The Silver Branch and the Otherworld

“A deeply nourishing well of Celtic wisdom, herbal and arboreal knowledge, ritual, and respectful kinship with nature and her medicines. Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue has composed an instructive and beautiful book that will be savored and treasured.” * Shonagh Home, author of Love and Spirit Medicine *
“Not just an important contribution to herbal medicine, but a significant contribution to Irish literature itself.” * Matthew Wood, herbalist and author of A Shamanic Herbal *
“Herbalist and poet Sea´n Pa´draig O’Donoghue weaves together the enchantment of Celtic and personal history, emotions, physiology, herbal wisdom, and therapeutic insights with profound interpretations. You’ll learn from his favorite authors as well as the herbs, trees, fungi, and friends imparted through his unique sensory experiences. Encounters with animals, the moon and stars, the glowing sun, and the elements flow through the pages of this book like a wild stream. This becomes a visceral adventure filled with original insights, meditations, and rituals designed to reconnect us to a nature-based life. The Silver Branch and the Otherworld invites readers to breathe deeply and reengage with our world.” * Margi Flint, RH, HM, author of The Practicing Herbalist *
“Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue lives as well as dreams this quest-full story that his books and classes tell—intensely, tragically, joyously, and epically. The Silver Branch and the Otherworld serves as a portal into the expressive magic of what is the real and true world, a path leading the reader toward self-understanding and personalized purpose as well as to the profound healings and revelations of the plants found there. It is my pleasure to encourage his continuing sharings, songs of determination, and hopes for you as you enter into the chiaroscuro light of enchanted forests and Druid’s groves.” * Jesse Wolf Hardin, artist and author of Fungi Medica and The Herbalist *
“When I first step into the forest, my cathedral, I am overwhelmed by the quiet and the awareness that ‘much silence has a mighty roar.’ And when I read Seán’s poetic vision, breathing life into the wisdom of our plant and fungal allies, I am reminded of a connection that vibrates so deeply, so powerfully, that I am moved to tears, joy, and wonderment all at the same time.” * Robert Dale Rogers, herbalist and author of Medicinal Lichens: Indigenous Wisdom and Modern Pharmaco *
“There has always been a gentleness and deep embodiment in Sea´n’s writing. Like a forest laughing or a stone singing, every part of this book will speak to you in a voice not just heard, but also felt—and this is how we best come to learn what is true.” * Rhyd Wildermuth, Druid and author of Being Pagan: A Guide to Re-Enchant Your Life *
“Seán speaks to the heart of those of us in the Irish diaspora who long to connect with ancestral wisdom even as we seek to root into the land we now call home. Weaving myth and scientific knowledge, poetry and a palpable sense of reverence, The Silver Branch and the Otherworld invites you to come home to yourself, your spiritual lineage, and your own wild kin.” * Marisa Goudy, host of KnotWork Storytelling and author of The Sovereignty Knot *
“This book is an antidote to the long loneliness of the human species. In a world out of balance, it serves as a balm to the agitated spirit and offers a map for navigating the territory of changes the Earth and all members of the ecological community are currently experiencing. The Silver Branch and the Otherworld is a much-needed guide and manifesto of hope for navigating these troubling times through the power of story. It reminds us of our deeply rooted connections to the Green world and the world of myth and legend, reaffirming that we are not alone.” * Julie McIntyre, Earth ceremonialist, director of the Center for Earth Relations, and author of Sex a *
“The Silver Branch and the Otherworld: Forest Magic with Plant and Fungi Allies is a book filled with the wisdom of O’Donoghue’s Irish Celtic ancestry, weaving the use of entheogens like Mushrooms and Cannabis into a cohesive, animistic practice infused with witchcraft. Giving tips, scientific research and data, as well as the wisdom of those who have gone before…a great primer for those seeking to work with psilocybin and other common entheogenic plants such as Cannabis for spiritual purposes. I give The Silver Branch and the Otherworld by Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue a 5 out of 5. It’s an excellent book and gives the spiritual components to working with these plants, while giving basic health and safety information as well should you choose to ingest these plants.” * Modern Merlin, PaganPages.org *

Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue is a clinical herbalist, writer, and teacher who weaves together the insights of traditional Western herbalism and contemporary science. A columnist for Plant Healer Magazine and founder of the Otherworld Well Hedge School, he lives in western Maine.

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