What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wisdom of the Hive: What Honeybees Can Teach Us about Collective Wellbeing
272 pages, Paperback
Published May 20, 2025
14 people are currently reading
2588 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 28, 2025
2.5 stars (rounded up). This book is beautifully and poetically written. There are moments woven throughout that invite reflection and introspection. I appreciated the emphasis on interconnection - between species, the environment, and ourselves. Overall, this is a moving and lyrical read.
That said, I went in expecting something more rooted in the science of bees. Instead, the book leaned much more heavily into spirituality and folklore. For me, it would have been stronger with a clearer balance between evidence-based insights and the more mystical elements.
Some chapters also felt repetitive, which slowed the pacing. Overall, this one fell short for me, but I think it will resonate with the right reader - someone who opens the book with an open mind and is ready to lean into its spiritual lens.
That said, I went in expecting something more rooted in the science of bees. Instead, the book leaned much more heavily into spirituality and folklore. For me, it would have been stronger with a clearer balance between evidence-based insights and the more mystical elements.
Some chapters also felt repetitive, which slowed the pacing. Overall, this one fell short for me, but I think it will resonate with the right reader - someone who opens the book with an open mind and is ready to lean into its spiritual lens.
September 1, 2025
Part reminiscences about the author learning beekeeping and part new-age spirituality with built-in yoga exercises, complete with long pauses during which the reader is meant to be breathing into their shakras.
If you communicate ideas with concepts of shakras, auras, and manifesting the universe around you, this book may connect with you. If you generally agree with the author, but don't communicate with such concepts, you might find the book a bit tedious. If you don't think in these terms and also aren't already thinking in terms of the more-than-human world, you will probably not enjoy this book at all. I was in the second camp.
The book is also deeply bought into the Christian concept of the "fall of man" and the loss of paradise.
If you communicate ideas with concepts of shakras, auras, and manifesting the universe around you, this book may connect with you. If you generally agree with the author, but don't communicate with such concepts, you might find the book a bit tedious. If you don't think in these terms and also aren't already thinking in terms of the more-than-human world, you will probably not enjoy this book at all. I was in the second camp.
The book is also deeply bought into the Christian concept of the "fall of man" and the loss of paradise.
August 1, 2025
I heard these two authors interviewed on the Insights at the Edge podcast. I was intrigued enough to read the book, as I appreciate the mysticism of beekeeping but don't know much about it. A question posed in the book and on the podcast, which most fascinated me: What if the honeybees are here to save us? Some favorite passages:
P 22: Notice how your body, heart, and spirit respond to the invitation to release your grip on human superiority.
P 42: famous biologist E. O. Wilson: if all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed 10,000 years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.
P 48: some people believe bees know where to sting you and where you need to receive venom.
P 49: I have come to think of the experience of being stung and the energy of a sting as something that is meant to awaken us.
The sting can sharpen our consciousness and let us know, with a jolt, when it is time to deepen our awareness of the present moment or shift course and direction.
P 51: we are reckoning with our overwhelmed nervous systems and the need to be awake to what is occurring so we can respond and ultimately change our ways of being. A reckoning is never easy; neither is receiving a sting that is meant to awaken us with such immediacy.
P 73: People cannot tell that Michelle has lymphedema (it isn’t evident), but she is moving around in silent pain. This same experience happens in our collective. Many are suffering as they move through the world, but no one knows b/c we are not talking about it.
This is different from how honeybees work. If something is wrong in their hive, they immediately acknowledge it and try to address it in a coordinated fashion.
P 86: Francis Weller, psychotherapist, soul activist, and author of The Wild Edge of Sorrow, calls the times we are in the “Long Dark.” In a conversation with Michael Shaw, he said, “What I honor about the Long Dark is that it tells us that certain things can only happen in the Darkness. And certain pieces of work are happening collectively: the breakdowns of capitalism, of systemic racism, of economic disparities, of gender biases and cruelties. These systems must collapse, they have to collapse b/c they do not serve life. They do not serve the generative capacities of life...The Long Dark is this profound time of decay, of compost, of gestation and sustained imagination.
