starter kit - herbs for magick, spells

[mystic1958]

Merry Meet, one and all ... I am wanting to start using herbs in my spells, meditations, etc and would like to start with about 15-20 of the most commonly used herbs. My problem is that there are SO MANY to choose from. What's a poor witch to do??

I figure that 15-20 would be a nice start for my "kit". Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Many, many thanks

[mol]

I dont know where you are from....but if you have a wl-mart, you might try some of their starter kits. Fairly inexpensive and a good way to get some experience.

[LaDaya]

Well, it really depends on what you want to do with the herbs. Some of the basics I try to keep on hand are:

Euculyptus (sp?)
Basil
Thyme
Anise
Chamomile
Catnip
Fennel
Rose petals
Orange Peel
Patchouli
Lemon Grass
Lemon Balm
Hyssop
Spearmint
Peppermint
Vervain
Elder Flower
Just to name a few... I have many more but my brain decided to stop working so I will have to leave it at that. Decide what you want to use your herbs for and what you will use the most of and then get those herbs.

[sisba]

So what are type of things you can do with the herbs once you have them? What are they particularly good for?

[LaDaya]

Okay... that is almost a limitless question...

1. You can use them for healing.
2. For cooking.
3. For incense.
4. For aromatherapy.
5. For decoration.
6. For ritual.
7. For drinks.
8. and anything else I can't think of right now.

You can make various products to use when someone is sick or hurt. You can cook with them or make teas out of them. You can burn them or use them as a decorative smelly things. Put them in a cheesecloth sack and you can either put them in your bath or hide them in a sock draw. You can use them for amulets or use them in ritual to help with your intent....

Figure out what you want to do with them and get a couple of herbal books. If you want to use them magickally than get a magickal herbal book like Incense, Oils, & Brews by Scott Cunningham or The Complete book of Magickal herbs (I believe by the same author.) or if you want to use them for health get some herbal health books or alternative health books and use them as a reference guide.

Hope this helps.

[Yvonne Belisle]

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[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by sisba
So what are type of things you can do with the herbs once you have them? What are they particularly good for?

Like LaDaya said they are great for so many things but what I love them the most for is growing and as the grow and develop they lift and grow your self and spirit ~ They look so beautiful and smell divine ~ they are my pride and joy :p

Bright blessings for starting out :D

[Mairwen]

Is there a food co-op where you live? A health food store that sells bulk herbs? Our food co-op has a whole aisle with nothing but bulk herbs, teas, spices, fixins for lemonades and fruitpunches and puddings, and fixins for potpourris (etc and so forth). It's my favorite part of town! 8O

I buy all of my herbs there, very cheaply. I can get enough cooking garlic to last a year for 50 cents, enough fresh catnip for the kitty for six months for about a quarter. She has these fuzzy "knots" stuck all over the house; we bought those at the regular grocery and dumped the "icky store catnip" out and filled with the real thing. :rolleyes:

But they have everything ~ anise, several varieties of pepper, mugwort, vervaine, pennyroyal, chamomile, rose petals, lavender, rue, cramp bark (*sigh* very handy!), several varieties of mint, several varieties of salt (including sea salt) (and much, much more!) ~ all arranged quite neatly in abc order. :D

You buy stuff by scooping it into little baggies and weighing it on a scale (very simple to use) ~ so if you see a $23/per # sticker on, say, chamomile, don't panic; what I buy usually comes up to be no more than a dollar, if that much. Most herbs, it takes quite a bit for them to reach that pound (#) mark!

And the staff there is awesome. I was experiencing some horrible cramps at one point (I'm going through early menopause :rolleyes: ), and asked for help at the customer service desk. A really sweet man (!:D) took me back to bulk herbs and introduced me to FemininiTea and cramp bark. *swoon* (and I feel much better now, thankyouverymuch!)

I took my mom there not too long ago, but I think she can actually get some of her herbs, etc, cheaper at her local Amish store ~ if you have Amish anywhere nearby, I'd look for one of their general stores; they're really cool. :D

[Young Oak]

Mistic,

I was intirgued to see that you are residing very near where I reside. Could I suggest that I might E-mail you sometime?

[Yvonne Belisle]

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