Earth Witch, page 13
I encourage you to go forth, strangely, into that night.
Practice: Self-Initiation Rite
For this rite of commitment and dedication you will need:
A ring or necklace that you can wear comfortably for the rest of your life
A four-inch candle in white or light blue
A glass of water
Blessing oil, plain olive oil, or any oil oriented to your purpose
A small heat-proof cup or glass bowl with a flat bottom
Any representations of the spirits and/or gods with whom you work
A written dedication or prayer from the heart
First, choose a moon phase or an important date on which to perform your rite, then build a small altar. This can be built on your working altar, or you can create a whole new space from which to work. Place representations of your spirits and/or gods around the altar and put a glass of water on it.
Carve your name into the candle along with your intention, then dress the candle with the oil and set it to the side. Hold the ring or necklace in your dominant hand and charge it with energy from your free hand. Place it on your altar and place the cup or bowl upside-down over it. Burn the bottom of the candle and let a little wax drip onto the bottom of the cup or bowl, then stick the candle on top of the dripped wax. This will hold it in place.
Let the wax cool to ensure that the candle is held securely, then light the candle and recite your written prayer or pray from the heart your intention of dedication. Speak to your ancestors, gods, and spirits, telling them why you're here and what you intend to do. Ask for their support and guidance. Allow the candle to burn down completely. If you perform this rite at night or in the evening, you can let the candle burn while you sleep. This can encourage the incubation of dreams that may portend any omens or signs.
Upon awakening, you are born anew. Wear the ring or necklace as an act of dedication and a forever reminder that you're walking the path of the witch.
Conclusion
This book was born out of my online course called Praxis of the Witch, which I launched in 2019. The course was designed to help others integrate witchcraft practices into their daily lives. And this commitment became the bones of this book. Many people have taken this course over the years, and the feedback I have received from them indicates that it did, indeed, provide a framework in which others could expand their practice.
To be honest, I didn't want to write a book. I've never really considered myself a writer. But spirit thrust this project into my lap and I couldn't say no. Honestly, what I wanted to do was pack up my truck and run for the desert—into dreamy hot days spent with plants, rocks, coyote yips, and dirt clinging to my legs. I wanted to squint into an endless bright horizon of sagebrush steppe. Instead, I prayed on the matter and was given a clear answer: This is my work. So I set to the task.
A unique set of circumstances arose at the beginning of this book project. First, I got sober. Second, I rediscovered the God of my understanding. And third, with time and prayer, I came to realize that this book was a devotional work to Our Lady, the Holy Mother, Inanna, Mary—whatever name you prefer. You don't have to believe in anything to read this book, but you must understand that the Holy Mother's presence and guiding hand are laced within these pages. Without her, this book would not have been possible.
Both the course and the book unfolded at a time when so many of us were forced into our internal landscapes and made to face a looming threat. Many who took my course hoped to find some solace in it. They realized that, even in this age of disconnection, the land has always been calling to them. They just needed an opportunity to show up, to really listen, and to take part. They were called back to a recognition of the spirits of the land as an escape from the constant drone of the news cycle and the isolation inherent in social media and online distractions. More and more, people are feeling the need to venture forth into the land and to see it in a different light—as a place of comfort where they can forge a deeper connection to the life that flows around them. This book seeks to deepen that connection and take it a step further. For we are not just living on the land, we are living with it. My wish is that the culture at large comprehend the magnitude of this connection.
Writing this book was a spiritual experience. I suffered from a debilitating bout of imposter syndrome as I began, but I found through the grace of my spiritual practice that this book wasn't about me or even for me. This book is for you, dear reader. This book is for the Holy Mother, who sustains all life on this blessed planet. This book is for the land—for the many lands— that have held and supported me. Once I put the writing of this book into the hands of a power greater than myself, it magically took shape (with the help of my lovely editors). Without the Holy Mother, without the land, this book would not have been possible.
It is my hope, dream, and desire that this book ushers you forth into a new practice, or that it affirms and validates the path you are on. Witchcraft is impossible to define and, as such, it is unique to each of us. It will manifest differently in each of our lives; it will take a different trajectory for each of us. Please remember that your craft does not need to look like the craft of others. Your craft is your own. The primary commonality across the practice of being a witch is that it is rooted in the earth—in the land we inhabit and all that it contains. From there, we each find our own orientation; we each proceed in our own practice.
I am not good at endings, so let this book be the beginning of something new and beautiful for you. Be weird, be wild, and remember—do witchcraft.
