Hedgewitch

Nature acts as a secret shifter, gently filling
us with the power to change our circumstances
whenever we choose. Interacting with Her allows
us to switch mental gears in an instant, helping
us to overcome boredom, fear, depression, anger,
frustration, sadness, and a host of other negative
emotions that sap our personal well-being and
block our pathway to success. Accessing Nature
can immediately place us in the still point ofbalance-that moment of pure potential that can
open our minds to the attractive power of the
universe and bring us all that we desire.
To see what I mean, go outside and put your
hands in the dirt. Yep! March out there right
now and take the first step toward HedgeWitchery! As you place your hands on the ground, feel
your deep, primordial connection with the life
force of our planet. Close your eyes
.
.. dig in your
fingers … and open your heart and mind as you
inhale the heady aroma of earth’s sweet fragrance.
Breathe deeply, and welcome the peace. Accept
the balance of Mother Nature with joy! Allow
the source of all things to course in, around, and
through you.
Shift into the connection! Be One … there is
no other experience like it.
Now, think of the most beautiful garden you have ever seen. Drink in the memory of
the lushness, color, peace, and abundant wealth of that sacred space. We’re going to change
our lives to be like that gorgeous garden, and we are going to do it in just two short weeks.
Granted, we’ll have to continue to tend our new lives (maintenance is a must), but, by using
the HedgeWitchery techniques I’ve developed, we’re going to make marvelous changes in a
limited amount of time. How do I know this? Because I did it-and if I can do it, you absolutely can, too!
Using the material in this book, it took me just two short weeks to totally alter many things
in my life and bring me peace, harmony, good fortune, healing, and much more. By continuing
the practice of working with the abundance of the earth’s energy, over the following weeks
and months I noticed positive shifts in my personality and my ability to deal with day-today stresses. My relationships with my family improved, and interactions with friends and
acquaintances that weren’t healthy for me or my family dissolved quickly, leaving a wake of
calmness and well-being. I found myself in a more serene state on a more frequent basis, at
ease with the world around me much of the time. I was able to sit back and enjoy life rather
than running full-tilt into walls I’d built myself over the last several years. I began making
major renovations to my property. I built an herb garden, a toad house, and a butterfly haven.
I literally tore down buildings to make way for continued improvements-lugging, hauling,
and sweating with the best of them-and it felt good! As these projects slowly took shape
and came to fruition, my life blossomed as well. I shed those wintery pounds, my complexion
improved, and I held a more healthy attitude toward my body and my diet. By harvest time,
I’d learned a wealth of information on organic gardening, put it into practice, and celebrated
the change of season with bounty from the earth as well as enjoying the mental and spiritual
fruits of living “in”Nature rather than viewing Her from a distance.
You see, it’s all a matter of choice (yours) and belief (your own) that will provide the opportunities you desire. If you expect the worst, that’s precisely what you will receive. If, instead,
you seek to raise your mental vibrations and incorporate fun physical activities to match happy,
life-affirming goals, then you will reap the rewards of positive living and thinking. You are the
most powerful catalyst in the alteration of your own life-and we’re going to prove it with the
loving assistance of Mother Nature. I did it. You can, too!

I’m sure you’ve read many spiritual articles over the past several years that have in one way or another discussed the universal connection of all beings and how we are all an integrated part of the whole.

Writers teach about how to access what you most desire by using techniques and ideas that have worked for them.

From motivational speakers to magickal practitioners, you’ll find a plethora of information just waiting to be downloaded into your eager brain.

Sometimes these tips serve the reader well, and sometimes, depending upon the reader’s belief structure, they don’t work at all.

Belief, truly, is the key.

Our beliefs are structured on what we think to be true.

Some of us delve into the scientific to give us a firm base of belief, others go the more mystical, spiritual route, and then there are those who don’t believe anything unless it works first (which is rather a conundrum).

Finally, everyone’s beliefs are somehow shaped by the boogie-bird in the closet, commonly known a childhood misconception, which we either dreamed up ourselves or were exposed to by parents, caregivers, siblings, extended family members, teachers, spiritual advisors, neighbors, organization leaders, etc., as they peddled through their own lives doing (to be fair) the best they could.

Which leaves us a bit on shaky ground when it comes to creating our own reality, which is nothing more than manipulating the world through quantum means.

What I’m trying to say is: if you believe it is possible consciously and subconsciously, then it is. Period.

Each individual functions within the parameters of two types of belief: that which you consciously say to be true, and that which your subconscious has already accepted to be true.

Which means you have two very different animal crackers in your head when it comes to what you believe in, and why you can say you believe in something and receive just the opposite.

Both conscious and subconscious beliefs have to be in alignment in order for any desire to manifest.

Your conscious belief can be represented by the above-ground part of a plant, and your subconscious belief can equate to the root system; as you know, if your root system is lousy, you can baby the top of the plant all you want and still it will either die or grow poorly.

Conversely, the root system can be great-but if pests or blight attack the above-ground portion of the plant, you can only go so long until the plant weakens beyond saving and dies.

Just as the root system and the above-ground portion of a plant must be in alignment to create a beautiful, healthy plant, so your conscious and subconscious beliefs must also match to make a beautiful, healthy you.

This brings us to why humans have created a compendium of religions.

The various designs have occurred in an effort to create a system that appeals both to the conscious and subconscious minds of a particular culture.

Did you ever wonder why you can’t force someone to believe like you do (well, people try), and why the belief in angels may work for some but not for others, and why the Holy Spirit performs like gangbusters for your sister but not for your father?

Ogoun helps your best friend dance on the head of a pin, pulling in super sales, and your brother-in-law may swear by snake charming to get those eBay deals, and then there’s your uncle, who claims nothing works like a nice dead relative to provide assistance from the other side when the chips are down.

Many cultures, many beliefs … who is right?

The one you believe in, of course.

Belief, quite frankly, isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Let’s say everyone around you fervently believes that a Great Rabbit runs the universe.

You have always been told, and therefore it must be true, that he sits up there, munches on carrots, wants you to be a good boy or girl, has
an instruction manual for you to follow, and demands sole fealty.

Everyone in town believes in the Great Rabbit (or so they say).

They pray to the Great Rabbit and have holidays in his honor.

Perhaps you’ve outwardly questioned the validity, and you have certainly inwardly gone over it a million times-nothing with teeth that long can be good.

You are told the Great Rabbit is also a wrathful rabbit because, ifhe isn’t pleased, he can cause hurricanes, drought, fires-you know, the normal Mother Nature stuff, which is now bad stuff and not normal because you, you infidel, did not believe deep down inside.

So much for the concept of universal love in deity form. Indeed, the worst type of believer is the secret nonbeliever.

Do you see where I’m going with this? I’m not poking fun at any specific belief-what I’m saying is if you make believe you believe, it ain’t gonna work for ya, no matter how hard you try.

What is worse, we can say we believe, but 10 and behold, our subconscious (for whatever reason) doesn’t.

Then again, we can tell everyone what they believe in isn’t quite right and that they should change their beliefs, or at least tweak them so that we can all really believe now, because if everyone thinks the way we do, then we have created a believable comfort ‘Zone.

Therefore, what we all believe must be true-because we all believe it.

Except we know we told everyone what to believe without empirical evidence.

So, therefore, in our subconscious, we know what they believe in is not true, and therefore, we don’t
really believe it either.

And if you don’t believe, you can’t make nothin’ happen.

Let’s, for the moment, move this topic away from religion and our All-Powerful Bunny.

The same premise works for other things in your life as well: health, income, politics, perceived status, love, friends, working environment (flap hand, yada yada)-religion, really, is just one

facet of the totality of your beliefs.

Just one. So, even if you work diligently on your spirituality and let the rest go (or ignore them or deny their importance), then all you’ve done is focus the conscious mind in one direction while your subconscious mind is having a banquet-at your expense.

You’ll not find a truer bait-and-switch scam than what occurs in your own brain each and every day.

Money problems?

Don’t check what’s in your wallet-check what’s in your brain.

How do you know that your subconscious beliefs aren’t in alignment with your conscious
mind?

That’s easy.

What part of your life has just gone down the toilet?

Or, what in your life could be better?

Or, maybe things have been holding steady, but you are bored, bored, bored.

Or, where have you been placing your primary focus of thought and activity because you had to?

