Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Compleat Edition
XOANON PUBLISHING
MMI
e -Copyright 2001 )aniel Alvin Schulke.
ARS PHILTRON was privately publishedby XOANON under
the ,ãuspices of the Cultus- Sabbati. Of this limited Complea~
Edition, there are one hundred and forty-four hãnd:.bound
cloth -copies, each numbered and bearing one of twenty-four
Akhymical-S~bbatic colour plates, backed with one of six
prayers to Cain or Lilith as patrons of the Arte of the Philtre.
ln addition thC{e are eight copies for private distribution bound
in green leather with gold stamping-and endpaper, each bearing
one of the eight illuminated Philtre sigils and the complete set
of 24 colour paintings. Typeset in CoyGarr. -
XOANON
Chelmsford San-Francisco
'Jor tfie rr'wo Si[ent Companions
Of Jie(at 's %ree-.9lrm'á Cross
r
Contents
Proemium.
1 .· . Aqueous Cunning.
Bibliograp·hy.
6
· . _~ -~ Proemium.
~1,,;,-c~mj>rising'themagí;_~w~ :rpo:;~~ ~nd V'5sel, .
T he Arte of the
is one of the manycarts ofGr,een Sorcery.~le a ~cemplete eartography .
of the bounds of this-Craft. shâll~ait::'fortreatment elséwherê~,- a~ few_
words of basic descriptiôn ate-=-warranted. Gr~n-Sor.cery i5 the-V~rdan_t Tendril ~
9f the Art~ Magicai. lt encompãsses t11e €Upning i<nowledge a~d use 'Óf plarit-s·in
the pt:actice of sorcery. This is the Wísdom kno'Wn -in the-:Britisn Isles as
Wortcunning; â craftiness, or magical~-con:gress with plants âild their sacre<l
virtues'. Thus the wot:k of the Potton arises from-a thick and deep..-r-oót~d-Arbour,
a Tree of Trees -among maay· kindred ever..-fruíting-. Many are='.thé Blossoms· of
Our Work;-many theit scentssand--eoloun:- its pantheorr embraces..-thé . varied
r.aces õf the Vegetal realm; -its Prima Mâteria--the endle.ss p~-ession of õàl~ams, .
gums, resins, saps, buds, flower~ ·barks, l~~~~; root5~ ·t>uibs; stems; · t.e-Íidtils, ·
pods, seeds, rhizomes', -tones, fronds, braçtS, and~ põtlêns from these green i!fües.
More tha:n common botan~cal- leârriing; the Craft ôf-the~Gree.n~Witch al~o
encompa:sses divers pr~eS"of both ,Magic-and $õl1Cery, =dire-etly applied· to the
plant realm. Magic, the Roya! Arte of coniman1io-g-the -fires ·ofHeav~ is pre: ·
cisely defined in Azoetia: A-Grif1!oiret.oftke"-91Jbbatic Craft. ·
- - ~ -
. Magic is the 'J:ransmutahility~f..tbe Qµin~_ssence ofALL.Nature.
- '
The Az.oetia-
furthe.r delineates- Sorcery
'-) - . as,.,,.the KnowJedge
- .
of 'the Point.s»of
. "
Universal Trans.mutatjon, lt~ Art is.l ó. cujtiYat..e::i!Jea_bility to-manipuÍ<!te-and uti.-
, ize these foci ofPowe.r in·accor..dance with _Wj/J,. ~&ire and B.eliel
Many books in many..-ages have been wri~enc.cÓnceming th~_Ar.s Magiã, b\lt
the foregoing elucidations- .shall~erv.e_ us best ~~here our Cr.aft__is conÇerned.
Green Sorcery echoes these precepts, but in addi~i<>;n presupposes a-spirituou.s
template, rather than .a psycholOgical or energeÜc...:~bstratum._Accordi_ngly, -t.he
World and the Universe are recognized as Jieing compesed of an in.f initude of
spirits, each with a different._ character-and .p.ower~ Thus.. Gr~ep Sorcery also
encompasses the dy:namic access_to./collaboratiº-~ wit~, .and .command-:of Spirits.-
Plant rites, cosmologies1 deities- anc( artifáctS :e:omprise its Corpus Fecundi.
Embraced ey this Way of Knowing are· the-pat-hwa.ys of Healing and _J?o~~ning;
Phytognosis2; Chemistry an? Plant Akhemy; Zymyrgy; Erribalming; Vinology
and Viticulture; Aromatics anâ. Perfummg; H.o_rticulture.; Dyeing; Compounding
Cosmetics; and th-e diverse.-íla.v.orful rituals o(th~Çulinary Arts._ Hylozoistic in .
stance, Our Arte reveres pl.~nts ás pée.rs and-alli~_;rather than ·as-subservie_nts or
mere chymical prindpl~s to..b.e-manipulated, as~-the domil\ant rational~ in mod-
em Herbalogy. It hails '4leacl\plania-wise~nd ..lntelligent spiritUOU$-~rsonality,
or GeniusJ. lntimate knowledãe of these genii_, arid their personalities comprise
the heart of ·Ü\µ' Arte, in the sarne way congress with angels ancldemo~s was
central to the rfiagic of the medieval necromanGer. Plant genii may be a~cessed
in many of the sarne ways, but there are also characteristics unique unto the
9
Vegetal Realm, such as their direct interplay with e.arth-powers; their shifting
affinities by season, planetary motion anel starlight; their spiritual amplification
during blossoming; the antiquity of their accumulated geomantic wisdom; anel
their significant alchymical interplay with the powers of the Sun anel Moon.
Green Sorcery taps a continuum of power encompassing Healing anel
Harming,4 the_Wortcunner having congress with not only the healthful powers
of medicine, but also those virtues anel principalities of bane anel destruction.
Thus this Way of Knowing is a Crooked Path; it acknowledges which Herbs may
be used for weaving a strong basket, healing a fracture, easing chilelbirth, anel also
for killing an enemy, euthanasia, or variecllevels of self-poisoning to bring about
visionary or ecstatic states. It is a Verity of the Work: the Good Apothecary
knows anel accepts his children anel their myriad gifts.
Our Arte acknowledges anel employs--the hallowed marriage of Medicine anel
Ceremony. If taken ili, shall the Physician merely prescribe a medicinal tea, with
the hopes that the proper constituents will cause a elesireel internai effect? Or
shall he, in addition to this, sweep the body of the afflicted with a compounel
magicai vapour; move certain leaves, branches, anel flowers into the sickbeel;
eleliver ablutions; anel make appeals to the Genius of Cypress for swift healing?
Both roads are efficacious, but the latter arises exclusively in tbc context of
Green Sorcery; their combination becomes, in esscnce, a sorcerous heterodyne.
Ceremony restorcs the spiritual dimension to Healing, potentiati:ng it; such is
one potent mystery of archaic religion, long asleep in the elomain of the Doctor,'
whose resurrection is at hanel.
If the craft of Wortcunning consists of the wise use anel knowledge of plants,
it also embraces thcm as guieles anel teachers. There is a specific, hielelcn school
of tcashings anel gnosis which arises directly from the Wilelwood itself: its rare
fruits inacccssible to the mediciner anel mage via the written or spoken worel. As
such, direct congress through praxis is the sun anel soil of nourishment.
Within the elomains of the Cunning-craft of Wytcha the Green Arte fineis a
natural home, anel it is by this Eleler Faith that the current work is informed. This
is the Green Arcanum: the elomain of Cain Al' Shajarat, wanelering Lord of the
Wild, Green Man anel Patron of Our Craft. As Panambulator of the garelens of
thc Fallen Angels, the hallowed Epiphany of Leaf anel Root rises from him and
his legions, far from the dwellings of mortal man. It is therefore incumbent upon
the Green Sorcerer to spenel as much time as possible among living plants: in the
cloister'el gardens anel wilel fore.sts; in deserts anel vineyards; in marshes forlom
anel grottoes dark, cleaving ever near to the Emeralel Heart of this silent wisdom.
Such places are the true Temples anel Oratories of the Green Ovate. •
These are but a few of the leaves and thoms of this, our Green Arte. Within
this Thicket of the Wise lie the specific praxes of the Wortcunner, govern'd by
the Twenty-four Angels of the Virtuous Arts: only one of which is the Domain
of the Bewitcheel Potion, the Ars Philtron. Any serious work conceming the
Philtrc is an unelertaking empyrean anel infernal, a work always incomplete, as
the Well of Time continually r~nelers up waters pregnant with andent tore.
10
Thus, the f~i and limitations of the present w:ork shall be acknowledged.
This Book is primarily a gramrnar of potion taxonomy and Sorcerou$ Arte.
The essential structure of the work revolves upon the Whcel of -the Eight
Sabbatic-Alchymic Philtre-typcs. Thus the Rota Philtron is the atemporal gnosis
and source-wisdom of the book. To assist in the broader explication ofiu arcana,
the scribe has drawn up0n many and divers systems and examples of plant lore
and ritual usage; this temporal scope is utilist;_d.tó demonstrate the ma1lifest_s_pan
of the Eternal within the Timely. The magica! iconostasis of the Potion~ as well
as its integrated niche within Grcen Sor~ery, is the bone 'round which these
ideas shall flesh. -
Illustrative of the divers means by which-brews may serve the so_fcer~, the
Book may reveal ~h~ Work of the Philtre ~ tfie solitary vehiculum for so.rce.ry5,
or as a means of adopting potion-making within-a broader scope ofpr~s. Our
Grimoire is a min=ºr-Formularium, containing practical directions for ~agical
brews, 'às well ~ :fl}~~ material requisites ~ and ritual praxes the aspttan~ ruay
cmploy in tjte Goó'd~Work of potion-sorcery!: These formulae, both ortgJnil and
of antient. provenanêe, are representative of various potion hypostates''ín'Simple
and advanced foiins, l>ut should be considered only single crystallizations within
the-Flask of the Sorcerer: the Witth's Familiar, if it be True, will lead the Wise
unto previously unsuspected Epiphanies of the Arte.
- The text _presupposes knowledge and practice of magic; respect anel wonder
of the Natural World; responsibility in th~_handling of potentially dange rous
plants; and commitment to the Work. As-such-it iswritten in the terminology of
. thc Sorcerou5 Arte. Siõce some Keys of Understanding may be unfa1T1iliar, a
· brief lexkon is appended to the whole. · _ - · .
ln conclusion, it is hoped that the reader will take the spirits of the text
beyond their pages into the temple and the l~boratory, and endeavour diligently
toward the Magisterium. This is the Salt of o:ur Work: the material is the.:_essence
of the magic and the magic the essence of-the material. There will -be many sage
readers already awarc of this, but ali too often the Arte Magicai is -confined
exclusively to the mind, and numcrous pathways of leaming by means of action
and experiment are denied. The respective Flasks of ~oul, Mind, _and _Matter
have infinite capacity but unique parametets of receptivity: the acknowJedge-
ment and pursuit-of the sovereignty of eacn-befiu us all. ln this recogtiitiori, may
Gnosis be imparted~ and the Waters of lnspiration coalesce and precipitate.
_ Daniel A. Schulke
Pre!!tice-Verdelet of the CultuS Sabbati
December 2000, era vulgaris
li
0
FONSVITAE.
t.
Aquêou-s Gunning.
n its vulgar, arc~aic úsage, -the \o\'or(i Pbilt:e designates a poti<,>n, drug, õr .
I charm ascribed the powers of A.ttrlietioil,:Lust, or· Love, arising from the
Greek phJltron, thou@lt to be -r elated'tõ-pl.u1os, or lover. The pr-ese~J>ook
will duly regard a Philtr.e as -any enso«elled)iquelJus concoction C.Ol}1po.u..nded
wíth Plant, Mineral; or Beast adjuncts, employêd as a vehk.le o( siitcery.
Germane to the spirits õf this Sacred Arte; plants are the prima mateiia of óur
Formularium. While -the number of potions employing sundry :Beasts i~ vast;
these have been largely éxcluded for reasons of brevity·, and: also to diseàuráge
the needless poaching of animal btethren. ln addition., most any virtue arising
from the Matenà Fauna can be attained- witlf equal oi greàter -efficaçy from
Materia Flora. Metallic and. crystalline _adjw1cts·.ãre treated hnefiy hereín, bur
·. philtres chiefly composed of minera1s snaU lie left_tq.other workS.. , · ..
The foregoing elucidation of th~-Philtre)ll~rtlines -tfie -:Watêr El5meh!al a11d·
the Mercurial próng of the Jkhyin~cal toía;l rís to be distíriguisheâ~frc)m.;Ol'IS;
whose chymical affinities are more akin to- ~h'e ~arth el~ment ãn~ â.Ich;ymicaf
·Sulphur. Water and ethyl-alcohôl are the Prii!i~ Cliyniical Vessels ofJKe Ph1ltre,
and the two ·may ~ regardécLis e·so-ieric-km~eed well that even ilie purest
alcohol for use in Philtres wilfüsUally contaitLa"'s tmll poition of water, due to
d;
the curious azeotropic nature of ethanol, wliiçh, when distilf' sta:bilizes at a
percentage of 97 .2 .. Ethyl alcõhol, rendere(f chymically as CzHsOH, shãres in
common with water, HzO (HOfij-the h:ydroxylg.oup.OH. Bo.th ofthe~:e fluids
are solvents with uQique mechãnisms of .actiõn in their capacity for dissolution.
a.
. Preparations compoundect° ftõm niajorltY ··of oils:: are exdüdeà fi-oni our
rubric. White it is true that botanical e.ssentia1 oils ..-..übiquitous i~ plants by ~he
~ .
design of Nature-- are extract~dJr§m an inmviduat plant ê:erpus intçi thc fíuidic
menstruum during the woJ'.k -0f decõctions, . infusions, and tinctures; ·their
amounts are minimal in comparison:wrw the water _and alcohol-in which they are
bound. Where oils dominate, the -magicai =preparation -is consíderecl a Balm,
Anointing Oil, or Unguent;_these potent preparations represent another Branch
. on the Wise Tree of Arte and_ are_the subject of a-separâte treatise.
The Philtres best-known from llll.tiqwty ãre_potions of Love and Lust, those
Succubal Nectars rousing the sex of man ·and woman, crafted for seduction.
These hav'e acquired a,nefariQUS reputation l>e~ause:of theír use asa Pois_Ôri Cup,
craftily added to an unkri_owing victim's fôod or drink. Thus, the Philtre has
become in some spheres synónymous with beWitc!iment. Hisfory recoreis where
such brews ended in d~th or méntal disintegratton. Among these unft'.>rt\ifiates
were the first cerituty Roman general Lucitrs Lucullus, the Neapolitan knight
Stephanus, as well as the pÕet Lucretius,. who, according to the historian
13
Eusebius of Caesaria, lost his mind and committed suicide after drinking a
Philtre 1• While these exemplars of subterfuge no doubt besmirch'd the Pbiltre's
reputation, there is some value to bc gleaned by drinking a ,Mystery Cup.2
Other Philtres embraced by our Incunabulum 'induçle Hand Washes;
Ablutions (Ritual Baths or Abos); Floor and Wall Washes, Sacred Emetics,
Vis_onary Sacraments, Hypnogenic and Oneirogenic potions, and Philtres of
Anima.t:ion. Each possesses a different magicai classifiçation on our Eightfold
Wheel of Potions, and a unique Sacred Name by which th«; Green' Sorcei;er shall
know it. Each harbour:s a different astral characterology, ~ransmutation p:rocess,
and.mode of ritual praxis. ln addition to thesc fluidic hypostates, potions· may be
employed as Libations to a particular spirit or deific fonn; or simply poured into
the ground to bescech the aid of earth elementals. This is a sacrificial rite of
ancient origin practiscd in dassical times, as in Old Greece, where wine and
honey were often poured as a libation for the Mighty Ilead or the Gods of the
Gre.a t Below.3 "
.. The potencies of the Philtre extend yet further. Ablutions are peerless for
theurgic work and_themselves constitute a potent praxis of illuminating gnosi$.
Some Philtres are phytognostic, or visionary in nature, th~ir virtues arising-from
the g~nius of poison. Magic brews have e.njoyed a central role in cerern~es of
initíation.• Other uses include asperging. to expcl noxious spirits or con_~ecrate
ground; divination; and the animation of fetíshes. One rnay also employ Philtre
magics to align the essences of plants to create an ensorcell'd liquid that is a '
Witch's Familiar, potcntiated by devotion and adoration. The Immortality Brews
comprise a unique potion taxon: the waters of the Fons Vitae, ecompassing .such
historical exemplars as "Goddard Drops", the nostrum favour'd by King Charles
II of~ngland, consisting of Spirits of Wine, human skull filings, and Sage.s
B Regalia and Materia· Magica. The ·Arte of Creen Sorceiy.· has a central
material component: as such,.. tÔOJ.s. arç -required. Together with the
Herbs; the Green Rites; and t,he '\Yill, besire arÜf Belief of the So.r.cer~r, they are
necessary components of thê Work~ · ·
Qf l'he RegàJ.ia.
Let the tools be pleasing in ali ways, and so much the better ff they be crafted
by thine o~n hand. The inlplements of the Arte; _ of Wo:rtcun_njng must be sacred
fctishes consistent with the :oqiens of the Path an.d.tlíé g\\Ídãnce of one's Gtand
Famulus; esoteric and exoteric of beauty and funt tion. The list presentec;l is liy
no means comprehensivc, but fornis á basic set of tools from ·which the· Creen
Witch may proceed with the Work.
19
The Ritual Bottles.
Certain vessels must be reserved for ritual use. These are specially consecrated
as Psychic Citadels for the Philtres the sorcerer will conjure into Being, andmust
be set apart as a Fetish, secret and holy. Ritual Bottles may contain special or rare
nectars, such as liquors used exclusively for the libation of a certain spirit, or for
containing Genii to assist in the Plant work. A Ritual Bottle, as its kin the
Working Bottle, rnay be seal'd hermetically, absolutely preventing the intrusion
of corrupting airbome principies, as well prcventing the intrusion of light.
The Potion Cup.
This is the Graal of Working, the cup of Self-Poisoning and administration of
alchymical Azoth, the Universal Physick. From it are drunk the sacraments of
Our Work. If one·has a cup gcnerally reservcd for other 'workings, such as the
Aqu~us Cup of the Beloved, it can be of benefit for the Green Sorcerer to con-
secrate a separate drinking vessel. For the purpose of ritual potion-drinking,
glass, blown to such shapes as reqwred by the Magician, is a superior material for
these vessels, as its structure is a greatly cool'd fluid, and as _such,· its very form
mimics the very Essence of the Water Elemental. Other more traditional vessels;
such as Drinking Homs or wooden chatices are also of great integrity.
Thc Working Basin.
A large bowl or basin, in capacity admitting several gallons, is well-considered.
Such vessels are to be used where large quantities of liquid are to be employed,
whether it be a Sacramental Wine served to many cclebrants; the herb 'd waiérs
of a ritual bath, craftily preparcd; or those Elaeomantic potions which, by weird
alchymic stirrings, open portais to other world$ whi9i may be scryed by the seer.
ln ãddition, such a Basin may also serve· as the vessel from which one may
asperge oneself with enchanted waters, or, in a different operation, the cbarging
of waters with Lunar Esscnce by the age-old charm of Moon-scrying. The best
working bowl is made of crystal, of considerable expense, yet one should not
disdain the cost, as the wonders of such a thing are endless, and other uses for it
will be discovered, such as the making of flowcr essenccs. If the Working Basin
is to be used primarily for moon-sêrying, let it be of pure silver, for its lustre and
the resonant lunar affinities which Nature has kindly blesss'd the metal.
Thc Grcat VcsscL
Those Zymurgists brewing ales, wines, and meads have need of a Great Vesse/,
at least one in number, but several shall aid in the work should the art of
Fermentatio be of especial relevancc. Such vcssels are of thick, hardy glass, and
have the capacity for storing two to six gallons of fermenting wort. The narrow
neck admits various ingenious_devices dclivering an airtight seal, preventing the
corruption of the wort by souring influences, while simultaneously allowing the
dcathly vapours of fcrmentation to escape. Both Great Vessel and Seal can be
obtained from the. town brewer at modest cost.
20
The Lesser Tools.
An_Herb ~r~s~ _9fjncorruptible steel, usually available for a mÕdest sum, is_an.
'""·:_invaluable tool=:f'õr ttnctuie cxtractfon: One can exttaot considerable -quantities_
.,,.-=: of tinc-ture-from_a -ma12Ç which-would oth'erwise be discarded. Let there)l~o-b~ - ::' ~-
:_: :;!~õls - for . ~xacting -::measurêment, The Scales- or Balance is requ1rcd-.J9_r ""' :--
_- --weights; ~duated cylinders -0f various sizes will suffice fo( the, workef-t!iltying~~,?"
a
. --liqqid !_Olumes. A finC--mesh strainer, as well as variety of funpels.,j~ als6)n~~~
" - ·essentiál'tlev.ice: Let the hc;dy Ai:thana, both for bloed-letting and the:;:act ~~$..
- Taki!lg, be -near at hand, aS- in áll spirit-workings. For accQmplishing the--lllo~;;
eomplicated Plant Works, sudí as the extraction ef oils, distillations of spidts Ót : -
vegetable --waters·, and volatÜisations of plant salts, plant alchemists will-~haV:é ~
need'-of àístitling apparatus, s:uch a5 a Soxlet extractor, retorls, distillation-:fiãsks, '-~ __
sepãrators, funnels~ Liebig condensers, burettes, and Bunsen btimers. ..:&:e
Water.
The elements of water and water quality in the making of potions are of supreme
1mportance. Among the greatest of waters are Rain from thunderstorms, Dew,
Spring water gathered from holy wells or imbibed with sun, moon or specific
starlight. Alchemists have long acknowledged the importance of water. ln the
Middle Ages, sorcerers prized the dewdrops which, by the good graces of Our
Lady, accumulated in the central reservoir of the cuplike leaves of the piam
known as Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris). This rare water was believed to
possess subtle but potent powers, and was favoreci for use in hea ling nostrums.
;
0.00 - 3.26
3.26 - 6.52 0
(j' 9
'))
4
(j'
9
~ 4
0
9 .,
'))
23
According to some Spagyricists, the best water for making liquid preparations is
distilled. tainwater gathered in the hour of the planet whose influence should
dominat~ the Rreparation. Thus an amorous potion woúld best be made with a
W..ater of :Ven~. Table 1 reveals one cycle of these h9urs, generally con5idered
~y most modem . a}çhemists to be the best, though there are nthers. 4 ·
Additiºnally, those potions falling under the Sabbatic Domain of Lilith are. bes.t
. .
c<lmpound~c;i-at. midrij.ght, in a potent .Lunar aspect; those.hrews haUowed unto
Ca_in-are -potentia~d by being concocted at mid-day, being of especial J>Otency
~~en; tl!e Sun ~t that hour is in favourable aspect to Mars, or eclipsed, .. ,- .
