Thursday 9 October 2014

Spirits of the Sacred Grove/Druid Priestess in Print

A classic book about druidry by Emma Restall Orr is back in print this month.

The new edition of Spirits of the Sacred Grove has been brought out by pagan publisher Moon Books, meaning Emma's beautifully written biographical account of celebrating the pagan wheel of the year can be enjoyed by a wider audience.

It first came out in 1998 under the title Spirits of the Sacred Grove, but quickly became hard to find. A few years later a new edition was re-titled Druid Priestess,but that also became quite rare. The new edition is available for Kindleas well as in paperback - and at the time I'm writing this the Kindle edition seems to be on offer for considerably less than the list price for the dead tree version.

As I am sure most readers of A Bad Witch's Blog will know, Emma Restall Orr is a highly influential druid, poet and author. She has worked tirelessly for druid organisations including the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, the British Druid Order and the The Druid Network. She has been on numerous television and radio programmes, and the closing ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics included text from a 1997 Gorsedd ritual written by her and Philip Shallcrass.

I count myself extremely lucky that I once attended a druid Summer Solstice camp at Avebury run by Emma and Philip. It was one of the most memorable events I have ever been to

Although Emma has written many books, including Living Druidry,Living With Honourand The Wakeful World,I would consider Spirits of the Sacred Grove to be her most inspirational book.

Here is a description of Spirits of the Sacred Grove from the Moon Books website:
For many, the word Druidry conjures up images of white-robed figures involved in esoteric rituals. But modern Druidry is not wrapped up in a veil of secrecy - it is celebrated openly, in the sunlight of the meadow or the shady leafiness of forest glade. Druids are passionate about the environment, and their worship is above all focused on Nature through the celebration of the changing seasons of the year. 
Spirits of the Sacred Grove is a very personal journey through the seasons seen through the eyes of a modern female Druid. Emma Restall Orr takes the reader through the cycles of nature, from the chaos of Samhain or Hallowe'en into the dark of winter, through the energy of spring and into the bright summer months - then back through autumn to Samhain. At the same time she acts as a guide along the paths of the sacred rituals. 
Spirits of the Sacred Grove reveals Druidry as an accessible and compelling spiritual path that offers enormous potential for personal healing and empowerment. Exploring rites of passage and weaving in references to many other spiritual traditions, this book is an intensely rich mixture of the ideas and images of a Pagan Druid priestess.
You don't have to be a druid - or even a pagan - to appreciate Spirits of the Sacred Grove. I think it would be loved by anyone who enjoys the beauty of the world around us and wants to explore the meaning of life through the messages that nature offers with the changing seasons.

Links and previous related posts
Spirits of the Sacred Grove
http://www.moon-books.net/
http://www.emmarestallorr.org/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/09/paralympic-closing-ceremony-based-on.html

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