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The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker
Experience the Mystery and Magic of Contemporary Druidry
The Book of Hedge Druidry is for those who feel called to explore a powerful earth-based spirituality rooted in Celtic lore. With hands-on practices as well as fascinating perspectives on what it means to be a Druid, this book walks you through the magic of the liminal realm and helps you fill your own cauldron of inspiration.
Longtime Druid Joanna van der Hoeven guides you in creating an altar and crafting rituals based on the Wheel of the Year and important life passages. You will discover enchanting moon rites and ideas for daily practice as well as insights for working with herbs, spells, and the ogham alphabet. When you step onto the Hedge Druid's path, you learn to work with the in-betweeen places, straddling the boundary between this world and the next and developing profound relationships with ancestors, goddesses, gods, spirits of place, and the Fair Folk.
Druidry is a powerful tradition that evokes the mystical spirit of times past. This comprehensive guide to solitary Druidry will connect you to a higher wisdom for the benefit of all.
The Book of Hedge Druidry is for those who feel called to explore a powerful earth-based spirituality rooted in Celtic lore. With hands-on practices as well as fascinating perspectives on what it means to be a Druid, this book walks you through the magic of the liminal realm and helps you fill your own cauldron of inspiration.
Longtime Druid Joanna van der Hoeven guides you in creating an altar and crafting rituals based on the Wheel of the Year and important life passages. You will discover enchanting moon rites and ideas for daily practice as well as insights for working with herbs, spells, and the ogham alphabet. When you step onto the Hedge Druid's path, you learn to work with the in-betweeen places, straddling the boundary between this world and the next and developing profound relationships with ancestors, goddesses, gods, spirits of place, and the Fair Folk.
Druidry is a powerful tradition that evokes the mystical spirit of times past. This comprehensive guide to solitary Druidry will connect you to a higher wisdom for the benefit of all.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 8, 2019
About the author
Joanna van der Hoeven
16 books93 followersJoanna van der Hoeven was born in Quebec, Canada. She moved to the UK in 1998, where she now lives with her husband in a small village near the coast of the North Sea.
Joanna is a former Trustee of The Druid Network. She has studied with Emma Restall Orr and the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. She has a BA Hons English Language and Literature degree.
She is regularly involved with charities and working for her local community.
Joanna is a former Trustee of The Druid Network. She has studied with Emma Restall Orr and the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. She has a BA Hons English Language and Literature degree.
She is regularly involved with charities and working for her local community.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 14, 2019
When I heard about The Book of Hedge Druidry, I knew I needed to read it. I’ve a perennial interest in hedgecraft and the mythos of crossing the Hedge. I consider myself, among other things, to be a hedgewitch.
I am, however, not a Druid - I’ve attended a few pagan events where I witnessed Druid rituals, and read a bit about the history of modern Druidry, but I don’t consider that path to be my own. Still, it is always wonderful to learn more about the beliefs of others, so I was excited to read this book.
This book covers many basic aspects of magical and pagan spiritual practice, such as meditation, visualization, empowerment, and more. For a book with “Hedge” in the title, surprisingly little page space gets devoted to crossing, though there are a lot of pathworking exercises included.
Hedgecraft, to me, is always an advanced art, and to ride the Hedge fully takes a lot of preparation, effort, and control. I can definitely see the exercises in this book would be useful to a novice hoping to ultimately make the crossing, but don’t expect to read this and come away from it with too much information about Hedgecrossing itself.
Still, there is a lot of decent material here, including a wide array of rituals to start a basic practice. The author mostly talks about the basics of paganism, magic, and more, while also contextualizing them for Druidic practice.
Still, I’d recommend the book as a whole for students with at least passing magical familiarity. Those starting from nothing might find some of the terminology confusing. Good for beginners, but perhaps not absolute beginners.
The author is refreshingly frank when talking about the history of modern Druidry. There is no pretension of an ancient, unbroken lineage, and she’s quite honest about where various practices actually originate.
On that note, a lot of the rituals and practices in the book, despite the Druid title, do have a bit of a Wiccan flavor. I didn’t mind this, despite not being Wiccan myself, but other witches might, so I thought I’d mention it.
All-in-all, I give this book three out of five stars. It’s a decent look at modern pagan practice in the context of Druidry. I’m specifically not giving it four stars, though, mostly because it doesn’t really address Hedgecrossing in enough detail. I honestly think the author should’ve just chosen another title, but other than that, it’s quite good. Great for beginners interested in paganism and magic in a Druidic context, though!
I am, however, not a Druid - I’ve attended a few pagan events where I witnessed Druid rituals, and read a bit about the history of modern Druidry, but I don’t consider that path to be my own. Still, it is always wonderful to learn more about the beliefs of others, so I was excited to read this book.
This book covers many basic aspects of magical and pagan spiritual practice, such as meditation, visualization, empowerment, and more. For a book with “Hedge” in the title, surprisingly little page space gets devoted to crossing, though there are a lot of pathworking exercises included.
Hedgecraft, to me, is always an advanced art, and to ride the Hedge fully takes a lot of preparation, effort, and control. I can definitely see the exercises in this book would be useful to a novice hoping to ultimately make the crossing, but don’t expect to read this and come away from it with too much information about Hedgecrossing itself.
Still, there is a lot of decent material here, including a wide array of rituals to start a basic practice. The author mostly talks about the basics of paganism, magic, and more, while also contextualizing them for Druidic practice.
Still, I’d recommend the book as a whole for students with at least passing magical familiarity. Those starting from nothing might find some of the terminology confusing. Good for beginners, but perhaps not absolute beginners.
The author is refreshingly frank when talking about the history of modern Druidry. There is no pretension of an ancient, unbroken lineage, and she’s quite honest about where various practices actually originate.
On that note, a lot of the rituals and practices in the book, despite the Druid title, do have a bit of a Wiccan flavor. I didn’t mind this, despite not being Wiccan myself, but other witches might, so I thought I’d mention it.