· -DistiJlation of both rain and d~w is essenti.al because .the process, by .means
of fire .arai ice., removes minerais, dust, and other putrefying components·. ln-.the
absence of- distillation, rainwater freshly·gathered and collected uruler an. ope._n
sky, m..ust be diluted to a minimum of 15% alcohol; this is the mi,nimum portiôn
and may not be suffici~mt to inhibit comiption. Table Z reveals the
amount of
ai.Cobol needed to add to rainwater to.achieve 30% alcohol, t\Vice the·minimum:
This may be easily gauged by using 100 proof (50%) ethyl akohol; but figures
are also given for the addition of 80 proof (40%) spirit, which is more common.
T.he proper dilution r~te is for every 7 parts: rain water, add. 6 pârts~ SO% vodka.
Thus; -" "
.. ·-: ..
.~·:::::
TABLE 2: Addition of Alcohol
.· T-o Rain Water To Achieve 30% Alcohol.
10 8.6 10.6
20· 17.2 21.2
·30.· ~.-'· .. -" :25;g 31.8 .
40· 34.4 4.2.4 .
so 43 ·.s3 · .
6Õ. ..· :.... :.-~;;. : .. 51.6 . 4:3._6
7() ,. 60.2 74.2
80 68.8 84.8
90'· 77.4'· 95.4
1:00 .. 86 . 106
:Standard Preparations:
Tinctures.
Generally speaking, a tincture is an extract, usually in alcohol, of plant, animal,
or mineral material. As mentioned before, the alcohol acts not only as a 'solvent
but also as a preservative. The.preparation of a Philtre sometimes begins with an
akohol tincture of various Herbsi pre-made tinctures of individual Herbs may
also be added at various times of the Philtre's manufacture.
There are a variety of schools of tincture-rnaking, prescribing anywhere from
seven days to a ycar for letting an Herb macerate in the meristruum. The
method given herein begins a tincture on a new moon, allowing it to steep for a
full lunar cycle. Obviously there will be exceptions to this rule, as ·some Herbs
or Herb portions have a narrow harvesting window, for example, the ·blossom of
the San Pedro Cactus.
One may use fresh or dried_herbs for tincture making. Spagyric Alchemists
prefer the latter, while folk magicians oft' prefer fresh Herbs. The relevant
chymical difference is in the water retain'd by the fresh plant, as oppased to its
absence in dried herbs. As concems the plant's goveming genius, the difference
is somewhat more complicated. Fresh material, espedally that which proceeds
directly into the menstruum seconds after harvest, possesses an undeniably
greater level of vivified spirit than-that material which has been severed from its
parent plant and laid on a drying rack for -a week or more. This consideration is
vital to the creation of Herb Idols, which act as a resonant, zygO\lS simulacrum
of the plant (vide Chapter 8). When creating Flower Essences, living plant por-
tions are essential. On the Alchymical level, fresh material contains a greater
Mercurial essence, the mediator betwixt our Salt and Sulphur. Dried
~ c-ma~·crial is_mostly Salt and Su1phur;-latgdy-Oercft of-the:.Gtand.Philosopher and
• : }üs. Rod of transmutation, though this-jmbalan_c_e is·_mitig_atc;di n \be reco~bmaat
_ !i~cture by: ~e presence of ethanol S.pagyp_s tioctures~ ar~ compound_ed in :var-
~ ied tripartãte processes isolating Sµlpliur / Merrury,_ :a nd Salt"' t-hen- r~ombining
- : -tltem. A. bask çompromise àcc_punting -ofor- the ~tirety of the &sentia .Her~
:. - Trifqrinfs uses fresh rn~terla~-dried,._ and thc -CalCi:rfed-cashes Qf the plant, in. the '
:?!;~ e~d. ~~biníng .them. Siphonfag_off thê=c-l~ar:o-liq~id whil~ sepafa.ting the .f eces.,
- .th.e tatter should be calcined-:agaín an:d r.e.d~solvcd until AJl is unifie.d.
. · To begin a simple tincture,-d_uly ·pulv..ériz@-t~:..p_l~.tc_p!lftS wit_h a: ~ortarc an_c!
-= -Pestle.· It is-also of llenefit when using fresh i>latittmâterial fo:leav~ haif th-e tow
.....~ =Volume of t1ie vegetal corpus whole and unpulve~d, as_chópping ·is essetJtialÍy
~ a·=Hestruction of ceU rriembranes: ~l,Ule-virtues are released -in tbis way, ~er:t~ii:l
.:. enz}rmes are irnpàrtéâ õr destroyechhát -wiH i~ped.e ·a wholesome ·prQ<f\lct/ lf·
--......,_ -the plant being tinciureêl will be- used ~for a specific magicai put"Q0~~ ráther·than
_s:.~ a$.· a mágícally undifferentiated stoêk .tinctúre, -~ne m~t tnvo~e =the po~ers 9f
·"""· t-hat portion of the· Hérb while grinding,-asking the benedictiori óf .their magicai
~ -strêngths. Roots ar.e·chtlionic in powê~; sap,.. rcsirt and bark are defensive atid lênd.
tire.ir virtues as magícài bamers:- Stêtris are the very qumtessencé õf.Mercury,
=::..__ cenduits of rapidly flÕwing powers; aS :stich:th~-'ái(j 'in both êlissen:iinatiõn arrd ..
. ..:~~ommunication! Leaves be, as :a rule,-Solar in nafore, that power being .!ll:J~rbed
- ~-~.d-met:abolized in pnotosynthesis. AJl att.en<lânt quahties of Solar ma-~cs are .
~..,...Q: appHcable, speéifically those of..He~ii~& and_Fortifica.ii<?n. Flowers~c~ncern .
,..,,,_;)n~msefves With sexuality, attra(:tion, and vadeus forms -o f intiinate cQ.ngress and
· ~oHaboration; Fruit. .is the completion- of thê-:=:we.r k; the end resuli of fertility
~cted. The Seed is the head-t.ail juncture ofth-e ouroboros: rebirtq, transition,
", : artt'Ltb.e inheritarrce of spiri~ual bírthright~ · __ _
_ ~~- _~:"--w_ben thcse portion$ have bcen.summoned-; p_lace ·the plant:material in
.a ,Çolo.red or amber gl~ vessel and .mell-c9~er the. bulk .pf the Herbs.:.with the
afcdholic menstruum. Makc certain that no- Her}>=p.Órtions br~k the surface of
ili~ a.lcohpl, as they may attract fungus or Oth:er i).occulum abomini. Retire the
tinctunng vessel to a dark. plac«; and agitatc for s.ever.al minutes once a day. At
·the e-nd of tlte lunar cycle, press the·marc {the-s,olid plant material suspended in
-the menstruum), dry and dis~rd. The tioctur.e tpay.::.then be stored in airtight
contain:ers of darkencd glass, and kcpt in a cool, dry-place. The virtues of_the
tincture should remain, bound by Our Angel, .foi thr~ -to five years.
"l . -· -;:.;* ··.- • •
Infusions.
-=- An.infusion is made-by sOáking plant matertal fo wat.er Wit.b out cÕnstant boiling;
- tif.us hot and cold-w.ater infusions may be made. rf uSirig dry lcaves or flowers, -a
::general formula is steeping Tgrams of herb !ri 250-mil!!litres of water for·abou.t
.J~enty minútesi for frcsh material, double _the _a~ount of plant.lngret,Üent. The
-· -[ resulting ·infusion may be stored in a r~frigerated, airtigh( contaitJer for up.-to o_ne
wêek. ·cotd water infuSions may be made by steeping ground or bruis.ed Herbs
- iri.cold water in â sealed vessel for 7-12 hours. .
Decoctions.
The decoction, also known as a tisane, is made by slow simmering of herbs, most
often roots, twigs, wood, bark, and seeds, over low heat. The general- prôportion
is 10 grarns of plant matter to SOO mi. of water, simmered for twenty minutes,
then strained, but this may be mod.ified depending on the potcncy of the plant
portion. Amount of material and time cooked may be adjusted to wcàkcn or
strengthen the decoction. - -
Liqueurs.
Perhaps the best modus of storing a Philtre over time is in the form ofá liqueur.
Hcrbal extracts can be made into liqueurs, which in essence are akoholic
extracts with a <:ertain amount of sweetener added. A basic formula employs 30
grams fresh or 22 grams dried Herbs, macerated in SOO millilitres of éthanolic
menstruum for 2-3 weeks in a warm plaçe. Strain, add honey, maple syrup, or
molasses to taste: ·Bottle and let age 2-12 months. Aging greatly imj)r9ves flavour
and smoothness, removing rriuch of the ethanolic fire. This phase is ·referred to'
as cooliog, and during this time the cordial benefits greatly from the. addition of
flavoring agents such as Sage flowers or Bean of Vanilla. With such preparations,
a sediment, the alchymical feces, by its nature tends to precipitate out_ This may
be filtered and discarded for reasons of the elixir's clarity. ln spagyric alchemy,
the feces contain gold: they are separated, dried, calcined and added back to thc
final product; as they are known to contain some of the unique and virtuous Salt
of the plant. The dregs of the Vessel may also be dried without calcination and
exiracted into wine and distiU'd gently.
Syrups.
The virtues of Herbs may be preserved in sugar, with the alcphol omítted,
though requiring cold for preservation. Boil l kg. of raw or brówn ame sugar in
l .S litre of water until sluggish, then steep thc Herbs, fresh or dried, in the hot
mixture for twenty minutes. Herbs can also be simmered directly ih honey or
maple syrup for ten minutes. ln general, use 20g. of Herbs for every SOO mi. of
liquid. The syrup is then strained, stored sealed, and kept in a cool place.
Flower Essences.
Flower essences are floral preparations made by exposing frésh flowers to suri-
light in pure water, then store~, employing a quantity of brándy as a preserva-
tive. Their effect is on the subtle body,. more specifically that govemingc emo-
tions. The healing virtues of flower essences have impressive results in -certain
individuais; however, those 'who are of a more sensitive or 'mediumistic' consti-
tution are more receptive to these subtle energies and generally respond well in
repcated instances. The best way to employ individU41 flower essences for mag-
icai purposes is for becoming acquainted with one aspect of a particUlar plaf\t's
a
Genius. For this purpose use them singly, as directed, after thorough banish-
ing, followed by meditation on the essence in question. For the neophyte or
skeptic, flower essences with an extremely bold personality are recommended,
such as Monkshood,_ Tobacco, Tansy, Poison Oak, ar Nw' Vomica. Traditionally,._
of
prepared flower es~nces from a variety simplers are usually obtainable at the
local apothecary. _ · -
To make flowe.r esse~es, place ' newly-opened fl.o.wers in a ritual bôwl
preferably of glass or crystâl, and cpver with distilled-water. ~xp<>se the flowers
to sunlight under a clear sky for fot.ir hours. Strain the sun-in~ed water, adding
unflavored brandy fo.r a total volume of 40%. This is the Mother Tincture, which
should be stored in light~proof glass containers. -Prior tQ µse, mix 4 drops .9f t~e
Mother Tincture with 5-oinl. water. The dose is 4 drops C;lfthis ê{jfotion under the-
tongue, 3 times a day. F~r best results; avoid tal<lng wlth meals or after usfog .
stimulants or alcohol: ·· ·
31
of the place: any work of Green Sorcery can be thwarted by offended Land-
Spirits. As much as one may desire to harvest from a vigorous patch of Nettles,
the Arte will be profaned if ill omens. go unheeded and the Tabu of the
· Wildwood is violated.
. As much as the aforemen~oned considera_tions·_of Pu~riW of Intentr cleansing
of thé Sorcerer's veey corpus shoUl.d commenee prior' t9 the Green Sojourn: the
Pr~tocol o( Purity dernam:ls hnmaculation, both of the body and the 'Fools §f
. Arte. Fpr the physium;. let a ritual _bath be undertaken, as well as a fast. ·
Physicàlly Cleánse-call regalia l:>Y. fumigating with. smouldering trêe-resin or.. an
inceªse compounded fróm the plants growing in the locale to be wandered. The
Mind may be purifi~d and attenuated by observing that .most nôble ~f virtUe$,
· Silénce._Traditional ·herb-gathering methods prescribe certain taboOs prior ·.fo
ga~~ring plants, such as avoidance of sexual activity or alcohol. Bo'th of these
pr-Ohibitions are of incalculable value, chiefly for the hom~ostasis of the Aethyric
Body as a precondition for the Arte Magicai, as well as a gesturé ofdevotion ai:id
respect.1 Jn addition, supplication -0f one's Grand Famulus prior to_Tiu~:Work is. __
wéll advísed. Fin~y, the Protoc-ol of Purity demands 't hat the JandJ and .therel?y · ·
the plants taken from it, be pure. A.s a general rule, the further remQved -from
the iilfltÍence o( mankind the better, but of course there are exçepÚons to ·ifiis, .
. as· S<lme Hetbs prefer baunts dose to the habitat~on of humans, or gr:aveya~dS; .Qr _: ~,:
'm!d the ruinous settlemen~s ~f trien long· dead. Avoid pickinj:plànfs ~y heavi~y- .° . :·
traffü:k'd.r9adsides; many Herbs will absorb some of tlie co~pt ·principies :of ,·
these besmirched byways; shun ás well ditches fouled by agrltultural venon:,is,.
Para"dõxically, it is plants virtuous-in a_çcumulating healthful minerais from the
earth, such as Nettle, which alsó store poisons.
· Thé 'second protocol, The Protocot"of ·Prcscnc~l i~ a magicai obligation of
_ pu,re an µtotal focus when gathering Herbs, in the Garden as in the Wild. when -':
so}Oútiiipg into.Wasteland and Thicket,. t;l!_e Man of Arte must become -as the .: · ~
Wild: eisewis~ one is an intruder. Tiüs teqÚires consideration of the magicai go~l, ,
namely the H erbs being_ sought, but also ·the locus in:which they dwell: in this
moment, the Sojoutner enters Hallowed Ground, Stcpping into a ~ansion of
many beings. The Sojoum can be interrupted or tainted by the presence of
obn~xious and loud persons; avoid them at all costs. _
Third is the Protocol of-Hailing. Prior to harvesting the Herb, let the Green
Sorcerer announce his intent in a res.pectful way to. the individual. A greeting and
· prayer óf request to the plant is largely a matter of the sorcerer's own choosing.
There are nu~erous examplcs of this from varying magkal traditions. From the
~ anéient Graeco-Aegyptians we-lea"! of a curious rite of herb-gathering·. It begins
· with the herbalist purifying. his body. He then sprinkles n=atron for pl.Uification
and.circuin_ambulates the plànt three times, fumigating tbe hetb with pinc resin.
1'lle wortcunner then burns the best Kyphi incense, prays, pours. a libation ~of .
milK, and pulls up the plant while invoking the name trof the daimori ,to_whQin
the herb is being dedicated and calling upon him to be more effective for the.use
ÍO!:_.-whicn it is being ãcquired". The plant is then addressed with the solemn
incantation:
You were sown by Kronos, you were concei\'ed by Hera, y.õu were
maintained by Ammon, you were given birt.h by lsis,,you were,nour- ·
ished by Zeus thé god ofrain, yóu·were give~ gr0:wth by Helios and
the dew .... As_ you have enlteà Osiris, so exalt your-self ~d rise just
as Helios rises each day. Your size is .equal to' the zenith _ofHelios,
you.r roóts come from the depths, Ôttt _your. j:>owers are the .heart qf
Hermes, your fibers _are the bones of Milevis1 · ançl your ffowers are
the eye of Horus, your seed is Pan's seed. =I ain washíng you. in resín
as 1 also wash the gods e~en [as 1 do 'thisJ for my own health~·J : 1 am
Hennes, 1 am acquiring you with ·G:oo.â F-0rtune and With Good
Daimon both at a propitious hour an.d on a pl'o~itious 'day that is
effective for ali thíngs.2
Following the incantation, the herbalist füls thc llole vacated by .the plant with -
seven seeds each of wheat and.barley, mixed with Jioney, then·-withearth ..
ln the Domain ef English Wortcunning, ~igel- Penni~k reveals _a :síh:tple;
potent, and artful tree-hailing from praxes of East A.ngliiln plant-wisdom, spoken
prior to cutting an Aspcn branchJ, wbich, as no~d1 can be adapted for àny tree: ·
Kamndet:!
H~l to thêe, O Aspen tree.
Old lady,, give me some of this wood,
Arid rwm give th~ some ofmine,
When 1growJ nto a tree.
Send your rirtue intó .this ~ranch,
That your strength will ffow throl\ih. it
_ For tlie g~ ô.tau.
Ka! ·.
33
' '·
This Tabµ of Qld lias some credencc, espccially as relates to smaller,_dainty plants
with-delicate stems or . blossoms such as Violet or Forget..Me-Not. -For such
worts,~ iron and· steel are perhaps excessive in terms of their me.tallic potencies.
How~e~, the vastmajority of ho~icultural hand-pruners are·m.ade with steel, so
the possession of oionzê, silver, or gold knives ·must needs arise hy the sercerer's .
own. ing~nium an~rthé Good faveur of Tubalo-Cain. lt.shou.l d be reme~bered . 1:
:'. that stainless . S!~l, in ·order to render it incorruptible, ·contains appfeCiab1e :·
· Wioun'ts-0f Nick~J.. Chromium, Vanadium, or Titanium: · _ . .<
- i'\pp_.1;opcla!e: _llarveSting for trees is espccially iÍnportan~. If taRing. hark in ·..: :.·
any:-:Significant -quantiW; auempt to locate a newly-fallen-tree, perhaps fdled by .. ~-.,.
a recem stonn.-lfsuch cannot be found, remove bark in smaU quantities (rom
yQunger lateral branches. Çirdling, that is to say, circumscribing the trunk With ~
a~t, ca~· ~U a t1"t!e. LeaY-es from trees should be gather'd.in early to la~_spnng, > _
as tfreir Virtues change with the advent ef Summer, and they hegin pr..oducmg.c,
fütter. Principies to ward.off insects. When harvesting branches for wands, avoid -:.·
cutting.brànches arising fro.m the dominant trunk; instead, take branches f.rom
lateraU:ea~ers, ·
·Whea allplant materiais have been gather'd, let them be wrapp'd in silk and- -
. put into ·a. bag specially encharmed for carrying freshly-gather'd Herbs. By no : ·
means.allow the material gather'd to touch the ground,-as its sorcerous Virtue ..-:.."
escapes.downward into.thc earth and rendets the material-unstiitable for use in
nur Arte. _ ,
~· - The~F-ifth Pr.otocol; that of Numbers, governs the amount of material~taken.
Never-h~rvest an Herb if it is a sing1e individual .standing alone. Lp.ok for large,
·w..ell-est~blished populations, and gather var:ious1y-aged· individuais. Leave the
larg~~ md .most .healthy plant; petitioning -this i·ndividua~ directly ·for 'Specific --
nee~1'efore :proceeding to gather, being alert for ill signs. ~ _ ~
-~ln~gen~rat the following numbers apply to gathering plants in t-he Wikk. . -::-Õ· =- ~
If stem or root, one sixth of total individuals. When taking roots from
1
pe'renniáls, smve fodaté.ral root-branches and leave suffictent vertical _
and other lãteral roots to .cnsur-e the plant's survival; cutting too dose
1 to a plant's crown can kill it.
f·
·If bark, h~est sparirig matêrial taken from divers, .~ma'ller branches
or from trees downed by -recent storms. Avold taking bark from the
main ·trunk of a tree.
35
course of prayer and supplication, gnosis may be imparted to the Green Sorcerer
concerning specific arcana of the Genius and its role in the nascent Philtre.
37
Our Prayer is but one example: let the sorcerer harvest and prepare a variety of
spoken charros from the Arbours of the Wise. It is be.st not only to summon but
petition also for aid specific to the brew being made. Use of the Sigillum
Undinum may also be incorporated inte other water-focused sorceries such as
rain-summoniqg. After the beckoning the Spirits of Water, the sorcerer should
propitiate the_Undine with several drops of the Aquaeum Luna,
39
Prayer of Lilith.
-{Exhortation Unte the Mother of the Ves~et)
Laáy of 'Bíacf<..Asn,
Seductress of%!Souí.s,
'Briáe Df tfte Serpent 'BrlfiFtt:
~use tfte Suá witftin tliis 'Um tliat it' maygrow.
Ia Ia Liíi.y_at
Convo~ a[( Seroants 6y 9{,ame aná 6y SÍ/Jn
~ in Assemó(y untó tfte 'Íriune 9iaUcwing of 'l'Ftee,
>tntlSeaí tftis ·'Work.of 'Encftatt.tment.
Ia Ia .(,,iiiyat
Mali SÍ!4Yajàt -
Of especial relevance to the Ars Philtron and the Green Arte is Cain AI' Shajarat,
or Cain of the Sacred Arbour, the enleaf'd masque of ali plant mystery, and
specifically the magicai congress betwixt sorcerer and plant-spirit. As the Exile
cast forth into the wildemess, Cain AI' Shajarat embodies the collective Genii
Loci of lands tameless and.isolate, and the empowerment arising from a perpet-
uai stance ofsolitude. Further i~ntified with the .Sun and its powers, Cain AI'
Shajarat may-alSo be regarded as the ignified Solar Virtttes within ali plants, ·the
interna! fires which sustain life in every -~reature, as well as the Fires. of -i-he
Chymical Demiurge which heat flask and retort.
The Fetish of the Verdant Cain is a Perfum'd Skull stain'd and scented with
the accurriulat~d juices of precious blossoms, leaves, essential eils, and -r~siâs,
Cain AI' Shajarat may be envisaged as a taU male figure with prominent homs; a
severe countenance composed of wood, leaves, thoms, seeds, and mosses, and
41
bearing ali the rampant and fecund growth of the wildemess. His sinistrai hand
bears a sicl<le, emblematic of the powcrs of Grecn Sorcery; his dêxtral hand
grasps his Fetish, the skull of Abel transfonned by Green Arte into -an oracle of
gnosis, the bony jaws sprouting the saggitate-leav'd Vines of Woodbine, their
blossoms frigrant homs uttering forbidden knowledge.
Approptjate offerings to Caio Al' Shajarat are the lifeblood and seed of the
Green Sorcerer, and the bumt blood of trees, those fragrant resins which,
when thurified, ascend to the Heíghts bearing benediction and sacrifice pleasing
to the spiiits. Favour'd are Black Copal resin and plants naturally rich in metals,
especially lron,such as Wormwood, Mugwort, and Nettles. ·
2) By devotiQnal prayer and invocation of the Plant Genii comprising the Potion.
