So gang are there any other herbs that you all might want to know about? This thread is about medicine and magick so we could go off on any herbal related tangent! If some of you are looking for herbal remadies to treat cold and flu I have several and would be happy to post the receipes so you can make it for yourselves.
I get asked all the time for love spells and potions from people either looking to capture the heart of someone they like or win back a lost lover. I do have some spells and herbal potions that can help,BUT,they will not take away the object of desire's free will or allow the user to harm a rival for their affection. They only help to increase awareness,improve your self love,intensify already present desire/passion,and release old baggage.

I hope you are feeling better now and enjoyed a Merry Samhain! This is a busy time of year for us all and the plants will patiently wait for us,no worries.

Sorry the list printed odd,I was trying to not have a mile long post!

Rosemary (done)
Pumpkin
Catnip
Sage
White Pine
Mullein
Wormwood
Nettles
Garlic
Wintergreen
Elderberry
Calendula
Sunflowers
Rosehips
Frankinsense
Myrrh
Tarragon
Bay
Basil (done)


I'm going to take Catnip and Mullein next,ok?

Awesome everyone! Good job Ruth;I added some of that great info to my Materia Medica card for Basil.


Who wants to go next? Pick an herb we haven't done yet from the original posted list and off we go.

Right you are Ruth! Mugwort is magickal and can be used for tea if you want vivid dreams and or try some astral projection.I have a Shaman/Wizard friend who smokes it for the same purpose in his own special blend.

Getting back to Rosemary.... It works very well on the alter for Samhain. One of the primary herbs for Rememberance. Shakespeare even refers to it. Ophelia's nosegay included it,"There's rosemary,that's for rememberance,pray you,love,remember..." It represents Love faithful even beyond the grave. This is why it is important to annoint your Samhain alter candles with essential oil of rosemary and lay a sprig or two there with the pictures of your ancestors.
On the medicinal side of things rosemary is wonderful for several things. As a tea ingrediant with ginko biloba and peppermint to stimulate the brain and improve memory,relieving nervous tension,poor vision,loss of smell. Also an herb to consider in a tea or tincture blend for liver problems and lung ailments. Rosemary also helps as an antiviral,antiseptic,and vulinary herb in salves for healing and working out sore muscles and keeping away minor infection.

Dings and Dents Healing Balm by Rosehaven Herbals

1 cup St.Johnswort infused Olive oil
1 cup Comfrey leaf infused Olive oil
1/4 cup Rosemary infused Olive oil
1/4 cup Lavender infused Olive oil
1/2 cup Beeswax chips
Rosemary essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Vitamin E

In a ceramic glazed pan slowly heat infused oils but do not boil! When begins to steam slowly add in beeswax chips and constantly stir with a wooden spoon.When chips are completely melted turn down heat to Low.Spoon small amount into saucer and place in Fridge for 5 min. If too firm add oils,if to loose add another tablespoon or two of wax.When happy with your mix remove from stove.
Add 20 drops Lavender essential oil and 12 drops Rosemary essential oil and 10 drops Vitamin E to mix.Immediately pour into 2 or 4 ounce wide mouth jars and let set.When just warm to touch cover with lids.Store in cool dry place. Balm is good for sore muscle rub,sprains,strains,cuts,scrapes,scratches,small burns, and chapped hands,cracked heels.

***Salve will last 2-3 years if kept in the fridge or in a cool,dry place and tightly closed.4oz. wide mouth canning jars work great!***

That sounds like a good idea! You start us off;how about your new friend Basil? It's also on the seasonal list I posted, so very timely for the upcoming holidays. I think if we can find a simple spell or receipe we like lets include that too. I'm going to go with Rosemary,my old friend.When we are finished sharing about Basil I'll post on Rosemary and so on.
Abra,want to pick an herb from our list and join in? Anyone else want to pick one from the original list? How about you Mirror? This should be fun!

Suggested source books..............................................

Celebrate the Earth-Laurie Cabot
Hedge Witch-Silver Ravenwolf
Earth,Air,Fire,Water-Scott Cunningham
The Green Witch Herbal-Barbara Griggs
Halloween-Silver Ravenwolf
Healing Wise-Susan Weed
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs-Scott Cunningham
Candlelight Spells-Gerina Dunwich
Healthy Healing-Linda Page
Homemade Medicines;Simple Receipes for Herbal Health-Christopher Hobbs L.Ac.
Womens Herbal-Rosemary Gladstar

I am not very good with chakras so bear with me. I do know that most of those herbs work very well for healing and some magick. Red Clover is not one to do well inside nor is marshmallow and mugwort. They are very seasonal weeds and need their winter cycles. You may just need to grow them outside in your spring and summer gardens and use dry herb thru winter. Red Clover is a powerful antioxidant and a key ingrediant in treating cancer patients. Marshmallow is good for colds,especially of the lung and bowel.Mugwort will give you vivid dreams and is used for astral projection.

