The world of the Hedge Druid’s Craft is one where we take inspiration from nature, and allow traditional folk customs, history and mythology to blend with the powers of nature so that we can better work in harmony. As we walk between the worlds, we open ourselves up to the wisdom of plants, animals and the forces of weather around us that influence us each and every day. We can use and harness this wisdom to help our own lives, the lives of those in our community, and the world at large. When we open ourselves to the realms of plants, animals and weather, we broaden our horizons, literally and figuratively. We work on both sides of the hedge, the civilized and the wild, and also within the hedge, the liminal place, in our work. The Hedge Druid’s Craft is found in liminal places. This is a place that is “in between” places: the place where the hedge meets the field, the high tide line on the seashore, a clearing in a forest. You can also work at a liminal time: dusk or dawn, in the twilight hours where it is not quite day, nor night, or when the tide is turning from low to high and vice versa. What matters most is that you are working from the edge, seeking to connect to that which is Other. The Hedge Druid’s Craft is also that which seeks out the lore of the surrounding countryside. That means researching local folklore, as well as walking the land as much as you can, getting to know the land and allowing the land to know you. It is researching old magical traditions, potions, charms and spells and uses them as inspiration for your own work. For example, here in Suffolk, in the UK, where I live there are ancient Celtic sites that I visit to do my work, using the energy and assistance of the ancestors. There are the remains of an ancient oak woodland nearby, which is a truly magical realm in and of itself. There are ancient green roads that countless feet have walked, and ley lines that begin in Cornwall and pass through this land to come and flow into the North Sea. There are tales of Suffolk witches, moats that hold power, and ghostly goings on that give us a clue as to past traditions, lifestyle and country temperament that can inspire the Hedge Druid’s Craft today. There are also local traditions, such as the Horseman’s Society which flourished in East Anglia, and which also has links to the endangered Suffolk Punch breed of horses. The Horseman’s Society’s ways are reputed to hold the magic of witches and retained relics of the area’s pagan past, enabling one to communicate and charm an animal without resorting to force. There are enormous black dogs that roam the heathland, and mystery houses that appear and disappear, such as the mansion near Little Welnetham by the church of Bradfield St George. There are also tales of encounters with the Otherworld and the Fair Folk, such as the popular folk tale of the Green Children of Woolpit, who were found wandering the countryside, their skin as green as the leaves on the trees, and who slowly changed to a normal human colour after being adopted and raised by locals. And we cannot forget the historical record of one of the nastiest men in English history, Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General and the atrocities that he committed throughout the countryside. Knowing your local area, its history and its tales, helps with the Hedge Druid’s Craft to develop a real sense of place, and inspires one to continue an ancient tradition in up to date ways for a modern world. Inspired by the past, we can work towards creating balance between the worlds, in our local patch, and in our soul. The Seasonal Festivals The Hedge Druid’s Craft honours the seasonal festivals, and can work with the four quarter/agricultural festivals of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain. She can also work with the four cross-quarter days: the spring and autumn equinox, and the winter and summer solstice. The modern Pagan Wheel of the Year was designed to incorporate all eight festivals, so that something was celebrated roughly every six to eight weeks. This keeps us modern folk attuned to what is happening in the natural world around us, both in the wilds and in the farmers’ fields, in the lanes and in the hedgerows.
