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Grüne Magie: Heilende Kräuter, Pflanzen, Tränke und Öle
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Hardcover
First published September 19, 2017
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About the author
Arin Murphy-Hiscock
51 books869 followersCurrently a resident of Montreal, Canada, Arin works as a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of Power Spellcraft for Life: The Art of Crafting and Casting for Positive Change (2005), Solitary Wicca for Life: A Complete Guide to Mastering the Craft on Your Own (2005), The Way of the Green Witch (2006), The Way of the Hedge Witch (2009), and Pagan Pregnancy: The Journey From Maiden to Mother (TBA). She is also the editor of the anthology Out of the Broom Closet (2009).
Arin is a third-degree Wiccan High Priestess in the Black Forest Clan, a tradition linked both by lineage and practice to several other branches of Wiccan thought and philosophy including the Caledonii Tradition, Druidism, Gardnerian practice, Seax-Wicca, general Celtic Wicca, and German witchcraft. She works as a priestess in her community performing rites of passage and giving occasional workshops, and leads a private coven.
Her hobbies include playing the cello, handspinning, and weaving.
Arin is a third-degree Wiccan High Priestess in the Black Forest Clan, a tradition linked both by lineage and practice to several other branches of Wiccan thought and philosophy including the Caledonii Tradition, Druidism, Gardnerian practice, Seax-Wicca, general Celtic Wicca, and German witchcraft. She works as a priestess in her community performing rites of passage and giving occasional workshops, and leads a private coven.
Her hobbies include playing the cello, handspinning, and weaving.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 903 reviews
October 8, 2020
3.5 stars, really, but I felt like rounding up. I bought this because I wanted to learn more about the health benefits behind different oils, crystals, herbs and also how to harvest certain things from nature.
For the most part, I was given the information i was seeking, just in more of a Wiccan/pagan feeling way. Throughout the whole book, amidst the spells and blessings and rituals, I felt that the author was missing the whole point of all the incredible items nature gifts us with: GOD. I know, I know, she’s entitled to her own beliefs which clearly don’t transcend this earth, but it did sadden me a little. Being in awe of God is what I love most about immersing myself in nature. It fills me up with overwhelming gratitude for His mercy and love. I will definitely keep and look back on this book for the interesting recipes and mixtures it suggests, but you won’t find me blessing stones or praying to incense.
For the most part, I was given the information i was seeking, just in more of a Wiccan/pagan feeling way. Throughout the whole book, amidst the spells and blessings and rituals, I felt that the author was missing the whole point of all the incredible items nature gifts us with: GOD. I know, I know, she’s entitled to her own beliefs which clearly don’t transcend this earth, but it did sadden me a little. Being in awe of God is what I love most about immersing myself in nature. It fills me up with overwhelming gratitude for His mercy and love. I will definitely keep and look back on this book for the interesting recipes and mixtures it suggests, but you won’t find me blessing stones or praying to incense.
December 6, 2021
Too much of the same to my liking. Some points are repeated at least 5-10 times in a little over 200 pages. Has some nice recipes and ideas, but that’s about it. Also it mentions putting crystals in sunlight to charge them but doesn’t add that this severely damages some crystals listed, amethyst for example.
March 5, 2018
The Green Witch is a good introductory text to a particular brand of witchcraft focusing on connections to nature. This is not about being Wicca, but about traditional and often solitary witchcraft. I would have enjoyed more imagery, but it's a clear and strong text for beginners.
May 6, 2021
Picked it up for free and spent a couple hours paging through it.
All the things that bore me about "witchcraft" books are nicely contained herein:
- wiccan-influenced without understanding just how much so it is. "In general, witchcraft acknowledges a god and a goddess (sometimes solely a goddess)" p. 14; oh, *does* it now?
- vague claims of continuing a tradition multiple hundreds of years old; no exploration of how it continues from european witch/pagan traditions of the last 150 years. (Or a vague claim that all those traditions actually come from it?? (p. 23)) Bonus points for invoking the image of "midwives, wisewomen, and healers who live on the edge of town" repeatedly. Hey, an intriguing quote from actual medieval scholarship about how the main function of "cunning-folk" was removing curses/evil eye, and how that dried up as belief in curses/evil eye did! But no further information there, or acknowledgement that those cunning-folk wouldn't recognize anything about white north american green witchcraft including the name.
- but really, where *does* the author get all this stuff about the green witch path? I get that the real history is much less important to witches than the mythical history (p. 21), but I care! I hate the false, insulating sense of timelessness and culturelessness it creates. If it's her own creation or that of a community located in spacetime she should say so.
- puts "earth" and "humanity" before "yourself" as the focuses of green witchcraft (p. 16), but then all the spells/crafts/rituals are about things you can do for yourself and maybe your friend circle and/or customers of your small business. That's not much of a definition of other humans, much less the earth.
- much too brief reference to "Pennsylvanian pow-wow" as a type of "spellcasters who performed folk magic particular to a region" (p. 19). I wish there was more info here, as it's hard to internet search: most of the references that aren't to horror fiction are back to this book. Seems to be some kind of christian faith healing thing with a name appropriated from Native people to make it exotic and dangerous.
- lists of plants and gems with uses/correspondences, but *zero* interest in botany or geology. This is overwhelmingly common, and so self-centered! Not finding things beautiful or fascinating for what they are and how they came to be that way, only concerned about what they can do for you.
