Arin Murphy-Hiscock - The Way Of The Green Witch: Rituals, Spells, and Practices to Bring You Back to Nature

The
Way of the
Green Witch

Rituals, Spells, and Practices to Bring
You Back to Nature

Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Copyright 2006 F+W Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

Published by
Provenance Press,
an imprint of Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
57 Littlefield Street
Avon, MA 02322
www.adamsmedia.com
Provenance Press is a registered trademark of F+W Publications, Inc.
ISBN-10: 1-59337-500-X
ISBN-13: 978-1-59337-500-3
eISBN: 978-1-44051-798-3
Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E D C

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Murphy-Hiscock, Arin.
The way of the green witch : rituals, spells, and practices to bring
you back to nature / Arin Murphy-Hiscock.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-59337-500-X
1. Witchcraft. 2. Plants--Miscellanea. 3. Herbs--Miscellanea.
4. Ritual. 5. Charms. I. Title.
BF1572.P43M87 2006
133.43--dc22

2005034622

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional advice. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

From a Declaration of Principles jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations

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Contents

Chapter 1
The Modern Green Witch

Chapter 2
Elements of the Green Witchs Path

Chapter 3
Listening to the Earth

Chapter 4
The Four Seasons

Chapter 5
Twigs, Leaves, Stars, and Stones

Chapter 6
Crafting Green Witch Magic

Chapter 7
The Garden of the Green Witch

Chapter 8
Teas, Oils, Baths, and Other Potions: Healing with Green

Chapter 9
The Green Witch in the Kitchen

Chapter 10
Expanding the Green Witch Circle

Appendix 1
Magical Associations

Appendix 2
The Seven Central Energies of the Green Witchs Path

Dedication

This one is for:

My husband, who held my hands during the birth of our child and who rejoices with me daily in our ongoing participation in the cycle of life
My mother, who taught me the glory of thunderstorms, the taste of vegetables straight from the garden, and the beauty of being myself
And my father, who taught me the joy of being on the water with the wind in my face and to be humble.

Acknowledgments

Once it had begun, this book was a series of starts and stops. My second book, Solitary Wicca for Life, was written during the period set aside for The Way of the Green Witch, which necessitated a full stop on the original project and a dramatic change of gears from thinking about the freeform green path to the more structured, specific subject of Wicca. Later, my son Liam was unexpectedly born two months ahead of schedule and three weeks before the revised deadline for The Way of the Green Witch, which then required a second extension of the deadline. The last part of this book and the revisions took place while I was caring for a newborn preterm infant, a challenge that put all my spiritual strength and green witch practices to the test.

All in all, this book has seen quite a few transitions, which is very appropriate as the main theme of The Way of the Green Witch is working to attain harmony and balance in your life. Having made it through to the other side, I know that Im a stronger person as a result.

Several people have supported me through this project, and without them this book would not be what it is:

Danielle and Bridget from Adams Media were there for me whenever I needed help, particularly when this book was temporarily put aside as I wrote another book. Their encouragement and reassurance meant a lot to me. Meredith stepped in to smoothly pick up the editorial reins and answered a lot of questions for me. My thanks also go out to the copyeditors and readers at Adams Media who helped turn my manuscript into a product I could be proud of.

My friends supported and encouraged me throughout the ups and downs of this book. Without them, things would have turned out much worse. You all know who you are, but Ceri, Lu, Tal, and t! stand out as people who never stopped cheering me on during this book, celebrating each tiny milestone of words written and chapters finished. (Ceri and Lus feeding us when things got really crazy was a tremendous life-saver as well.)

My husband Ron made sure I slept, ate, drank enough water, and cared for our baby so that I could finish things on time. Without him, I would have been lost during the daily writing processnever mind during crunch time.

My family (blood, by marriage, by initiation, and chosen) saw me through the most challenging period of my life to date. I love you all. You are one of lifes greatest blessings.

Introduction

W hat is the basic philosophy of the green witch? The earth is her primer, the natural world is her classroom. This introduction lays out the basic framework for the information found in The Way of the Green Witch.

The way of the green witch is the path of the naturalist, the herbalist, the wisewoman, and the healer. The gifts of the natural world are many, but those who embrace them are comparatively few in todays world. With the resurgence of nature-based practices, however, green witches are once again emerging as guardians of nature and of humanitys relationship with the earth. The challenge for the green witch and wisewoman in todays world is how to walk a green path in a time of environmental stress, mass industrialization, and urbanization.

Green witchcraft is a highly individualized practice, usually solitary and free-form. With The Way of the Green Witch, readers can immerse themselves in guidelines for walking the green path in todays highly refined and technological world. From issues such as the history of the green practice to support in creating an individual-specific tradition, to methods of interacting with todays natural environment, to obtaining the highest quality knowledge and benefit, The Way of the Green Witch is a handbook for the green witch in contemporary society.

The green witch uses natural elements to improve the well-being of the physical body, the spirit and soul, and the environment. The green witch practices mainly alone by forging a personal connection with the natural world. Acquiring green wisdom in todays world can be a challenge: how are we to form that connection to the earth in an urbanized environment, and without the structure of a formal religion or spiritual practice?