Appendix A: List of Practices
Chapter 1
Signs You Are an Earth Witch: p. 19
Chapter 2
Creating a Journal: p. 36
Chapter 3
Nature Inventory: p. 64
Walking Meditation: p. 66
Chapter 4
Grounding and Centering: p. 86
Accessing the World Tree: p. 89
Know Your Body: p. 90
Chapter 5
Defining Your Wheel of the Year: p. 120
Chapter 6
Calling Your Ancestors: p. 142
Ancestor Meditation: p. 144
Chapter 7
Entering the Dreamworld: p. 169
Removing Roadblocks: p. 171
Chapter 8
Self-Initiation Rite: p. 176
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Bud at Hierophant Publishing for seeing something I could not. To Kirsten, who listened to me day after day hashing out the intricacies of this book, and for giving me valuable feedback. You're a dear friend and companion witch on this path. To Peter Michael Bauer for answering all my questions and for writing excellent books on rewilding that have greatly impacted my practice. For my twelvestep recovery community, always supporting me and keeping me sober. To my partner, Steve, for holding my hand and loving me when I was down on myself. To J. Allen Cross, fellow witch and author, who also held my hand in moments of pure doubt. And to the countless others who have supported me in the creation of this book and given me unconditional love—I thank you all.
Suggested Readings
Anderson, Cora. Fifty Years in the Feri Tradition.
Anonymous. The Black Pullet.
Cochrane, Robert. The Robert Cochrane Letters: An Insight into Modern Traditional Witchcraft.
Coleman, Martin. Communing with the Spirits: The Magical Practice of Necromancy.
Cowan, Elliot. Plant Spirit Medicine: A Journey into the Healing Wisdom of Plants.
Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.
de Mattos Frisvold, Nicholaj. Craft of the Untamed: An Inspired Vision of Traditional Witchcraft.
—————. Pomba Gira and the Quimbanda of Mbùmba Nzila.
Dimech, Alkistis and Peter Grey. The Brazen Vessel.
Estés, Clarissa Pinkola. Women Who Run with the Wolves.
Evans-Wentz. The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries.
Frazer, James George. The Golden Bough.
Green, James. Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook: A Home Manual.
Grey, Peter. Apocalyptic Witchcraft.
—————. The Red Goddess.
Grimassi, Raven. Communing with the Ancestors: Your Spirit Guides, Bloodline Allies, and the Cycle of Reincarnation.
Heaven, Ross and Howard G. Charing. Plant Spirit Shamanism:
Traditional Techniques for Healing the Soul.
Heliophilus. The Green Book.
Huson, Paul. Mastering Witchcraft: A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens.
Leland, Charles G. Aradia or the Gospel of the Witches.
Mickaharic, Draja. A Century of Spells.
—————. Spiritual Cleansing: A Handbook of Psychic Protection.
Miller, Jason. Protection and Reversal Magick.
—————. The Sorceror's Secrets: Strategies in Practical Magick.
Miller, Richard Alan. Magical and Ritual Use of Aphrodisiacs.
—————. Magical and Ritual Use of Herbs.
Moore, Michael. Medicinal Herbs of the Mountains West.
Müller-Ebeling, Claudia, Christian Rätsch, and Wolf-Dieter Storl. Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants.
Nichols, Mike. The Witches Sabbats.
Pearson, Nigel G. Treading the Mill: Practical Craft Working in Modern Traditional Witchcraft.
Pendell, Dale. The Pharmako Trilogy.
Redgrove, Peter and Penelope Shuttle. The Wise Wound.
Scout, Urban. Rewild or Die.
Simard, Suzanne. Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest.
Starhawk. The Spiral Dance.
Valiente, Doreen. Natural Magic.
—————. Rebirth of Witchcraft.
—————. Witchcraft for Tomorrow.
Vaudoise, Mallorie. Honoring Your Ancestors: A Guide to Ancestral Veneration.
Wilby, Emma. Cunning-Folk and Familiar Spirits: Shamanistic Visionary Traditions in Early Modern British Witchcraft and Magic.
—————. The Visions of Isobel Gowdie: Magic, Witchcraft, and Dark Shamanism in Seventeenth-Century Scotland.
Wood, Matthew. The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines.
Worth, Valerie. Crone's Book of Charms and Spells.
San Antonio, TX
www.hierophantpublishing.com
Boyd, Britton;, Earth Witch
