The Sacred Art of Herbalism
“In every plant, God has written a signature revealing its use to mankind”
— Paracelsus, Doctrine of Signatures, 1525
Ancient Wisdom, Living Power
For thousands of years, wise women, hedge witches, and monastery herbalists have wielded the green power of plants. From Hildegard of Bingen’s abbey gardens to the cunning folk of the English countryside, herbalism has been the foundation of healing magic and sacred ritual.
The great herbals—Culpeper’s Complete Herbal, Gerard’s Herball, and Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica—preserve centuries of plant wisdom. Each herb carries both physical medicine and spiritual power, waiting for those who know the ancient ways.
📖 Explore the Ancient Herbals
Discover the original sources of herbal magic:
- Physica – Hildegard of Bingen (c. 1151)
- The Herball – John Gerard (1597)
- Complete Herbal – Nicholas Culpeper (1653)
- De Materia Medica – Dioscorides (50 CE)
The Nine Sacred Herbs
From the Anglo-Saxon Nine Herbs Charm, these plants form the foundation of green magic
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Mugwort
The Witch’s Herb
Powers: Prophetic dreams, astral travel, scrying, psychic protection, divination
From the Nine Herbs Charm (10th century): “Remember, Mugwort, what you made known, what you arranged at the great proclamation. You were called Una, the oldest of herbs.”
Use For: Place under pillow for prophetic dreams, burn for scrying visions, carry for protection during spirit work, brew tea before divination
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Rose
Aphrodite’s Gift
Powers: Love magic, beauty spells, emotional healing, divination, summoning Venus
Culpeper’s Complete Herbal (1653): “Red roses strengthen the heart, the stomach, and the liver, and the retentive faculty… used in love potions and philtres.”
Use For: Add to love sachets, create rose water for beauty spells, burn petals for self-love rituals, use in bath magic for attraction
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Rosemary
For Remembrance
Powers: Memory enhancement, fidelity, purification, protection, mental clarity, banishing
Banckes’s Herbal (1525): “Smell it oft and thou shalt be jolly and glad… Take the flowers and put them in a chest among thy clothes and moths shall not hurt them.”
Use For: Burn to cleanse sacred space, wear for protection, place under pillow for faithful dreams, use in bath before important decisions
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Vervain
The Enchanter’s Plant
Powers: Purification, consecration of magical tools, love charms, prophesy, protection against witchcraft
Gerard’s Herball (1597): “The devil did reveal it as a secret… for the reconciling of enemies. Druids held it in great veneration and gathered it with ceremony.”
Use For: Sprinkle water infusion to consecrate altars, add to love sachets, wear to inspire prophetic visions, bury at property corners for protection
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Sage
Salvia Salvatrix
Powers: Wisdom, longevity, wishes, purification, protection, prosperity, immortality
Medieval Proverb: “Cur moriatur homo cui Salvia crescit in horto?” (Why should a man die whilst sage grows in his garden?)
Use For: Burn for cleansing rituals, drink tea for wisdom and longevity, write wishes on leaves and burn them, hang in kitchen for prosperity
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Bay Laurel
Apollo’s Crown
Powers: Prophesy, success, victory, protection from lightning, psychic visions, wish magic
Dioscorides, De Materia Medica (50 CE): “The leaves provoke dreams… worn on the head with the berries, they cause one to prophesy.”
Use For: Burn leaves before divination, write wishes on leaves and burn for manifestation, crown yourself for victory, place under pillow for prophetic dreams
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Chamomile
The Healer’s Comfort
Powers: Calming magic, prosperity, sleep, purification, gambling luck, hex breaking
Culpeper (1653): “It is profitable for all pains and aches… The Egyptians dedicated it to the Sun and worshipped it above all herbs.”
Use For: Add to money spells, wash hands with infusion before gambling, sprinkle around home for peace, drink tea to break curses
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Lavender
The Peaceful Soul
Powers: Love, peace, sleep, chastity, longevity, purification, happiness, protection
Hildegard of Bingen, Physica (c. 1151): “Lavender is hot and dry… it has very little moisture and thus the devils dislike it.”
Use For: Add to love sachets, burn for peaceful sleep, place in wardrobe for longevity, sprinkle infusion to purify home
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Basil
The Kingly Herb
Powers: Prosperity, success, peace, protection, exorcism, flying, love, fidelity
Gerard (1597): “The seed cureth melancholy… The smell of Basil is good for the heart and for the head.”
Use For: Place in cash register for prosperity, give as gift to ensure fidelity, carry for protection, add to flying ointments
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Wormwood
Artemisia’s Gift
Powers: Calling spirits, psychic powers, protection, love, banishing, sea travel, counter-magic
Macer Floridus (11th century): “Hung in homes it drives away evil spirits and protects against fascination… sacred to Diana.”
