In ancient beliefs, alchemy was defined as the art of taking base metals and turning them into pure gold. But I believe we have a simpler and accessible kind of alchemy available to us, whoever and wherever we are. Green alchemy taps into the natural world and its power to transform our “base metals” of fear, illness, anger, loss, and stress into the “gold” that is our true selves. Living an enchanted herbal life gives us a gentle door into that golden and serene place; it also reminds us that not only do we have a duty to support and nurture the world around us in all its forms, but it’s vitally important that we nurture ourselves at the same time. Self-care is vital for all of us. Without a true sense of love for ourselves, we cannot be fully present to others and life itself, whether it be human, plant, or animal. Authenticity is the way we become healthy and whole, and in turn we can then offer ourselves and our lives as a true gift to all around us, without fear or self-doubt.
The concept of herbalism means many different things to different people, depending on one’s background, spiritual outlook and beliefs, and much more. Medically based herbalism is, obviously, a way of healing ailments of body and spirit using natural remedies and plant energies; when I talk about magic or enchanted herbalism, though, it can lead to confusion, and often people have queried me as to what exactly that means.
Quite simply, I believe magic herbalism uses the unique energies of the plants, herbs, flowers, and trees all around us to help us on every possible level, not just the physical, important though that is. And the opportunities for enchanted herbalism are limitless: we can find them in every moment of the day—in the kitchen, bathroom, garden, or just out on a quiet walk in the woods. There is literally no end to what we can create, grow, harvest, or nurture in a simple and heartfelt way if we are open to the magic that surrounds us and willing to work with it. I would love for you to join me on this beautiful seasonal journey, whoever and wherever you are. Come just as you are. The earth is waiting for you with her gifts, her warmth, and her unconditional love and acceptance.
I grew up in the 1960s and was definitely a flower child from the start; I could spend hours in my mother’s beautiful rose garden or under the indigo African sky, drinking in the intoxicating scent of the pale night-blooming jasmine. (Perhaps even then I already sensed the path I would someday follow.) Today I am sometimes asked if I am a green witch, and although I dislike labels, considering them limiting and oftentimes judgmental, that’s one I am happy to wear with both joy and pride. I prefer the term “hearth witch,” which I first came across several years ago when I lived in England. It relates to anyone who lives a life close to the earth and her natural gifts and who also uses these gifts in the home to create delicious foods, healing products, and other traditional green magic. I think being a green witch is probably one of the best and most sacred callings anyone can have, as well as being one of total enchantment on every level.
Like many of us, though, my adult life was largely determined by work realities and family routines, and I spent several years living in different countries; then, a few years ago, life decided to give me a fairly big wake-up call. I lost several people very close to me, as well as experiencing a few other traumatic events. But the road always takes us to a place we need to be, and looking back I realize I was being replanted, given a chance to grow again in a new, richer, and more abundant soil for heart, soul, and body.
For me, this new journey took the form of studying holistic herbalism and flower therapies—both subjects that had long fascinated me. I moved to a small town on the ocean and live in a log cabin in the middle of a forest, surrounded by small lakes, trees, and endless birdsong. Today I write, paint, and create around my central focus of simple natural living and herbal/flower magic. And I am reminded every day, once again, of what I first knew as a little girl looking for ladybugs in my mother’s rose garden: life on this earth is both beautiful and fragile, and it is also our greatest and most precious gift, so we need to embrace it fully as we are, where we are, every single day.
I believe that our Mother Earth gives us the gift of life in so many amazing and wonderful forms, but only when we truly seek and embrace these gifts do we find true enchantment. Grace. Growth. Letting go. Health. Possibility. Creation. Hidden deep within our hearts and souls, we have an ancient knowledge and wisdom of this magic, although sometimes life, with its many twists and turns, may take us a step away from the green mysteries. But they never forget us and wait patiently for our return to the garden, the garden of the heart, so that we may rediscover the joy, innocence, and light we have always carried within and never actually lost.
How to Use This Book
Enchanted Herbal was written around the natural rhythm of the year with its changing seasons, which are so very closely linked to our own journeys, both physical and spiritual. Each season brings its own gifts, lessons, opportunities, and sometimes challenges—but I believe nature also offers us the remedy for these challenges if we are open to connecting with her each and every day of the year.
Each section thus focuses on particular lessons, ideas, and emotions linked to that particular season. Of course, this is not prescriptive: you might have different feelings that come up with the seasons, possibly as a result of past experiences or your own personality. That’s why I would encourage you to use this book as a stepping-stone for your own natural magic adventures—and why I also recommend (several times!) keeping different journals or records of your path through the year since you will undoubtedly come up with your own rituals, recipes, and celebrations to remember and cherish!
