Forest Magic: Rituals and Spells for Green Witchcraft

by Nikki Van De Car, Elin Manon (Illustrator)

Connect to the enchanted mystery of trees, plants, and forests as you engage in green witchcraft, rituals, spell work, and seasonal magic crafted by the bestselling author of  Practical Magic , Nikki Van De Car.

Forest Magic  is a guide to befriending the mysterious and wise guardians of our woodlands. Ancient and wise, trees and plants watch over us—sheltering us and guiding us. At the same time, it is our calling to cherish and honor them, as we work together in eternal reciprocity. Humans have always lived in mutual communion with the forest, dwelling in its shadowy depths, tending to it as it protects us, trading oxygen for carbon dioxide, again and again, with each day, each hour of sunlight, each breath. It is a sacred—magical—exchange that we can honor with rituals, spell work, and intention.

Readers will explore the magic of the forest first by learning to create their own sacred grove, whether they live deep within nature or in the very center of a city. From there, Forest Magic  explores the year in two parts—The Oak King, for the first half of the year, and The Holly King, for the second half. Each section explores pagan holidays and celebrations associated with nature's rhythms, rituals and practices for communing with and tending to the plants that thrive during these times, discussion of the magical properties associated with each tree and shrub, and plant-based healing. Dozens of gorgeous, full-color illustrations accompany this inspiring, accessible guide to becoming one with the magic and mystery of trees.

Genres: Witchcraft, Nonfiction, Magick, Occult

144 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2024

About the author

Nikki Van De Car is a blogger, knitter, and mother whose books What To Knit When You're Expecting and What To Knit: The Toddler Years chronicle the way her knitting changed as her daughter grew. Her popular knitting blog has received over 1.5 million pageviews since its inception in June 2008, and her patterns have been published in Interweave and Ply magazines, among others. Nikki lives in Hawaii with her family.

Come visit her on Instagram at @nikkivandecar and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sereknity/

Reviews

[Daniel Hardy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know that there is a lot I can say about this book that won't come across with the same tone as that Community quote "I can excuse racism, but ..."

I liked the book initially, and was planning on offering a higher star rating until I came across the casual suggestion that we take a hoodoo ritual and intentionally bastardize it; without acknowledging the closed space hoodoo exists in, without seeming to understand that this is, by definition, cultural appropriation- taking things from cultures closed to you disrespecting them (in this instance, intentionally) rather than sharing the culture together with people from it. So with that single paragraph , the author shows that they either don't know enough about the topic to be writing such a book OR that they have no respect for the topic and for those who practice it.

there were things I did like about the book, and also things I was curious about - for a book very specifically intended to be used by folks living and practicing in north America, there's a surprising amount of non-native plants and trees here, including invasives, and recommendations to use some of these in ways that could be harmful or poisonous without clearly explaining how to avoid harm.

if you want to read past all of that, there were some suggestions for engaging with nature and the woods that I haven't seen elsewhere, but I generally wouldn't recommend this book.

[Clover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
Thoughtful and light.

Another beginner's book that works for any age, although it might appeal best to young adults. The illustrations are nice, great work done by Elin Manon!

I did learn some things from this book as I'm not as well versed in trees as I should be. It's a very easy read and the rituals and spells are accessible. I was slightly disappointed with the broad strokes, but that's why I'm considering it a beginner book. She notes that most of the plants and trees are from North America and that she herself isn't from there (she lives in Hawaii). I do understand the need for the broad and general use, but I do think she could have spoken more about her own path.

She lightly goes over the Persephone myth, the Oak King and Holly King myth, and general bits about the trees (it's good luck to catch an oak leaf).

It includes a table of contents and a wonderful index. Sadly, no bibliography or references.

It fits the general mold for beginner occult books. It's not ground breaking or revolutionary by any means, but I do appreciate the niche topic. This would be a good start for a green witch, but plenty of other more specific books will cover the same things with more detail.

I liked it. It's a great book for the library! Definitely check it out if you're new and curious. There will be plenty of interesting things inside.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well... the illustrations are pretty. I suppose the book is fine...
It's just... This book kind of leads you to believe it's for all pagans but then there is so much Wicca-focused information. The very structure of the groups of chapters are split between two Wiccan Gods. I have nothing against this. I just wish it didn't claim it for Green Witchcraft (a general term that any kind of witch can be regardless of religion) and then made it in a way that is for a specific religion. Again, nothing against Wicca; it's just not my cup of tea.
Speaking of tea, one of my pet peeves with a lot of witchcraft books is when they recommend ingesting any kind of herb without pointing out health risks. This book did it MANY times. Even if you do not take meds that interact with certain herbs (like me) it is NEVER ok to suggest eating or drinking anything without pointing out proper research.
The rituals and spells in the book in general lacked thorough instruction. In one case it asked you to combine several ingredients then did not say what to do with the mixture.
Honestly, this book was a pretty big letdown for me. I love trees and the forest. I was really hopeful for a witchy book about that to add to my collection. This just isn't it.

[Kimik Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for some new ideas but unfortunately this book turned to some of the same old gender essentialist notions of masculine and feminine, whatever those mean.

I was also not impressed by the inclusion of gems and stones, the mining of which, is environmentally destructive. Any spiritual pursuit that fails to take into account the environmental and cultural costs in its beliefs and practices is not serving anyone spiritually. At least not me.

Edit, I was kind of an ass when I wrote this and I didn't want to leave such a bad review. The artwork is amazing and there is a lot of potential for growth. I'm probably not the target audience for this book as I only dabble in witchcraft out of curiosity and a desperation to make a different, kinder world ( and have failed in writing this crummy review).