- where do gemstones come from? IDK, the store?? Seems a little disconnected from the earth. The quartzite, mica, and feldspar you can probably find in your backyard or park don't merit a mention.
- exclusive focus on harmony, abundance, and other positive emotions/states of being. (p. 31) Where does justice enter this picture? Productive conflict? Economic scarcity? Other people's needs and feelings?
All the things that bore me about "witchcraft" books are nicely contained herein:
- wiccan-influenced without understanding just how much so it is. "In general, witchcraft acknowledges a god and a goddess (sometimes solely a goddess)" p. 14; oh, *does* it now?
- vague claims of continuing a tradition multiple hundreds of years old; no exploration of how it continues from european witch/pagan traditions of the last 150 years. (Or a vague claim that all those traditions actually come from it?? (p. 23)) Bonus points for invoking the image of "midwives, wisewomen, and healers who live on the edge of town" repeatedly. Hey, an intriguing quote from actual medieval scholarship about how the main function of "cunning-folk" was removing curses/evil eye, and how that dried up as belief in curses/evil eye did! But no further information there, or acknowledgement that those cunning-folk wouldn't recognize anything about white north american green witchcraft including the name.
- but really, where *does* the author get all this stuff about the green witch path? I get that the real history is much less important to witches than the mythical history (p. 21), but I care! I hate the false, insulating sense of timelessness and culturelessness it creates. If it's her own creation or that of a community located in spacetime she should say so.
- puts "earth" and "humanity" before "yourself" as the focuses of green witchcraft (p. 16), but then all the spells/crafts/rituals are about things you can do for yourself and maybe your friend circle and/or customers of your small business. That's not much of a definition of other humans, much less the earth.
- much too brief reference to "Pennsylvanian pow-wow" as a type of "spellcasters who performed folk magic particular to a region" (p. 19). I wish there was more info here, as it's hard to internet search: most of the references that aren't to horror fiction are back to this book. Seems to be some kind of christian faith healing thing with a name appropriated from Native people to make it exotic and dangerous.
- lists of plants and gems with uses/correspondences, but *zero* interest in botany or geology. This is overwhelmingly common, and so self-centered! Not finding things beautiful or fascinating for what they are and how they came to be that way, only concerned about what they can do for you.
- where do gemstones come from? IDK, the store?? Seems a little disconnected from the earth. The quartzite, mica, and feldspar you can probably find in your backyard or park don't merit a mention.
- exclusive focus on harmony, abundance, and other positive emotions/states of being. (p. 31) Where does justice enter this picture? Productive conflict? Economic scarcity? Other people's needs and feelings?
October 6, 2019
This book was quite disappointing. I had assumed that it was a book of basics for beginners, but it gave a very vague overview of each of the essentials and then basically encouraged readers to freestyle it. With anything, it's important to thoroughly understand the basics and develop senses and intuition with a guide before leaning too heavily on your intuition, especially if you're doing invocations and herbal preparations. Beyond encouraging folks with minimal understanding and undeveloped intuition to just "see what feels right", the book was rife with cultural and spiritual appropriation. The way that the author referenced "ancient traditions" or just failed to reference the cultures that used the ritual unless it was Wiccan, Nordic, or Western Occult (for example, asking a tree permission to harvest is an Indigenous ritual that was never cited) really rubbed me wrong, especially being encouraged to freestyle the rituals taken from other cultures without knowledge, awareness, or permission. Overall, I wouldn't even recommend this book for beginners, much less anyone who has experience in any form of witchcraft or natural healing.
February 22, 2023
There's so much nonsense that I legitimately don't know what to say or where to start, so I'll start as short and simply as I possibly can: This book is shit. A masterpiece of standard Neopagan nonsense; severely disappointing, as this book comes so well recommended.
Let's start with something simple regarding the actual content, then... Not in 20 years of practice have I ever once heard that we "use the phrase 'living the path' instead of simply saying 'practicing green witchcraft'". If they made it up for their own practice, and the author themself wants to say that? Fine with me. Good on them... But literally no one says that. They just don't. That's not a "Green Witch" thing.
"Healing, harmony, and balance" are not at all "all key to the green witch’s practice and outlook on life". And there are no "Green Witch Ethics" (which, hilariously, they actually reaffirm later saying "there are no ethical or moral rules associated with the green witch path other than those that the practitioner already possesses"- despite giving a pretty clear set of ethics prior on; they need to make up their mind).
I don't even know where to begin tackling nonsense like "the modern green witch understands that humanity impacts the natural world, not only through how individuals treat it, but also via the energy created by their feelings and beliefs. Just as nature’s energy affects us, so too does our energy affect nature, and that effect isn’t always positive". So I just won't; it's a horribly nonsensical and bastardized attempt at greening something akin to "Positive attraction", and it's bad.
Further on, when talking about practices related to Greencraft I can ignore the exclusion of Cottagecraft and Hearthcraft (the final two members of the family of Domestic practices to which Greencraft arguably belongs). And I will heartily admit that they managed a definition of Kitchencraft that's close enough within an acceptable ballpark that I have no real complaints. But her definition of Hedgewitch is just as shoddy as her historicism (we'll get to that), and leaves far too much to be desired; at this point I have zero hope that any other area of this book will be better.
