Path: Supernews!supernews.com!news.he.net!newsfeed.direct.ca!news.uoregon.edu!news.acsu.buffalo.edu!acsu.buffalo.edu!ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu!OISPEGGY
From: oispeggy@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (MARGARET MARY-THERESA BROWN, SUNY BUFFALO)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: herbs and their influence in magick
Date: 29 May 1997 13:49:56 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
Lines: 32
Message-ID: <5mk1i4$4f8@prometheus.acsu.buffalo.edu>
References: <338b3867.187737@news.powertech.no>
Reply-To: oispeggy@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: ubvmsa.cc.buffalo.edu
Xref: Supernews alt.magick:103063

In article <338b3867.187737@news.powertech.no>, dandyman@norgesnett.no (dandyman) writes:
>is there anyone out therer that uses a lot of self-gathered herbs in
>their magick?? and thus  has gaines vest knowledge of their effects??
>i would like to get in touch with a "herbalist" sp that i also can
>learn som of their powers in magick as well as in general health.....

Try misc.health.alternative or alt.folklore.herbs.  Arm yourself with a 
good herbal like Rodale's Herbal Encyclopedia that use the 3 scientific 
health and safety rating systems.  This type of book does not delve 
into the shamanic uses of herbs.  I don't know of any books that do that.

If you stick to just making flower
essences and drinking those you won't poison yourself.  They sell
Bach flower essences in health/herb stores for ridiculous prices.  
Rumour has it that Bach lived a short lifespan in poor health and got
his attributions for which essence does what based on smelling or
looking at the flower.  Take it all with a pound of salt.  Make your
own.  Just float the flowers, with intent, in a (glass) bowl of clean
water then drink their vibrations.  I make flower essences of rose for
my heart, snapdragon for my will and clover for my health, sometimes
clematis for mood.

I grow a few herbs for teas.  Melissa I find particularly interesting and 
it was used a lot by Frater Albertus, supposedly because there was a lot
in his garden but I suspect there may have been other reasons.  Rumour
has it there was a mage in Wales who lived a long time (forget his
name) and he credited this to drinking a tea of melissa and honey.  I
also grow St. John's Wort, which is relaxing and supposedly helps with
dreaming and lucid dreams (take only in small amounts, infrequently).
Plus I have the usual peppermint, spearmint, and kitchen herbs.