BOOK REVIEW BY PEGI EYERS
Take a wonderful journey around the Wheel of the Year with “Garden Witch” Ellen Dugan’s new book “Seasons of Witchery”~! Beginning with the lushness of a summer garden on the longest day - June 21, Midsummer, Summer Solstice, Litha – enchantments, rituals, thematic celebrations and personal musings abound for each season and festival throughout the magickal year. Interspersed with beautiful literary quotes and illustrations, and written in her intimate, upfront and amusing style, Ellen celebrates the history, themes, correspondences and symbols for Pagan life in harmony with the passing year. As witches are the caretakers of the land, she offers us journal excerpts from her own enchanted gardens, listings on faerie and Yuletide plants, advice on gardening and herbcrafting, the language of flowers, how to keep the faeries and earth spirits happy, feeding the birds, “greenhouse therapy” in the cold months and even a guide to beautiful butterfly magick!
From sacred mysteries like calling in your plant familiar to honoring the May Queen, the Green Man or the ancestral spirits of the Wild Hunt, there is an abundance of suggestions here for sabbat-themed spells, charms, candle workings, blessings, divinations and full moon magick. Decorating tips for your home and environs, and crafts and yummy recipes for each sabbat are included such as Vernal Equinox Quiche, Midsummer Sangria Slush and Yuletide Gingerbread People. I especially resonated with the Divine Feminine folklore of Goddesses Brigid, Luna and Ostara - plus I learned about Santa Lucia, or St. Lucy, for the first time (I’m not sure how I missed not knowing about Her!) - the “bringer of light” and focus for festivals all over Europe at the end of December. Ellen relates stories and “personal lessons” from her own life and coven to illuminate the synchronicities, magic and miracles that surround us in every time and place. Immersed in busy activity, having fun or spending time alone in introspection, this book will encourage you to make your own seasons of witchery more unique and meaningful. Connecting each holiday to both God/Goddess and nature, there are plenty of ideas, insights and inspirations in “Seasons of Witchery” to (as Ellen would say) warm your Witchy heart!
Seasons of Witchery: Celebrating the Sabbats with the Garden Witch
By Ellen Dugan
Llewellyn Publications, 2012
This review originally appeared in SageWoman Magazine.
From sacred mysteries like calling in your plant familiar to honoring the May Queen, the Green Man or the ancestral spirits of the Wild Hunt, there is an abundance of suggestions here for sabbat-themed spells, charms, candle workings, blessings, divinations and full moon magick. Decorating tips for your home and environs, and crafts and yummy recipes for each sabbat are included such as Vernal Equinox Quiche, Midsummer Sangria Slush and Yuletide Gingerbread People. I especially resonated with the Divine Feminine folklore of Goddesses Brigid, Luna and Ostara - plus I learned about Santa Lucia, or St. Lucy, for the first time (I’m not sure how I missed not knowing about Her!) - the “bringer of light” and focus for festivals all over Europe at the end of December. Ellen relates stories and “personal lessons” from her own life and coven to illuminate the synchronicities, magic and miracles that surround us in every time and place. Immersed in busy activity, having fun or spending time alone in introspection, this book will encourage you to make your own seasons of witchery more unique and meaningful. Connecting each holiday to both God/Goddess and nature, there are plenty of ideas, insights and inspirations in “Seasons of Witchery” to (as Ellen would say) warm your Witchy heart!
Seasons of Witchery: Celebrating the Sabbats with the Garden Witch
By Ellen Dugan
Llewellyn Publications, 2012
This review originally appeared in SageWoman Magazine.
 | Pegi Eyers is the author of Ancient Spirit Rising: Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community, an award-winning book that explores strategies for neurodecolonization, social justice, ethnocultural identity, building land-emergent community & resilience in times of massive change. PURCHASE LINKS Amazon.com www.stonecirclepress.com |