Let’s take a look at what beliefs might be attached to that issue.

We’ll keep it simple, one issue at a time.

Pretty soon, you’ll see how troubles that seem separate can actually be the result of a single negative thought.

You may also wish to collect images of the HedgeWitch totem representations for your personal altar.

If these totems don’t suit you, simply change them to what you feel best matches your needs and personality.

The Praying Mantis of wisdom

The Butterflies of Communication

The Toads of Luck and Prosperity

The Bats of Earth’s Center

The Serpent of Wisdom

These totem representations were chosen in direct association with organic gardening.

Each brings vibrational benefits as well as prevents pests from destroying your work.

As this is the time of the longest night, holding an all-night vigil is a great way to attune yourself to the energy of darkness and rest, of winter
and the earth.

And when the sun rises in the morning, allow its light to wash over and inspire you.

The Druids performed a ritual called imbas forosna, where a person was moved from utter darkness and sensory deprivation to bright light.

To perform imbas forosna, find a place where you can eliminate all sources of light, if possible.

A room indoors is probably the safest place, where you can draw the curtains and blinds.

A cave out in the wilds is ideal, but of course, all safety precautions must be taken first.

You don’t want to be sharing this space with anyone/anything else!

If you can’t achieve utter darkness either indoors or out, then take a cloak or a blindfold with you.

You can wrap yourself in the cloak, or lay it over you to shield out all light, or simply place the blindfold over your eyes.

You can do this in a ritual circle, which would be the best place for such workings.

Feel free to say prayers beforehand, drum, or meditate.

Then simply lie down and spend time in the darkness, allowing your thoughts to slow down over time.

If you fall asleep, do not worry, for this too is a powerful form of work.

When you wake, tell yourself the story of what you have just dreamed so that you will remember it.

Then, after a few hours or at dawn, whether you have stayed awake or just woken up, throw off the cloak, tear off the blindfold, open the curtains and roll up the blind, immersing yourself in the light of day, moving from darkness to light.

See what impressions, thoughts, feelings, and emotions strike you as you move suddenly into the light.

After you have undergone this experience, journal it right away so that you won’t forget any of it.

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) – flowers
• analgesic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic
(good for arthritis sufferers
• thins the blood, is astringent and also works as a diuretic
• balances stomach acid as is good for treating diarrhoea, and is also
good for treating colds and flu, headaches and reduces fever
• excellent pain reliever and is also good for cystitis and urethritis,
breaking down kidney stones and gravel
This herb is used as a tea, tincture, glycerite and compress.
*There are contraindications present, especially if you are on anticoagulant medication such as for a stroke

The ancestors are a very important part of the Witches’ tradition.

They have a lot to do with moral and ethical frameworks.

As we realize the interconnectedness of all things, we come to the point where we know that we are all related.

We all came from the single-celled life forms that emerged from the oceans all those years ago.

We have a shared ancestry.

We also know that the world of the living is built upon the world of the dead.

We cannot have life without death.

The soil that we grow our food on is made of decomposed plant and animal matter, and so we honour the ancestors each and every day simply for the earth that we walk on, the food that we eat.

We know that without the ancestors, without those who have gone before, we simply would not be.

However, most often when we are working with our ancestors, we think of our human ancestors.

This might be because we can relate to our human ancestors perhaps more easily than we can to those single-celled organisms.

We still honour the fact that we would not exist were it not for all our ancestors, but for many, the focus lies on human ancestry and that is perfectly fine, as long as we remember our shared ancestry with all life forms.

In Witchcraft, with our human ancestors, there could be three different strands.

We have ancestors of blood: those human ancestors with whom we are directly related.

Yes, we are all related to each other if you go back far enough, but our blood ancestors help to narrow down the group a little bit in order to find a number that we can actually function with on a more intimate level.

So do we honor our parents and grandparents, our great grandparents, and so on, as far back as we can remember their names and their history.

For their stories are also our stories, and their stories flow through our veins.

If you are adopted, then you have two bloodlines from which you can work.

You can honor your blood relatives if you choose to discover who they are.

You can also honor the bloodline of your adoptive parents.

You may want to work with both at the same time.

The second set of ancestors which we work with is the ancestors of place.

These are the ancestors of our locality.

Working in the Hedge Witches Craft, it is useful to learn the local history and geography of the place we call home.

In doing so, we come to a deeper understanding of the place, and of our place within that place.

The ancestors of place are those who have gone before and who have lived upon this land.

The third set of ancestors honored in the Witches tradition are the ancestors of tradition, those spiritual ancestors whose faith, belief, work
or person has inspired others on their journey.

These could be modern-day Witches or Pagans who do great work in the community or a teacher that we remember fondly who inspired us in our school years.

It could be a religious figure, such as Gandhi or Mother Teresa, or from any other tradition, such as the Buddha.

It could be an artist who inspires us, or a poet, scientist, or musician.

If we look at the bigger picture, we can also bring a fourth strand of ancestors to the mix.

These are the ancestors of the future, those who will carry on after we have passed away.

These might be blood relatives, or they might not be.

These are simply those who will inherit the world that we give them.

When we consider our ancestors of the future, as well as being guided by ancestors of blood, place and tradition, then our Craft
is deeply rooted in time, in place, and in a deep sense of wakefulness.

To connect with your blood ancestors, you can do the following exercise as a meditation.

Close your eyes, and focus on your breath.

Choose a bloodline to follow, whether from your mother’s or father’s side.

Choose a single parent, and envision them standing behind you.

You can feel their presence behind you, and a line that links your heart to theirs.

As you breathe, you breathe together, that line also linking your breath.

Breathe with each other for a moment.

Now, see your parent’s parents, standing behind your parent, with a connecting thread to your parent from their hearts, which then connects
to you through your parent.

Breathe with them, all three generations breathing together.

Now envision your grandparents’ parents, and their parents, back throughout the mists of time.

Even if you don’t know their faces, feel their presence behind you, stretching back and connecting to each other, breathing together through that single thread from your heart.

Now, turn to face your ancestors, acknowledging them, breathing with them.

Spend a moment just breathing with your ancestors, and then listen to the message that your ancestors have to tell you.

Now turn away, but still feel all your ancestors behind you, breathing with you.

Know that they are a part of you, and will always be a part of you.

And slowly, with each inhale, allow your ancestors to fade from your view, but not from your consciousness; generation by generation, until
you stand alone once more.

Though they are gone from your vision, they still live on in your heart, and in your breath.

Focus on your own breath once more, and slowly begin to be aware of the sounds around you.

Wiggle your fingers and toes, and when you are ready, open your eyes.

Live your own wheel of the year as you feel most comfortable and secure. I have been
writing spiritual books for many years, and my work is read all over the world, which means
your climate and environment may be very different from mine. Although I built the HedgeWitchery concept here in south central Pennsylvania, you are not confined to my climate,
seasons, plant or herbal choices, or spiritual beliefs. In this material, substitutions are expected
and encouraged. For example, if a cleansing recipe calls for lemon balm herb and you haven’t
grown it yourself or can’t easily obtain it, choose something similar that has the same type of
properties. Let’s say you live in a country where lemons are commonly used in your cleansing
formulas-then choose lemons instead. For substitutions in any food recipe (like the magickal
vinegars), take care that your substitutions are not poisonous. The best way to do this is to
check out the herbs at your nearest grocer or open-air market. Remember, magick is all about
the mind and your connection to the source; everything else is secondary. View HedgeWitchery as a framework from which to grow your own glorious garden of life.
Take a moment to visualize the massive gates of the HedgeWitch Academy swinging open
for you. Breathe deeply, and step inside.

