Book Description

*A Wall Street Journal "Best Read for Spring" "Anyone interested in plant intelligence, and in journeying WITHOUT plant medicines, will want to read this new book."—Michael Pollan, author of This is Your Mind on Plants (via Twitter) "Maria Rodale has written a book for anyone and everyone who loves nature, the garden, and the planet. The book we didn't know we needed, at the time we needed it most. For comfort, for solace, for the heart and the mind."—Bette Midler (via Twitter) Join bestselling author, activist, and garden expert Maria Rodale on her shamanic journeys as she reflects on her surprising conversations with the spirits of the familiar plants and animals around us—and the knowledge they share with us. In Love, Nature, Magic, organic advocate and former CEO of a global health and wellness company Maria Rodale combines her love of nature and gardening with her experience in shamanic journeying, embarking on an epic adventure to learn from plants, animals, and insects—including some of the most misunderstood beings in nature. Maria asks them their purpose and listens as they show and declare what they want us humans to know. From Thistles to Snakes, Poison Ivy to Mosquitoes, these nature beings convey messages that are relevant to every human, showing us how to live in balance and harmony on this Earth. Through journeys filled with surprises, humor, and foibles, follow Maria’s evolution from being annoyed with to accepting—and even falling in love with—our most difficult neighbors (including human ones). Along the way, she tells her own story of how she learned about shamanic journeying and its near-universal manifestation in traditional cultures worldwide. She describes what her experiences of shamanic journeying are like—simply, honestly, and with a touch of irreverence. Maria’s journeys include conversations with: Mugwort • Vulture • Bat • Rabbit • Lanternfly • Lightning Bug • Osage Orange • Deer • Paper Wasp • Dandelion • Tick • Groundhog • Milkweed • And more! Throughout, Rodale shares an essential truth that resonates across her shamanic explorations: We first must heal our own hearts, for only then can we truly love others and begin to heal planet Earth. "Love, Nature, Magic will blow your mind and open your heart."—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me "Let’s hear it for women intent on conquering new worlds—especially on the astral plane. If we’re going to get trippy, I can think of no better guide than Maria Rodale . . . [This] is a fascinating book . . . Rodale bares her soul. Part of the charm of her writing is its unfiltered and enthusiastic forthrightness; no reportorial distancing or irony here. This is a journey into her heart."—Dominique Browning, Wall Street Journal