I am in a reading mood. Maybe it is the season of fall. Or maybe it is me accepting my true self - a nerd who loves all things herbal. So, instead of sharing information about herbs and their folklore, I wanted to take you through a few of my most valued books when it comes to HerbLore.
These first two are truly special books. They were gifted to me by two friends - Margaret and Emma - who do not know each other but share so many similarities in life and interests. They have lived in the same city (though not anymore), both share a love for Irish culture and music, and are both getting married on the same weekend later on this year. Not that those things have any relevance to these two ladies gifted me. About the books: you can find "Under the Bramble Arch" by Corinne Boyer and Celtic Tree Magic through those links.
Then, there is the very well known book Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. It is really easy to find for free as a PDF online these days as the author is long since deceased. I love to flip through the pages to look for inspiration as to the magical associations of herbs but, it so by no means contains the ONLY magical associations.
Books aren't the only place where information can be stored. Most of herblore, in my opinion, comes from knowledge passed on from person to person. And in my own life I have accumulated plenty of stories relating to specific herbs.
When I think of Zinnias - for example - I remember how my BFF told me that zinnias are the flower of friendship. I picture picking a bouquet of zinnias just for fun on a warm summer afternoon. I remember all the times I collected the colorful zinnia petals for spell jars and rituals.
And when I think of Yarrow I almost always conjure up an image of the card from the HerbCrafter's Tarot deck.
The Ace of Air ~ a card for new beginnings and new ideas. In the picture on the card we can see a barbed wire fence with yarrow growing belief. The influence of witchcraft is a theme in this entire deck and especially with this card. Historically yarrow is associated with protection and gathering a bunch of yarrow flowers for home protection spells is totally a thing in modern witchy trends too!