All-in-all, I give this book three out of five stars. It’s a decent look at modern pagan practice in the context of Druidry. I’m specifically not giving it four stars, though, mostly because it doesn’t really address Hedgecrossing in enough detail. I honestly think the author should’ve just chosen another title, but other than that, it’s quite good. Great for beginners interested in paganism and magic in a Druidic context, though!
November 11, 2021
I've bought this book based on good Amazon reviews. I wish I concentrated more on negative reviews because now I find them absolutely correct. The amount of positive reviews is rather shocking. This book was underwhelming in every possible way, a total waste of money and time.
For me, the issue is both the contents and the style. Van Der Hoeven is simply not a wordsmith. If you have read life-changing books by naturally gifted storytellers such as Sharon Blackie, you'll know what I'm talking about. In this book there are words and sentences, but they don't flow together, they don't form an organic narrative, they don't speak to one's soul or sound eye-opening. The style of writing is extremely unengaging and unconvincing, it was a struggle to get to the end of the book. It all felt like reading a series of very basic Wikipedia articles, not informative at all.
All the info given is on that basic Wikipedia level, with plenty of historically and archaeologically incorrect information that start already in introduction and first chapter. As someone who is both a pagan and an archaeologist, that is a red line that makes any book lose plausibility for me. Nothing in this book is about druidry, at best it's a very typical New Age, Wiccan mishmash with a bit of druid/Celtic dust sprinkled on top of it. Sticking a druid label on random things doesn't make them druid.
If you have ever read anything on the Celts, traditional or modern witchcraft or magic, and especially if you have read any scholarly work or are a scholar yourself, just avoid this book. I'd easily put it on the list of worst books I've read in my life.
For me, the issue is both the contents and the style. Van Der Hoeven is simply not a wordsmith. If you have read life-changing books by naturally gifted storytellers such as Sharon Blackie, you'll know what I'm talking about. In this book there are words and sentences, but they don't flow together, they don't form an organic narrative, they don't speak to one's soul or sound eye-opening. The style of writing is extremely unengaging and unconvincing, it was a struggle to get to the end of the book. It all felt like reading a series of very basic Wikipedia articles, not informative at all.
All the info given is on that basic Wikipedia level, with plenty of historically and archaeologically incorrect information that start already in introduction and first chapter. As someone who is both a pagan and an archaeologist, that is a red line that makes any book lose plausibility for me. Nothing in this book is about druidry, at best it's a very typical New Age, Wiccan mishmash with a bit of druid/Celtic dust sprinkled on top of it. Sticking a druid label on random things doesn't make them druid.
If you have ever read anything on the Celts, traditional or modern witchcraft or magic, and especially if you have read any scholarly work or are a scholar yourself, just avoid this book. I'd easily put it on the list of worst books I've read in my life.
June 21, 2019
The Book of Hedge Druidry was an informative and in depth book, which covers a lot of ground. The book is also very easy to read, as it's split up in four sections - theory, practice, study, skills & technique. The author also bothered to historical texts to back up her claims and cite them on the bottom of each page that has a reference.
What I didn't like was that the book was sometimes a bit repetitive and a lack of explanation or practice involving hedge riding, Otherworld and spirit work in the book.
Though, overall, this is a good introduction to hedge druidry and a great reference book.
What I didn't like was that the book was sometimes a bit repetitive and a lack of explanation or practice involving hedge riding, Otherworld and spirit work in the book.
Though, overall, this is a good introduction to hedge druidry and a great reference book.
May 27, 2019
FULL REVIEW:
"Let me start off by thanking Llewellyn Publications and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to review this book, and wow, what a book! I read a lot, and I do mean a lot, and not every book I read makes it to my blog for a review. In fact, I have read 14 books so far this year, well over my original goal of 12. The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker by Joanna van der Hoeven is one of the best books I have read all year, especially if you are a hedgewitch. While this book focuses on Druidry, I highly recommend it to my fellow hedgewitches, whether you are just starting out or have been practicing for a while.
As the title suggests, this book is a druid approach to hedgecraft, but don't let that deter you if you are not interested in Druidry. van der Hoeven makes it very clear that this path is an individual one, and to use her book as a guide, not a Bible. The book has four parts: Theory, Practice, Study, and Skills and Technique. In the "Theory" section of the book, van der Hoeven covers the basics of Druidry, including Awen, the Three Realms, the Otherworld, the Wheel of the Year, and much more. I am not very familiar with Druidry, but van der Hoeven uses historical texts to back up her claims, citing them at the bottom of each page that has a reference. I would have liked to have seen more references, but I applaud her citing as much as she did, as this is a rarity in the pagan community. Furthermore, much of her tradition and belief is based on folklore, and she even mentions in the "Study" section on spell writing that you too should turn to folklore to write your own spells and rituals. I wholeheartedly agree with her and already turn to folklore in my own practice. Her descriptions of the sabbats are rooted in historical texts as well, and she accurately states that not all 8 sabbats were originally celebrated by our ancestors, that many of these holidays arose with Wicca in the last century. One of my favorite aspects of the "Theory" section is that she covers animism, which is rarely mentioned in other books I have read. In fact, it is a topic I have yet to cover here on the blog, but certainly, plan to remedy in the near future. Furthermore, she spends a lot of time encouraging her readers to get to know the spirits of place and the land around you. She notes how important this is to one's practice, as the magics in Great Britain and Ireland are very different from the magics found in other parts of the world.
The "Practice" section includes beautiful seasonal rituals, moon rituals, and even rituals for rites of passage, such as a handfasting. I can't begin to express how much I loved all the rituals I read. They were a breath of fresh air in a world full of Wiccan inspired rituals. I was truely inspired by the handfasting ritual, and should I marry again, I will definitely be using her ritual as a guide. In each ritual, she notes that you do not have to form a circle or set of sacred space, and offers alternatives for those of us, like myself, who do not include a deity in our practice. The inclusivity of the rituals shows that van der Hoeven took the time to recognize that hedgecraft is very individual and unique, which I greatly appreciated. "Study" includes information on herblore, Ogham, and spellcraft. They are by no means complete, but a nice little introduction to those interested in such things. Her Ogham chapter is particularly good, as she mentions that there are tons of different Oghams, and suggests other books for the reader to use to delve deeper into the study. I love that she mentioned Robert Graves in reference to the Tree Ogham, but did not claim he is the best source. I appreciate this because much of Graves work has been thus proven incorrect.
