However, that doesn’t mean that I am not a huge admirer of many people and their wonderful work.

In terms of authors who write about Pagan/witchery/earth-based spirituality topics, high up on that list ranks Maia Toll.

For more than a decade now, my husband and I have run a free new book email notification service called AnyNewBooks.com that we founded back in 2010. (It generates important income for us via sponsors and affiliate programs.)

Virtually every week since then, a not-insignificant portion of my working hours have been spent compiling the lists of new books that we email out to subscribers (at present, we send out more than 300,000 emails per month).

The lists that we pull our selections from come via Amazon (US) and in the eleven going on twelve years since we launched Any New Books?, I have had the pleasure of seeing many thousands of new book releases each year.

Naturally, I keep a keen eye out for titles pertaining to my many diverse interests – those relating to my spirituality very much included.

I knew the moment, back in 2018, when I first caught sight of author Maia Toll’s inaugural book, The Illustrated Herbiary, that this was not your run-of-the-mill title.

Shortly thereafter, I was able to purchase a copy and it took a mere few lines in to have my suspicions confirmed.

From the tremendously lovely illustrations by artist Kate O’Hara to the deck of oracle cards included at the back of the book to the personable, inviting, knowledgeable way the author wrote, I was hooked.

And based on the roughly 1,800 reviews (nearly all of which are glowingly positive) that this book currently has on Amazon as of March 2022, it is safe to say that many others instantly fell in love with Maia’s warm, wonderful writing as well.

In the time since The Illustrated Herbiary was released, Maia has penned three more books.

The Illustrated Bestiary, The Illustrated Crystallary, and, most recently, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion.

In addition, larger-sized decks of the oracle cards included at the back of each of Maia’s books are also available for sale. They are printed on sturdier paper than those that come with her books, so if you plan to use one or more of Maia’s decks quite often, you may wish to invest in those high-quality decks. Which are as follows:

–The Illustrated Herbiary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Bewitching Botanicals

–The Illustrated Bestiary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Inspiring Animals

–The Illustrated Crystallary Oracle Cards: 36-Card Deck of Magical Gems & Minerals

Plus, you can now purchase images from some of Maia’s work in puzzle form as well (as a big jigsaw puzzle fan, you can imagine how much my eyes lit up when I heard about that!).

If you or someone in your life adores jigsaw puzzles, you’ll want to check out the following three offerings based on Maia’s books.

–The Illustrated Herbiary Puzzle: California Poppy

–The Illustrated Bestiary Puzzle: Monarch Butterfly

–The Illustrated Crystallary Puzzle: Garden Quartz

As 2021 began to wind down, I was contacted by a publishing rep and asked if I would be interested in reviewing Maia’s latest book.

Already a big fan of her earlier works (of which, thus far, I own two – The Illustrated Herbiary and The Illustrated Beastiary, respectively), I was honoured by the offer and replied with a very resounding, “Yes, please!”.

In addition, I suggested that I interview Maia by email and then weave that chat into my book review blog posts. Happily, it was then their turn to respond enthusiastically.

Before delving into the coven’s worth of questions that I asked Maia, I am going to provide you with my thoughts on her most recent release, Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion.

Please note that while I was provided with a complimentary copy of that book and three decks of Maia’s oracle cards (visible in many of the photos throughout this post), all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own and would not differ in any way, had I purchased those items myself.

Book specs:

Name: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion: A Guided Journey into the Mystical Rhythms of the Natural World, Season by Season

Author: Maia Toll – Connect with Maia on her website | Instagram |Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Page count: 192 pages

Publisher: Storey Publishing

Binding: Hardcover

A passionate look at the year as viewed from a nature and spirituality-based standpoint

Let me begin by saying that, while the content housed within the pages of Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion is bound to find favour with many witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and the like around the globe, it is an inclusive title that can be enjoyed by those from a wide array of spiritual paths.

As many of my blog posts attest to, I have immeasurable love of, and appreciation for, each of the eight Pagan sabbats that comprise The Wheel of the Year (TWOTY) – just as I do, the year’s annual seasons.

I literally get giddy as a new season approaches, no matter which one it is! And by the same token, often feel a touch of melancholy as we bid farewell to a departing chapter of the year.

Since early childhood (years before I would first officially encounter the concept of TWOTY), I have felt as though each of the four seasons was more like two smaller seasons combined under the same header.