Spring: creation and renewal
Summer: abundance and passion
Autumn: celebration and harvest
Winter: peace and reflection
Each seasonal chapter encompasses the following sections:
Heart Notes: thoughts and simple rituals and magic for each season’s rhythm
Create: simple body/beauty products to make, as well as ideas for a natural home
Nurture: ideas for natural health and well-being on every level, both physical and spiritual
Grow: practical inspiration for planting, growing, and harvesting one’s own herbs and other aromatic plants, and other ideas for garden magic and enchantment
Taste: seasonal recipes using herbs, spices, and flowers in delicious ways
A Few Points to Note
- Any remedies suggested are for minor health issues and problems only; more serious complaints or emergencies obviously should be referred to the relevant healthcare professions. These remedies and recipes are made and used at your own risk.
- Particular caution should be exercised when making and using herb and flower products for use by pregnant/breastfeeding women, as well as babies and very young children. Again, check with your doctor or midwife before using such products, particularly those containing essential oils, some of which should not be used during pregnancy. These include but are not limited to peppermint, cinnamon, juniper, rosemary, oregano, cedarwood, thyme, clove, and sage oils.
- If you have sensitive skin issues or allergies of any kind, it’s wise to do a small skin test for twenty-four hours before using homemade skin products, especially those containing essential oils. Apply a small amount and if redness, itching, or irritation develops, do not use that particular remedy.
- Some essential oils are photosensitive and should not be applied to skin before spending time in the sun; this includes citrus oils and bergamot.
- Essential oils should never be taken internally unless recommended by a medical practitioner and done under supervision.
- The recipes and remedies in this book are largely made of a simple range of herbs and basic ingredients that one is likely to have in one’s kitchen or store cupboard (although you might need to buy some essential oils). I believe in practical magic and not having to buy a whole lot of esoteric (and expensive) ingredients.
- Growing your own herbs is a beautiful part of this enchanted journey, even if you have limited space, as I do. Fortunately, I live where there are several organic and farmer’s markets so I can generally buy the fresh herbs I cannot grow, as well as the spices and other ingredients I need. I prefer using fresh herbs in general, but sometimes dried herbs are a necessity, depending on the time of year. Some herbs like parsley, chives, and cilantro don’t dry well and often end up resembling nothing so much as green dust, with about as much flavor or nutritional value! Others work very well dried—sage, rosemary, and bay leaves, for example—and retain their flavor and color well; however, they should always be kept in glass jars in a cool and dry environment and be replaced at least every six months or so.
Keeping Your Own
Green Alchemy Journal
The book you are holding in your hands started out as my own personal green magic journal, a handwritten and illustrated way of recording recipes, ideas, experiments, and insights gained as I followed the path of herbal enchantment through the seasons of the year. It is an invaluable tool that I treasure and add to frequently, and I would like to encourage you to do the same as a unique record of your own.
The whole path of green alchemy is both an intuitive and highly personal one—for example, a fragrance blend that smells wonderful to one person might not appeal at all to another, and it’s often only by trial and error that we discover the best ways of creating our own green path and connections.
You can, of course, choose any journal or notebook that appeals to you—my journal is a large ring-bound book with strong covers and fairly thick ivory pages. (I chose this because I also like to illustrate my journal with little pen and watercolor sketches, so I need paper that will not warp or buckle.) You might be happy with something smaller or even a simple school exercise book; it’s entirely a matter of personal taste, and whether you illustrate your journal or not is also up to you. I would, however, suggest sticking a large envelope into the back cover of your notebook or journal, as you will almost certainly find clippings, recipes, or images that you want to cut out and keep, and this makes a perfect place to store them.
On this subject, I suppose it would be possible to keep an online journal in the same way—and if that works for you, go for it! I am a little old-fashioned, I guess, and still prefer something I can physically hold in my hand.
Dating the pages of your green journal is obviously the way to give it structure and serves as an ongoing reminder of what you did and saw, and when. If you are highly organized, unlike me, you might even divide your journal into sections for herbal recipes, health and beauty potions, garden ideas, and so on. I also suggest carrying a smaller notebook with you when you are spending time outdoors, in your garden and further afield, and use it to record things you see and discover, new plants and wildlife, sights and sounds, emotions and feelings … At a later stage, you can transfer some of these notes into your main garden journal.