I am so happy to be back in the groove of reading and writing reviews. It has taken a long time. My apologies for the inconsistency recently, but I am showing up now and for good. Life has a way of pulling you from your passions at times, and I really let life get in the way for a while.
What types of topics would you like to see content on? Book reviews and freebie book posts will obviously be regular things here. The books will range from fantasy and other fiction books I read, as well as Pagan and spiritual books I read for my practice. As a mom of three boys, I will also provide reviews of children’s books from time to time. I am also active on my Instagram and Twitter again…well I guess X now. I am also starting TikTok, but that is a slow process because I am shy in front of a camera, though I do it for my job often while selling crystals.
That being said, let’s move on to this amazing book. I was so happy about this book because I am an animal lover with an animistic view of life.
Path of the Moonlit Hedge 
Author: Nathan M. Hall
Publisher: Llewellyn
Published: May 8th 2023
Book Length: 224 Pages
Genre: Pagan, Spirituality, Witchcraft, Nonfiction
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon, Llewellyn
Rewild Your Soul and Deepen Your Relationship with Our Interconnected World
Discover an exciting approach to witchcraft that teaches you how to see and work with the life in all things, from animals and plants to rocks, rivers, and beyond. Nathan M. Hall provides an in-depth and thoughtful exploration of animism, guiding you down the path of the moonlit hedge with more than thirty exercises that support the needs of your wild soul.
This book builds your magickal foundation through journeying and trancework, helping you connect with natural energies and patterns of the earth. You’ll meet and partner with spirits of the land, perform meditations and spells that strengthen your commitment to the craft, and learn how to cross the hedge (enter the spirit world) to participate in the Witches’ Sabbat. By adopting this magickal worldview, you can create balance within yourself and empower your work as a witch.
Looking at the cover art, this book has a beautiful color scene and draws me in. I love the use of the hare with the image of the moon and the more neutral colors rather than vibrant are easy on the eyes.
I think my favorite thing in this book is what is directly after the content page, the exercises page. I have read so many books with things such as meditations, recipes, etc. but they are in chapters and I really have to dig to find them after I have read them once. This page tells you exactly what page every exercise or activity is on.
The forward was very well written as if Christopher Penzack was sitting with me speaking, telling me of his growth and experiences. As with any good nonfiction book, this begins in the first chapter by defining terminilogy such as “hedgewalking” or “animism.” This is vital to anyone new to reading on the subject. They need this breakdown to completely undestand the text without being confused or misundestanding something.
We never realize how programmed we are by society until we attempt something like destabilizing our cultural programming discussed in this book. It is not an easy task initially and will take time, but it is something that I am actively working on. To touch on the topic of Shamanism, I also practice some forms of Core Shamanism and was taught by someone raised in that spiritual practice. I do not call myself a Shaman, but I know that title is what I have held in almost all of my past lives and is also in my Scandinavian Ancestors’ past.
Grounding and Sheilding are also discussed in the beginning of the book and I was so happy to see that. Many people discuss grounding; it is almost an overused term these days. Yet, shielding is heard of less frequently. This is vital to any spiritual practice; everyone should learn to do this early in their spiritual journey.
I always say that I am no artist, but this book reminded me not only that I am an artist but also that I use art in my magical work. Sigils! Sigils are art yet have become integral to who I am. This book has many topics, and the wording flows smoothly, making it easy to read and comprehend. Hall did a wonderful job at thoroughly explaining every topic they discussed and creating a novel that brings so much information but makes you think about your spirituality and energetic connection to the world…with plants, mushrooms, animals, guides, etc. We are connected; we simply forget that and live in an isolated society. There is life in all things if we stop for a moment to feel it.
If you want to know more about those connections and open your eyes the magick in all things around you without the “woo woo” fluff that some add into their books, this is a great choice. I think I am a Nathan M. Hall fan and will be searching for more books they write.
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