I like this book though it was a bit broad and tailored for one living in Europe or near the monoliths of Old. I will try more of this series.

This book not only explained the history of Druidism it also explained it's practices, festivals, and how it can still be integrated with many of todays modern religions. This book has helped me a great deal.

If you are looking for a good understanding of what Druidry is, this is the book for you. Although I found the writer at times to be somewhat 'imaginative', it is none the less an excellent book. I recommend for the novice and inquiring minds.

In concept, this book sounded promising--instead of a "how to manual" or yet another shallow "101" book, a practicing priestess writes a memoir of her spiritual experience.

However, as a rational educated adult, I found this a very nerve-wracking read. It is as if the author expects the reader to leave her critical mind at the door. Yes, mystical experience is intuitive, poetic, a right brain affair, but, in the words of a previous reviewer, the effect was flaky and an affront to the reader's intelligence.

I have read a lot of experimental prose, but even James Joyce was more coherent than this. Stream-of-consciousness is one thing, but this prose meanders into a quagmire. For example, in the first chapter, even in the here and now reality, the author has an interview with a journalist and leaves the pub at closing time, which is around 11 pm in Britain, then drives to her grove to meditate. So it must be the middle of the night, in October, very dark, and yet she describes her walk to the grove, the colors of the autumn leaves, etc. as if it were daylight. She encounters a blackthorn dryad who pricks her hand with her thorns, numerous other spirit entities. She slides into a trance and relives what reads like a childhood sexual trauma except that the perpetrator is otherworldly, then wakes up again and everything is all right. The trauma is not explored further, but there are numerous spirits and at one point pixies interrupting her thoughts. I was half-expecting unicorns and an alien abduction. The book reads like the Druids by Disney, as "new agey" and cartoonish as The Celestine Prophecies except not as well-written. As someone who used to work with mental health professionals, I wondered about the author's grip on reality. I shudder to think that she is anyone's spiritual role model. It is no wonder, given books like this, that earth spirituality is dismissed as a flaky trend.

This is disappointing as I have read interviews with the author in which she sounded very reasonable and coherent. Perhaps she is more grounded in person than she came across in the book.

There are so many books on similar subjects out there. The writing of people like Caitlin Matthews, Starhawk, Margot Adler, to name a few, are earth religion books that are intelligently written and do not ask you to amputate your brain before you read the first page. Although he hasn't published any books specifically about Druidry, Isaac Bonewits writes fantastic essays on the subject, available at no cost at his website.

It's important that Earth Religionists demand as much from their authors as any other spiritual community. We have our left brain for a reason. Be mystical by all means, but don't lose your critical faculties or commonsense.

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!

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.

Unlike the previous reviewer, I rather enjoyed the author's style of switching from one person/place to another; I had no difficulty following the narrative. However, I agree with that reviewer about the conversations the author has with spirits...Are we expected to believe that this is how it is when you are a Druid priest/ess??? I am a practicing eclectic?celtic witch with Druidic leanings, so I'm not conpletely ignorant of Druidry. But I find it really hard to believe that the author has the ability to go from one world to another in the blink of an eye...For her to put this in a book & pass it off as typical of Druidry is terrible.

If you read this book I suggest you take the author's spirit visits with a grain of salt & do what I tried to do: think of this book as a fantasy of what she would do if she could.

I agree that this is not a "how-to" book. What it is, however,
is one woman's journal--intimate, at times, --fantastical, at times, and most definitely: thought-provoking much of the time!
I agree with the other Reviewers that the author failed to differentiate between the 'real' world and the other real world,
but aside from that, I enjoyed getting an 'inside' look into the world of a Druid priestess. Inside look into her thoughts, rather.
Emma Restall Orr's writing reminded me of Louise Erdich. Tight
writing with good description. Overall, I've enjoyed this book
and I would recommend it.

My review of this book may not be completely unbiased. I had the honor of meeting Emma Restall Orr on a journey to Great Britain last year. She is an amazing person whose spirit touched me very deeply in the few short hours that we were together. I have never before met someone who exudes both peace and quiet-confidence in quite the way she does.

Needless to say, I read this book as soon as I got back. I have been trying to follow a solo pagan path with little guidance other than books for the last year or two. Unfortunatley, I've found that most of the "how-to" guides don't really clarify the feeling that's trying to be achieved. They tend to be very mechanical. Druid Priestess really helped me understand the emotional/spiritual side of the choice of a pagan path. This revelation is apparent in her book regardless of whether her conversations with spirits happen in "real" life or wholly in her mind. Whether you read the book as non-fiction, fiction, or fantasy, it's still beautifully written with a presentation of the spiritual concept of paganism rather than just the say-this-rhythm-while-lighting-a-candle side.

Boring... A story. This book isn't about Rituals, It's about "The art of rituals". Don't make the mistake of buying this book as a good source for learning rituals.

For a book called "Ritual" the least compelling part of the book were the rituals. While I thought the book was overlong and perhaps a bit too poetic for my taste, what I liked about it was that it made me think about the rituals I was putting together. I was disappointed that Orr's rituals were not very interesting but she did give me a lot to think about, especially in the beginning chapters. I would suggest reading the first few chapters and then stopping before the rituals (which tends to be the opposite thing to do for most magic books!). Not a must-buy but is worth a read.

Emma's works are like a conversation with a good friend, and "Ritual" is no exception. While it is by no means a textbook or in-depth look at Druidry itself, it examines the personal benefits of simple ritual practice - of taking a break in your ordinary life - but with a strong yet underlying druidic theme. I have found it to be a welcome break from the many books that focus mainly on druid lore. This is a simple book that draws us closer to an every-day druid practice that is not in the least intimidating or bogged down with too much information or history... there are plenty of other books for info and history. The focus here is clearly on very simple and personal rituals, encouraging creativity, a sense of peace, and communion with the world around us. Extremely helpful and encouraging - one of my favorites.