P 87: But what psyche, what soul, invites us to do in times like this is to develop a second kind of sight, to learn how to see in the darkness, to discover the holiness that dwells in the darkness.
P 115: The bees are in a constant dance with the seasons, the ebb and flow of the light, knowing there are times of dearth and times of flow. Their lives are the embodiment of the lemniscate, the sacred figure eight that teaches us the importance of moving back and forth b/n polarities, realizing that they are not separate.
P 187: every third bite of food we partake of is dependent on worker bee pollination to bring it to the table.
Honeybees tap 2 million flowers and fly 50,000 miles to make one pound of honey.
P 22: Notice how your body, heart, and spirit respond to the invitation to release your grip on human superiority.
P 42: famous biologist E. O. Wilson: if all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed 10,000 years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.
P 48: some people believe bees know where to sting you and where you need to receive venom.
P 49: I have come to think of the experience of being stung and the energy of a sting as something that is meant to awaken us.
The sting can sharpen our consciousness and let us know, with a jolt, when it is time to deepen our awareness of the present moment or shift course and direction.
P 51: we are reckoning with our overwhelmed nervous systems and the need to be awake to what is occurring so we can respond and ultimately change our ways of being. A reckoning is never easy; neither is receiving a sting that is meant to awaken us with such immediacy.
P 73: People cannot tell that Michelle has lymphedema (it isn’t evident), but she is moving around in silent pain. This same experience happens in our collective. Many are suffering as they move through the world, but no one knows b/c we are not talking about it.
This is different from how honeybees work. If something is wrong in their hive, they immediately acknowledge it and try to address it in a coordinated fashion.
P 86: Francis Weller, psychotherapist, soul activist, and author of The Wild Edge of Sorrow, calls the times we are in the “Long Dark.” In a conversation with Michael Shaw, he said, “What I honor about the Long Dark is that it tells us that certain things can only happen in the Darkness. And certain pieces of work are happening collectively: the breakdowns of capitalism, of systemic racism, of economic disparities, of gender biases and cruelties. These systems must collapse, they have to collapse b/c they do not serve life. They do not serve the generative capacities of life...The Long Dark is this profound time of decay, of compost, of gestation and sustained imagination.
P 87: But what psyche, what soul, invites us to do in times like this is to develop a second kind of sight, to learn how to see in the darkness, to discover the holiness that dwells in the darkness.
P 115: The bees are in a constant dance with the seasons, the ebb and flow of the light, knowing there are times of dearth and times of flow. Their lives are the embodiment of the lemniscate, the sacred figure eight that teaches us the importance of moving back and forth b/n polarities, realizing that they are not separate.
P 187: every third bite of food we partake of is dependent on worker bee pollination to bring it to the table.
Honeybees tap 2 million flowers and fly 50,000 miles to make one pound of honey.
August 28, 2025
🐝We’ve heard the plea to save the bees, but what if the bees can save us too? This guiding question is at the heart of Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine’s beautifully written and deeply thoughtful book. Drawing from beekeeping, Buddhism, and nature-based shamanic practices, the authors invite us to explore what honeybees can teach us about connection, community, and healing; both individually and collectively.
☀️I loved how accessible and adaptable the practices are. Each chapter includes spells, meditations, and journaling prompts, and the authors encourage readers to approach them with flexibility and intuition. As someone who lives with disability, I was grateful for the way the book affirms that disabled readers can fully engage in these practices, often through simple adaptations. This inclusivity felt intentional and heartfelt, making the book feel welcoming to a truly diverse audience.
💛I appreciated the vulnerability the authors showed in sharing their own lived experiences with disability, trauma, grief, joy, and resilience. This openness creates a sense of trust and reminds us that the lessons of the hive are not abstract ideas, but lived truths. The writing is both trauma-informed and rooted in love, consistently acknowledging the different realities readers bring with them while offering practices that can meet people wherever they are.
