Pagan Portals - The Hedge Druid's Craft: An Introduction to Walking Between the Worlds of Wicca, Witchcraft and Druidry

by Joanna van der Hoeven

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

Genres: Paganism, Witchcraft, Crafts, Wicca, Spirituality

146 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 29, 2018

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

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated The Hedge Druid's Craft and plan to pick up the author's longer book on the subject. There are a number of ideas + ways of approaching things here that I really like. Other reviewers have mentioned the book is predominantly an account of the author's own practice; this is true, it is not a 'how to,' but it is inspiring nonetheless: the author presents her experiences without dogmatically suggesting the reader need practice in the same way, and in doing so she's certainly given me some ideas of how to work the orientation/perspective of hedge druidry into my own druid practice. Like the other Pagan Portals books I've read, this is a very introductory book - it has left me wanting to read more rather than like I've learned something thoroughly, but this is totally fine with me as it's the expectation I had going in. In terms of critiques I would offer, I do think her claim that modern Druidry 'began in the 1950s' is a bit problematic (ie. arbitrary) given that I belong to a druid order that is significantly older than this! I also feel like, like several other Pagan Portals books I've read, this one would've benefited from stronger copy editing for clarity and grammar. I appreciate the inclusion of a bibliography and the fact that the author has, at times, referred to particular bibliography sources within the text itself in order to explain their relevance -- this will be useful for those who, like me, find inspiration for future reading here.

[Sam (Hissing Potatoes) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book read as half philosophy, half personal journal. While some parts were interesting or thought-provoking, there was little of practical use. The author provided sample rituals to perform, but she wasn't clear about what types of information the practitioner should be seeking or, when found, how to incorporate such information into daily life or grow your own practice. I also don't feel like I have a clear idea of the differences between Wicca, Druidry, and witchcraft; after a very brief description of each, the book goes into how the author practices/thinks without specifying how the different approaches work together.

The author's passion and anecdotes were quite enjoyable to read.

[Faie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, it's great to read Joanna’s books. This one, is just that, a-go-back-to-book. Reading a chapter there, a few pages or paragraphs here. This book dive deep, but still moves with ease and simplicity about the subject. Makes it a good book to take the first step into the hedge, and great to go back to when needed.

[Kimberlie Currier · Rating 1 out of 5]

WASTE OF MONEY

Sadly, this book should have been marketed as a biography of the great and mighty deeds of the author instead of a book on hedge riding. There was little helpful and usable information but her three favorite and most used words are "me, myself and I." There were exactly three meditations in the entire book that dealt with hedge riding and the second was almost an exact copy of the first with the third being very similar. And outside of her three little meditations, there was little practical advice. The rest of this book, the few parts in which she wasn't talking about herself, read like she had copied and pasted straight from one of the many Wicca 101 books you can read for free on Kindle, only disguised as Druidry. There was very little authentic Druidry in there at all. She talks about combining spiritual practices but then bad mouths Christians throughout the book, thus alienating a large population of Christian witches, Christian Wiccans, Christo-Pagans, Trinitarian witches, and Christian Druids. In fact, she twice recommends a famous Christian book but then goes on to claim that the authors must have stolen the material from pagans. That part made me laugh. The rest of the book was boring, just the same empty fluff you see in all the Wicca books in between long passages of self-glorification. I hate it that I actually spent money on this.

[Sas UrbaneHexe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little book about how to combine Druidry, Witchcraft and (if you wish) Wicca.

It's a book for advanced Beginners or advanced Practitioners who are looking for some Inspiration. It's an introduction or overview with some tips for your daily practice.

The Hedge Druids Craft reminds me very much of DruidCraft, even though the word or concept "DruidCraft" isn't mentioned anywhere in the book. However the concept of combining Druidry and Wicca or Witchcraft isn't new. There aren't many books about it, though.

[LookitsLillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good intro to druidry. Really encouraged a focus on nature that other beginner Wicca/witchcraft books do not. Will be taking on some of the rituals and ideas in my own practice. There seemed to be more depth in how to honour our ancestors and nature and the World tree. This book is an inspiration to me as a beginner.

[Alan D.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to follow and with simple content that can be understood by anyone, but I felt the author kept it all on the surface, not going as deeper as I would have liked her to do. Yet I liked it and would recommend it for newcomers.

[Rosemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introductory text based on van der Hoeven's extensive experience. The author provides explanations and introductory practices for people interested in this hybrid pagan path, as well as a good bibliography for those interested in expanding.

[Edric Unsane · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some useful nuggets of information contained within, but ultimately I felt that the book was too introductory and as if it were written for children. The author displays their ineptitude of history regarding the craft, and also goes on to have very little information of practical value.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

wish it had more practical information, but as a beginner brief it does well

[Kristina · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I should have read the whole title before I got it from Hoopla and started reading it. I'm interested in druidry but not witchcraft or Wicca, so I didn't enjoy it or finish it.

[Vainilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice introductory book. I'll keep with the extended one of the same author on the subject.