Herbal Magick: A Witch's Guide to Herbal Enchantments, Folklore, and Divination

by Gerina Dunwich

This book provides you with everything you need to know about the Pagan lore of plants and how to practice powerful magick utilizing roots, flowers, leaves, and bark. It reveals the well-guarded secrets of herbal enchantments from centuries past, touches on many of the intriguing folkloric beliefs connected to herbs, and provides a satisfying helping of east-to-follow spells for many purposes.

Genres: Witchcraft, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Magick, Occult, Ebooks, Reference

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2002

About the author

Gerina Dunwich is a professional astrologer, occult historian, and New Age author, best known for her books on Wicca and various occult subjects. She is also involved in paranormal research and is the founder of the Paranormal Animal Research Group, which investigates cases of alleged hauntings by animal spirits.

Reviews

[Cora · Rating 1 out of 5]

A pretty useless book for me, personally. I am astonished at how much information was not included in this book, namely any credible herbal information at all.... The only section on herbalism was extremely brief and somewhat mis-informational. I am particularly surprised that so few cautions were specified for certain herbs, like mugwort, which can be dangerous for certain people to ingest. Though the folkloric information on certain (limited) plants was somewhat interesting, I would have preferred being provided with regional information (who believes these things about these plants? when? through what sources?). With no discussion of plant spirits and necessary respect for plants, I find the magical applications which were offered to be extremely lacking. I would never feel compelled to enact any of these "spells" when there is such weak foundational information on the power of plant allies in magical work. Employing herbs as mere ingredients is not only ineffectual, but also disrespectful.

I am also pretty appalled to see that the author chose to include "hoodoo and gypsy magic", both of which are closed practices. Recommending these "spells" is highly irresponsible and highly suspect.
I would have found it much more interesting to learn magical information specific to the author's training, background, and heritage, but actually read nothing of the kind.

[Heather Adkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written from the point of view of a Witch who is not Wiccan, it's got a fantastic array of herbal superstitions and correspondences. Not a good book for anyone looking for ritual workings, it has more old folk charms and remedies.

[Kell · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a somewhat experienced practitioner (though by no means advanced), this was sort of helpful, but mostly I felt the chapters were too short to hold enough information. Also, I know this was first published in 2002, but it has a lot of heteronormative rhetoric surrounding love magic, and often uses the g-slur when talking about Romani folk magic. My copy was published in 2019, so that could have been an opportunity to revise some of this, but it wasn't taken. I think it's more interesting as a folklore text than a useful magical how-to.

[Mitchell Stern · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to get a lot more out of this book than I ended up getting. There’s a few spell guides and some good plant information but it felt like a book report of Cunningham’s Encyclopedia and arranged the information in a way that was less helpful. This book also falls victim to the big issue of pseudohistory in witchcraft books (the whole ‘oldest religion’ thing and, worse, the Romani stereotypes along with using the slur terminology). Disappointed overall.

[Ronel Janse van Vuuren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Want to know something about the magical properties of plants? This is the book to reach for. It has an A-Z of herbal superstitions, herb lore, how herbs can heal and some can show the future, herbs sacred to different cultures, and so much more.

A must-have on the fantasy author’s shelf. (Though I do respect that this was written by a practicing witch.)

[Meri Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good basic guide to some of the common folklore and magickal associations of the herbs, flowers, and trees common in European and North American gardens. Knocking off a star for the lack of index.

[Ellinor · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has some good information but the prose is rather dreary and vague in places.

[Teri Stich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, educational, quite witty. A resource I will use again and again.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, engaging, and well researched herbiary!

[Jbondandrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to learn about all the plant names. A bit too heterocentric, especially with how to see your future husband, occasionally your spouse. Also a little too Christian.

[Oriana]

Not a practical guide, focused primarily on spell work, random lore and anecdotes divorced from much history, with a little casual racism mixed in.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wonder about sources used by the author. It would have better if pictures accompanied the descriptions.

[Katelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was not really what I was thinking it was, I wish there was a lot more. As far as the way it's written it's fine but information wise not my favorite. I liked about 1 chapter

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not as informative as it could have been.

[Lana Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s a fun read i did like reading about the functions of different herbs

[Magnificent Sunbeam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love!!

[Rusty]

Very good book with lots of good information.

[BLynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but there are other books out there on this topic that are better.