43
NECTAREUM
SUCCUBUS.
4
Of The Nectare_u m Succubus.
e lassic P_hiltres of Old w~re chiefly ap~rodisiac. in nature and incfoded not
only aqueous preparat1ons, but foóds, pastilles, powders -and balrns.
Hippomanés or "horse-rage" was perhaps the most famous in~dient in
love potions among the ancient Greelcs. It referred both to "the sluggish poison
that flows from the pudenda of mares in heat" and to a bit of _fiesh the size of a
dried fig which, by proclivity, clings to the_ brow of a newborn foâl-1, the organ in
question usually incorporated by stealth into food or wine. Anotber favour'd
invigorator of Lust was Foam of Stallion's·: MP.uth, used ~o anoint the phaUus
prior to sex"1al congress: Other animal _in_gr~dients in love potions óf antiquity
· include Pha1H.is~of Wolf, Remora, Brai~ _õfCa~ Brain of Lizard, -Bcme of Green
Frog ·oev~UJ'e<!In kit Heap, and hair fro~ ~he tip of a wolf's tail. Reproductive
and internai' oigirls of certain animais were· also highly esteem'd. The foJlowing
traditíonal Greek-tove-Philtre incorporates: the- remains of a beast, einploy'd by
the sorceress to sway the heart of an ambivalent man to her: · -
Take a bat and bury it at cross-roads; bum incense over it for forty
days at mídnight; dig it up and grind its spine to powder. Put the
du~! in a man's drink... 2
A potion. You take a little shaving of the head of a man who has died
a violent death, together with seven grains of barley that has been
buried in the grave of a dead man; yoo pound them with ten oipe, -
otherwise nine, apple-seeds; you add blood of a worm ... [and of]
of a black''dog to them, with a little blood of your second finger
(that) of the heart, of your leh hand, and with your semen, and you
pound them together and put them Into a cup of wine and add thrée
utch to Jt of the first fruits of the vintage, before you have tasted it
and before they have poured out from it; and you pronounce this
invocation to it 'seven times and y~ make a woman drink it ... 3
· The above Philttes reveal a potent practice.of eldritch love-Philtres: the covert
introduction of blood or sexual fluids of the sorcerer in the potion, allowing the
sorcerer's esserice to infiltrate the blood and thereby the very ghost of the
desired victim. The infiltration of potions by blood may occur by varied means.
Herodotus documents blood-oaths of the -ancient Scythians, whereby the blood
of the partí~s sweµíng was mixed with wine, then drunk, acçompanie_d by
prayer and the imrnersion of various weapons in the cup.• Ancient Egyptian
pharaohs were said to become deified or immortal by drinking Sa, an elixir
45
regarded as the Bloocl of lsis, whose hieroglyph was the Vesica Piseis, or yonic
loop, rcpresenting thc vulva.s Some spells of traditional witchcraft also- cinploy
thc blood-:fink for binding and aligning an animal to thc sorce-rer's will as
Famulus:
such beasts ... are obtained at their birth and are duly consecrated
with the name of the Spirit-Farniliar. (The method of the
Consecration is in the manner of a Baptism and the Method of
Binding is to cross-sign the brow of the beast with thine own blood.
The dutiful service of thc Familiar is ensurcd by fceding ít a little of
thine own lifcblood at cach rite of thc Full Moon.) Such' Beásts
enjoy a splendid longevity and are often passed down througb suc-
cessive gcnerations of Witchblood -the animal bcing a totem oft hat
family and the Spirit-familiar being thc ancestral Scrvitor.6 -
The addition of sexual fluids are of equal impor:t to blood, as this elixir falis
under the planetary dominion of Venus, and of all spirits of Lust, Pleasure and ·
Vencry: the~Succubi and Incubi of the Green Witch's craft: Su~h potent nectars
include serilen in men, and the Dew of Arousal from women, aS:~eU as female
orgasmic humours, of supreme potcncy in the Bewitch'd Nostnmt'-Of Lust..
Mumi~, l>e it blood, sccd, swcat, or othcr watery exprcssions of the Physium,
is bcst cniploy'd fresh, empowcr'd by stellar fire or Perfcct lmaginalArt; but one
may also collect such fluids where thc Bounty of thc Fons Vi~e alfows, dried and
stored, added at the magc's discrction. Tinctures, distillations, and magisterjes
may also be made with mumia by means of thc Opus J\lchYn1icutn and the
Enchanted Balneum of the Royal Arte. _ ..
ln their·expressions of power, the Succubal Nectars of the ·Ars Pliiltron vary
widely. Some lust-philtres stimulate the corpus; othcrs, as those distilled from
thc Night:Shade kin, are narcotic or dissociative in action, numbing the 'Xits of
the victim and weakening the powcrs of resistance. Some, such as Cla.ry or
Sunflower, bear principies which excite circulation, cspecially tG the ·abdomen
or crectile tissue. ln general, thc action"of most Love Philtres is Hot and Moist.
Perhaps the :most important factor in col1Sidering a Love Philtrc's efficacy, and
one almost universally ignorcd, are thc persons involved and the affinities
betwi.xt them. Sexual ambivalence ot teRUlsion toward the Enchantcr is a pote nt
and complicating factor, and glamours, v.ampirism and other magics of seduction
and subversion will probably be rcquired as an adjunct to this Magia Sinistris.
The Ne-ctareum Succubus falis within the planctary domaín of Venus,
Goddcss ofAmorous Tides, and these love-potions are ideally brewed when She
is exaltcd or in a favourable astromantic aspect with Mars.
l
on the Wheel of the Philtres as the Red Nectar: for ali venery is the Work of the
Vessel, whether the Child so engendered be of Mortal Flesh or Astral; anâ ali
Veneey ís the Work of the Blood. Arot.isal is the· Cardinal Sulphur of the Nymph,
and it is in this nubile form that Our Lady of Night arises in the Nectareum
Succubus .. The brewing of the Lust-Philtre is accompanied by the Prayer of-the
Sulphllr of Lilith. Accompanying our prayer is a bumt offering of Lunar Sulphur,
the fires of the Nymph's passion, used to fumigate the Vessel prior to brewing.
49
'
market, and -it is well-wprth developing a rapport with the- local.Rhizotomist.
' The action of. Ginseng on the corpus is extremely warming and stimulating, and,
for the purposes· of the Love-Philtre,. more syrnpathetic to men: Tinctures and
standardized extracts may be employed in Our Brew.
American Ginseng. (Panax quinquefolius). This sister of the Asian Root differs
slightly i-n action b\lt is well worth seeking in wild woodlands for its properties.
Segments of fresh root, may be brewed into a decoction with. or without other
aphrodisiac adjuncts. If using fresh roots, individuais of at least thf.ee years in
age, or having roots 2-cm. in diameter, should be used. There is much profit in
using dried Roots as well: steeping them in spirits for tincture is preferr'd to
br.ewing. The wildcrafted material taken from Nature, as opposed to culttvated ·
AIDerican Ginseng, is more potent, and its higher price reflects th.is, although
such ·wild material may well be--the result of poaching or overharvesting, as this
offense against Nature is common with Our Root.
Lovage. (Levisticum o!Ecinale). ln sorceries of Love and Lust, the fresh Root has
been employcd as a major ingredient in Philtres of A.rousal. Infusions of the
leaves, stem, and crown ~ay be made in varying strengths, or the juice of the-,
~oot and leaves expressed by pounding. A friendly Companion in the Garden,
50
r , .
Lovage is hardy and easil)t grown, long suffering; and generous-of fragrarfoe. As
with Lettuce, it is best to gathet the Herb before it flowers.
Rose (Resaspp.). Like Cinnamon, Rose may benefit the Love-Philtre·by additfon
as a sympathetic and pcotentiating flavouring agent. Associated with Love ãnd
Lust fr.om time immemorial, the buds and blossoms are in every waysuitable and
-sympathetie to 0ur Arte. Its Virtué is especially suited·to cordiais, numerous"
fresh pelais added during the cooling pha5e. Only the rnost fragrant ofõssoms'
show<! be added, with care taken to gather from ·pure plãnts that hâve n~t been
infestC:d·with deleterious chymiéal pesticides. The magician is directed to nardy
varietie~ that do weU without them, such.;as rambling roses and climbers that
have retain'd much of .their ability to fight off pests. One may also use- Rose
Wâter,-the hyàrosol which is the aqueous product of rose-oil distill!t-ion. tal<i~g
care not to heat~ -True hydrosols, labeled as such, are best, but one·may'also use
food-grade Rose Watér if suc h is tlíe only optjon. Additionally, Rose Õtto (steam
distiitli EsSentfal Oil of Rose) may'be added in the quantity -of 3~Il°_drops per
500 ml. ofcorcii-aI or Philtre, to great benefjt.. - '< -
52
Terror of the Earth (Trihulus terrestris) . This enthorn'd member of the Caltrop
. family, belligerent in appearance, and also called Puncture Vine, is becoming
increasingly known to Natural Magicians as ~ provocateur of hormonal tides, as
well as ª _kindly Ally of the Heart~ As a Philtre for the Delights of-Venus, the
fruit, roots and leaves are mixed ..togedier .in a pot with enough wAte.r to cover
·- a.nçl boiled for se.v.en minutes. Strained and cooled, the mixture is dfunk twice ·a
day. Llke Periwinl<le, prepared e:xtracts of Tribulus are now appearing in varied
forms on the Apothecary's Shelf, employed especially for promotiÃg sustain'.d
,erection in men with increased sensation, as its action is androsterogen.k.
'
Vanilla ( VaniOa planifolia). Besides its supreme value as a flavouring, Vanilla
possess magicai and pharmacological tendencies toward Venerie. While ready-
made · extracts are easily available from Herb Merchants, they oftel!_dishonQur
the Genius of the plant by adulteration with vanillin. Behold, a Bean withooi
guile: one may glorify her sovereignty in tiilcture form to the betterment of ali
Works. Some heans are now available organically-grown. Its virtues are especiàl-
ly extalted in the form of a Plant Syrup.
Yohimbe ( Coryilanthe yohimhe): The bark of this West African Tree has long
been used in ecstatic rites of sexual magics, marriage and nubility rituais. Of late
its powers have been increasingly exploit'd.by allopathic medicine for combating
impotctnce. More than sexual arousal and erection, Yohimbe also contributes a
component of ecstatic euphoria unparalleled in other Herbs. Use of the bark
must be attend'd w~th caution, however, as it neutralizes the-Monoamine oxidase
enzyme which, by the artífice of Nature, destroy certain amines which would
otherwise be ho5tile to the bodf. Thus a strict taboo on certain foods should be
.observed for twelve hours prior to and following use of the Philtre. These
indude--cheeses, wines and bcer, canned fish, choeolate, pineapple, bananas, as
well as amine-bearing principies common to visionary plants such as mescaline
and dimett\yltryptamine. Alcoholic beveragesare· ill-advised. A simple Philtre of
Lust cáh be made by boiling one handful of Yohimbe bark in one litre of water
for 30 minutes, straining, and adding 1000 mg. Ascorbic Acid. This should be
aUow'd to cool and drunk by the cupful until desired ecstasis is achiev'd.
Standardized extracts of Yohimhe are also of Great Value.
53
:Formulae:
Wine of Melissa.
An Herb of magnificent repute among alchemists, Lemen Balm (Melissa offlc;,,
na/is) ·is rej.uvenative and arousing. Macerate ,35 gratns of fresh-Lemon Baltn:·
leaves in 500-ml. of sweet white wine, in a cOGl place, -for orie day. This·f'1tst
extraction, when chill'd and drunk, is a fine balsam1 if distllPd onefold, taking. .
gooâ care te discard the faints of Head and Tail, that Elixir whlch arises is a rriost
pleasant liquid to behold, and even better drunk,..r giving rise to venery and
strengthening the procreative facility in both Man and Woman. ,_
Leonine Dclight. - - .
An ~amorous potion to be made on mid-Summer or when th~ Sign of th~'Lfon ís 1 -
enfl~rÃêâ by the Sun's 'goodness, and when the flowers empfgx.e4 _a_re b{oogiinf ·
aiidiliay _
be co}leci'â fresh. . - ..• - ~ -
Petals'of Sunflower. ·ss·g.
Flowets of Clary _Sage. 55g.
Flowers-of Llt>n's Tail. }0~.
C~r:iander fruits, oo.ripe-< t8g.
Oef~tte ·Winc_. - · one botile.
Sage ~H~ney. - - as·requir'~.
ln a large, airtjght steeping vessel, macerate the blossoms:-in good wine for one
ciãY-_a nd.night, shaking several tjmes. Strain and discard-thc plant bodies. Distill
ori<:et:"djscar-:di~g the feces, and mix with ene-quarter-thc_ vo_lume of sa&e honey:
Flora's N ectar.
. (,
Place the fresh flowers in large glass vessel, cover with _brtmdy .and seal. Sh_ake _
and store in a darkw-warm place for .3 days. Strain plant"material 0ut, reserving_
that precious liquid which remains. Fill with a_new ·batch offl.owers, $hake1 and
store fÕr another three ~ys. Strain plant material out, reseêving !iqui& Fill witb. '
yet another a new batch of flowersJ and the vanilla beans . .Àgitate. this herbal bath
and store for an additional thtee dáys. Strain plant bodies o..ut and disc:ai4, _
reserving the liquid once ag.ain. Heat the tincture over low flame, ~ir -i-n rÕse-~
wa.ter aod honey or royal jelly. Cool and store in dark place for 2 ~onth~. Pilte( =
·and adjust flavours as ·desired hefore s~rving. . .-_ _ .
54
Aquaeum Anethi Amour.
Dill, like many other umbelliferous members of the Apiaceae, is possessed -0f
rousing Venereal Virtue. Seeds of some members have beén found to stimulate
hormônaf action in the body. For Our Wine, place 3S grams of Fresh Díli Sprigs
in enough sweet white wine to cov~r; sweet German wines such as Spãtlese_are
especially effkacious. Steep for four hours in a sealed Henneticus; strain, and
drink freely. This sarne formula may also employ Leaves or Sprigs of three other
members of the family, Coriander, Lovage, and Parsley. -
Elixir Silenus. - ·
A Philtre of the Horn'd Mysterium for Masculine Strength, and Virility, to be
drunk in quantity before sexual congress or the ~abbatick Orgia. The philtre Is
to be prepar'd by men only. Vivification takes place by the Black-handled biade,
or by means of other enchanted steel, and not by a Wand. ·
Radix•-Panax quifiquefolium. 2 small.
Groat of Wild Oat, fresh. 33 g.
~aves of Damiana, dry. 20 g.
Blos~om of Nasturtium, fresh. 44.
Capsule of Nasturtium, fresh. 14.
Cubebs. " 10.
Root or'GÍnge11 fresh, grated . s g.
Deer Antler, powdered. s g.
Take onc: Root of Panax, cut into thin slices; the Cubebs, and SOO mi. water, and
boil uncovered for 20 minutes in the Wort-Cauldron. Add the powder'd Leaves
of Walnut to t~e boiling pot, together ~th Ginger, after ~h~ first Ave minutes
of boiling. Remove from the Are and let the mixture rest, adding the Damiana
leaves to steep for twenty minutes. ln a separate glass cucurbit, simmer the
Portions of Nasturtium in 3SO ml. of water, for two minutes. Strain decoction
into the Qauldron. Add SOO ml. of 151-proof Rum. Strain this philt.re into the
Ritual. Bottle, and add one whole, dried Root of Panax to the bottle to serve as a
warden of the Potion, and to impart its subtil virtue over the space of time. ln
one month's time, filter the potion again and discard the sedimentum.
Maybowle.
A traditional heathen drink known to incite lust. Sweet Woodruff instills the
wine with a vanilla taste, as well as other intriguing elating sensations. Th~
peculiar flavour augmentation, as well as the exhilaration, is due to the presence
of a number of virtuous principies known as coumarins. Woodruff, like other
Galium species, is ,a shade-loving plant; it can be obtain'd at most nurseries of
integrity and is easy to grow, asking little of the Gardener and giving a great deal.
Ripe berries, such as Straw or Rasp, may be added to the Drink when serving.
Of fresh Sweet Woodruff sprigs, take 6S grarns and chop fine. Combine 1 litre
55
·.
of Sweet White Wine with 600 mi. Dry White Wine. Add Woodruff to the
steeping vessel and cover with the mixed wines. Stcep in a cool place ovemight.
Chill, strain and imbibe freely.
Dhakira Al-Yabruh.
A Cordial exalting th~ Erotic Virtue of the Mandragore by tempering its. fir.e ·
with Rose. Still, Our Nectareum is strong medicine, balanced-betwixt the
Paradisc of Delight and the Wildsrness of Souls, to bc used onl~ by the True
Magi of the Root.
Bean ofVa~, chopp'd. 60 g.
Petals .of Damask Rose, frcsh. 60g.
Bark of Muirapuama, dry. 30 g.
Root of Mandragora, sliccd thin, dry. 11 g. ..
Fruit of Fig, fresh or dry, chopp'd. ( 11. ,
Rose Absolute. 22 drops.
Honey. · 350 mi.
Place the Vanilla, Mandragore, Fruit of Fig, and Bark Muirapuama into a large
airtight vessel. Covcr Herbs with 80 proof white rum, allowing to·macerate for
thc duration of one moon, agitating on occasion. Add frcsh rosc petals and more '
rum to cover, macerating one mo<>n. Strain, reserving liquid in a large, sealed
gourd, interring the plant materiais in a separate glass vessel. lnto this vessel add
enough spring water to cover the plant corpses, and let rest in darkness one
week. Strain and discard the mortal remains of thc plants, taking Good Carc'to,
give the Mandragore a prayerful burial alongside a coin, thanking the Mannilán
for its good work. Heat the water extraction, and dissolve the entirety of honeY,,
then add to the ethanolic tincture. Age ín shrouded, seal'd v~ssels for one luna-
tion, then filter: elixir and add Rose Absolute. · It is done. ·
Treaame of Liriosma. ~
A spiritual exaltation of the Heavenly Wood, suited to ali Rites of Pleasure.
Bark of Muira:.Puama. 6.5 g.
Leaves of Darniana1 dried. 30~.
Bean of Vanillà, chopp'd. 4. -_
Twig of Cinnamon. 2.
Orange Flower water. variable.
Stecp herbs in 151-proof Rum and macerate for two moons, shaking often.
Decant the menstruum and discard the marc; dissolve a quantity of Maple Sugar
in water, heating over a low fire, such that it waxes viscous and equals a fourth
the volume of the Herbal tincture. Cool, and add an cqual amount of Orange
Flower water. Add this to the tincture, blending well, and bottle, aging for thc
minimum time of one month. If a Sedimentum Mortuum forms, it may bc dis-
carded;· or colt~ed, calcined and dissolved again at pleasure.
(
Damiana Cordial.
Leaf of Damiana 25 g.
Pétals of Rose petals 15 g.
Of Blossoms of Claty Sage 5 g.
Vanilla bean s g.
Twig of True Cinnamon 5 g. ..
Tincture plant materiais in enough brandy to cover for eleven days and Strain,
reserving the alcohol tincture in a glass container and store in a dark place. !ake
the pressed marc and soak in enough spring water to cover for five days. Stram;-
then disposc of the marc, reserving the liquid. Decant water cxtraction -in~o â
glass cooking vcsscl, warming sufficiently to add honcy in the quantity :of one-
fourth the volume of the water extraction. Cool the honey'd aqueous brew and
add to the alcohol extraction. Decant the cordial into anambcr glass bottle. Age
for at least one month prior to consurription1 but cellaring for the space of six
months yields even greater wonders. Filter-if desired. Adult Dosage: 100 mi.
cordial. Our Green Lady has a strong vasodila-tive property, e5pecially nõtic~able
in erectile tissue; the-Philtre is injurious to conditions of weakcn'd He~and
Circulatión; women witn child should also avoid it. All Contraindicatiorrs-for
alcohol use also apply. Other Herbs with lustful correspondences may be added
during the primary tincture such as Rose, Cinnamon, Vanilla, or Clary.
Nigrcdo.
A rousing and stimulating cordial invigorated by the marriage of Cacao and
Coffea arahka with the languid euphoria of spirits of Cannabis, thc Treasure of
the Philosophers arising. from Blackness. The sacrament is best used du~g
extended rites of sexual sorcery, cither autonornously or with a partner,_drunk
ín draughts of 120-ml.
Cocoa, ground. - 45 g.
Coffee, light roast, ground fine. 20g.
Nut of Kola, ground. 20 g.
Ephedra Herb. 10 g.
Bean of Vanilla, chopp'd. 10 g.
Cubeb peppcrcoms, well and truly pound'd. s g.
Tincture of Cannabis. variable.
Maple Syrup. sufficient.
Steep Cocoa, Coffee, Kola, and Ephedra in enough Rum to cover. Let macerate
in a dark place for two weeks. Simultaneous to this operation, tincturc Cannabis
of assur'd quality in enough 90 percent grain alcohol (pharmaccutical grade is·
best) to ·covcr the plant material. Let the Cannabis tincture soak for two weeks,
th~n strain. Strain each tincturc separately. For evcry cup of Herbal tincture,
blend in 80 mi. Tincture of Cannabis. Finally, add Maple syrup to sweetcn and
bottle aging sevcral months and filtering into Ritual Bottle.
Rosa Myrtus.
An arousing.philtre·of amorous delight, the potion makes use of Myrtle (Myrtus
communis), a tree sacred to the Spirit of Poam, and an aphrodisiac of ancient
renown. üve specimens of True Myrtle may be purchased froin nurseries of
good repute, ~d ttadily adapt to the garden and arboretum. Orange blossoms
exalt this Drin'k of Drinks when fresh, but we may, without too much regret,
suhst!tute 22~gnims' of the dried blossoin. ·
.
Lcaf of. ~yrtlc, frcsh. 60g.
Blossom_of Órange, fresh. 3:3 g-;
Seed of Cotj.ander, unripe. 20 g.._ ~
Lcavcs of M.Mjoram, fresh. Hlg:.
Salep. 5 _g'" .
Otto of Rose. - l€>dr<?pS.
Steep herbs in,enough brandy to cover for the'duration of one lunar cyde. Strain
the liquid anel dispose of the marc. Heat 250 millilitres of honey in sufficient
water un~il díssolv'd, thcn stir into the tincturc. Add Otto of Rose when cool and
dclivcr unto-the Ritual Bottle. Drink in 50-millilitre draughts prior to Venerie.
