The wheel of the year is a principle that many in the druid traditions think about in terms of seasonal celebrations. The wheel is different for people living in different ecosystems, and one of the things you can do is … The post Harvesting by the Wheel of the Seasons first appe … | Continue reading
Here on our homestead tucked in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania, we have a wonderful greenhouse made from recycled materials. The base is a carport my friend had her farm and offered the greenhouse to me when she moved. This … The post Paper Wasps, Care and Gratitude first … | Continue reading
Learning and connecting with nature is a big part of practicing any kind of nature-based spirituality. As we know in the druid tradition, a multitude of ways exists to connect to nature. In order to connect with nature on a … The post Observation, Nature Connection, and the Bardi … | Continue reading
What is intuition? How do we develop it, and why does it matter? In this post, I want to share some techniques for developing your intuition, particularly surrounding nature and natural settings, and some techniques and practices that you can … The post Developing Your Intuition … | Continue reading
In today’s post, I share an approach to herbal formulation that basically combines western magical systems (like the seven-element system) with herbal formulation and crafting herbal blends. This is essentially a synthesis of magical frameworks and herbal practices. A version … T … | Continue reading
I’ve always wanted to make mullein torches–which go by several colorful names: mullein wands, mullein torch, mullein candle, the hag taper, the hag candle, witch’s candle, Jupiter rods, candlewick, king’s candle, or even the holy mullein hag wand! These mullein … The post Making … | Continue reading
It is a cold evening, quite cold for early October here in Western Pennsylvania, with the temperature dropping quickly as the sun sets. I knew that tonight would be the night I might get to see the Aurora Borealis for … The post Embracing the Wonder of Nature first appeared on Th … | Continue reading
When you grow up in a modern civilization, you become “conditioned” to believe that the way you live is the way everyone lives, or that’s just how things are done. You are made to assume that’s just how it is. … The post Ditch the Screen, Embrace the Green, Part II: Taking Action … | Continue reading
Today I want to talk about the idea of “Ditch the screen, embrace the green!” which is a mantra I created for myself some months ago. This little mantra helps me regulate my use of technology, makes me regularly get … The post Ditch the Screen, Embrace the Green Part I: Five Argu … | Continue reading
Here we are again, at the Equinox. In my ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere, we are standing at the point between the light half of the year and the dark half of the year, as the pumpkins and squash ripen, … The post Exploring Magical Wheels, Seasons, and Cycles: Free Moon and … | Continue reading
As I’ve shared before, I have personally gotten so much depth and connection from working directly with the earth for healing food, and medicine, and meeting my needs. More than just knowing or being out in nature, using nature to … The post Journeying into Deep Medicine, Magic, … | Continue reading
My last Druid Garden guide covered physical land healing, tied to regeneration, rewilding, permaculture, wildtending, and refugia gardening. These are the practices that allow us to connect with the land deeply with our hands in the soil and love in … The post Metaphysical Land H … | Continue reading
Throughout the ages, poets, writers, musicians, painters and many others sought inspiration from the land for their creative works. For the ancient poet Taliesin, the Awen was found in nature–in the voice in the wind and the babble of the … The post The Awen from Nature: Catching … | Continue reading
As a part-time member of the Goose flock, I walk in the back of the line of geese we make our way to swim in the creek. I say hello to the berry bushes and hazelnuts that are ripening, playing … The post Cultivating a Whimsical Life first appeared on The Druids Garden. | Continue reading
Last week was a powerful week for storytelling and sharing our anxiety, stress, and fear over climate change and living in the age of the Anthropocene. I really want to thank everyone for holding space for each other last week. … The post Herbal Supports for Living in the Anthrop … | Continue reading
Come gather ’round peopleWherever you roamAnd admit that the watersAround you have grownAnd accept it that soonYou’ll be drenched to the boneIf your time to you is worth savin’And you better start swimmin’Or you’ll sink like a stoneFor the times … The post Reflecting on Climate C … | Continue reading
Mushrooms are some of the most magical and medicinal beings on the planet–they are in their own kingdom, and are related more closely to us than to plants or trees! I’ve been doing a deep dive into the study of … The post Medicinal Mushrooms: Reishi or Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Gano … | Continue reading
Artificial Intelligence has been in common use for a little under two years, and while it is certainly useful in certain industries and domains, it is also currently being used in ways that are problematic. The problem with this technology … The post Artificial Intellingence (AI) … | Continue reading
What can we do to support nature in this age that is meaningful and important? One of the primary ways that I’ve been thinking about this is in terms of creating refuges for life, or “refugia.” I’ve shared some of … The post Refugia Gardening Guide first appeared on The Druids Ga … | Continue reading
I find my practice of herbalism swinging into full gear around the Summer Solstice for the simple reason that the land is literally bursting with good medicine. This is when, where I live, our elderflowers come in, St. Johns is … The post Intuitive Solstice Salves – Herbalism for … | Continue reading
As we have been exploring on this blog, living in the Age of the Anthropocene means living in a time when human activity is radically reshaping the world. Exponentially increasing human demands for resources are leaving many other lives on … The post Land Healing and Physical Hea … | Continue reading
Last week, I went up the mountain to do some deep land healing. A year had passed since the last time I had gone to this spot for healing, and as per the will of the spirits, I hadn’t returned … The post Intuitive, Spontaneous, and Co-Created Rituals in Nature first appeared on T … | Continue reading
It is not easy to live in the Age of the Anthropocene–the increasingly difficult challenges of everyday life, the unweaving social fabric and community bonds, and of course, the 6th mass extinction and ongoing climate change. Despite the media parading … The post Living with Clim … | Continue reading
