Oh, how I wanted to love this book! My love of gardening and permaculture goes deep, as deep as my devotion to my Druidry. This book should be a combination that plays right into what I want to read about the most. However, The Druid Garden by Luke Eastwood sadly left me feeling “meh”. It’s a solid middle of the road read that leaves you wishing for more inspiration but is at least grounded in a basic understanding of horticulture. I had hoped that the background the author brings to the book, being a trained horticulturist and working in the industry for a decade, would lend this book a level ..read more

On a cold, snowy evening I sat in the sacred grove on our small farm watching the sun set over the hills of the Driftless. Huddled deep in my robe and winter coat I listened to the Winter Winds whistle through the dried grasses and forbes of our tiny prairie. It could have been even colder and even darker, I didn’t care. I had a need that only ritual would soothe. For the first time ever, I started a ritual to speak to the Goddess Brigid. I mean I had done the motions before but my idea of Divinity didn’t really align with the polytheist point of view at the time. Things had started to shift f ..read more

Oh, how I’ve longed for a book such as this! My personal practice has long included land stewardship actions, and I’ve found a lot of commonalities between the ethos of Druidry and permaculture. It’s always surprised me that there aren’t more books about Paganism that include some juicier conversations about caring for the earth in practical terms. But now we have one. Sacred Actions by Dana O’Driscoll is a wonderful bridge between the worlds of Druidry and Permaculture. It strikes the perfect balance of being welcoming to both those who are new to Druidry or new to Permaculture and leaving en ..read more

Maiden. Mother. Crone. How often do we hear or work with this image of the Goddess in Pagan circles? It seems that every Pagan has encountered Her three faces at least once on their path, even if only in passing. Jailbreaking the Goddess: A Radical Revisioning of Feminist Spirituality by Lasara Firefox Allen speaks of a different view of the Goddess. In this book the Goddess is described through FIVE faces. There is the inner child, Femella. Potens stands much like the maiden. Creatrix who’s name says it all (and gets rid of that silly notion that we all must have children). The woman in her p ..read more

There are more Pagans living in areas of the world with seasons that DON’T match the traditional wheel of the year. Yet, it is still a struggle for many of us to find ways to adapt the wheel of the year. Australian Druidry: Connecting with the Sacred Landscape by Julie Brett is the perfect guide for anyone looking to find a seasonal connection for where they live. It’s no surprise to those who follow me that I’ve a big fan of the Pagan Portals. They are easy to read and approachable for almost every Pagan reader without falling into the trap of being repetitive. Australian Druidry delivers on ..read more

A common pursuit of those who follow a Pagan path or practice Witchcraft is to create a magical book. That might mean a Book of Shadows, a Grimoire, or some combination of those. I chose to make a Book of Awen to not only document the important procedures, information, spells, and seasonal celebrations but to also have a source of inspiration. My Book of Awen includes quotes and music that feel important to the essence that makes up the Druidry I practice. Below is a video update of what my book looks like now, over three years since it began. Binding I originally did a custom, handmade bindi ..read more

I’ve spent a great deal of time exploring new forms of divination this summer. It’s one reason why I was intrigued when offered a chance to review Rune Reading Your Life: A Toolkit for Insight, Intuition, and Clarity by Delanea Davis. This book was an all-in-one kit allowing readers a chance to learn and practice using Runes. Sadly, the audience seems particularly limited for young or novice practitioners. It missed the mark for me. The first part of the book is an introduction to Runes. There is a little bit of history, lots of stories from how the author uses Runes, and practical how-to’s. T ..read more

One of my favorite books to recommend to those exploring Druidry is The Path of Druidry by Penny Billington. Many of the best parts of that book are carried over to her book The Wisdom of Birch, Oak, and Yew. Readers who enjoyed the first book will discover even more reasons to appreciate this take on Druidry as they walk through the forest of Birches, Oaks, and Yews. While this is not a true sequel to The Path of Druidry, it feels a bit like a continuation of that work. The chapters are not structured as nicely as in The Path of Drudiry, but a focus on study then heavy practice outside remain ..read more

One of the most wonderful things to happen on the farm this Summer is the planting of my sacred grove. I have long dreamed of planting a grove to cultivate as an outdoor sacred space. This space isn’t complete by any means, but I couldn’t wait to share the space with you! It took me months to figure out where the land would be ok with me planting a grove. There is a lot of restore and bring to life on this farm. I wanted a natural place that was full of wonder and connection that the land also would enjoy. The options for magical places were vast, but there were also practical concerns to be m ..read more

I am lucky to own 8.8 acres of rolling pasture and overgrown woods. This little farmette has provided a unique background to my Druidy and magic. Part of my work this year has been to find the balance between restoration and cultivation on this land. This project will take years, of course, but one of the things I saught out right away were resources that combine land management, gardening, magic, and spirituality. I wanted to share some of those resources with you in hopes that you might also enjoy the combination of magic and gardens. Obviously,  not everyone has the privileged to own a ..read more