The Path of the Hedge Witch: Simple, Natural Magic and the Art of Hedge Riding

Natural Witchcraft for the Solo Practitioner

Relying on wits, intelligence, integrity, and strength, the hedge witch walks a simple and solitary path that requires few tools or complex rituals. This path teaches you how to create a more beneficial life for all beings through traditional folkloric knowledge, a relationship with nature, and the art of hedge riding (trance work). Joanna van der Hoeven shows you how to work with the elements, harmonize with the cycles of the moon, walk between worlds, and establish an ever-growing relationship with the Fair Folk. Covering everything you need to build your own Hedge Witchcraft tradition, this beginner-friendly book connects you to the wisdom of wild places and inspires you to find enchantment every day.

“The Path of the Hedge Witch is a delightful book—a rich compendium of lore and packed full of insight and practical guidance to form your own path into Hedge Witchcraft, drawing on deep roots and solid experience. Joanna’s books are always a treat and this is a sound and trusted guide to those new to the practice, covering all you need to know to weave your own traditional magic and showing you how to fly over the hedge and far away! Highly recommended.”—Danu Forest, author of Celtic Tree Magic and Wild Magic

“Reading this book is like coming home. Joanna van der Hoeven leads us between the worlds, exploring the path of the hedge witch, while encouraging us to weave our own relationship with the Mysteries. Practical and poetic, The Path of the Hedge Witch opens a portal to the immanent divinity of the natural world, guiding us to learn the art of hedge riding with a magical compendium of ritual, spellcraft, plant allies and folklore. I am utterly enchanted.”—Danielle Blackwood, author of The Twelve Faces of the Goddess and A Lantern in the Dark

“The Path of the Hedge Witch is a charming walk down the path of the country Witch, blending the practical and the Otherworldly with ease and grace. Author Joanna van der Hoeven has written a truly original book on solitary Witchcraft for those who wish to make a deeper connection to nature in their own way.”—Deborah Blake, author of The Eclectic Witch’s Book of Shadows and Everyday Witchcraft

“Joanna provides a comprehensive, up to date and personal account of her hedge witch path and practices. In this book, the reader is treated to both thorough research as well as the poetic beauty of our wild world. Whether an advanced practitioner, or beginner on the path of Hedgewitchery, this book provides all you need to make hedge riding and simple natural magic a part of your life.”—Moss Milne, founder of Spiral Path: Seasonal, Slow and Spiritual Living, an online resource

“Joanna has written an enchanting and practical book about natural magic that will appeal both to the beginner and advanced practitioner alike. Written in an easy conversational style, she offers simple everyday practices that can easily be incorporated into everyday life. Above all, she encourages us to listen to our hearts and souls rather than follow complex, established traditions, and emphasises the importance of trusting our own experience as we explore the beauty and wisdom of the natural world. An invaluable handbook for the budding hedge witch!”—Mara Freeman, author of Kindling the Celtic Spirit and director of the Avalon Mystery School

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The Book of Hedge Druidry: A Complete Guide for the Solitary Seeker

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.  Create an altar and craft rituals based on the Wheel of the Year and important life passages. Discover enchanting moon rites and ideas for daily practice as well as insights for working with herbs, spells, and the Druid 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.

“Joanna van der Hoeven eloquently offers tools, theories, techniques, and her inimitable wisdom to guide the solitary Druid practitioner through the dappled groves of tradition. This is the perfect ally to those new on the path and seeking a genuine voice to accompany them.”—Kristoffer Hughes, author of The Book of Celtic Magic

“Joanna van der Hoeven has deftly woven together various strands of wisdom to craft a tapestry that is accessible, foundational, and inspirational to all who are drawn to the path of Druidry. She offers insightful practices, heartfelt rituals, powerful tools, and resonant meditations that are infused with tradition and informed by experience; clearly Joanna has walked the pathways she now illuminates for others to explore as well!”—Jhenah Telyndru, author of Avalon Within: A Sacred Journey of Myth, Mystery and Inner Wisdom

“In the skillful presentation of both theory and practice, Joanna provides a working template for the Hedge Druid, encouraging them to develop their own path, one that has true resonance and personal meaning. Highly recommended!”—Philip Carr-Gomm, author of Druid Mysteries, What do Druids Believe? and The Druid Way

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The Awen Alone: Walking the Path of the Solitary Druid (A No.1 Bestseller, with over 15,000 copies sold!)

