Spirits of the Sacred Grove

I’ve had this book on my shelf for a couple of years and while it took me a while to get to, I can honestly say that I will be revisiting it time and again. Emma Restall Orr takes her reader on a unique journey through the Wheel of the Year, beginning and concluding at Samhain. Through each of the eight holidays, she shares corresponding wisdom through the lens of a modern Druid, woven between her personal experiences through her own spiritual journey as well as a pillar and priestess to her community. This was the kind of book the drew me in, challenged me, and ended in sweet sorrow when the pages ended. Orr has created true magic in her writing which left me longing to draw out this reading experience for as long as possible. I will be, and have been, recommending this book to anyone interested in the path of Druidry and look forward to reading more from her.

Thank Goodness this isn't another "how-to" roast apples at Samhain or "how to" read a ritual poem straight from the book--there are countless examples of those. Instead, this is written straight from the experience of a Druid master...several days or events in her life, and does not tell the reader what to think or how to be. Discovering how Emma sees and connects with the world is moving, real and extrordinary. This is one of my five-must-haves in my own collection. If you are stuck entirely in your mind, or have a problem with non-ordinary reality, however, this won't be for you, because Emma sees and speaks with tree spirits daily. She is deeply connected to her grove and may call forth Pan. Not just 'pretending,' mind you! It is truly revealing of a person who lives communion with nature, not just one who goes through the motions in costume, which is such a refreshing break from the posing that goes on in nature-religions-culture. This book is invaluable to those practicing shamanism, and/or communicating with spirits of nature. But first, you have to believe.

I've been a practicing Pagan for over eight years, and this is one of the best books I've ever read. No, it's definitely not a how-to manual. Instead, it is a heartfelt, deeply moving, and inspiring look at a woman whose Pagan faith is woven throughout her day-to-day life. I agree with the previous reviewer who said that our community needs less how-to books and more essays of this nature, because all of the spells, rituals, and instructions in the world won't let someone truly know how it feels to live our faith. This book, though, does an excellent job of it.

I happen to be a druid, although not in Emma's British Druid Order. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I have to agree with the previous reviewer, though, it is NOT a textbook! It is a personal, poetic and, perhaps, slightly flakey answer to the question "what is druidry?" framed as a journey through the sacred year. As a practitioner, I drew some wonderful insights from reading the book, simply by seeing ideas presented in a different light than I'd seen them before. Conversely, I can see how someone from one of the more Reconstructionist or magically- oriented druid groups might find this book to be silly, simply because they think that druidry "should" be something else. There are multiple types of druidry around these days, and Emma's is one of them. This book gives the flavor of her path, but it teaches as an example, not as an instruction book.

First and Foremost, this book is not a text book. It is a very personal account of life through the eyes and experience of a highly intellignet, talented and very special druid priestess, who is not "flaky" by any means and who has been practising and living her craft for most of her life - certainly more than 10 years. This book transports you to Emma's world - a truly magical place which most of us can only dream of glimpsing. This book is real and inspiring, Emma's language is pure poetry and I feel sad for anybody who cannot see the beauty and passion in her words and who cannot be truly inspired by them. Druidry is the quest for Awen, divine inspiration ... it is not about new age magical practices. If you are a pagan, buy this book. If you are not a pagan, buy this book!

As I see it, there is one very serious problem with the neo-Pagan movement: we are so focused on the mysticism inherent in our Way that the true mystics among us are often lost in the sea of poseurs. While I believe that we all partake of the mystic experience from time to time, there is in my mind a great difference between the average Joe like me and the "everyday mystic;" that is to say those who seem to actively live in a state of mystical awareness. Christian literature is rife with examples of these folk: Meister Eckhart and Hildegard of Bingen are among the better known, but former Dominican Matthew Fox and the late Thomas Merton also come to mind as relatively contemporary examples. And let us not forget the late Mother Theresa.Whether Ms. Restall Orr is an "everyday mystic" or not is best left up to the individual reader to decide. For my part, I feel she is either an authentic Pagan mystic, or an extremely accomplished impostor. But I tend to lean toward the former, because even the best poseur is ultimately incapable of counterfeiting the true passion that I find mirrored in Emma's work.Her antecedents aside, I found this work to be very inspiring, even though I am Wiccan, and not a Druid. Still, I am captivated by the depth of feeling, understanding and devotion that Emma expresses in her work. She is, in my mind, a mystic trying diligently to describe the nature and quality of her experience of the Divine, in the context of her Pagan beliefs. I strongly feel that the Pagan community could benefit immensely from more works of this type, expressing the heart of our faith, and fewer "how to" manuals.