Another mountain is being lost near my home–a mountain that has lost already 50 feet or more of elevation and is being just eaten by machines and humans behind those machines. It’s really hard to frame this any other way–I’m … The post A Primer in Land Healing: Protection and Shi … | Continue reading
Herbalism is the oldest healing modality on the planet.” – Rosemary Gladstar One of the challenges with the modern paradigm is reductionism–breaking things down into small parts and not paying attention the whole: especially the whole person, the whole plant, the … The post Holis … | Continue reading
Land healing encompasses a wide range of activities: from physical replanting, rewilding, and regenerative approaches directly on the land to metaphysical blessings, healings, and palliative care. As I’ve just launched the Land Healer’s Network and am releasing the Land Healing … … | Continue reading
In February, news headlines everywhere began describing a new study from the University of Michigan made claims that urban agriculture (which includes urban farms, community gardens, and individual gardens) has a 6x higher carbon footprint than conventional agriculture. The headl … | Continue reading
Ever since I was little, I have always felt connected with the earthworms in the rainstorms. They come out to bask and enjoy the rain, slithering through puddles, and turning their faces into the warm rain. But modern life is … The post Land Healing in Small Ways: Showing Care an … | Continue reading
To say that most druids and those practicing similar nature-based paths love trees is an understatement. Trees are some of the most magical and friendly of people in our landscape, almost always ready to share wisdom, teach, and provide shelter … The post The Medicine, Magic, and … | Continue reading
The purpose of the Land Healers Network is to provide a supportive framework for anyone, anywhere, to take up the path of land healing. We stand against the continual degradation of the earth by humans and recognize our own human birthright as caretakers, tenders, and healers. We … | Continue reading
I’ve had the blessing of a few really great mentors in my life, people whose teachings and support are valuable to my development as a person, druid, and human being. Few have been as impactful as Sara Greer. Many of … The post Honoring a Mentor and Friend first appeared on The D … | Continue reading
I’ve been a tarot and oracle artist since I began working on the Tarot of Trees back in 2005. I released the Tarot of Trees in 2009, and since then, have also created and released the Plant Spirit Oracle and … The post Avoiding Counterfeit Tarot and Oracle Decks first appeared o … | Continue reading
I see you, beautiful, layered ridges of the Appalachian mountains: your peaks against the blue winter sky, the mist arises from the snow while the Imbolc sun comes out to warm you just enough. Below that, your frozen bones await … The post Love Letter to the Mountains first appe … | Continue reading
Plants and mushrooms have been healing humans since long before recorded human history. Evidence of this abounds from healing plants and mushrooms found on preserved corpses and pre-historical burial grounds (such evidence of herbal use in Shanidar cave from 60,000 … The post Her … | Continue reading
Plants and mushrooms have been healing humans since long before recorded human history. Evidence of this abounds from healing plants and mushrooms found on preserved corpses and pre-historical burial grounds (such evidence of herbal use in Shanidar cave from 60,000 … | Continue reading
Hello, wonderful Druids Garden readers! Today’s blog post will be a little different than others. I wanted to take a day to reflect on the fact the Druid’s Garden blog is celebrating 600 posts and 14 years. It seems hard … | Continue reading
Hello, wonderful Druids Garden readers! Today’s blog post will be a little different than others. I wanted to take a day to reflect on the fact the Druid’s Garden blog is celebrating 600 posts and 14 years. It seems hard … The post 600 Posts and 14 Years at the Druid’s Garden fir … | Continue reading
In my last post, I offered an overview of the three paths of druidry from both an ancient and modern perspective. The paths are: the path of the bard, emphasizing creativity, personal expression, and community; the path of the ovate, … | Continue reading
In my last post, I offered an overview of the three paths of druidry from both an ancient and modern perspective. The paths are: the path of the bard, emphasizing creativity, personal expression, and community; the path of the ovate, … The post Deepening Your Druidry: Braiding To … | Continue reading
In most modern druid orders, we honor three expressions of the druid tradition: the path of the bard, ovate, and druid. I began talking about these last week in my Beginner’s Guide to Druidry post last week. These three paths … | Continue reading
In most modern druid orders, we honor three expressions of the druid tradition: the path of the bard, ovate, and druid. I began talking about these last week in my Beginner’s Guide to Druidry post last week. These three paths … The post Introducing the Bard, Ovate, and Druid path … | Continue reading
Seemingly more now now than ever before, people are seeking ways to reconnect with the living earth, with their own creative gifts, their ancient ancestors. They are looking to deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them. Through … | Continue reading
Seemingly more now than ever before, people are seeking ways to reconnect with the living earth, with their creative gifts, and with their ancient ancestors. They are looking to deepen their understanding of themselves and the world around them. Through … The post A Beginner’s Gu … | Continue reading
Today I’m very excited to announce the upcoming release of my new book: Land Healing: Physical, Metaphysical, and Ritual Approaches for Healing the Earth. The book is now available for preorder and will be released on March 28, 2024 from … | Continue reading
As we’ve been exploring on this blog, for many of us, life is more than a bit overwhelming right now. Many of us are feeling beyond capacity from multiple angles: the breakdown of the social fabric and increasing social and … | Continue reading
As we’ve been exploring in my post last week–a new paradigm is rising, a paradigm being enacted in backyards, home kitchens, community gardens, clubs, mushroom clubs, herbalism schools, ecovillages, pigment foragers, and thousands of other places. This is a new … | Continue reading
A paradigm is a set of patterns: of thoughts, actions, beliefs, and practices, under which people operate. We all were born into the paradigms of our current age: where money, colonization, domination, and the myth of progress are embedded into … | Continue reading
One of the questions that people who are yearning for a creative practice or who are starting one often ask–where do you get your ideas? Where do you find your inspiration? How do you have visions of what to create … | Continue reading