Druidry is a wonderful, spiritually fulfilling life path. Through the magic that is Druidry, we build deep and abiding relationships with the natural world around us, and through our connection to the natural environment we walk a path of truth, honour and service. We aim to immerse ourselves in the present moment, in the present environment, in order to share in the blessing that is the cycle of life.

Throughout the ages, people have withdrawn from the world in order to connect more fully with it. This book is an introductory guide for those who wish to walk the Druid path alone, for however long a time. It is about exploration and connection with the natural world, and finding our place within it. It covers the basics of Druidry and how, when applied to the everyday life, enriches it with a sense of beauty, magic and mystery.

This book is for those people who feel called to seek their own path, to use their wit and intelligence, compassion and honour to create their own tradition within Druidry.

Now available as an audiobook – click HERE for more details!

“This is one of the best ‘core’ texts on Druidry that I have had the pleasure of reading.” – Cat Treadwell, Author of A Druid’s Tale and Facing the Darkness

“This is not a book about Celtic scholarship or the historical Celts, rather it is a guide to how to BE a modern Druid in the world today.” – Ellen Evert Hopman, author of A Druid’s Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine, Priestess of the Forest – A Druid Journey, and other volumes

“It is enthusiastic, based in good practice, and allows the reader to start with sound and gentle steps. I heartily recommend it.” Graeme K Talboys, author of Way of the Druid: Rebirth of an Ancient Religion and The Druid Way Made Easy

To order in North America, you can visit Amazon, Chapters or Barnes and Noble.

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The Crane Bag: A Druid’s Guide to Ritual Tools and Practices

An introduction to the ritual tools and practices found in the Druid tradition. Held deeply within Celtic mythology, the crane bag is both a symbol of sovereignty, as well as an item containing the ritual tools of the Druid. With the proper use, it can further the Druid in working with the tides of nature, finding his or her own place in the environment, living in balance, harmony and peace. In ritual, these tools and practices can guide one to deeper levels of meaning and understanding within the tradition, helping the Druid on his or her journey through life and towards integration with the natural world.

“Storytelling and practicality combine to guide the reader through the creation and uses of ritual tools. Joanna is clearly inspired by the ancient tales and offers useful insights and ethical understanding to ground old teachings in a contemporary setting. A clear passion for the Land permeates the book and will inspire many readers to deepen their links to their own local landscapes. The ritual format moves beyond the Wiccan styles familiar in so many other books, to consider practices rooted in myth and Insular Celtic culture. Whilst built on solid scholarship, this book is accessibly written and engaging, a definite bonus to the bookshelves of those starting out in Druidry as well as experienced walkers wanting to revise and reconsider their journeys.“ ~ Robin Herne, Course Leader, Religious Studies and Ethics, University Campus Suffolk and author of Old Gods, New Druids

Available on Amazon and from all good bookstores. Click HERE for more details.

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The Hedge Druid’s Craft: Walking Between the Worlds of Wicca, Witchcraft and Druidry 

To all who walk the wild ways, may we be the awen.

The Hedge Druid’s Craft blends the traditions of Wicca, Witchcraft and Druidry into a spiritual path that uses the techniques of “hedge riding” to travel between the worlds, bringing back wisdom and enchantment into our everyday lives.

It is about working with boundaries, with a foot in either world, living around the edges and working with liminal times and places. Yes, it is mostly a solitary endeavour, but there is so much more to it.

For all those whose paths meander and often overlap, to those who would not be constrained nor confined by labels, yet who seek some definition, then this book is for you. If you are interested in Witchcraft, Wicca or Druidry, this book will also sing to your soul.

“Liminal places hold great power and deep magic; they are spaces between worlds, between times, and between states of being. Learning how to cross these boundaries brings insight, wisdom, and transformation. The Hedge Druid’s Craft by Joanna Van Der Hoeven presents a unique approach to spiritual practice which straddles the worlds between Witchcraft and Druidry, and lays out a clear pathway for those who seek to learn how to ride the hedge in their own work. While the book is filled with practical information, accessible tools, and inspired workings, it is van der Hoeven’s beautifully written sharings of her personal experiences and Otherworldly encounters which makes The Hedge Druid’s Craft truly shine.” – Jhenah Telyndru, founder of the Sisterhood of Avalon and author of “Avalon Within”, “The Avalonian Oracle”, and “Rhiannon: Divine Queen of the Celtic Britons”.

