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Harmonia Saille, Hedge Riding, Hedge Witch, Moon Books, Pagan Portals, Practical, Shamanism, Spirit Realms, Spiritual journeys, Witchcraft
Pagan Portals: Hedge Riding by Harmonia Saille
I have to make an embarrassing admission here, despite having read a couple of books on hedge witchcraft, I somehow never came across the term ‘Hedge Riding’; hedge diving – yes – but that is a different story (and I hasten to add, not one usually found in books on esoteric themes!) So it was with great interest that I picked up Harmonia Saille’s concise volume on that very subject (Hedge riding – not hedge diving – are you still with me?)
Anyway, digression aside, this is a very enjoyable and informative little book that packs a lot of useful and practical information into a small number of pages. A great jumping off point for further study, this book introduces the reader to the tradition of Hedge Riding – an important aspect of Hedge Witchcraft.
The author explains how Hedge Riding can be used by the solitary practitioner to travel to the upper and lower realms to gain spiritual knowledge and connect with spirit guides. She provides a concise description of the nature and structure the realms, from the divine spirit guides of the upper realm, through the middle every day realm the lower realm inhabited by animal guides, to the under world inhabited by the souls of the dead.
The author also delves into the history and place of Hedge Riding within Shamanic, historic and literary traditions. She even manages to gently touch on the sometimes thorny issue of whether it is more appropriate to work with local deities and fauna or non-local traditions you may feel particular affinity with. The book also contains a wealth of practical advice and personal recollections about embarking on Hedge Riding journeys.
There is a great quote in an old-ish Doctor Who episode “A door, once opened, may be stepped through in either direction” – it seems the same caveat could apply to hedges as well – from the outset the author is at pains to emphasize that it requires years of experience and a pretty thorough understanding of Shamanic practice before attempting this….however she does a good job in providing the reader with enough information and step by step guidance to set out safely on this fascinating and universal path.
Harmonia Saille has been practicing hedge witchery for 15 years, has authored a number of books and articles on the subject and also runs practical workshops. She has also lectured on Modern Pagan Witchcraft at a UK university.
Pagan Portals: Hedge Riding by Harmonia Saille is published by Moon Books and is available on their website and Amazon:
http://www.moon-books.net/books/pagan-portals-hedge-riding
More info about Harmonia Saille can be found at:
http://www.moon-books.net/authors/harmonia-saille
The Haunted Palace 