She ends the book discussing ethics, peace, and being a leader in the community. In the current political climate, this section is a great reminder that our actions must speak louder than our words. She encourages her readers to do what is best for everyone, without being judgie or hiding behind the Three-Fold Law seen in other texts. She also includes no mention of Karma, simply asking that you consider the consequences of your actions.
There are a couple of things I did not like about the book, however. First, her interpretation of hedge riding is a form of pathwalking. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and if that is your shared belief, then ignore me here. Personally, I believe hedge riding and pathwalking are very different. Pathwalking is guided, while hedge riding is not. However, pathwalking is still a great way to meet with spirits and beings of the Otherworld should that be your chosen form of travel, but I believe it is different from hedge riding. Furthermore, I would have loved to have seen more written about the Otherworld and hedge riding than what was included in the book. It was mentioned on and off as an underlying theme of hedge Druidry, but there was not a whole lot of explanation or practice involving hedge riding and spirit work in the book. This was rather disappointing to me because I really love reading about how other people experience the Otherworld. Much of what she does talk about regarding the Otherworld is centered around working with the Fair Folk, and there is so much more to hedge riding and the Otherworld than the Fae. Despite this, I strongly recommend the book to all my readers, giving it a 5 out of 5! If you are looking for something new, whether you are into Druidry or not, The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker by Joanna van der Hoeven is a great place to start! The book is currently available for pre-order and is set to release on July 8, 2019."
PUBLISHED ON: Flying the Hedge
RUN DATE: 5/27/19
LINK: https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/0...
"Let me start off by thanking Llewellyn Publications and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to review this book, and wow, what a book! I read a lot, and I do mean a lot, and not every book I read makes it to my blog for a review. In fact, I have read 14 books so far this year, well over my original goal of 12. The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker by Joanna van der Hoeven is one of the best books I have read all year, especially if you are a hedgewitch. While this book focuses on Druidry, I highly recommend it to my fellow hedgewitches, whether you are just starting out or have been practicing for a while.
As the title suggests, this book is a druid approach to hedgecraft, but don't let that deter you if you are not interested in Druidry. van der Hoeven makes it very clear that this path is an individual one, and to use her book as a guide, not a Bible. The book has four parts: Theory, Practice, Study, and Skills and Technique. In the "Theory" section of the book, van der Hoeven covers the basics of Druidry, including Awen, the Three Realms, the Otherworld, the Wheel of the Year, and much more. I am not very familiar with Druidry, but van der Hoeven uses historical texts to back up her claims, citing them at the bottom of each page that has a reference. I would have liked to have seen more references, but I applaud her citing as much as she did, as this is a rarity in the pagan community. Furthermore, much of her tradition and belief is based on folklore, and she even mentions in the "Study" section on spell writing that you too should turn to folklore to write your own spells and rituals. I wholeheartedly agree with her and already turn to folklore in my own practice. Her descriptions of the sabbats are rooted in historical texts as well, and she accurately states that not all 8 sabbats were originally celebrated by our ancestors, that many of these holidays arose with Wicca in the last century. One of my favorite aspects of the "Theory" section is that she covers animism, which is rarely mentioned in other books I have read. In fact, it is a topic I have yet to cover here on the blog, but certainly, plan to remedy in the near future. Furthermore, she spends a lot of time encouraging her readers to get to know the spirits of place and the land around you. She notes how important this is to one's practice, as the magics in Great Britain and Ireland are very different from the magics found in other parts of the world.
The "Practice" section includes beautiful seasonal rituals, moon rituals, and even rituals for rites of passage, such as a handfasting. I can't begin to express how much I loved all the rituals I read. They were a breath of fresh air in a world full of Wiccan inspired rituals. I was truely inspired by the handfasting ritual, and should I marry again, I will definitely be using her ritual as a guide. In each ritual, she notes that you do not have to form a circle or set of sacred space, and offers alternatives for those of us, like myself, who do not include a deity in our practice. The inclusivity of the rituals shows that van der Hoeven took the time to recognize that hedgecraft is very individual and unique, which I greatly appreciated. "Study" includes information on herblore, Ogham, and spellcraft. They are by no means complete, but a nice little introduction to those interested in such things. Her Ogham chapter is particularly good, as she mentions that there are tons of different Oghams, and suggests other books for the reader to use to delve deeper into the study. I love that she mentioned Robert Graves in reference to the Tree Ogham, but did not claim he is the best source. I appreciate this because much of Graves work has been thus proven incorrect.
She ends the book discussing ethics, peace, and being a leader in the community. In the current political climate, this section is a great reminder that our actions must speak louder than our words. She encourages her readers to do what is best for everyone, without being judgie or hiding behind the Three-Fold Law seen in other texts. She also includes no mention of Karma, simply asking that you consider the consequences of your actions.
There are a couple of things I did not like about the book, however. First, her interpretation of hedge riding is a form of pathwalking. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and if that is your shared belief, then ignore me here. Personally, I believe hedge riding and pathwalking are very different. Pathwalking is guided, while hedge riding is not. However, pathwalking is still a great way to meet with spirits and beings of the Otherworld should that be your chosen form of travel, but I believe it is different from hedge riding. Furthermore, I would have loved to have seen more written about the Otherworld and hedge riding than what was included in the book. It was mentioned on and off as an underlying theme of hedge Druidry, but there was not a whole lot of explanation or practice involving hedge riding and spirit work in the book. This was rather disappointing to me because I really love reading about how other people experience the Otherworld. Much of what she does talk about regarding the Otherworld is centered around working with the Fair Folk, and there is so much more to hedge riding and the Otherworld than the Fae. Despite this, I strongly recommend the book to all my readers, giving it a 5 out of 5! If you are looking for something new, whether you are into Druidry or not, The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker by Joanna van der Hoeven is a great place to start! The book is currently available for pre-order and is set to release on July 8, 2019."