In some respects, I even viewed each individual month as a mini-season unto itself.

I am not alone in seeing and feeling that the year naturally divides itself into each roughly equal chapters: Early Winter, Late Winter, Early Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, and Late Fall.

You can well imagine then how delighted I was to see that in the Wild Wisdom Companion, Maia opted to present us with a look at a full year laid out in that very format.

Across the 192 pages of this gorgeously illustrated hardcover book (which was released in 2021), the author guides readers through the natural rhythms and cycles of the year.

She begins each chapter in an endearingly charming and whimsically creative way: by presenting us with a fictional conversation between the Sun and the Earth.

Each chat we are privy to presents a touching picture of how these two mighty celestial forces interact and the timeless dance that they enact so that life as we know it on this planet is able to continue onward.

I wholeheartedly loved this element of the book, just as I did many other things about the Wild Wisdom Companion.

In addition to the delightful imaginary conversations mentioned above, each chapter leads us through other factors that are presented for the year’s eight seasons.

These include an Element, an energy centre in the body, a plant medicine, an animal medicine (the presence of that term instantly reminded me of the book Spirit Animal Guides in which author Chris Luttichau uses very similar terminology), a crystal medicine, and three different seasonal symbols.

While some of the selections for each of these entries feel like a very natural fit, others are wonderfully unexpected. They help to prove a fun, fresh take on various plants, animals, mythical figures and so forth that are linked to each season.

In addition, beautiful quotes from other people are peppered throughout this book as well.

Though you might easily think that it would, the Wild Wisdom Companion does not specifically focus on the Pagan sabbats that comprise TWOTY.

However, the dividing points at which Maia has chosen to portion out the year do essentially correspond with each of the eight annual sabbats (those being Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule).

No doubt some readers will wish that there was more of a sabbat focus here. Yet, by not placing the sabbats in the spotlight Wild Wisdom Companion is able to become just that – a welcome companion – to a far broader spectrum of readers.

Instead of the sabbats, the year’s two Solstices and two Equinoxes are explored. These are astronomically determined points on the calendar that the whole planet experiences and thus they are an integral component of the human experience.

In her lovely introduction to this book, Maia states: “Wild wisdom is feeling in accord with the hawk flying overhead; it’s feeling sisterhood with the willows; it’s knowing that the stones are millennia older than humans and have much to teach about the passage of time. Wild wisdom is the sense of being in sync with the world around you, so much so that you feel safe and at home in your own skin. It’s a feeling we’re all looking for but very few achieve.”

She goes on to elaborate regarding ways to find or connect all the more with your own innate wild wisdom before sharing with us how she broke down the year into eight different segments, presenting that information as it applies to both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

In addition, Maia begins her year – when divided into eight parts – in Late Autumn.

A good many witches/Wiccans/Pagans feel that doing so aligns with their personal beliefs and their connection to nature (they don’t call Samhain the witch’s new year for nothing!), so that was a very welcome change of pace to observe in this book.

Throughout each season, Maia invites readers to journal and/or deeply contemplate their connection to some of the topics she addresses, as well as in regards to the seasons themselves.

If journaling is not your cup of tea (and it is 100% okay if that is the case), I feel that one can easily reflect on these topics in other ways, too.

For example during meditation, while sitting peacefully in nature, as part of spellwork, under the light of the moon or sun, or in just about any other way that feels right to you and your own path.

The Wild Wisdom Companion begins in late autumn, guides readers through an insightful, highly relatable walk through the seasons, and culminates with Early Autumn. Thus beginning the eternal cycle over again.

In fact, as you get to the final pages of this terrific book, Maia poses the question, “What if you stay right here and begin it again?”.

In doing so, she both invites and reminds of us the cyclical patterns of the seasons and the important place they hold in each of our lives.

It is a call to embrace the shifting seasonal tides all the more and to grow closer, in doing so, to Mother Earth herself.

Having experienced a whole year in a matter of hours or days (or longer), depending on the pace at which one reads this book, we are treated to the marvellous gift of a lovely deck of square-shaped oracle cards + one suggested spread for working with those cards.

Each of the double-sided cards corresponds with one of the various medicines or symbols that Maia presented us with throughout the Wild Wisdom Companion.

If one opts to work with those cards (and I highly suggest that you do, they are thoroughly lovely), this continuance between themes presented in the book and on the cards themselves is a great way unto itself to grow ever-closer to the seasons.

How Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion rates with me

This book weaves together powerful elements from each of Maia’s previous titles and opens us even more of her wisdom for us to learn from and, potentially, feel a sense of kinship with.

I knew back in 2018 when I read Maia Toll’s first book that she was a radiant beam of new light in the field of nature spirituality-based writing.

Four years on, I can tell you with unflinching certainty that not only has that light grown stronger, but it has helped to illuminate the paths of many thousands upon thousands of readers around the planet in the process.

I adore each of Maia’s books and card decks, returning to them time and time again throughout the year.

However, I must say that the Wild Wisdom Companion is my very favourite of Toll’s works to date.

I highly recommend this book to those both inside and out of the Pagan/witchy realm (and cannot help but feel that it is a title that many gardeners, nature lovers, and animal fans would delight in reading).

Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion is a well-written, intuitively presented, and extremely approachable look at the year and ways we can tap (all the more) into our own innate, incredible wild wisdom.

Working on a scale of 1 – 5, with five being the highest possible rating, I would give Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion 5 stars out of 5.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

An interview with educator, best-selling author, herbalist, and all-around lovely person, Maia Toll

Thank you with the deepest of appreciation, Maia, for sharing your time and knowledge with Witchcrafted Life’s readers. I sincerely appreciate it and cannot begin to tell you how much joy getting this opportunity to chat one-on-one with you means to me.

1. Welcome, Maia! It is a heartfelt joy and honour to chat with you regarding your latest book release – Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion – and Paganism in general. For those who are being introduced to you here today for the first time, could you please share a few points about yourself and where your passions lay most strongly at present?

Hi Everyone! I’m an author fascinated by the ways in which we can connect and learn from the natural world. Exploring the mystic has been a passion for me since I was quite young—for most of my life, I’ve been asking why are we here? And how can I be comfortable in this human skin?

These questions led me to an apprenticeship with a clinical herbalist and green witch in Ireland. That experience has informed who I have become in the time since. Like Autumn, I feel like there’s a deep bond between creativity and spirituality, so that’s a place from which I often dive into this work.

2. Wild Wisdom Companion is your fourth book to date. Is being a book author something that you long felt pulled towards becoming or did the desire and opportunity to do so develop more organically in recent years?

I have been writing since I was a kid. My first story was about a unicorn who got stuck in a bottle. I was eleven. As an adult, I would often joke that I was a writer without a story; I loved the process of writing—the peeling back of layers and the playing with words—but I didn’t have anything in particular to write about.

I had also made a rule for myself (I’m a Capricorn rising—creating, and then struggling against, rules is part of my nature) that I wouldn’t write a book unless I was bringing something new, and never before seen, to readers. It took a long while for me to get over myself and start sharing the way I see the world, even if I’m not the very first person to put those thoughts to paper.

3. What have you found to be the most rewarding and, conversely, most challenging aspects of being a highly successful author – and do you have any advice for those seeking to become first time authors in our sphere of Paganism/herbology/witchery and the like?

One of my personal goals when I started getting published was to meet other authors. Authors tend to be creative, thoughtful, widely read, and self-motivated, which is how I prefer my humans. I have two pods of authors I gather with regularly. Those get-togethers are key for my sanity, perspective, and general joie de vivre. Finding my people is one of the greatest rewards of this career path.

Just like any job, there is a myriad of challenges. Most of them are small obstacles, easily overcome. I try to get creative with the larger hurdles. Currently, I’m chewing on the way books are categorized. I believe that connection with the natural world, and the seasonal living it inspires, as well as exploring the mystical side of life are essential elements for being a whole human.

This way of looking at life nurtures creativity and helps you understand how to get through life’s rough patches. It’s much more universal than niche categories like “occult,” where I am often shelved, suggest. But which category should we highlight? Self-help? Nature writing? Spirituality?

It is an ongoing frustration that my books are shelved in a way that may keep people who would enjoy and benefit from them from finding them. And, truthfully, no matter what my opinion is, once the bookstores receive the books, they shelve them wherever they want, so my ruminations are rather pointless.

For first time authors, my number one piece of advice is write. Do the work, don’t just think about doing it. Writing, like most everything else in life, is a practice. The only way to get proficient is to put pen to paper. Once you’ve moved beyond thinking about writing to actually writing, remember that you’re writing for someone else to read. Who is your reader and what’s useful for them? What do you want them to know, feel, and do? Everything from subject matter to individual sentence structure should be crafted with the reader in mind.

4. Wild Wisdom Companion is a beautiful, eloquently penned ode to the timeless magic(k) of the seasons. I am an unwavering fan of all of your books and the wonderful sets of oracle cards they house, but must say, Wild Wisdom Companion is my absolute favourite.

Of these eight segments of the year, are there one or two in particular that you feel a particular connection to and/or affinity for – and is there one chapter of the year that you would describe as your seasonal soul mate? (Autumn is mine. )

The Wild Wisdom Companion is so many people’s favorite and I LOVE that. I’ve learned so much from writing each book and I would hope the newest one is always the favorite—that my growth as an author allows readers to go deeper with each new book.

Like you, autumn has long been my time of year. But a few years back we moved to a house in the woods. Living on some undisturbed acreage has given me a chance to lean into the entire wheel of the year in a fresh way. While I still love autumn, especially the quality of the light in the time between Samhain and winter solstice, I’ve come to adore late winter.

We have trillium, trout lilies, and some funny little ground orchids which pop up before the trees have leafed out. It is such a stunning time—the trees are still bare, letting me see through their branches to the mountains, but the ground is carpeted with leaves hiding little nodding flowers. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

5. What inspired you to write Wild Wisdom Companion? Was it a book you had long envisioned coming into being or one that sprang into being as a natural progression from your three previous titles?

This is a long (and rather tiresome) story! The short version: when I signed a contract for the book that became Wild Wisdom, it wasn’t meant to be a part of the series. Then, because the other books were doing so well, my publisher wanted it to be part of the collection. But the book I had written didn’t fit in. So, I rewrote it. Twice. And it still wasn’t right. By that point, I was exhausted and disheartened. So, I asked myself two questions:

1- If I were starting from zero, instead of trying to rejig an existing manuscript, what would best tie together the previous books? I kept thinking about a conversation with an editor who was not on my team but who was at my publishing house. We were chatting at a little wine and cheese get-together when I visited. She said, “You know, one thing you haven’t covered is time.” That comment stuck with me, and I kept chewing on it.

2- The second thing I asked myself was: what would be easy? I needed easy. I was pretty close to burned out.

A book focused on the wheel of the year was the answer to those two questions. I had been teaching on the wheel of the year for a while, so it wasn’t difficult to gather my notes and lessons and use them as a foundation. The book built up pretty quickly from there and voila! The Wild Wisdom Companion. 

6. What are some points that you feel the general public – and perhaps even some who are new to areas such as Paganism and witchcraft – would benefit from knowing about the Wheel of The Year and the perpetually vital role that it plays in the lives of all creatures great and small who inhabit our planet?

The pattern of the seasons, as they happen in more temperate climes, teaches us so much of what we need to know about the cycles of our own lives. When I’m working on a book and I’m frustrated, I ask myself where I am on the wheel: have I let go of what needs to go (autumn)? Am I gestating (winter)? Understanding where I’m at in my creative cycle lets me know what comes next and how to move forward.

This applies to other aspects of life as well. When I have birthed something new (spring), I know I still need to keep feeding it energy so it will flower (summer). When I’ve suffered a loss (autumn), I realize I might need winter’s hibernation to recover and heal.

Once you find this rhythm in your own life, you can look outward and find it in the lives of the plants, trees, and animals. It is a constant breath: inhaling energy toward you, exhaling energy out.

7. It is safe to say that the world has been through the wringer massively over the past two years due to the global pandemic. In the face of this profound ongoing challenge, what are some things pertaining to nature and/or self-care and spirituality that you feel people can do to help create a better sense of stability and wellness (emotional, physical, spiritual – or all of the above) again?

I wrote The Wild Wisdom Companion during the first tenuous months of the pandemic. Tuning in to the seasons got me through. And it’s still getting me through. Step out the door, feel the air, breathe. Our human world might be disrupted, but everything else is carrying on. Tune into that sensation.

8. How have you personally been faring during these tremendously difficult times? Have you found that they have deepened your connection to the seasons, the plant kingdom, the universe or any other facet of your spiritual journey?

The isolation from other people has been less difficult for me than most. Serendipitously, I moved to the woods a few months before Covid hit. Because I’m writing, I don’t have to go out to work. So, my days are synced to the natural rhythms. I’m getting to know this land, making friends with the trees and the creek, and working on my writing craft. Because this is what I was moving toward before Covid, for me, the inner work of the past couple of years doesn’t feel Covid related.

9. While Wild Wisdom Companion, much like your other titles, is apt to appeal to witches, Wiccans, Pagans and others of our ilk in general, I feel it is a very approachable and inviting book for all those who experience a strong connection to Mother Nature.

Can you please share a few easily doable, potent ways that just about anyone, regardless of their personal beliefs, can create or strengthen their bond with the natural world?

I love a practice that naturalists use called a “sit spot.” It’s simple, really: return to the same spot every day. Sit. Breathe. Observe. Be sure to pay attention to both the big picture stuff and the small stuff—the macro and the micro. Explore how to connect with the world around you. Try having a little dialogue in your head with a dandelion or singing to an oak. Play with what’s possible.

That’s it! Hone your powers of observation and connection.

10. At the time of this interview’s publication, we are sitting between the first two spring sabbats of Imbolc and Ostara. What are some of the key components/lessons/inspirations that you feel this wonderful point in the calendar, as the mighty return of new life and warm sunlight looms near again, can teach or remind us all?

This is a season when the energy is rising. The tiny cotyledons of the plants are reaching upward, sprouting leaves. I try to tap into that rising energy, letting it come up through the soles of my feet. And then I ask myself what do I want to grow? Sometimes I want to grow a feeling—like joy. Sometimes I want to nurture a new way of seeing the world. And sometimes I want to encourage myself to act, to bring something new into being, like a book. Our culture puts a lot of emphasis on this last one, on action. But I think the first two are equally as important.

Also, if you’re reading this and you aren’t comfortable with, or can’t relate to, words like sabbat, Imbolc, or Ostara, just leave the language by the wayside. I do, all the time. I try to think about the seasons in terms of their energetics, what I can feel in my body. In the Wild Wisdom Companion, I don’t us pagan names for the seasons because I don’t often use those words in my life.

The other day someone said Litha and I had to look up what that meant! I always try to choose words that mean something to me personally. So, I do use Samhain and Imbolc because, when I was studying in Ireland, those were the names my teacher used. I celebrated both Samhain and Imbolc with her and so those words have a resonance for me.

11. Your writing, the important messages it conveys, and the support it offers to others are all very special elements that – not unlike the magnificent illustrations from artist Kate O’Hara that are housed in your books and oracle card decks – speak to scores of people around the world.

What sorts of points do you find easiest to connect with your audience over – and are there things you have learned from them since starting your journey as an author that you did not know or (yet) fully appreciate before that point in your life?

In general, book writing happens at a distance. I sit and think and write in my space and then someone reads and reflects in theirs. I’m sure there are places in my books where readers nod along and feel resonant with what I’m saying, and other places where they think no, that’s not how I see it.

As the author, I’m not usually privy to these thoughts. Sometimes I’ll get to have conversations around this sort of thing at live events and, if you had asked me this pre-Covid, I probably would have had specific stories to share. But I have had limited contact for the past two years. I’m looking forward to once again being able to have robust conversations and share, back and forth, in person.

12. Rapid fire style… What are your favourite books that you are currently reading (or have recently read)?

Here’s my current stack:

Matrix by Lauren Groff

The Heroine with 1,001 Faces by Maria Tartar

The Awakened Brain by Lisa Miller

Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Missing Witches: Recovering True Histories of Feminist Magic by Risa Dickens and Amy Torok

Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown

Three Simple Lines: A Writer’s Pilgrimage into the Heart and Homeland of Haiku by Natalie Goldberg

The one witchy must-read from the last couple years is The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow.

And if you’re into herbal medicine, Energetic Herbalism by Kat Maier should definitely be on your bookshelf.

Kim Krans’ The Wild Unknown Archetypes Deck has been my go-to deck recently.

Crystals are in bowls and on shelves around my desk. I just reach for whatever my fingers want and hold it for as long as seems necessary. The thinking and analyzing part of my brain got over-used writing The Illustrated Crystallary so I’m in pure, unquestioning, intuition mode.

13. And last, but certainly not least… If you are able to divulge anything on this front, can you please tell us about your next book?

This is perfect timing because I’m just now able to talk about my next project! The Night School will be released August 9, 2022 and I am over-the-moon excited.

It was my first time writing in a narrator’s voice, instead of my own, and it was a blast. The Night School is for anyone who wishes they could go to a school for witches, wizards, or mystics. But it’s not fiction: the book contains the lessons you might learn were you to attend such an esteemed institution.

Thank you again, dear Maia. Not only for chatting with me and my audience, but for the extraordinary insight, care, passion, teachings, and – very aptly – wisdom that you impart to society. The earth is blessed to call you one of its own, and I know that your work will long continue to inspire, help and resonate with countless souls the world over.

Thank you, Autumn!

~*~*~*~*~*~

In closing, I would like to once again thank both Maia and her generous publisher for helping to put the wheels in motion for this blog post’s existence.

I am on the edge of my seat with anticipation regarding the forthcoming release of The Night School and hope, in time, to have the opportunity to review that title here as well.

Have you read Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion? How many seasons/half seasons does it feel most natural for you to divide your year into?

The post Author Interview & Book Review: Maia Toll’s Wild Wisdom Companion by Maia Toll appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

I’m grateful to those who reach out and wish to seek my thoughts on a given subject, and try to reply to as many of the queries I receive as possible.

By far one of the areas that I receive the most questions about is book recommendations.

These inquiries tend, I find, to fall into one of several main topics. Amongst the most common are book recommendations for new witches/Pagans, spellwork, green witchery, kitchen witchery, the history of Paganism (as well as the history of witchcraft), coven work, and the sabbats.

Rare is the week I don’t get at least a few sabbat-related messages. Not all are seeking book recommendations, but a good many are and as a result, I’ve amassed an extensive list of books about the Pagan sabbats.

In a modern-day Neopaganism context, the eight main sabbats that some Pagans, Wiccans, and witches choose to observe are as follows:

Imbolc: On or around February 1^st

Ostara: On or around the Spring Equinox (aka, the Vernal Equinox), which falls between March 19^th and March 21^st

Beltane: On or around May 1^st

Litha: On or around the Summer Solstice, which falls between June 20^th and June 22^nd

Lammas/Lughnasadh: On or around August 1^st

Mabon: On or around the Fall Equinox (aka, the Southward Equinox or September Equinox), which falls between September 21^st and September 24^th

Samhain: On or around October 31^st

Yule: On or around the Winter Solstice, which usually falls on December 21^st or 22^nd

Note that these date ranges are for the Western Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere where the seasons are reversed, many chose to celebrate the opposite sabbat. For example, when it’ is Beltane north of the equator, it is Samhain in the southern half of the world and vice versa.

Depending on a person’s particular spiritual path, they may opt to observe other sacred dates as well, such as those pertaining to a particular branch of Paganism (i.e., Hellenistic Paganism or Slavic Paganism), to the traditions of their geographic location, and/or their ancestry.

And of course, some people do not feel drawn to observing some or all of these (or any other) Pagan sabbats, and that is totally okay as well.

As many witches, Wiccans, and Pagans do celebrate some form of these eight sabbats, however, and they hold a deeply meaningful place in a lot of peoples’ spiritual journeys, it is not surprising that folks are looking for Pagan sabbat book recommendations.

Personally – as you may have deducted if you’ve been following this blog and/or my Instagram account for very long – I madly adore and actively celebrate all eight of the Pagan sabbats that comprise The Wheel of The Year.

This facet of Paganism is integral to my practice and has the added bonus of making the year markedly more enjoyable and exciting for me (as a sabbat transpires roughly once every 6 to 8 weeks throughout each year).

I’m definitely a “sabbat witch”, if you will, and love each of these eight sacred days from the bottom of my heart.

Scores of others do as well and it’s no surprise that new witches, as well as those looking to deepen their knowledge of and/or connection to their spirituality, are keen to learn about the Pagan sabbats.

As I know that for every question on a given subject I receive, no doubt many others out there are thinking the same thing but don’t reach out ask, I’ve decided to start turning some of the questions about witchery and Paganism books that I receive into their own dedicated blog posts.

Not only will this hopefully help those searching for suggestions via Google or social media (including Pinterest), but it will allow me to quickly point people who query me about Pagan sabbat books to this very entry.

While I wouldn’t go so far as to claim that the following list encompasses every single book ever written in English about the Pagan sabbats, it is a rather extensive list of the current books on this subject.

No doubt new ones will come along in the future, and there are plenty of books on broader witchcraft and Pagan related topics that cover the sabbats to varying degrees as well (rare is the Paganism or Witchery 101 book, for example, that doesn’t provide at least a cursory overview of the sabbats).

This post houses a very extensive list and I hope that it will provide new and more experienced witches, Wiccans, and Pagans alike with plenty of appealing and informative reading options.

Pull up a cozy seat, a bevy of your choice, and your Amazon or Book Depository wishlist and let’s delve into exploring a broad range of Pagan sabbat books.

(Note: At the time of writing this post, a small number of these books are slated to be released later in 2021 or in 2022. The majority of titles are, however, in publication already.)

Llewellyn’s eight-book series on each of the sabbats

This series sprang to life in the 2010s and instantly became quite the darling of the Pagan sabbat book scene. These titles are jam-packed with tons of great information and useful ideas for celebrating each of the eight respective witch’s sabbats. And, I find, much like potato chips, it is really hard to stop at (buying) just one of these terrific titles.

Imbolc: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Brigid’s Day 

Ostara: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Spring Equinox 

Beltane: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for May Day 

Midsummer: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Litha

Lughnasadh: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Lammas 

Mabon: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Autumn Equinox 

Samhain: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for Halloween 

Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice 

Around/during the start of the 2000s, Llewellyn produced a similar eight-book series on the sabbats as well. It doesn’t look like they are still in publication, but they can be found quite easily on the secondhand market still, including from various used booksellers on Amazon. Here, for example, is a link to the Yule book from this series. 

In addition, various publishers put out annual witchcraft and/or Paganism related yearly almanac style books which are often rich in great information about the sabbats.

In particular, I recommend The Witches’ Almanac, as well as Llewellyn’s Sabbat Almanac (pictured above), The Witches’ Datebook Calendar and The Witches’ Companion, both of which are from Llewellyn as well.

Books covering the whole Wheel of The Year

These titles offer thorough and informative looks at the eight Pagan sabbats that comprise the wheel of the year. Some are beloved classics, others are newer offerings that are sure to become much-adored books in their own right.

A Circle Of Stars: An astrological journey through the lunar and Celtic wheel of the year

From Earth Mother’s Womb Workbook: Simple Earth Centering Practices using the wheel of the year

Once Around The Sun: Stories, Crafts, and Recipes to Celebrate the Sacred Earth Year

Rituals of Celebration: Honoring the Seasons of Life through the Wheel of the Year 

Rituals & Sabbats: Sacred Rites and Seasonal Celebrations

Sabbats: A Witch’s Approach to Living the Old Ways 

Sacred Actions: Living the Wheel of the Year through Earth-Centered Sustainable Practices

Sacred Earth Celebrations 

Seasons of a Magical Life: A Pagan Path of Living

The Celtic Wheel of the Year: Christian & Pagan Prayers & Practices for Each Turning

The Great Work: Self-Knowledge and Healing Through the Wheel of the Year 

The Hearth Witch’s Year: Rituals, Recipes & Remedies Through the Seasons

The Hedgewitch’s Little Book of Seasonal Magic

The Magical Year: Seasonal Celebrations to Honor Nature’s Ever-Turning Wheel 

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to the Wheel of the Year  

The Mystical Year: Folklore, Magic and Nature

The Noble Art: From Shadow to Essence Through the Wheel of the Year

The Provenance Press Guide to the Wiccan Year: A Year Round Guide to Spells, Rituals, and Holiday Celebrations 

The Simple Sabbat: Family Friendly Approach to the Eight Pagan Holidays

The Spirited Kitchen: Recipes and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of The Year: A Beginner’s Guide to Celebrating the Traditional Pagan Festivals of the Seasons

The Wheel of the Year: One Year Workbook and Journal for the Pagan Festivals

(Note: This author, who is currently publishing independently, also has a series of books devoted to each of the individual sabbats. On Amazon, simply search for her name and the sabbat of your choice to find her title on that festive Pagan day.)

The Ultimate Guide to the Witch’s Wheel of the Year: Rituals, Spells & Practices for Magical Sabbats, Holidays & Celebrations 

Turn of The Wheel: A Year of Modern Pagan Prayer and Praise 

The Zenned Out Guide to The Wheel of The Year

Wheel of The Year: Living The Magickal Life 

Wicca Wheel of The Year Magic 

Wicca Year of Magic: From the Wheel of the Year to the Cycles of the Moon, Magic for Every Occasion

Witch’s Wheel of the Year: Rituals for Circles, Solitaries & Covens 

(Whose Pathos blog, Raising the Horns, I highly recommend.)

Year of the Witch: Connecting with Nature’s Seasons through Intuitive Magick 

(Ancient Ways: Reclaiming The Pagan Tradition by the same author is a stellar book as well.)

Books on specific Pagan Sabbats

Much like Llewellyn’s eight-part series devoted to each of the sabbats, various other titles have been released over the years that focus on either one specific sabbat or a portion of the sabbats. These are fantastic resources if you’re looking to add to your knowledge of, or be inspired about, certain Pagan sabbats in particular.

A Witch’s Halloween: A Complete Guide to the Magick, Incantations, Recipes, Spells, and Lore 

Beltane: The Ultimate Guide to May Eve and How It’s Celebrated in Wicca, Druidry, and Paganism

Celebrating Autumn Equinox: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Harvest, Sukkot, Mid Autumn Moon, Michaelmas, Eleusinian Mysteries & Other Autumn Holidays

Celebrating Spring Equinox: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Celebrating Easter, Passover, Nowruz, Lady Day, & Other Spring Holidays

Celebrating Summer Solstice: Customs & Crafts, Recipes & Rituals for Midsummer, Kupala, Ligo, San Giovanni & Other Summer Holidays

Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon 

Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Samhain to Ostara 

Celebrating Winter Solstice: Customs and Crafts, Recipes and Rituals for Festivals of Light, Hanukkah, Yule, and Other Midwinter Holidays

Llewellyn’s Little Book of Halloween

(Mickie has a wonderful, informative YouTube channel that is well worth following.)

Llewellyn’s Little Book of Yule

Midsummer: The Ultimate Guide to Litha or the Summer Solstice and How It’s Celebrated in Wicca, Druidry, and Paganism

Ostara: The Ultimate Guide to Spring Equinox and How It’s Celebrated in Wicca, Druidry, and Paganism

Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Christmas

Samhain Traditions: 13 Simple & Affordable Halloween Spells & Rituals for the Witches’ New Year

(This author runs a terrific Pagan/witchy blog called the Penniless Pagan that I highly recommend following.)

The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year

The Sacred Herbs of Beltane

The Sacred Herbs of Samhain

The Summer Solstice: Celebrating the Journey of the Sun from May Day to Harvest

The Winter Solstice: The Sacred Traditions of Christmas

This post was last updated with one or more new titles on April 21, 2022

Books are a valuable resource, but don’t stop there!

As awesome as books about a given topic – in this case, the Pagan sabbats – are, it’s important to remember that there are many channels through which to obtain knowledge on a given subject.

In the case of the sabbats, some of these include blogs and websites (as well as social media), spending time in person with fellow Pagans/witches, joining a coven or grove, and through your own ongoing experiences with the Wheel of The Year.

While there are various traditions and important meanings associated with each of the sabbats, observers are free to interpret and experience the Pagan sabbats however they desire.

Learn from books such as those listed above, as well as other resources and experiences, but do not feel that you must follow everything they suggest to the letter.

And by the same token, please, please, please, do not feel obliged to observe each sabbat annually if you do not feel inclined or are, for whatever reason, unable to do so.

You are not a “bad” or “lazy” witch at all if you are not rolling out the proverbial red carpet and throwing yourself into OTT sabbat celebrations eight times a year.

If that is your jam, awesome, if not, equally awesome. There is a ton to be said for simple, meaningful sabbat happenings.

Indeed, I would argue that if a sabbat causes you a great deal of stress, worry, anxiety, or expense, you may want to rethink how you approach these special days. They are meant to be times of deep meaning, personal reflection, spiritual connections, and positivity, not something you dread more than going to the dentist.

As there will no doubt be future books penned about the witch’s sabbats, I will strive to update this blog post periodically with new titles that cross my path.

If you are aware of any Pagan sabbat books that I have not included here yet, please feel free to let me know about them in the comments below or via email.

And on that note, as I adore hearing from my readers, please do not hesitate to send your witchery and Paganism-related questions my way anytime.

Who knows, your query might just be the catalyst for a future blog post here!

Do you observe the Wheel of the Year? And if you do, what Pagan sabbat books are your personal favourites? 🕮

The post Your Ultimate Guide to Books About the Pagan Sabbats appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.