01. The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine – Sophie Stand

This book was an erudite page-turner. It reads like poetry but has the substance of a dissertation. Fuck it is beautiful. Not only does Strand make a case for returning to old myths for examples of masculinity, but by the end of this book, I was full-on in love with Dionysus, praying that I would meet him in the woods somewhere. The vision of the divine masculine she conjures is exactly what we need more of in the world, male examples of earth-alignment. This book alone deserves an entire blog post. And after reading it, I’m pretty sure Mushrooms are god.

02. Rooted by Lyanda Lynn Haupt

I’ve now read so many earth-based spiritualist books I’m struggling to remember what golden nugget came from where, but I do remember Rooted is a call to quiet observation. Haupt notes that “walking is the naturalist’s pace – the tempo at which observation can occur (63)”. Observation is attentiveness, and by refusing a narratives that dictates we must always be in a state of rush, Haupt points us toward a more grounded and grateful way of living in the world. My motto for this year having read this book is “adopt the pace of nature”.

03. The Enchanted Life – Sharon Blackie

Blackie is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The way she weaves ancient myth into modern lessons is nothing short of alchemic. In this book, she discusses the disenchantment of our modern age and gives us a glimpse into re-enchanting. Living an enchanted life is the cure for our modern pessimism and Blackie gives stunning examples of what this looks like. Her focus on attuned living and getting to know and honoring the land you live on are lessons I believe we should all learn.

04. To Speak for the Trees – Diana Beresford-Kroeger

Another incredible book to draw you back to nature, To Speak for the Trees is a revelation of wisdom that is soon to be lost. As one of the last people to be taught the Brehon knowledge of plants and nature, Beresford-Kroeger points us back to a foundational relationship with trees and a glimpse into the earth-based religion of woodland people. One of the most devastating revelations of this book for me is why there are no trees in Ireland (or very few); They were cut down by Christians in an attempt to sever animists from their source of spiritual connection (an act that echos the what would happen to the North American Indigenous peoples). The less Nature and natural landscapes we have, the more we disconnect from the Spirits that call to us from them.

05. Church of the Wild – Victoria Loorz

I’ve been attending the Church of the Wild in my own way since I was a child. I didn’t know this was what I was doing until I read this book. The themes in Loorz’s book brought to mind Elizabeth A. Johnson’s Ask the Beasts (a book I will reread this year as it deserves a re-examine), that the natural world is a link to divinity. It is no coincidence that we wonder about god when we contemplate a starry night sky. Loorz is right, Nature invites us into the Sacred. The problem is that we as a species have put so much energy into separating ourselves from Nature, that we are losing a much-needed source of divine inspiration. This book is a call to reconnect.

06. Scattered Minds – Gabor Mate

It was reading this book that I discovered I have ADD, and it was why I decided to try medication (although Mate is not “pro medication”). What I love so much about Mate’s work is his focus on connection. Mate believes that as ADD is a result of both nature (he states high sensitivity as a genetic prerequisite for ADD development) and nurture (how we parent is a determining factor), and as such, symptoms can be minimized by addressing connection, autonomy, and respect. Everyone should read this book. ESPECIALLY those who deal with children in any capacity.

07. On Photography – Susan Sontag

Sontag’s deconstruction on photography is cutthroat; she does not appear to hold my chosen artistic medium in high regard. But her criticism is sound and I had so much come up for me while reading this book. Something that particularly affected me was her commentary on truthfulness; how photographs are not honest. This challenge opened me up to new ways of viewing the medium of photography, and how I might rewrite those narratives for myself in a way that feels more relevant than the ones I held before. A must read for anyone in the photography field. Whether you agree or disagree with Sontag, her challenge has value.

08. Educated – Tara Westover

I read this book in 2 days. I didn’t so much read it as much as devoured it. What struck me about Westover’s story wasn’t the abuse or religious fanaticism (been there), but how she so beautifully illustrated how bonded we are to our family, regardless of the boundaries and space we must put between them and us. She also brilliantly showcases the both/and qualities of a family dynamic; people are not simply “good” or “bad”, but a confusing juxtaposition of both. She illustrates the powerful hold of our foundational beliefs, even as our paradigms shift. I love that Westover does not attempt to give us answers, just an example; of a woman who followed her truth despite a lack of familial support.

09. North of Normal – Cea Sunrise Person

Another book more devoured than read, North of Normal reminded me of my own upbringing. Although my experience was quite different than Person’s, there are familiar threads that weave through her story and mine: counterculture, nomadic poverty, and trauma. It was a nostaglic read for me, but also one that showed me how “north of normal” my own upbringing really was – how foreign it is to the lived experience of most people.

10. Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times – Katherine May

I had one of my most profound experiences of self-acceptance and grace while reading this book. I embraced my imperfections and allowed myself the grace to make mistakes. May’s philosophy of wintering is something my body has been trying to tell me for a while now: we have phases of darkness, cold, isolation, and quiet that must be honored. There may or may not be a “reason” for our winters, but they should be honored nonetheless. We are cyclical animals, and each season we enter offers us gifts if we are willing to receive them. Winter is no exception. The lessons learned in our winters are the drivers of transformation. Embrace them.