Hedgewitch

The term “hedge” in relation to a spiritual path often simply means that
one is not dedicated to any particular path or organisation. However, in
an earth-based tradition, the word also takes on a deeper meaning. In a
community, there were certain boundaries between the human world
and the rest of the natural world. Though we know that we cannot ever
be truly separate, still there were and are physical boundaries that we
have created over millennia to delineate “our” space from that of others,
whether human or non-human. The Hedge Druid’s Craft crosses these
boundaries and works in both worlds, in all worlds.

Consider your life as a fertile patch of ground, ready for planting your personal
den of potential. Take a few moments, and think of what you’d like to grow there. Success?
Good health? Financial gain? Happiness in relationships? All of what I’ve just listed and
more? Every moment of your life is that fertile piece of ground, capable of producing exactly ,
what you desire. Now let’s grow it!

Whether you are trying to raise a successful business, manifest healing in your life, find a
loving partner (or pet), buy a new house, or have a better relationship with a specific person,
the starting point of change is always the same: connecting to the source of all things. You need that moment of focused quiet where you acknowledge the pure power of All That
Is-and in that connection, anything, I mean anything, becomes possible. Getting there is as
simple as shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Defining “it”? That truly depends
on what you believe. The interesting thing about this engine of the universe is that you don’t
have to understand what makes it tick to use it, nor is it ego-defined. There’s no such thing
as a secret pass for the select few. In the practice of HedgeWitchery, the power just “is”-and
everyone has access to it. All you have to do is shift your mind from here to the source, and
in one breath you can move right into the heart and soul of the power of manifestation. From
there, all things are possible. Believing in “it” isn’t hard. Getting to “it” isn’t difficult. The trick?
Remembering to go there in the first place! Once you acknowledge that you must connect to
your concept of Spirit to succeed, nothing can stop you.
How do you start using the amazing power of All That Is? With a smile.
Many times, we are so busy, frustrated, angry, hurt, depressed, irritated (you name it) we
forget that a brief shift into the source will allow us the opportunity to fix our unhappiness,
solve a problem, or provide just the right creative idea we need at a particular point in time.
We let the outside world and our reactive thoughts so thoroughly inundate the situation that
getting what we truly desire seems almost impossible. A simple smile functions as a magick
key, because although we may be serious, the source isn’t. The source is pure joy. Your smile
shifts your energy vibrations from impotent to empowered!
Try it! Close your eyes and take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Give your mind a little time
to settle into the source. Now smile! Doesn’t that feel great? Oh. You don’t feel like smiling?
Give it a try, anyway! No, you don’t have to be happy to smile. Just do it. You want your smile
to be genuine? Okay. Think of something wonderful that has happened to you in the past,
something good, something marvelous. Is that a smile I see? Is it? Yes, it is! Now, see how
wonderful you can feel when you smile? And when we feel wonderful, we increase our ability
to reach our desires, find peace, and maintain happiness.
Hey, not bad for a simple muscle movement.
Time to practice smiling! For the next two weeks, throughout your daily tasks, remember to smile! If you think of a pleasant memory, go ahead and smile. If you see something
that amuses you, don’t keep a deadpan expression-smile! If you hear something funny or are
enjoying a good conversation, be sure to pepper the moment and smile, smile, smile! Allowing
yourself to smile puts you in a much better emotional place. Too many smiles will never hurt you- they’ll only make your life better! To remind yourself to practice smiling, why not carry
a special key in your pocket, on your key ring, attached to your purse, or dangle a key charm on
your iPod or cell. Spend some time choosing your special key, or just begin collecting keys as
a constant reminder that to accomplish anything, we must unlock the door to our connection
with the source.
As a HedgeWitch, you’re going to learn to smile a heck of a lot! Now that we have our very
own magick key (the smile that connects us to the source), we need to learn how to communicate with the source so that we can use this unlimited power to the best of our advantage.

The HedgeWitch guide is separated into fourteen segments, each segment entitled a “night” because that is the time normally scheduled for the rite.

