Blackthorn’s Botanical Shadow Work: Healing Through the Dark with Plant Magic

by Amy Blackthorn

Soothing words and practical advice on how to use the power of plant spirits for healing through the “dark stuff” that prevents us from being our true selves.
 
Our “Shadow” consists of all of the unpleasant, even traumatic experiences that we encounter in our lives. It is where we store the pain of things that happen to us and how they subconsciously affect our behavior. Lack of understanding or integration of the Shadow can look like toxic positivity (love and light syndrome), as well as cause unregulated drinking, gambling, drug use, or other vices. Blackthorn’s Botanical Shadow Work offers a deep look into the way we interact with plants and how they can help us release our trauma, fears, and personal stress.
 
With Blackthorn’s Botanical Shadow Work, readers journey with Amy Blackthorn—herbalist, aromatherapist, and witch—to face their fears, wishes, and desires, and find harmony with themselves. Amy teaches ways to cultivate a daily relationship with plant spirits through the use of aromatherapy, meditation, journaling, and other practices. She also helps us to center ourselves and our magical practice so that we can be of service to others.
 
Throughout this book, there will be prompts, exercises, and encouragement for doing the hard work of confronting the Shadow and realizing the power that it can offer for personal growth. Blackthorn’s Botanical Shadow Work provides a foundation for connecting our spiritual development, therapy, and magic or witchcraft.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2026

Reviews

[Katie Stockton]

I have mixed feelings about the whole “shadow work” boom because sometimes it feels like we took ideas people used to work through with a therapist, gave them a witchy name, and started selling journals about them. So I was pleasantly surprised by how sensible Amy Blackthorn is about all of this. She doesn't pretend that a plant or a ritual is going to replace therapy, and I appreciated seeing the two allowed to exist beside each other without one being used to dismiss the other. The plant work is what made this interesting for me, especially the aromatherapy, meditations, journaling, and the idea of actually developing a relationship with a plant rather than looking up three magical correspondences and calling it a day.

There is quite a lot to do here, and I certainly didn't stop and complete every journal prompt before turning the page. I especially liked some of the material dealing with boundaries, protection, fear, and the less cuddly side of plant magic, including the poisonous plants, because it gave the book a little more bite than I expected. The tarot material was a nice surprise too. Maybe I'm showing my age, but I still prefer this sort of witchcraft book when the author gives me actual practices to experiment with instead of spending 200 pages telling me how empowered I'm supposed to feel, and Blackthorn gives the reader plenty to work with here. I don't know that every exercise will speak to everybody, but I marked enough pages to know I'll be coming back to this one.

[Stacy]

Amy Blackthorn takes shadow work and makes it less scary. Through the aids of various plant allies, she introduces prompts and ideas that will shatter your preconceived notions of what shadow work is, and how it should be done. Along the way she teaches about various herbs and their properties, sones, a whole chapter on tarot(!!!!), and more. With so many meditation and journaling prompts that your therapist will be so proud of you.

Who knew poisons could be so helpful in setting healthy boundaries, protecting ourselves, and resolving childhood traumas? Sitting with this book is like discussing these topics with Amy over tea.

Spoiler: I haven’t done all the journaling and meditations yet, but I will. They are that good!

[Cairelle Perilloux]

Amy Blackthorn offers a gentle, plant-guided way into the landscape of shadow work that feels both grounded and deeply compassionate. Within its pages, the reader will find a wide range of botanical practices for engaging the personal shadow, but what lingers most is Amy’s voice. She writes in a way that helps the reader feel seen rather than scrutinized and honored for lived experience rather than corrected, making the guidance genuinely accessible. The wisdom feels seasoned and steady and the trance journeys are an unexpected delight! This book is a balm for old wounds and belongs on the shelf of anyone doing the hard work of growing through what has shaped them.

[Elyse Welles]

“If you’ve been nervous to step onto the path of shadow work alone, take Amy’s hand in the dark. Amy Blackthorn will be by your side in this trauma-informed, empathetic approach to active shadow work. Botanical allies meet you in reality through aromatherapy and sacred smoke, and in trance through excellent guided experiences. Blackthorn’s comforting, personable approach makes an otherwise daunting part of your spiritual journey feel achievable, and even enjoyable.” - Elyse Welles, author of Sacred Wild: An Invitation to Connect to Spirits of the Land

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