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The Witch's Herbal Apothecary: Rituals & Recipes for a Year of Earth Magick and Sacred Medicine Making

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The Witch’s Herbal Apothecary is a magickal book of recipes, rituals, and materia medica for reconnecting with the power and healing of Earth Magick.

Author Marysia Miernowska is the Director of one of California’s most renowned herbal schools and named one of the “top 15 witches on Instagram” (@marysia_miernowska) by Huffington Post.

Mother Earth is a living entity that holds great medicine to heal us physically and spiritually. However, in today's modern world, too many of us are separated from this source of nourishment. With the wheel of the year as a framework, you'll begin to understand the currents of nature and how to weave yourself back into this great web of life .

Using the plants, seasons, and cycles as your tools, you will be able to tap into the potent Earth Magick of life, death, renewal, and rebirth. In harmony with the seasons, You will learn how Each season opens a portal of magick that allows you to harvest the literal and spiritual gifts the Earth is offering at that time.

The Witch's Herbal Apothecary will awaken the Witch inherent in every wild soul and guide her into an empowered relationship of healing and magick with the natural world.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

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Marysia Miernowska

2 books4 followers

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5 stars
127 (42%)
4 stars
86 (28%)
3 stars
59 (19%)
2 stars
20 (6%)
1 star
7 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
Profile Image for Haliation.
98 reviews46 followers
January 31, 2020
Hmmm. This book really was a mixed bag. I'm not sure how to rate it. It's a beautiful book. It has some beautiful herbal witchy recipes (which is what I'm really after). It has some really beautiful words.

It IS very cis female-centric, but she acknowledges this along with her own ongoing education process. She states that anyone can indeed be a witch regardless of their gender. This part didn’t bother me so much - a recognition that you don’t know everything and a genuine willingness to learn is a great place to start. I also acknowledge most people write what they know best.

On the topic of "what people know", sometimes we also think we know something REALLY well, but we don't. What really DID bother me was her use of the term “smudging” throughout the book, while also writing about being a “good steward” to sage. Settlers: if you are not Indigenous, and did not learn this practice from an Indigenous Elder, you ARE NOT smudging. Smudging has very specific cultural meaning and protocols.

Cool fact of the day: did you know that the Canada's Indian Act outlawed a lot of our spiritual practices? Sometime not so long ago at all, this now coveted "smudging ritual" was the subject of literal governmental suppression! Cool fact, right?

Do I sound like a broken record yet? Believe me - I want to stop writing this as much as you want me to stop writing this. It's such an easy fix - use "cleansing" or "smoke cleansing". That's it. That's all you have to do to be respectful of the prickly history of genocidal suppression and current whitewashing of smudging.

Additionally, the issue of New Age Cultural appropriation was not mentioned once, as far as I can tell. And the book finished off with a poetic whimsy about "rainbow warriors". NOOOOOOOO.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_...

To her credit, she is one of very few witchcraft book authors I have read that have ever requested people stop buying mass harvested white sage. That’s also a good start.

Look, I don't genuinely believe this author has any ill intent, but it is hurtful nonetheless. I hope she will learn and listen with an open heart.
Profile Image for Natalie  all_books_great_and_small .
3,121 reviews166 followers
December 23, 2019
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