Hedges have long been used by Witches in the community, who were
often termed “Hedge Riders”. They were those who worked between the
boundaries of the everyday and those of the wilderness; the wild spirits
that dwelt therein. It is about finding the balance between our modern
civilized world and that of the natural world. This too is often the
inspiration for many in Druidry and Wicca. The German word
“hagazissa” means “hedge sitter”, who was a person who could go
between the worlds, travel beyond the human settlement and the places
of the wild spirits and the Otherworld, bringing back information,
healing and more to the community. They were able to “ride” that
delineating line between the human world and the Otherworld. The
Saxon term is “haegtessa” and both words are where we get our word
“hag” from, now often relating to a witch of a certain age.
Hedge Riding can be done to connect with the spirit of nature, or to
travel across different realms. In this work, I present the Otherworld
using a Celtic motif of the World Tree, which will be discussed later.
This is the tree that we will “ride” up and down, to connect to the
Otherworld, its guides and its mysteries.
The journey of personal transformation is never an easy one. Living a
life dedicated to earth-based spirituality, to working in the Hedge
Druid’s Craft, often alone and without support other than your wits and
the wisdom your guides can provide, is a challenging one in today’s
modern times. We can often feel so distanced from everyone around us. I
get those moments, when I’m in my village shop, or walking down a
street and think, “I’m so different from everyone else. There are so few
people out there in this world that think and care about the things I do.” It
can seem a lonely and distancing way of being, I’ll tell you. But then I
take a deep breath, perhaps say a quick prayer to my goddess, remember
my encounters with the Fair Folk and feel the strength of my ancestors
at my back. And I know that the work that I do has meaning, that I have
given my life meaning. Remember, the meaning of life is to give your
life meaning. And if you honour the gods, the ancestors, the spirits of
place, the earth and the universe itself, and you truly do the work, then
your life has a deeper meaning than most can ever achieve. (Not that
this is a competition, mind you.)

Unchecked mind chatter or verbal communication complicates your life by sending mixed
signals to the universe. Superfluous words can actually block your desires. Negative words will
bring you things you truly didn’t want. To get what you want, try the minimalist approachstart thinking only in nouns.
Typically, when we want something, we begin listing and constantly repeating what we
don’t want, thinking the universe understands this elimination process to make way for what

we desire. Rather than clearing a nice mental garden path, we are instead throwing a variety of
weeds in the way that will bring us a jungle of junk rather than the one thing we truly desire.
In the practice of HedgeWitchery, we use the fewest words possible in communicating our
desires to the universe through meditation, ritual, spellwork, and even everyday thoughts. The
more precise the verbiage, the greater the possibility of success!
Let’s say I want a new lawn mower-something simple that works only on me-power (no
gas or electric). The machine needs to fit between the paths of my raised-bed garden, be light
enough for me to handle easily, and have blades that stay sharp for longer than one season.
Since I’m not sure exactly what I want (the problem that muddles most people), I visit several
garden stores to determine what might work best for me. Once I choose the mower (a 16-
inch Scotts Elite), I ask for a brochure. At home, I sit down at the dining room table with a
piece of paper and the brochure side by side. On my paper, I begin describing this mower in
very simple terms. To pinpoint exactly what I want, I’m going to begin with only nouns. As
I add each descriptive word, I will also include a visualization of the noun or noun sequence
in my mind, so I might close my eyes to better focus. If I do this, however, I need to project
the nouns outside of myself and see myself interacting with them. For example: with my new
mower, I visualize myself smiling and merrily pushing the machine back and forth across my
property on a beautiful, sunny day over a rich carpet of green grass. To this, I add the aroma
of the cut grass and the sound the mower makes as it shlip-shlip-shfips across the green grass
(vibrating your thoughts by remembering sounds actually helps you manifest your desires faster-especially if you practice listening and then re-creating these sounds often in your mind).
I breathe deeply, thinking how this mower will provide a very good exercise opportunity for
me and what a nice tan I’ll have as a result of working outside.

Now, I walk outside and look at the beautiful stars (connecting to Spirit by surrounding
myself with nature) and slap a big smile on my face. At this moment, I am doing what a
HedgeWitch does best: I shift my mind totally into my concept of Spirit through the enjoyment of nature. Being outdoors helps me better connect. I take a deep breath, settle into the
moment of the beauty of deep night, and then I say clearly to the universe, “I want a new,
green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower or better. It always works. Always a blessing!” I close my eyes one more time, and I visualize all those things I mentioned earlier (sight,
smell, sound, etc.), and I smile again. Done!
Although the universe recognizes honor (we’ll get to that), it doesn’t understand verbal
manners, such as “May I please have ?”This is a question, not a desire. Remembering
to say “I want” acknowledges that you really do desire what you are asking for. Don’t worry,
Spirit won’t be insulted.
Time for you to try the primal language formula. Choose something you want to manifest
in your life. Begin with the basic noun and then build, being careful to add only enough words
to give you a precise description of what you want. Stay away from words like hope, might,
maybe, possibly, don’t, never, not, perhaps, etc., because they only confuse the translation of
your desire. When you have your description finished, go outside and tell the universe what
you want (no extra words), and save your description to work on through the next step. Don’t
forget to smile!
I already know (believe) that the universe will bring me my new mower. My job is to keep
the way clear for the mower to come to me and accept and welcome the fact that I deserve this
mower. Clearing, accepting, and welcoming are actually the hardest parts!

The basic idea of manifesting anything you want is to say exactly what you want, visualize it, feel good about it, and as soon as you open your eyes, think of something (anything) that makes you very happy.

Then let the thought go and make the effort t0 release ideas, thoughts, and physical objects that may be blocking your desire.

If you have been working magick for a long time, you’ll be sitting there saying,

“This is spellcasting”.

In spellcasting, the primary focus is on the preparation, the focus of the spell itself, and the closure, often done in sacred space or a magick circle (which defines the field for your focus).

We may forget that those thoughts and conversations we have with ourselves and with others before and after any work also communicate to the universe, which can result in a mixed message as to what we really desire.

What you think, say, and do affect your life all the time.

It shows us that we waste an inordinate amount of energy sending mixed messages to the universe.

To really make primal language work for you (remember, primal language is a succinct formulation of words that mirror a thought-that thought being your desire), you have to pay attention to what you are saying and doing outside that sacred space or magick circle.

Therefore, we must stop saying what we don’t want.

We must stop complaining.

We must stop transmitting garbled information, which means we have to make a concerted effort to change the way we think, the way we speak to ourselves, and the way we converse with others if we truly wish to manifest what we desire on a continual basis.

Magick doesn’t just occur in a circle.

Magick and manifestation occur each day, every day, twenty-four seven.

The old teachers asked us: where is the center of any circle? And our answer was to be: where the Witch is.

That is the center of manifestation, inside or outside of the circle: where you are.

Manifestation naturally happens all the time.

How does it happen?

That is entirely up to you.

In the magic circle, we know to be observant and how to direct the energy with honor.

But what about outside the magic circle?

When you are outside of the sacred area, are you directing your thoughts in the same way as you do within sacred space?

What is within is without.

What is inside is outside.

As above, so below.

Why use a magick circle at all?

Because it succinctly defines a specific field wherein we can work in harmony with the universe.

Those of us who have been working magick for a long time have learned that what we say or do within a magick circle is important because we have defined a field of manifestation by using the circle as a boundary.

When we speak to ourselves or others, this translates into symbols (or an energy stream) that the universe tries to interpret and, in turn, responds in kind to our desires.

If our thoughts or conversations are muddy and unclear, how the heck is the universe supposed to know what we are saying?

We tend to believe that outside of the circle, or when we have taken the circle down, the power we wield becomes limited.

This is not the case.

The universe hears what we say inside or outside that circle.

It is how we think that is different.

The universe is as it is.

It is what we believe that makes the difference to us.

The universe, remember, does not understand disclaimers, codicils, or addendums-the universe only understands nouns and verbs; that’s it.

If you say, “I don’t want to be responsible for handling this project at work,”you are most likely going to get the darned project.

The universe drops the word don’t in the translation.

Why?

Because we tend to think in pictures and symbols, even though we don’t realize we do.

In this primal language, there isn’t a symbol for the word don’t.

If! say, “I don’t want to be responsible for this project at work,” what symbols am I transmitting to the universe? That’s right.

I have formulated the project and my work environment in my mind.

The want word generates strong emotional content (good or bad), which magnifies the thought and often works as an attraction device, not a repelling device.

So, in all your thoughts, you need to train yourself to say what you do want-nothing more.

All of us who have worked through this material has agreed that training your mind to not say “I don’t want” was the biggest challenge.

Why is the concept of primal language confusing to some?

Because we are trying to translate the spoken word (no matter our language-English, Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Russian, Japanese) into the universal one- that of feelings and thought symbols and energy streams.

And as we all know with translation devices, miscommunication often occurs!

The universe does not speak English or French or Chinese.

It speaks “universe.

