Arin Murphy-Hiscock is a Canadian author who has written a number of books on contemporary witchcraft. What initially drew me to this title in particular, I am not ashamed to admit, was its beautiful cover – I am a sucker for nice book designs, and this one immediately got my attention. But, of course, there was much more to it. I had been searching for a handy, one-volume compendium on all things green – including information on herbalism and nature-based spirituality, and this one came pretty close to what I had in mind.
The book consists of three parts. Chapters in Part 1 – Discovering the Green Witch (pp 13 – 96) deal with the more theoretical aspects of green witchcraft: its history (very brief), the tools used in green magic, the ways to attune yourself to nature, and how to structure your life around seasonal cycles. There will not be much new information in there for those who have already been on this path for some time, but the chapters are written so concisely and in such a well articulated way that they can serve as a great introduction to green witchcraft for those who are totally new to it, or as a reminder of what it is all about to those who are already in the know.
Part 2 – Walking the Green Path (pp 97 – 232) is much more practical. Here you will find various pieces of information on herbs, essential oils, healing, and various crafts such as making spell bags, brooms, elixirs etc. There are also food recipes for relatively simple breads and soups, among others. True, you can probably find most of the advice and recipes for various herbal teas and such online, for free, but it is nice to have all these essentials in one place, inside a single, beautifully designed volume.
Finally, at the back of the book there is a useful appendix – The Magical Associations of Natural Items, followed by bibliography and index. All in all, given the relatively small format and the total number of pages (256), I have found the book to be a treasure trove of practical information; maybe of more use to beginners, but still nice to have on your bookshelf and use as a quick reference. One thing that is lacking and that I really would have appreciated are the illustrations: there is not a single one inside. Definitely not a deal breaker, though, just something that I noticed when I got to the chapters on herbs and flowers.
To find out more about Arin Murphy-Hiscock and the other titles she’s written, visit her official website.
“The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More” has been published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
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