(a compendium in working) Absinthe: Aids in conjuring and communicating with the dead if burnt with sandalwood as an incense. African Ginger: Used by occultists; it is said to be pleasing to all spirits one wishes to conjure when sprinkled in the 4 corners of a room. Ague Weed: Causes ones enemies to become extremely confused. Aloes: Traditionally used to invoke demons. Soak aloes in a bottle of Black Cat Oil for 9 days, on the 10th night: anoint the forehead and altar. The demon should appear to do one’s bidding. Anise Seed: Used to increase power in all psychic workings. Asafoetida: Used for casting hexes on a person. Sometimes referred to as the Devil’s Incense, Asafoetida is burned to force someone to leave you alone. Balmony: A plant in the Figwort family that is ground and used for hexing. Belladonna: Used to facilitate divination, visions and moving between realms. A main ingredient of Flying Ointment. Being of the Underworld, Belladonna is sacred to the Crone; it may be used to consecrate tools used for contacting the dead, particularly those made of lead or onyx. Betel Nut : When chewed with lime it is said to increase ones power, both spiritual and mental. Black Nightshade: The less toxic relative of Belladonna, sacred to Hecate, the Moon and the Underworld - Burn to invoke the gods of the dark, or to work with the spirits of the dead. Black Peppercorn: Used in baneful workings to cause the undesired to flee. Can also aid in harsher compellings. Blackthorn: The thorns of the Blackthorn tree have long been used in witchcraft for pricking wax or cloth poppets to curse an intended victim. If tied together with black thread as an equal-armed cross they also create a strong charm of protection from cursing, malevolent witchcraft, and psychic harm. Bladderwrack: When placed near an enemies bathroom it is said to cause that enemy to be stricken with irritation of the urinary tract. Blood Root: If you are looking for a substitute for human blood, use Blood Root to make Diabolic Wine. Also, if thrown on a witch’s doorstep it will reflect the witch’s spells back at her. Blueberry: Causes an enemy strife when thrown on his doorstep. Boneset: Burn as an incense during chants intended for curses. Calamus Root: Considered so powerful a commanding ingredient, it is often used alone. Used to bend and compel others to you will. Cinquefoil: Burn over a candle wax image of an enemy to cause him discomfort. Coconuts: Hollow out the coconut and fill it with Snakeroot. Place it in a flaming pit, and as it roasts, your enemies health will decline. Cruel Man of the Woods: If a piece of this is hidden on your enemies self, it will cause them great pain if they have previously harmed you. Datura: Being extremely toxic it is aligned with Saturn and was traditionally used to induce visions and astral travel. In modern days it is used mostly in areas of hex-breaking and protection, though a careful witch could infuse an Attraction Oil par excellence from its flowers with enough knowledge and care. Foxglove: Associated with the planets Saturn and Venus. Poisonous; and when burned, the ashes can be used in hexes. Hemlock: Highly toxic, it is used as an oil for anointing talismans for destructive work. The incense of which can enrage the mind for black magical workings. Olive leaves and Hemlock aid in peacefully disposing of enemies. Used in Flying Ointments for venturing into other realms. Henbane: In Greek mythology the dead of Hell were known to be crowned with Henbane as they walked helplessly beside the river Styx. Black Henbane is used for crossing or to ensnare one in a binding love. Often used in Flying Ointments. Honeysuckle: Traditionally symbolizes the “bonds of love” and is excellent when working on a problem of infidelity. A twining vine with sweet-smelling flowers, it is used to entangle and tie a lover to you. A potent commanding ingredient - the iron fist in the velvet glove. Knot Weed: To get rid of ones enemy, fill a black cloth or voodoo doll and sew up, then bury the effigy. It is also used with Balmony herb in curses. Used to really bind and “tie down” a person or situation. Lemon Verbena: Causes great trouble between lovers. When scattered at the doorway of the couple great discord will ensue, and the two will become bitter enemies. Licorice Root: Aids in binding and love spells. Used for spells aimed at controlling another person. Morning Glory: Also known as Bindweed, it is employed in astral workings to bridge the gap between physical and spiritual. It is also used to bind and suppress the will of another. Mustard Seed: The seed of strife and discord. Used to confuse the words of lovers and cause disconnections and misunderstandings. Sprinkled around the trunk of a fruit tree on the first evening of the full moon will cause the tree to bear no fruit. Patchouli: Sickens enemies when used in chants and spells for hexing. Poke Root: A conjure ball can be made in the name of Satan from the leaves and root. It is then placed into a bag, glass jar or container and left where an enemy will find it. This is done so that he will suffer great anxiety and making him more prone to accident or injury. Poppy Seed: Causes couples to argue. Opium Poppies were often distilled into Flying Ointments. Red Pepper: Has a long history of use in herb magic. Use to banish unfriendly people from your life, or to induce suffering. Rue: Although it is great protection for the owner, in turn, rue placed near another person puts a great hex on them. Since it is not a powerful black magic herb, it is used to simply frustrate or agitate the person, rather than causing serious harm or injury. Slippery Elm: Used to separate a married couple when buried near their home. Spanish Moss: Used in Southern conjure for cursing enemies. It can be added to War Water, or used to stuff a poppet or cursing sachet. It is used to jinx and give bad luck to the intended. Tormentilla: To cause distress, harm and discord to a foe: sprinkle this on a picture of her or him and place in a box. Twitch’s Grass: Causes quarrels among friends. Place under each leg of a table they will sit at, by the end of the evening they will surely be fighting. Vetivert: Silences ones who will speak ill of you. Vervain: Spells used to contact and speak with Lucifer are the most effective when using this herb. Also used for conjuring evil spirits and demons. Wild Blackberry Root: Blackberry’s powerful entangling energy can be used in cursing and to ensnare an enemy so they cannot escape your magic. Place in a piece of red cloth with Witch’s Saltand smash it each day for seven days with a mallet to return a curse back to the sender - so they suffer the effects instead of yourself. Willow: Willow is under the Devil’s protection, and when held in ones left hand, may be used in pacts, or rites requesting supernatural powers. Wormwood: An ingredient in Flying Ointments; used to send harmful magic back on its sender, and for spells of vengeance. Aids in making pacts with the Devil. Yew: Has an ancient history of association with death and necromancy - the practice of raising the dead to commune with them, or to seek prophecy. It can also be used to curse enemies; causing bad luck and ill health. Yew is a sacred tree among witches as it belongs to Hecate and the Underworld.
