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    Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

    My impression of spellbooks, and from some reviews I've read, is that some can be full of information, but with no reasoning, or bad reasoning, as to why which objects or herbs can be used for certain spell. I think I've finally mustered up the willpower to start practicing an eclectic path, after all these years of being undecided, but I don't want to take gambles buying books on witchcraft and spells without knowing that it will at least provide me with some practical knowledge. And I trust you guys as being incredibly knowledgeable, so any advice would be extremely helpful.

    And just a heads up, please don't suggect Cunningham, Buckland, Ravenwolf, or Llewellyn almanacs, because I'm not interested in anything by these authors, and am kind of wary of the almanacs. Any suggestions besides these would be wonderful.

    #2
    Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

    what kind of practical knowledge are you looking for?
    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
    sigpic

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      #3
      Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

      Originally posted by thalassa View Post
      what kind of practical knowledge are you looking for?
      Witchcraft, herbs, spells and rituals that can get me started and can be incorporated into any form of tradition I eventually may find myself in. Basically, I'm mostly looking for plant magic at this point. I am leaning towards more of a Celtic path (though not Druidry, nor Wiccan), but really I'm just wanting to explore right now and figure out what feels right for me.

      So basically, for now, Witchcraft without deities would about describe it. Apologies if this post doesn't make it much more clear, I still don't exactly know myself what I'm looking for.

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

        At a risk of plugging my own work, Magic on the Breath is a good starting point for spell work. As you're in the US and postage is expensive, look for it on Kindle (you don't even need to possess a Kindle to download this - it can go to your computer.) My e-books have a 'look inside' function on Amazon so you will see what you are getting.
        For plants in magic, there is one of my early books, The Magical Properties of Plants and how to find them. Unfortunately, this was published by another publisher who didn't put anything on Kindle. Have a look on our website here: http://thewolfenhowlepress.com/

        There's a lot of free information there - all my books published through Wolfenhowle make the first chapter available to read for free. Also there are two blogs on there. And a shop (though for outside the UK, you'd need to get in touch for postage quotes).

        I also have a YouTube Channel (no adverts) with a lot about plants, spellwork etc., that you might find useful. You can find that here:
        Tylluan Penry is a solitary pagan witch and author, and founder of The Wolfenhowle Press. She was brought up in a family of witches, but many years ago left their tradition and started on her own path, which she called 'Seeking the Green.' Audiences have enjoyed her informative, down-to-earth talks for many years and now you can too, with these Youtube videos.


        I hope you find something helpful here and best of luck!
        www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


        Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

          Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
          At a risk of plugging my own work, Magic on the Breath is a good starting point for spell work.
          I've bought the Kindle of this book. Very practical teaching in there.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

            Originally posted by toxicyarnglare View Post
            Witchcraft, herbs, spells and rituals that can get me started and can be incorporated into any form of tradition I eventually may find myself in. Basically, I'm mostly looking for plant magic at this point. I am leaning towards more of a Celtic path (though not Druidry, nor Wiccan), but really I'm just wanting to explore right now and figure out what feels right for me.

            So basically, for now, Witchcraft without deities would about describe it. Apologies if this post doesn't make it much more clear, I still don't exactly know myself what I'm looking for.

            So, let me tell you about my process when I create a spell or ritual...

            First I take some notes:
            (when I started out, I wrote everything down...nowadays, some of these are mental notes more than anything)

            1) What is my goal? (as an example, to do well on an exam)
            2) What is the mental and physical state required for that goal? (mentally sharp, memory on point, well rested)
            3) What herbs or essential oils physically can assist with this? (lavender and catnip tea can help you go to sleep the night before, rosemary is good for being focused, etc)
            4) What other correspondences (colors, deities, stones, etc) can assist with my goal?
            5) What are the best ways to use these correspondences for my goal? (a tea to drink the night before to help me rest, a touchstone of some sort (aka amulet or talisman, etc) to remind me to stay focused, an oil mixture with aromatherapeutic benefits, etc)
            6) What ideas do I have for a charm (aka incantation, mantra, etc)? (algebra inside my head flow freely to my hand)*

            Then I sort of take all that information and structure a spell or ritual from it. If I need ideas for correspondences, I look in Holland's Grimoire of Magickal Correspondences for a starting point--and yeah, its totally a Llewellyn book...some of them are good (but you have to know how to use it). Its a nothing but big book of correspondence lists by subject--love, protection, healing, etc. It just gives a starting point, you still have to do further research. Then I take those ideas and look in other books--A Compendium of Herbal Magick is probably my go-to magical herb encyclopedia-type book, but I look in my medicinal herbals, etc as well.

