Up until the time the the Egyptians began to 'rationalize' medicine, herbs and herbalism were mainstays of health, healing and nutrition for mankind.  There is evidence of early gathering, then later cultivation, of medicinal herbs, and the lore and wisdom of these practices began to be documented by tribal healers and leaders and used to promote the health and well-being of their tribal units. This wisdom was accumulated through experimentation, trial & error, inspiration, and instinct;  it has even been observed that certain primates will 'self-medicate' by gathering and ingesting different types of herbs when in need of healing, so there is reason to believe that herbalism is not only a natural, but also an instinctive, path to health and vitality for many forms of animal life.

It is also relevant to note that early endeavors in the realm of 'medicine' and healing were closely tied to magical, mystical, or religious belief systems.  Early men obviously did not understand that taking in herbs containing, for example, chemicals that have natural antibiotic properties, were effective because of the presence of those chemicals; they were more likely to perceive them to have magical, mystical, or religiously infused abilities to bring about the desired result.  While we are now more familiar with some of the physical, tangible reasons that these healing herbs are effective in prevention and healing, there is also nothing to indicate that these early healers were entirely wrong about the 'energies' of these herbs, either.  Just because magic, religion, and science were once completely intertwined, and we have come to understand much about the scientific side of the world, there is no reason to assert that this dismisses the possibility that the other properties are non-existent, invalid, or unworthy of our attention.

Beyond the scope of the medicinal value of herbs, if we look at the history of their uses in a purely magical sense, there is a long and rich history of such a practice.  From earliest times, we have used herbs for offerings, incense, beauty 'enhancements' or glamour, ritual cleansing, bringing about altered states of consciousness, spells, and many other things.  Common sense for  a modern day Pagan dictates that while we recognize the history of herbalism to be part of the evolution towards modern medicine, we also employ its potent effectiveness in many other facets of our lives.

In this spirit, I offer here a list of some of the herbs with which I have some experience, including a bit of their history, uses, properties, and so forth.  I am aware that there are many, more comprehensive, and quite obviously more scholarly lists available on the net, but I felt that since each person's experience working with natural energies in some way resonates through all of creation, touching every other being, it is never superfluous to share those experiences!  Besides, no self-respecting Witch would have a website without an herbal grimoire, now would they?

Please email me with any comments, questions, suggestions, etc. about this section of my site.  I am always eager to learn, to share, and to grow!

Namaste!

....Sunny