The Poison Path - Baneful Herbs and their properties
In an English country garden, amongst the pretty wildflowers and manicured lawns, you may find a baneful herb or two, or three... or many if you know what you're looking for. These herbs, plants and flowers are so named because if used with bad intentions, or even just by accident, they can cause illness, injury or even death. Lots of plants have a historic association with witchcraft and many of them have made the journey from magic potions to modern medicine. Though 'baneful' herbs walk the line between doctor and death, some plants are pure magic. That's why these 'flora obscura' are the inspiration for my new collection, The Poison Path. Belladonna The most famous baneful herb of all, all hail the Queen, Atropa Belladonna, aka Deadly Nightshade. Belladonna has long been associated with witchcraft and so has got a bit of a bad rep, but she's not all bad! Yes, Belladonna is toxic and sometimes even lethal with the right, I mean, wrong dose, but it is also used in modern medicine to this day. When an optometrist dilates your pupils, it may well be a derivative of Belladonna in the eyedrops they use. In fact, that’s how Belladonna got it’s name! Italian ladies used to squeeze the juice of Belladonna berries into their eyes to make their pupils larger because it made them look prettier! And ‘beautiful lady’ in Italian is, of course bella donna. The dark berries of Belladonna are also know as 'Murder Berries' and have been used as poison in countless movies and books, they are actually thought to be what caused Juliet to appear dead, since one of the side effects of eating the berries is a deep & deadly sleep. Lily of the Valley May’s birth flower (yes, thats a thing), also called 'Lady Tears', Lily of the Valley was said to have been formed from the tears of Eve as she was cast from the Garden of Eden. Even though this plants is a symbol of sweetness - don’t eat it! Not the leaves, flower, roots, sap, seeds, nothing! The whole plant is super toxic. If you eat any part of this sweet-smelling plant you can expect severe vomiting at best, and if that doesn't happen a coma or even death is on the cards. Be warned! It's deadlier than it looks. Snapdragons Snapdragons were my favourite when I was a kid. I loved snapping them with my fingers, I thought they were pure magic! Actually, some ancient cultures believed they had supernatural powers and that they offered protection from witchcraft and curses and some believed that anyone who ate them would have beauty and youth restored to them. Good job they aren’t actually poisonous. So why then did they make it into the Poison Path I hear you ask? Well, I’ve been fascinated with Snapdragon Seed Pods ever since I first set eyes on them. Surely they aren’t real I thought, but yep, one Autumn I went out in search of a snapdragon plant and there they were. Perfect little screaming fairy skulls, some with long pointy noses, all with terrified gapping mouths. I instantly fell in love and I knew I wanted to keep them forever, so, like medusa turned her enemies to stone, I turned them to silver and began collecting more strange flowers for a collection. The Little Apple of Death The Manchineel tree, which grows in northern South America is the worlds most dangerous tree. The milky sap produced by this tree is so toxic that even sheltering beneath it in a rain storm can cause an extreme rash! And you definitely don’t want to eat the fruit form this tree - it's so toxic that just one bite will cause severe swelling to your throat as well as blistering and burns to your digestive tract! And don't try and burn it because the smoke from a burning tree can cause temporary blindness! Yikes! Yarrow Also know as 'The Witches Herb' and 'The Devil's Nettle' Yarrow has long been associated with witchcraft and magic. Traditionally used for healing wounds as well as reducing inflammation, digestive disorders and even reducing anxiety, this herb isn't so much baneful as magical! I had to include this herb in the Poison Path because it has a history of appearing in so many potions and magical recipes. Though Yarrow has a bad rap (just like us witches) it actually is a wonder herb and sounds deadly from it's nicknames alone. The flowers even taste bitter like medicine. Although, of course, like all things in nature, too much of it might cause some side effects, Yarrow is definitely a friend rather than a foe.
source:
https://bonearrow.com/blogs/news/the-poison-path-baneful-herbs-and-their-properties
June 03, 2021 • Belladonna • Lily of the Valley • little apple of death • Snapdragons • The poison path •Yarrow
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