            Magic is born from purposeful intent (I like this better than "will", but its mostly a matter of semantics). Without that----you are just sprinkling flowers on the carpet, waving your arms around, and mumbling funny phrases. And no amount of books can teach you that. That is something you have to learn by doing. Trial and error. They call it practicing magic for a reason. With that being said, if you don't know how to do that, Mrs. P's Magic on the Breath book is a good place to learn.

            But at the end of the day, if you want to know about how magic is done, read anthropological ethnographies about people that do magic. If you want to know about how magic was done, read archaeology and history and mythology (one of my favorite charms for healing comes from the Merseburg Incantations--"bone to bone, blood to blood, joint to joint, so they may be mended" and is the basis for part of the Hubby's and my marriage vows--"hand to hand and heart to heart, that two may be as one"). If you want to know about plants, get some field guides and botany books, and an medicinal herbal or two and then go outside and muck around in the dirt.



            *Really that was a terrible example, and given more time and motivation, I'd go for something better. IMO, a charm should be simple. Maybe it rhymes, maybe it doesn't, but it should be as pithy as possibly while conveying an imagery that is useful--knowledge in bound up in your brain. And what works for you will be personal...sometimes I look at books for ideas, sometimes I look on the internet at the cheesiest spell websites I can find, inspiration can come from lots of placed. I've taken lines from the Bible, from pop songs, from Shakespeare and turned them into charms. A good charm is a memorable charm (by the way, the word charm comes from the word canerein Latin, which means to sing or chant), like the hook in a song.
            Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
            sigpic

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

              Originally posted by Azvanna View Post
              I've bought the Kindle of this book. Very practical teaching in there.
              Thank you! Hope you enjoy it!
              www.thewolfenhowlepress.com


              Phantom Turnips never die.... they just get stewed occasionally....

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

                The author Paul Beyerl is a state (Washington) licensed master herbalist and the founder of the international Lothlorien Tradition. His book "The Master Book of Herbalism" is the best book I have seen on the subject. He has written many books from "Gems and Mineral Lore" to "The symbols and Magick of Tarot". He teaches master herbalism classes in local community colleges and from his herbal garden that he maintains in Marysville, WA., if you can't find his books let me know and I will provide contact information to get his books.
                The Dragon sees infinity and those it touches are forced to feel the reality of it.
                I am his student and his partner. He is my guide and an ominous friend.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Decent books about herbs and objects for spellwork?

                  Originally posted by Tylluan Penry View Post
                  At a risk of plugging my own work, Magic on the Breath is a good starting point for spell work. As you're in the US and postage is expensive, look for it on Kindle (you don't even need to possess a Kindle to download this - it can go to your computer.) My e-books have a 'look inside' function on Amazon so you will see what you are getting.
                  For plants in magic, there is one of my early books, The Magical Properties of Plants and how to find them. Unfortunately, this was published by another publisher who didn't put anything on Kindle. Have a look on our website here: http://thewolfenhowlepress.com/

                  There's a lot of free information there - all my books published through Wolfenhowle make the first chapter available to read for free. Also there are two blogs on there. And a shop (though for outside the UK, you'd need to get in touch for postage quotes).

                  I also have a YouTube Channel (no adverts) with a lot about plants, spellwork etc., that you might find useful. You can find that here:
                  Tylluan Penry is a solitary pagan witch and author, and founder of The Wolfenhowle Press. She was brought up in a family of witches, but many years ago left their tradition and started on her own path, which she called 'Seeking the Green.' Audiences have enjoyed her informative, down-to-earth talks for many years and now you can too, with these Youtube videos.


                  I hope you find something helpful here and best of luck!
                  Thank you for sharing those book suggestions. I highly respect what you've said in your posts, so I'm actually pretty glad to know someone from our forum has written a book on that. And I'm on youtube all the time, so knowing you have a youtube channel will make for a nice shortcut, knowing I won't be able to afford every book I want.

                  Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                  So, let me tell you about my process when I create a spell or ritual...

