Roots, Branches, and Spirits

Ballard, H. Byron. Roots, Branches & Spirits: The Folkways & Witchery of Appalachia. Foreword by Alex Bledsoe. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2021.

9780738764535;

H. Byron Ballard, known as the village witch of Asheville, reminisces about the rich folk magic and healing traditions of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Discover the power of dowsing, communicating with spirits, the significance of haint blue doors, and many other folkloric traditions.  She discusses how she makes medicinal tinctures and salves, attunes to the moon's phases, and interprets omens.  She ends with some hillfolk gothic ghost stories.  Join her on a cultural journey and delve into the spiritual customs of the vibrant highlands of southern Appalachia.

H. Byron Ballard, BA, MFA (Asheville, NC) is a western North Carolina native, teacher, folklorist, and writer. She has served as a featured speaker and teacher at several festivals and conferences, including the Sacred Space Conference, Pagan Spirit Gathering, Starwood, Hexfest and many others. She serves as senior priestess and co-founder of Mother Grove Goddess Temple and the Coalition of Earth Religions/CERES, both in Asheville, NC. She podcasts about Appalachian folkways on "Wyrd Mountain Gals." Her essays are featured in several anthologies and she has written regular columns for both SageWoman Magazine and Witches and Pagans Magazine. Find her online at www.myvillagewitch.com. 

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