Elyse Welles is a native Greek Priestess reviving the lost earth temple arts in her work with land spirits and the frame drum. She teaches online classes and guides immersive pilgrimages to Greece's sacred places in and around Delphi and Eleusis. She's also a prolific writer. I've chatted to her about her books in my interview series Authors On Their Own Writing.
A: My favorite book I've written that's currently published is Sacred Wild: An Invitation to Connect with Spirits of the Land.
Q: What’s it about?A: Sacred Wild is the first book in which I share my practices for connecting to and working with land spirits. As I was writing it, I was surprised to realize no one had categorized spirits of the land in such an accessible way, exploring not only fairies but the actual spirits that reside and hold dominion of land, as the land. This book explores the reciprocity required to work with land spirits and how to begin that relationship, regardless of your spiritual path.
Q: Why is it your favourite?
A: This is the book the land gave me. It is my favorite for many reasons, but it's also the one that feels most like an offering to the land who taught me so much. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring more people to the power of working with the land.
Q: Tell me a bit more about yourself and anything else you’ve written.
A: My work is reviving the lost earth temple arts: the oneness, re-enchantment, and empathy for life and land that our ancestors across the world knew and cherished. I am a multicultural witch and priestess, both an American and Greek citizen. I've lived in both countries and split my year to be able to bring the magic of Greece to festivals, conferences, and experiences in the US, where magic and hope for a less patriarchal world are so needed! I work with the oracle sites of mainland Greece, including Delphi, and am working to uncover the forgotten oracles of Mycenaean, Minoan, and older, pre-patriarchal tribes of Greece whose relationship with land inspires much of my work.
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A: A new book going deeper into magic and practices for working with the land spirits is coming in 2027. I also write for Llewellyn's annuals in the coming years, including a chapter on Ostara and Persephone for the Sabbats Almanac of 2027. I have a chapter on Thetis, Queen of the Nereids and mother of Achilles in the Lesser Known Gods anthology with Crossed Crow in 2027.
My next big project is Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth. Inanna is the original goddess at the liminal cusp of the transition between tribal and patriarchal living in the ancient Near East who greatly influenced the Mediterranean cultures in the successive millennia. She is a force of empowerment during times of great patriarchal oppression like no other, and the goddess who brought me home to my work many years ago. I am so excited to share that with the world through Moon Books' Pagan Portals series.
Where to find out more
- Sacred Wild: An Invitation to Connect to Spirits of the Land is published by Llewellyn Books.
- You can find her website at elysewelles.com and follow her at @seekingnumina on Instagram and Facebook.
- You can also view Sacred Wild on Amazon
Previous related posts
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/07/authors-on-their-own-writing-green.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/07/authors-on-their-own-writing-lisa.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/07/authors-on-their-writing-feminist-witch.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/07/authors-on-their-own-writing-katie-ness.html
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