THE LAMP OF THE GODDESS appears to be different. There are no instructions for hedge witchcraft in it at all. It is about reincarnation, the cycles of life, death and rebirth and the fate of Atlantis. And yet. And yet the book focuses upon the Dark Goddess (not an evil Deity but ‘Dark’ in the sense of hidden – like the scientific concept of ‘dark matter’ – and concerned with the realm of the dead as a place of healing and renewal. She has been known by many names, worldwide, and to the traditional hedge witch or priest/ess She is Huldra, Lady of Wisdom or Freya (the Lady) who is Mistress of Elves and leader of the Valkyries. (So for me, it is not so far after all, from the temples of Atlantis to the nearest hedgerow.) Get to know the plants that already grow around your home. If you have an herb garden, study those plants well to learn how they can be used and what energies are associated with them. To hedge ride, the witch must enter an altered state of consciousness (ASC). This can be done using a variety of techniques, including drumming, dancing, chanting, flying ointments, or even mind-altering drugs. While I don't condone the use of mind-altering drugs, they certainly have a place among traditional hedge witches. Flying ointments, which can and often do contain entheogenic herbs, are thusly named because they allow you to enter an ASC and thus fly or hedge ride to other worlds. Historical recipes vary rather greatly and rely most heavily on the works of witch hunters. However, from these folk remedies, we can glean an understanding that they likely contained a sort of fat combined with mildly hallucinogenic plants. I'll discuss these in more detail later in the series. Start bringing intention into your everyday tasks. If you're cleaning, go into it with the intent of cleaning your space of negative or stale energy. If you're cooking, learn a bit about the energies of the ingredients you're using, and, when you add those items, focus on that energy and how you want those who will be eating the food you're preparing to feel.

You know how to identify a variety of different plants in your neighborhood or at the herbal shops. #11 There are some witches who choose to be initiated into a coven. Most covens are of a certain tradition, often falling under the religion of Wicca. There are some covens out there who practice witchcraft, strictly, but most I’ve come across are Wiccan-based. You can find a local Wiccan coven typically through groups on FaceBook or through local metaphysical shops, etc. Be aware, most covens require you to go through an initiation of some kind and follow the rules as outlined. 12. Eclectic Witch as a Type of Witch

Hedge Witch vs. Green Witch: What's the Difference?

This kind of thing is called a petitioning. It works effectively if you have made, through the plant, a connection with Nature that is respectful and of goodwill. (Some other plants that can help with prosperity magic are flax, oats, wheat, pine and oak. But each species has its own particular take on matters such as sufficiency or abundance. Your spells can be framed accordingly.) THE GREEN HEDGE WITCH goes into detail about the symbolic hedge between the Worlds and how we may start to work with nature spirits, principally trees. The technique of exchanging blessings with the trees and other land spirits is described fully. The main focus of the book is the healing of damaged places and species and the renewal of harmony between human beings and other life forms. (In my opinion, this is the most important work we can do and is a present day version of the hedge witch’s traditional role.) When you’re working with spirits, I recommend that you begin with your ancestors. Most ancestral spirits are very safe and will help protect you from beings who could mean you harm. For many years I considered myself eclectic. Being this type of witch means you practice rituals, cast spells, and believe in different things from various traditions. And while that might seem like appropriation to many people these days, as long as you practice in a solitary fashion and with respect for closed traditions, it’s no problem. 13. Healing Witch Grounding is really important when you begin hedge jumping. You can ground yourself using a sigil, a meditation, or even through incense or sound.

Work with sigils: they can both ground you and transport you to other realms. Trance-work is also good. Practice is key here!Well for starters, reading about the different types of witchcraft out there can help you figure out what kind of magic calls to you; it can give you a specific area to begin practicing magic.