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Honour-bound: She must win back her life, and her soul (Fiction)

Honour. Faedriel Falconwing, having grown up in the dark city streets of Loviath Citadel, has known no such thing. Then one day events happen to make her question her way of life and all that she has known. Taken as a child from her elven father, Faedriel was raised by her human mother in the Thieves and Assassins’ Guild. She rose within the ranks of the Guild until one day she is called to kill a priest of the Goddess Morritria, Lady of the Forest. Before she completes her mission, the priest gives her a strange message from the goddess: that she is called to regain her lost honour, and save her soul. Faedriel flees the Citadel and begins the quest to reclaim her elven heritage and her honour. Pursued by the Guild for desertion she finds danger, excitement and love as she tries to win back her soul. This is the first fantasy fiction work by Druid and best-selling author, Joanna van der Hoeven.

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Dancing with Nemetona: A Druid’s Exploration of Sanctuary and Sacred Space

Nemetona is an ancient goddess whose song is heard deep within the earth and also deep within the human soul. She is the Lady of Sanctuary, of Sacred Groves and Sacred Spaces.

She is present within the home, within our sacred groves, our rites and in all the spaces that we hold dear to our hearts. She also lies within, allowing us to feel at ease wherever we are in the world through her energy of holding, of transformation. She holds the stillness and quiet of a perfect day; she is the stillness at the end of it, when the blackbird sings to the dusk. She is the energy of sacred space, where we can stretch out our souls and truly come alive, to be who we wish to be, filled with the magic of potential.

Rediscover this ancient goddess and dance with a Druid to the songs of Nemetona. Learn how to reconnect with this goddess in ritual, songs, chants, meditation and more.

Ellen Evert Hopman, author of Priestess of the Forest says “This lovely volume teaches us how to re-sacralize our life. In a sad and violent world we need to remember to find the sacred within all things; our room, our hearth, our home, our altar, our garden, and our sacred Grove. By doing this, ultimately we will find the sacred within all creatures; animal, mineral, plant and human. This is the lesson of Nemetona, divine protectress of the sacred enclosure, so wonderfully expressed within this book.”

Philip Carr-Gomm, chosen chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids says “For those of us upon the Druid path, Nemetona is an intriguing goddess. Joanna’s book welcomes us into Nemetona’s sanctuary that we might know her more intimately. With a combination of helpful exercises and the gentle but compelling wisdom born of Joanna’s relationship with this goddess, we discover that the concept of the Grove and the experience of Sacred Space is more rich and complex than we imagined.”

To order in North America, you can visit Amazon, Chapters or Barnes and Noble.

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Zen Druidry – Living a Natural Life With Full Awareness

This book a blend of two distinct and yet similar practices to create a path that is immersed in nature and the present moment. Itis part of Moon Books’ Pagan Portal series.

Taking both Zen and Druidry and embracing them into your life can be a wonderful and ongoing process of discovery, not only of the self but of the entire world around you. Looking at ourselves and at the natural world around us, we realise that everything is in constant change and flux – like waves on the ocean, they are all part of one thing that is made up of everything. Even after the wave has crashed upon the shore, the ocean is still there, the wave is still there – it has merely changed its form. The aim of this text is to show how Zen teachings and Druidry can combine to create a peaceful life path that is completely and utterly dedicated to the here and now, to the earth and her rhythms, and to the flow that is life itself.

Review by Philip Carr-Gomm: Zen Druidry affirms the richness of this particular combination, and offers an excellent insight into the ways in which the ways of Zen and Druidry can be united to form a rich and meaningful philosophy and way of life.

Joanna’s book is one of Moon Books `Pagan Portals’ series, which takes interesting topics and asks writers to cover them in 60 to 70 pages. For those of us haunted by the piles of worthy books we want to read, but simply can’t find the time to get to, a Pagan Portal book offers the tempting prospect of finishing an entire book in one or two sittings. This is not, I know, sufficient reason to recommend a book, but the format forces an author to get to the point and not repeat themselves or expand to fill their requisite 200 pages, and the result as far as I can see is that it works.

Here Joanna suggests ways in which the two approaches can be combined, showing us the connections between the Five Noble Precepts of Buddhism and Druidry, and then looking at how the two approaches can work together in meditation. As she writes: `Druidry, when applied with the [Zen] mechanics of non-attachment, allows for a total immersion in the present moment, where true relationship can be obtained and where the awen flows as freely as it ever could.’