What a fantastically detailed book of herbal recipies and remedies for anyone wanting to learn the craft of Magik.
The book is a fantastic guide that teaches you to go along with the natural flow of nature to achieve the art of the contents of this book.
The pages are beautifully displayed and easy to follow.
I loved the recipies and although finding some of the ingredients will be tricky, i really want to give afew a go.
A fantastic guide that has an abundance of things to try and knowledge steeped in the pages.
Profile Image for Alan D.D..
Author 39 books78 followers
March 17, 2020
Although interesting, with several recipes and useful information, the whimsical style took me out of the reading several times. For those who like metaphorical ad illustrative books on the subject, it will be a good choice, but didn't work that much for me.
Profile Image for Beth.
1,155 reviews28 followers
December 31, 2019
I liked this book, though it was more whimsical than I expected. There were a few reference pages on different botanicals, some recipes, a little bit on correspondences, and a few rituals, but the majority of the book was Miernowska waxing poetic on what it means to be a witch, communing with the Earth, archetypes and themes of the seasons, etc. I definitely wouldn't call this a reference book, but one more for inspiration or simply enjoyment.
210 reviews
August 22, 2022
This was a massively frustrating book - though there are absolutely useful insights from time to time, and some lovely poetry, it is also just chock full of White Woman Nonsense. (Yoni steaming comes up more than once.) There's just so much here that is just not okay.
Profile Image for Juli Rahel.
758 reviews20 followers
June 12, 2023
Thanks to Quarto and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was mildly obsessed by this book from the cover alone, which drew me in straightaway. It is a really beautiful book, with a lot of attention having been paid to the layout and design. As with many of these books, it wasn't really a "read straight through" experience for me, hence my delay in giving it a review. I really liked many of the recipes, although I don't know if I'd find all of the ingredients here. I'm willing to give it a go though! I think I would have liked a heavier focus on actual recipes or references etc, rather than the current focus on what it's like to be a witch etc. On the one hand having the author's personal experiences can be very inspirational and encouraging, but sometimes it also overwhelmed me a bit. I did like Miernowska's general approach however, especially how she also acknowledged where there were gaps in her knowledge or experience. At times the tone was a little too poetically whimsical or to "empowerment"-y for me, but that is quite a personal thing so this might work very well for other readers.
Profile Image for Caitlyn.
313 reviews29 followers
November 14, 2020
Very cool handbook on herbal medicine and a great primer on elemental/directional magic! Would definitely recommend to beginner witches or people interested in natural health practices.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
288 reviews3 followers
April 5, 2023
A great resource, but not necessarily one to read straight through as it addresses the seasons with rituals and recipes for each. I’ll use it!
Profile Image for Annie.
4,719 reviews85 followers
January 2, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Witch's Herbal Apothecary is a handbook, herbal, and tutorial guide by Marysia Miernowska. Due out 14th Jan 2020 from Quarto on their Fair Winds Press imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is a nicely formatted and logically laid out book. The subject matter is more philosophical and contemplative than scientific. If the title sounds like this book is full of new age 'woo' (and ancient wisdom), well, it is, honestly. That being said, I (firmly 'school of western medicine' and about as non-'woo' as it's possible to be) found quite a lot of interesting food for thought here. This is a well structured and well written book. The author has a sure voice and a deft touch with the written word. She's never strident or preachy and I found a lot to like.

There is a fair bit of meditative poetry and awareness activities included. The first main section of the book: Weaving yourself back into the great web, contains a number of explanatory information about our universe, energy, cycles, and becoming more aware. There is also a chapter containing very general information about healing, basic ritual, what witches do/believe, and there are a number of practical exercises.

The second part of the content (about 75% overall) includes seasonal based ritual and exercises for spring, summer, fall, and winter. There are meditations and practical recipes for the reader to try out.

The last section of the book includes some affirmations, links, resources for further reading, and an index.

All in all, this is a very well made, beautifully illustrated, and gentle book full of alternative wisdom. There is nothing harmful and no evil intent contained here. The 'vibe' of the book is positive and comforting. I could definitely see a lot of practical information here being incorporated by people who follow other belief systems. Is it trendy? No, honestly, it's full of very traditional ideas and ancient philosophy.

I'm a bioengineer, a fully formed product of the western medical school tradition, and I found a lot to like here. Slowing down and being aware of our interconnectedness and our responsibility to one another is absolutely vital to our continued survival on our planet. The sooner the better. If this type of philosophy gets some people to slow down and become more aware of what we're doing to ourselves, then I'm 100% for it.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Profile Image for Cathy Geha.
4,339 reviews119 followers
January 14, 2020
The Witch's Herbal Apothecary
Rituals & Recipes for a Year of Earth Magick and Sacred Medicine Making
by Marysia Miernowska

Intrigued from the first sighting of this book up for review I was pleasantly surprised by the wisdom put into organizing information in this book and the way it was presented for the reader. The seasons in the wheel of the year are related to the wheel of life and regenerative currents we should all tap into. The beginning was spiritual, mystical and reverent and I drew me in. I was reminded to deepen my relationship with living earth, spirit and self. Told what a witch is and that a Green Witch aligns with the earth’s cycles I wanted to do the same.

Each Season has a beginning page that lays out the basics and then carries on to give more detail. The illustrations are gorgeous and monochromatic giving an intensity but also a softness. Included in the pages are basic information on witch/wicca and the relationship to the earth, seasonal information on plants...well...there is a LOT of information for the novice but the herbal information is minimal but enough to whet the appetite.

I might caution the reader to make sure they do due diligence and seek to ensure that all recipes included are “safe” by referring to more than one other resource so no harm is done another. I did not take the time to make sure but would if this book were in my possession and planned to try the recipes.

