Magical Herbs 101: A Journey into Herbalism for Beginners

When you think of the word "witchcraft," what usually springs to mind? For me personally, it's anything to do with nature, more specifically herbs, plants, flowers, and trees. Since humans walked on the earth, we have utilized these wonderful offerings from nature for practical reasons such as food and medicine, or more spiritual reasons such as rituals, offerings, and magic. The use of herbs in magical practices can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In these cultures, priests, priestesses, and healers incorporated herbs into their rituals, ceremonies, and medicinal treatments. Herbalists across many cultures were seen as wise healers, people to be respected and esteemed within their communities. However, due to witch hunts in the late medieval period, knowledgeable herbalists were persecuted, and their knowledge of the natural world was viewed with suspicion rather than with the respect they deserved. Modern medicine has moved on, yet the use of herbs and plants in witchcraft is still as widespread as ever, and holistic approaches to healing are gaining more popularity in recent years. In this blog post, we’re going to talk about herbs and plants in witchcraft, how to use them in spell work, and five herbs that are perfect for beginners.

  *Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and I am not advocating using any herbs or plants as replacements for modern medicine. Natural products should always be used with caution, on the advice of a medical professional, and you should never use them without doing your research beforehand. Some plants are highly toxic to both humans and animals. *

 Why would you use herbs in witchcraft?

There are many different reasons why you might use herbs in witchcraft, but for the majority of practitioners, herbs and plants are used as a connection to nature, to make use of their natural magical properties, and to amplify the intentions of the spell or ritual they are performing. The wide range of herbs and plants we have available to us holds a wealth of powerful magic and healing properties. Another reason to use certain herbs or plants is because of their representations; for example, traditionally, mistletoe is a representation of the sabbat Yule. This is because mistletoe represents new beginnings and blessings and would typically be hung over doorways to attract good luck and prosperity for the following year. Another Yule example is the yule wreath, typically made of evergreen symbolizing life and resilience. Some herbs and plants also have huge cultural and historical significance in different cultures and are used to connect to one’s ancestors and their wisdom. A good example of this is the significance of white sage in Native American culture. White sage is used in many different rituals and ceremonies, which would be considered a closed practice to anyone not of this culture. White sage is also an example of why it is important to be conscious and ethical when using herbs in witchcraft. White sage has been popularized in recent times, which has led to concerns about overharvesting and the environmental impact of this. However, if you wish to use herbs to smoke cleanse (note I say smoke cleanse as smudging is a closed practice), there are many alternative herbs you can use with cleansing properties.

How would you use herbs in witchcraft?

There are many ways to use herbs in witchcraft; this is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are some of the more popular ways.

• Cleansing bundles: Cleansing bundles are bundles of herbs with relevant properties tied together and burned to purify and cleanse magical tools and space with smoke. This can be done on its own or with an appropriate incantation. Always remember to be safe while handling burning herbs!
•  Dream pillows, Sachets, and poppets: You can sew herbs inside all three of these items with the properties that you would like to promote and keep them near your bedside. For example, if you would like to encourage a restful sleep, you would sew lavender and chamomile into the dream pillow.
•  Herbal Incense: You can burn herbal incense that matches your intentions; for example, if you were doing a protection spell, you could choose a sandalwood incense. Scented incenses are also great if you don’t have the specific herb that you need in your collection.
•  Magical oils and sprays: Magical oils and sprays can be crafted with almost any herbs or plants and can be used for various magical purposes, such as anointing candles, potions, or spell jars. Herbal sprays are also a great alternative to cleanse if you cannot burn herbs.
• Kitchen witchery: A more everyday use of herbs - but still just as magical. Add herbs that match your intention to meals or magical teas (providing you’ve done your research and they’re safe to consume). Adding basil to a pasta dish for prosperity or drinking nettle tea for strength. Magic doesn’t always have to be complex, and kitchen witchery is a great way to add magic to the mundane.
•  Potions and spell jars: The options for potions and spell jars are endless. Spell jars are a great option for simple magic to carry around with you. You don’t have to just use herbs either - you can combine oils, crystals, and even tie ribbons of the corresponding colour around the top of your spell jar.

 This is by no means an exhaustive list - There are so many ways to use herbs and plants in your practice. The options are endless!

Five herbs for beginners

 So which herbs should you start with? I’ve put together a list of five herbs which I think are perfect for beginners. One of the main reasons I’ve chosen these herbs is because they’re cheap, cheerful, and readily available - in the UK you’ll be able to find them quite easily at a supermarket, garden centre, or even online. You might even find some of them in your cupboard at home already. I’ve tried to make my selections as versatile as possible too - covering herbs that can be used for a range of intentions.

Sage

There are many varieties of sage; however, the one you’ll find easier to get hold of is garden sage (or appropriately named “common sage”). Sage is a wonderful and versatile herb. It’s most commonly used for cleansing; however, it has a host of other properties such as good luck, mental clarity, and protection.

Lavender

Lavender is one of my favourites; to me, it's just such a gentle and beautiful herb, and the smell instantly makes me feel relaxed. Most people associate lavender with its calming and relaxation properties - making it a good herb to use for dream work and a restful night’s sleep. Lavender is also useful for divination work; its calming properties make it an excellent addition to meditation work, and its gentle cleansing properties make it ideal to use before starting any type of divination. It will also help open you up to greater psychic knowledge.

Rosemary

 Rosemary is a useful herb in any witch’s toolkit due to its diverse properties and availability. Primarily, rosemary is used for protection, however, it has many other useful properties such as purification, healing, and improving communication. From a medicinal point of view, rosemary can also be used to improve circulation and memory.

Bay

Bay is such a useful and versatile herb and is associated with success, prosperity, and good luck. A popular way to use bay leaves in witchcraft is to write your intentions or wishes onto them and place them into cauldrons, spell jars, and simmer pots. Simmer pots are especially popular rituals during important dates such as the sabbats.

Chamomile

Like lavender, I find chamomile to have a very gentle quality about it. It holds many similar properties, such as promoting calm and tranquillity, as well as other properties such as success and bringing justice. As for chamomile's healing properties, it is most used to aid and soothe stomach issues and act as an anti-inflammatory.

These are just a few suggestions for beginners, but there are so many exciting and wonderful herbs out there to use in your practice, with each one having its own unique properties and energy. Remember to use them safely and with caution, and to remain conscious and ethical when sourcing and harvesting herbs and plants. If you’re new to the world of herbs and plants, I have a range of useful products to help you in learning their properties and building your apothecary, you can find them all here.

 I hope this post was useful to you in starting your journey with herbs and plants.

 Laura