PUBLISHED ON: Flying the Hedge
RUN DATE: 5/27/19
LINK: https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/0...
July 9, 2023
Having previously enjoyed several of van der Hoeven's Pagan Portals books, I was happy to pick up this longer work. As a practicing Druid, my practice looks quite different to the author's -- among other things, I don't work in a polytheist way -- but I have consistently appreciated her inclusiveness, her encouragement to develop your own way of doing things, and her attention to practical considerations (affordability, environmental impacts, etc).
The book is organized into four sections: Theory, Practice, Study, and Skills & Technique. Theory includes chapters on deities, awen, the three realms, the wheel of the year, and so on - core concepts in many Druids' practices. Practice includes chapters on things like tools, ritual crafting, seasonal and other kinds of rituals. Study includes chapters on herbalism, ogham, and spellcraft. Skills & Technique looks at ethics, the concept of peace, and use of voice and body in ritual.
The first section is very, very introductory but is nicely written and would be of interest for a beginner. A lot of it feels Druidry-adjacent really -- the author is also a witch, and discussions of casting a circle feel more Wiccan than Druid at times -- and not all the historical information is accurate. Many Druids integrate other practices with their Druidry and many Druids also practice witchcraft, but the two are not the same; they're a bit muddled here. The Hedge and hedgeriding is covered, but with far too little emphasis given the book's title.
The second section has some of the most interesting content in my opinion. The chapter on Daily Practice has lots of nice ideas for incorporating into day to day life to maintain conscious awareness of one's connection to nature, and the ritual crafting chapters would be useful to someone who isn't experienced in thinking of ritual design in terms of components (opening, ritual, closing). I wouldn't necessarily use the ritual examples as scripted here but there are plenty of nice ideas a reader could adapt to their own cosmology (and the reader is indeed invited to do so).
The third section is very, very introductory and takes on too much. Ogham, spellcrafting, and herbalism are far too complicated and 'big' to be topics of tiny chapters like these. I appreciate them as perhaps sparking a reader's interest in a new area to explore, but none of them really have enough information for a reader to get started with any of these topics. To the author's credit, she clearly acknowledges this and includes a bibliography in the back of the book, encouraging further reading. I like that for ogham, the Scholar's Primer is named as an important source to explore.
The fourth section had some nice ideas in it but I found it to be far too broad. I expect a chapter on ethics to tackle actual ethical questions -- living environmentally consciously, for instance, feels vital to address in a Druid work related to ethics -- but here, it's broad generalizations about getting out of competitive thinking and taking responsibility for our actions that are in no way Druid-specific. I wanted more here, and I know based on some of her other work that the author has plenty to say, so I was disappointed.
Overall: this book would interest a very beginner Druid with witchy leanings who is interested in crafting their own mostly solitary practice. It's clearly written and easy to engage with, encouraging, and largely inclusive (minus a few cisnormative comments here and there). I don't see it revolutionizing anyone's path, but it's an inviting book with little kernels of wisdom and good ideas sprinkled throughout.
The book is organized into four sections: Theory, Practice, Study, and Skills & Technique. Theory includes chapters on deities, awen, the three realms, the wheel of the year, and so on - core concepts in many Druids' practices. Practice includes chapters on things like tools, ritual crafting, seasonal and other kinds of rituals. Study includes chapters on herbalism, ogham, and spellcraft. Skills & Technique looks at ethics, the concept of peace, and use of voice and body in ritual.
The first section is very, very introductory but is nicely written and would be of interest for a beginner. A lot of it feels Druidry-adjacent really -- the author is also a witch, and discussions of casting a circle feel more Wiccan than Druid at times -- and not all the historical information is accurate. Many Druids integrate other practices with their Druidry and many Druids also practice witchcraft, but the two are not the same; they're a bit muddled here. The Hedge and hedgeriding is covered, but with far too little emphasis given the book's title.
The second section has some of the most interesting content in my opinion. The chapter on Daily Practice has lots of nice ideas for incorporating into day to day life to maintain conscious awareness of one's connection to nature, and the ritual crafting chapters would be useful to someone who isn't experienced in thinking of ritual design in terms of components (opening, ritual, closing). I wouldn't necessarily use the ritual examples as scripted here but there are plenty of nice ideas a reader could adapt to their own cosmology (and the reader is indeed invited to do so).
The third section is very, very introductory and takes on too much. Ogham, spellcrafting, and herbalism are far too complicated and 'big' to be topics of tiny chapters like these. I appreciate them as perhaps sparking a reader's interest in a new area to explore, but none of them really have enough information for a reader to get started with any of these topics. To the author's credit, she clearly acknowledges this and includes a bibliography in the back of the book, encouraging further reading. I like that for ogham, the Scholar's Primer is named as an important source to explore.
The fourth section had some nice ideas in it but I found it to be far too broad. I expect a chapter on ethics to tackle actual ethical questions -- living environmentally consciously, for instance, feels vital to address in a Druid work related to ethics -- but here, it's broad generalizations about getting out of competitive thinking and taking responsibility for our actions that are in no way Druid-specific. I wanted more here, and I know based on some of her other work that the author has plenty to say, so I was disappointed.
Overall: this book would interest a very beginner Druid with witchy leanings who is interested in crafting their own mostly solitary practice. It's clearly written and easy to engage with, encouraging, and largely inclusive (minus a few cisnormative comments here and there). I don't see it revolutionizing anyone's path, but it's an inviting book with little kernels of wisdom and good ideas sprinkled throughout.
Read
January 12, 2024I really think, if the author cut the clutter, they probably could have made a one or two volume set on their druidry practice instead of a half dozen or so books on individual sub-topics. It turns out the things that seemed unexplained or under-explained in this book are so because there is a separate title for that.