I enjoyed reading this book and believe it would be one to refer to throughout the year and perhaps return to from year to year. I believe I need more time with the book to fully appreciate what is within its pages but...did enjoy reading it today.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars
Profile Image for Morgan Sulham.
37 reviews1 follower
December 3, 2021
Alright. I liked the earth magic portion of this book and her chats about being in relationship with plants, as well as the seasonal organization of the book. There were some nice journal prompts, recipes, and musings, but there were ultimately too many things that bugged me.

1: Super cis-woman centric. She makes a disclaimer about this in the beginning of the book and said something like "forgive me for my limited language". Thanks but maybe just edit your book to be more inclusive? Also a lot of feminine vs masculine energy stuff which I don't subscribe to either. I can see this being really grating for nb readers.
2: She mentions smudging a lot. She is not indigenous, and if you aren't indigenous it's not smudging!
3: She ends with a rainbow warriors poem which alludes to hippies thinking they're fulfilling some vague Native American prophecy that was actually an evangelical tract. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_.... Ew :(


Profile Image for Lashette.
417 reviews36 followers
December 29, 2021
4.5 stars. An incredible collection of practices and recipes for each season. Lots of wisdom included. I honestly don't don't know how to describe this book. But a must read for anyone interested in seasonal witchcraft, green witchcraft or even just earthy or mindful practices. Not quite 5 stars because as we go through the seasons there is less and less included. While I understand that winter is for rest and therefore the practices and recipes won't be as much as spring or summer, the entering the north sections were shorter as well. I don't know maybe I'm nitpicking because I want everything to be equal.
Profile Image for Cozy Reviews.
2,050 reviews5 followers
February 8, 2020
This is the "Definitive" book on building your own apothecary. The Witch's Herbal Apothecary
Rituals & Recipes for a Year of Earth Magick and Sacred Medicine Making
by Marysia Miernowska I highly recommend. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. After you read this incredible book you will want to purchase your own copy for your home library.

As a new witch I was intrigued by the title and know of the author through Instagram. Throughout reading this book I found myself highlighting passages, words and receipes that I will use throughout my own home practice. Inclusive to this book is: how we personally can have a deeper attachment to the earth and what we can grow to create our own receipes. The exquisite detail included beautifully done drawings for each section that are exceptional in detail yet soft and present perfectly with the book contents. . The author divided the book by seasons and each season of the year provides information, teachings and receipes. The attention to detail and research here is phenomenal. You will find seasonal rituals which are done generously many here, receipes for each season and even meditation. Everything you need to educate yourself and utilize a home apothecary is here. I love that the focus is on a gentle use of the earth and working with plants to better our lives. A very outstanding read and one I am proud to add to my home library.
I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Katrina.
41 reviews1 follower
January 28, 2020
First off I want to say how beautiful the cover is of this book. The colors , moon phases and symbols feel so earthy! "The Witch's Herbal Apothecary" by Marysia Miernowska is like your own personal herbal grimoire. The information presented in this book is essential to anyone who would like to add herbalism into their lives. Plants are not just vegetation but a unique life force that we need to recognize in order to deepen our relationship with mother earth. The book touches on the wheel of the year, what it means to be a witch and how to create your own apothecary. Each chapter is a different season, there are numerous herbal recipes, rituals and meditations I have found to be very grounding and spiritually uplifting.
"The Witch's Herbal Apothecary" by Marysia Miernowska is a must for any witches library!
Blessings
Profile Image for Jodie Pedano.
39 reviews
June 29, 2020
For me this book was just mediocre. I think I was expecting something more along the lines of a solid and thorough reference book, complete with associations and applications of a wide variety of herbs to incorporate into my practice. You’d think by the title “The Witches Herbal Apothecary” that’s what it would be.

What this book is in actuality is kind of a mixed bag of information. Had some good ideas and recipes but nothing that jumped out at me. Actually it jumps around to various topics. Some useful stuff but overall underwhelming.

Maybe a good book for a beginner or to be used as an almanac type book (which I do enjoy) but I expected something entirely different from this book. I think when I ordered this book I made a mistake and ordered the wrong book by accident. I’ll keep it in my Wiccan library but my guess is it’ll be rarely used.
4 reviews
November 29, 2019
The Witch's Herbal Apothecary is a book that gives its reader a strong foundation for which to build their herbal practice. It is written in a way that shows you have to go with the currents of nature and of practice, meaning it's written in the order it should be read. Skipping around in this book or skimming is doing it and yourself a disservice. It gives you the foundations of not just herbal magick but of all magick, breaking down things so even a brandy spanking new witch can understand and build upon. This was a good read :)
14 reviews
December 17, 2019
I received this book from Netgalley.
A decent book about witchy herbalism. I really like the suggestions for attuning to the seasons and there's some food for thought. I found the recipes interesting but a lot of them use ingredients I've never heard of and wouldn't know how to obtain. The writing is very cis-centric but I appreciate that the author acknowledged this in the beginning of the text.

