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Book News!

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The Green City Witch

Weaving a Magical Life in Urban Spaces
By Lynn Shore

Available for Preorder Now

Published by Aeon Books | Launching October 2025
Paperback | 300 pages | ISBN: 9781801521888
Illustrations by Hannah MacDonald

About the Book

A beautifully illustrated handbook for urban witches that combines green witchcraft with city life.

Rich with herbal and esoteric wisdom, this delightful and thoughtful guide provides an essential basis for magical practitioners living in cities to connect with nature, magic and community.

This book is for urbanites who want nature and magic in their lives. Written by an experienced herbalist, who eats street weeds, talks to crows, casts spells, and brews potions; this book shows how to walk a magical path while riding the waves of urban life.

Divided into three sections, The Green City Witch covers the lifestyle, knowledge, and techniques of real witches who love nature and city life. The lifestyle section covers how to work sustainably, grow roots in new towns, align with the seasons, and forage; all within city limits. The urban nature section contains an extensive directory that details how to engage with fascinating lifeforms that thrive in city buildings, streets, and parks. From spider plants to knotweed, and parakeets to earthworms, the plant, animal, and bug lore entries offer magical symbolism, folklore, foraging or care advice, and practical ways to weave them into daily life. The techniques section explains how to achieve magical goals with rituals, sigils, spells and charms, blood magic, shapeshifting, and divination, all with local, natural, sustainable materials.

The Green City Witch is an invaluable resource for beginners and experienced magical practitioners alike, who wish to embrace the endless magical potential and gifts of urban nature.  

Preorder Offer – 20% Off!

Be among the first to get a copy of The Green City Witch by preordering now. From now until the official launch at the end of October, Aeon Books is offering a 20% discount on all preorders via their website.

🛒 UK / International (via Aeon Books):
👉 Preorder with 20% discount from Aeon Books
(Use discount code GCW20 at checkout)

Ordering Outside the UK

If you’re outside the UK, the book will also be available through major retailers and online bookstores closer to publication. You can bookmark or preorder through the following links:

Book Details

PublisherAeon Books
Publication DateOctober 2025
CoverPaperback
Pages400
Size152mm x 229mm
Catalogue No95368
ISBN-139781801521888

Launch Event

Official Book Launch: Saturday 25th October 2025
Black Moon Botanica – Amsterdam Store
Spiegelgracht 30-H
1017 JS, Amsterdam
The Netherlands
(18:30 – 20:00)

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About the author

Lynn Shore is a herbalist, educator, and green witch. Born in Bristol, study, and work led her to several UK towns and cities. In 2004 she settled in Amsterdam and founded Urban Herbology which connects city people with nature through walks and courses. She also runs a community herb orchard, where locals, plants, and wildlife grow together. Lynn and her family live in a plant and book-filled apartment. Most often out gardening, foraging, or concocting strange brews; helping others find peace in nature is her mission.

About the illustrator

Hannah McDonald is a British artist and author, living in Amsterdam. She explores visual narratives that create space for emotional exchange between audience, artwork and artist, to enhance a deeper connection to each other and the natural world. 

Spell for Midwinter Light

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The winter solstice is when the sun’s path reaches its lowest point in the sky. This year that will happen on December the 21st. Around this time, we experience short days and long nights. It can be bleak and dismal but from now until midsummer, daylight hours will steadily increase. The ancient festival of Yuletide starts at the solstice and continues for two weeks. It honours the return of the Sun and is a chance to show gratitude to those who we value, those who support us, and those who need our support. This is also a time to consider the aspects of our lives that we would like to illuminate during the coming months. Here is a spell to help you do just that. Don’t over think the intention part, just let thoughts bubble up..

Gather the following materials:
Small handful of evergreen leaves, perhaps Ivy, Fir, or Holly, from plants growing nearby your home
Natural wax candle and lighter
Bay leaf, Birch bark, or paper (to write your intention on)
Pen or pencil.

Arrange the evergreen leaves in a circle around the candle. Light the candle and keep the leaves away from the flame. Take a moment to sit comfortably and centre yourself. Feel the warm glow of the candle and relax with a few deep breaths. Think of what you would like to come into being for you during the coming months; What would you like to bring to light, and breathe life into? Write a summary to capture the essence of this midwinter intention on the Bay leaf, Birch bark or paper.

Read your intention, aloud or inwardly. Then, place the leaf under the candle or herbs. Breathe smoothly, visualising the candlelight filling your body and illuminating your spirit. Imagine this energy pushing aside darkness and cobwebs; see it manifesting your wishes. Imagine the evergreen leaf circle growing upward, like a column around the candle. See it shooting up into the sky, entangled, glossy, and determined – a channel directing your intention up into the atmosphere to find all it needs to achieve your will. See your intention complete, as if it is already achieved, here and now.Enjoying this meditative state for a few minutes, then visualise the column of evergreen leaves reducing back to the ring around the candle. Breathe smoothly and become more aware of your surroundings and the floor beneath you. Extinguish the flame and take more time to ground yourself. Eat something to help with this if needed.

Leave the spell candle, intention note, and evergreen foliage undisturbed, if possible. Return to this set up each day during Yule, to relight the candle and repeat the practice. If you are unable to leave the candle and leaves out for the duration, store them safely, and bring them out to use each day. After fourteen days, burn your intention leaf or paper in the candle flame, then dispose of the cooled ashes in earth, either outside or in a house plant pot.