The best dishes are the ones that leave you wanting more, and Joanna’s book is like a perfect hors d’oeuvres. She shows you how well the two paths can weave together, and if someone were to ask me what books I’d recommend to those interested in combining Buddhism and Druidry, I’d say: start with Zen Druidry and then move on to Jason’s Kirkey’s Salmon in the Spring which continues the journey of exploration into the way the traditions of Celtic spirituality and Buddhism can complement each other, a journey wonderfully introduced in Joanna’s Zen Druidry – Waking To The Natural World.”

To order in North America, you can visit Amazon, Chapters or Barnes and Noble.

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Zen for Druids: A Further Guide to Integration, Compassion and Harmony with Nature

The teachings of Zen Buddhism combined with the earth-based tradition of Druidry can create a holistic way of life that is deeply integrated with the seasons, the environment and the present moment. In soul-deep relationship we can use the techniques and wisdom from both traditions to find balance and harmony within our own lives.
In this text we explore the concepts of the Dharma (the Buddha’s teachings) and how they relate to the wisdom of the Druid tradition. We also look at the Wheel of the Year in modern Druidry with regards to the Dharma, incorporating the teachings into every seasonal festival in an all-encompassing celebration of nature. We explore meditation, mindfulness, animism and integration with nature, learning how to find sustainable relationship in the work that we do, opening our souls to the here and now and seeing the beauty and wonder that enchants our lives in every waking moment.
Step into a new life, fully awake and aware to the beauty of the natural world.

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The Stillness Within: Finding Inner Peace in a Conflicted World (2015)

A collection of writings based on peace, compassion, mindfulness, meditation and more. All proceeds of sale go to charity: The Woodland Trust and Orangutan Appeal UK.

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Published Essays 

“Putting the Hedge Back in Hedge Druidry“, Llewellyn 2019

“What is a Hedge Druid?” Llewellyn Blog, 2019

“The Fair Folk”, Pagan Dawn Magazine, Samhain 2017

“The Mirror of the Self”, Pagan Dawn Magazine, Summer 2017

“Opening the Gates of the Druid College” (interview) for Pagan Dawn Magazine Imbolc Issue 2016

“Re-weaving: Mend the Tapestry of Your Life” for SageWoman Magazine, No. 88 entitled “Serenity” 2015

Druidry: A Deep Green Spirituality for Druid Magazine, Fall 2015

Interview with Joanna van der Hoeven for Druidic Dawn’s online magazine, Aontacht, Summer Solstice edition 2015

“Peace” a commissioned article for the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids’ 50th anniversary celebration book, The Golden Seed, May 2015

Interview with Emma Restall Orr on Sacred Spaces for Pagan Dawn Magazine, Beltane Issue 2015

“Ethics and Pantheism” for Pagan Dawn Magazine, Samhain Issue 2014

Vegan or Vegetarian? The Ethical Debate, for Witchvox, published online September 2015

“Hymn to Nemetona” for Pagan Dawn Magazine, Lammas issue 2014

“Ancestors of the Future” for Circle Magazine, Issue 115 – Family and Tradition, Winter 2013

“The Nature of Pagans” for Pagan 101: An Introduction to Paganism by 101 Pagans, Moon Books 2013

“All the Goddesses Who Are Independent: Exploring the Singular Female Deities” for Naming the Goddess, Moon Books 2014

Online Essays

Please see The Druid Network for essays written by myself and others within the Druid community.

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Interviews

Out-and-Out Vibes Interview with Joanna van der Hoeven, March 2010 (Listen Here)

Interview with Joanna van der Hoeven for Anima Monday, Feb 2019

Joanna van der Hoeven is the sofa guest on BBC Radio Suffolk’s “The Lesley Dolphin Show”, hosted by Matt Marvel Jan 2017

Interview with Joanna van der Hoeven for Pagan Writers Community, October 2016

Breathing the Ancient Breath – An Interview with Joanna van der Hoeven for Pagan Pages, October 2016

Interview on A Kitchen Witch’s Blog, July 2016

Letting Nature Live Through Us: An Interview with Future Primitive Podcast, June 2016

Exploring Pagan Ethical Codes: Druids for The Wild Hunt, 5 January 2016

Interview with The Wild Hunt: Druid College Begins First Term, October 2015

Interview for Upon a Pagan Path podcast March 2015 (Listen HERE)

OBOD 50th Gala Anniversary, interviewed by Philip Carr-Gomm July 2014 (Listen HERE)

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Other blogs

Hedge Riding: The Art of the Hedge Witch at SageWoman’s channel on Witches and Pagans

The Druid Herbalist