The only thing Silver Ravenwolf did was take us out of the broom closet and write some very user friendly,mainstream books. She obviously had a good publisher and editor who promoted her well and marketed her to the right audiance,namely young people. Her books were also some of my first and helped me tremendously when I dedicated as an Eclectic Solitary. Gerina Dunwich did the same thing but was not packaged and marketed as well.It amazes me Laurie Cabot doesn't get the same critisism but has done the same thing but more on tv and radio. Christopher Penczak's "Sons of the Goddess" is geared to teen boys. How is that any different than Silver's "Teen Witch" ? The other day I saw one of the For Dummies books,guess what the tittle was? Yep,Wicca for Dummies! Like I said earlier,read it all and take what you need from it.

You are on the right track Abra so don't despair over a tittle just yet. I am also a practicing solitary and I often find when I sit down for a round table discussion with other Wiccans who are in a coven, and or follow a certain path, it can be confusing. I know a few of Christopher Penczak's devoted followers and they are rabid when it comes to defending his writing! I find his work interesting but very mainstream and as you said "over stuffed". I am sure this is to please his editors and to sell as many books as possible. He is an entertaining speaker and very theatrical.His books translate well into a lecture.He travels around the differant pagan circles and takes to differant groups quit well with this and he is sought out by many differant organizations to be a guest speaker.His followers worship the ground he walks on!
I read his books and take from them what I need and what feels right. I do the same thing with Ravenwolf,Cabot,Dunwich,Cunningham,Grimassi,and my own local teachers.It's part of the beauty and flexability of being an Eclectic Solitary. A truely good book is a guide that inspires you to try something new and at the same time discover your own path and beliefs. I'm sure your work will do just that and I look forward to seeing you published some day soon and reading it.

Samhain is right around the corner and the veil between our world and the afterlife is thinning.The walls between our world,the fey realm,and others who cloak themselves in the shadows is also thinning. I've been getting a lot of messages lately from all places and the message is"Arm yourself" Not so much with weapons but with knowledge. Especially strong is the messages to stock up on healing herbs and be mindful of the places to harvest them. With H1N1 looming,flu and cold season upon us,and the unrest churning in the world I am taking this as good advice and doing just that. As an Herbalist,Healer and Teacher I also feel the pull to share what I know and to learn from others. This Thread is to share knowledge of herbs to use for protection spells,charms,and magick. It is also for receipes that will boost immune systems,ease pain,shorten illness,and relax/nourish our stressed bodies.
Lets start with a list of herbs used most this time of year and go from there with sharing and questions. I am so looking forward to reading what all of you bring to the table!

Rosemary Pumpkin
Catnip Sage
White Pine Needles Mullein
Wormwood Nettles
Garlic Wintergreen
Elderberry Calendula
Sunflowers Rosehips
Frankincense myrrh
Tarragon Bay leaf


I've left out a couple of the more poisonous or endangered ones. This should be fun and informative!

If you need fresh herb now you can check your local farmer's market and get "clearance" plants cheap. In a pinch Chia Herb gardens will grow nicely in the winter months. Also check your local supermarkets,sometimes they sell potted herbs in the floral or produce sections. If all else fails I order dry herb from Mountain Rose Herbals or Sage Mountain Herbals.Both are online.

I was looking into the magickal meaning of basil and it is primarily for protection,repelling negative energy,anti-sorcery,exorcism. It is also very powerful in love spells and drawing in money. Sooo,make a wonderful meal with fresh basil like pasta and a garden primavera sauce to win over that special someone. Once you have accomplished that keep those basil laced dishes coming to keep away your new mother in law! Sorry,just a little witchy humor!

Very nice Abra! I think this is a wonderful idea and very useful as well. I use the top of my bureau in my room. It works well because I can use the first 2 drawers for supplies and storing magickal items and herbs that the cats cant get into.