Some of this came across as an effort to be personable or relatable, but instead it wound up meandering, disconnected, or a little misguided. There is an attempt to relate to a nameless hedge druid character between subjects, but it was so flat it didn't really do anything to enhance the information. Mythic points were repeated, which would have been fine if the repetitions built on each other -- instead, it is brought up with a near identical tone, almost as though the author forgot they mentioned it already.
There is useful information, and if you've never come across it before it might be very inspiring, but I didn't really get anything out of this that makes me feel like a hard copy would be a good reference book to keep on the shelf.
Some of this came across as an effort to be personable or relatable, but instead it wound up meandering, disconnected, or a little misguided. There is an attempt to relate to a nameless hedge druid character between subjects, but it was so flat it didn't really do anything to enhance the information. Mythic points were repeated, which would have been fine if the repetitions built on each other -- instead, it is brought up with a near identical tone, almost as though the author forgot they mentioned it already.
There is useful information, and if you've never come across it before it might be very inspiring, but I didn't really get anything out of this that makes me feel like a hard copy would be a good reference book to keep on the shelf.
April 9, 2021
Hedge Druidism or the practice of a solitary religious pagan is a good book for a beginner to work with but if you are already an experienced practitioner of Wicca (Buckland, Cunningham, etc.) then this is an old hat to you. If you remove the coven craft of Gardnerian and toss in a smidge of Alexandrian ceremonial practice, then you have what you see here.
I liked it as a comprehensive starter for the uninitiated, but other than that it just seems like someone took a few of the older books, polished them up and slapped a new title on them.
I liked it as a comprehensive starter for the uninitiated, but other than that it just seems like someone took a few of the older books, polished them up and slapped a new title on them.
April 1, 2021
This book is... just okay. As a Celtic pagan witch I've felt an interest in druidry, but after reading this, I'm thinking that the path of a druid isn't for me even though I have a deep love of Nature. Maybe it's because the path itself really is all fluffy bunny Wiccan-ish froo-froo, maybe it's this specific author, or maybe it's truly that it's not right for me. I'll try to reserve my judgment about the path itself until I've read other books by other authors about it.
The good: The book has a good amount of information that is useful even if you're not a druid, in my opinion. As a Celtic witch I've found some things mentioned quite useful, in fact. The author seems to have decent information about things like animism and nature spirits as well as a little about the gods. The rituals she mentions are clear and to the point and not overly complicated. I appreciate those things.
The bad: I have an impression that the author is too influenced by Eastern religions and philosophy and Wiccan dogma. There's too much focus on a "zen" mentality. She even mentions Buddhism and other similar philosophies a few times. And though she made sure to say that druids are not Wiccan, she seems to have built a lot of ideas about the druid path around concepts seen in Wicca. It creates an atmosphere of dogma that I personally don't believe ancient druids taught or practiced. Especially when we take into consideration that they shouted curses, which the author mentions several times. I think that tells us that ancient druids weren't fluffy bunny "love and light" hippies, but that's how the author is painting the tradition.
I won't let this discourage me from studying this tradition, but if modern druids really do have about the same beliefs that this author does, it's definitely not the path for me.
The good: The book has a good amount of information that is useful even if you're not a druid, in my opinion. As a Celtic witch I've found some things mentioned quite useful, in fact. The author seems to have decent information about things like animism and nature spirits as well as a little about the gods. The rituals she mentions are clear and to the point and not overly complicated. I appreciate those things.
The bad: I have an impression that the author is too influenced by Eastern religions and philosophy and Wiccan dogma. There's too much focus on a "zen" mentality. She even mentions Buddhism and other similar philosophies a few times. And though she made sure to say that druids are not Wiccan, she seems to have built a lot of ideas about the druid path around concepts seen in Wicca. It creates an atmosphere of dogma that I personally don't believe ancient druids taught or practiced. Especially when we take into consideration that they shouted curses, which the author mentions several times. I think that tells us that ancient druids weren't fluffy bunny "love and light" hippies, but that's how the author is painting the tradition.
I won't let this discourage me from studying this tradition, but if modern druids really do have about the same beliefs that this author does, it's definitely not the path for me.
June 12, 2019
After a long time of paying no mind to Celtic history, I found myself reading my DNA results and discovering a strong Irish and Welsh background. Imagine my surprise growing up Italian and not really knowing what else was mixed in to my make up. Once this was known, I felt I needed to explore the Druid path to see if there was a place for any of it in my practice. Would I connect with parts of myself that have gone unknown and are waiting to be remembered and rediscovered? The Book of Hedge Druidry was the perfect stepping off for me in starting this quest. Alters, prayer, meditations, ritual and rites are all discussed in great detail. The author includes a table of modern Druid correspondences matching elements with seasons as well as directions, stages and attributes that I have found helpful. Much of the material presented was familiar to me as it crosses over into other practices as well. I've put this book down feeling perhaps a stronger kinship to Morrigan and Brighid than before and look forward to putting some of what I've learned in The Book of Hedge Druidry into practice. Many thanks to Llewellyn Worldwide and Netgalley for this ARC (all opinions expressed in this review are authentically mine).
May 1, 2022
Over the past year, I have read multiple books on paganism in general and druidry in particular. This is the first one that I disliked. It read less like a basic overview of druids and druidic practice and more like a tediously pedantic and slightly tone-deaf life coaching lecture from an Oprah wannabe (Seriously. There was a section on [life] choices in this book. Thanks, 'mom'). It also felt just a shade too close to Christianity for my taste. I get that most Pagan practices were appropriated by Christians centuries ago, but I have no desire to appropriate anything from that religious oeuvre in return. I think I'll re-read one of the books I read previously in order to clear my palate of...whatever this was.
July 17, 2019
When I first read the title "The Book of Hedge Druidry," I was immediately drawn to this book because I wasn't sure what a Hedge Druid was and wanted to find out. Joanna van der Hoeven clearly explains the history of Hedge Druidry in addition describing the associated beliefs and giving practical exercises in order to become a Hedge Druid. This text was incredibly rich and thorough in its descriptions and explanations, making it easy to understand even for someone unfamiliar with the practice. I would highly recommend this book to people who are looking to learn about nature-based spirituality and looking for guidance.