Overall a decent book, probably not one of my absolute favourites but I've definitely read worse.
Profile Image for Anita.
160 reviews
July 13, 2020
Very informative book and ideal for green or hedge witches or anyone for that matter into herbs etc
I loved the artwork , I loved how it was organised .
Good information, although I don’t practice this kind of craft, there’s no way I’m taking willow bark, or picking wild dandelions to make Tea.... that’s just me... why I brought the book I don’t know 🤔 Instagram made me do it lol
Good book though for anyone into this kind of craft.
Profile Image for Christabel.
127 reviews4 followers
August 25, 2021
according to a lot of other reviews, this book has some great information in it, i tried to give this book a chance because of that. i read 100 pages and i had to get rid of it. the writing style threw me off so much to the point where i could not enjoy the book or read it any longer. i don’t discourage anyone from reading it, because it might be something you absolutely love, but it just was not compatible with me
Profile Image for April Harvey.
247 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2020
I was super happy to get an ARC of this book.! My honest opinion is that it's great for anyone. I have been reading about green witches and how they use kitchen herbs, plants, flowers, and all manner of things provided by Mother Earth to help heal and found this book to be very helpful. I love that it's easy to follow along with and filled with all kinds of new info I can put into practice!
Profile Image for Jennifer Zamboni.
Author 7 books55 followers
April 11, 2020
More thoughts and poetry than actual rituals and recipes. Very triple goddess-centric (with an added wise-woman thrown in there) As it is titled Apothecary, I was hoping for more plant facts and associations, recipes for potions and medicines. I did like the wheel of the year as a format, I just think it should have expanded further into actual plants, rather than mostly Earth worship.
378 reviews14 followers
May 20, 2020
I am a novice in witchcraft and loved this book for the foundation it has given me to move forward in my path. It is clear, with information linked to the seasons and I love the illustrations. I was given a temporary digital copy to give my honest review and I am looking forward to owning a physical copy to reread and refer to when needed. It belongs on every beginners bookshelf.
Profile Image for Cherie.
3,939 reviews33 followers
May 5, 2021
What an absolutely gorgeous book. This is not a book to read at once, but to slowly read and savor and delight in over the course of a year. Marysia organizes it section by section, according to season, showing you herbs, how to harvest, how to work with the moon. It is such a delightful book and the illustrations! LOVE IT!
Profile Image for Annarella.
14.2k reviews165 followers
December 11, 2019
This is one of the most interesting and informative book I read on this topic.
I liked how the book was organised, the clarity of the explanations and the ideas.
A very useful read.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Profile Image for Emmie Marigold.
391 reviews93 followers
December 23, 2019
Exactly what I have been searching for. One good place to find it all. What to use for this, that and the other without wading through endless Google searches. So, pleased with this book.

Thanks, Netgalley!
Profile Image for Georgette.
171 reviews29 followers
Read
June 21, 2020
A beautiful, whimsical tome that is both a handbook and a guide to the use of what nature provides us to help and heal. While I ended up skimming most of it before it got archived, I liked what I saw. On my to-buy list.
Profile Image for Johanna Haas.
411 reviews5 followers
October 29, 2020
There is some really good knowledge in this book - however, it is poorly organized and the author tends to ramble around without reaching points. I wish a stronger editor had worked on this book - because the author does have a unique point of view and worthwhile things to say.
Profile Image for Manuela Schoepfer.
1 review
February 3, 2022
What a beautiful and wonderful book. The rituals and recipes are super great and I also love the aesthetics and illustrations a lot. I can highly recommend this book!
I studied herbalism with Marysia last year and this book means even more to me now.
The book is my guide and always nearby.
Profile Image for Chrissy.
177 reviews1 follower
April 28, 2022
Hmmm. This was a bit too woo woo for me, although some of the prose was beautiful. I appreciated the recipes, but the laundry list of ingredients in most
of them is probably going to keep me from making most.
Profile Image for Laura.
3,854 reviews
January 2, 2023
I really enjoyed the focus on the cycles of the year/earth/body/life
lots of herbal infusions, instructions how to make herbal tinctures and infusions of various sorts. combines both my ritual and medicine interests.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews

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