Herbs, plants & herbalism

Putting together ones life with the modern world.
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Heith
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Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Heith »

I’m something like a amateur gardener and decided to make this topic for plant discussion. My enthusiasm for plants is mainly focused on green decorative plants at the moment (I’ve 17 in my room at this point and a burning desire for just one more, and then another and so forth ad infinitum), but I’ve also dabbled in trying to grow more obviously magical plants. These include Wormwood, Deadly Nightshade and Devil's Trumpet which had the most beautiful purple shoots and looks just as dangerous as it is. Sadly, perhaps due to wrong humidity conditions I lost all of them.

I have had, for some years, Wolfsbane seeds stored in the fridge that I shall sow as soon as I find a place where they can grow undisturbed. All of the above are more or less toxic, of course. I was going to try and create a traditional Witch’s flying ointment and grow all ingredients from a scratch. This project has to be postponed until I am able to have a better environment to grow these plants- where no one will accidentally pick or consume them. I don't generally consume or use plants or substances that could be considered to be drugs (if one doesn’t count alcohol), but have a certain interest towards this in controlled and ritualistic situations. I disapprove the use of plants for getting fucked-up and just for the fun of it- I’m only interested in the lessons one can learn from these plants. As it’s a rather perilous path (Daturas for example can vary a lot on toxicity) I’m not altogether sure I will do it. But time will tell. At least growing things is a lot of fun.

My plant interest doesn't revolve solely around dangerous things. I like many types of trees, moss and ferns and harvest Rowan berries every autumn to make protective charms.
Tulihenki
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Tulihenki »

I'm very interested, but I have only little information about the subject. Do you have any book recommendations?

I enjoy deeply just watching plants and flowers; they are very relaxing and rich in diversity. I think that plants represents purity, beauty and innocence, as the nurturing side of plant kingdom, while there is also devouring and toxic side of it when someone abuses it.
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Heith
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Heith »

Sadly I can't give any book recommendations as I never got that deep into herbalism / toxicology before I moved to another country. I bought some books on the subject but they're always more or less fluff and don't really explain why the author states this or that. I've done most of the reading online, comparing writings and experiences of different people. As my interest lies mainly on the growing and not consuming it's been natural that I learn to look at a plant and figure out where it might be from, what kind of conditions does it thrive in, and so forth rather than think how to turn it into a hallucinogenic trip.

I would like to grow some mushrooms at some point to see how that looks like. Or ferns- although they're never really happy indoors.

Like said, currently I only have green plants as my hobby. My latest sweetheart is from the Nepenthes species (also known as Monkey Cup plant), a carnivorous beauty from Asia. It occurred to me to do a test and feed the plant with tiny pieces of myself in order to create a permanent link between us. It's also a interesting empiric research as to how it would react to this diet. In my fantasies obviously, this plant reaches a monstrous size and I, delusional, think it’s under my control until one day it turns against me, devouring little Heith whole!

Here's a video of Nepenthes with the amazing David Attenborough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trWzDlRvv1M
Fomalhaut
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Fomalhaut »

Tulihenki wrote:I'm very interested, but I have only little information about the subject. Do you have any book recommendations?
It is same for me too. I am also very interested but I have so little information about the subject.
Heith wrote:It occurred to me to do a test and feed the plant with tiny pieces of myself in order to create a permanent link between us. It's also a interesting empiric research as to how it would react to this diet. In my fantasies obviously, this plant reaches a monstrous size and I, delusional, think it’s under my control until one day it turns against me, devouring little Heith whole!
This reminded me of the musical called "Little Shop of Horrors". I have seen the musical in Finnish last winter at theatre in which my friend was singing the man eating plant's singings and doing its speeches :D
"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become."
— C.G. Jung
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Teratokrios
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Teratokrios »

I have some interest on the subject, but my thumb ain't got a least bit of green on it :P.

I think the tradition that the Cultus Sabbati writers (mainly Daniel A. Schulke) has some good books about this subject. Viridarium Umbris is propably the most extensive of their writings considering plant spirits etc. The book is not very hard to find from different second-hand bookshops that specialize to the occult, but most peoples wallet just can't handle the prices (I've rarely seen the book under 800€). Fortunately internet has many .pdf versions around of this opus.

Other book. Viridarium Umbris is a kind of companion grimoire consinting of potion making and practical use of those plants. Viridarium Umbris can be much cheaper for sale, though that 150-300€ price tag is still a bit outrageous. So Pdf format is my recomendation for this book too.