Always listen to the plant spirits! If you have an overwhelming urge to get or use a plant do it! Its purpose will reveal itself soon enough. As for Abra's lemon balm;you can hang bunches from the ceiling in a dry,well ventilated area for 4 weeks then store in an airtight container. Use in teas for sleep and or relaxation.You can keep lemon balm in the ground thru winter if you cover well and cut back to about 5in. we get 2-3 cuttings thruout the season but plants after the 3rd year get too woody and need to be replaced. You need to find off shoots or runners of small plants and can bring those in roots and all to try under a grow light. Lemon balm does best in partial sun,it does not like the full noon sun so be careful or it will burn. It also likes moist,rich soil best.

I celebrate solitary most of the time. I have an alter set up in my quiet space all year that changes to reflect the wheeel of the year. Right now it has seasonal things on it;a small pumpkin,acorns,red leaves.Also pictures of my relatives who are dear to me and have passed on. I have candles in orange and black to represent the season and one each in gold and silver to represent the God and Goddess. 1 white candle in the center of my alter pentagram to honor the dead. It is annointed with rosemary essential oils for rememberance and I have a sprig of rosemary at the base.On Samhain night I will light my candles and sit facing my alter with a mug of honey mead and reflect on where I have been and where I am going. I write my desires and goals for the year on a slip of paper and burn the paper in my cauldron asking my dearly departed for guidance,protection,and a little help.
After that I dress up and go celebrate the living with my closest friends;dancing,music,food,and good drink!

I suggest some of the basics: rosemary,basil,lavender,mint. all good for cooking and magick. If you can find some this time of year lemon balm,catnip,and chamomile. All of these work very well in a variety of receipes and spells. Sunny window sills and sliding doors are great for pots of herbs as long as not too cold and the cats can't get in them! My Orion is a fool for my herb pots,he keeps trying to roll in them! Is anyone interested in some seasonal herb info for Samhain? I can give a list and highlight some of the most popular if that would be helpful. I have a few simple spells and receipes to share if you like. Just let me know.

Well said Abracadabra! We all have benifitted from Magick in our lives at one point or another,some just are more aware of it than others. Come on people! Don't you remember any of the wonderment of your childhood? You were fresh,untainted then and open to the universe. You just forgot how magick feels when you grew up and the fast paced technological world swept you away.

My journey down The Old Path started with a growing curiosity when I was in grade school and happened to meet Laurie Cabot on a field trip to Salem Ma. I was totally captivated by her strength and presence. That impression stayed with me thru the years as I fought to find my own place of peace and comfort in the religion of my parents. My mother's death was actually the catalyst that freed me from the church.
I wandered thru the pagan side of life in nursing school and sampled differant beliefs and teachings,I adopted an eclectic spirituality that was for all intents and purpose,"just what felt good." After college I moved home to Hampton,passed my RN boards and discovered the wonderous underground of Portsmouth's pagan community. I started studying in earnest;Cunningham,Cabot,Dunwich,Ravenwolf,Grimassi,Gladstar and others.I followed the Celtic Wheel of the Year and dedicated myself as a Solitary to the Triple Goddess.Still,something was missing.
In 2001 I moved to a rural area of the state and met a wonderful woman,Wendy Fogg, who had an herb farm. I visited often and we became friends and she started sharing with me her own journey with the goddess and the plants. I was hooked! I became her apprentice and now I am a full fledged herbalist and green witch. My calling is as a healer and one who brings comfort to those in spiritual and emotional pain. I use herbs and plants for healing as well as magick. It is ancient and very powerful to feel the connection we have with the Mother. Nothing brings me more bliss than teaching and sharing the knowledge of the plants. My book of shadows is my materia medica! It is the record of my personal and spiritual growth.Sometimes the path ahead is clearer when I look back at where I've been!
I have started teaching my son and he also greatly enjoys the teachings of Christopher Penczak. Christopher was also an apprentice of Wendy Fogg and he has taught classes at Misty Meadows Herb Farm many times. He is a delight in person! Sons of the Goddess is a must have for all teenage boys who follow the path.
So that's me.A simple kitchen witch,gifted herbalist,dedicated nurse, and kick *** single mom! LOL...any questions?

Bravo! A wonderfully entertaining poem Abracadabra! You all seem very fond of MirrorMirror and his wit,wisdom and highjinxs! It's refreshing to find such a well rounded and positive forum group. I look forward to getting to know all of you here in this community.

Hm,I think the tricky little monkey knows more then they are letting on! Always wonderful to share knowledge with new friends,some of my favorite spells and receipes have come from some very interesting people.