All of this emphasis on "being an individual" and "forging your own path", and yet there sure are a lot of "Greencraft is [this]" statements going on here still... And honestly, after practicing for 20 years, I'm desperately curious where the author got all of this "Greencraft is" stuff. Because it's not the Greencraft I was taught; it legitimately sounds to me like they took your run of the mill Greencraft- a practice largely traditionally rooted in plants and herbalism (both medical and magical), and maybe a bit of local ecology if you wanted to get frisky... Made it about global ecology... Threw in some more generic Neopagan shit.... Dialed up the "earth worshiping Pagan" stereotype... And then just went ham with it without actually consulting anyone who practiced Greencraft.
It's grating to the last drop. But the history is really where the author just completely fails in every single regard.
I'm docking additional points for the perpetuation of the myth that Cunningfolk and Wise Healers of similar veins were "feared or mistrusted [... and ...] marginalized by their communities"; mountains of historical evidence tells us that not only were these people, in most cases, decently regarded within their communities for their provision of integral services-- but also that their knowledge and skills were not viewed as "Witchcraft" in nearly all cases. To the point, even, that Cunningfolk were widely spared during the over-sensationalized events of "the burning times" which Neopagans like to harp killed so many of our precious mythic Wisewomen.
Further points are docked for routinely calling folk superstitions and rituals in general "Witchcraft" on numerous occasions, when they were never considered such except in rare and very specific circumstances; something including various amounts of superstition and folk ritual does not Witchcraft inherently make no matter how high your desire to twist the truth and misrepresent the past.
Even more are further docked for the unnecessary attempt at making distinctions between Folk Magic practitioners and such aforementioned Cunningfolk (etc); no distinctions were ever really made in many cases, even among laypeople, during the time frame the author's talking about... Or which I assume they're talking, anyways, since they never actually bother specifying what point of "history" they're supposedly drawing from for any of their "facts" here.
The loveliest bit of irony, though, I think, is the specific mention of how Pow Wow (properly called Braucherei) "healers were also spellcasters who performed folk magic particular to the region"... Considering Braucherei is, thoroughly and without question, a Christian folk tradition. Doubly especially since the emphasis is specifically on God and Scripture as the mediums through which the healing is enacted- not the power of a practitioner- and it's largely not considered "Witchcraft" by said practitioners.
It's far more complicated than let on- and certainly eons away from being "Pagan" by any means. These are all facts the author'd know if they actually did even the smallest cursory research into legitimate Braucherei practices before throwing them out as an example like so many Neopagan authors seem to like doing... In fact, if we're being completely honestly, it's high passed time for Neopagan authors to stop using Christian Folk Practices as their examples altogether. Especially when the vast majority of traditional Folk Magic practices are Christian, and so many authors do so in a way that attempts to unrightfully claim them as "Pagan".
The icing on the cake is truly them saying that "This yearning [for the simpler time of the past] isn’t nostalgia, which is a longing for an airbrushed memory. It is a genuine subconscious draw to knowledge that has been obscured by innovation, progress, and improvement"; when you blatantly rewrite the truth of history (as best we understand it) at your whim so as to suit false historical narratives and push an undeserved complex of superiority and non-existent persecution... What you are participating in may not be nostalgia, insomuch as you were never there to experience something to be nostalgic about later in the first place... But I promise that what you're doing is certainly far, far worse.
In the words of Prof. Iain Provan, who said it far better than I ever could in Convenient Myths: The ‘Axial Age’, Dark Green Religion, and the World That Never Was:
Continuously misrepresenting and misdefining a history consisting of predominantly Christian historical folk traditions (especially ones widely accepted, no less) in order to push the narrative of "the poor ostracized Pagan good witch and herbalist who kept to the old religion" of Neopagan pseudohistory does nothing positive. All it does is make you both a fraud and a sham- and that's all anyone will continue being as long as they continue perpetuating shoddy pseudohistory. Neopagan authors would do far better to remember this in the future instead of continuing to perpetuate bad historical myths that've been well debunked by now.
So in essence, to sum: The author repeatedly proves themselves historically incompetent several times throughout the course of just this minuscule portion of the book alone (despite even mentioning the properly respectable historian Owen Davies, even. Though she did arguably misrepresent a conclusion of his research)-- as well as proving themselves simply uneducated about basic facets of Neopagan practice that have frankly been standardized long enough there's no excuse for being so far off the mark. And with the leaps and bounds we've made in our historical knowledge, there's doubly no excuse for how bad this book is.
I gave up entirely once I got to the Oath and Prayer "of the Green Witch".... At this point I can't take the book seriously enough to continue reading it; there may be some interesting things in here that could maybe get your gears turning in formulating your own practice. Maybe... But the amount of typical Neopagan bullshit you have to wade through first in order to get there removes its worth in my eyes and experience. And I have little faith that, once you get there (if you could), it won't be the same appropriation filled eclectic nonsense as every other Neopagan book on the market.
Truly yet another disappointing Neopagan work. And after finding out the author is a member of Black Forest Clan, no less- a Neo-Wicca sect founded by none other than the Queen of nonsense herself (Sliver Ravenwolf)... I'm not even remotely surprised by how bad this book is. I wish I could be. But with that kind of tutelage it's really just to be expected.