Schulke has written a new book about the subject called VENEFICIUM: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path. Haven't read it yet, but it should be still available in considerably reasonable prices, allthough it's out of print.

on the internet I've found Teufelskunst to be quite helpful with different articles, not to mention physical stuff like seeds etc. Also Sarah Anne Lawless has some nice articles too.
"Et Ducam tertiam partem per Ignem et uram eas sicut uritur Argentum et probabo eos sicut probatur Aurum."
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Heith
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Heith »

Thank you very much for these recommendations. I will look into these as soon as I get some time. It's rather surprising to see this much interest towards the topic- I wasn't sure if to post at first.

S.A.Lawless I've been following a little bit at one point.

Today I heard extremely uplifting news; the oldest known organism lives here in Sweden. It's a lone tree that grows on Fulufjället, just a little higher than any other. The age estimation is 9950 years old, but probably this tree is older than that still. The root of the tree is this old, but the other parts have died and grown again several times. Food for thought! This news came as a specifically important day concerning my current practice.

Apparently it has started to grow more as tourists visit it, as they stomp the ground around the tree.


Here's a picture of the old ent:

Image

EDIT: By the looks of it, the tree also has a "Tapionpöytä", Table of Tapio. This is a table-like branch formation that was often considered to be holy, as Tapio is the forest Lord in Finnish mythology (if I go wrong here, correct me- I know little about the Finno-Ugric mythology and can mix up names). So this place might be a Seita (Holy place in nature, such as a peculiar tree or rock formation).
Tulihenki
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Tulihenki »

Trees are peculiarly interesting and always in forests, when I have encountered some powerful place there has been a beautiful tree, which really vibrates like spirits are calling.

Last summer I was meditating front of a dead grey oak. Strange how powerful and alive presence can be even the outer form is dead. Also trees that are cut by lightning are ones that I'm curious about.

In Finland there's a beautiful habit to plant birches to both sides of a road which is leading to home.
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Heith
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Heith »

I am planning to dye some leater with plants soon and was wondering if any of you have done this type of things. What plants did you use, and why those ones specifically?

Has anyone used Amanita Muscaria for dye work -I know it doesn't give a colour, and am more interested of the plant as a hermetic addition on the fabric / leather than as actual colour.
Hazael
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Hazael »

Hi All, I just want to ask if anyone ever tried using medical cannabis as an alternative meds? I have read many articles about medical marijuana and how it can help you in terms of chronic pain, bone injuries, eating disorder/anorexia, anxiety disorders and panic attacks, inflammation, even cancer and a lot more. Like this article about a marijuana strain from http://www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com/gelato/ . Cbd and thc are also new to me and I don't even smoke. If this is true I cant find any solid conclusive evidence that speaks to its efficacy. Any personal experience or testimonial would be highly appreciated. Thanks
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Heith
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Re: Herbs, plants & herbalism

Post by Heith »

Hazael wrote:Any personal experience or testimonial would be highly appreciated. Thanks
Well...

I've not smoked super much in my life, but many times enough that I've had a few dozen or so experiences. I'm not against cannabis, nor am I for it really. Very neutral thoughts on the matter. I however am personally extremely cautious these days, as my well being is directly linked with my fellow aspect members, and slightly less directly with certain other members of the fraternity. I'm not trying to be mystical or cool about it, as in fact the situation is somewhat uncool -the things one has to give up for the sake of esoteric studies!

The last time I smoked a tiny amount (one or two puffs which is really nothing at all) was when a friend of mine had come to visit from abroad and we were to tour an ancient site near to where I was living. I suddenly got so bad stomach pain that I couldn't walk and had to lie down. I was desperate to show my friend around the site because he had traveled from another country to see the site, and as it happened another friend of ours who is a frequent user of cannabis offered me some in case it would help. This was some years ago, and that was the first time I smoked after joining the hermetic circle of the fraternity.

I believe it was this that I was a hermetist member that made a difference, because I have never had this kind of reaction before. It was as if I had three radios open all the time, and I also had visual hallucinations that lasted for many hours. It was extremely unpleasant experience and I think why I got through it in one piece was that I knew that this is happening because my energetic core has been changed. The other people there, who smoked the same joint had no reactions whatsoever, even if they smoked a lot more than I did.

In truth, after I joined the hermetic red I can't even really use alcohol anymore. I get almost instantly drunk and suffer terrible hangovers. I can be throwing up for five hours after having two beers and a glass of wine the previous evening. Physically I'm healthy as a horse, as I've been medically tested- but I'm just energetically in such a way these days that I've to seek moderation in most things : )
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