By Katrina Rasbold
Kava kava is an interesting plant in that all seeds it produces are sterile. This means that the only way to propagate the plant is through cuttings. It is high needs, so you will not likely be able to grow it in a pot or even in a greenhouse. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Kava Kava
By Katrina Rasbold
Those of us who are of a particular age remember using witch hazel as a facial astringent back in “the day.” I am sure few of us realized the intense magical influence we were dabbing all over our pretty faces. Intention is everything, but the inherent powers of this plant shine through on their own. I’m sure our parents were pleased with the results it gave to us. (wink) Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Witch Hazel
By Katrina Rasbold
What we loosely call “herbs” when we talk about magical herbalism is an inclusive label that also includes flowers, roots, barks, and in this case, trees. Where most people think of small green things growing in pretty pots when they talk about herbs, Witches and other magical folks basically mean, “botany” and we are voracious about studying the energy of all parts of pretty much any plant. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Slippery Elm
By Katrina Rasbold
Buckthorn was one of the first magical herbs I learned about back in the 1980s. I was in Scorpio Herbs (no longer in operation) in Texas and one of the folks working in the shop told me that buckthorn “brings the magic together.” She went on to explain that if you include herbs in your spell work, you should also throw in some buckthorn because it encourages the other herbs to work together more cohesively toward your goal.
By Katrina Rasbold
Legend says Elecampane (Inula helenium) as named for Helen of Troy and grew in the places where her tears fell. Related to the sunflower, this plant is quite tall, up to sixty inches or so. It has a rigid stem with leaves that are green on the top and white on the bottom. It has vibrant yellow blooms that smell a bit like sweet camphor. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Elecampane
By Katrina Rasbold
Lovely, fragrant lavender is a favorite herb of Green Witches, appreciated for its peaceful, calming influence, this herb is frequently infused into oils and included in perfumes, soaps, and incenses.
By Katrina Rasbold
Mugwort is the workhorse of magical herbalism with a wide variety of energetic uses. It is tall, green, and has small yellow flowers. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Mugwort
By Katrina Rasbold
Comfrey is a plant with large leaves requiring plenty of moisture, so it does not thrive in heavy sunlight. It has lovely dark green leaves and beautiful purple flowers that overhang in a fountain effect. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Comfrey
By Katrina Rasbold
Most of you are likely familiar with this weeks herb: ginger. Cooks commonly use ginger to add its unique flavor to sauces and baked desserts. If you have tasted it, you know it heats up the flavor palette of any dish and that is exactly how it works from a magical perspective. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Ginger Root
By Katrina Rasbold
This week’s herb is one many Witches use for self-care and that is Saint John’s Wort (Hypericum). This herb grows well in the Western US and throughout Europe and Asia. I was pleased to find it growing wild next to my new home when I moved in. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Saint John’s Wort
By Katrina Rasbold
Unfortunately, life obligations made is so that Cat Gina Cole can no longer continue her Herbalism column for this blog. Since that was one of our most popular columns, I am going to do my meager best to step in and provide a not-nearly-as-good herbalism segment. This week, we’re talking about how to use herbs in magical work. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day
By Cat Gina Cole
Today from my herbal journal I found one of my favorite herbs, chamomile. I love how the plant looks when it is growing: wild and bushy, pushing all its white and yellow flowers up at you. Its smell is delightful and the entire plant is just cheerful. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Chamomile
By Cat Gina Cole
I have to admit, I am enjoying the re-discovery of my herbal journal as I write this column each week. Each time, it is like finding something new and getting excited about it all over again. Today, I rediscovered this crumpled and handwritten note. It is crumpled because back when I was doing my studies, I had the habit of throwing away my notes once they were on the computer. My husband, Mike, was very against this and would rescue them from the trash bin. He would give them back to me saying “Here you lost this, it is something you need.” And I think he was right. Just look at the memories a crumpled bit of paper can have and the joy it evokes.
Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Purslane & Mallow
By Cat Gina Cole
This week in my herbal journal, I found a couple of oils to share with you. Since I have studied these and wrote the notes on them, I have made them and used them together in an oil for an irritable bowel or stomach with other ingredients. Sadly, I committed the sin of all herbalists and did not write down the recipe for it, but I will keep looking as it worked very well. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Basil & Bergamot Oils
By Cat Gina Cole
This week as I turn the page to my very disorganized herbal journal, I wrote years ago; I find Plants of the Zodiac. These are the magical spiritual uses for these herbs. Please know that this list is not a complete compendium, rather it is my study notes. The source for these notes is the book, Garden Witches Herbal by Ellen Dugan. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Plants of the Zodiac
By Cat Gina Cole
Today as I open my journal from 2014, I find angelica. What I find interesting about this herb is it has so many lookalikes. Pretty much the entire family of umbelliferae are lookalikes for angelica. The family includes about 460 genera and 4,250 species. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Angelica
By Cat Gina Cole
Today as I open my journal, I find an entry that is dated 4/26/13 and it reads, “For two months now, I have been taking “’The Brew’ (A herbal blend I made). Dose is 2tsp herbal blend to a large cup of water and steeped for ten minutes. I have lost five pounds and note it is not wise to make the brew too strong because the senna in the mix will make your bowels loose quickly and the gotu kola will sedate you at higher concentrated doses.” Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: The Brew
As I did my research into herbs in 2011, I remember thinking how interesting it was that so many of the things we have around all the time were so useful. Mostly, we either think of blackberry as a jam or a nasty bother but it is actually a very beneficial medicinal plant. Blackberry is high in tannins which are very helpful and known as antioxidants but if taken in extremely high doses, it can be linked with cancer. This fact is true of many of the herbs and plants we use to heal and we mostly avoid extremely high doses and concentration for long periods of time. Continue reading Herbalism For Your Day: Blackberry
I live in Southern Oregon and we, like others, are dealing with three consecutive years of drought. When we bought our place five years ago, it was lush and green and things were so overcrowded that many plants had no space to grow and thrive. Thinking things needed to look neat, tidy, orderly, and cared for, I cleared much of it away. You clear away the unwanted and put in the wanted, tend to them, make them grow, and spend a lot of time, effort and money getting rid of weeds and creating growing spaces. Everyone else’s yards are that way and it is just how it is supposed to be done, right? Continue reading The Cat’s Eye: Fake Rain and Useful Weeds
By Cat Gina Cole
Today in my journal as I turn the page, I find Magical Aroma Therapy and it begins with “Frankincense.” The first thing I wrote down is that frankincense heightened participants’ spiritual involvement in rites and has the word “euphoric” followed by a question mark. As it turns out, it can be euphoric as it contains the compound incensole acetate but for it to be effective one would have to use a very high concentration. Yet it is said the Greek philosopher Pythagoras used frankincense to enable him to prophesize.