Herbs

Herbs and Herb Lore

Plants , Gums, Resins and Oils are the tools of the herb magician. These are manifested energies that are available for use in magic.

It is to the benefit of all who use herbs to learn them as intimately as they can. It's important that herb magicians know not only which herbs to use in compounding mixtures, but also to know how to obtain them, as well as something of their natures.

On a purely physical level, it's vital to be able to identify the best quality ingredients - the freshest herbs and the finest gums and resins.

Obtaining Herbs

There are three main methods of obtaining herbs for use in compounding magickal mixtures: collection, growing and purchasing.

Collection

Walking in the woods, striding through deserts, climbing mountains or strolling along beaches are refreshing activities in and of themselves. When you combine this with the quest for magical herbs they can be exciting adventures.

There are some basic rules to follow here: -

Collect only what you need
Attune with the plant before collecting it. This can be done by placing your hands around the plant and feeling it's energies, chant a simple rhyme or say a few words that describes why you are taking part of it's energy (leaves and flowers, and/or by placing an object of worth in the soil at the base of the plant.
Never collect more than 25 percent of the plant's growth. If you are collecting roots you must, of course, take the whole plant, so be sure to leave other nearby plants of the same type untouched.
Don't collect after rain or heavy dew. At least, not until the Sun has dried the plants. Otherwise they might take mildew while drying.
Choose your collection site carefully. Never collect plants near highways, roads, stagnant or polluted waters, near factories or military installations.

To dry the herbs that you have collected, strip off the leaves or flowers and lay on ceramic, wooden or steel racks in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight. Or place them in a basket and shake the herbs daily until dry.

Growing

Growing your own herbs is an intriguing art. herbs can be difficult to successfully grow, but when they do, you're reward is a plentiful supply of flowers, leaves, seeds, barks and roots.

Any bookshop or library will have good books showing the basic steps in growing herbs. Find a good book, utilizing the information in it and don't forget to take into account your local growing conditions. Also try your local garden shops and stores, as they most certainly stock, seeds and starter plants.

Magically guard your herbs when growing them by placing small quartz crystals in the soil. To ensure that they flourish, wear jade when watering or tending them, or put a piece of moss-agate in the Earth.

When the plant is ready to be harvested, use the basic system as above. Thank the plant and the Earth for it's treasures.

Purchasing

Many of the herbs we will use will have to be purchased, as some are grown is far parts of the world. This doesn't lessen them in any way; in fact, the herb trade ensures that plant materials which would otherwise be unavailable can be obtained and used in magic.

Take care when buying essential oils, those often labeled 'essential' are usually the products of the laboratory, rather than of the fields.

The main thing to look at is the price. Most true essential oils sell for between $10 and $40 per third to half ounce. Some such as chamomile, yarrow, cardamom, neroli, jasmine and rose can be far costlier. Buy carefully!

Regarding herbs: - Many stores can't be relied on to lay in fresh stock at regular intervals, so the rosemary you buy may be several years old. In general, choose the herbs with bright colours, with few stem pieces and with fresh smells.

*With thanks to Scott Cunninghams':
The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews*

More to Come

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