✨The book’s holistic approach, weaving together science, spirituality, and storytelling was especially powerful. I was fascinated by the idea of the hive as a superorganism and found myself reflecting on how much brighter the future of humanity could be if we embraced a similar sense of collective interdependence. I found the journaling prompts especially beneficial; they were so insightful that I even adapted them into tarot queries, deepening my personal reflection.
🌼This book is an invitation to remember our interconnectedness with one another and with the natural world. I know I will revisit its meditations and practices often, as they offer gentle yet profound ways to embody the wisdom of the bees. I hope finds its way into the hands of every soul ready to receive its message.
🙏Many thanks to @NetGalley and @SoundsTrue for this ARC to review.
☀️I loved how accessible and adaptable the practices are. Each chapter includes spells, meditations, and journaling prompts, and the authors encourage readers to approach them with flexibility and intuition. As someone who lives with disability, I was grateful for the way the book affirms that disabled readers can fully engage in these practices, often through simple adaptations. This inclusivity felt intentional and heartfelt, making the book feel welcoming to a truly diverse audience.
💛I appreciated the vulnerability the authors showed in sharing their own lived experiences with disability, trauma, grief, joy, and resilience. This openness creates a sense of trust and reminds us that the lessons of the hive are not abstract ideas, but lived truths. The writing is both trauma-informed and rooted in love, consistently acknowledging the different realities readers bring with them while offering practices that can meet people wherever they are.
✨The book’s holistic approach, weaving together science, spirituality, and storytelling was especially powerful. I was fascinated by the idea of the hive as a superorganism and found myself reflecting on how much brighter the future of humanity could be if we embraced a similar sense of collective interdependence. I found the journaling prompts especially beneficial; they were so insightful that I even adapted them into tarot queries, deepening my personal reflection.
🌼This book is an invitation to remember our interconnectedness with one another and with the natural world. I know I will revisit its meditations and practices often, as they offer gentle yet profound ways to embody the wisdom of the bees. I hope finds its way into the hands of every soul ready to receive its message.
🙏Many thanks to @NetGalley and @SoundsTrue for this ARC to review.
July 14, 2025
The Wisdom of the Hive is one of those quietly resonant reads that offers something gentle but grounding if you let it. 🐝✨
Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine explore how we might learn from honeybees to navigate our own collective lives with more care, rhythm, and responsibility. This isn’t just a “save the bees” rallying cry, though. It’s an invitation to slow down, notice our patterns, and perhaps reimagine what community, healing, and sustainability look like through the lens of the hive.
• The writing often felt more meditative than educational, which wasn’t what I initially expected, but worked beautifully when I leaned into it.
• There are reflections at the end of most chapters and gentle prompts for slowing down, which I found restorative.
• I especially liked the chapter on wintering and how bees, like people, need to know when to conserve energy, when to huddle together, and when to rest.
• There are subtle but intentional links to social justice, climate action, and the emotional labor of tending to community, all held in a poetic voice.
But fair warning...
• Some comparisons felt stretched or metaphorical to the point of losing their grounding.
• If you’re looking for sharp scientific analysis or a structured call to action, this might feel a little too abstract.
• The pace can feel a bit meandering, and not every chapter has the same emotional impact.
• I expected more momentum from the prose, but it was more of a gentle unfurling.
• The meditative tone may not resonate with everyone, but it offered me moments of stillness I didn’t know I needed.
This is a book for when you want to sit in the soft light of reflection, not chase answers. It’s part spiritual practice, part ecological meditation, and part call to conscious interconnection. A lovely one to dip in and out of. 🌼🍯
Thank you to Sounds True for the copy.
Michelle Cassandra Johnson and Amy Burtaine explore how we might learn from honeybees to navigate our own collective lives with more care, rhythm, and responsibility. This isn’t just a “save the bees” rallying cry, though. It’s an invitation to slow down, notice our patterns, and perhaps reimagine what community, healing, and sustainability look like through the lens of the hive.