”The universe does not hear your words-the universe vibrates to your thoughts and feelings.

That’s how it communicates.

Your thoughts (not words) are vibrational symbols translated into a stream of energy.

Your emotions dictate the strength of that transmission (for good or ill).

Your belief determines the clarity of your transmission.

By using the primal language I recommend (nouns and verbs), you are training your mind to speak to the universe in a way it understands.

When you speak a word out loud, your mind has already formulated a vibrational symbol or stream of energy.

It is that symbol or energy stream, not the word itself, that communicates to the universe.

It is your emotion when saying the word, not the word itself, that quantifies the intensity of that communication to the universe.

It is your clarity of belief, not the words themselves, that speaks to the universe.

Words aren’t for the universe, they are for us.

The fewer words spoken, the stronger the message.

This is why you can be deaf, dumb, and blind and still be able to communicate with the universe.

There are no handicaps in the world that prevent you from this communication.

You are never alone.

And you have always known how to manifest anything you desire, you just didn’t realize it.

The reason why we often don’t get what we want is that we don’t really know what we want-we are confused, ourselves, as to what we really desire.

By using primal language, factoring down the number of words we use and how we use them, we are helping ourselves determine precisely what it is we truly desire.

Once we have honed our words to a precision thought, the world is ours!

Begin in the morning by reading the affirmation for the day.

Today’s segment concentrates on the wind, associating this energy with that of Spirit.

Close your eyes, quiet your mind, and allow Spirit to fully enter your body.

Then repeat the word

wind softly, conjuring your vision of wind in your mind.

Open your eyes, and repeat the affirmation at least three times.

Throughout the day, repeat the affirmation as many times as you like.

Write down in a small notebook (or your HedgeWitch journal) anything unusual about this day and events, people, or places that carry a strong wind association for you.

In this way, you will be prepared to perform the first night’s Rite of Wind.

Choose your signature plant/herb/flower.

It may be your favorite, or it could be a particular plant with a special meaning to you.

You may wish to spend a little time surfing the Net, or visit a bookstore or library to read all about the plant you have chosen.

Remember that you will need a physical representation of your choice.

If you already have it growing in your garden, that’s great!

If not, you might visit a local nursery, the grocery store, or shop on the Net.

If you are already familiar with the plant’s wild location out-of-doors, a short trip to collect it might be in order.

The physical plant can be dried, but you may wish to obtain a living one to forge a better connection. all unpleasant odors in my home!

I will open windows and air out areas and stagnant air.

I will burn scented candles or use air fresheners to keep my home smelling pleasant and fragrant.

If I own a vehicle, I will clean it out, removing all trash and junk that has been collected there.

If I have time, I will take it to be washed.

If not, I will reserve this task to be completed before I have finished this fourteen-day

If you are spending a week on this rite, embark on more projects, techniques, or formulas that you feel relates
to spiritual cleansing, and make those items.

In this way, you will begin to build your HedgeWitch magickal cabinet of supplies.

You may wish to use lavender, rosemary, chamomile, lemon verbena, lemongrass your magick key, incense, a small bowl of spring water, a white candle, or a representation of your signature herb

Oust the word or a picture may do for the evening.

A cleansing herbal mix, cotton conjuring bag or small net bag to hold herbal mix, mortar, and pestle to grind herbs if you are not using fresh herbs, paper (on which to draw your wind sigil), pen, pin to inscribe the white candle,

In those lofty realms of the sacred bile, the world tree of the Celts, is the
realm where the gods are said to dwell. It is often said that the ancestors
belong to the Underworld, we are in the Middleworld, and the gods
reside in the Upperworld. Of course, we know that all beings can move
about from one world to the other, and often do, using those liminal
times and passages, using ritual or their own innate power to move from
one realm to the next. In the Hedge Druid’s Craft, we learn the
techniques for doing so, through journeying, through herb, plant and
animal lore, through ritual, spells and charms.
The Upperworld is often seen as reaching the highest spiritual state.
When we travel there, we open our awareness to The Big Picture, to the
grander overall patterns of the universe. Here, we don’t deal with the
trivial matters; this is the place where we find deep integral wisdom,
where we learn the lessons of the universe in total, utter being. It is a
state of grace, one reached often through ecstatic ritual. It is the place of
wisdom, knowledge and prophecy. It is the realm of the celestial
heavens, the stars, sun and moon.
When we view the tree of life as our very own being, the roots are our
roots, reaching deep into the soul, grounding us, allowing us access to
the ancestors, to our blood roots, to the land. The trunk is our body in
the here and now, interacting with everything, and with all the worlds.
The branches are our consciousness, reaching ever higher. We often hear
this equated with the realm of spirit.
Reaching out our own consciousness towards the Upperworld, we
expand our souls. We come to the realisation that everything is energy.
We learn the lessons of transformation, of integration, of wholeness.
Rooted in our previous work, and awake to the present moment, we
move towards a state that is not a state, into utter immersion with the
universe. A word that is often used is transcendence. It is the place of the
Higher Self, of the soul in its purity, untainted by shadow.
Often the Upperworld is equated with the destination of the soul’s
journey. It is the ultimate truth. It is also the place of the future. With
our minds, we create the present and map the future. That future exists
in the Upperworld, waiting for our intention to bring it into
manifestation. The Upperworld is also the place of creativity.
Working with the Upperworld, we can literally change our lives. It is a
place to change perception, for from our higher vantage point we may
be able to see that what we thought was true was only part of the truth.
We can look deeply and honestly at all aspects of ourselves and our
work, and see the reality and the truth behind the veils of illusion that
we create. We see through expectations and false perceptions. We are
like the hawk, circling on high, seeing all below with a detached mind
and then choosing to strike where and when we see fit. In the
Upperworld, we ride the winds of change.
We live our lives with perceived, immutable truths. Most of these are
simply opinions that we have repeated back to ourselves over and over
again until we made them a truth. When we work with the Upperworld,
we see that we are all simply stories, and no story holds an immutable
truth. Every story has perceptions, perspectives. When we look beyond
these, then we begin to see the overarching pattern of being, which is
not beholden to any perspective.
We must gain a clarity of vision, releasing shadow perspectives in
order to see the world anew. With fresh eyes and a new perspective, we
can change ourselves. In changing ourselves, we can begin to change the
world. We can use our guides which we have met in the Lower and
Middleworld, to help us find this new perspective, and then perhaps to
let go of all perspectives entirely and just be. Though we all work
through the lens of our own perception, we can become aware of this
lens, and work to see beyond it as much as we possibly can.
We have the ability to create and change our worlds to some extent.
Yes, there are overriding factors in everyone’s lives that have a bearing
upon what it is that we are able to do. However, our perception is
something that is entirely under our control, if we have learned to work
with our shadow aspect (that which is “hidden” or unconscious) and
have received guidance from our teachers and guides in this realm and
in the Otherworld.
We’ve heard the term “the sky’s the limit”. Here we see resonance
with the Upperworld. We may carry a vision of who it is that we wish to
be, and that image resides in the Upperworld. It is up to us to manifest
that here and now, in the present moment. Otherwise, it will live forever
just out of reach. It requires hard work and dedication. It requires us to
look deeply at ourselves, and to move beyond outdated and outmoded
patterns of behaviour. It requires us to want to change.
When creating a rite to enter into the Upperworld, we might
beforehand research the local gods of our area, to see if we can find their
names, such as Andraste of the Iceni tribe near to where I live. We might
come up with our own names for the gods of our local deities of valley
and hillside, of the city or the seaside town after having spent much time
reaching out towards them, if their names cannot be found, or they
might also wish to remain unnamed. What matters most is that we make
the effort to know the gods of these places, so that we can deepen our
relationship to the land and in doing so, better serve it in our Druidry.
To enter into the Upperworld, go to your special, liminal place where
you begin all your hedge riding work. Assume the Druidic pose, the onelegged “within this world and the other” posture described previously, or
simply place your non-dominant foot forward. When you are ready, say
the following or similar words: I walk between the worlds with the World
Tree as my guide;
May my roots reach deep,
May my core be strong and centred, and
May my inspiration reach towards the skies.
I now venture into the Upperworld
To understand my highest potential,
To seek the inspiration to guide me,
And to connect with the Shining Ones (or gods).
In the realms above I seek my divine truth
To bring it back into the Middleworld.
May I be aided in this endeavour
By those who are attuned with my intention.
Turn around counter-clockwise three times, and then state: By the power
of three times three,
This is my will, so may it be.
You can now proceed with your working, knowing that you are now
between the worlds. Go to the World Tree, and open the doorway to the
Upperworld as you did with the Lowerworld. When a doorway appears,
you see a staircase leading up, and slowly you begin to climb, following
the light that is neither daylight nor starlight. Take a moment and orient
yourself to this new world. You take your hand and place it upon the
trunk, and call to the Upperworld to reveal to you your guide in the
Upperworld, whether that be the gods or the Fair Folk of the
Upperworld (The Shining Ones).
A mist appears around you, and slowly clears revealing a figure
standing before you. You take a moment to look at the figure, and bow
deeply towards it. You can ask the figure if they are to be your spirit
guide in the Upperworld, and whether they are from the realm of the
gods or the Shining Ones. If the answer is yes, then you can proceed to
ask them further questions, and get to know them. If the answer is no,
then you can ask them to direct you to your guides. One will appear.
Once you have met and spoken with your guide, you give your thanks
and then return to the Middleworld. Place your hand once more upon
the trunk of the tree, and a doorway appears. You travel down the
stairwell back the way you came, the light of the Upperworld receding
behind you as another light beckons you back towards the Middleworld.
You step out from the doorway into the Middleworld, and the doorway
closes and vanishes back into the tree. You say a prayer of thanks to the
World Tree, and then return back to your original starting point.
Once at your starting point, say these or similar words: I now return
from walking between the worlds.
I honour my time spent in the Upperworld
And seek to bring its wisdom into my being.
May I walk the realms in beauty and in truth
And may my eyes be open to the possibilities.
I honour the gods (or Shining Ones) and my work.
May I be the awen.
Turn three times clockwise and state:
By the power of three times three
This is my will, so may it be.
Take a moment to settle back into this world. If you can, eat and drink
something to ground you in the present moment. You might clap your
hands three times, or pat the earth three times to signal your full return.
You can also say your name loud three times. Journal your experience as
soon as you are able.
Working with religion, spirituality and philosophy will unalterably
change your life. I hope that walking the path of the Hedge Druid’s
Craft, riding the hedge and working with the World Tree will have
meaning for you and that you will be able to see and achieve that vision
of yourself which you wish to achieve in this lifetime. Moving through
outmoded perspectives, we can change the pattern of our lives for the
better. Working with the Upperworld does just that. We recognise the
patterns when we work with the Lowerworld. In the Middleworld, we
change our behaviour in order to change the pattern. And the end result
of working with all the worlds is that we become the pattern of the
universe itself.
I hold a vision of myself that is linked to the Upperworld. This vision
of my self is untainted by shadow aspects. I work with the Lowerworld
to uncover the shadow aspects of myself, and in the Middleworld change
my behaviour and my life in order to release these patterns of behaviour
that are holding me back from achieving my vision, the Hedge Druid’s
Craft that I wish to follow. That vision is mine alone, holding my highest
aspirations for myself and the world. In reaching out toward it, from the
highest branches of the world tree, I stretch myself beyond my own
seeming capabilities, and letting go I am able to touch and become that
vision. I am connected to that vision of myself through the tree, rooted
deep and stretching tall, allowing all three worlds to move through me,
to nourish and sustain me.

