A Time of Magical Doorways and Planetary Alignments Along with Beltane, Samhain, and the Winter Solstice; Midsummer or the Summer Solstice is a night attributed to faeries, witches and the working of magic. It is one of the special times a year when the Wild Hunt sets out across the night sky. Legend connects the solstice or St. John’s Day with the story of John the Baptist and Herodias, who is a figure associated with the goddesses Hera and Diana,... Read more
The Plant that Killed Socrates Gimbettino Cignaroli, The Death of Socrates, Wikimedia CommonsHemlock is a poisonous plant that has been used since antiquity. Surprisingly it does not get the attention that other herbs connected to witches and sorcery like the Nightshade family does. It is one of the most common plants associated with witches in Europe, particularly in Britain, one of the plant’s native homes. Like many of the baneful herbs, Hemlock is connected to Hekate and Saturnus. It was... Read more
Hellebore is a peculiar looking plant with a dark beauty all its own. Often present in medieval cloister gardens and apothecaries. Read more
Dark Fairy Herb of the Nocturnal Witch’s Garden Datura, known by many names by many different cultures since ancient times, is one of the sisters of the Nightshade family; the Solanaceae. She has been used by European witches, native shaman of both North and South America, and is a popular plant of modern witches and sorcerers on the Poison Path. According to the lore of Scott Cunningham, Datura is used for hex breaking, sleep and protection, but that barely scratches... Read more
Metaphorically seeds have been used to describe abstract ideas and influences that grow in our minds and souls. The seeds of desire are planted to inspire love and lust while seeds of doubt cause us to question our own motives and self worth. Seeds as ideas and inspiration are planted by teachers and mentors cultivating them in their students to grow into their full potential. Other individuals prefer to sow seeds of discord to create chaos in the world for their own enjoyment. Read more
Learning to Love the Land of One’s Birth I think it is important to be able to separate the Land itself, from the actions and ideas of the people that live on it. Especially for those of us who feel like we live in less than magical places. Growing up in the mid-west, the bible belt, or any ass-backwards small town full of narrow minded imbeciles can make us feel like we don’t belong. Trauma and judgement can make us... Read more
The arcane practices of a solitary practitioner of occult herbalism and classical witchcraft during the Beltane holiday. Read more
“The most prompt of all poisons.” -Pliny the Elder, in Natural History. Wolfsbane, Monkshood, Aconite Wolfsbane. Courtesy of the author. Aconitum napellus, Aconitum carmichaeli, Aconitum foresteri, Aconitum lycoctonum; spp. There are over 150 species that belong to the genus Aconitum. This category of plants is in the family of Ranunculaceae, a different family than Solanaceae which consists of the Nightshades. Literally, falling in a category all it own Wolfsbane is a strange herb with numerous applicable uses for the magical practitioner. The... Read more
This plant has always had a seductive and magical quality to me, and many others who have fallen under her hypnotizing spell. For example, Robert Cochrane specialized in Atropa belladonna and her alkaloids, which eventually lead to his strange death. I remember first hearing about this plant in the movie Practical Magic, where Aunt Jet’s Belladonna played a central role in the movie, causing the death of Jimmy Angelov. Read more
Mandrake is one of the most infamous plants associated with magic and witchcraft. Today it is coveted as a vessel for the familiar spirit known traditionally as the Magistellus or Little Master. This is my collection of lore gathered on this plant, and it is always growing as new discoveries are made. Read more
Poisoner's Apothecary
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