Magickal and Medicinal Herbs
— An Introduction
Using herbs for magickal and medicinal purposes reaches far back into our ancestral past. Primitive hunter-gatherers took notice of plants sought out by animals suffering from various ailments, and began to experiment with these plants in order to alleviate their own complaints. When the hunter-gatherers gave way to agriculture and civilization, these plants were collected and cultivated, and were often prescribed and distributed by the shaman (spiritual leader) of the tribe. Religion and the healing arts have been inextricably bound together in one way or another ever since.
The average person today tends to call any healing art not originating with a member of the AMA (American Medical Association) as alternative medicine, holistic medicine, folk medicine, or "just old wives' tales," and "new age nonsense," often said in a disparaging manner. We've come a long way, though, from the time when midwives and folk healers were accused of consorting with the devil in witchcraft and summarily put to death. Alternative medicine is once again gaining cultural respectability as it is studied in a more objective manner; herbs used for centuries by the "common people" are now being prescribed by many of these same AMA members. Even the religious connection in healing is being studied, as more and more people report shortened periods of recuperation or lessened symptoms when doctors address patients' faith as well as their medical needs.
Beyond their abilities to heal our bodies, though, herbs also can help us focus our thoughts and will towards a desired outcome. This is accomplished through burning or otherwise using an herb as a physical "trigger" for our magick, due to its ascribed association with some aspect of the working we're performing.
Here, then, is a small sample of both the medicinal and magickal properties of herbs, as well as commentaries and invocations for both uses. As always, when dealing with anything that is applied to or ingested into the body, caution is the most important warning.
Please remember, just because herbs are "natural," this does not mean they are "harmless." Herbs can be potent medicines with side effects similar to the pills your doctor prescribes. Understand what you're taking, why you're taking it, and what effects you can expect. Take small amounts until you know you'll not react badly to the herb, and if you're not absolutely sure what you're doing, ask someone reputable with experience in the field of herbal healing.