Physical boundaries such as stone circles or hedges can also delineate a
boundary between this world and the Otherworld. In Witchcraft, Wicca
and Druidry it is generally acknowledged that there exist beings that are
separate from us, yet which also live alongside us in parallel worlds.
These beings are often called the Fair Folk, Faeries, the Fey Folk, The
Good Folk, the Tuatha de Danaan, The Little People, The Gentry and
more. These are creatures often connected to a place, or sometimes seen
as nature spirits. They are even more vast and diverse than the human
race. They live in a world that straddles ours, and here in Britain there
are certain times of the year when it is said that the veil between the
worlds is thin. These are times when we can easily cross over into the
Otherworld, and they can come in to ours. The tides of Beltane and
Samhain, (May Day and Hallowe’en) are when the boundaries are at
their most “open”. Other times of the year, such as the solstices, have
folklore and legends too regarding portals between this realm and the
realms of Faerie.
One Beltane a being of the Fair Folk came through the hole in the
hedge at the bottom of my garden. The energy of our Beltane ritual still
hung in the air, shimmering in the light of the full moon. I was now
alone in the garden, tidying up the lanterns and getting ready to put the
fire to bed. As I walked down the garden steps, my offering of milk and
honey in my hands, I made my way across the lawn to where the altar
and offering place lay beneath the canopy of an old beech, its leaves just
beginning to bud. I said a quick prayer as I entered that sacred space,
with nine small stones delineating the boundary of this “faerie circle”, a
“minilithic” stone circle I had built for meditation and ritual purposes.
As I walked into the circle, I felt the air thick with the magic of the
evening. I knew something was about to happen. I laid the food and
drink upon the altar, and gave my thanks to the spirits of place, and to
the Fair Folk. No sooner had the words left my mouth than a rustling in
the hedge all around me began. It was as if some strange wind was
shaking just the coniferous boundary of my garden, or a small army of
badgers were all coming through the little holes in the hedge at the same
time. My heart pounded in my chest as the moon shone through the
branches of the beech above me. Frozen in place, both excited and
frightened to see what happened next, I tried to see into the darkness of
the hedge, shadowed from the moon’s light, but I could perceive nothing
but the inky blackness.
The rustling all around me stopped, and I found I was able to move. I
knew that something had come through the hole in the hedge, but I
could not see it. Slowly I walked towards the firepit, hoping to see what
had come through by the light of the fire. I cautiously approached the
dying flames, and peered into the shadows about ten feet away. I could
see very little, but I felt a presence, someone – male – standing by the
birdfeeder and the hole in the hedge, shoulder-height to me, dressed in
shades of brown. Suddenly, even as I looked and felt his presence, he
moved without a sound like a dark shadow in the blink of an eye back
into the hedge, and there from the depths of the green and black two
eyes shone a whitish/green, reflecting the light of the fire. Whatever that
being was, he had changed into the form of a badger in the blink of an
eye, to watch me from the depths of the back hedgerow.
“Beltane blessings,” I murmured. Unsure of what to do next and still
very much afraid and alone, I curtseyed and then covered the firepit
with its iron mesh guard, walking back slowly towards the house. I had
wanted to ask for his friendship, and for that of all the Fair Folk, but my
courage failed me on that night of the full moon, as the powers of
Beltane and the Otherworld flowed through the land.