Let's start with something simple regarding the actual content, then... Not in 20 years of practice have I ever once heard that we "use the phrase 'living the path' instead of simply saying 'practicing green witchcraft'". If they made it up for their own practice, and the author themself wants to say that? Fine with me. Good on them... But literally no one says that. They just don't. That's not a "Green Witch" thing.
"Healing, harmony, and balance" are not at all "all key to the green witch’s practice and outlook on life". And there are no "Green Witch Ethics" (which, hilariously, they actually reaffirm later saying "there are no ethical or moral rules associated with the green witch path other than those that the practitioner already possesses"- despite giving a pretty clear set of ethics prior on; they need to make up their mind).
I don't even know where to begin tackling nonsense like "the modern green witch understands that humanity impacts the natural world, not only through how individuals treat it, but also via the energy created by their feelings and beliefs. Just as nature’s energy affects us, so too does our energy affect nature, and that effect isn’t always positive". So I just won't; it's a horribly nonsensical and bastardized attempt at greening something akin to "Positive attraction", and it's bad.
Further on, when talking about practices related to Greencraft I can ignore the exclusion of Cottagecraft and Hearthcraft (the final two members of the family of Domestic practices to which Greencraft arguably belongs). And I will heartily admit that they managed a definition of Kitchencraft that's close enough within an acceptable ballpark that I have no real complaints. But her definition of Hedgewitch is just as shoddy as her historicism (we'll get to that), and leaves far too much to be desired; at this point I have zero hope that any other area of this book will be better.
All of this emphasis on "being an individual" and "forging your own path", and yet there sure are a lot of "Greencraft is [this]" statements going on here still... And honestly, after practicing for 20 years, I'm desperately curious where the author got all of this "Greencraft is" stuff. Because it's not the Greencraft I was taught; it legitimately sounds to me like they took your run of the mill Greencraft- a practice largely traditionally rooted in plants and herbalism (both medical and magical), and maybe a bit of local ecology if you wanted to get frisky... Made it about global ecology... Threw in some more generic Neopagan shit.... Dialed up the "earth worshiping Pagan" stereotype... And then just went ham with it without actually consulting anyone who practiced Greencraft.
It's grating to the last drop. But the history is really where the author just completely fails in every single regard.
I'm docking additional points for the perpetuation of the myth that Cunningfolk and Wise Healers of similar veins were "feared or mistrusted [... and ...] marginalized by their communities"; mountains of historical evidence tells us that not only were these people, in most cases, decently regarded within their communities for their provision of integral services-- but also that their knowledge and skills were not viewed as "Witchcraft" in nearly all cases. To the point, even, that Cunningfolk were widely spared during the over-sensationalized events of "the burning times" which Neopagans like to harp killed so many of our precious mythic Wisewomen.
Further points are docked for routinely calling folk superstitions and rituals in general "Witchcraft" on numerous occasions, when they were never considered such except in rare and very specific circumstances; something including various amounts of superstition and folk ritual does not Witchcraft inherently make no matter how high your desire to twist the truth and misrepresent the past.
Even more are further docked for the unnecessary attempt at making distinctions between Folk Magic practitioners and such aforementioned Cunningfolk (etc); no distinctions were ever really made in many cases, even among laypeople, during the time frame the author's talking about... Or which I assume they're talking, anyways, since they never actually bother specifying what point of "history" they're supposedly drawing from for any of their "facts" here.
The loveliest bit of irony, though, I think, is the specific mention of how Pow Wow (properly called Braucherei) "healers were also spellcasters who performed folk magic particular to the region"... Considering Braucherei is, thoroughly and without question, a Christian folk tradition. Doubly especially since the emphasis is specifically on God and Scripture as the mediums through which the healing is enacted- not the power of a practitioner- and it's largely not considered "Witchcraft" by said practitioners.
It's far more complicated than let on- and certainly eons away from being "Pagan" by any means. These are all facts the author'd know if they actually did even the smallest cursory research into legitimate Braucherei practices before throwing them out as an example like so many Neopagan authors seem to like doing... In fact, if we're being completely honestly, it's high passed time for Neopagan authors to stop using Christian Folk Practices as their examples altogether. Especially when the vast majority of traditional Folk Magic practices are Christian, and so many authors do so in a way that attempts to unrightfully claim them as "Pagan".
The icing on the cake is truly them saying that "This yearning [for the simpler time of the past] isn’t nostalgia, which is a longing for an airbrushed memory. It is a genuine subconscious draw to knowledge that has been obscured by innovation, progress, and improvement"; when you blatantly rewrite the truth of history (as best we understand it) at your whim so as to suit false historical narratives and push an undeserved complex of superiority and non-existent persecution... What you are participating in may not be nostalgia, insomuch as you were never there to experience something to be nostalgic about later in the first place... But I promise that what you're doing is certainly far, far worse.
In the words of Prof. Iain Provan, who said it far better than I ever could in Convenient Myths: The ‘Axial Age’, Dark Green Religion, and the World That Never Was:
“We have a responsibility to tell the truth about the past, so far as we are able to do so. We have a responsibility not to do violence to it, just as we have a responsibility not to do violence in the present […] In the end we contribute neither to world peace nor to saving the planet by romanticizing the past. We must ensure that our story about the past is not at odds with the evidence, precisely so that we do not end up harming the very people— the very planet— that we are so intent, in our well-meaning way, on trying to save.”
