Joanna Van Der Hoeven’s new release with Moon Books in the Pagan Portals series, The Hedge Druid's Craft, draws from the well-known practices of Wicca, Traditional Witchcraft (including the cunning artes) and Druidry. Using the techniques of ‘hedge riding’ to travel between the worlds and realms, the author directs the inquisitive reader into a clear understanding of how to work with boundaries and liminal space. These are a key to expanding magical ways of bringing back enchantment perhaps lost from our everyday modern lives. Van De Hoeven has written many books, primarily about aspects of Druidry, with her unique and well placed understanding of its place in the world. Her writing style is engaging and the book is written in a straight forward and concise way. The author is both instructive and encouraging, whilst maintaining authority of the subject. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on weather lore, something I had not studied before but am now keen to research further. I found her guide to using herbs and plants in the Plant Lore section, very informative and inspiring. I was also impressed that the author included her own personal experiences when appropriate, such as being privileged to witness a group of adders being born and being visited by a fairy, these very poignantly add to the credibility of each aspect of Hedge Druidry. I believe that anyone who is seeking a way of including different aspects of Wicca, Witchcraft and Druidry in their unique practice will find The Hedge Druid’s Craft an essential tool to enable success. This is definitely THE book for those whose spiritual beliefs overlap into different paths but who also want some structure to their practice. If this is you then you should definitely buy this book! ~ Thea Prothero , Indie Shaman magazine - Issue 38, October 2018

Hedgerows are liminal spaces - where different places meet - and are also traditionally magical locations that allow the mundane world and otherworlds to mingle just a little bit. Pagan Portals - The Hedge Druid's Craft is a new introductory book that forms a similar mingling of magical traditions; an eclectic paganism that blends Druidry, Wicca, traditional witchcraft and a dollop of shamanism. The focus is on developing techniques of shamanic journeying and of viewing this world through an altered state of consciousness in order to see the magic around us. This technique of walking between the worlds is called "hedge riding" in some forms of traditional witchcraft. The symbolism of the hedge as a liminal space is used to help us shift our consciousness between this realm and other planes. The first section of the book is mostly about how to develop the skills of hedge riding and ways this can be used to connect with the ancestors, deities and the fair folk. The second section moves on to journeying to the shamanic lower, middle and upper worlds via the world tree. Later sections cover traditional plant lore, animal lore, weather lore, folk magic spells and wheel of the year rituals. As an introductory book, it does a good job of explaining some reasonably complex techniques briefly and succinctly. Author Joanna van der Hoeven, who is a Druid, Witch and teacher, has a lovely writing style. The Hedge Druid's Craft is perfect reading for anyone wanting to take their very first steps along the Traditional Witch or Druid's path beside the hedgerows in search of enchantment. Joanna van der Hoeven's earlier books in the Pagan Portals series include The Awen Alone: Walking the Path of the Solitary Druid and The Crane Bag: A Druid's Guide to Ritual Tools and Practices. You can view Pagan Portals - The Hedge Druid's Craft on Amazon. ~ A Bad Witch's Blog

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

What a wonderful book! Written with real warmth and clarity, Joanna van der Hoeven explores the diverse practices of the hedge druid and its sister paths of Witchcraft Wicca and Druidry. Genuine, grounded and packed full of useful knowledge and techniques this book is a real find. Whilst sharing her personal experiences and insights Jo shows you all you need to work with ancestors and faeries, the world tree, animals and herbs and so much more to add a touch of the wild to your own practice and help you dive through the hedge and explore this path for yourself. A perfect introduction for the 21st century hedge rider. ~ Danu Forest, author of The Druid Shaman

The Hedge Druid is a liminal figure, walking along the borders, spanning the realms of the formally-trained Druid and the self-taught cunning woman (or man). Joanna van der Hoeven brings us powerful inspiration for breaking down the boundaries in our own lives and letting magic seep into every corner. Packed full of rituals and lore to guide the reader on their own journey across the hedge, The Hedge Druid's Craft offers a bounty of ideas for Pagans of many paths to re-enchant their lives. ~ Laura Perry, author of Ariadne's Thread: Awakening the Wonders of the Ancient Minoans in our Modern Lives

This book is an absolute must for anyone seeking to deepen their magical nature or set out upon a path to connect with the world around them. Jo is incredibly inclusive and covers aspects of witchcraft, Wicca and druidism interspersed with an alamanac-style folklore juxtaposed against modern science and a common-sense realism about the modern world we find ourselves in. As a witch on an eclectic path, and a trainee Bard, many of Jo’s words and experiences really resonated with me. Like Jo, I have always been a witch, but appreciate this can mean different things to different people, and I also have found that some Druidic paths can at first appear dry and academic, but with this volume you can sink your toes into the earth and reach high into the sky to touch the stars; to feel what being a Hedge-Druid can really mean; how it can change your world. Jo works with herbs, plants and animals, examining all types of creature, from what we might consider the lowest, such as insects and invertebrates, to the magnificent mammals such as stags and horses. She reminds us that each has a vital place in the world, and in its eco-system, and even shows us how we might go about finding our own animal ally. As well as the earthly beings we can connect to, Jo teaches us how to connect to the celestial beings; the sun, moon and stars, and the aspects of our earth that they control, such as the tides and the seasons. Jo speaks to us of the inherent goodness in some people; how we can look past the horrors that some humans have brought upon the world and see the hard work of those (including many druids and those on similar paths) who are trying to fix the damage and repair the connection between humans and nature. Jo reminds us that we can fill each day with 'the magical and the mystical', and gives us the tools and knowledge to create our own deeper understanding of this truly wondrous world we live in. ~ Mabh Savage