                  First I take some notes:
                  (when I started out, I wrote everything down...nowadays, some of these are mental notes more than anything)

                  1) What is my goal? (as an example, to do well on an exam)
                  2) What is the mental and physical state required for that goal? (mentally sharp, memory on point, well rested)
                  3) What herbs or essential oils physically can assist with this? (lavender and catnip tea can help you go to sleep the night before, rosemary is good for being focused, etc)
                  4) What other correspondences (colors, deities, stones, etc) can assist with my goal?
                  5) What are the best ways to use these correspondences for my goal? (a tea to drink the night before to help me rest, a touchstone of some sort (aka amulet or talisman, etc) to remind me to stay focused, an oil mixture with aromatherapeutic benefits, etc)
                  6) What ideas do I have for a charm (aka incantation, mantra, etc)? (algebra inside my head flow freely to my hand)*

                  Then I sort of take all that information and structure a spell or ritual from it. If I need ideas for correspondences, I look in Holland's Grimoire of Magickal Correspondences for a starting point--and yeah, its totally a Llewellyn book...some of them are good (but you have to know how to use it). Its a nothing but big book of correspondence lists by subject--love, protection, healing, etc. It just gives a starting point, you still have to do further research. Then I take those ideas and look in other books--A Compendium of Herbal Magick is probably my go-to magical herb encyclopedia-type book, but I look in my medicinal herbals, etc as well.

                  Magic is born from purposeful intent (I like this better than "will", but its mostly a matter of semantics). Without that----you are just sprinkling flowers on the carpet, waving your arms around, and mumbling funny phrases. And no amount of books can teach you that. That is something you have to learn by doing. Trial and error. They call it practicing magic for a reason. With that being said, if you don't know how to do that, Mrs. P's Magic on the Breath book is a good place to learn.

                  But at the end of the day, if you want to know about how magic is done, read anthropological ethnographies about people that do magic. If you want to know about how magic was done, read archaeology and history and mythology (one of my favorite charms for healing comes from the Merseburg Incantations--"bone to bone, blood to blood, joint to joint, so they may be mended" and is the basis for part of the Hubby's and my marriage vows--"hand to hand and heart to heart, that two may be as one"). If you want to know about plants, get some field guides and botany books, and an medicinal herbal or two and then go outside and muck around in the dirt.



                  *Really that was a terrible example, and given more time and motivation, I'd go for something better. IMO, a charm should be simple. Maybe it rhymes, maybe it doesn't, but it should be as pithy as possibly while conveying an imagery that is useful--knowledge in bound up in your brain. And what works for you will be personal...sometimes I look at books for ideas, sometimes I look on the internet at the cheesiest spell websites I can find, inspiration can come from lots of placed. I've taken lines from the Bible, from pop songs, from Shakespeare and turned them into charms. A good charm is a memorable charm (by the way, the word charm comes from the word canerein Latin, which means to sing or chant), like the hook in a song.
                  Thank you, that list is incredibly useful. I often times forget that stones are something I can use, and I actually haven't even thought about incantations as part of the spells, which goes to show I really didn't know what I was looking for in spellwork. So thanks for giving me new ideas and a kind of structure to start with. And honestly, I'm fine with Llewellyn as a publisher, just that I had a feeling someone might've brought up the almanacs, which I already know of, have purchaced in the past, and felt underwhelmed by the almanacs, not necessarily the publisher. The Beyerl book seems almost exactly what I was looking for.

                  And I'm aware of the intent idea, though it's good to know that her book will give me a better grounding point, since even though I have the idea down in theory, I don't have much knowledge on putting that theory into actual practice. And I hadn't even thought of getting ideas from anthropology and ethnography, but that's actually a great idea, though I personally don't want to disrespect a religion by taking parts here and there and creating something different than intended in a new age manner. But knowledge can be found from anything, and if a theory or practice that works for some people can work for me, without totally ripping off of them, that's pretty helpful.

                  Originally posted by DragonsFriend View Post
                  The author Paul Beyerl is a state (Washington) licensed master herbalist and the founder of the international Lothlorien Tradition. His book "The Master Book of Herbalism" is the best book I have seen on the subject. He has written many books from "Gems and Mineral Lore" to "The symbols and Magick of Tarot". He teaches master herbalism classes in local community colleges and from his herbal garden that he maintains in Marysville, WA., if you can't find his books let me know and I will provide contact information to get his books.
                  He was recommended previously by Thalassa, but it's good to know he has other books, and hearing someone else confirming that he's a reputable author is definitely helpful, so thanks! I think I'll be able to find his books on my own through Amazon, but thank you for the offer.

                  If anyone has any other books to add, or if you know of/run a blog or website or something with your own original research on spellwork, I'd be interested in hearing about those.

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