Continuously misrepresenting and misdefining a history consisting of predominantly Christian historical folk traditions (especially ones widely accepted, no less) in order to push the narrative of "the poor ostracized Pagan good witch and herbalist who kept to the old religion" of Neopagan pseudohistory does nothing positive. All it does is make you both a fraud and a sham- and that's all anyone will continue being as long as they continue perpetuating shoddy pseudohistory. Neopagan authors would do far better to remember this in the future instead of continuing to perpetuate bad historical myths that've been well debunked by now.
So in essence, to sum: The author repeatedly proves themselves historically incompetent several times throughout the course of just this minuscule portion of the book alone (despite even mentioning the properly respectable historian Owen Davies, even. Though she did arguably misrepresent a conclusion of his research)-- as well as proving themselves simply uneducated about basic facets of Neopagan practice that have frankly been standardized long enough there's no excuse for being so far off the mark. And with the leaps and bounds we've made in our historical knowledge, there's doubly no excuse for how bad this book is.
I gave up entirely once I got to the Oath and Prayer "of the Green Witch".... At this point I can't take the book seriously enough to continue reading it; there may be some interesting things in here that could maybe get your gears turning in formulating your own practice. Maybe... But the amount of typical Neopagan bullshit you have to wade through first in order to get there removes its worth in my eyes and experience. And I have little faith that, once you get there (if you could), it won't be the same appropriation filled eclectic nonsense as every other Neopagan book on the market.
Truly yet another disappointing Neopagan work. And after finding out the author is a member of Black Forest Clan, no less- a Neo-Wicca sect founded by none other than the Queen of nonsense herself (Sliver Ravenwolf)... I'm not even remotely surprised by how bad this book is. I wish I could be. But with that kind of tutelage it's really just to be expected.
March 26, 2019
(This is the first in a series of books I'm reading as a way to further my occult and esoteric knowledge, which I will henceforth be referring to as 'Occult book of the month.')
Having had this on my shelves for several months, I thought it was about time to give it a read. At only 200-and-something pages, this was a quick read, only taking three days to complete at my regular reading pace.
Overall, this book is very informative. It made a clear distinction between witchcraft and Wicca (always nice) and it also made a point of mentioning that the path of a green witch is secular and can be paired with any religious or spiritual beliefs (this isn't something I couldn't have guessed for myself, but as my spirituality can only be described as 'eclectic' it was nice to read.) In fact, in terms of the spiritual side of things, it's made abundantly clear that there are no prerequisites to being a green witch other than to believe in the natural spiritual energy of the world around us: an abstract concept which most people believe anyway. All it asks is that we hold the natural world as sacred.
This book is also a breath of fresh air. As someone who frequents the online druid and witchcraft community, it's often that you find people criminally uneducated about their surroundings preaching about all of the different invasive species they brought into their environment because 'plants are sacred' without doing any research. This book was not like that. Research into the existing local environment and native species is highly encouraged and the way in which Murphy-Hiscock talks about the natural world is scientifically and environmentally responsible. Additionally, any time herbalism is mentioned, it is made sure that it's followed with 'you need to actually take a course in medicinal herbalism before you practice it.' Without that, a witch can only claim to be healing the spirit, not the body or mind.
Additionally, there are numerous directions to further reading on the subjects covered, allowing for a deeper exploration of the various topics. This is particularly useful for those who, like myself, decided upon reading this book that they'd like to know more.
The book also contains a myriad of meditations; energy sensing techniques; spells and recipes; all of which are suitable for witches of any experience level. It covers methods of initiating yourself as a solitary green witch, to methods of deepening your practice, making it over all the perfect book for anyone looking to get started on the green witch's path. It's also highly readable, with easily understandable language, allowing the reader to fly through.
However, this is not to say that I don't have my gripes. For a start, Murphy-Hiscock does not make a clear enough distinction between spiritual healing and physical healing in the early chapters. It should be noted that, though homoeopathy is mentioned, it does not have any of the physical benefits of herbal medicine and cannot be distinguished in its success from a regular placebo. This is not to say that it is not valid: just that it should not be presented as anything more than what it is.
Additionally, Murphy-Hiscock claims that green witches do not need circles for protection because "everything is nature." First off, this doesn't entirely track, but secondly, it's not clear enough that this only applies to working green magic. Instead, the phrasing implies that green witches never need protection. This is untrue; if a green witch is going to, say, work with the spirit world for a spell, they still need to cast a circle because that type of work is dangerous to everyone.
Of course, these are minor concerns that can be cleared up by prospective readers with a quick Google search at any points of confusion (always get second opinions when you're looking into magic!)
Overall, this book is a wonderful introduction and companion for anyone considering the path of a green witch and I 100& recommend it. I can foresee myself coming back to this over and over again to brush up on knowledge or find the exact recipe I need for a spell or certain type of incense.
Having had this on my shelves for several months, I thought it was about time to give it a read. At only 200-and-something pages, this was a quick read, only taking three days to complete at my regular reading pace.