February 5, 2020
This is a perfectly suitable book for beginners of any Pagan practice, but it's pretty boring for anyone who isn't a beginner. I am not a beginner. I am giving it four stars because I can recognise it as being a good book even though I was pretty bored throughout.
I listened to this on audio and I do not really recommend it in audio. The narrator is a good narrator, however she is obviously not Pagan at all. This book has made me realise that Pagan books should be narrated by Pagans, or at the very least people who have thoroughly researched pronunciation. There is only so many times an experienced Pagan can listen to the word "sam-hain" before they want to tear their hair out and gouge out their eyeballs. The weird part is that her pronunciation was fine for a whole bunch of oddly pronounced Celtic words, but Samhain was wrong every time. And okay I could be fine with it if it were only a few times, but I am going to estimate she said it about 50 times - there is a section on the festivals, so it is indeed mentioned a huge number of times. It was kind of stressful, and unfortunately any beginner listening to it is going to learn the wrong pronunciation.
Furthermore, audio is not the best medium for a book that has a few bullet point areas. Listening to someone list a bunch of herbs and plants and their properties, or the Ogham and all it's pieces, is not that fun, it's difficult information to retain - the written word is better for such a thing so you can easily go back to reference it later when needed. This is possibly going to be a problem for a majority of Pagan books though.
The author occasionally made mistakes regarding certain things, like the phases of the moon - no the New Moon is not "technically" a tiny sliver of moon, it's literal 0% of reflected light according to astronomy. She also oddly missed a few things, like she would describe a ritual in which you would turn counter clockwise, but then doesn't explain why counter clockwise is the direction you would turn (nor that in the southern hemisphere you would perhaps want to turn the other way instead). I did however appreciate that she discussed how different the cardinal points are for each individual and how dependent it is on region, that is often a point Pagan writers ignore.
Overall, as I stated at the beginning, this is a perfectly suitable book for beginners. It's got a few issues, but that is probably true of all beginner Pagan books sadly. It's solid for what it is. The audio book is not something I recommend for the explained reasons. I personally was wanting a not beginner book, something that delves a bit more deeply into hedge craft and not general Pagan practices, beliefs and ideas. Oh well.
I listened to this on audio and I do not really recommend it in audio. The narrator is a good narrator, however she is obviously not Pagan at all. This book has made me realise that Pagan books should be narrated by Pagans, or at the very least people who have thoroughly researched pronunciation. There is only so many times an experienced Pagan can listen to the word "sam-hain" before they want to tear their hair out and gouge out their eyeballs. The weird part is that her pronunciation was fine for a whole bunch of oddly pronounced Celtic words, but Samhain was wrong every time. And okay I could be fine with it if it were only a few times, but I am going to estimate she said it about 50 times - there is a section on the festivals, so it is indeed mentioned a huge number of times. It was kind of stressful, and unfortunately any beginner listening to it is going to learn the wrong pronunciation.
Furthermore, audio is not the best medium for a book that has a few bullet point areas. Listening to someone list a bunch of herbs and plants and their properties, or the Ogham and all it's pieces, is not that fun, it's difficult information to retain - the written word is better for such a thing so you can easily go back to reference it later when needed. This is possibly going to be a problem for a majority of Pagan books though.
The author occasionally made mistakes regarding certain things, like the phases of the moon - no the New Moon is not "technically" a tiny sliver of moon, it's literal 0% of reflected light according to astronomy. She also oddly missed a few things, like she would describe a ritual in which you would turn counter clockwise, but then doesn't explain why counter clockwise is the direction you would turn (nor that in the southern hemisphere you would perhaps want to turn the other way instead). I did however appreciate that she discussed how different the cardinal points are for each individual and how dependent it is on region, that is often a point Pagan writers ignore.
Overall, as I stated at the beginning, this is a perfectly suitable book for beginners. It's got a few issues, but that is probably true of all beginner Pagan books sadly. It's solid for what it is. The audio book is not something I recommend for the explained reasons. I personally was wanting a not beginner book, something that delves a bit more deeply into hedge craft and not general Pagan practices, beliefs and ideas. Oh well.
December 6, 2023
Joanna van der Hoeven, a practicing Druid, has written an excellent introduction for anyone interested in creating their own similar spiritual path.
The book has four parts: Theory, Practice, Study, and Skills and Technique
The first part, Theory, discusses various aspects of Druidry including the mysterious Awen, the role of gods and ancestors, the three realms, the world tree, the wheel of the year, the cycles of the moon and more.
"Druidry is the quest to find our place in the world and to work in the world in balance and harmony." pg 2
I loved how the author presented this section, which could have been mammoth, very succinctly. She gives so many aspects of the practice because she's encouraging readers to find the parts that work for them. You don't have to embrace everything, only what speaks to you.
The second part, Practice, outlines various rites and rituals to incorporate one's practice into daily life.
She talks about how the ancient practice of Druidry has been lost and how practitioners today are creating their own versions of what that might have looked like. I liked that she emphasizes that unbroken lineage doesn't lend credence to the practice as much as personal exploration and empowerment. Again, she encourages readers to make these rituals their own.
"We don't know what ancient Druids really did, nor do we wish to emulate them in every aspect. We seek to find out as much as we can and learn from it, thereby creating wisdom in our being." pg 66
The third part, Study, looks into herblore, ogham (a type of alphabet that can be used like runes), and spellcraft. Practitioners are encouraged to study and learn these various topics in order to deepen their knowledge.
The final part, Skills and Technique, was the most interesting to me. In it, Joanna van der Hoeven discusses ethics, peace, voice, body and movement, as well as leadership roles.
I found the topics of ethics and peace to be timely.
