Books

Books

For a comprehensive book-list, please see The Bibliography

Thirteen Pathways of Occult Herbalism by Daniel A. Schulke
Three Hands Press, 2017
Having long been a Schulke fan, this book was met with more than a little anticipation.  I wasn't even the least bit disappointed.  Delving immediately into the Pathways, Schulke lays out a process by which one can map their growth as an occult herbalist, from purification, to affinity, to stewardship to hermitage and beyond.  Each Pathway focuses on a necessary discipline in occult herbal art; some that come naturally to the practice and those which require great dedication and personal commitment. Each Pathway also offers some inclusive and insightful philosophical ideology on plants, spirits, animistic faith and historical traditions regarding plant taboos.  I enjoyed The Pathway of Disappearance (Aphanismos) so much- it is more than poetic, it was personally inspiring as I've been focusing my personal time more on the necessity of solitary communion with the plant world.

"Besides direct observation of (and reliance on) the plants themselves, one awakens to unique 'languages' which interconnect flora, fauna, geology, and weather.  Such are in the ciphers of the Book of Nature, there to read if one dares."(p. 30)

Most of Schulke's work tends to be advanced, for people already well acquainted with both ethnobotany and occult medicine, but this one read as accessible to anyone who has set course for the green path, and frankly, it's so well rounded and all encompassing of the steps it would take to immerse in occult herbalism, I feel it should be required reading for anyone looking to round out their path and solidify the foundations of their practice  The language was accessible and easy to relate to, the chapters were both poetic and concise and he tackled important lore regarding the origin of divine herbalism as well as how the ancient world regarded the tutelary spirits and divine messengers who brought forth gnosis of herbal healing.  Five out of Five stars sheerly for the education I got from the first few chapters alone. I'm satisfied with my purchase and highly recommend Thirteen Pathways of Occult Herbalism by Daniel A. Schulke, available now from Three Hands Press


Pagan Portals: Brigid: Meeting the Celtic Goddess of Poetry, Forge, and Healing Well by Morgan Daimler
Moon Books publication

An excellent piece of pagan literature! Daimler offers more than just a basic look at this quintessential Irish goddess; she delves into the poetry, prayers and history that give us real insight into how our ancestors may have seen this goddess. Small, succinct and well written, this is a must have in both a devotional sense and an educational sense for anybody curious about the nature of Irish paganism and Irish gods. I highly recommend this book for both beginners and advanced devotees. A must have for any pagan book collection.  (See original review on Amazon)