Hi guys! Yesterday I finished a section of my Book of Shadows and I thought it was a good idea to make a list of the materials and herbs I have till this day. Long post with pictures
This is also a way for me to keep them organized and label them all, lol. I’ll show you what herbs I have, what do I use them for, and where do I keep them in my apartment. If you’re a broom closet witch or a baby witch, you’ll might find this helpful.
Most of my jars come from the supermarket. I tend to buy food in glass or metal containers. Soup, sauce, honey, juice or tea. Avoiding plastic is one of my main goals all the time. If you’re a broom closet witch you can ask your parents to keep the jars after the food is done and wash them later. I don’t find strange for you wanting to keep the jars. But if they ask, you can tell them you want them for you jewelry or to put your pencils and pens in your desk.
In a piece of paper I wrote the names of the herbs I have. Proceed to cut them and tape them in the jars with clear tape. (My tape wasn’t thaaaat clear, lol, but you get the idea) Some of my labels are in English, some in Spanish. I just find some names more appealing in different languages.
I commonly use Sage for cleansing and purification. I use it to make smudge sticks, protection jars or sachets and will normally use it lighten up as my Air element when I’m casting a circle.
My all time favorite. I love chamomile because of its healing properties. I use it in potions, tea, amulets, talismans. I put it in my cauldron whenever I’m doing a ritual that requires healing or health.
I use thyme for rituals, talismans, amulets and potions whenever I need to attract courage, prosperity or banish bad vibes. Also I use it in the water when I cleanse my crystals. It also brings mysticism and change, so it’s perfect to keep on your altar.
I love the smell, so I keep them in my altar. Also I use them as offerings, or in talismans to attract memory or psychic abilities. I use it in rituals or when casting a circle because it contains masculine energy, works as the element of Air, and the planet Mercury. That’s why it’s also a great option to add this to smudge sticks.
Another amazing and delicious herb. I commonly use peppermint for potions, teas and rituals. It has amazing healing and relaxing properties. I also use it in talismans or sachets when I want to attract health, good luck, or harmony.
There’s probably a good eight or ten roses in this little jar. That’s what’s great on working with petals, they last so long. I use white for purification rituals, spells, potions, smudge sticks. Or whenever I want to attract peace, purity or sincerity.
This is my smallest jar, when I bought it it contained Jamaica salt so now it’s perfect for petals or if you use seeds in your craft. There’s about six or eight flowers in here. I use red rose when I want to use passion, love, lust, or strong emotions during rituals, spells, or in potions, and protections jars. Also you can use them in smudge sticks.
I use flame vine for cleansing the water for my crystals. I use it as offerings, or in potions and rituals. It has healing and spiritual properties. Sometimes I make salve with it, along other ingredients.
Not much explanation needed. Rosemary is amazing, it has tons of uses. I use it in everything I can. Rituals, spells, talismans, potions and smudge sticks. It helps with protection of body and spirit, keeps the mind healthy, works against negative energies.
As you can see I’m running out of basil. I use it pretty often in kitchen crafts, in potions and rituals. It helps purify spaces and object, brings luck, happiness and love.
New ingredient in my collection. My boyfriend gave me some flowers and as decoration came this cypress leaves. I’ve been using it as offerings, or in talismans, and protection jars. It helps with calmness, prosperity, wealth and luck. I’m looking forward to use it in spells, rituals and smudge sticks.
I keep this jar in my altar. There’s no label to it because I normally fill it with random things I find in the street or in parks and forests. Smells delicious and it looks amazing. When I need special ingredients in my craft I tend to take something from it. One of my kitties decided to intrude in my work, so I included him in my picture . His name is Brahim.
So I keep these sticks I find. I use them to make pentagram talismans, magic wands, or decorations in general. Sometimes I put them in my cauldron when I’m burning something.
I know it’s not a herb, but I keep it in a similar jar, so here it is. Whenever I’m making moon water that’s my go to. I use it to cleanse and purify every material I use before any craft. When I’m casting a circle I use it as the Water element.
That’s pretty much what I have right now. I made a list to keep in my book of shadows. This way I know what I’m missing, or what I need (basil, lol). It’s a really easy access point for me to grab the list and go to the supermarket. I made sort of an envelope with another piece of paper and used tape in the edges so I can put it there. It reads “In manu magica essentialia” which means “On hand magic essentials” in Latin.
In my closet above my altar. Even tho I have my own apartment and I live only with my boyfriend and our two cat babies, I like to keep my altar private. He’s neither pagan, catholic, nor anything at all. He believes in science and himself. But he is really understanding and appreciative whenever I include him in my craft, he actually likes it, haha. Nevertheless, I also understand he likes our home to be neutral (even tho I have subtle witchcraft everywhere xD). I keep not only my herbs, but ritual/spell candles, smudge sticks, some crystals I commonly use in my craft and sachets amongst other magical thingys. Whenever I buy new herbs I leave them outside so they can dry, then to the jars. Most of them have lids but I like to open them so the herbs can dry completely. We don’t want fungi ruining our ingredients. So the upper part are my essentials and the bottom part is my altar.
So this is pretty much all I have right now, and how I keep it organized and in a “discreet” place. I hope y’all liked it and helped any new or broom closet witches and of course also any other witch out there!
Image source: my camera 📸
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