"We cannot control how others behave. We only have control over how we behave in the world, how we act and react to others. We can lessen our reaction to others to a more intentional way of being through mindfulness of our thoughts, our bodies, and the world around us." pg 296
Change ultimately starts at the individual level and goes from there. Thank you, Joanna, for the reminder.
Highly recommended for spiritual seekers who may be looking for an earth-based spiritual practice.
The book has four parts: Theory, Practice, Study, and Skills and Technique
The first part, Theory, discusses various aspects of Druidry including the mysterious Awen, the role of gods and ancestors, the three realms, the world tree, the wheel of the year, the cycles of the moon and more.
"Druidry is the quest to find our place in the world and to work in the world in balance and harmony." pg 2
I loved how the author presented this section, which could have been mammoth, very succinctly. She gives so many aspects of the practice because she's encouraging readers to find the parts that work for them. You don't have to embrace everything, only what speaks to you.
The second part, Practice, outlines various rites and rituals to incorporate one's practice into daily life.
She talks about how the ancient practice of Druidry has been lost and how practitioners today are creating their own versions of what that might have looked like. I liked that she emphasizes that unbroken lineage doesn't lend credence to the practice as much as personal exploration and empowerment. Again, she encourages readers to make these rituals their own.
"We don't know what ancient Druids really did, nor do we wish to emulate them in every aspect. We seek to find out as much as we can and learn from it, thereby creating wisdom in our being." pg 66
The third part, Study, looks into herblore, ogham (a type of alphabet that can be used like runes), and spellcraft. Practitioners are encouraged to study and learn these various topics in order to deepen their knowledge.
The final part, Skills and Technique, was the most interesting to me. In it, Joanna van der Hoeven discusses ethics, peace, voice, body and movement, as well as leadership roles.
I found the topics of ethics and peace to be timely.
"We cannot control how others behave. We only have control over how we behave in the world, how we act and react to others. We can lessen our reaction to others to a more intentional way of being through mindfulness of our thoughts, our bodies, and the world around us." pg 296
Change ultimately starts at the individual level and goes from there. Thank you, Joanna, for the reminder.
Highly recommended for spiritual seekers who may be looking for an earth-based spiritual practice.
May 11, 2021
“The Book of Hedge Druidry” by Joanna van der Hoeven is a well-written and comprehensive guide to modern Druidry. As I move forward in my own spiritual journey and research different paths, this was a good introduction to modern Druidry.
Hoeven splits the book into four parts: Theory, Practice, Study and Skills & Technique. The Theory section is primarily informational. She covers the deities commonly associated with Druidry, as well as the rituals and celebrations that are incorporated into modern and ancient Druidry. Practice covers the areas you need to think about if you decide to practice Druidry. The last two sections, Study and Skills & Technique, are rituals, spellwork and tools to incorporate into your practice.
I really enjoyed how Hoeven both set up this book and how she addressed the reader. She cited several sources, both modern and classic, to give the potential druid other sources to research. The actual practice she also makes sure to clarify that there is no way we can accurately copy the ancient druids, both due to lack of written documentation as well as some rituals no longer being acceptable in today’s society. As a modern druid, she advises the reader to make sure they research their own path, as well as relying on their intuition and feelings to guide them on their path.
I know as I continue down my path, I am sure I will find conflicting information. As a beginner though, this is a good place to start and gives me a good basis for research, without having to trust the many sources on the internet.
Hoeven splits the book into four parts: Theory, Practice, Study and Skills & Technique. The Theory section is primarily informational. She covers the deities commonly associated with Druidry, as well as the rituals and celebrations that are incorporated into modern and ancient Druidry. Practice covers the areas you need to think about if you decide to practice Druidry. The last two sections, Study and Skills & Technique, are rituals, spellwork and tools to incorporate into your practice.
I really enjoyed how Hoeven both set up this book and how she addressed the reader. She cited several sources, both modern and classic, to give the potential druid other sources to research. The actual practice she also makes sure to clarify that there is no way we can accurately copy the ancient druids, both due to lack of written documentation as well as some rituals no longer being acceptable in today’s society. As a modern druid, she advises the reader to make sure they research their own path, as well as relying on their intuition and feelings to guide them on their path.
I know as I continue down my path, I am sure I will find conflicting information. As a beginner though, this is a good place to start and gives me a good basis for research, without having to trust the many sources on the internet.
September 13, 2019
Highly recommend this book o what I consider excellent lessons, thoughts and practices of British earth magic hedge witchery. I know everyone has tossed and used the word Druidry around and it does an doesn't work imo. While all of the surrounding peoples of the islands of the UK practiced earth magic in high forms I think the practices and energy [as well as Deities in some cases] I feel the word Druid is specifically Celtic in particular Scot Irish and don't know how to explain it but can see the energy difference and practices on a soul level as different [not better mind you or worse] than either Wales which is unto itself but aligned with Celt heavily and then Britain proper. I loved the author and her light sweet energy. It was like a song in the woods under the golden sunlight, pure and bright. Anyone into earth magic be it any form of hedgewtchery or Druidry or both I would cajole to read this if not actually put it on their shelves as it was like a wonderful reminder and song of the sacred if already into your practices and a great start for a beginner
December 4, 2020
This book on Druidry was written in a gentle, engaging style and made me certain that this is the path I want to follow in my life. It was a good overview of the Druid path, filled with nuggets of inspiration and truth. The writer has a bright and inspiring spirit and conveys that in her book. The rituals and explanation laid a great foundation for me as a new Druid. I love the simplicity of the Druid rituals and the connection with the land. She inspired me to go deeper so I'm now doing a Druidy course online. I was a bit disappointed that she didn't offer more information on the ogham as that was one of the reasons I bought the book. I wanted to learn more about the specific trees of the ogham. But I suppose it was impossible to fit everything in a general Druidry book. It did give the basics of the symbols and their meanings. I enjoyed reading the history of Druidry very much and she researched it well.
January 20, 2021
I have never read any books on Druidry before, so I expect that my view may change over time if I do read more. Actually, I listened to the audible version of the book.