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an avid gardener who has always felt the most peace and connection to the universe when out in nature, this book speaks to me! I borrowed this from the library, but it may be worth purchasing to have it around as a reference. I feel inspired to start celebrating the holidays—as a way of marking time and personal reflection moreso than perhaps a belief in magick but who knows what I will believe tomorrow.

[Ophelia Feyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book and Oracle Review: 'Forest Magic – Rituals and Spells for Green Witchcraft'* / 'Forest Magic Oracle – A Deck and Guidebook for Green Witches'* by Nikki Van De Car
Illustrator: Elin Manon
Publisher: Running Press
Release Date: 21st March, 2024

About the Author
Nikki Van De Car is a blogger, mother, writer and crafter. The founder of two knitting blogs, she lives with her family in Hawaii. As a best-selling author Nikki’s previous works include: 'Practical Magic', 'Wellness Witch', 'The Witchy Homestead', 'The Junior Witch’s Handbook' and 'Shadow Magic'.

About the Illustrator
Originally from Wales, but now based in Scotland, Elin is an illustrator whose work is inspired by the natural world, ecology, folklore and anthropology. She graduated from Falmouth University in 2020. Some of Elin’s other illustration projects include: 'The Christmas Cat', 'The Cry of the Red Kite', 'The Wheel of the Year' and 'The Handcrafted Life'.

About the Book
Blurb:
“Connect to the magic of the trees, plants, and forests.

Engage in green witchcraft, spell work, and seasonal magic, whether you live deep within nature or in the very center of a city. Learn to move with the rhythms of the year, celebrate nature-based holidays, commune with plants that thrive in each season, and dive into the world of plant-based healing.”

About the Oracle Deck
Blurb:
“Bring the natural world into your mystical practice.

Befriend the mysterious and wise guardians of our woodlands using the green witchcraft of the Forest Magic Oracle Deck. Whether you live deep in the woods or in the center of a city, these cards – each featuring a magical plant, from trees to flowers – will guide you to a more grounded state of connection with the earth.

Inside you’ll find:
- 40 oracle cards featuring full-color illustrations of magical plants
- Illustrated guidebook with information about the use and mystical properties of each plant.”

My Thoughts
'Forest Magic' guides you on a mystical journey to find your sacred grove, encouraging you to work with, nurture, and honour the forests and woods. We are reminded that nature is everywhere; that we should protect it, and be respectful of everything it provides.

Nikki lovingly recounts the folklore and traditions of the Oak King and Holly King, as well as other myths, through the changing seasons and the wheel of the year. Each celebration from the wheel includes information about plants and trees that compliment and 'thrive'; during the Sabbat or Esbat. Furthermore, each one has a spell that can be done using the plant. It is such a simple yet effective way of acknowledging the changing seasons.

The content throughout is accessible for beginners but there is still plenty to inspire more seasoned witches and magical practitioners. It makes for an extremely useful guide when considering which plants to use in spells and rituals of your own making. I can definitely see myself referring to it during the year, particularly when there is an upcoming Sabbat or Esbat.

I loved the wisdom and knowledge imparted through the stories, but found the ‘Calendar of Trees’ particularly interesting. The Ogham alphabet is not something I’ve come across before and I’m eager to incorporate it into my practice.

The 'Forest Magic Oracle' is a perfect compliment to the book, and I can see myself using them together. The card stock is thick and the illustrations are simple but beautiful. Each card features an image of the plant/tree and its everyday and scientific/botanical name.

I enjoyed trying out the deck, but I wouldn’t consider it an oracle deck in the traditional sense. It doesn’t offer any in-depth or thought provoking guidance. It doesn’t allow for deep introspection and self-exploration. That being said, it’s not a bad thing. It’s a simple deck with simple guidance.

Personally, I see the deck more as a tool to inspire your practice. I would use it to work with the particular plant/tree that I have pulled from the deck; to learn about it and, as Nikki, suggests, use it in a spell. You can of course take guidance from the plant’s/tree’s qualities as well as using them in your spellwork.

The 'Forest Magic' book and deck are beautiful additions to any green witch’s bookshelf.

*Book and deck were gifted by the publisher.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the focus of this book, and the individual spells for each plant was a nice touch. It did, however, partake in the habit of these books that I can’t stand: gendering everything. That’s obviously a long tradition in witchcraft, but I will never understand it and it totally takes me out of a book every time I encounter it. Because of that, I really didn’t care for the Oak King, Green Man, etc. stories. I should’ve clocked that that was the book’s focus, oops. Despite that, I did like some of the spells and the tree calendar astrology thing was fun to do with friends.

[Birna The Red · Rating 2 out of 5]

This feels very much like a generic "witchy" book published with little research or care about the subject material. There's little non magical information presented about plants, not even an illustration for some of them, before you get instructions to make a tea or tincture for consumption.

Oh and apparently the author is ok with taking stuff from closed practices? Yeahhh piss off with that nonsense.

Most of the spells are simply "attune to the energy of this plant".
I read this at the library, definitely glad I didn't waste money on it.

[Jina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light read - Nikki suggests some really beautiful ways to pause, so you can notice and honour the natural world around you as the wheel of year turns. I also really enjoyed the formatting and artwork of this book.

[Jeremy Vetock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second star because I liked the illustrations.

[Marilu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and informative.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sanitized. Attractive enough illustrations. Interesting insight into naming of Mabon in 1970s.