The world of the Hedge Druid’s Craft is one where we take inspiration
from nature, and allow traditional folk customs, history and mythology
to blend with the powers of nature so that we can better work in
harmony. As we walk between the worlds, we open ourselves up to the
wisdom of plants, animals and the forces of weather around us that
influence us each and every day. We can use and harness this wisdom to
help our own lives, the lives of those in our community, and the world at
large. When we open ourselves to the realms of plants, animals and
weather, we broaden our horizons, literally and figuratively. We work on
both sides of the hedge, the civilized and the wild, and also within the
hedge, the liminal place, in our work.
The Hedge Druid’s Craft is found in liminal places. This is a place that
is “in between” places: the place where the hedge meets the field, the
high tide line on the seashore, a clearing in a forest. You can also work
at a liminal time: dusk or dawn, in the twilight hours where it is not
quite day, nor night, or when the tide is turning from low to high and
vice versa. What matters most is that you are working from the edge,
seeking to connect to that which is Other.
The Hedge Druid’s Craft is also that which seeks out the lore of the
surrounding countryside. That means researching local folklore, as well
as walking the land as much as you can, getting to know the land and
allowing the land to know you. It is researching old magical traditions,
potions, charms and spells and uses them as inspiration for your own
work. For example, here in Suffolk, in the UK, where I live there are
ancient Celtic sites that I visit to do my work, using the energy and
assistance of the ancestors. There are the remains of an ancient oak
woodland nearby, which is a truly magical realm in and of itself. There
are ancient green roads that countless feet have walked, and ley lines
that begin in Cornwall and pass through this land to come and flow into
the North Sea. There are tales of Suffolk witches, moats that hold power,
and ghostly goings on that give us a clue as to past traditions, lifestyle
and country temperament that can inspire the Hedge Druid’s Craft today.
There are also local traditions, such as the Horseman’s Society which
flourished in East Anglia, and which also has links to the endangered
Suffolk Punch breed of horses. The Horseman’s Society’s ways are
reputed to hold the magic of witches and retained relics of the area’s
pagan past, enabling one to communicate and charm an animal without
resorting to force. There are enormous black dogs that roam the
heathland, and mystery houses that appear and disappear, such as the
mansion near Little Welnetham by the church of Bradfield St George.
There are also tales of encounters with the Otherworld and the Fair Folk,
such as the popular folk tale of the Green Children of Woolpit, who were
found wandering the countryside, their skin as green as the leaves on the
trees, and who slowly changed to a normal human colour after being
adopted and raised by locals. And we cannot forget the historical record
of one of the nastiest men in English history, Matthew Hopkins,
Witchfinder General and the atrocities that he committed throughout the
countryside.
Knowing your local area, its history and its tales, helps with the Hedge
Druid’s Craft to develop a real sense of place, and inspires one to
continue an ancient tradition in up to date ways for a modern world.
Inspired by the past, we can work towards creating balance between the
worlds, in our local patch, and in our soul.
The Seasonal Festivals
The Hedge Druid’s Craft honours the seasonal festivals, and can work
with the four quarter/agricultural festivals of Imbolc, Beltane,
Lughnasadh and Samhain. She can also work with the four cross-quarter
days: the spring and autumn equinox, and the winter and summer
solstice. The modern Pagan Wheel of the Year was designed to
incorporate all eight festivals, so that something was celebrated roughly
every six to eight weeks. This keeps us modern folk attuned to what is
happening in the natural world around us, both in the wilds and in the
farmers’ fields, in the lanes and in the hedgerows.

No HedgeWitch is an island. We have friends, those we love, perhaps children, significant
others, parents, partners, co-workers-people that we allow to exert influence over our lives
because we like them, because we love them, or because our environments somehow overlap.
All of these people are in some way affected by our behavior, and our behavior is somehow
affected by them. This influence doesn’t automatically disappear just because we want to do
magick. Life and magick (for good or ill) are a bit more complicated than that.
In magick, we’ve always been taught to know (belief), to will (I want), to dare (open the way
and accept change), and to be silent, because if every Jane, Lisa, and Abby in the world heard
about what you want, they might try to block your desires-just by being jealous, they can
mess things up for you, especially if your belief is shaky. Yet there is always an exception to
any rule; on occasion, you will have to verbally agree with someone in order for the change
to happen. By agreeing on any subject, then the stage is set for action. If you disagree, even
subconsciously, failure is a possibility.
Let’s try an example.
You’re reading this book, working through the exercises, and you’re feeling really good
about the whole thing. You live with someone (significant other, spouse, your child, mother,
whatever), you are merrily doing the primal language thing, and you decide you want a new
sofa. For brevity’s sake, let’s say the other party involved here is your husband.
Every day, you say: “I want a new sofa in my living room.” Day after day, you repeat these
words. You’ve followed all the other suggestions on manifestation in this book, and so you
think you’re good to go. Except days progress into weeks, and somewhere along the line you
become convinced that primal language doesn’t really work, or at least isn’t working in this
case, because you can’t seem to get your mitts on a new sofa. You are stuck with the same old,
threadbare, smelly couch-which, by the way, you refuse to sit on.
This actually happened to me until it dawned on me that I wasn’t receiving my new sofa
because my husband hadn’t let the old one go! Heck, I’d have burned that blasted couch in a
heartbeat, and I’d released the image of it in my mind just fine. But he hadn’t: not physically and not in his mind. And, yes, we’d discussed how we needed a new one, but evidently
we weren’t really in agreement. You see, my husband, blessed man, loves that sofa. He takes
Sunday naps on it. Cuddles into the cushions. Sips his coffee on it. Wrestles with the dogs,
watches the Friday night fights … my husband loves that sofa and hates change to his comfort.
(Taurus moon, need I say more?)
9
Which, of course, resulted in keeping the old sofa just where it was. This was a totally
duh moment for me. No wonder the universe couldn’t fulfill my desire for a new sofa. Only
one couch could fit in that living room at a time, and it still sat there-physically and, more
importantly, mentally-through my husband’s adoration of it. He simply wasn’t emotionally
ready to part with it.
Okay, I thought, new line of attack. Haul out all the good wifely reasons why we need a new
sofa, concentrating on, of course, his comfort. Bingo. He mentally released the old sofa, and a
brand-new one finally trundled in the door.
My point here is this: those that you love influence you, therefore they will influence your
desires if you allow them to. And you usually do … because you love them! (To read more
about agreements with others, check out my MindLight book, which discusses various facets
of human interaction and thought [especially partnerships], and how, simply through conversation, you manifest the circumstances of your own life without even realizing it.)