• The writing often felt more meditative than educational, which wasn’t what I initially expected, but worked beautifully when I leaned into it.
• There are reflections at the end of most chapters and gentle prompts for slowing down, which I found restorative.
• I especially liked the chapter on wintering and how bees, like people, need to know when to conserve energy, when to huddle together, and when to rest.
• There are subtle but intentional links to social justice, climate action, and the emotional labor of tending to community, all held in a poetic voice.
But fair warning...
• Some comparisons felt stretched or metaphorical to the point of losing their grounding.
• If you’re looking for sharp scientific analysis or a structured call to action, this might feel a little too abstract.
• The pace can feel a bit meandering, and not every chapter has the same emotional impact.
• I expected more momentum from the prose, but it was more of a gentle unfurling.
• The meditative tone may not resonate with everyone, but it offered me moments of stillness I didn’t know I needed.
This is a book for when you want to sit in the soft light of reflection, not chase answers. It’s part spiritual practice, part ecological meditation, and part call to conscious interconnection. A lovely one to dip in and out of. 🌼🍯
Thank you to Sounds True for the copy.
Read
November 21, 2025I received the ARC/ALC from Net galley for this about a month ago and I've finally managed to finish it.
I've decided not to rate this as it's really just not meant for me. That said, maybe give it a go if you're into alternative medicine thinking and guided meditative practices and stuff like that
I was expecting, as I've now seen a few others mention in reviews, that this would be a lot more scientific, and sort of an anthropological approach to studying bee behaviour. It was far more spiritual and self-help focused than I imagined and those are really not my genres. I was already stepping out of my comfort zone reading something nonfiction, and I've really never liked a single self help book.
the parts that were more focused on the nature of bees and their behaviours as a collective hive were pretty interesting.
in terms of the quality of the audiobook, it was read by the authors which I think made sense because they were basically telling personal anecdotes the whole time, but you can also tell they narrate professionally because it really felt like someone was reading an essay - like they cared about the essay, but still. It didn't feel like they were telling a story like most fiction narrators do (I don't have much experience with nonfiction narration).
They also spoke very slowly, which I'm sure is nice if you're looking for something calming, and I'm sure the guided meditative practices are fine, but I was grateful that netgalley allowed me to listen on 3x speed and I skipped the meditative practice sections...
I've decided not to rate this as it's really just not meant for me. That said, maybe give it a go if you're into alternative medicine thinking and guided meditative practices and stuff like that
I was expecting, as I've now seen a few others mention in reviews, that this would be a lot more scientific, and sort of an anthropological approach to studying bee behaviour. It was far more spiritual and self-help focused than I imagined and those are really not my genres. I was already stepping out of my comfort zone reading something nonfiction, and I've really never liked a single self help book.
the parts that were more focused on the nature of bees and their behaviours as a collective hive were pretty interesting.
in terms of the quality of the audiobook, it was read by the authors which I think made sense because they were basically telling personal anecdotes the whole time, but you can also tell they narrate professionally because it really felt like someone was reading an essay - like they cared about the essay, but still. It didn't feel like they were telling a story like most fiction narrators do (I don't have much experience with nonfiction narration).
They also spoke very slowly, which I'm sure is nice if you're looking for something calming, and I'm sure the guided meditative practices are fine, but I was grateful that netgalley allowed me to listen on 3x speed and I skipped the meditative practice sections...
June 4, 2025
Beautiful cover, interesting book. Interesting in that I am sympathetic too and concerned about the plight of the honey bee. Interesting in the comparisons the authors draw between bees and human species. The comparison of winter being a time of decreased activity for bees, being a critical time for them. A time of slowing down and their interconnectedness and the community resilience that helps them survive. Is this the bees form of "wintering"? Some of the comparisons they draw are a little beyond me, many are interesting. I enjoyed reading the meditative prompts at the end of many of the chapters. Not quite as engaging as I anticipated but still an interesting read.