Overall, this book is very informative. It made a clear distinction between witchcraft and Wicca (always nice) and it also made a point of mentioning that the path of a green witch is secular and can be paired with any religious or spiritual beliefs (this isn't something I couldn't have guessed for myself, but as my spirituality can only be described as 'eclectic' it was nice to read.) In fact, in terms of the spiritual side of things, it's made abundantly clear that there are no prerequisites to being a green witch other than to believe in the natural spiritual energy of the world around us: an abstract concept which most people believe anyway. All it asks is that we hold the natural world as sacred.
This book is also a breath of fresh air. As someone who frequents the online druid and witchcraft community, it's often that you find people criminally uneducated about their surroundings preaching about all of the different invasive species they brought into their environment because 'plants are sacred' without doing any research. This book was not like that. Research into the existing local environment and native species is highly encouraged and the way in which Murphy-Hiscock talks about the natural world is scientifically and environmentally responsible. Additionally, any time herbalism is mentioned, it is made sure that it's followed with 'you need to actually take a course in medicinal herbalism before you practice it.' Without that, a witch can only claim to be healing the spirit, not the body or mind.
Additionally, there are numerous directions to further reading on the subjects covered, allowing for a deeper exploration of the various topics. This is particularly useful for those who, like myself, decided upon reading this book that they'd like to know more.
The book also contains a myriad of meditations; energy sensing techniques; spells and recipes; all of which are suitable for witches of any experience level. It covers methods of initiating yourself as a solitary green witch, to methods of deepening your practice, making it over all the perfect book for anyone looking to get started on the green witch's path. It's also highly readable, with easily understandable language, allowing the reader to fly through.
However, this is not to say that I don't have my gripes. For a start, Murphy-Hiscock does not make a clear enough distinction between spiritual healing and physical healing in the early chapters. It should be noted that, though homoeopathy is mentioned, it does not have any of the physical benefits of herbal medicine and cannot be distinguished in its success from a regular placebo. This is not to say that it is not valid: just that it should not be presented as anything more than what it is.
Additionally, Murphy-Hiscock claims that green witches do not need circles for protection because "everything is nature." First off, this doesn't entirely track, but secondly, it's not clear enough that this only applies to working green magic. Instead, the phrasing implies that green witches never need protection. This is untrue; if a green witch is going to, say, work with the spirit world for a spell, they still need to cast a circle because that type of work is dangerous to everyone.
Of course, these are minor concerns that can be cleared up by prospective readers with a quick Google search at any points of confusion (always get second opinions when you're looking into magic!)
Overall, this book is a wonderful introduction and companion for anyone considering the path of a green witch and I 100& recommend it. I can foresee myself coming back to this over and over again to brush up on knowledge or find the exact recipe I need for a spell or certain type of incense.
June 14, 2023
I think the best about this book - beautifully designed, by the way! - is that it has lots of suggestions on what one can do as part of her green magic, 'stuff' you can do with plants, stones, essential oils etc. I only wish the author would go more in-depth, and as a matter of fact, I'm starting to realise this is the thing with a lot of magick literature: there's much more 101-type info than anything else. Still, I found this book inspiring, and I will definitely explore some of the suggested methods.
March 12, 2018
Excellent resource for incorporating herbs, flowers, essential oils into healing and self-practice. The cover is absolutely beautifully done.
I would suggest this book only for "beginners-to-novice's" of the "Green Witch" lifestyle. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get a lot of new information, but it is an excellent resource that I will hold on to when needed.
I would suggest this book only for "beginners-to-novice's" of the "Green Witch" lifestyle. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get a lot of new information, but it is an excellent resource that I will hold on to when needed.
January 5, 2018
Me encantó el libro. Es una guía al mundo de las hierbas, flores, árboles y frutas y sus aplicaciones en la medicina, curación y otros usos que mucha gente considera "brujería" y para mi son simplemente tradición de las abuelas.
Fue bonito recordar todas esas cosas que le enseñaba a uno la abuela: la manzanilla para dormir mejor y calmar el dolor estomacal, la menta para relajar... etc. Este libro resuelve muchas dudas sobre lo que es "ser bruja": es saber utilizar el poder de la naturaleza en favor de muchas cosas como la salud mental, espiritual y el bienestar corporal.
Contrario a lo que muchos pueden pensar, no, no ofrece soluciones o "hechizos" para atraer el ser amado o el dinero, pero sí habla sobre cómo la energía de ciertas plantas ayud a alcanzar un estado mental de claridad para lograr todo eso. Cero patrañas, para eso se hicieron los buenos libros, para desmitificar.
Fue bonito recordar todas esas cosas que le enseñaba a uno la abuela: la manzanilla para dormir mejor y calmar el dolor estomacal, la menta para relajar... etc. Este libro resuelve muchas dudas sobre lo que es "ser bruja": es saber utilizar el poder de la naturaleza en favor de muchas cosas como la salud mental, espiritual y el bienestar corporal.
Contrario a lo que muchos pueden pensar, no, no ofrece soluciones o "hechizos" para atraer el ser amado o el dinero, pero sí habla sobre cómo la energía de ciertas plantas ayud a alcanzar un estado mental de claridad para lograr todo eso. Cero patrañas, para eso se hicieron los buenos libros, para desmitificar.
July 14, 2019
I couldn’t finish this book. I got to chapter six and was really sick of each chapter, new thought or section heading saying “the green witch”. It’s a monotonous book to read, despite the information being generally OK.
It’s an OK beginner witchcraft book, but move up and move on from this one. Aside from the rather beautiful cover of the book this book is pretty shallow. It’s perfect to photograph for Instagram and that’s about it.
