If you've been reading reviews here at Facing North, you know we are solid fans of everything Irisanya Moon has written. Her latest in the Pagan Portals collection is Artemis: Goddess of the Wild Hunt & Sovereign Heart, and it is every bit as excellent as Moon's previous works.
One of the aspects I especially appreciated is Moon's humbleness in offering her accumulated knowledge. She says, right in the Author's Note at the beginning,
One of the things I want you, dear reader, to know before you move forward is that I trust you to take from this book what you will and want. Take what makes sense and what calls to your wild heart. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey and where you want to go, I encourage you to trust what feels good.
It is so refreshing to have an author who presents their work as a starting place, likely one of many places we acquire our knowledge. And since Artemis is a WELL-KNOWN deity, this is particularly apt. I also appreciated Moon's vision of Artemis as so very much more than the typical virgin huntress. Getting these stories, this vision, makes this book worthwhile.
But there is so much more.
Moon has suggestions for negotiating one's way into a relationship with Artemis, for creating trance states in which to encounter her various aspects, for developing discernment, for recognizing her symbols, making appropriate offerings, and creating devotional practices.
All throughout, Moon writes straightforwardly, as if sharing a cup of tea over a campfire as night comes on and the crescent moon rises over the trees.
Highly recommended.
~review by Lisa McSherry
Author: Irisanya Moon
Moon Books, 2024
pp. 112, $12.95
Other books by Ms. Moon:
Gaia: Saving Her, Saving Ourselves (Earth Spirit)
The Norns: Weavers of Fate and Magick (Pagan Portals)
Honoring the Wild: Reclaiming Witchcraft and Environmental Activism (Earth Spirit)
