Review: The Crane Bag - A Druid's Guide

On the day of the Summer Solstice I received a lovely and unexpected present - a copy of the book Pagan Portals - The Crane Bag: A Druid's Guide to Ritual Tools and Practices.

It really cheered me up because I had not been able to spend the solstice celebrating. On the solstice eve I had had to go the dentist to get a crown put on tooth I'd managed to break and on the longest day itself I had been working in an office all day. To come home and find The Crane Bag on my doorstep was a reminder that the best gifts can be totally unexpected.

Pagan Portals - The Crane Bag is by Joanna van der Hoeven, whose previous books on Druidry include The Awen Alone: Walking the Path of the Solitary Druid, which is deservedly a best-seller.

Her new book, which is officially launched in July, focuses on the practical tools and rituals of Druidry. The crane bag is a theme that runs through Celtic mythology - created to honour and remember the tragic tale of a woman who was turned into a crane by magic, it was said to hold the treasures of ancient Ireland. Bags used to hold ritual items as well as herbs and foraged items for spellwork are also often called crane bags by Druids and this book gives all the details.

Publisher Moon Books says about The Crane Bag on its website:

An introduction to the ritual tools and practices found in the Druid tradition. Held deeply within Celtic mythology, the crane bag is both a symbol of sovereignty, as well as an item containing the ritual tools of the Druid. With the proper use, it can further the Druid in working with the tides of nature, finding his or her own place in the environment, living in balance, harmony and peace. In ritual, these tools and practices can guide one to deeper levels of meaning and understanding within the tradition, helping the Druid on his or her journey through life and towards integration with the natural world.

Getting this book has inspired me to make my own crane bag to take with me when I am out and about. I'm always filling my pockets with things I find for my altar or for the mandalas I've been creating from flowers each month this year. A crane bag will not only be a better place to put them, it will make my foraging seem more a part of a traditional spiritual practice.

View Pagan Portals - The Crane Bag on Amazon.

Links and previous related posts
http://www.moon-books.net/
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/06/june-mandala-summer-solstice-sun-in.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/11/review-awen-alone-solitary-druidry.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/05/review-pagan-portals-dancing-with.html