It gave this book 2 stars because I did like some parts of the activities, as they are a decent structure to build on, but it’s fairly bare bones.
It’s an OK beginner witchcraft book, but move up and move on from this one. Aside from the rather beautiful cover of the book this book is pretty shallow. It’s perfect to photograph for Instagram and that’s about it.
It gave this book 2 stars because I did like some parts of the activities, as they are a decent structure to build on, but it’s fairly bare bones.
August 30, 2025
The green witch is a book I often come back to; A familiar face... a great tool to reconnect back to the natural world around us. How to harmonise yourself with the heartbeat of nature. It also has some great manifestations & tea recipes.
June 13, 2018
A condensed version of how to integrate your life with crystals and magic. If you have lived in harmony with the earth, know your basic crystal and celestial lore - then you don’t need this. I feel like this is directed towards the Millenials that think being a “witch” might be cool. Glad I got it from the library before buying!
October 25, 2022
Labai laukiau šitos knygos kada bus išversta į lietuvių kalbą, nes buvau parsisiuntęs ebook. Netikėjau, kad ji bus išversta. Tad kai pamačiau buvo didžiulis siurprizas ir nusipirkau. Knygoje supažindinama su žaliosios raganos istorija, paaiškinama kuo skiriasi šis kelias nuo Wicca tikėjimo. Taip pat kalbama apie šventovės kūrimą, energijas, kaip užmegzti ryšį su gamta, apie gamtos stichijas, metų laikus. Apie meditaciją, medžius ir medienos rinkimą, gėles, vaistažoles, akmenis ir kaip užsiveisti sodą. Perskaičius knygą bus galima pasigaminti savo smilkalų, kerų maišelių, šluotą, balzamų ir sodo akmenų. Knygoje taip pat yra gydymas arbatomis ir jų receptai. Be to maisto receptai ir magiškos gamtos elementų asociacijos.
Knyga skaitėsi gan lengvai ir parašyta suprantamai. Didelis ačiū vertėjai, kuri taip gražiai išvertė visą knygą. Teisingai išvertė Šešėlių knygos pavadinimą ir kitus specifinius raganų terminus. Dauguma dalykų man jau buvo žinomi, tad atnaujinau žinias. Autorė moko gyventi taikoje ir ramybėje su savimi ir aplinka. Šią raganavimo praktiką galima praktikuoti ne tik gamtoje, bet ir savo namuose mieste. Taip pat kai pirma pavarčiau knygą užkliuvo, kodėl viskas parašyta moteriška gimine, bet atsivertęs kelis pirmus lapus radau atsakymą: vyrai taip pat vis dažniau užsiima šia praktika, o moteriška giminė pasirinkta dėl patogumo.
Šią knygą anglų kalboje esu vartęs pas vieną draugą, kuris gyvena pagal knygoje aprašytus principus. Labai norėjau popierinės versijos šios knygos ir štai turiu. Pats esu Wiccan‘as su polinkiu į krikščionybę. Žinau, kad bažnyčia draudžia raganavimus, bet aš niekam nieko blogo nedarau. Anaiptol – padedu žmonėms. Ir labai tikiuosi, kad bus išversta daugiau šios autorės knygų.
Rekomenduoju visiems, kas domisi raganavimu, augalais, eteriniais aliejais, smilkalais ir nori gyventi santarvėje su gamta.
Knyga skaitėsi gan lengvai ir parašyta suprantamai. Didelis ačiū vertėjai, kuri taip gražiai išvertė visą knygą. Teisingai išvertė Šešėlių knygos pavadinimą ir kitus specifinius raganų terminus. Dauguma dalykų man jau buvo žinomi, tad atnaujinau žinias. Autorė moko gyventi taikoje ir ramybėje su savimi ir aplinka. Šią raganavimo praktiką galima praktikuoti ne tik gamtoje, bet ir savo namuose mieste. Taip pat kai pirma pavarčiau knygą užkliuvo, kodėl viskas parašyta moteriška gimine, bet atsivertęs kelis pirmus lapus radau atsakymą: vyrai taip pat vis dažniau užsiima šia praktika, o moteriška giminė pasirinkta dėl patogumo.
Šią knygą anglų kalboje esu vartęs pas vieną draugą, kuris gyvena pagal knygoje aprašytus principus. Labai norėjau popierinės versijos šios knygos ir štai turiu. Pats esu Wiccan‘as su polinkiu į krikščionybę. Žinau, kad bažnyčia draudžia raganavimus, bet aš niekam nieko blogo nedarau. Anaiptol – padedu žmonėms. Ir labai tikiuosi, kad bus išversta daugiau šios autorės knygų.
Rekomenduoju visiems, kas domisi raganavimu, augalais, eteriniais aliejais, smilkalais ir nori gyventi santarvėje su gamta.
June 14, 2021
Tbh I bought this solely because I liked the aesthetic on my shelf. Hate me. I'm obsessed with plants and I make my own perfume but I'm not at all a Wiccan.
It's definitely not waxing philosophic about the planet, it's largely a recipe book for things like bath salts or herbal teas. The author uses the word "magic" quite broadly. It's a form of "magic" when peppermint or ginger helps with nausea. "Magic" when Epsom salts relax you. Etc.
