Beneath the Moon: Witchcraft and Moon Magic for a Deeper Practice by Rachel Patterson - book review by Helen Brambley, Hedgerow Witch.
I realise this one has been out for a while now, but I just had to review it anyway! I made an effort to approach this book review as an impartial reader...well I tried anyway!
Being a fan of Rachel's previous books and writing style, I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I was actually concerned that the size of it - just over 800 pages - might make it an intimidating read. I needn't have worried. Divided into clear chapters, this ensures the book becomes an ideal reference 'go to' for an in depth practice when working with the moon.
After a brief introduction, it launches straight into practical ideas for the main moon phases, including spells, plants, crystals, recipes, ritual ideas and meditations for each one; lots of food for thought to keep a witch busy and also providing an ability for a varied practice - there are so many ideas here, you could try different things each moon cycle to suit your circumstances. As always, Rachel emphasises that you should go on instinct to choose correspondences before listing her own ideas - part of what I love about her books, it gives guidance and ideas without dictating to the reader and has a fabulous sprinkling of humour into the bargain. I particularly love how the meditations for each moon phase build upon the one from the previous phase: ideas and 'seeds' planted grow, are harvested and then reset for the next moon cycle. But that's not all!
I've read a fair few Moon magic books over the years, but this book blows them all out of the water. It's so much more than simply working with the moon phases. It pulls many aspects together to create an all inclusive practice, involving moon spell crafts -(one of my favourite sections), ritual, gardening, divination, deities, animals and zodiac signs to name a few.
After reading, my book is now filled with post it notes for ease of future reference, including the wonderful monthly moon challenge - an ideal way to reconnect with energies when I feel lost or adrift and create a daily spiritual practice which reaffirms my links to nature and just fills me with joy, as this whole book does. A must have for any witch's book shelf, which is available to buy now. 5/5 cauldrons!
