Pagan Portals - Dancing with Nemetona: A Druid's Exploration of Sanctuary and Sacred Space

by Joanna van der Hoeven

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.

Genres: Paganism, Spirituality, Religion, Witchcraft, Mythology

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 30, 2014

About the author

Joanna van der Hoeven was born in Quebec, Canada. She moved to the UK in 1998, where she now lives with her husband in a small village near the coast of the North Sea.

Joanna is a former Trustee of The Druid Network. She has studied with Emma Restall Orr and the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. She has a BA Hons English Language and Literature degree.

She is regularly involved with charities and working for her local community.

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unique in the way it looks at sacred space, not only as physical and metaphysical boundaries but also as it is embodied in the Celtic goddess Nemetona. The author's perspective is thought provoking and challenges the reader to look at sacred space in new ways and to connect to the idea on new levels. I enjoyed the personal tone and the way the author shared her own insights and experiences and invited the reader to reach out and experience those things too. The first 6 chapters deal with different types of sacred space and how Nemetona relates to them. This is followed by six appendices covering several different topics from who the Druids were to looking at authenticity versus validity. The author also includes a list of recommended reading for people to people interested in going further into the topic. All around a good read that makes a person rethink the subject and suggests innovative new approaches.

[Cathy Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a great fan of Joanna van der Hoeven after reading her book The Awen Alone: Walking the Path of the Solitary Druid. She writes so beautifully and I was drawn into her world of being a Druid. Pagan Portals – Dancing with Nemotona is an enchanting read and you do not need to want to become a Druid to appreciate the importance of her message and way of life. I have taken on some of the practices and found them to be beneficial and they have given me much food for thought.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice but not my favorite type of writing

Have you ever read a book that was well written, maybe a bit flowery with the wording, and then you get to the ending and ask yourself "what exactly did I just learn?" That's the way this book was for me. I was initially excited to learn about an unfamiliar Pagan Goddess. However, because the writing was more pretty than specific I reached the end feeling I didn't know exactly what Nemotona was the Goddess of, i.e., her specific domain or "sandbox." Pretty writing can be a good thing but for this type of book my brain likes more specificity.

Also, I don't know why the author used so many appendices for what could have just been chapters. Maybe it is her personal style or preference, but having around a third of the book fall into appendices made the book feel too short.

Finally, the author is entitled to her opinion but I was taken aback to read her opine that, in reference to Gaia as the nature Goddess, "nature doesn't give a hoot about humanity." The author is a Zen Druid and, for myself as a Zen Buddhist studying Druidry, I would never say such a thing. My teacher Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh taught about "interbeing" and how we are all connected, both Earth and humanity, with one another. Granted, we don't treat nature very well these days. But, 3.5 billion years ago when chemosynthetic archaea living in microbial mats first started our journey as modern humans I believe nature did give a hoot or we wouldn't be here now. I highly recommend the book "Love letter to the Earth" (2012), by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh as additional reading about humanity's relationship with Mother Earth.

Wow, that was a long review for such a short book, eh?

[Kizzy Catlady · Rating 1 out of 5]

It wasn't starting too well when she decided to convince me that my aura equals my nemeton, but then my home is my nemeton, the groves in the woodlands are nemetons (make up your mind!)... Then if I wasn't already unconvinced, she suddenly threw 'Elen of the Ways' into the mix!

Definitely not for me.

[J.W. Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating read. Going to have to reread it again soon for sure. And get all the books it lists

[jules revel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Nice basic intro to the Goddess and some memoir material from a practitioner.

[Phoenix Richter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good retreat

I loves this book. A good starting point and helps one focus on the sacred and the goddess. Recommended highly!

[Laura Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just been introduced to a new goddess. Actually, she's a very old goddess, but one I had only heard of in passing, in discussions of Druid groves. Joanna van der Hoeven's marvelous little book, Pagan Portals Dancing with Nemetona, explores the human relationship not only with this goddess but also with the concepts of sacred space and boundaries. Known as the Lady of the Sacred Grove, Nemetona teaches us that we are each a kind of living, moving sacred space, and the way we interact with other people, animals and the places we visit affects us (and them) at a very deep level. Like the other titles in the Pagan Portals series, this is a fairly short book but it's full of valuable information and exercises - a touching house blessing, a visualization of your own inner sacred grove, and more. I love the way Ms. van der Hoeven dovetails the layers of sacredness in our lives, from our 'insides' (mental and physical), to the people we interact with, the world at large and the deities that inhabit it. I also love the idea of the micro-retreat - what a great way to maintain your sanity in an increasingly insane world! - and the collection of essays that depict other people's experiences with Nemetona demonstrates that she is not only ancient and worldwide, but also fully relevant today.

[Yvonne Ryves · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my own practice I have no connection to Goddesses in any shape or form but sometimes it is just the words we use to describe our experiences that separates us. Which is why in Joanna's writing, even though the way she works is unfamiliar to me, the importance she places on sacred space around us and within us, the need to create these for ourselves and how vital it is that we learn how to do so, resonates strongly.

In this easy to read book you will find guided meditations to help you connect to Nemetona, to find your own nemetona, learn to expand it and much more. Despite having no connection to the Goddess Nementona I found the book an enjoyable and at times thought provoking read.

I particularly liked the appendix of others exploration of Nemetona for they showed clearly what Joanna says in the book, that there is no right way to do this, no right way to meet or envisage Goddess, only the way that works for you.

This is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Druidry who feels drawn to the Goddess Nemetona or who would like to begin working with her and also for those looking for alternative ways of finding, or deepening the connection to their own sacred space.

[Trine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nice little book describing the author's experience with Nemetona, and written in an accessible and down-to-earth language. The first three quarters of the book contain historical and contemporary information on the goddess, as well as practical exercises for sensing your own nemeton, building sacred space and visualization exercises like "the Hut" (my favorite!). The rest of the book is made up of chapters on a.o. validity vs authenticity, ritual, druidry etc. I feel they round out the book well and cover some of the "why"s.

I would have loved a more in-depth description of how the author works with Nemetona, but you can only cram in so much information in 70-something pages, and the book is dotted with enough personal anecdotes to give the reader an idea. Besides, the author blogs actively on several different websites, so if you want to learn more, those are good places to start.

[Brendan Howlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanna takes the concept of personal space and external space and relates them to the Goddess Nemetona, in an inspired and beautiful book. Along the way she discusses the role of ritual and even comments on the authenticity of spirituality. Where the book really succeeds is when she links Druid and Zen practice and finds concrete parallels. I fully recommend this little book for deepening your practice and discovering a new way of looking at things.

[Spider Goddess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. even though it is a very simple discussion about the Goddess. However, given the limited amount of information available, she has expanded upon each bit, informing it with her own practice.

[Khansemin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing.i think so whoever will read this book will give this book a good fedback