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

For example, the first-night segment concentrates on wind, associating this energy with that of Spirit.

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

Then repeat the word wind softly, conjuring your ‘ the 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 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 ritual.

Continue this process for the remaining segments.

Each segment also’ contains a “to do today” requirement.

For example, the first night segment suggests that you choose a signature plant that you will continue to work with for the entire HedgeWitch experience.

You will need to have a physical representation of this plant for the fourteenth segment (the dedication ceremony).

Each day requires that you release something negative, old, or worn from your life to make room for positive growth.

You can’t keep filling your life with new things without learning closure and releasing things that are no longer serviceable to you.

For example, on the first day you will air out your house.

Of course, what you get rid of is entirely up to you.

I realize that you are very busy, so if you miss a suggestion to release on a particular day or evening, try your best to fulfill this release sometime during the successive days (and definitely before the final ceremony).

Each “night” focuses on a set of herbs that, through correspondence, match the rite’s energy intent.

Each sequence encourages you to draw a personal sigil, or symbol, that represents the focus of that day.

This is done during the ritual sequence and relies on your observations throughout the day.

You can make the symbol as simple or elaborate as you desire.

Once you have completed the HedgeWitch sequence, you will have fourteen powerful “keys,” or gateways, that you can use in any type of work.

Because you have designed the symbol yourself, it will have great meaning to you.

In the future, you can use this symbol in candle magick, on petitions, to embroider on clothing, to place in conjuring bags, etc.

Only you will know what this symbol stands for, thereby making the significance that much greater.

When all the symbols are completed, you can begin mixing them together like bind runes, experimenting with how they will work best for you.

Keep a Hedge Witch journal as you progress through these rites.

It doesn’t have to be fancy.

Your journal will contain your dreams over the next fourteen days, any unusual experiences you may have, the Hedge Witch sigils you create,
thoughts, insights, and so on.

Writing a great deal is not necessary-jotted notes will do, as this record is only for you.

Yes, you can reorder the first eleven rites as they might suit you; however, please be aware that some of the rites use materials presented in rites preceding it.

If you plan to reorder your ceremonies, be sure to take this into consideration and jot down necessary adjustments.

For example, if you experience a wonderful rainstorm or thunderstorm early in the sequence of days, you may wish to take advantage of the
weather and work the Rite of Rain or the Rite of Thunder.

There are two ways in which you can perform this rite.

You can visit the physical woods (with a friend) in a safe area sometime throughout the day or afternoon, or you can use the magickal wood chosen under the “herbs for today” category and creatively visualize, in quiet surroundings, a trip to the woods while holding that representation.

Your goal is to reach a magickal clearing and find a gift that is just for you.

This gift will be a quality, such as patience, good humor, etc.

Standing in the clearing (either physically or in your mind), you will ask your ancestors to help you pull this shining quality into yourself.

Begin with the general HedgeWitch conjuration, which you can use for all types of magickal work in the future:

To bring your ancestors to you, with your eyes closed, turn around slowly with your left hand raised.

Where you feel pressure on the palm of your raised left hand is the gateway to your ancestors that, from this time forth, will be known only to you.

Stop. Take a deep breath, ask for their assistance, and then visualize the quality you desire.

Pull this quality into yourself, breathing deeply and smiling. In no way should you experience any negative feelings.

If you do, then you haven’t asked for what you really need or you really do not desire this change.

Choose a different quality and try again. When you are finished, be sure to thank your ancestors and the universe for the gifts you have received.

Don’t forget to smile! Repeat the last stanza of the general HedgeWitch conjuration:

As above and so below This working now is sealed o spell, be secret, safe, and sound Fruition in its field!

It always works.

Always a blessing.

Remember to smile!

In your HedgeWitch journal, inscribe your secret sigil for wood, or learning new things.

Add to this your choice of a personal good luck animal. On a separate page, draw all the symbols you have created for the past twelve days.

We will be adding two more-the the sigil for the thirteenth night and the sigil for your own personal change, which will be designed the night of your dedication ceremony.

This evening, review what each of the previously drawn sigils now means to you