We’ve talked about how to enrich the soil of our minds by learning the right fertilizer (primal language) to use. The next step, as in any good garden, is to provide an adequate drainage
and irrigation system that allows your desires to manifest. If there is no release, there can be
no growth! Your desires will drown in old habits, bad feelings, or negative memories. To keep
the garden of your mind healthy and productive, we need to find avenues of release and we
have to allow this discharge to take place! Think of your life as a great big house filled with all
sorts of clutter. One day a magickal elf knocks on your door and says, “I heard you wanted a
new lawn mower. Too cool! You deserve it, you do! I have it right here. But, since you already
have something in the space where you wanted to put it-well, I won’t be able to give it to
you.” See ya, lawn mower!
To get what you do want, you must let go of what you don’t want.
Although the premise of release works universally, I’ve noticed its greatest impact (where
we can see the necessity of letting go most clearly) in the arena of personal relationships,
particularly when folks say, “I just can’t seem to find the right person. Where is the man (or
woman) of my dreams?” Many times, these people are holding on to old, dead relationships
or memories of hurtful moments in human interaction. If they seriously close the door on old
patterns and open doors to new ones, sure enough, the right person comes along! Throwaway
those “nesting gifts” that remind you of lost love, good love gone bad, or whatever. Change
your phone number, block your e-mail, try a new hairstyle, build a spiritual garden, buy some
new clothes, apply for a new job, tear down a building on your property, clean out the basement and the attic, wear a different scent, move your furniture around so it doesn’t remind
you of “them.” Heck, burn the darned bed and all the sheets if necessary! Even better-move!
(That’ll keep ya busy and force you to release a lot of junk.) Or, less drastic, find a new hobby:
try skydiving, horseback riding, swimming, golf, or bowling; shop at stores you never tried
before; take a class at a local college; or get interested in a different cuisine. Work on affirmations, spells, and rituals that are life-affirming and geared toward positive change. Do a thorough house cleansing and a personal ritual cleansing. Pick a new activity where you will meet
exciting and vibrant people, and live! Live! Live! Live! Let go of the past, because the past
isn’t really what you thought it was in the first place. (Star U0rs and the Scream trilogy have
at least taught us that much!) Even perennial plants don’t last forever; they have their proper
cycle, too! Just ask my daughter. Mter a devastating breakup, she did many of the above-listed
activities and changes, and in one month-you guessed it-she found the love of her life.
he’s now married to the man of her dreams, a truly lovely individual that any mother-in-law
would be proud of In essence, my daughter concentrated on what she did want in her life
new experiences, people, places, and things), and she was so busy, she let go of what she didn’t
15
want-and without the severe, elongated emotional pain one so often experiences after a bad
breakup.
Let’s go back to my lawn mower example. I need to remove both physical and emotional
clutter, clearing the way to receive the machine that I desire. In my shed, I have an old gaspowered lawn mower that is more finicky than a Capricorn maintaining a prize rosebush.
This machine works only for my father, who doesn’t like the beast because of the amount of
time it takes him to get it started and keep it running. Even with the best maintenance (my
father is that Capricorn), this mower was the most cantankerous hunk of metal, gears, and gas
ever to be built on the face of this planet. It refused to work for anyone else in the household
(no kidding-which became a major pain when my father fell seriously ill). So, I wheel this
monstrosity out to the curb and slap a sign on it: FREE-RUNS BUT STUBBORN-GOOD FOR
PARTS. And away it goes. I’ve done this before, by the way. Ever tried it? Instead of trashing
something, I put it on the curb with some sort of fun sign. I’ve gotten rid of more junk this
way-free, without hurting the environment one little bit, and making someone delightfully
happy in the process!
Anyway … I’ve honestly cleared physical space in the shed (meaning I didn’t trick anyone
into removing the old mower-bad karma-yet I gave someone who might want it the opportunity to take it; this is good Pagan recycling). Then, I review my mentaVemotional standpoint
on receiving my new lawn mower. Obviously, I need it (or I’ll be fined by the borough for
having unruly vegetation-you think I jest!). Second, I deserve having a new lawn mower
as much as the next guy or gal; no issue there. Thankfully, neither politics nor religion has
entered into the ownership oflawn equipment. Since my feelings tell me whether I’m on track
with the receiving end (I feel good about getting a new lawn mower), I’m all set when that
imaginary magickal elf (the process of quantum physics in action) comes knocking at my door
with my brand-new lawn mower. I don’t think about how I’m going to pay for the machine.
I’ve kept money totally out of my visualization process on purpose, because money, for a lot of
people, can have its own emotional baggage, which adds unnecessary complications. We want
a cut-and-dry scenario here. Instead, I simply concentrate on the item. The universe will work
out how I’m going to get what I want and won’t bother me with the finances. (Isn’t it a relief to
know that there’s actually a powerful force on this planet that doesn’t want your money?)
To be more specific: as I remove the old machine from the shed and push it along its last
journey across my property, I concentrate on visualizing my new lawn mower and how won16
eriUl it will feel. I take a deep breath and allow myself to connect with the source (that which
:-.!:lS the universe), and I remember to smile. I imagine I’m pushing not the old lawn mower
_4 to the trash but the new one to make the yard look beautiful. I look at the green grass and
~joy the spicy aroma from my herb garden as I walk past, physically pushing “the stubborn
::Ie” out of my life. I simply let myself shift into Mother Nature as I trundle along, visualIZing myself delightfully tan, my arms and legs getting stronger, and my over-fifty paunch
~dting away under the gloriously blue summer sky. I smile broadly at that one. Then I say, “I
am grateful for my new, green Scotts Elite 16-inch push reel lawn mower or better; it always
works; always a blessing,” and I smile again. (Because when you are grateful about something,
on t1y grateful, you are in a happy mind place.) When I did this, a beautiful butterfly flitted
on:r the old lawn mower-a signal in my mind that my desire was well on its way (I personally use animals, plants, birds, insects, and my physical garden as interpreters of what the uniH:rse is trying to tell me about my life). In essence, by the time I pushed the old lawn mower
o the curb, I’d mentally and physically released the cranky machine and acknowledged the
receipt of my new one. Instead of kicking that nasty, grumpy lawn mower and declaring its
foul nature, I said, “I’m grateful for your service,” and I meant it. Mter all, I could have been
living without any mower at all, cutting the grass with a pair of kitchen shears. In this way, I
honored what it did manage to accomplish and let it go at that (this actually works with nasty
people, especially crappy employers or friends of betrayal, too). Then I walked back to the
empty spot in the shed, imagined my new mower sitting there, and said, “Welcome, new lawn
mower!” (Another big, happy smile!)
Okay, so the lawn mower isn’t like the love of your life, and the procedure to obtain it was
pretty simple. It’s not like I had to legally divorce the old lawn mower, but you get the idea
(although you might like to set your husband, wife, or partner on the street corner with a sign
that says FREE, STUBBORN, USE FOR PARTS, this isn’t legal and is certainly not moral).
The point here: I released (drained) and honored (irrigated positive energy) the old and
welcomed the new, shifting into the joy of Mother Nature as I did it. My magickal ritual
wasn’t performed in the formal way that you’ve read about before. Here, my ritual was the
process of doing-wheeling that old machine out through my yard (which is actually sacred
space) and actively meditating (visualizing) what I desired-all done in the arms of Mother
Nature.

Whenever I thought about how soon I might get the new mower, I switched mental gears,
smiled at the universe, and said, “Thank you for my new lawn mower,” then changed my
thoughts to something else, because the biggest destroyer of getting what we want is actually
our own minds and our myriad secondary thoughts on any situation. In essence, you only need
to make your request once; however, your request can be altered by subsequent thoughts. If
this mower is what I truly want, and I don’t want to change my mind, then I need to keep my
thoughts clear of any doubt or worry. In traditional Witchcraft and other magickal disciplines,
you’ll often see three-, seven-, or nine-day spells. As a rule, the bigger the problem or request,
the longer the duration of the working. This type of timing is to assure the mind (yours) that
you are actually doing something constructive, and the repetition helps to solidifY confidence
in yourself and cement your own belief. Likewise, offerings to the gods, another traditional
practice, are simply the act of releasing, accepting, and welcoming. You are physically giving
something away in order to make room to receive what you want. Honoring the gods by
saying thank you is also a release-and-closure function. When you thank someone, you are
basically ending the subject with an act of honor. The words thank you indicate an automatic
closure and affirmation that your desire has come to pass.
Did I get my mower? Yep! Took two weeks. No expense. I named my new lawn mower Elf,
put a garden talisman on it, got a great tan, and walked off ten pounds. Sweet!
{(gar- tar-I(: Review your request from the primal language exercise. What do you need to
release to receive your desire? What physical steps or actions can you incorporate in your
life to clear the way for your success? Remember to honor what has to leave-being
grateful for the good is a powerful act of closure! Remove any doubts in your life about
what you do and do not deserve. Be sure to clearly accept and welcome, through your
words and actions, the changes you are working for. And don’t forget-smile, smile,
smile!

Discussing the law of attraction and release based on your thoughts, words, and deeds and supported by your belief isn’t new.

It is very likely that it has been done for centuries through different venues, especially in magickal circles.

It is however possible to personalize your primal language for it to work for you continuously.

Many seekers try a technique for a month or two, have great success, and then something seems to go wrong.

Success is overshadowed by failure, and we find ourselves once again back at square one, debating on whether a particular technique really works for us and perhaps jousting once again with a nasty mental monster we just can’t seem to shake.

Some have been contemplating this problem for several years, as just like in everything else, no one human is like another, and therefore, no one human processes thoughts exactly like another.

Yes, we all have certain human capabilities in common (like breathing), but it is those nuances that make us so unique that also make our approach to the law of attraction exclusive unto ourselves.

If this is so, then how can everyone enjoy the laws of attraction and release equally?

By determining what specific words, thoughts, and actions have meaning to our personal way of thinking.

If we use our own favorite words, we can create emotional certainty ensuring that what we want, we will receive.

If we can keep that emotional certainty at full power for sixty-five seconds, what we want has already begun to manifest.

Once we have found those words and actions, using props and triggers-a motion of the hand, the scent of an herb, or the feel of a rock or crystal-helps to elongate a single thought, holding that heightened emotional certainty in place, giving us the necessary time for our desire to
take root.

These props or triggers can tie the unseen to the seen, the ephemeral to the physical, giving us an even flow of energy.

As above, so below.