Ncctar of Priapos.
A tonifying sexual elixir for Men, which may also be use4 for a potent Love
Philtrc in grcater quantity. If a Nectar of greater potcncy is desired, the amounts
of both Gi1_:tsengs and the Saw Palmetto may be doubled.
ln an airtight Vcssel of Gcncrous Size, cover Hcrbs save the Cinnamon in brandy
and stcep for 2-3 weeks. Add the Twig and allow the cordial to macerate three
more days. Strain the tincture, discarding the plant remains, taking eare to filter
what partieulate may linger within the menstruum. Wann a small amount of the
tincturc and ·dissolve the honey to tastc. As a tonick~ take 20 millilitres daily, as
an aphrodisiac, a 50 milllitre serving. - '
.•
Nostrum Aphrodisias.
A tonifying sexual elixir for wom:en, of great import and baisainjc virtu.e unto the
VeneralOrgaris. '
Ítl
Preparation of The Lunar Salt.
To cotnpound thc Salt of thc Lady, combine- both powders a_n d k~ep contained
in a ~~ver~d; bidden vessel until ready for use. When the Bath h~ been drawn;
· pr~fcrabty at the dark of midnight, tálte..a pinch of the powder and ~lently add
to tbe_PQtion-Cup~ Pour enough Colloidal Silver over the pow&rs to dissolve in
the _liq~id. This exultation of Liquid Salt should then be adde<i_to-the,_Ablution, ·
acÇompa~ied &y the Prayer of the Salt of Lilith. . _, ,
·'
Ai.. ablution using Beer for cleansing Noxious Spi-rits or disruptive spiritual ·.
floêculi, is ·mQst.simple and effectivê..To a tub oflukewarm wat~a,add a litre of
be-er, al~11g with 20 grarns of tahle salt; !lnÇhgitate tlie water in a d e9Sí1 direction
7
wlth th~ Wand of Quickening. lmmerse for 8-10 minutes, -pouring the water
ov~ tnê:-heàd. After emerging from the bath, the ablution should-be allowed to
air-dry'. Any subsequent sorcerous aêtivity is especiàlly potent given the strong
purification óf the bath.
Though Our Fonrtularium will focus on the hot bath~ the cold ablution and
. its attendant praxis is worth mentioning in brief because its rewãrâ.S are great. ln
general, wit~a cold bath, ftesh -matel'ial is to be used, prefer:ably wildctâfted by
th:e sorcerer ,of_ sorcer.ess: The- act -,o f_ harvesting- should strictly foHow the.
, Protocols -of the Gt.e en Sojoum, proceeding with c-0inplete f-ocus, enga_ging the
- spirit of tbe ·plant fur -permission to pluck, petitioningfor the sped:fic -pe:Wers
0
desirecl: Gnce-the_pfant ~materi"ª1 ·is secure, the magkian sho\.dd again-dean the
harids, 'and -conseerate the oratory~ ln th-e Workirtg Basin, the Herb should be
torn and kneaded into waters appropriate for- ~he w.otk, making ptayets and
exhortations unto the Genius .of the plant. Pinally, beccime as a Pure Vessel:
opening oncself to the Virtues ·of the Plànt; the ensorcelled côld infusion should
be poured over the héad and -\>9dy -in sinallcupfuls, breathing dceply and ·
employing the Arts Imaginai to rêso:natc anchttaffkk with the Genius ôf the
p_arts
plat\.t. One may strain out the pulp::-õ f the,·soliçl of the plant -if one desires,
or. not. After émerging from thc.bath, tJte-pfültr<:. should be ~llowed to dry on
the body,-and left for adeast-0cne dãy, ~=-~-wor~ .of Flower Essences, this
Wotk is-·o f Supreme Puissanée in-·Solitaey:Q:ingris_s Witha plant ally~ . _-· ·
- Hot;Ltistrations ar~- employcâ-ín dlltefs'w:&~;A favored me~hod preparés ·a, .
concentrated herbai lnfusion, aadingcto.thé báih~née drâwth Assuming a bath.: .
contait\ing 300 litres of water; the infusion may_b-e_:made using 90 g. dry herbs
to 2 I•res-.boiling waterr-for fresh~herbs, use double the ·plant material, well ·
PQ'1n.ded, ·and the sarne-amount of water. A secend_optiOn is to use only -p ure
Essett:tial Oils of the herbs in"luestion-, -although many are not suited for direct
. aqdition to. Batns;, exceptions Stlch a_s ·Lavender oécur: A third method employs
combinations of Herbal infusions, Essential Oils., and salts. Finally, one may add
whoie He.rbs directly to the bath water; this offers a unique congress -with the
phints in qu~stion, especially when whole plant$ or .their parts are recruited as
ágents of sétubbing and abrasion. As with ali pations, -employ·the Wand ofWater.
for invoking the Undine. After the bath, allow the water to air-dry on the body,
le~ving t he plant ànd-its virtues to work for at least.a day.
And the priest shall put on garments which_he has. not wom to serve in
the holy place ... and he shall dedare the-garments guilty and slaughter
the-heifer before him~ and ·he shall collect its blood in an earthen ves-
sel that has not been used to present an offêring on the altar. He shall -
then sprinkle som~-of the blood with"his finger _seven times toward the
'front of the tent meeting. And be-sball throw the cedar bough, and the
hyssop, and the crimson material; into the midst of its bumi!'\g.2
~one -rare examplc of a magicai wash from the European Ritual Magic.
Traditi<>n is to be found in the obscure medieval grirnoire-71ie Book of Á!JK.eÍS; .
RiflgsL Character§ ~d irr111ges of the Planets, attributed· to ~Osbum Bokenham.:°3:>
For m~maing quarrels with a beloved, the magus recommends washing plates or
drittking~utensils in -Rose Water, then giving them to the beloved to drink.fro~
The text alsó recommends a wash made from Chamomile, profoundly sirríilar-:to
Ameri:can Indian and Voudou traditions:
, And if you boil Chamomile, and wash the .plate.and·sprinkle that water .
: -i~-pfaces of discord, Of in any pfaces of the WOJ"lci, ali e_yif~( cease. . .
'
The· ~fagical Wash is known to the Wise of Voudou, essential for scfuí>b!ng
floors-and .walls ·after .particularty rioxio11S psychic activity.. Some of the mhie
pot~nt countermagic washes contain urine, which f:?y_its purging,propet'ties may .
compare in so~cerous virtüe-with Banishing Herós. Though their distiriguishing ·
p.otency arises through dispersión, Washes, Asperges and Compounded Mjsts
maf be -regarded as essential Phíltres of Sorcerous Hygíene, used primariJy for
the.arts of purifying. . .~·-. ·
Of the Basin and Branch.
Let those employing the Asperger consecrate a Ritual Basin for sprinkling; to be-
. ·used not only during the Rite of Asperging but also for Quiekening_the ASperging
Philtre. When cbatming the potion, let the invocation of traditional goos of
medicine, healing_or demon-slaying accompany. The ·Branch ·is that Green Sword-.
which casts ·out noxio~s spirits by flinging the Asperg~into sp-acc. A., -fresll•éut ·
sprig. from a strong purifying Herb should be harvest'd'mid Gree:n Sojoum ind ·
sqpplifated to obtain the powers of Cleansing; ·evergreen conifers ~eh · a5 F:it or - -..
-Spruce-ar~ wetl-suited·for·this. " ~
in
·~ - Sprinkli~g, being an filcordsm of Water, is best accomplish'd. cortjunetion
with E:xorcisms of Smoke and Powder, or Fire and Earth, the triplic.ity of
'_ ~]lilosophical Principies thUS-complete. Dippfog Brançh -i nto the..Philtre, let th~ ·
.:~teansfng·tiquids beJlung With great force, accompanying each sprinkle With the ·
- ~out or vibratien of-Word of P-ower whose resonance is expulsíve tÕ unwante~
·sprites. When worJcing in -a room, begín the circumambtilatfon -a \ the circle's · -'1
heart, spiraling o~tward- until the Bo-undary of Arte-is traced: - . - .- "
-When using wàshes, a dean doth is employ'd and scrü1' alt surfaces first 'with
dean water. Following this, -a new, dean cloth should be used to apply the Wàsh.
When the washing is complete, remove both Basin and Cloth-hom the shririe.
, Of Compound'd Mists. -
An Asperge may be made a Mist by means of an atomizer. Such: takes the fqmi
of a glass bottle with a removable atomizing head. Many of. these are made .of
amber oi' ·cobalt glass and are thus appropriate as Ritual bottles. Asperging
Philtres thus may be intem'd within, with suitable addition of ethanol ·o r ..
-Perfumer's Alcohel; to create Compound'd Mists.
There.are two methods for creating these Asperges. The first is in tinc_ture, ustng
Cieansing Herbs such as-Pineor Fír, and diluting ihem With'wàterto at least 2-0%-
, alcohol. ·The sec-0nd Mist is compound'd from Wafer ,~ alcohol, .;1ird-E<Ssent-ial Oils
.., of .the chosen Herb. A llSeful ratio is 75 mi. distilV-d-water,--4Q~mF"perfumer's
- akohol, and 12-24 drops Essential-Oil (the most·Teadily avaifabte atomizers are-
4 and 8 fluid ounces in volume). Agitate the fluid before atomizing .
.
:Pharmacopoeia:
Acacia (Acacia spp.) ~ The Blossoms, as well as the Leaves of Our Tre~, may-be
added to the bathwater for the magicai work of Fortification, or nourishing-and
strengthening the Mind and Spirit. 55 grams -Of=the-fresh bloom5, ~eeped in one
litr-e of boilins water for 20-minutes, provides a Viituõus Baln~um ..
Broom (Cytistls spp.). Regard!d as a pest by fanners and some bo.~anists;· our
Herb makesfor a virtuous lüstration. In-particulãt, it owns thepowers of obsta-
de-brealdng and motivation, and is specially good at disrupting inertia. For a hot
bath, steep between 150- 250 âried blossoms c>r-approximately 300 fresh in r.s
litres of boiling water. After steeping 30 minutes, strain and add-to the bafü.
-- • + -
Chaste Berry ( Vi'tex agnus-castus). The Candomble abô, or sacred baths, employ
various species ofVitex against the Evil Eye; 'tis also esteem'd as as\iffumigant.
Of the dried or fresh berries, use a decoction of 18 g. of the Hétb to 450 ml.
boiling water. Of the leaves, use 33 gnuns in 650 millilitres of water:
t ..
juniper (Junipe~ spp.) f<?r treating nervous conditions, a bath· made ~th th~
Serdes and fronds is much ~esteemed. A napdful or two of th.e fr~sh, p~lverized.
Shoots and_Ftuits may be ground and placed in a cheesedoth bag and add'.a to
the hot.water of ~ ablution, severa} minutes before entering. Dr.ied leaves·may .
be used as well; a purposeful decoction can be made from 33 grarns of the .dried
leaves, simmeredd-n 1.5 litres of water for 20 minutes.
Larch ( Larix ~pp.). Rare though the tree is in the literature of sorcery,..its virt'ues
should not be overlooked by thos~_living beneath its brançhes. -A ~rqng spirit of
Co1;1rage-1 Triumph, and P1'otection, the Genius of the -Larix wiil stoutly-defend
all who are its allies. An_ablution of Larch leaves is. noted for its prot)erties of
Centering and lnspiration, as well as Fortifying and Invigorating the spirit of the
warrior .riding into battle. Make a dccoction using 1.5 litres of boiHng water,-in -
wru~h are simmcr'd 85 grams of thc young shoots, well-chopped, for twen~y
minutes. Strain the brew and add to-the bath.
- - -
Gaiangal (IVlempheria galanga; Alpinia galanga). Washing one's hands in 14tea
brewed from =G-alangal root is a. potent c~nn for success· ín gambling, as Root
Doctors- and other Voudou sorcerers know. The Root's magicai pro\'.enance of ·
em~oweriqg the Derma is, in a similar way, hail'_ d QY Ritual Magicians whe ·
blerid its-Oleum Essentia into the fame9 Oil of.Abramclin. For use:- as a potipn
ot hand-wash, empfoy _40 grams of the fresh Root in 1 litre of water; bring to '"' ,
boil, then simmer in -a.cover-ed vessel for 15-20 minutes. If circu_m-stances force . ,
use of the dried R-oot, émploy double the amount, as-many of the virtues have,
by· this time, escaped-iltto the aethyrs. For ablutións prior to magicai rites, the ,
amount may be increased greatly-according to Need.
68
Mint (Mentha spp.) Thc Herb is casi~y
grown and readily dominates moist
ground. Strong infusions are an cxccllettt featurc of a deansing brew or as an
adjunct with other Herbs. Peppermint and ,Spearmint are very easily~found, the
former ~ing some.what more aggressive in magicai action. Infuse 80 grams of the
fresh, chopp'd Herh in l litre of boiling water for twenty minutes, ~smg a plant ·
press to press the marc dry. ·
Orange ( Citrus aurantium). For the purpo_se of an enchanted Bath, tnree parts
needs concem us..The first is the fragrant leaf, whosc gooclness·reaches its peak
just prior to flowering. Thesc leaves, crush'd, steeped in cold water, added-to the
bath, promote much of the sarne simultaneous relaxation and stimulation as odoes
Lavender, but wictb a Solar, rather tban a M~curial, emphasis. l 50-200 grarns of
the fresh leaves, mashed in a solitary litre-oflukewarm or cool water,~ffkes to
, provoke a most pleasant perfume. The gentle flowers, also called Ner-0li, may be
· added to the Bath in the quantity of 50-90 blossoms: it is recommended that
they -be added directly to the water, and,"theit petals used to scrub the body.
Their virtues tend toward Beauty, lnvigoratiõn, Fortification, and Lust. íhe rind
ofthe fruit also posscsses much virtue an!imay be made into a het infusion, to
bring Joviality or thwart rude spirits. Employ 100 grams of the rind, steeped in
l litre of boiling water for 30 minutes. Scrupulously avoid using-dtrus Essential
Oils in the bath: it can irritate the Denna and increase photosensitivity.
Pericon .( Tagetes lucida) . Decoctions ofthe fragrant plant have been used for
healing and purifying baths, but it is difficult to procure outside Mexico. As this
is an Herb with a potcnt and varied magicai pcdigree, seeds are worth· seeking,
so invite this marvclous Grcen Spirit into the magicai garden. A dec:oction may
be made. using 50 grams of the fresh, d!opped herb, including the stems and
whole blossoms, in one litre of water. Boil_anâ simmer in a covcre.d -vess.el for 5
minutes,· alloWi~g tbe dccoction to sit off the fire for an additional ten minutes.
Of greater excellence is -a strong infusion, employing 100 te.aves. steeped in 350
millilitres of boiling water. .. .
Pine (Pinus spp.). To convoke the genii of the Imaginai Mind, art invtgorating
Bath may bemade with the young shoots. Several handfuls; atter they have beên
truly ground, may be ádd'd to the hot bathwatet some minutes before ~thmer
sion. For a Balneum óf superior strength, simmer 65 grams of fresh; chopp'd Pine
needles itr 1:5 litres -of water for 20 minutes; strain, ·a nd·add to bath,.. -
Rose ( R"osa spp.). A warm or cold infusion of the pctals may be us~d for
Ablútiens of Fortificatíóil, that is to say, beautification, and ~he gentle but pÕtent
repair 'Of iJliüfed psychic sttuctures. Rose may also ·be ~ployed· in the inagical
manne~ -ef Balm of Gilead, a rare and precious ·resin now virtually impos!ible to
obtaín, -·known .for íts powers of consolation to the Heart. Roses may 'be used
fresh or m.the form of Rose Water; Rose Absolute may augment the·.Balneum in
the q\lantity of a- ·hatf dozen to ten drops in the hot water. Ros~ water .is a
supreme Asperge, especially for purposes of Consecration, and may be used in
the forro of a Mist. Rose water or Hydrosol are readily available. Ã Compound'd
Mi-st may be made using the-Standard Formula with 4 drops Ottcr ofRo~~~ ·
' -
Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis). Tn general, this Herb hu a stróng and ancient
association with mankind, ·and nas serv'd as an Ally in many Endeavóurs. lt. is
abhorren:t to mMf,foul Spirits and entirely approprlate for thelrdi~persion:For
ti-eating nervous·· €onditionsr a bath made · with the~ fragrant Leaves, .has béeit
much esteem'd, and if flowers be gathereà in sufficient quantity, their· powers
exceed that of tfie:Leaves by·a factor of three. A hearty infusion is generated of
to
7Q gr4uns of ~hopp'd sprigs 800 millilitres of boiling water, steeped for fiãlf an
hóur. B_ettér stilHs the Ess~ntial Oil, extracted by one's own curini!lg Ór obtain~d
froma good distiller. A Compound Mist of Rosemary is made by -dissolVirig- 40
drops of EssentiaÍ Oil of Rosemary in a single .fluid ounce of Perfuiner's l\lcohol,
t~en a~ng _SO- _ml. ôf distill'd water. This ~may be mixed and ádded to' the.
Atomi~t. -
To commune with Rosemary -5pirits, retire at sunset to a candlelit bath
chaml?er, drãWing the_h9ttest wat~r possible. Bum dried ·rosemary leaves and
wood continually as an.!_n.cense ofbeckoning-pleasing to the plant. foto the wate.r"
pour two litres of masterfuUy-stro.ng~ decoction of the plant's leaves a_n d fl.owers., .,__
a~ well as five large Rosemary br~c:hes, freshly cut, leaving sarne hardwciod-ánd
greenwood -stem in the wat~r. Immetse irÍtó thís Fragrant Potiotl, covering ·as
much. of the body as possifile, beckoning.the=plant as the Mind is subsüm.ed by
Gre.en Reverie.
Rue (Ruta grav11epfens). Rue has an ancient magicai pedigree of exorcism and
.protection from Maleficia, especially the Evil Eye. Baths of strong Rue infusions
are usêful "for persons harass'd itl the night hours by unwanted -sptrits·.
Conversely, in some streams of popular lore, sorc:;erers of ·matign intent utilízed
Rue in-potions to effect destructive magic. Our Herb works as a hot innision,
added to a hot bath, ora cold infusion, kneaded in water and poured over the
70
body. For the formet, stee:p-50 gr:.~of:Ruêitr-l"~ :litres-ef.c.boiling water for30
minutes,. then strain and add· to the-bath. Foca'c-õlc:l bath, knead-65 ·grams ·o f
·_ fresh"Rue--in 2-3-lit-res o( waterin the :R:ituaFBewl for- 20~30'-ininutes; invoking
.;. .:._ the- Genius of the He.rb -as the .leavcs are smedded.-This'phiftre:·-should lken be
_ peu~d solemnty ovcr head and body in small -Çupfuls~ As an ,hctbal m.edicamerit
-:-- - · Rue p.9ssesses abortifacient properties; pregnant- women shoul<favoid a-Balneum
- with-strong Rue c~ntent, as it may adversely .affect some sensitive individuais. .
- · Sage (Salvia oil1dnalis). Harvested-t'reshi well..:.stcep'd,-strained and addccho-the
Bath,. Culinary Sage is - an ínlp.eccable friend for the magica[· ptrrposes of
lllumi!iation. Ofthe fresh or dried·Ieaves, one -should steep 55,grams in a_litre of
boiling watcr. lt is advi5ed that for longer, more .deeply.~focused Baths; ene may
wish-to bum the dricd leavcs as an accompanyingincense. Sage wooo·and _twígs
~ontairi' adàitional virti:íes especially suited for De~ermination and FOC1JSi these
'may be. decocted in a ratie of 30-50 grams of the twigs to 1 litre ofwater.
Other Sag.e spe-cies, while theirCení-i-va-r-y censider-ably, are also -approprlate fot ·
_-filuminating and Fortifying W-0r-k-, ~ucb as Whítê Sage (Sá/via apianaJ; P4tfe~pple
-,,>-:S:ãg~: {Sã/viã eleganst; and Bfaék Sàge (Sã/via f]J.e//ifen)~ thé''tatter · resonati~g
-= With Cain of the -Fbrge~ ·· · · ·· · ·
~ - i
Sagebrush (Artemisia spp~). Verily, witheut ,doub~t; and truly: Our Gray·L4dy of
the Waste is a·pe.erless Al.ly for driving-..off tank Ghosts of Off-ense. Numeto0$
spedes of desert Artemisia are-·ali known- as Sagebrush. A number orNO.tth
-Ame:riean nations used various species of- wtkt sagebrush as··a cleansing bath,
sometimes following the Sun Dance, ei in sweat lodges. Many tribes bume<:f _t~e
plant. af the ~ginning-ef- ceremorues, to=lmttr p.urify and "open the ways". A
philtre from tliê 1-tetb may bemaaêby wiy of-SÕ[aiinfosion:~put 40 g-rams of
ttié"-~sh:llctb· inte a 1-Htre jar.,=:fíll-wítlicwi~cer-r=:and allow to steep-ffi"tlfe-sun ·at
.i~~S.-hours. This snoutd then oc strain!t{~a.~-t.--at-foem teitlperat-Ure-t~wash
the :body~ much•in themanner of Rue. For a.ttattltiõiíil_õath, -s~éep 60 grams of
the fresh Herb in a 1itre of boiling wal:er fot 2() ml.ntítês. Strain' and add to ·bath.
71
. '
Sweden, Spruce needles are placed as a Ward outside a church to keep· trolls
away. 4 The fresh leaves, chopped and bcaten, may bé drown'd in Perfumer's
Alcohol for one lunation, yielding an Emerald Essence of gre!lt savour to the
Nose and Spirit. The beneficence of this Philtre where routing septic spiritual
matter is c:oncem'd is readily demonstrated. Strong infusions õr decoctions of
Spruce, also excel as asperges prior to collcctive works of magic.
;
Vervain ( Verbena spp.). A certain. folk potion of Old krlown as Juno's Tcars was
madc from _Vervain steeped in water; the resulting cxtraction- was üsed ~or
house-cleansing,-.and possessed an uncanny aptitude for chasing Noxious Spirit~.
When tbe fresh plant is employ'd, a quantity of flowering tops in the amount of
30 grarns should be used, well-steeped in 800 millilitres of boiling water for haif.
an hour. The herb merchant gcnerally sells Vervain in its dried form, the Leaf
being cut and sifted, but with blossoms absent. Of dried Vervain, use 45 grarns
in a litre of boiling water, steeped-30 minutes. · · , .\,
/
:Formulae:
_ Jcwcll'd Watcrs of Radiancc.