Sadly, it did not engage me. There were tidbits here and there that were interesting throughout the book, but it seemed to focus on her own walk vs what someone, in general, might embrace on a solitary journey. Which, admittedly, could be pretty close to the same. I think the problem for me lies in that overall the book is written as if for the general lone practitioner, but then there are these moments in each chapter in which she tries to personalize it. It just didn't seem to flow well.
The chapter on herbalism, however, was very interesting, and this is when I wished I had a pen and paper to take notes - or better yet, book in hand!
Sadly, it did not engage me. There were tidbits here and there that were interesting throughout the book, but it seemed to focus on her own walk vs what someone, in general, might embrace on a solitary journey. Which, admittedly, could be pretty close to the same. I think the problem for me lies in that overall the book is written as if for the general lone practitioner, but then there are these moments in each chapter in which she tries to personalize it. It just didn't seem to flow well.
The chapter on herbalism, however, was very interesting, and this is when I wished I had a pen and paper to take notes - or better yet, book in hand!
May 27, 2019
Let me start off by thanking Llewellyn Publications and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to review this book, and wow, what a book! I read a lot, and I do mean a lot, and not every book I read makes it to my blog for a review. In fact, I have read 14 books so far this year, well over my original goal of 12. The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker by Joanna van der Hoeven is one of the best books I have read all year, especially if you are a hedgewitch. While this book focuses on Druidry, I highly recommend it to my fellow hedgewitches, whether you are just starting out or have been practicing for a while.
You are read my complete review on my blog: https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/0...
You are read my complete review on my blog: https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2019/0...
March 28, 2021
This is a good guidebook that solitary hedge druids and witches can draw lots of inspiration from. Like most OBOD authors, parts of the book are very dogmatic in nature which (in my opinion) negates any solitary seeker's desire. I do look forward into studying more aspects that the book mentions. I just hope other solitary hedge seekers don't get caught up in the clear modern religion part of druidry that this book seems to convey. Other than that I would give this book 3.8 (round up to 4) stars, for content, outline, and writing style. I only wish it wasn't so dogmatic and held more concepts in historical druidry.
May 19, 2019
Note: Special thanks to Llewellyn and Netgalley for providing this ARC.
This was a fascinating read! I have to admit, I don't know too much about druidry, but this was a fabulous read. Not only did it provide insight into modern druidry and go through all the basics, it provided a solid amount of detail suitable for those who aren't beginners, as well. Excellent read. I also really enjoyed how each chapter ended, with a blurb of a hedge druid on her spiritual path. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone interested in druidry.
This was a fascinating read! I have to admit, I don't know too much about druidry, but this was a fabulous read. Not only did it provide insight into modern druidry and go through all the basics, it provided a solid amount of detail suitable for those who aren't beginners, as well. Excellent read. I also really enjoyed how each chapter ended, with a blurb of a hedge druid on her spiritual path. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone interested in druidry.
January 16, 2020
This book is a decent primer for someone wanting to start in the Druid path. It isn’t as good as Penny Billington’s “Path of Druidry” or John Michael Greer’s Druidry Handbook or as detailed as Ian Corrigan’s “Sacred Fire, Holy Well”. However, it is a very good place to start that does introduce some ideas I was not as familiar with. I recommend it with the other listed as a good book for a student just getting into druidry. However, I don’t think anyone more experienced would get much out of it.
June 25, 2020
I really liked this book. The book as four parts. Part one, theory, where overall they talk about Druidism. The second part they bring in ritual regarding some themes they mentioned in part one. Part three focus herb lore, Ogham, Spellcraft. I really liked reading this part of the book. Part Four was dealing with Ethics, peace, having a voice, priestesshood. I will continue to use this book for reference.
March 6, 2021
This is a book I've been reading, thinking about, and absorbing, for over a year. I cannot recommend it highly enough for those interested in this path, or those interested in Druidry. I had always though Druidry was more - external - but the external cannot happen without the internal, and this is all about the internal, about personal responsibility, honour, emotional resilience and integrity. Both a history and a practical guide, with plenty of ideas and practical examples.
May 6, 2021
This is a realy nice book about druidry. Especially, but not only, when you're solitary.
It offers lots of information and inspiration.
The druidry that Joanna shows us is very practical and down to earth. There are many practical Tips for Rituals, Magic and bringing all of this into your daily life.
If your interessted in Druidry and walk a solitary path. Go for it. It's worth the read. Not only, but also for beginners.
It offers lots of information and inspiration.
The druidry that Joanna shows us is very practical and down to earth. There are many practical Tips for Rituals, Magic and bringing all of this into your daily life.
If your interessted in Druidry and walk a solitary path. Go for it. It's worth the read. Not only, but also for beginners.
June 28, 2019
You can see from the start that the author know what she’s talking about. The words she uses are of someone who has the knowledge and the soul to carry along with this tradition. It’s an informative book, it gives you the basics, but it doesn’t stop there. It also motivates you to keep learning, to connect with nature, spirit and the Gods.
July 7, 2019
A very fascinating and informative read. I learned a lot about this tradition that I didn't know and got some interesting food for thought.
The book is well written and I liked the clear explanations and the style of writing.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
The book is well written and I liked the clear explanations and the style of writing.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 26, 2021
I learned a lot ,aspects I wouldn't have even considered, deffo wish to learn more
,most enjoyable,I loved how the moon,equinoxes,seasons,and most deities & rituals were explained ,there is more to druidry than is known
,most enjoyable,I loved how the moon,equinoxes,seasons,and most deities & rituals were explained ,there is more to druidry than is known
October 27, 2021
I really enjoyed reading the book from start to finish, I class myself as a neo-pagan nature witch ,& my information on this is very limited, I intend to read up on all aspects of pagan ,witch,&druidry, knowledge is power as the saying goes.
July 19, 2019
Really nice overview from beliefs down to practice. This book offers a number of sample rituals (about a third of the book) for daily, monthly and Sabbat use.
November 19, 2019
Read my soon-to-be-published review in SageWoman magazine!
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