hedge witches

Historically a hedge witch was a witch who was not a member of a coven and lived at the edge of the known world and the wilderness, beyond the hedge on the outskirts of town. As an inhabitant of the outskirts, the hedge witch was an intermediary between civilization and the natural world. More often women than men, hedge witches were healers, shamans, and keepers of extensive botanical knowledge of herbs and medicines. Much of their time was spent collecting plants and herbs and then using their home as a lab to analyze, study, and classify the effects of plants. The home was a workplace for study and a center for magical activity. Bookshelves were full of ancient magical texts, amulets, curative potions, and spells. Everywhere you looked plants accumulated in various stages of preparation for curatives. Detailed journals held records of the processes, recipes, and discoveries. The practice of the hedge witch was deeply personal and held a sincere reverence for nature; it was a journey grounded in the communion of the spirits of place.

The popularity of the Harry Potter films might foretell the dawn of a new age—an invitation to positive associations with the magical arts. There is a resurgence in the community of hedge witches in contemporary paganism. Today’s hedge witch is usually self-taught and self-motivated and not part of a broader ideology or dogma. To become a hedge witch you must first learn the medicinal and spiritual properties of everything that grows. A wise hedge witch enlists nature; we would do well to follow that advice.