The Shamanic Witch

This was a very down to earth, easy to read book on combining Wicca with the shamanic practice of drumming and journeying. The author is very careful around the word “shaman”, aware of its original connotation. Yet there really is no better word to describe some of the practices that she has incorporated into her spirituality. By using the word shaman, and calling her religion shamanic witchcraft, she fully expresses the meaning behind the words.

For anyone interested in drumming to help raise consciousness and to help facilitate journeying, I would highly recommend this book. Techniques for drumming, combined with practical advice on journeying provide a very good starting point for anyone new to this path. Gail Wood describes the world of the shaman very well, and provides good solid grounding for beginning on a journey. She also provides some lovely basic journeys to get the practitioner started.

Advice on how to journey to find your spirit guide, your power animal and to the three worlds of upper, lower and middle is all clearly and eloquently written. She combines her writing with recollection of past journeys and experiences, which draws the reader further in, making it more personal and less like a beginner’s manual. She explores the meaning and states of ecstasy in a very compelling way. Finally, she melds the world of the wiccan and the shamanic practices into a seamless spirituality, that seems to resonate with ancient wisdom. She concludes the book with rituals and ceremonies that should be familiar to those who have encountered paganism.

This book is written for those who already have an understanding of wiccan and pagan ways, ceremonies and spirituality. Though not druidic per se, I found that the techniques would be very useful in furthering my own druidic practice, and look forward to drumming my way to ecstasy and the worlds beyond.