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ADVICE TO THE BEGINING HERBALISM STUDENT
Before I take this any further, and before I begin my posts on herbs and their applications, I want to make it clear that my training
in this is yet incomplete. Much of what I am going to cover is taken
from notes from the many teachers I have had, some very useful
reference books and experience. I will pass on what I have, in hope
that those who have more may add to the knowledge, present their own
experiences and generally SHARE our most important community commodity
- INFORMATION. The idea is to expand ourselves, thru free exchange of
this information and by doing so help the entire Pagan community
survive in the long run. Please feel free to distribute the information
I post here in this and other message areas and in files to as many
people as might be interested!
Herbalism, like midwifery skills, is one of the oldest parts of
teaching within the craft, but is also one where we have lost a huge
amount of information and where science has yet to catch up. Every
pagan culture has utilized the herbalism of its particular region, and
I have found no one source or teacher who could possibly know about
every herb that grows on the Earth. Yet today we have the opportunity
to perhaps achieve this within a lifespan or two, using the electonic
communications at our fingertips. Science is now slowly begining to
learn the improtance of the natural herbs in healing, but they will
take centuries to figure it all out because of the way they go about
things, unless nudged.
The first step in herbalism is to gather the tools you will need,
and that is the main point of this first message. I have found the
following useful and in many cases vital to learn and practice the use
of herbs.
1) A Good mortar and Pestile, one of stone or metal is prefered. If
wood is used you will need two, one for inedibles and one for edibles -
make sure they do not look identical, as you do not want to
accidentally poison anyone!!!
2) Containers. Although you can buy dried herbs over the counter in
many places these days, do not store them in the plastic bags they come
in, as these are usually neither reuseable nor perfectly airtight.
Rubbermaid style plastic containers are good, but expensive. I have
used glass coffee and spice jars/bottles to good effect, as well as
some medicine bottles. The more you recycle the better ecologically, just make sure they have been thoroughly washed and dried before placing anything inside them.
3) Labels. This is vital! None of us in this day and age can possibly
recognize each herb in its various forms simply by sight. Always label
your containers as you fill them, and if possible date them when they
were filled so you don't keep spoiled stock on the shelf.
4) Tea Ball. A good metal teaball of the single cup size can be
very useful in the longrun when your are experimenting, and when you
are making single person doses of teas and tonics.
5) CheeseCloth : Useful for straining a partially liquid mixture and occasionnally for the making of sachets.
6) A Good sized teakettle. Preferably one that will hold at least a quart of water.
7) A Good teapot for simmering mixtures. I use one from a chinese import store that has done me well.
 A good cutting board and a SHARP cutting knife for just herbal work.
9) A notebook
of some sort to record the information in as you go, both successes and
failures. Always record anything new you try that may or may not work,
and also and research information you get from various sources (like
this echo!)
10) An eyedropper.
11) White linen-style bandages. Some ace bandages are also useful in the long run.
12) A metal brazier of some sort, or a metal container that can
withstand heavy useage and heat from within or without, useful for
several things including the making of your own incenses.
13) Reference sources. Shortly you should see a list of books that
I have read from in the past that I consider useful, build from this as
a starting point to others and to your teachers help.
Thats it to start, you'll pick the rest up as you go. Take your
time studying, take lots of notes, compare your sources and your own
personal results on each herb and on herbal mixtures of any kind.
--Starwyn
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