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Monday, February 19, 2018

Hedge Riding Series: Realms of the Otherworld

Hedge Riding Series: Realms of the Otherworld

Now that you have some sense of what hedge riding is, it is time to discuss the realms of the Otherworld. When hedgewitches hedge ride, they travel to the Otherworld to communicate with spirits, animal guides, and/or ancestral and spirit guides, or simply as a form of relaxation. To be honest, sometimes I travel to my Garden to get away from the stresses of day-to-day life. It is incredibly beautiful and relaxing there.

While not all hedgewitches will enter the Otherworld the same way, many believe it contains three realms that can be accessed through the axis mundi known in Norse mythology as Yggdrasil or the World Tree. Why the World Tree? Well, most of us can easily envision a tree, making travel easier. Second, the World Tree connects to all three realms as its roots reach deep into the Earth, allowing access to the Lower Realms, is present within the Middle Realm with its trunk and reaches into the sky through its branches allowing access to the Upper Realms. However, other cultures envision different axis mundi and the World Tree can take many forms. Usually, Yggdrasil is said to be an ash tree, but not everyone has ash trees in their area or even knows what one looks like! This is where practicing locally becomes so important. While I do have ash trees in my area, I am more familiar with the powerful white oaks that are famous here in Georgia. They far outshine any ash in the area, making them the tree I envision when thinking of the World Tree. However, you may find the maple, birch, pine, juniper, or cedar is a better fit for you based on where you live. Often times I suggest new riders sit under the tree that represents the World Tree for them to encourage such travel, so use what you know to make the process easier.

Hedge Riding Series: Realms of the Otherworld
"The Ash Yggdrasil" (1886) by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine
In Norse mythology, there are nine total realms: three Lower, three Middle, and three Upper. If you would like to incorporate all of the realms into your practice, go right ahead. I prefer to use a simpler model, focusing on one of each: Lower, Middle, and Upper. However, if you would like to learn more about Yggdrasil, check out the following links:


The Lower Realm

The Lower Realm is where I visit most often, existing close to our own realm. The Lower Realm is generally wild with little to no trace of human interaction. Think pristine forests, rivers, oceans, grasslands, and deserts. I have, however, found a house once on a cliffside overlooking an ocean. The house resembled that of the mansion in Practical Magic, but it did not feel safe and inviting. In fact, it felt forced and out-of-place. I have avoided that area ever since. Be sure to follow your intuition when traveling in any of the realms.

Hedge Riding Series: Realms of the Otherworld

The Lower Realm is where I have met both of my animal guides, Meka and Rocar. If you are looking to meet and communicate with your animal guides, the Lower Realm is where you will likely travel. It is uncommon to meet them elsewhere, but not impossible. You can also meet ancestors, spirit guides, cunning folk, nature spirits, and other fae creatures in this realm.

The Lower Realm is sometimes referred to as the collective unconscious, a reservoir of accumulated knowledge that has been passed down from generation to generation. This is where I travel to seek advice and help and ask questions, especially if I am struggling with something. This is also the realm I will travel to if I am looking at casting spells that I don't want to cast in my garden. Furthermore, it is easy to access and relatively safe in comparison to other realms.

Below the Lower Realm is the Underworld, a place I have not visited as of yet. It isn't that this realm is dangerous per se, but more because I have no desire to go there. Shamans, who tend to do psychopomp work, are more likely to travel to the Underworld in shamanic journeying than hedgewitches are during hedge riding because they are ferrying souls. However, if you find yourself helping souls cross over, you'll likely find your way there. You may also find yourself there if you choose to work with deities of the Underworld such as Hades, Persophone, or Hekate to name a few.

The Middle Realm

The Middle Realm is located at the trunk of the World Tree and is our world with a spirit overlay. Its always unclear and foggy when I travel there as if things aren't quite right. This is where your garden or magical workspace exists, a spiritual safe haven if you will. However, I almost never travel outside of my garden when visiting the Middle Realm. This is by far the most dangerous realm in my opinion to visit as it is essentially our realm, but with spirits roaming the streets as well. Be careful of anyone you meet while in the Middle Realm. They are often deceitful and tricky. If you meet an animal while visiting, do not let it convince you it is an animal guide, unless it finds you in your garden or magical workspace. Despite this, the Middle Realm is a great place to travel forward and backward in time regarding your own life and that of your ancestors. If you are looking to evaluate your past choices or contact your ancestors, this is the realm to do it in.

Hedge Riding Series: Realms of the Otherworld

Since this isn't a location I routinely or ever really travel to, there is not much advice I can offer on how to handle yourself in this realm. However, as with all things, be cautious and use common sense.

The Upper Realm

Honestly, I don't spend a lot of time in the Upper Realm either. However, you may find the Upper Realm the most inviting. This is a magical realm, where it always feels like summer. This may be why I don't like it. Honestly, the golden glow is a little too bright for my taste. It's in the Upper Realm that the "higher" spiritual beings dwell; think angels, some goddesses and gods, and other spirit-like beings that have 'ascended' (think ancestors, guides, etc). 

Hedge Riding Series: Realms of the Otherworld

If you are seeking divine knowledge or healing, the Upper Realm is the place to go. You can also meet your spirit guides in the Upper Realm, the wise women and men of the past sent to guide you through this life. I find these guides consist mostly of spirits who have ascended and sometimes even include the Mighty Dead, those ancestors revered and remembered by the masses.


This is of course only a simple look into the realms of the Otherworld. Furthermore, each person experiences them differently. That's the wonderful thing about our mind and the Otherworld. It tries to present itself to us in a way we can understand, making it accessible to all those wishing to travel.

Interest in the rest of the series? Make sure to keep an eye out for upcoming posts!

Hedge Riding Series


Looking for more information on hedge witches? Check out my posts on the topic:


8 comments :

  1. I'm really enjoying this so far! Getting excited to read the rest of the posts in this series. Thank you for taking the time to share with us!

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  2. Wow Willow. I'm so grateful to have come across your site and for you being so open about your journey. This is the first time anyone's put what I've experienced into words and given it a name. THANK YOU! Now, I'm off to read all the books to try and get some control over this before I end up somewhere I don't want to be. Thank you again! - Bree

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    1. That's wonderful! Thank you for reading and good luck on your hedge riding journey.

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  3. I have been working on a non-fiction, dimension-jumping novel series for a few years now and find it crazy how I know things that I shouldn't already know. My character is a dream traveler and he mentions having a "safe haven" to jump to that is kind of like a safe zone where nothing can touch him or influence him. Then I read about your "garden" today. It's just so crazy to me how I knew about this area already without any prior conscious knowledge!

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    1. I am a strong believer of the idea that there is a collective unconsciousness that we all have access too. It explains why some people just "know" things they shouldn't otherwise know. Good luck writing your novel series. It sounds really interesting!

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  4. I'm getting attacked by a wired realm. These witches use beams of some sort. Very terrifying.

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    1. Interesting...Care to explain a little more fully? You can also reach out to be via email at flyingthehedge@outlook.com

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