A Sacred Bath For Women; being a most excdlent preparation-"Íor the-r-ites of
any. sylv,n·goddess, nymph, female -spirit or deific-form. The Bàlheum.récjuires
genereu$ amQunts of fresh flowers, hence several hours should be allotted for
gathering, ~ing ever mindful of the spirits to be honour'd.
Lêt a .c old infusion 9f the fresh blQssoms be made, allewing them _t.o ·steep. ifl
larg~ ·seal'-d v~ssels of well or spring water. Make a hot infusion of .the -Rerry
;heaves1 ")'Vith sufficient boiling water to cover. Seal in a stoppet'd jar and steep
for.:-30 rninutes. When the Bath is drãwn:~ strairi'the Lcaf infusion decoction into
the-~water, alonf.witb-the Orange flower water and 'Rose Abs~l~te.' Ad·d·- double
the ~unt o.fS-altof Lilith to~he ablutión, _ and agnat~·the~waters. ·Fina11y, pour
- i1í the e9ld inÍUSions; leaving the fresh flowers-to float freely. Let the Spirit to
-Be Hmióur'd lie invoked With the Wand of Quickening, and'thé bath-cha-mber
lit with ca-ndles.
. Aqueum Liliya.
A lustral sacrifi.ee for -ritual conveyance of the benedictions of tilith mner-folly
-waxed, angelic, an4 tutelary lunation. The bath may be modified for· succubi,
nymphs, or water:.-spirits. Ali flowers should be fresh-gatbered in Her name .
.
Petals of White Roses. 200.
Blossom of Jasmine. 200.
~:lossom of-.Gardenia. 100.
. 'Blüssom ·of i.i1y:.. 3.
~-- Blossoro of Aflgel's Trumpet. 1.
Placc1nto theWórking Basin and cover with 4 litres of cQld spring watet. Knead·
.the blos5oms .gently between the fingers for several moments -while .a graven
image of the Lady is 'silently focused upon with Ey-e and Heart. Let stand Jot
three hours prior to use in a quiet, sheltered place, away from the light, with a
- sirtgle white candle fit for the Lady before her ldol. During the rite wherein the
lustrati.on is to be- employed, the _Lady sl?.ould be invoked with· a. warid of
Crooked -Willow 0r "Tamari~k, and the brancn employed to q~1cken- the::florid
waters. The petals should be:·left ih the wateI'S and the lustratión~prinkled upon
the crowns, brows/ and palms ofthose who would reéeive ·tire Lady1s-g0Ódness.
73 .
Waters of Magnetism. -,
~ -·An-exéetlent bath for increasing Charisma or one's natural Charms, ideal for
- . attracting~a mate.or other sexual glamours. The Balneum may. also be ~sed prior
"'fo:gamhHng. ôw.)ng to the seasonal nature of Cherry and QWnce; the .Bath is best
. "· êmpJ~__y'd Jn S.pting. Cherry ·blossems are rarely found at the focarap0thecary.
-_ _Ikus,~ne.must-:gather one's own in Spring. One may also employ blos_soms of
Apple,.Ptum, Pear, or Peach for like effect. ·
. ·steep in en9ugh ·boiling water to cover. Let the infusion sit for. ·10 minutes.
~--;_~rain -jnto bathwater, washing the Herb material through several times.
- ~am~erse_ oneself for at least 30 minutes and allow the waters to· air"-dry on the
:.-;: ·sl<,in áfter.:--emerging. · · -
Lustration of Mercurius.
'.-':J\:ltath.app.ropriate for invoking the patron of magic, and alc:hymic Wisdom. This
_-;;;Bath ~f..the-Wise ·grants especial gifts prior to labows ofthe spiritual fabciratory.
· Laxep~r. BlessQms: 3-0g.
ESsential.Oil of Lavender. 8 dr-0.ps .
. - Essenti~ Oil of Sandalwood. 8 ~drops. _
-~ ·Kõsner-sãll. 60 g. -
_. ~ip~om Salt. 60g. -
.Jnfus~. lavender Blossoms in LS litres boiling water for the space of 3thninutes.
~ _ Strain·a.nd.add to a 300 litre bath and stir in, adding salt and oils. For best results,
soak for at least 40 minutes and drip dry afterward.
Warrior's Ablution.
··.À stimulating brew to lend power during confrontations with enemies, the law,
pr-for úse l'ri_or to negotiations. .:. ·
Add- Rosemary and Cinnamon to a cooking vessel with enough water -~~1 cover.
.-Bring~te 'á boil, covei:, and simrner 15 minutes. ln a separate vessel, Àeep_the ·
- ·Bi-oom-andehamomile blossoms in l litre boillng water. Strain both-infusion and
d.e.coct.iOri and discard Herbal material, adding the liquids to the bathwater.
74
Earthing Bath'.
For drawing stray powers back into the Corpus, centering the- Mind, and subdu-
ing quarrelsome spirits.
Infuse the Linden and Wormwood in 1.5 litre boiling water for 20 minutes. As
it is steeping, simmer Oak leaves in l litre of water for 20 minutes. Strain both
fluids into the bath tub and soak as longas is needed. ·
/ Midsummcr Gold.
A Solar infusion madc from traditional Herbs for washing the body and clcaring
and fortifying the acthyric orb.
1 •
FloorWash.
A general but potent Encharmed Solution for cleansing the oratory or homc of
Noxious Spirits or in the wake of an unpleasant event.
Leaf of Vervain, dry. 40 g.
Leaf of Sagebrush, dry. 30g.
Leaf of Thyme. 20 g.
R.óot of European Mandrake. ~ 7 g.
Stee_p Vervain, Sagebrush and Thyme in l litre boiling water, leaving to stand in
an airtight jar for 7 hours before filtering. ln a separate cooking vessel, add
Mandrake to ~()() mi. water and bring to a boil. Simrner 20 minutes. Filter and
reserve liquict,'4burying the boil'd Root in an honourable location and with a coin
and thanks. Add to Herbal infusion when it has been strained.
75
Purification Bath.
A relaxing bath excellent for quieting and realigning the disrupted p(yche, as
well as nourishing and envigorating t he bastions of spirituál defence. Our Fair
Decoction may be simmered longer than the 15 minutes given, up to 25. The
resulting brew may be used for a cold bath as well, omitting the salts and oil.
Fir Needle. 50 g.
Atlas Cedar. 33g.
Epsom Salt. 30g.
Root of V alerian, chopped. 25g.
Root of Calamus, chopped. 25 g.
Essential Oil of Sandalwood. · 5 àrops.
1
Bring 1 litre of w.ater to a boil. Add Fir, Cedar, Calamu5 and Valerian Cover and
• •
simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add to hot bath water, along with essential oil
and salt; For ~ of extreme disruption, double the amount of Fir~ Salt, and
True Oil of Sanders.
Mist of Dispcrsion.
Eot' banishing rude spirits or flocculum abomini. Mix all ingredients in 4 oz.
atomizcr bottle-and agitate before use.
Asperge Sylvaticus. ,
A suitable brew for asperging brethren prior to Congregational works of .sorcery.
The ingenium derives from a subtil congressus of the Lord and Lady-of the
Deser:t, the Lord of the Forest, and the Lady of the Garden. \
79
Consider this entry from Giambattista della Porta's Magia natura/is of 1589: ·
This Discretipn eis of uttn,ost irnportance to the b~ãnce uf both th~ Rota -
·Philtron and th.e_Mage, and lies stricdy wit-h1n the Domain oft he Ma·s ter.-Such ·
-d'ise-iplihe is bolst.ered by expenence, but it is a virtue which:~so. arises so1~1y
witmn the éontext of the Gnosis of tn:e Magieal Arte ~nd:the· benedictions ohhe ·
Witch-Pamiliar. While it is the very language of the Marí of Nature, it remains
elusive to the Profane. lt carti\ot be leamed fram books of ink and paper, and
·attempts te discovér its ·mystery frottr outsidec the Cirde will be -met· -with
,-
destruction anâ dcception. · . . . -
ln power, _the Uluminating Poison is to be.understood as MutableActivit-y -or
Projection; ~y }Vh~e ·dynam/s rises <the griosis of Arte in Vi~ion, Voice, ~d ·
Ecstàs1s of the Sensbrium. The brew'ing of such Vísionary PotiOI\$, is petentiai ed .:-
.by the Prayer ófthc Mercury of Cain, .and the addition of a considerabJe poJ1ion .
of Prepar'd Solar Mercury. . .
' '
Prayer of the Mercury of Cain.
~r of tlie Plíallu.s
'White ~ountain of tlie [Jaífm Ones,
'Witn tliese waters
1 tliis po~ 6rew~
Suá of tfu Li1Jnt-6earer, .
Juice of'Ecstasis, '13alsam of'Temm
. '1«ne of Maáness th.rice ({;stilfá
~Tom tlie niááen (jraaíof Stmjtu:: spiífá.
:.B runfelsia (Brunf.elsia spp.). Another vi~ionary Nightshade, the pr.ecious juiçes
~f this Hetb are emplo;Y-ed as a visionary Philtre by the Kachinaua of;th~ Brazilián
.Amazon. Those drinking of the J\otent bever:age are catapulted into the .S-pirit
~alm, w:Qere theY, Ínust do battle with Dragons, Jaguars, and other anµnal souls.,
in:order to determine outcomes ia.the Material World. -- . ·
81
.;. · "'·
Cup of Gold (Solandn spp.) Twigs of Solandn hrevicalyx and S. guerrerensis
have traditionally been brewed as a visionary Philtre by the Huichol. As this is
another honored membcr of the tropane-bcaring nightshades, caution is advised.
A Vine of great Beauty and profound presence, it may bc grown with easc in the
sorcerer's medicine-garden, given a subtropical or Mediterranean climate anda
sun-blessed location.
Psilocybe Mushroom (Psilocyhespp.) The Psilocybe kiri are many and varied,.in
personality, predilection, and preference. Of especial joy tô the Green Sorcerer
is Ps11ocyhe azurescens, very small, aureate of cap, dark blue to.b)ack of stipe. ln
'Powers they may be cons.idered to fall under the resplendent, ignifted dornain of
Lúcifer, the celestial light-bearer bringing ali the good gifts that illuminate and
eyipo_\Ver our Arte. The qualities so expressed may be termed both empyrean
and infernal; angelic, illurilinating, transgressive, and quickening unto the fires
of the Royal Arte. To exalt the Celestial Fire of this, our Holy ~read, fourteen
grams of the dried mushrooms should verily be reduced to a powder, then
i~terred in a Ritual Bottle ha~ng a capacity of 250-350 mi., and covered with
the finest honey. Let t}lls elixir be stirred once a day for a week, then set to rest
for a moon's time. As ·an illuminating noctumal Sacrament of Solitude, two to
three spoonfuls should be _míndfully -savour'd. 'Witches' or Crows's Bread is à
-term of the Curren generically applied to a wiá'e range of sácramental maten-àls
which may be ritually consumed in juxtaposition to the Vinum Sabbati. Of s\ich
Bread.is Our Mushroom, ancient of Mystery and Aureate of Light .
., '
San Pedro cactus ( Tríchoce~us pachano1). The use of the cactus as a visien-
,sacrament in Peru dates to. at least 1300 BC. Centuries a~er christianization,
folk healers still prepare ritual brews known as Cimora, employing sundry other
cactaceous species ~nd at least one Campanulaceous Herb whose identity as
yet is a .mystery- as adrnixtüres. The Cactus is easily grown, and is a most
potent Ally. Many different species•of Tiichocereus are mescaline-bearing; the
rater T. peruvianus is more pôtent and worth the rigours of a plant-pilgrimage.
For preparation, the outer skin and the'first five millimetres of white flesh
beneath it are removed and simmered in tripie its volume of water for at least 5
hours, adding water as needed. ln general,. when brewing of the plant a phytog-
nostic decoction, use 1.5 feet of the Cactus per celebrant.
~
Scopolia (Scopolia carnioli~a). ln ..,t he Middle Ages( the Herb was used in f~lk
, medicine as a narcotic and an ingredient in love p~tions. lt was an important dritg
in Renaissance apothecaries; the plant was also u\Cd as a lethal poison. S co~lia
is associated with magic of a licentious sexual nature in the folklore; in Romania,
the roots were used as a substitute for Mandr~e . lts plaçe in the Night.Snade
family suggests it may have been an i?gredient in witches' unguents and brews.
\
:Formulae:
Mykacon Azurcsccns. .
Place 6 grams fresh Psilocybe azurescens (or 9 grams dried) in a .600 millilitres
of water. Bring to boil, remove from heat. Add 75 grams dried ' Peppermint
leaves and 20 grams Lavender blossoms; steep for 20 minutes. S~rafn, squeezing
out juice from solid material. Add honey to taste; formula serves 3.
->.
Vinum Opii Dacmonum.
An effective sacrament for Necromancy and rites of a mediumistic naturc.
Madiera. l litre.
Tincture of Opium. 15 m'i,.:~
Belladonna Berries. 20 . {
5 ~. ~- .., .
Hashish.
Add tincture and Herbal components to the wine, let steep for orte full lunar
cycle. Strain and bottle. Drink one 35 millilitre cordial glass prior to i:nPgical rites
invoking Spirits.2 For oneiromantic congre.ss with phantasmic shades, half this
amount will suffice drunk prior to retiring. ,,_ ..
Henbane Ale.
Light or Amber malt extract syrup. 6 kg.
Honey. 1 kg. ·,
Crystal Malt. 300g;·
Malt sugar. 300g. :
Henbane leaves or tops, dry. 55 g.
Liquid ale y.e ast culture. l g.
Distillcd or Spring Watcr. 19 litres.
This fomiula makes approximately i 5 litres of beer. Fill a Great Vessel with '9.5
litres of preferred water and seal. ln the Wort Cauldron, thoroughly cover
the Henbane with water and make a decoction by simmering, for 7 minutes.
Remove from heat, strain, and set the completed decoction aside. ln a large
brewing vessel, add the crystal malt to 6 litres of cold water and bring to a boil.
Remove the grains with a straincr when the wort reaches a full boil. Add the malt
extract and honey to the wort and boil for 1 hour. Thc honcy will °give rise to a
Caput Mortuurn, which should be skirnmed off and discarded. Pour the wort
into the fermentation vessel, along with the Henbane dccoction, and seal. When
thc wort has cooled to room tempcraturc, add the yeast and rc-seal. Storc thc
fermenting wort in a warm placc, away from light. When thc fcrmcntation has
completed, boil the Malt Sugar in l litre of water and add to the fermentation
vessel, this is to prime the beer for carhonation. The beer may now be siphoned
into bottles. Age two months, storing as for ordinary ale. Consumption is 1-3 12
oz. bottles, to bc determined by the constitution of thc physiurn. . .
Wyne of Revcrie.
This perfum'd Wine, upon ripening, may be taken in small draughtsof 15-30 mi.
. as an adjunct to Illuminating sorceries of a Solar nature. Physical exertion
increases the efficacy of the brew.
)
Into a generous Hermeticus, inter the Guarana, Radix Ginseng, Hashish, Cubeb
, Peppercoms, Poppy, Vanilla, and Cinnamon, and cover ali with the clearest of
Ruma. Let the entirety of the Ginseng be found in a single root: it will be
retained in the wine when ali is done. Allow the mixture to ripen for three
moons, then strain, rcserving the liquid, discarding ali vegetahle matter save the
Root of Ginseng. Do not filter the sediment which remains. Heat water in the
amount of one-fourth the volume of the Rum tincture, adding the sarne amount
of Molasses when it boils. Remove from heat and let cool; add the water and
Molasses to the ethanol tincture, letting the ROQts remain in.
t '
l
Waters of St. Peter.
San Pedro Cáctus, fresh, whole stem. 0.5 metre.
Root of Ginger, fresh, sliced. 100 g.
Fruit ~f ,Lemon, fresh. 11 .
Leaves Ófi..emon, fresh. 22.
Prepared Tamarind. 5 g.
Honey. ,.,'j·;·
SOml.
· After ma~~ supplications to the Ca~tusptoviding its flesh for sacrifice, take the
fresh cactus. and skin it with great care, r.esCrving the green rind and 5~7 mm. of
that inner w.hite pulp which clings thereto. The spines, being small 311d limited
in.number, máy be left in the rind, for there they will stay, despite greati>oiiing.
. · Place thé shaye~ rinds into the Wort-Cauldron and cover with ample spring
water, briÕg}ng to a boil. Simmer for three hours, periodically adding water to
keep the brew
·- s.
fortified. After the Third hour, add more water, the Ginger, plus
' the chop~ci Lemon fruit and leaves. Simmer an additional hour, then remove
l
the plant material and reduce the brew to 1h litre. Add honey and Tamarind and
let cool.; Drink the entirety of the brew; individuais of lighter body weight or
sensitive conhitútions should consume half this quantity.
f
..
1
VINUM ACERBUS.
7
Of the Vinum Acerbus.
any pl~nt Allies, aqi:l the strong potions arising from their expressed
.. ,
~.: ( --.
'
. .'.
Vitriolic Masque is but its initial Veil: within this realm of firc there lies the. .
threefold Mysteriurn of Purification, Moulding, and Tempering:· th'C Sulphur,. ~
Merrury, and Salt of Sulphuric Cain. ln this aspect Cain may be r:egafd~d as the~•.
Forge-Prentice: the aspiration or Will to Power. ~-~,_-
As with the Mereury, Salt, and Archaeus of Cai11, the Vinum Ac~rbus is by -
its nature Poiso~, harbouring powers projective and deadly, as the hOQk'd Tail of , ·
the Scorpion. Solely by the Sorcery of Change,"the Tr~~utatió1(.of\poison
within the Vessel of the Flesh, is brute venom rendered a· magjc med~~merit. ·
. ...
. the brewing of the Vim.aro Acei;õu~_,.should
In' honour of the First Sorcerer, ..
be accompanied ·by the Prayer of the Sulphur of Cain, and the copious ígnifka-"·
.
tion of the Solar Sulphur within the domain of workíng, and upon_ th~-hallow ' d .
·~Altar of ~e, bl~cksmith's tongs ·laid before the Skull of the Master. ' ·
·, • -
. ·i:;,'
Prayer of the Sulphur of Càin. ,,
' '
.88
' for our purpose may be made from 45 gtams. of tlie chopp'd leaves, boiled in a
·single litre of water for thirty minutes and main'd. The berries -of many //ex-are
profoundly emetic, .though possessing ·capability· for poísoning of the body if
imbib'd in significant amounts.
Juiliper (Juniperus spp.i. Th.c N!llvajQ ~~d Juniper for â v"'riety of ~gics. The
·w
Herb has 1:5een employ'd as a Sacred Emetic in purification iii_is; the. ood is
employ'd to make pray.erstkks. GhQ~ B:eads, a string_of .an~h.oll~'d _juniper
l;>erries, are an old Nava;ô,,çhài:m ~ai-nst nightm~res, especially for children. ln
numerous traditipns a wlfd:wo~ng j:uniper marks a portal to the. Qtherworld,:or
Underworld. Cilrio.usly~ the.l<àt'irs \\Se the puming fumes 9f Jurii~_r br~nche~ as
a modus of trance induêtion into the reafms of Faerie. As an emétic, a _strong
decoction of 60 grams of ~he leaves and herries boil'd in 1 litre of.water sJiould
be made. This may be · drunk. by the cupful until nausea .e115ues. The Green
Sorcerér is warned that Juniper is irritating to the urinary tract and habitual use
is not recommended.
Mescal Bean ' (Sophora secundiflora). Ours is a small tree of' ~tlle North
Ainerican Southwest, growing to 35 ft., having joyously fragrant flowers-of ~:4ull
p}nk or light viôlet co}Qur. These blossoms,give rise to a woody pod of-silver~gray
colour, cover'd by a··soft down, and bearing 3-8 :haià red Beans within. Kri:own in
Brujeria as FÍijolitos, these beans bear in their _p_hysium cytisitie, a toxic alkaloid
from the sarrle chymical kin as nicotine. Accordingtó the Writírtgs ofCabeia de
Vaca, the.Indiáris of Texas regarâed the Beail with such estéem·that they were'
used as articlés of trade, much as coins. The Red Bean has a ·strõng religious and
magicai ·pedigr.ee; Cults óf the Red Beart were numerous among the original
North Americans, with .the D.elaware, Apache, Comanche;. Kansa,, ~Ponca,
Wichita, Tonkãwa, Oinaha, Pawnee, "0tó, Kio.wa, Iowa, Kkkapc>o; arid Osage
nation.s aIJlOn:g the reverent, Amóng itS magicai uses were·divination, protection,
initiation; and. as a ptovoçateur of visionary phantasmagoria. Use:.:of the Poison
br~ugl;it on vomiting, regarded as à rite of pt,Irificatfon and e.xorcism. ln one
report of the Iowa Red Be'1t Ceremony1 individual Beans were. placed befor.e the
fire and slowly rnJst'd until they assum'd a golden hue, they were thcm pound'd
into a Medicine Brew and drunk. Though there are other accounts of the Beans
beque~thing the seeker with vision; this one cites only ceremonial VOQ'liting and
prayiríg ..lt is gener,Jly believed that Peyot-e; as it was disseminated north of its
endemic range; gradually repla.çed the beans in these ceremonies, Individual
beans were also estee:m'das pÓwerful fetishes and were carried on the.persôn f.o.r
protectfon from injury and accident. Cytisine has potential lethal action; it has
been dmm'd th~t fróm I-3 whole beans. is enough to kill a per.son, though other ·
observatiQ!lS suggest-a lethal dosage ·of greater quantity. •
Myrrh ·eCommiphora myahar·Th~ resi!t ef our Gn~rl'd- Tree i~ a stimulating·
aromatic and tonic bitter kno'wn tó :the ancients for its healthful properties and
fór presemng the fl~sh ,~f the ~~e~d. ·As the good renaissance doctot' Marsilio
Ficino noted, "Myrrh, strengthening the body, does its strengthening through
Saturn, strongest of ali the planets." Universally employed in physick and sorcery
-as.asevcre specifick against noxious spirits, we best use Myrrh in Bitter Draughts
by means of a tincturc, made by takin.g 30 grams of Myrrh resin and pl~ng in·a
small vessel. Cover with tripie the volume of the highest-proof spirit pessible,
and let macerate for one lunation. Decant and store in a ritual bottle.