July 29, 2025
The Wisdom of the Hive is a luminous and soul-stirring guide that reveals the honeybee as both teacher and mirror for our times. Johnson and Burtaine blend myth, mysticism, and ecological insight to draw us into the sacred rhythms of the hive, offering pathways to collective healing, relational harmony, and spiritual attunement. With reverence and poetic clarity, the authors show us how honeybees embody wisdom that transcends survival; they model how to live with purpose, interconnection, and grace. This book is a healing journey, one that calls us to remember our place in the natural world and the sacred responsibility we carry within the collective hive of humanity.
Read
August 4, 2025Calming. That is how I would describe this book. It is how it made me feel.
Through this book I learned a lot about Honeybees and our role on this planet. All through a perspective that I have never considered.
If you are looking for practices, meditation, reflection and a more abstract understanding of Honeybees and human beings, this book is perfect for you!
The audiobook is narrated by the authors, which personally I always love and appreciate very much.
I am taking this thoughts through my life and hopefully they will help me see things more clearly.
Thank you for NetGalley for the gifted Audiobook copy.
Through this book I learned a lot about Honeybees and our role on this planet. All through a perspective that I have never considered.
If you are looking for practices, meditation, reflection and a more abstract understanding of Honeybees and human beings, this book is perfect for you!
The audiobook is narrated by the authors, which personally I always love and appreciate very much.
I am taking this thoughts through my life and hopefully they will help me see things more clearly.
Thank you for NetGalley for the gifted Audiobook copy.
August 27, 2025
The author has a very distinct voice, which the narrator captures well. Drawing inspiration from bees, the book explores political, philosophical, and social justice themes. While there was less focus on bees themselves than I expected, the author uses their social structures as a lens to reflect on human behavior. Each chapter ends with personal exercises that invite readers to engage more deeply with the ideas. There is also a strong emphasis on spirituality and mysticism, which at times reminded me of books on Tarot I’ve read. If you enjoy inner contemplation and social reflection, this book may resonate with you.
January 7, 2026
This book revolutionized my concept of bees and hives and humanity’s connection to them. I am deeply grateful to authors Michelle and Amy for sharing their insights and wisdom. I learned so much! I was fortunate enough to be in the room for a workshop with Michelle and experienced the collective hum and resounding interconnection within our group. Remarkable book! I look forward to humming my way through the year(s) ahead with a greater awareness of our interdependence and the wisdom of the hive!
July 23, 2025
A good book! The writers are obviously very passionate about bees, and it’s lovely to read that.
(Thanks goodreads for the giveaway)
(Thanks goodreads for the giveaway)
October 20, 2025
🐝The bees really might just save us after all! 🐝
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars
I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves nature, spirituality, or that cozy cottage core life. 🏡 The authors' narration brings calm, soothing energy - the honey bee content is essential cottage core. A vibe that makes you want to curl up with tea and honey. 🍵
The guided meditations sprinkled throughout are pure gold. I keep going back and relistening to them when I need help grounding. The guided fire sipping ritual was both mystical and empowering! 🔥Not to be missed, is the final meditation; a deeply emotional guided practice that is an exercise in dreaming and creative exploration.
Thank you to Sounds True Audio for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review! 🙏
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars
I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves nature, spirituality, or that cozy cottage core life. 🏡 The authors' narration brings calm, soothing energy - the honey bee content is essential cottage core. A vibe that makes you want to curl up with tea and honey. 🍵
The guided meditations sprinkled throughout are pure gold. I keep going back and relistening to them when I need help grounding. The guided fire sipping ritual was both mystical and empowering! 🔥Not to be missed, is the final meditation; a deeply emotional guided practice that is an exercise in dreaming and creative exploration.
Thank you to Sounds True Audio for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review! 🙏
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews