Book Review: Living Druidry by Emma Restall Orr

I love reading books about Paganism and Druidry. I don’t even mind reading beginner books despite that this is a path that I’ve been on for a few years. There is usually some spark or new perspective that gives my path a burst of energy or enriches my life. However, there is something so gloriously satisfying about reading a book on spirituality that doesn’t assume you are just starting to figure things out. Living Druidry by Emma Restall Orr is a book that honors the path you’ve already taken and the steps you are preparing to take.

Living Druidry is a book that wants the reader to get messy. The reader is encouraged to dig deep and find the ugly, mystical, and beautiful while cultivating a path that serves the discovery of self and usefulness for the community. There is no shying away from tough topics (drugs for example) and no dumb-ing down language in an attempt to make a transcendental experience easier to take in.  Topics range from energy work, Gods, and reaching a trance state. But the topics don’t really do justice to the style and range covered in this book.

Mostly, I am entranced by the authors style and tone. The “educational” part of the book is a told in a rich narrative. There is a lesson to learn, a nugget of knowledge you might be able to shine off and take home. However, the point isn’t the knowledge. The point is that the reader must take that knowledge and use it, make mistakes with it, and experience it so that it transforms into a wisdom that might be useful in one’s own practice and path. Interspersed throughout the book are italicized  sections that gracefully describe the authors own experiences or thoughts. The reader is given a glimpse into the real experience of Druidry through this Priestess’s eyes.

I really recommend this book to anyone who is earning to let their wild soul out a little more. If you are tired of “how-to” Pagan books, this one is going to be a pleasure to read!