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A Complete Guide of Historical Plant-Based Practices-<\/strong>Science, Medicine and the Occult<\/em><\/p>\n Paul Huson, British-born author and artist residing in the U.S. Huson has also worked extensively in the television and film making industry.\u00a0 Born in 1942, Huson entered the Slade School of Fine Art at the University of London, until 1963.\u00a0 While attending Slade, Huson studied Qabalah and the Western Esoteric tradition with Dion Fortune\u2019s Society of Inner Light.\u00a0 His influential work Mastering Witchcraft<\/em> was published in 1970.\u00a0 Mastering Herbalism<\/em> begins with a brief history of herbal practice; describing the details of botanical knowledge beginning with antiquity up to present day.\u00a0 The knowledge and use of botanical medicines has been widespread throughout human history continuing to be a detailed science, taking years of study to master.<\/p>\n The three-hundred page book is organized in categories based on practical use; health, cooking, perfumes, and incense, cultivation and witchcraft to name a few.\u00a0 The corresponding plants are listed within each category.\u00a0 Unlike many of the countless other herbals out there, Mastering Herbalism<\/em>, goes into detail that few others do.\u00a0 This book is very<\/em> well researched.\u00a0 Huson shares traditional herbal lore, collecting information from numerous primary sources and also obscure concepts found in other herbals.\u00a0 He provides recipes from the Middle Ages and local cures from the 18th and 19th century describing their medicinal properties and offering various formulas for simples, infusions, and basic medical preparations.<\/p>\n The section on cooking has some great wholesome recipes, and also instructions on wine and beer making.\u00a0 It is just as in depth as the previous chapter on medicines, and would be a fruitful resource for kitchen witches.\u00a0 Huson does not waste any ink by re-explaining common knowledge, going right into the details.\u00a0 Each page is packed with original information.\u00a0 The book continues on in this manner, beginning the next section on herbal perfumes and incense.\u00a0 This chapter gives directions for making herbal sachets and potpourris, using techniques of old-fashioned perfumery.\u00a0 There is also information on making perfumes and other liquid aromatics using traditional recipes, and a most detailed guide to preparing incense.\u00a0\u00a0 It includes which resins and gums to use, and a multitude of ways incense can be burned.\u00a0 Huson also lists traditional incense recipes given y Culpepper for astrological and planetary fumigations.<\/p>\n A lovely chapter on herbal beauty secrets and aphrodisiacs leads the book into a more esoteric direction.\u00a0 There are many useful organic beauty preparations for skin and hair.\u00a0 Pomanders, wet potpourri, and aromatic vinegars are a few of the time tested methods included here.<\/p>\n Witchcraft and Wortcunning <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Although the first half of the book is dedicated to medical and mundane herbalism, it is still a valuable resource for the practitioner of herbal magic.\u00a0 The chapter on Witchcraft and Wortcunning makes up a small portion of this large guidebook, but is one of the most important chapters.\u00a0 The information contained therein provides more detail on traditional herbal practices than many other entire books devoted to the topic.\u00a0 Herb gathering and the Nine Herb Charm of Saxon Wortcunning begins the chapter which continues with section on Herb magic divided by time period, starting with the Middle Ages and the 17th century.\u00a0 The majority of herbal lore comes from the early modern period instead of modern sources.<\/p>\n In the section on Witchcraft, Huson describes which plants were traditionally used for what purpose, and gives examples of how people have used them.\u00a0 Discussing herbs for exorcism, love and divination and other magical pursuits such as scrying.\u00a0 The culmination of the chapter, and book, in my opinion, is the section on witches\u2019 ointments.\u00a0 Huson doesn\u2019t hesitate to discuss the m in detail, analyzing some old recipes, and the solanaceous plants of the witch\u2019s garden.<\/p>\n The book also serves as a resource for further study.\u00a0 The tables of weights and measures and glossary will continue to be useful.\u00a0 The bibliography is most considerate.\u00a0 Also divided by category,\u00a0 Huson lists numerous resources for continued studies.\u00a0 Categories like the Old Herbalists, Medicine and Formulas, and Witchcraft and Wortcunning are topics of interest for anyone looking to continue studying traditional herbal practices.<\/p>\n![\"Back](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/713\/2017\/02\/mastering-herbalism-2.jpg\")