OAK (Quercus robur)
Plant family: Beech family (fagaceae)
Parts Used: Bark, leaves, acorns, galls (“oak apples” created by gall
wasps on leaves and also acorn or knopper gall, on acorn).
Soil and Environment: Hedgerows, woods, parkland. Copes well in
moist and even poor soil. Interbreeds with other oak, such as sessile and
downy oak. Grows very slowly.
Description: 130ft-160ft (40m-50m). Lives between 400-1,000 years.
Circumference to approximately 30ft (10m). Lobed leaves in ovoid
shape. Scaled grey/green trunk with warty branches, scaly “capped”
acorns longer than American cousin. Male flowers in yellow-green
catkins, female flowers unassuming – both flowers grow on same tree.
Due to size, creates a greenish light around it when found in a forest, as
it opens up the canopy around it to let light in. Quiet tree, noble
stillness, grand presence. Irregular-shaped crown with branches starting
low down on trunk. Galls are smooth, globular, brown and perforated.
Acorn or Knopper gall wasp (Andricus quercuscalicis) became
established in the UK during the 1970s and is now widespread. Eggs are
laid during early summer in the developing acorns of Quercus robur.
Instead of the normal cup and nut, the acorn is converted into a ridged
woody structure in which the gall wasp larva develops. The gall is
initially yellowish-green and sticky but later comes greyish brown. The
next generation of wasp forms inconspicuous galls on the male catkins of
Turkey oak, Quercus cerris the following year, rotating each year
between the two tree species. Wasps know the concept of sustainability!
History: Used for building homes, ships, furniture, etc. Bark used in
tanning leather and dyeing fabric. Acorns used to feed pigs (and humans
when food was scarce). Galls used to make ink. The wood is good for
burning and for making charcoal. Oak trees have sheltered many famous
outlaws, including Robin Hood and Charles II. Oak is the second Ogham
in the aicme of Huath. Oak forests covered most of Europe in vast
expanses. It is one of the seven “nobles of the wood” in Brehon law.
Associated in Celtic lore with thunder and lightning, oak trees often
survive lightning strikes. Their roots reach as deep into the ground as
their branches reach high into the sky. Oak was the first tree species to
be protected by legislation. It is the chieftain tree of the Druids: Druid
means “wisdom of the oak”. The Oak King battles the Holly King at each
solstice; The Oak King is the god of summer. Lightning-struck oak trees
were important in Druid and Celtic magic. Sacred to the goddess
Brighid, her original sanctuary in Kildare was a grove of oak trees: Cill
Dara, the church of the oak tree. In Greece the rustling of the leaves and
branches was used for divination. Woodhenges of Neolithic or Bronze
Age were made of oak, such as Seahenge in Norfolk. Sometimes
considered the World Tree in certain cultures, it was an axis mundi.
Neolithic trackways of oak still exist in Britain. Oak used to be on
sixpences and shillings. King Arthur’s table at Winchester is cut from a
single piece of oak tree trunk.
Chemical constituents: Tannins, tanning acids, minerals.
Actions and Medicinal Uses: Astringent and good for tightening,
drying, binding and toning tissue, reducing excess discharge. Good for
diarrhoea, dysentery, eye, mouth and throat inflammations as well as
inflammation in the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Good for
burns, sores, bleeding. Also, good for coughs and colds. Anti-microbial
and antiseptic. Good for sweaty feet, chilblains and anal tears (taken as
bark decoction in room temperature bath). Acorn coffee aids poor
digestion. Used homoeopathically for alcoholism. Helps reduce fever.
Beneficial hair rinse for dandruff and hair loss. Compresses soaked in tea
can shrink goitres and glandular inflammation. Anti-inflammatory.
Combinations: Oak bark decoction with nettle and yarrow make a
good women’s tonic. Bruised leaves when applied with comfrey leaves
help heal bruises and sprains.
Usage: Leaves for tea and tincture, bark as decoction, acorns ground
and roasted for coffee substitute. Tea and decoction internal use: 2 tsps
dried or 3 tsps fresh leaf/bark per cup of boiled water up to 3 times per
day. Tincture: 1 tsp three times per day. Leaf galls as tincture internally
for severe diarrhoea and dysentery. Use decoction as local astringent
externally for haemorrhoids. Bruised leaves for first aid treatment in
bruises, swelling and sprains.
Contraindications: Possible contraindication when used with
morphine. Possible antagonist to nicotine sensitivity.
Spiritual Aspects: Oak is sacred to many gods. The Proto-IndoEuropean word for oak, dorw, became the word for “door”. Oak is a
doorway between the worlds, as it lives between the worlds (high
branches, deep roots). Celtic priests ate acorns to aid in powers of
divination. Oak was popular in the funeral ceremonies of ancient Celts.
Acorns kept in the home or carried on a person bring good luck. Oak
teaches us about strength, even when the worst happens (as they often
survive lightning strikes). For Druids, they symbolise the ideal way of
life, with branches reaching towards the heavens while feet are rooted
deeply in the earth. Water found in the tree’s nooks and crannies can
provide a good vibrational essence for empowerment, fighting great
difficulties, loss of hope or the draining of energy. Oak helps develop
inner sovereignty. It leads to greater ability for kindness and
compassion. Promotes personal responsibility. Spirit ally to connect you
with other worlds. Oak is the doorway to new worlds and new
perception.
Oak is a wonderful ally in the Hedge Druid’s Craft. As the oak tree’s
roots extend as far down into the soil as the boughs reach overhead, it is
in the perfect balance between the worlds. Some oak trees in Britain are
hundreds, if not over one thousand years old. They can be great
teachers, but some can be very impatient with humanity, and want
nothing to do with us. We must respect this.

This rite can be used to dedicate yourself to The Hedge Witches Craft, to walking between the worlds.

If you can, begin your work by standing in or near a hedgerow itself, looking away from civilization.

If this is not possible, you can create a hedgerow by standing between two plants.

Many potted trees will do well indoors, so you can research their properties and see what kind would be suited to your work.

Stand on your dominant leg, raising your non-dominant foot off the ground (if you are right-handed, then your dominant side is your right side, for example).

Close your non-dominant eye, perhaps by placing your non-dominant hand over that eye.

This is a very tricky pose to hold for long, and if you are in a public place, can look rather odd.

It is, however, an ancient Witches pose used to travel between the worlds, as one half of you is solid and grounded, while the other half is being suspended.

If this is too difficult a pose to maintain for any period of time, you can just put your non-dominant foot forward, to symbolize “walking between the worlds”.

Or you can hold the more difficult pose for a few seconds, before moving to the easier pose.

Whatever pose you choose to use, hold it for a few moments until you feel a shift in consciousness, then say these or similar words:

I walk between the worlds, by the blessings of nature:
By the blessing of the green and growing things
By the blessing of the wild creatures
By the blessing of the Fair Folk.
I walk the path of the Hedge Witches Craft Craft;
May the wisdom of the Otherworld be open to me;
May I take my guidance from all the realms around me
In safety and surety I travel between the worlds
To speak in the language of bird and beast
Of plant and rock
Of the sun and moon and stars.

Turn anti-clockwise three times, and state:

By the power of three times three
This is my will, so may it be.

Take a moment to adjust, and know that wherever you go, whether you choose to move from this space or not, you are now also in the Otherworld.

Here, you can receive guidance from plants and animals, from nature spirits and the Fair Folk, from gods and goddesses of the wildwood, and more.

Journey where you wish to go. This can be done either in the physical realm, actually walking across heathland or meadow, or through a
forest, or down the beach.

Know that you are straddling the worlds as you walk and that what you see and come across may have a very different meaning than in ordinary reality.

Or you can simply sit where you have begun the rite, and journey in your mind to a place where you wish to travel, to gain wisdom from the plants and animals, the ancestors, and other guides you may meet.

Start slowly and gently, becoming used to being between the worlds.

It is not something to be rushed, but to be savored.

When you have finished, return back to the place where you began, and assume the original posture once again, this time facing towards
civilization.

Say these or similar words:

I return from walking between the worlds;
In harmony and in peace I return.
May my powers be strengthened,
May I receive protection in all my endeavors
As I work towards balance and harmony with the whole.
May I be the awen (inspiration).
Turn clockwise three times, and state:
By the power of three times three
This is my will, so may it be.

Take a moment to settle back into this world. If you can, eat and drink something to ground you in the present moment.

You might clap your hands three times, or pat the earth three times to signal your full return.

You can also say your name aloud three times. Journal your experience as soon as you are able.

This beginning rite can be performed each time you begin your work in walking between the worlds, in hedge riding.

You might do this before you go out to collect plants for your work, or to search for guidance from animal companions, or to use the weather to predict future events.

It helps you to bring magic back into your life, to reenchant the soul.

When simple actions are performed when one is between the worlds, the power is increased and the work which we do sings out in a chorus of harmony across the web of all existence.

Your response to my sofa story may have been, why didn’t you just go out and buy one?
Except the kind of sofa I wanted was a large purchase, and that costs money, doesn’t it? In a
marriage, you usually agree on large purchases, or maybe we just didn’t have the money for
a new sofa whenever we pleased. At the time, a new sofa was a luxury item, not a necessity
(well, I thought it was necessary, but he didn’t). The very, very cool thing about using primal
language is that you don’t worry about the money. Ever. You don’t ever think about how much
anything costs. Isn’t that cool? You just say what you want, and visualize the thing. As long as
you believe, one of four things happens …
You either get what you want for free, or
You get what you want at a price you can afford, or
You get the money to get what you want, or
You get something better than what you originally wanted.