There is no central dogma for hedgewitches, but much of what hedgewitches practice is based on historical texts with modern interpretations and adaptions. Originally, hedgewitches were the cunning people or wise folk who lived on the outskirts of town, by the hedge. While hedge riding is making a comeback, the practice itself is actually quite old. I'll discuss these in more detail later in the series. However, from these folk remedies, we can glean an understanding that they likely contained a sort of fat combined with mildly hallucinogenic plants. Historical recipes vary rather greatly and rely most heavily on the works of witch hunters. Flying ointments, which can and often do contain entheogenic herbs, are thusly named because they allow you to enter an ASC and thus fly or hedge ride to other worlds.
While I don't condone the use of mind-altering drugs, they certainly have a place among traditional hedge witches. This can be done using a variety of techniques, including drumming, dancing, chanting, flying ointments, or even mind-altering drugs. To hedge ride, the witch must enter an altered state of consciousness (ASC). You can read more about the differences between meditation, pathwalking, and hedge riding in my other post Meditation, Pathwalking, and Hedge Riding: Making Sense of It All. While you can control your personal actions, you cannot control the actions of the beings and abiotic factors (weather, day, night, etc) surrounding you. Unlike meditation or pathwalking, hedge riding is not controlled and you physically leave our realm to travel to others you do not determine what will or will not happen on the journey, just as you don't control what does or does not happen on your drive to work. Furthermore, hedge riding is also very distinct from meditation and pathwalking. Instead, hedge riding is used for healing, to search for knowledge, divination, or assistance in spell work. While hedge riding also has many features in common with shamanism, unlike shamanic journeying, hedgewitches usually do not engage in psycho-pomp work, or the act of ferrying souls. Furthermore, having a second set of 'eyes' on the subject can bring light to things you may not have considered before, especially when it comes to interpreting signs and messages received during your journey. While the journeys will likely vary, the intent remains the same. In fact, many traditional witch covens engage in such work, using the opportunity to travel to and from the Otherworld to perform group spells and rituals. However, there are some hedgewitches that work in groups, using the opportunity to share stories and gather more insight into the meaning of their journeys. Generally, hedge riding is solitary in nature, making it perfect for any witch who is unable to find others or doesn't wish to work with other witches. It is shamanic in nature, but with some stark differences to separate the three. Simply put, hedge riding is a spiritual journey into the otherworld realms, the collective unconscious. Hedgewitches are said to hedge ride or 'ride the hedge (fly the hedge in my case),' meaning hedgewitches routinely cross the veil into the spirit otherworld. The 'hedge' in 'hedgewitch' and 'hedge riding' has multiple meanings, the most prominent being the boundary separating the our world from the 'Otherworld.' The hedge also represents a physical and psychic protective boundary, thus separating spirit from human. Most people are unfamiliar with the terminology hedge riding, but not the concept of traveling to other realms. While many people will call themselves a hedgewitch, not all of them are 'true' hedgewitches in that they practice the main feature of hedge witchcraft, hedge riding. Because I have found these experiences so valuable to my practice, I felt compelled to tell my story in hopes of helping witches around the world. Nothing quiet soothes my depression and anxiety like visiting my animal guides, Meka and Rocar. Not only does each ride give me valuable insight, but I often finish feeling invigorated and relaxed. As a hedgewitch, hedge riding is a large part of my practice, as is working with my animal and spiritual guides.
#Hedge witch series
This year I decided to cover hedge riding in an eleven part series in an attempt to clear up some misconceptions about hedgewitches while providing practical advice for novice witches or those seeking a new path.
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