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

by Marysia Miernowska

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 to:

• Grow medicine
• Harvest from the wild or home garden
• Process plants
• Make remedies

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.

• ISBN13: 9781592339099
• Publish Date: 14 January 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Fair Winds Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 224
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

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.