Hearth Witch, settled on The Hedge...

Welcome to new readers, and welcome back to old readers.

Now I have mentioned these spiritual paths before, not completely new. Yet not entirely old.

This post will begin with a quote from a book simply named "Hearth Witch" (a book written by Anna Franklin)

"A few years ago I invented the term 'Hearth Witch' to describe the witch who sees the sacred within the physical, the magical in the mundane, and uses this knowledge to incorporate spiritual practice into her everyday life. 

The way of the Hearth Witch is an uncomplicated, direct form of magic, deceptively simple and unspeakably profound. She draws her strength from the sacred flame that burns in her hearth, from the earth that sustains her, the water that nourishes her, and the inspiration of her breath. She finds her gods in the land around her: the spirits of water, stone and tree, Earth, Moon, Sun, Stars and Sky. 

She needs no watch, calendar or magical almanac to tell her when to work her magic, but works with the observable ebb and flow of the changing seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, and the waxing and waning of the moon.

 A Hearth Witch is drawn to the traditional ways, the rhythms of nature and the call of the wildwoods. The Hearth Witch of today inherits the mantle of the village wise woman or cunning man. She is part shaman, part seer, part herbalist, part spiritual healer, and all witch. Hers are the Old Ways of the countryside, once passed down from mother to daughter, father to son, crone to apprentice. It is as old as time and as new as the newest witch."

Truthfully I couldn't agree more with Franklin's perspective. But I think you are more interested in how I came to write about this?

Well first of all if you have read some of my former posts. I'm truthfully not very complex in my path of spiritual choice. I like things to be simple, and whatever tools I have are mainly from nature. I feel connections to Vetter (land spirits/fae) around the area I live in and have had that connection since I was a little girl. I do wonder sometimes why that belief never left me, I can feel the brewing storms at sea, the chill that tells of the first snow...subtle changes that few would know how..

Deities:  Like many spiritual paths there does appear some significant deities in this form of magical spirituality. Now what you will see just below here is some basic information of each deity mentioned in the book "Hearth Witch" but you can always find your own fiery deities.

Brighid:  

A Goddess of Fire from the Celtic Pantheon a former Sun Goddess. Known for her triple aspects and attributes with poetry, patron to blacksmiths and those of the smith craft, healing, agriculture, childbirth, hearth and home. People used to draw her cross upon the mantle of their fireplaces and hearths for protection. They made them out of straw from the last sheaths of barley or maybe even oats. 

Her well known Festival these days is Imbolc or Candle mass as the clever Catholics named it. It is a welcoming  of the spring to arrive and the frost to remove its claws from the soil .I personally experience Brighid as a kind of grandmother, ready to guide and prepared to reprimand for my bad mouth. 

Hestia:  

Hestia is from the Greek Pantheon, and she is a Goddess of Hearth and Home. She is also a sworn virgin Goddess of her own choice .Her place of worship is every hearth in ancient Greece. Although they say her form is in the fire only and that is the reason why she was never given a statuette or depicted in art. She is also the guardian of the sacred Fire on mount Olympus. Although not so much art associated with Hestia in the past, modern artists certainly have given their try.

Vesta: 

Vesta is Hestia's roman equal however their stories do vary a tidbit..

She is became the personification of the public hearth, and therefore her popularity increased more as her cult, stretched and gathered romans as an equal extended family. 

Hearth & Hedge:

 The Hearth shapes the foundation of the earliest settlements as a bonfire, it creates, destroys and sometimes heals. We as humans built tents, and eventually houses that surround the hearth, if you no longer have a hearth with fire wood, an electrical stove used in cooking can be just as useful. Or just light a candle...For a Hearth Witch this is his/her altar. You can gaze into the fire to read the crackles in the burning wood, predict the weather, read the future, help yourself and your family. The fire of a hearth gathers family, or you cuddle up and just lean back into your favorite seat or chair. You hear the violent crackles, the sizzling of slightly wet wood, and the wizzing of burning paper...that can be counted magical?

A Hedge is a boundary between civilization...and the unknown wildwood's... soo then a Hearth Witch, Share the same knowledge as a Hedgewitch, and a Kitchen Witch. The wild horn blows the calling into your ears, the wind rustles your hair. The tree's and animals "talk", the spirits in the herbs and stones whisper soft words of warnings and their stories. 

Maybe they are the same paths but with different roads of understanding. A Kitchen Witch, creates her magic in the mundane kitchen, to fill others with nourishment and happiness. A Hedgewitch keep watch of the forest and nature in their area. They walk and keep balance between the spiritual and physical. While a Hearth Witch becomes the combination of these two?

Book Suggestions:

Hedge Witch: A Guide to Solitary Witchcraft by Rae Beth
 - Over the years Beth has written several more books adding to her first book on the subject around the early 90's
Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore & Herb Craft (Green Witchcraft Series) by Ann Moura
 - Quite many stumble over this author from time to time. And although at a very beginners level,the recommendations from others have not been negative.
Hearth Witch (The Eight Paths of Magic) by Anna Franklin - My absolute favorite author out of the others.

Before I end this blog for this time. I will suggest that those of you who do read this, study into local lore, herbs and spices special in your area and fairy magic. Also old herbal remedies if that is of interest to you. 


I cannot claim to be an expert, however I do like to share what I have learned to know. bye for now