with nature spirits, principally trees. The technique of exchanging blessings with the trees and other land spirits is described fully. The main focus of the book is the healing of damaged places and species and the renewal of harmony between human beings and other life forms. (In my opinion, this is the most important work we can do and is a present day version of the hedge witch’s traditional role.)