Love, nature, magic Shamanic journeys into the heart of my garden

Rodale (Organic Manifesto), former CEO of the Rodale publishing company, recalls her attempts to connect with nature in this quirky offering. After trying to eradicate an especially persistent strain of mugwort weed from her Pennsylvania garden, Rodale embarked on a shamanic quest to understand what the plant was trying to communicate to her. An avid gardener who'd been studying shamanism, she determined she could better understand her natural surroundings by communing with spirits in other realms, and here discusses tuning in to the spirits of mugwort, thistles, dandelions, ticks, and more. Lightning bugs remind her that "beauty isn't how you look, but the light you give off," which Rodale takes as a useful rebuke of an image-conscious society. Mugwort instructs her to abandon the "need to control nature" and instead appreciate its "surprises and gifts," while even the maligned poison ivy "teach humans to pay attention" and "watch where are going." Rodale's passion for the natural world shines through, and while certain revelations are less than revelatory ("Yew continued, 'People are always trying... to keep us in boxes. But it's them that are boxed in' "), many of her other musings will prove thought-provoking to spiritualists with an environmental bent. It's an eclectic and eye-opening entry. (Feb.)

Organic advocate Rodale (Organic Manifesto) was inspired to write this book on a day when she was trying to remove mugwort, a stubborn plant, from her garden. While initially frustrated by trying to control an invasive species, she decided to change her attitude by taking a shamanic journey with the plant to see what it was trying to communicate to her. Finding the experience transformative, she pursued further shamanic journeys with the other living forms in her garden. The book gives a brief overview of shamanism and pertinent background information about Rodale's life, and there's a chapter for each shamanic journey. The plants and animals with which she communicates are generally considered pests, including dandelions, poison ivy, paper wasps, ticks, and snakes; yet she learns their value and believes they have something important to communicate to humans. Rodale shows that she is a skilled and poetic writer and a powerful advocate for nature and the interconnectedness of all beings. VERDICT Recommended for people who love gardening or those with an interest in spiritual connections with nature.--Dave Pugl