30 Days of Witchcraft ~ 30-Day Challenge ~ Day 15 Herbalism

Day 15 of our 30 Days of Witchcraft "Write Your Craft" Challenge!!! Half-way through! Thank you for sticking it out with me.

Today we're going to carry on with different forms of magical abilities with herbalism. herbalism is the practice of using herbs, taken in many ways, to cure ailments and enhance spells, They can detox and help heal. We can use the plant whole, make teas, tinctures, oils, and more. It's a fascinating practice.

Herbalism as folk magic dates back to the beginning of time. The World Health Organization currently recognizes that an estimation of 80% of the world's population still uses herbal medicine for healthcare. It utilizes the many faucets of the plants and all the substances that can be made from it for atypical maintenance of body, mind, and spirit. 

Peoples from each area use their indigenous plant species for these treatments. We've noted this as far back as 25,000 BC in radiocarbon dates cave drawings in France. Ancient Sumerians have a well-written study as far back as 5,000 years. The first Chinese herbal book dating back to possibly 2500 lists 365 medicinal herbs and their uses.

Let's talk about some common ones that you already know and likely use.

• Lavender for calming and sleep.
• Menthol (comes from a species of mint) for nasal issues.
• Capsaicin in muscle rubs.
• Chamomile tea for sleep.
• Ginger in many forms for nausea.

We practice herbalism every day! These are just a few that popped into my head. So if we can use them for these bodily ailments, why can't we use them for more?

• Lavender for anxiety
• Mint to drive away bad energies
• Capsaicin for hexes
• Chamomile for meditation
• Ginger to add power to any element of witchcraft

Sometimes this simplest things should be the most obvious.