Kinda boring though? Still looks good on my shelf, not mad about it.
It's definitely not waxing philosophic about the planet, it's largely a recipe book for things like bath salts or herbal teas. The author uses the word "magic" quite broadly. It's a form of "magic" when peppermint or ginger helps with nausea. "Magic" when Epsom salts relax you. Etc.
Kinda boring though? Still looks good on my shelf, not mad about it.
November 16, 2020
This was recommended to me as a primer of green witch craft, and within minutes I understood why when the author began the book stating that there was no standard ethics involved in green witchcraft and then proceded to use colonialism and anti-indigenous themes within the book to validate themselves. I had high hopes only for them to be dashed and I used an audible credit on this! ;( Do not recommend, even as a primer
December 23, 2017
Lots of useful recipes and information, but would have loved more visuals and art :)
May 11, 2020
Okay, wow
This book amazed me. I started reading it with the goal of learning more about the witchy culture (being interested in this sort of stuff and leaning towards that lifestyle) as to kind of begin my earthy path, so to speak...
But the extraordinary thing about it is even people that don't want to become witches, can follow some of what's mentioned on the book in a way to better their lives and feel better.
Definitely would recommend this book to whoever might be interested in the natural ways as well as the spiritual side of life.
Special note though, this is not a "Wiccan book" but it does not stop wiccans from reading, practicing and utilizing this methods, everything can go together if you choose to do so.
This book amazed me. I started reading it with the goal of learning more about the witchy culture (being interested in this sort of stuff and leaning towards that lifestyle) as to kind of begin my earthy path, so to speak...
But the extraordinary thing about it is even people that don't want to become witches, can follow some of what's mentioned on the book in a way to better their lives and feel better.
Definitely would recommend this book to whoever might be interested in the natural ways as well as the spiritual side of life.
Special note though, this is not a "Wiccan book" but it does not stop wiccans from reading, practicing and utilizing this methods, everything can go together if you choose to do so.
March 5, 2021
This is definitely a book to own to refer to like a textbook or cookbook rather than a book to just sit down and read and learn something, so if you want to read this book and you don’t own it i would suggest taking notes to get anything out of it, otherwise it feels like a dry manual that you won’t remember anything from.
That being said this book felt really informative and while i don’t currently own my own copy, i’ll be adding it to the wishlist. I especially appreciated the appendix at the end and the recipes/spells throughout.
That being said this book felt really informative and while i don’t currently own my own copy, i’ll be adding it to the wishlist. I especially appreciated the appendix at the end and the recipes/spells throughout.
June 19, 2021
I would not recommend it. The information was scarce and too basic. And, most importantly, I found that it was much more related to Wicca than the author claims. Also, it has a shameful tone when talking about baneful magic which I did not like at all.
June 22, 2021
Um livro cheio de valiosos aprendizados 💚
May 11, 2025
What a fun and magical read! I think this book was a great introduction to the green witch practice without being overwhelming or convoluted. I really enjoyed how it centers around nature and how we can better connect to our environment and inner self- whether that be through grounding techniques, energy work, an herbal tea, or a home cooked meal made with love and intention. This book reminds us that there’s magic in the everyday and I love that.
September 3, 2020
A very practical book, I really enjoyed it. It's one of those books you can keep for references. I loved the views of the author about the connection with the environment and nature that surrounds it. I highly recommend this book for those interested in Green Witchcraft. I do have two small complaints to make:
- The author did not mention any crystal care, especially regarding certain types of crystals being unsuited for water or sun exposer.
- The author also did not mention any cares or alerts regarding the consumption of stone elixirs which is a VERY sensitive and careful topic due to the characteristics of certain stones.
Besides those two points, I really enjoyed the book.
- The author did not mention any crystal care, especially regarding certain types of crystals being unsuited for water or sun exposer.
- The author also did not mention any cares or alerts regarding the consumption of stone elixirs which is a VERY sensitive and careful topic due to the characteristics of certain stones.
Besides those two points, I really enjoyed the book.
August 8, 2020
La verdad no era lo que esperaba, pues me imaginaba que la bruja verde me daría un amplio recetario de hierbas curativas, pero fue lo que menos encontré en este libro, sin embargo amplié mis conocimientos sobre arboles y piedras ...
March 29, 2022
Interesting.
Good for adopting ideas to put into practice.
I liked that it was not a rigid manual, but rather an orientation to shape practices that feel comfortable for everyone.
A quick and entertaining read.
Good for adopting ideas to put into practice.
I liked that it was not a rigid manual, but rather an orientation to shape practices that feel comfortable for everyone.
A quick and entertaining read.
June 9, 2022
While some of the information and correspondences might be redundant or nothing new, I love Murphy-Hiscock's witchcraft books. They're brief, never make me feel like I'm "doing witchery wrong" or not enough, and are like warm hugs. Helps that they're on audio and more easily consumable, too.
July 28, 2020
dem herbs be lit
March 29, 2021
Very, very handy reference book. Will definitely be using this as a guideline for a lot of my stuffs!
January 31, 2020
4/5 - learned a lot about all of the magick properties of plants, flowers, fruits, vegetables and everything else that has to do with nature! i think the last chapter is going to be extremely helpful for my everyday craft. i would have liked to see some pictures or drawings throughout the book tho, but i still really enjoyed my reading
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