Use For: Burn to summon spirits, hang above door for protection, add to incense for psychic work, use in uncrossing rituals
The Green Grimoire by Intention
Choose your purpose. Select your allies. Work the green magic.
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Love & Beauty
Rose — Attracts romantic love, strengthens relationships
Yarrow — Binds couples for seven years
Damiana — Ignites passion and lust
Jasmine — Draws spiritual love, moon magic
Apple Blossom — Beauty and youth
“Yarrow bound to the marriage bed ensures seven years of fidelity and passion.” — The Grete Herball (1526)
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Wealth & Prosperity
Basil — Draws money to the home
Cinnamon — Fast money, business success
Bay Laurel — Write wishes for wealth on leaves
Patchouli — Earth money, steady income
Clover — Luck in all financial matters
“Place Basil leaves in the cash-box and money will never diminish.” — Italian Folk Tradition
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Protection & Banishing
Rue — Breaks curses, the witches’ herb
Angelica — Guards against evil, exorcism
Hawthorn — Protects home and property
St. John’s Wort — Banishes demons and depression
Garlic — Drives away all evil
“Rue breaks all enchantments and is the chief herb against witchcraft.” — William Turner, A New Herball (1551)
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Divination & Psychic Power
Mugwort — Opens the third eye, prophetic dreams
Wormwood — Summons spirits, enhances scrying
Bay Laurel — Worn by the Oracle of Delphi
Dittany of Crete — Manifests spirits
Star Anise — Increases clairvoyance
“Place Mugwort beneath thy pillow and thou shalt dream of thy future husband.” — The Witches’ Herbal (Traditional)
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Healing & Purification
Calendula — Heals wounds physical and spiritual
Elder — The witch’s tree, all healing
Thyme — Courage, strength, purification
Hyssop — Biblical purification herb
Comfrey — Called “knitbone” for healing
“Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean.” — Psalm 51:7 (Traditional purification)
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Power & Hexing
Nettle — Reverses curses, sends hexes back
Blackberry — Binds enemies, thorny protection
Mandrake — The most powerful root
Black Salt — Witch’s protection and cursing
Hemlock — Forbidden witchery (NEVER ingest)
“Nettle in the left hand and yarrow in the right makes one proof against all fear.” — Highland Scottish Tradition
The Wise Woman’s Methods
Traditional preparation techniques passed down through generations of herbalists
🔥 Smoke & Smudging
The most ancient method. Burn dried herbs loose on charcoal or bind into smudge sticks. The smoke carries prayers and purifies space.
Best for: Sage, rosemary, mugwort, bay, lavender
Timing: Waning moon for banishing, waxing for blessing
Tradition: “As above, so below—smoke rises to heaven carrying your intention”
🫖 Infusions & Tisanes
Hot water extracts the plant’s essence. Steep flowers and leaves 5-10 minutes, roots and barks 15-20 minutes. Sip while focusing on intention.
Best for: Chamomile, mugwort, rose, lavender, vervain
Method: 1 tablespoon herb per cup boiling water
Wisdom: “As the plant gives itself to water, so the water carries the magic into you”
🧂 Magical Salts & Powders
Grind dried herbs with sea salt or ash. Create protection lines at thresholds, add to bath water, or sprinkle to cast circles and charge objects.
Best for: Rosemary, sage, rue, basil, bay
Black Salt Recipe: Sea salt + charred sage + cast iron scrapings
Use: Sprinkle across doorways, in corners, around property
🌙 Lunar Charging
Place herbs under moonlight to absorb lunar power. Full moon for power and manifestation, new moon for new beginnings, dark moon for banishing.
Best for: All herbs, especially mugwort, jasmine, moonwort
Method: Leave overnight in glass or silver vessel
Tradition: “The moon is the great mother of all green magic”
Traditional Ritual: The Witch’s Protection Sachet
A beginner’s ritual from the English cunning folk tradition
You’ll Need
- Red cloth (4×4 inches)
- Rosemary (protection)
- Rue (hex breaking)
- Bay leaf (strength)
- Garlic skin (banishing)
- Black thread
- Piece of iron (nail or key)
Best Timing:
Dark moon (banishing) or Saturday (Saturn’s day of protection). Midnight is the witching hour of power.
The Method
1. Cleanse all items with salt water or smoke
2. Lay red cloth flat, place iron in center
3. Add each herb while naming its power
4. Speak aloud: “By leaf and root and ancient law, protection strong without a flaw”
5. Gather corners, tie thrice with black thread
6. Pass through rosemary smoke three times
7. Carry in left pocket or hang above door
To Recharge:
Pass through smoke quarterly (equinoxes and solstices). Replace annually on Samhain.
The Green Path Awaits
“In the garden of herbs, every leaf is a page in the great book of Nature’s wisdom. Those who learn to read them hold the keys to ancient power.”
— From the tradition of the Wise Women