Oak (Quercus spp.). Both leaves and acorns posses!i acrid and astringen~ virtues
which, when brew'd in water and drunk, may yield up emesis élue to a ~~~~h of
tannins. 20 grams of the fresh leaves, well-pulverized :and brewed in SC>a"tnl. of
water for twenty minutes, will suffice for a small draught. · · ..,
-4
(jracious Afyrrlia,
,.t , '11Wu 'Bitter,
' (>.• '11Wu 'Difficult,
'11Wu j{ncitnt aná PuTfiÚJBf
Affy aná Afouming Afistrtss,
'Bafsam ef tlú 'f)UJIÍ
\ .' .J4ná 'Waráen ef tlú Living:
1"rom 'Te/iama, tlú Infernal 'lJesert
'To tlú Laná of Afy ~atlúr's (jfwsts,
.91.anti, ;tan.ti, ;{anti
... !A.rise!
91
.,
. '
' . .. (
. ·-~
'
( .•
Let then the Myrrh be poured into the Working Basin, along with the deeoction
of Holly7 Wormwood, and Rose Geranium. This mixture is stirred wi.th the ~.;,
Wand of Quickening, incanting the preceding salutation of Myrrh. Let a simple . _
and solemn drum beat mark the time as prepar.ation of the Vinum Acerbus pro-
_ceeds and the potion is drunk, or the intermittent, doleful chime of a bell of
( ,
deep pitch. Elsewise let silence suffice. Let the mixture be drunk from the Cups
ofthose assmbled, a mouthful of the Philtre taken into the mouth and he14·while .,,,
the Green Magister incants the Exorcism of the Elixir Expulsío. · --~ ··
\. ·:
Exorcism of the Elixir Expulsio.
o Myrrfia,
O Pefargonium,
O Wooá of 'Wonn:
~ ry'e 'Bitter 9-kr6s wfiiclí 6um tlít Moutlí
Parclí tlít 'Tlíroat,
~ Purge tlít Sou(,
'Bitul ye now
~ tlíwarting Spi.rits,
9UJáe aná Perverse,
jff[glíosts infectious aná 6ent on ruin.
o Myrrfia,
O (jtranium,
· O 'Wooá of 'Wonn:
'Bitul ye now aí( tlítse rwtjous upstarts
~ c~t tlítm into tlít Pfau of'Tonnent,
'E.ven as 1 ex:pel tlítse 'Bitter 'Waters.
The celebrarits, retaining the bitter elixir in thei~ mouths, no~ behold in the í ..
Imaginai Min<l eaçh Noxious Spirit singly reStrained. When each has been fuUy º ·
bound by the plant Allies in the Mind's Eye of the Celebrant, the potion should
be spewed out, or, altematively, swallowed in one drought and vomited (the·bit-
temess of the Herbs should be sufficient to ·indüce vomiting}. · The
forcible
expulsion should be accompanied by imaginings of ruinous spirits being cast
forth. A solemn or furious drurrtbeat may also serve to rouse and combat the
Spirits-. Repeated draughts may be taken freely. Each celebrant SQould retum
.their Cup to the altar when finished. . , ;...
· · Finally, the Elixir Conjunctio should be shared frdm a single Poti&n Cup · /
· pass'd ·among the celebrants. During the savoring of this Cup, let silence re~n, :.
as each brotber or sister presen( meditates on the melding of one's essence Witb -"-1
the ·Elixir, -áifd ·the nourishment of virtues soothing, until gnosis ensues.
Radix Al' Tbuba.
A sacrafuental Bitter Draught of sundry Roots made for the ritual resonance of
the Root-Mysteriulll of the Tree of Heaven and Hell and related contemplative
praxes. The philtre is best made in the endarken'd Season of the Wa.ning Sun,
and most auspiciously upon the Winter Solstice, when the constellation of the
Dragon is exalted in the Firmament. The accompanying Rite of Stellar Gnosis is
perfo~·~ in silence, at night, beneath the very stars of the Serpent's span. f
f
1
Root of Calamus, dried and chopped. 60g. i
Root of G inger, fresh. 30g. 1
RÓOt of Galangal, dried. 15 g. .
Root of Ash, dry or fresh. 7 g.
Root of Mandrake, dried. 3 g.
Take the Roots of Ash, Calamus and Mandrake and place in the Wort Cauldron,
covering with SOO millilitres of Spring Water, and bring to a boil. Let the Old
Man of the Swamp, the Guardian of the Gallows, and the Great: Tree itself
seethe in the Prime VesseL covered, fôr 'the space of three quarters'of one hour,
duly replenishing water to keep volume constant. Add the Ginger and the
Galangal and reduce the fires, simmering for an additional fifteen minutes, also
adding, water to maintain a constant volume of liquid. Remove the Cauldron
from the heat and st.rain the brew. Allow to cool for an hour, then inter in a
Ritual 'Bottle. The volume of the potiort'should be at least 400 millilitres.
. ln silet:lce repair to a desolate locus -~n Field or Forest with ~he Vinum
Acerbús safê in the confines of a Ritual BottJe. After having open'd-thé Domain
of Working in -darkness, let a patch.. o( ~re ground be cleared and a solemo
Libation comprising half the philtre poured out as a sacrifice unto die Arbour of
the W>orld. Where the Good Earth has been moistn'd, take it-up -ín nãnd and
anoin~ the feet, the hands, and the forehea_ d . The fluidic oblation and ftvefold
anointing circumscribes the Sorcerer's celestial orb and serves as tbe respectful
Salutation unto the Treê.
,Proceed to imbibe the Philtre, reserving small draughts in the mouth as long
as possible b_efôre swallowing. Let, such 'h e done with the eyes dosed, the
Sot~êrer wholly subject to the Bitteme5s of the Roots, whilst -feelirig oneself
enclósed deep within the ground, the Root of the Tree wherein lies the power
of the Wortcunner.
·. ;Upon swallowing the philtre, the eyes ~ould be open 'd and the head thrown
back, beholding the stars. As this occurs, let the Sorcerer catapu1t his awareness
upwà~d tow~d the constellation of Dracoriis, as though rapidly ascending from
the Root upward through Crown, Trurtk, Branches, Leaves, Flowers, Fruit, and
Seed ' of the World Tree. With each division of the Tree let, the perception
become more celestial and expansive, the final Hypostasis of the Seed being
identmal to ihe germ-Wisdom of the star-s themselves. Repeat the draught and
mediations as sezy.es unto Arboreal Gnosis.
93
• 1
PHILTRON ANIMATIO.
8
Of the Philtron Animatio.
\.:>
Preparation of the Lunar Archaeus.
The operation known as the "Elixir of the Three Vessels" is best accomplished by
the. Sorceress, in dose cooperation with a male brother of the Arte, within the
;,..
cir~le of the Moon's turning. All three vessels are filled simultaneously, though
contents and methods vary . .Yet the triune -Lunar Archaeus is of such potency
and efficacy to Our Philtre that the Wise cunning-woman should not be d~terred
in preparing it, for from it will arise magicai children of great-devotion. , .
Let the work begin on the midnight of the Black Moon. Three separat~ glass
~$!els of large size should be procur'd for this wórk, e-ach ~ing equipR'B. with
~n airtight seal. lnto the fi.rst vessel, place 50 grams Ç>f fresh (or freshly-:dried, no
oldeHhan two days) Lemon-Balm. I..ea:Ves are the best portions to use; but..is best
to include a .small portion of flowers as well. Cover with sufficient brandy <and
sealeq. The vessel is opened on the Full Moon and the completed Dark Mobn,
each time adding another 50 grams ofLemon Balm-with enough brandy to cover.
After this threefold opening and sealing, the first vessel should be aHowed to rest
sealed, in a dark place, for anothe~.month. ., . · .
lnto the se.cond Vessel, a quantity of fresh semen should be placed, collect'd
while Soi:c;,~ress and Sorcerer summon the spirits Ôf fecundity: ,the spr.çuting
seed, the fertile Womb, the gr.eat Well"ºf life in the Oceans. This se~d should
be covéred...with 400 millilitres of distill'd Spirits o:fWine, and·tne vessel sealed.
This .oper.ation should be accomplish'd, with the Brother of Arte present; alSo on
the followíng Full Moon and the fin_al Black Moon. Likevthe first vessel, it is
seal'..d; allowed to dige.st in darkness for a full month. · · . ··
..• Int<;rthe third vessel, place 400 millilitíes of rcctified spirit. Each night, for
:0ne lúnation black to black, at moonrise, let a small amount of the elixir~ of the
K'teis~o_f:the Sorceress be interr'd into the brandy. A.s with the other vessel~, this
th.trd:.$.h"Guld be seale~ and set aside, with its sisteis, for-the-space of on~ moon.
- '.After the first moon of resting, each tincture sliould be filteréd a~ the
- P9rat portion reserved. The sediment is discarded. Each tinctúfe shou!d ~inglx
-4:>e ÔistiU'd, carefully and taking as much time as need be, ~ollecting -only the
middle portien. When each has been singly distill':d, the three tinctures-should
be-mixed in equal proportions, and then stored in a sealable bottle of de.ar-glass.
Tilij is pfaced in darkness agaiw,_bringing it out only-_o n the FuU·Moon so that the
hottle-lnay abSot b the Moonlight for the auration of its celestial ttáns1t. It. rests
seduded until the next Dark Moon, when it is ready. Store in a Ritual Bottle of
Dãrk-GJass, addirig l millilitre of Colloidal Silver.
Traditional fognul~e for aninUting potions demand the additi~n of gold, silyer,
or crushed ~oonstÓne,. for their subtil Ill.agnetic powers 9r. h1cent pr.ope.rties.
Powdered gold is usually avail~ble from ·a -friendly goldsmith ot jeweller; but
Colloidal Gold may serve well also and po'ssesses the added henefit of staying
suspended insolutionA?ne may also ~cld metais to the potion hy heating a gold·
ring over a, flame, the,n plunging it with. tongs into the breW~ Done r.epeatedly,
enough_ gold will infuse the Fluid Condenser. Some pl.aqts_,also accwrtulate
apprecfable leveis of meWs, and, correctly potentiated, may be successfully used
for their.metallic virtues. Moonstône ca~ be put into a leather bag and pofiltded
with .a hammer to pÜlverize it. .
Blessed and Wis~ is the magician who, in rqusing the spirit of the Seeing-
F~t.ish, binds the object tó himself. ln this; the-usê of-one's own mumia;· mixed
judicio~sly in the time-honour'd ·manper of Alchymica1 Wine, is by far tP,e best.
Thus sha11 .tlie ·Opus·v1~e coagh!a~e 'round th~ Seed of De~ire .. 011ce kindle~
. wl~h the fües. of arlirnating,,ttiagi€, fetishes and scrying regalia. develop çurious
diatacters ·á'n& wiÍls of' their own, magnifled in intensity and compl.exity over
tí~e With re~ted .spiritual 1congress. · · ··
When amplifymg anâ cleavíng the. Astral Aires, it is essentia1 that the Green
Sorcerer retum to the ..First Circle when the work is done, well earth'd in the
origirlal .domain ofthe.workin.g. Included in this locus- ís the metes âná bouílds
of the sorç~re~'s own body, as construed by the desfgn of Na~ur~. For tl:üs1 the
animating i}otfon inay incluâe an Herb or Ston·e hallowe-d unto ~e G~nius Loci,
so forming a .po~ent . liiik to the lOcality. Súch a Genius may g\iide the sorcerer
back from a particularly Iof.tf Aethyric Flight, acting as a beaconcto ward and lead
the war home. Ali the better is t~e plant if a Famulus 'or Ally to the magidan,
for ease of,ncognition and-' congress. .
The Elaeomantic Virtues of Certain Curious Herbs.
The Philtre of Vivification may be further spedalized to become a Philtron
· Oculus. Natural Crystals, Ebon Mirrors, or othcr vitreous stones~ft\possess
innate virtues of Sccing, and may bc nurtur'd further in this direction by the
addition of thc Animating Potion. ln praxis the applicátiOJl of the potion must
be made in a sacrificial manncr prior to each Opening óf the, Ccte-sti&.l Eyé. Yct
it is the initial immcrsion of thc Lapis Anthracinus in thc Watets of Llfe that is
of greatest import, for in this moment is thc work consccrated and thc blind
made to see. Thus, prior to use as an ocular portal, let the Shewstonc of the Sage
be submerged in the Philtre for one day and night. Oncc removed from its bath,
the Lens should bc allowcd to air-dry. Subsequcnt applications require less of
the potion. Before scrying, let thc Lens be brush'd with a thin coat of frcsh Elixir.
Like other precious concoctions of Our Atte, Animating Potions are best st'orcd
in a cool, dark placc, prcfcrably in a bottle\of dark-colorcd glass, thus remaining
effective for several ycars. Herbs with light-bcaring properties, especially when
tinctured in clear rectified spirit, include: · ·
»
Of Blossoms. Rosemary, Chamomile, Brooms both True and False, Calendula,
Life Everlasting, Daisy, Rose, Fuchsia, Daffocial oT Nat1:issus, Orchids,
Baccharis, Dittany, Clary, Neroli, Lupine, Leptospermum w~ll-tinctur'd, Lemon
Marigold ( Tagetes lemoniJ) used very fresh, Magnolia, and Crocu's.
Of Nuts or Huslcs. Walnut and Acorn. Best employed as a strong decoction for
basin-scrying. ·
Animation of Homunculi.
Much like scrying regalia, cidolae may bc anirnated with such PhilÚes as com-
prisc the Magistery of Lilith. ln terms of the creation of thc Fetish, the routcs of
traditional lore provide a guiding Ught, but thc physium of tbe Birthing Idol
should be bathed for at least two wcc.ks in thc Philtron Animatio as part of its
magical birthing, then set out to dry in a-shieldcdJocation for another week. The
corpus of an Idol may also havc a hollow chamber or vcssel capable of hQlding
the Fluid of Vivification.
1
As ~th .thc shcwstonc, tlte composition of a poppet's Animating Fluid should
best reflect thc Gcnius of the Servitor and the Perfect Blossom of the
Enchantment of the Magus, as rouscd by the Fascination ofthe Fetish. Yet thete
is an additional component of such potions that is offertory in nature, a li-qwd
sacrifice to feed the famulus. Biood or seed may bc used; other such offerings
indude honey or wine well-mixed into the Potion.
• J
Hcrb Idols.
Podons of Animation serve the Green Sorcerer not only as a Fluid of Hallowing,
Awakening, and Vivifying, but also Amplification of Resonance. The ancient
notión o( the Clyssus introduces thc idea of a plant elixir cornpounded from ali
plant parts: root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit and seed. Spagyric akhcmy witnesses
thc separation of thc plant into thrcc philosophical principies -Suiphur, MerC1;U)',
and Salt- then recombined in exacting proportion, thus elevating the result by
the LabouJlS of the Chymist .well-tempered. ln a similar fashion we compound
t he Herb ldol.
Tu.e Herb ldoi drcumscribcs a wide array of piant extracts whose purpose- is
'to conccntratc thc essencc of an individual.plantas a magica! simulacrum oftbe
Genius of ihe plant in its highest resonant form. The greatcst of these is the
Akhymical Piant Stone, dissolv'd and recombined by the meticuious processes
of the Arte :Q.oyal, praycr, and purity of heart. Howevcr, ldols..may also be made
using sorcerous modi, which exait the wildness of the plant, as opposed to its
more civilised virtues. ~
When made with .Cunning, the Herb Idoi is the most integral manifestation
of a plant short of a living, thriving corpus of the piant itself. Idols are costly to
màke:and time consurning, but extremeiy rewarding for the Green Sorcercr who
has :developed a magicai rciationship with a plant or piants to thc lcvel of
Magisiellus or Grand Familiar.
99
~ ....: {(~ ~ .
i:. ',"
contain them. The-s e. should ~ then combined, first pouring the -Melissa into the
MugwQrt, then the Chamomile into this, and finally .adding the precious juices
of Everlasting. This mixture should then receive . the Colloidal Gold :and be
sto.r-ed away in a Ritual Bottle of coloured glass. l..et the-Wise add the fluid to the
surface of shewstones and mirrors prior to·use, and then see That Which May Be
Seen. Verily, this extraction consumes much time, but the result shalJ.be pleas-
ing and efficacious.
Know that it is essential to employ only fresh or freshly-dried élary, and t'hen
only that which has enjoyed much ,s un, as it harbours far more virtue than·that
one may purchase. The plant is easily grown, and justas easily obtámed fromany
n.ursery of integrity. After harvesting ·the plant material, dust off, but do,.not
wash, all fresh parts (we may of course except the Root). Divide' the bulk of -t ne
material into four equal piles. The first portion should be covered in br.andy in a
·sealed, stoppered vessel, and put away to tincture. The sec;ond portion shouldôc .
put in a sealed vessel and covered entirely with honey, with no'1?ortiõn of Herb -
breaking the surface of this sweet menstruum. This nectar-vessel should be ·
stored away from light and heat. The third pertion of plant mat-erial should bê
placed in a glass cooking vessel and covered with twice its volume in maple
. syrup. This is cooked over a low fil'e for about ten minutes, letting it gently boil.
. " .
. Tae yess~ -sbould then -~ removed from heat and let st,.ndJor ten minutes.
Straiit ..out. Herbs '8nd store the resulting syrup irí a stoppered bottle in a cold -
place. The fourth portion of Herbs should be spread out on a drying rack. Once ..
dried, divide this portidn further into two parts. The first is dually incine-~ted,_ .
slowly, at high temperature to arrive at calcinatio (whit-e·ash). This is reserved in
a stoppered~ vessel, !llongside the other vessels. The seconcf part of the f0urth
portion snould be saved for the final blending. . ' . !
After the R~ified Spirit and honey portions have tiilctured fór tWo rponths, -
they may be strained and the marc discarded. The white ash may then be ~adcled
to the emer~ng philtre. The honey may have to be slightly wann~d to strairialJ
tjie Herbs out. The brandy tincture, honey tincture, and syrup may then; be __
mixed in the following ratio: ·
100
Btandy tincture. 5 parts.
Honey tincture. l- part .
.Maple Syrup tincture. T 1 part,
The honey and syrup should be wanned over low heat to facilitate mixing. The
combined nlixturc should then be allowed to sleep in a stoppered vessel for one
week before being filtered.
, At this point one should choose a suitable Ritual Bottle to keep the ldol in.
This l>ottle, once cleaned and consecrated, should then be thurified with .the
smoke of the final portion of dried Herb. Wliile invoking the Genius of Clary,
lct -t he vapour caress the inside of the bottle. Finally) store the filtered produét
in the bottle and-use in small amounts for ritual purposes.
101
Blood of Alraun.
For the Ritual Immersion of the Root of the Mandragore, th.!t having beeh duly ~
harvested according to Lore and Custom, for the purpose of Awakening the
Mannikin-as-Famulus. .
ln the lunar season prior to the Rite of Exhuming the Root, take of another dried
Root of Mandragore three thick slíces, -and inter these in a Vessel, covering with
Eau de Vin, and speaking prayers to the.Genius of the Man.:.Oragon for blessjngs
upon the Rite of Pulling.3 Hide this .away in the dark, far fróm. the company~ of
other·bottles. This is the First Tincture. ln the lunar season of the Exhumaflon
of the Root; take three leaves from the Root's Crown, after it has been puWd,
and place- them into a separate smal1 vessel, like unto the ·first, covering w]th a
siJTlilar quantity ,of Spirits of Wine, and placing the incubatíng vessel next to. the
incubating·Roots. Unto the leaves and their bath make prayers for a steady«and
thorough drying of the Root, that with the departure of water its Solar virtues
shaJl-gFGw:"This is the Second Tincture. ln the lunar seasori' after the extraction
of theAt-oot,-take thre~ seeds of the Mandrake and cover th~ in spirits like-tQ.eir
kin. -To the seeds give prayer for the potent Works of Arte that shall come forth
from t4le Alraun upon Awakening. This is th~ Third Tincture, and its' vessel
sh~tdd-be placed in the darkness beside its kin. Wlien the corpus-of the exh}IJ!led
Ma-n.;Root is dry, it should be taken, wrapp'd in silk, into thé oratory, along with
the. thf~e tinctures, the Wand· of Quickening, the Potion-C.up, the Black Knif~,
a RftúarBottle; and the Working Basin. Having drawn with á sword thre'e circle,s
l"õ.tfucltli~ Place~ofWorking, the Roót should be unwrapp'd ánd invoked \rith the
Conjurat1on=Of-ihe "R.oot -o f Man.:.Dragon. •·
{
Conjuration of the Root of the Man-Dragon.
9/ear m.y entreaty, O ~b(_ '1Ji.aDofusl
'Worth.y tfwu art of!Jl.{[ 'IliintJs in tfu 'Worúí.
ln pf.easance, 'in Court 6ef-0re XJ.ngs, 1QJ.íe.rs, aná Juáges,
'Tfwu maKµt :frienásfiip so great
-'Ihat tfuy óear 'Ilfee }lf[ as my 'UIÍÍ(:
~or 'Ifwu. art strong
!Jl.ná áoest fPUlt miracf.es. .
_ '11ie _glíosts ef1iefl áo 6ow to '11íu aná o6ey '11íu!
102
Thcn the Thrce Tinctures are mixed in the Graal with the Wand of Quickening,
the Magician incanting. Finally, let the Black Knife draw the Sorcerer's blood,
which is added to quicken the Potion. Of this draught, let the sorcerer take thc
flrst drink. Half is then pour'd into the Ritual Bottle, and the other half used to
bathe the Man-Root, while speaking the poppet's Secrct Namc and its magicai
chaFgc. When the Root has been well-bathed, let it air dry, then place it in a
small coffin. Each invocation and congress with the Famulus is accompanied by
libation of the Root with the Philtre.
to3
SPIRITUUS LUNA NOX.
9
Of the Spirituus Luna Nox.
105
Prcparation of the Lunar Mercury. e·
Brewing of the Spirituus Luna Nox may bc potentiated by the !lddition of our
Lunar Mercury, which is made in the following manner, best ensorcell'd on the
Dark of the Moon. Of freshly-gather'd Root of Valerian, take 30 grams and chop
fine. Take also 5 grams of bark of Cassia and reduce to a fin.~ dust. Place both
Herbs in a medium Vessel with an airtight seal, that being betwten the volumes
of 200 and 350 milllilitres, and fill with rectified spirit. To this add a small
amount of menstrual blood. Allow the potion to ripen in the duk~ for one lunà-
tion, then filter, discarding the dregs, and bottle in a Ritual Phiai :eonsecrated to
Lilith. Because of its potency, only a few drops should bc employ'd ata time.
:Pharmacopoeia:
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupitoria) Some old magicai grammaries relate the use of
Agrimony to bring on an enchanted Sleep, either for the purposes of rest p r aping
the appearance -of death. Sewing the fresh flowering Herb intp a dream. pillow, '
or making a ~rong infusion and drinking prior to retiring, will pr;.o'!'ote strength
and vividness of dreams. Dried Agrimony, though readily availabli in herb storcs,
has lost much of its fragrance and for our purposes is less desirable. An infusion
is made by steeping 20 grams of chopped herb in 500 millilitres of water tor
twenty minutes.
Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) . For purpose.s of ritual narco5isJ the Flower
and Pith is best extract'd into an elixir conjoin'd by sympathetiç Herbs such as
the foice of the Poppy or Valerian. ~
Ash (Fraxinus spp.) Potions of the branches and leaves aid in drearlt divination;
the spring shoots are esteem'd for tbis purpose, brew them into a.) lot infusion.
Wood-shavings, also gathered in the spring, may be decocted for this purpose.
lochrorna (fochroma spp.). The genus comprises some 20 spccies of shrubs anrl
small trees with purplc, blue, scarlet or white tubular flowers, native tct the
Andean highlands. Some species are availahle in nurseries. 1 fuchsiodes has been
document'd as forming the basis for a Philtre of clairvoyance.
:Formulae:
Aquaeum Mantia.
Petals of Red Rose, fresh and slightly bruised. . :• JO.g. 4'-
B.Ó(age, fresn leaves and flower.s. .· ,18 g.
Cham-0mi1e. . · - . 18 g.. ·1 .
MugWort. 5 leaves.
-~ 0;~~.lar Philt.re for regular use. Infuse the Herbs, e:xcepting the Rose, iP 1
Jitrc boiling water for two hours. Add the Rose petals and let infuse for another
·hour. Strain and drink on an empty stomach prior to oracular work. ,.
Philtron Phantastes.
A potion to invoke fantastic and pleasing oracular dreams, adapted ftom ãn old
Renaissance formula:
Steep fresh Leaves in l litre boiling water for 45 minutes. Drink one 200 nÍiln-·
litre cup of the strained infusion before retiring. Viper's Bugloss may be diffiC:uh
to find~:leaves from the ornamental species of Echi.um var. Tower ofJewels may ·
be substituted at the rate of one half the listed amount. If no Echium species can ,
be obtain-'d, double the anioU:nt of Poplar. '
1o8
A Philttt For Oracular and Clai.rvoyant Work.
A concoction suited to trance and crystal-gazing, in conjunction with incenses.
Llnden flowers, dry. 20g.
Dittany of Crete, fresh. 9 sprigs.
Rosebuds, fre~h and large 14.
lnto 60 millilitres of boiling water, infuse the Herbs. Let stand fifteen minutes,
then strain and keep in a covered vessd until use. For best result, use within 12
hours of brewing, and eat no food for at least four hours prior to ritual use.
Lacking fresh roses, use 20 mi. Rose Water added when infusion is cooled.
Eliscr Phantaamos.
A potent brew for communing with the Shades of the Dead. When employing
poisonous nightshades, always begin with a minimum dose and work gradually
upward in successive sojoums. & with any tropane-bearing plant, it is essential
to have a trusted Brother or Sister of Arte accompanying to act as Warden in the
su4den case of posscssion by the Shades of Night. Elsewise will disaster descend
'pon the Seeker, who will become Prey to the Mercury of Ulith. Our Formula
makes sufficient quantity for one Sojourner.
Angel's Trumpet flower, frcsh, chopp'd. 1.
Datura Seeds, ground. 13.
Tincture of Opium. 5 ml .
Boiling Water. 600 ml.
Steep flower and seeds for 1O minutes, strain and allow to cool. Add tincture of
Opium and drink slowly.
Tisane Morpheus.
A'brew most soothing for those haunt'd by obsessive phantasms in the night, who
either cannot sleep or have been brutaliz'd by Night Spirits. The synergy of
Herbs empowers the Dreaming Faculties without attracting malevolent spirits.
Thus, while offering protection, it also aids in clarifying the Dt:eam-focus.
Flowers of Chamomile. 15 g.
lnflorescence of Hops, fresh-dried. 15 g.
Herb of Scullcap. . 7 g.
Herb of Speannint. 1 g.
Herb of Calca zacatechichi. 7 g.
Roof of Val,erian, dry. 7 g.
Pods of Opium Poppy, dried. 2.
Simmer Papaver and Valerian with one litre of water, over low heat, for the
space of 15 miÍlutes. Strain liquid into steeping vessel over the remainder of
Herbs. Steep for 1O minutes, strain and add honey as desir'd. Drink 250-400
millilitres.
· Mcnsttuum Azurion.
A ,s olemn anà Illuminating beverage apposite to cartomancy, geomancy, and the
.Arts of the Automatic Scribe. It is of especial power as an adjunct"to a Ritual
Bath of Chamomile and Scullcap.
Flowers of Blue Lotus. 6.
White Wine. 750 mi .
.If-f resh flowers are unavailable, employ 40 grams of the dried blossom. ;Fresh or
dried blossoms should be covered with wine in a seal'd glass gourd at the setting
of the Sun and allowed to steep therein for an entire day. The elixir"'shoutd then
be filtered and the marc discarded. One 200 millilitre glass should be drunk, the
sorcerer awaiting the descent of the gnosis of Shadow. This Wine of Wines may
be distill'd with discretion, but care should be takcn to decrease the amount
imbibed according to the degree of rectification. ,. ·
J<'
Elixir Poseidonos. . _
Our Bcvetage cclebrates the Gods of the Great Deep in ali their uhfathomab~é
mystery; their potencies destructive and creative. The cordial is of especial value
for communion with the Undines; howcver, the Green Sorcerer is admonish'd . _
never to immerse himself in water after having drunk the Philtre, for danger of · -
drowning is great.
Blueberries. 72. ';
White Rose Petals, fresh. 30 g. '.
Flowers of Primrose, fresh. 30 g:
Flowers of Lavender, dry. 15 g.
Flowers ofBlue Malva, dry. 15 g. <
110
The philtrc is administcrcd through a cloth appl~cd to the forchcad as onc sleeps;
for this a folded piece of felt or heavy cotton is best employcd.
Root of Truc Mandrakc, dry. 4 g.
Leayês of Mugw.ort, fresh. 8 g.
. · F~owers and Leavcs of Chamomile, frcsh. 6 g.
Flowers of Jasmine or Saffron. 4 g.
Plaee thc Root into thc Wort-cauldron and covcr with 600 millilitres.: of water.
Sring to boil, then simmer, reducing volume of liquid by half. Decant decoction
, into a scparate vessel, set aside, and allow the Root to rêmain therein. Place
· Mugwórt, Chamomile, and Jasmine into steeping vessel. Boil 300 millilitres of
· water and pour over these plants, letting them steep until the infusion has cool'd
to room tcmperature. Using the Wand of Quickening, combine the Mandrake
decoction with the fresh plant infusion. Soak the cloth with the philtre.and apply
to foréhead, le.aving on while sleeping. Thc unuscd phi.l tre may be stort~d in a
covered vessel in a cool environ for up to 5 -days. When storing, the boiled slices
.of Mmdrake may-be left in the vessel. For additional potency, several drops of
Essential Oil of Blue Chamomile may be added to the sop.
Melliflua Hypogcum.
For the beckoning of spirits of the Dead from grave, ossuary, or crypt by direct -
libation. An enchanted Rood is used as the focus of an upward-drawingsummons
átop the , resting place of the deceas'd . Thc Philtre mak~s use of the natural
E~pytean powers of Taxus and Mandragora, and the traditional v~tive-sacrifice
of certain foods. The Yew leaves incorporate a potentially fatal venom into the
br:.ew; thus is the ~rcercr admonish'd to avoid drinking and to thoroughly wash
ali vessels, tools, and work surfaces when all is done.
M
,Uaves Yew, fresh. 10 g.
Root of European Mandrake, dry. 3 g.
H_oney. · 100 ml.
Wine, sw(e et. }()(Jml.
J """\~... f'
I~ a well-air'd place, bring 500 millilitres of water to a boil in the Wort Cauldron.
Add thc Mandrake and Yew and simmcr, · covcred, for ten minutes. Remove
from heat and stir in the honey. Whcn it bas cool'd, add the wine, storing the
philtre in a seal'd ritual poison-flask. Repajring to the bone-yard at midnight,
. silently appróach the placc of working. With the Holy Knife draw three circles
about th!s space, then set the poison-flas~ atop gravestone or crypt": Perform a
silent Ceremony of Opening. With both ha:nds gripping the Rood, plant it firm
. overgrave•or crypt-soil, calling aloud upon the strength of the Eternal Tree of
Heaven and Hell. Then, taking the philtre, "water" the Rood wher~ its base
-enters thc: 5oil. After the offering, grip the Rood again with both h~ds and
incant whát spirit you will, drawing it upward through the wood of the staff, into
your prese.nce.
Ili
VENEFICIUM.
1 o.
Of The Veneficium.
f the Tinctures of t~e Dark Moon may be consider'd the Waters of Luna,
I and the Bitter Draughts the punishing Sword of Mars, we may well class ali
the sundry poisons ofVcneficium as the Condensations of Satumus. These
forbidden elixirs serve to torment certain pcrsons, deprive thcm of their wits,
consciousness, or livcs. ln times of old, poisoning augmented sorcerous cunning,
as did healing. Those Wise in this Art were the Venefici, or poisoners; feattd,
despised, and employed by Kings. The Ars Veneficium is the substance and sus-
tenance of thc Tortuous Road of the Green Snake which twists through the
height, depth, and breadth of the Ars Philtron. For as Paracelsus the Wise taUght
us: Ali Things contain Poison, and Notrung is without Poison. The Philtron
Veneficum is subject to thc dominion of the intelligences of Saturnus: his Hours
govern their making and use. Favourable 'astrological aspects are Satum at
Midheaven and Nadir, and the Reapcr in friendly aspcct with Hermes.
113
Preparation of the Solar Salt. .
The Solar Salt, as Essence of'the Veneficium, may be added as Universal_f\sh to ~
· all of the -Black Poisons, as an expression of the Master blacken'd from tlle .fotil
smoke.s an~d soot of the Great Forge. Only a small amount of the Accurs.t ~ -
should be ~ed for this purpose. Into a Vessel place 200 millilítrês- of _rectified
spititL preferably Eau de Vin, though isopropyl, methanol õr pCrfumer's akoliol
may ;;b e_.employ'd. lnto this solution add 60 grams of wood of Blaclrt}iorn,. l 4
_.,.... grams of d'ried Mandrake root, 14 grams of hmnan bone, and 5 millilitres 9ühe
. sórcerer's blood harvest'd in sacrifice unto Cain. This is allow1d to st.a nd alonc::úl
the cup.board for nine days, then the liquid is separated fron'l the solid. 'l'be solld ·
parts ªre then dried sfowly in· an oven. The Blackthorn 81'ld. Mandrake âre then
reduc'd to ash, and the resulting dust reserv'd and combined with the powders~ -
The. liquid extraction is then fully evaporated in a crudble by means of tlie -
Fom~ or -6y «iit:_ect exposure to the Solar Orb, and the resfàue collected ano
· adcíêcLto.the Ashes and Salts. Finally, -S grams of Natr-on. or_Nitre are aàCl'd to
_th!s Dúst, :a_nd it.is seal'd in an appropriate Vessel until such time it be ~sed. ~
. ,. ~ (.
or sleep, and have long been known to wortcunners. Of these wete the famed 9..
anaesthetickS of antiquity, known to some medíci~ers as thé S0porifick Sponge.-- .
One --such Welsh anaesthetick was made froaj equal parts- of the juices_ of ~
Mandi"8:ke, Eryngo, Poppy, Poison Hemlock, Grou~d lvy, and Wild Lettuce.
Wheµn artificially-induced sleep was desired prior to suigery, a small amount ~
of the"';philtre was J>oured into the nostrils of a patient. ·
The Draught of Oblivion.
.-t his ís the Cup of Socrates, which, in extreme cases, the sorcerer m~ choóse as =
. his-own Swift Gate to the afterworld, to administer to the dying.:in need, ot to
dispateh an enemy. lt is an unfortunate f.act that almost every H~ known to:~.
:Dring-death
.;_..
upon
.
the physitim does so With excruciatjng
"
agony. Toxic minerais~ ~
~·
such as arsenic are also páinful killers. Clearly, judging from the records of-tlie
ancients, the Greeks had knowledge of lethal poisons such as the koneion w~h
brought about a relatively peaceful demise; it was probably a·draught brewedof
· classic Herb poisons with Opium add'd as an anaesthetic. This Arcanum;'"'in
addition to the great and divers matters treated in this Book, remains one fÕcus
of labour ln the Cirde of the Green Magister.
115
Venus, and likewise its initial action. But its heart and soul are the Fixed Vitriol
of Satum, consumptive and crapulous, eroding ali bodies it t.ouches. This rose-
scent'd masque results not from cunning but from a path of least effort~ lts
action is mindless; its digestion of Ali Things Good having no easily identifiable
motive. lt has.no memory, and understands not why it seeks todevour. Thusthe
Vitriol is a snare from which there is no escape, save for great corrosion.
The sorcerer may regard this Philosophical Poison as empty of wisdom, but
this is not so, as even the most vulgar materia contains granules of the Sacred.
lts chief value is as a blasphemous shew-stone, for when we scry the Poison With
wisdom; we may view our own destruction by a force so absolute in its ~aring
there is no power in the heavens beyond containment or naked annihilation that
may effectively check its power. Thus it is the path not traveled we need not
regret. The Philosophical Poison may be viewed from a distance; even engaged
with in precari.ous dance, but its enthusiastic embráce is total destruction. lt is
an offence against Nature. · .
There is another value the Philosophical Poison possesses which the Wise
may put to use. Carefully and subtly, it may be employ'd to attract and digest
noxious enfleshments. Good care must be taken, however, that dissolution is
complete, for ·if only partial, these will be corrupted further, and, upon their
escape from the throes of consumption, proceed thenceforth to infect Nature,
corrupting Ali. The Green Sorcerer is admonish'd to beware this Poison, for net
only is it of extremely limit'd use in our Arte, it degrades cunning, corrupts the
soul, and .J"enders impotent the gifts of the Famulus and Ally.
)
Pharmacopoeia.
Bastard Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia). Also knoWt1 as False Acacia. Most parts
of the tree, but especially the inner bark, seeds, and leaves, contain robin, a
potent toxalbumin. Poisoning occurs one or more hours after ingestion, the rank
particulars of which are nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, lowered pulse, and hard
stupor. ln extreme cases convulsions and death may result.
Black Hellebore (HeUeborus niger) . Hellebore is a poison of decided infamy; ali
parts of the plant render up venoms unseemly. The extract of the rhizome 'was
used in medieval.times as a trusted agency of murder. Before the grimJtwilight
of unconh:iousness or cardiac arrest, the victim suffered buming of the mouth,
slavering, à great roaring in the ears, and daemonic visions. ln ancient times, the
Athenian Solon is said to have pour'd Hellebore into the water SU.pply of a town
his army was besieging, thus poisoning thcm into surrender. Hellebore is a time-
honour'd Ally in Saturnian rites, used as a component of incense. The root has
been also been used as a magicai amulet for protcction.
Cowbane (Cicuta virosa) . Cowbane is a perennial Hcrb growing to 8 ft. high,
haunting watery swamps and bogs, with hollow stcms and small white umbellate
flowers. There are 7 species in the Cowbane gcnus, ali found iri the Northern
Hcmisphere; ali are lethally poisonous. Cicuta virosa is the species native to
i16
,.,.. .Europe. A significant amount of fatal poisonings have occurred, many of these
due to mistaking_ -ihe plant for Parsnip. ln North America, the Montana and
Iroquois infrequently chew'd the Roots to commit suicide. Cicutoiin, a potent
. nerve toxin, is the notorious venom which lurks in the plant: thiidestructive
Virtue occurs in ali parts, but is concentrat'd mosi virulendy ·in t~ ROot. Few
survive ingestion of the Root of Cowba.ne: the Berb has kill'd myriad livestock,
anda third of Cowbane poisonings in humans are fatal. When eaten, the poison
· · causes violent and painful convulsions so powerful that some people have been
observed to bite through their tongues· and break their teeth. Symptoms begin as
soon as 15 minutes after ingestion and include severe cramping, nausea, excess
salivation, irregular heartbeat, deliriurn, bestial spasms, and death· within the
hour. A piece of the Root the si7.e of a Walnut is said to be sufficlent to kill a
cow. The Okanagan-Colville lndians, as well as thóse of the Klamath, employ'd
the vehomous Róot of Cowbane, compo~nded with rattlesna:ke poison or
deçomposed animal liver, to poison arrows for warfare.
li(
...this drink assuredly looses disaster upon the head bringing darkness
of night; the eyes roll, and men roam the streets with tottering steps
and crawling upon their hands; a terrible choking .blocks the throat
and the narrow passage of the windpipe; the extremities grow ·cold; in
the limbs the stout arteries are contracted; for a short while the vic-
tim draws breath l;ke one swooning, and his spirit beholds Hades.
Known to the Herb-Wise as 'Mark of Cain' for the purple spots on-the s~em, Our
Herb is a virtuous crystallization of Cain in his Fixed State, and portions of the
plant, especially seeds, may be given as gifts of oblation in his honour. <
:Formulae:
Potion Stramonium.
J!l--~s Enchiridion of Natural Magic, Porta relays a venom potentiated .from the- ·
·l 'hQm Apple, e~ployed for stupefaction:
The seeds of which, being dried 1tnd macerated in wine, the space of a
night, and a drachm of it drank in a glass of wine, (but rightly given, lest
it hurt the man} after a few hours will make one mad, and present
strange visions, both pleasant and horrible. And of all other sorts.. As
the power of the potion, so does the madness also cease, after some
sleep, witho ut any hartn, as we said, if it were rightly administered. We
rriãy also infoct a~y kind of meat with it, by strewing thereon. Three
fingers full of the root reduced to powder, it causes a pleasant kirid of
madness for jl day, but the poisonous quality is allayed by sleep, or by
washing the temples and pulses with Vi.negar, or juice of lemon.
original title, as it appe~rs in the text, is "Description of Another Poison Which " -
Is the Fifth of the Simple Compound Ones."2
118
Green frogs, two, three, or one ifjt is large, which are found in the
thickcts are obtained. Twen1)', or an amount equal to the weight
of the frog, blister fües which alight mostly on the eggplant or wat.er-
melon are hunted. These are all put into a glass-vessel with a wide
mouth, oiled with flaxseed oil, and the vesscl suspended in the hot
sun after -its stopper is madc tight with clay. Ali of it is shaken in the
oil; it disintcgrates in it. It is left in the sun for twenty-eight days
then emptied from the vesscl on a concave and hard stone, and bro-
ken up with the stone pestle until thc flesn becomes dissolved and
. very well rnixed with the oil. lt is then taken out;, it has a very bad
odor. Take sandalwood moistened with rosewater and smell it as
long as you pulveriie and rnix it. Then, for every ten dirhams of it,
aftcr its mixing, add three dirhams of blood of a man, either -from
bleeding or scarification. M~ the blood well with the oil and miike
it all ,stink in ass manure for fourteen ?ays .. Then take it out. lt has
an odor and is black. The bad sm~U has kft. USe it to kill whomev-
er you Wish by mixing from one:.daniq and a hâlf to six gtains in any
food or beverage which is easy for you to procure. lt, indeed, kills in
one day.
119
FONS
VITAE.
11
Of the Fons ·vitae.
121
the brilliant Gold which arises out of the skillful combination of Red, White, and
Black. When such elixirs are undertaken by the sorcet'er in the oratory, th,·i r
brewing should be accompanied by the Prayer unto the Archaeus of Cain, imd
the addition of the prepared Solar Archaeus.
Prayer of tbe Archaeus of Cain.
){rc/iaeus of tlíe Pfiallus,
, 'Triune 'MOtJister of ~rttus 'Búnt,
'nitli tfiest ma,gic.s
I tliis potúm ôrtw:
'Bfooá of!.tóe{, Salt of'Eilrtli,
'Bfossoms anã roots of fory 'UIOT'tft;
'Mumi.a of!Uam's fúsli rt6om,
'Di.vers fruits of tlie seasons' !lf.om.
Mistletoe ( Viscum a/hum) . By means of the spagyric art, a dissolved and coagu-
lated tincture of the Seipent's Skin produces a delightful dew which, taken in
minute proportions each day, prolongs life and keep the body supple. Use thou
the leaves_; well-dried, and spare no expense in time or materiais to ad~ieve this
Philosopher's Gold, truly a medicine of medicines. It may be drunk in the quan-
tity of a few drops daily, or add'd to compound potions of the Fons Vitae.
Peach (Prunus persica) . Dried leaves, gathered with cunning and dessicated with
medium warmth, may be used sparingly in elixirs of th.e Fons Vitae. ln ·this
endeavour, employ 10 grams of the leaves, tinctured in tripie the volume of
wbite rum for a moon's length; the fresh fruit, chopp'd well, may also impart its
goodness to spirit if that menstruum is of supreme potency; no proof of less than
100 should be employed. Beware the stone: it harbours Prussic Acid, a kin of
cyanide capable of inflicting great ili.
'" 123
Plum (Prunus domestica). The fresh flowers are best used in tincture, or the
duly fermented juices of the golden and purple summer fruits ripen'd into, wine.
Hippocras made from the ripe fruits is peerless, and when twice distill'd:as·
Slivowitz, as fine a nectar as Nature birth'd.
Rose (Rosa spp.). Never-ending are the virtues of Our Shrub, the fragrant petals
of which excel at strengthening the body and its faculties. Fresh petals, tinctur'd
in strong wine or weak spirit, may be macerated and replaced with more so long
as the shrub blooms in its season: this growing nectar may be fortified with more
petals in the following season. /
Water Lily (Nyrophaea alba). Known both as Quetzalazochiacatl and the Toad
Llly, this Queen of the Waters harbours the powers of Fertility and 'lmmortality.
Ruled by the Moon, it is a common denizen of ponds. For Elixirs of the Fons
Vitae we employ the flower only; like many of the Herbs of lmmortality, the
Llly is both a Poison and a Balsam. ln tin~e forro, we employ 3-5 fresh, chop-
p~d- petals per 50 millilitres of Rectified spirit, for the purpose of the Elixir of
lmmortality. Blue Lotus, (Nymphaea caerula), as welt as other speci~s of Water
Lily, is thought to contain Visionary principies, and are so utilized in a number
of sorceries. Arnong the ancient Mayans, the Herb has links to the Shades of the
Dead and their attendant Realms. ln Mayan iconogrophy,· Death symbols recur
in association with the Water Lily, -and at Palenque, the plant is associat'd with
O!le of the Nine Lords of the Underworl(i. According to one Egyptian lore, Osiris
was resurr.ect'd in the form of a blue Water Llly, recalling the Mayan association
with Déath's deities and rea:hns.
:Formulae:
Wine of the Sages.
A Curious Nostrum of great·benificence to the wortcunner. With.the exception -
of th~ Red Clover, which may be ernployed dry, the flowers shóuld be added to
the menstruum ~hen they are fresh-pluck'd. ·
Petals of Rose, fresh. 288.
Flowers of Sage, fresh. · 144.
Flowers of Violet, fresh. 144.
Flowers of Red Clover. · 36.
Flo~ers of Betony, fresh. .36.
Leaf of Mistletoe, dry; 9.
Root .of Mandragore, dry. 1 slice.
Flow.er of Narcissus, fresh. l.
To oné litre of the best brandy, initiate the tincture by beginning with the Root
of Mandrake; the slice should be a cross-section of the-Radix approximately one
inch in diameter and 1 centimetre thick. Add the flowers at their respective
124
SPIRITUS MANDRAGORA.
times, making sure they are the freshest each living Herb has to offer. When the
last of the season's offcrings has been added to the sealed Hermeticus, allow the
compound floral tincture to rest one month, Press the Marc dry., reserving the
liquid in a Ritual Bottle. Heat SOO ml. honey in the sarne amount-of spring water,
removing the Caput Mortuum. Cool this honey'd·water, then add to the bra_ndy
tincture. l.et tit .rest one month in a dark, warm place, therr filter the cordial,_.dis-
carding sediment, and distill singly. Drink in daily ritual; ih 1Q:m1. draughts.
. '
Rose Cordial.
. A Jovian-Venusial) Philtre of great delight blest by the Rose Genius, takC!l tQ~ ·
soothe-troubles of Heart and Soul, oras a bac~hanal offering unto divers nymphs·
of the _Saéred Arbour. Take 250 grams of the-best Damask petals-and drówn..:in
sufficient cognac fo(two weeks in ·a sealed cucurbit. Press marc dry then dispose .
of plant bodies, adding more fresh petals to the liquor until the Vessel is fiU'd.
Repeat again, steeping third batch of petals for one month. Strain tincture. Mix
honey to sweeten in enough warm'd Rose Water to dissolve.
Aquaeum Aurum Solis.
A sun-infused elixir for healing, cheer, and invocatory rites of solar deities; and
for kindling t.h e inner Rejuvenating Fires of the Physium.
Calendula flowers, dry. 30: 8~
Flowers of Neroli, dry. - ~o g. -
Flower.$' of Life Everlasting, dry. 20g.
Cham.omile Flowers, dry. 20g.
Saffron, · piilch.
Star Thistle Honey. sufficient.
Thoro~ghly cavei all Herbal ingredients in best-quality white Rectified Spiri~ of
Cane, tincturing in a stoppered vessel. Let this macerate for
the entirety of one
solah_ransit throÜgh an astrological sign (Aries and Leo being th-e best). Press out
the mate and wash once with an amount of fresh spirit, reserving the additional
liquiq: Discard the tnarc and reserve the erÍtirety of the-liqwd, me8Suring its
total ~olume. Take one-fourth this volume of distilled -water and heat over a low -
fire, adâing an equal v.olume ofhoney. When the honey is thus dissolved, remove
this syrup from the fire and let cool. When at room temperature, add the Herbal
tincture. This mixture is then bottled for two weeks, after whidf it is filtered,
. the feces reduced, calcined, anci recombined: The potion may bê fortified with
Colloidal ·Gold in the amount of 30 mL Drink in 15 mi. .draughts.
The Prince of Flowers.
A liquid simulacrum of the Wheel of the Year, especially good as a Solar Tonick
and for fortifying the physium; a fine tonic of Llquid .bife warding against. ali
things. rank and rotten. It is excellent as well as J Tincture. oJ the Dark Moon,
with trance _descending readily by the be.neit. of Blossoms. ~r-Elíxir is made
only from fresn flowers, beginning on the Winter Solstice, the Night of the Bl,ck
Sun, and taking an entire year to prepare. At every opportuility, fresh flowers
should be added to the best brandy, and kept in a large stoppered vessel, hidden
away. Some of the more common flowers employed are ~ose, Violet, Primrose,
Dandelion, Calendula, Daisy, Fuchsia, Sages of various kinds, Orchid, &rage,
Clover, Chervil, Rhemannia, Magnolia, Lavender, Cherry Blossom, Pansy_, Apple
Bfossom, Mallow, Damiana, Abutilon, Vervain, Orange Blossoms, Thistle, Com
Poppy, Woodruff, _ Betony, Raspberry, Blackbcrry, and various úcti.
Naturally, the flora native to the Green Sorcerer's area must be evaluated for
.,their nectarous virtues, as well as what magicai potential they may offer -\Jp. ln
moderation, the following blooms may also be used: Poppy (includin~ -the
swollen capsules), Belladonna, Elder, Ginger, Mandrake, Geranium, Angelica, 1
Henbane, Hypericum, Datura, and Angel's Trumpet. There are some flowe.rs to ·
avoid, as they offend the Prince or bring2 n Deat h or Affliction: Ranunculus, lris,
Columbine, Linden, Snapdragon, Poison Hemlock, Marigold, Monkshood,
Hellebore, Alliums (Garlic, Onions, Chives and Leeks), Broom, Hyacinth,
Wisteria, Foxglove, Rhododendron/Azalea, Locust, and Bastard Acacia.
Oinos Enthusiasmos.
An Herb'd wine of delicious character, having the unique ability to provide and
prolong good cheer; it is especially good for lifting the spirits when haunted by
gioomy shades. -
Stecp ali in enough brandy to cover for one moon in a sealed cucurbite. Add 22
whole, dricd jujube dates and steep for another lunation. Press the marc dry and
disposc of the spent plant bodies. Filter and bottle.
128
Consummatum:
The Arbour Magisterium
V
erily, even as the pages of this En.chiridion of Wortcunner's Arte draw
to a dose, _~o the great Unwritten Tome of the 9reen Witch Degins1 its
words dandng ever-briefly in· leaf, bark, and blos5om.
Be ever mindful of the Genii of the Fhsk: that which is written by mortal hands
reveals only the lesser portion of our Sacred Wine. The Pathways betwixt the
eight potion hypostates illurnine yet greater and ever more subtil arcana of Our
Philtre, wherein is found the hiddcn Nectars of the Fallen Angels, the legacy of
Genun and the cunning Children of Cain.
Know then, that the pcrfcction of the Arte is consummated withirt the
Virldarium Umbriis, the Pleasure-Gard~ of Shadow, tliat Hidden Cubiculum
of Plant Mystery endos'd by the coils of the Serpcnt of the Wise. And within
the blood-bound troth of this Emerald COnvivium shall the Tree of WisdomJ tlíe
Arbour of thc Great Serpent Adzeha-Nahazh, strctch its limbs and bear the most
precious of fruit.
Ourfiarden hath no portais, and is Watched and Wardedõy the flaming swords
Qf Serapl!s. Dcspitc this, some may gain admittancc: ~osc Grccn Men -and
Woll.ten call'd truly by Cain AI' Shajnat, the Woodwosé. of thc Sor<::erers; and
.th~'.~llildrcn of the Royal Bloodline of Arte. Yet only thr-eugh thc Ordcals,Df the
Path·and eternal wandering of the haunted Wilderness of Shedim shall this oasis
be attain'd. - -
And many are the Wfworthy, they who would confront the Sentinels standm-g at
the garaen's quarters, those who would deign scale the Plcasure-Garden's, wãlls
to attain this Trec's hidden fruit. Yea, they shall be impaled on the thorhs orthe
great Zaquum, infernal Tree of the Prõfane, whose wretched, rotting ff\!_1!$-_ar:e
the muttering hea~ of infidels cast down, forever wailing and spcaking l~s:· :-"
Let the Wise Sorcerers, they who possess thc Hiddcn Virtue, shun the folly-of
these!
Let the Wise stand uniquc, each as a tree: silent; strongJ industrious; rooted firm
within the blood-plot of its own domain, yet graspi'ng the heavens for what lies
beyond; visible only when need be, and bearing good fruit. For there is another
operation known to the Dwellers of the Grove .which will attain the miraculous
Arbour of Desire.
Let those intrepid upon the Way of the Green take up their Holiest Vessel of
Vessels, filled with the finest nectars their Arte may conjure, and present it to
the flaring rays of the Sun; scrutinizing its virtues. If the light of the Sun judges
it worthy., let this Vessel and its philtre be praised by song and incantation in the
House of Day. -
Then should the sorcerer hold his Vessel to the Moon when she is both light .and
dark, judging well ·and humbly the ccmtents of the Flâsk in the pl'esence of the
· Wítch-Mother. If by moon-light and 'rooon.~rk the Vessel. and its contents are
j\,ldged worthy, let them both be adored by musick and oblation in the House of -
Nig_ht.
Wh.en by Sun and Moon both Vessel and Elixir have been measur'd, seal the flask
well so that none may pass in or out. Then take the vessel, -iilone and in solemn
-me.ditatton, to the most remote wilderness, verily ínto the thorn'd and çr~ggy
ra~nes of Cain Al' Shajarat. There let the seal'd Vessef be-exposed in thé Suo, -
the elixir bOiling in the presence of the Lord of the Wild. And let the Vessel also
be expósed in the ·night to the Moon, the elixir cooling by the faint ligh~ of the
stars. Wlien such work has been accomplished in grave silence for three days and
three .nights, pour out the potion on the earth and smash the Flask against the y
Then, in strictest silence, gather up the shards of this destruction, along with ~a - _
measure of the Earth moisten'd by the Vessel's mur-dered chi!dand the _very
bloód of the Sorcerer, and hear thern unto the Skull-fumace of Tub~Io-Çaj.D.
Let these shards and the moist Clay of the Profaned Vessel be móulded_int9.:,a
New, Ve~sel, whose shape and size are dictated pureJy by t&e Spirits._~tJ!ii5
new Vessel be ·baked in a fire of the hottest degree until-it glows veríly witll_!&
-fiery heat of Our Ancestors. - " -- .. - --~-
When it is done, then will the Green Sorcerer have fashion'd a Vessel capahle ~of _
holding ali the roots, leaves, and fruits the Pleasure-Gar-den ~ay bear. Then~-ay - ~
the -Tru~ Potion he brewed, and the Kn.Pwledge of Angels descerid and-a~~~~d,
as the seeçl falls from the tree and takes root, ever-rising to emõrace the fires _9f
the-sky. - . - ,.
So.~hall flow the most refined of Spirits from, the Casks of Prosper~
130
Lexicon of Arte.
Aethyric Orb: The swann of spirit and matter encompassing a person, con-
taining the corpus of Mortal Flesh and the Dark Body, as well as one's
individual magicai essence.
Arthana: The Black-hilted Knife of the Sorcerer used primarily for _c?l'.'1--
manding Spirit and its Powers of Taking. The Arthana is also employed
for ritual bloodletting. ln Wise-Craft is to be distinguished from th~
Working Knife of the White Hilt, used for gathering Herbs and carvilig
the Fetish. ·
Ãlly: A Plant Spirit with which a sorcerer has developed a consistent and
mutually beneficial relationship.
Cain AI' Shajarat: 'iCain of the Trees", the phytomorphic masque -of Cain
as Lord of the Vegetal Realm and the fathe~ of Wortcunning.
Curren: Traditional East Anglian term for cunning-folk; still in use. '·
-
Dark Body: The vivified Shadow of the sorcerer as the magicai tWin of
Mortal Flesh, containing, as the Well Óf Atavism, pre-inca_m ate ~sdo~.
Oesire: A template binding Spirit, Essence, Dark Body and Flesh, possess-
ing a unique, though plastic, momentum toward fruition. r
132
Genius Loci: Spirits indigenous to a place.
Legume:
. Of or. belonging to the Fabac::eae, the Pea Family.
Marc: That p9rtion of the gestating Tincture or' Philtre comprising the
solid plant material.
133
- (,
Oleum: Oil.
Oleum. Essentia: The essential oil of a.plant, dnven off by-divers methods
such as fractional distillation or solvents.
134
acteristics and bound with others by ?~fature, which may be separated out
by me3ns of an alchymical process. -
Pulmonarium: the Respiratory center; primarily the Lungs, but also apply-
ing to the Heart.
SirÍlpler: An herbalist who gathers plants and makes them into ,nedicine.
Tisane: A decoction.
Tonick: An agent which gradually strengthens over time with regular use.
135
Tubalo: An aspect of Cain, occrirring as Tubal-Cain and Tubalo-Lucifer, ,
herein used to denote the witch-god of Smithy, Fotge, and Ffre. , ·"" 1
Vegetal Realm: the set of laws, powers, and spirits goveming the world of
ali plants.
Venifica: a poisoner.
136
Notes to the Text.
PROEMIUM.
2 Phytognosis: gnosis arising from plants; the sacramental use of inebriating or visionary
plant allics in the contcxt of Magic and Sorcery. The dcscriptor rcplaces _Entheogenesis,
which denotes a procc.ss of "giving risc to the dcity within". Though artful thc latter word
is not plant-specific, and has unfortunately also accrctcd ccrtain social and cultural con-
notations that prevent it from bcing adopted as standard nomenclature within the con-
tcxt of Grccn Sorcery.
3 The Genius is the most complete manifestation of a plant's Esscnce and lntelligence,
--
!:
both material and immaterial.
4 This axis has been expressed by Dale Pendell in his Phannalco/Poeia as Sun aíld Moon
Doctors, and while many traditions such as Santeria scparate the two paths, Green
Sorccry intcgratcs both.
5 Some realms of traditional folk-magic are so highly spccializcd that cntirc suhsets of
magica} praxis are constellated solcly around potion-making. For example, the Arte of
the Amazonian ayahU11sceros and the zeleinilcs, thc potion-makers of Russian folk-sorcery
(see W .F. Ryan, The Bathhouse at Midnight, p.86 .) .
CHAPTER l.
Wcyer, Johann, De praestigiis daemonum~(l5S3), currently rcpublished as Wttches,
Devi/s, and Doctors in the RenaisS11nce, pp. 27~276 .
2 ln a circle of magicai intimates where tivst is absolute, rites of the Mystery Cup are
one ofthe bcst ways to test the magicai effieacy of potions, as one's preco:nceived notions
of the properties of various constituents are neutralized. Such rituais are best bound by
a consensual agreemcnt cxcluding untested toxic constituents, or other ingredients
which may be taboo or objectionable, for example, plants known to provoke an allergic
reaction in one ór more membcrs of thc grou11.
3 Lawson, J. Cuthbcrt. Modem Greek Folklore and Ancíent Greek Religion pp. 530-
531.
• 4 ln thc Afro-Caribbcan tradition of Santeria, thc Philtre dons a potcnt masque as the
Omiero, a magically-encharmed liquid employed for initiating the santero; some tradi-
tional recipcs for this brew called for as many as 101 ingredients. See Gonzalez-Wippler,
Migcne. Santeria: African Magic in Latin America, pp. 95-96.
5 Wheelwright, Edith Grcy. Medicinal Plants and their History, p. 126. Some tonick-
philtres are included herein, but theír present investigation, so far as wc are concemed,
137
í
!
shall remain lirnited. Potions though they be, the realm of tonicks is best left cxplorcd
in thc numerous volumes of Herbal Medicine and Sacred Leech-craft.
CHAPTER2 . .
1 This is a general role; photodegradation of the virtucs of plants is widespread but by
no means universal. Some works of Grcen Sorcery do in fact require direct exposure to
light, such as the manufacture of Oleum Hyperici, an healing Oil of St. John's Wort
made by digesting the flowers in oi) in direct sunlíght. Ccrtain alchymical works also
employ the sun for circulation and digestion.
2 The suggestion is unprovcn but remains a fertilc area for investigation. See Ott,
Jonathan, Pharrrucotht:!Jn, pp. 156-15 7.
3 See Riitsch, Dr. Christian, A Dictionary ofSacred and Magicai Plants, pp. 59-60.
5 This varies by type of Herb and is of no concern to some wortcunners. Other tradi-
tions insist on employing only wholc plant parts in tincture, or slightly bruised portions.
As with evcrything, let cxperience, under the dose direction of the Spirits, be the guide.
CHAPTER3.
1 While sexual activity and phytognostic ecstasy are legitimate forms of sorcerous gno-
sis in and of themselves, both are inappropriatc prior to most rituais of plant-gathering.
The arcanum of this mattcr will be understood by the silent initiates of thc Garden of
Shadow.
2 Betz, H. ·D., ed. The Grttx Magicai Papyri in Tnnslation, PGM IV 2967-3006, p. 95.
4 A Ritual Bath using primarily those Herbs whosc chief power is of Cleansing, i.c.,
which banish unwanted or noisome spirits and thought-forms. Among the very O'êst of ·
thesc are Euc:::alyptus, Fir,. Roscmary, Pine, Redwood, Juniper, Mugwort, Wormwood,
Sage, and Cedar. For more information conceming ablutions, see Chapter 5.
5 ln general, these types of magicai relationships with plants tend to strengthen with
repeated use.
6 For example, Mazatec taboos on sexual congress prior to, during, and after the use of
Diviner's Sage (Salvia divinorom) . Other plants may presenta quandry in this area, such
as Peyote, with which we witness sexual taboos in some traditional culti and the abscncc
of the sarne in others. · ·
7 Leland, Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling, pp. 79-80.
8 Budge, E.A. Wallis. The Divine Origin ofthe Craft of the Herbalist.
9 Except4ons may be made of course for the making of potions as a collaborative work
wi~h other sorcerers, such as the preparation of philtres containíng kalas in Vamacharin
praxes.
10 Such concems were active in Chinese sorcery, where water was enchanted by agita-
tion with Peach wands. ln some Russían folk magic, we see a similar praxis ernployed by
for converting The Water of Death (inert water) to the Water of Life (ensorcelled
water); a change -which may be measured by pendulum. Similarly, in mdent lndia,
Hindu alchemísts regarded the efficacy of a drug to be insufficient unless it was imbued
· with power by the intervention of the deities.
2 Lawson, Jo1!n Cuthbert. Modem Greek Po~ore md Andént Greek Religion, p. 18.
7 Salvi11 greggii, Salvi11 splendens, or Salvia ~eriflora. These are comnion ornamental
Salvias (sages) 'SOid in nurseries and plànted in gardens. Flowers frõm Lion's Tail
(Leon'!tis lenurus) may also be used.
-
CHAFFER 5.
2 Dead Se_a Scrolls Manuscript No. 4Q276-277: Wise, Abegg and Cook, eds. The Dead
Sea Scrolls: A N~w Trmslation. p. 284. Tbe original Hyssop (Esob) used with blood in
ancient Hebrew asperging rites may in fact have been a sprig of Caper, as the cultural
description more evenly matches the proclivities of this plant.
3 For a study of this manuscript, see Conjuring Spirits: Texts and Traditions ofMedieval
Ritual Magic, edited by Claire Fanger.
139
5 Our Good Root is nowadays very difficult to procure, and far better employed as an
Elixir Sacramentum. ln the absence of the Mandragore, employ fresh Calamus Root, the
Old Man of the Swamp.
6 This is the large conifer Hemlock (Tsuga species), not the poisonous Herb of the
Carrot .Family ( Conium maculatum), thought to have been the Bane of Sokrates.
CHAPTER6.
2 Do not exceed this dosage until individual tolerance for the tropanes in the Belladonna
haj, been established. Belladonna berries, like many products of poisonous nightshade
plants, are of varying toxicity, this in tum dêtennined by factors such as climate, soil,
heredity, and other factors. Conceming those specimens richest in alkaloids, a single
berry has been known to kill a child, and a dose in excess of three fruits is regarded to
be fatal to an adult.
CHAPTER 7.
Numbers 5:16-29. Used as a divinitory proof for adultery in women, the accused was
made to drink "cursed water", which contained dust-sweepings from the t~bemacle
floor. lf her abdomen swelled and Yahweh caused her "thigh to waste away", she was
guilty; if she survived the ordeal, she was considered innocent.
2 Other plants used in this manner include Oak, Cherry, Dock, Manzanita, Juniper,
Horseta~I, Dogwood, and Clíffrose (Cowania), among countless others.
CHAPTERS.
3 The lnner Rite of Exhuming the Man-Dragon is orally communica:ted by the Genius
of the rtant, its chosen Brethren, and ever according to the Secret Lore of the Verdelet.
CHAPTER 10.
Best and Brightman, eds. The /Joolc ofthe Sécrets ofAlbertus Màgnus. cWeiser~ York
Beach, ME, 1999 (ISSO).
.
Budge, E.A. Wallis. The Divine-'Õrigin of the Craft of the Heibalist. Dover
Publications, Mineola, NY 1991 (1on_don, 1928).
Christian, Paul. The History,and Praetice ofM:agi:c (Historie de la Magie, .du Monde
Surnaturel et de la Fatalité à traveisles- T_emps et Jes Peuplês};ua:ns. James Kirk,u p
-a nd Jplian Shaw). New York, NY~-=,Gtadel Press, 1969. [1S:70l - -
--
Chumbley, Andrew. The Azocfl;;:·=A Gnmoirt! ofihe Sahbatic C'rait. -Xoannn,.
Chelmsford, England 1992. ..
-- -: -= -."':-
Conway, David. The Magic ofHerbs. E;P. Dutton & Co., Inc. N:ew~V'ork, 1-9-7 3;' -
Maye$, Vemon O. and Lacy, Barbara ~ayless. Nanise: A -Jvavajo Het-bal Navajo
Community College Press, Tsaile, AZ 1989. ...,..
Moore, Michael. Jefe</icinal Í'lants oFtke-Desert and Canyon West. Museum .ofNew
Mexico Press. Santa Fe, NM. 1989-.
Parkinson, John. Theatrom BotlJfJiCÜm: The Theatre ofPlants ora HefbaHofa LiNe-' ·
Extent. London, 1640. -
Pendell, Dale. Pharmalco/P~ia. Mercury House, San Francisco, CA 1995.
Pennick, Nigel. Secrets ofEast Anglian Magic. Robert Hale Umited, London, 1995.
Pughe, John, trans. The Physicians ofMyddfai. Uanerch Publishers, Felinfach, 1993.
Rãtsch, Christian. The Dictionary of Sacred and Magicai Plants. Prism Press,
Dorsé't, England 1992.
Wahshiya, Ibn. The Book on Poisons. (Kitab al-sumum) ca 950 AD; [trans. Levey,
Martin. Philadelphia, PA 1966)
.,
+
C[eave 'Tfiou tfie 'Wood:
I am 'Tfiere.
+ + +
Lift tfie S tone
.9Lnd 'Tfiere sfia{t 'Tliou find me.