Class III: Wortcunning (Green)
wortcunning comes from gathering herbs in the wild—
learning to recognize each one in its season and habi-
tat. I recommend you get a good book on wild herbs,
such as Stalking the Wild Asparagras by Euell Gib-
bons, and try going out into the fields and woods to
see what you can find. Take a basket, a sharp little
knife, and a pair scissors.
The home of an herbalist is a real joy to experi-
ence, with herbs growing in the garden, all around the
house, and in window boxes, planters, and pots.
Bundles of dried herbs hang from hooks in the kitchen
and above the fireplace. The combined aromas are
just wonderful! Hanging in the kitchen you will usu-
ally see a little doll of an old Witch riding a broom; this
is the “Kitchen Witch,” and she blesses the kitchen of
any herbalist.Lesson 2. Kitchen Witchery
—by Ellen Evert Hopman, Master HerbalistIn the previous Class on healing, I introduced a num-
ber of herbal remedies for common ailments. Here I will
offer some additional herbal lore, the arts of which are
referred to as “Kitchen Witchery.”ALLSPICE: This spice comes from the
unripe fruits of an evergreen tree
(Eugenia pimenta—commonly
known as pimentos) that grows
in South America and the West
Indies. It tastes and smells a bit
like clove and is used to season
meats, curries, and pies. To make
a remedy for stomach upset and
gas, simmer ½ to ¾ teaspoon of the spice in a cup of
hot water for ten minutes. The dose is 1 ounce for a
child, 2 ounces for an adult.ALOE VERA: Aloe can grow in the
garden in warm climates and indoors
in a sunny spot in colder areas. This
is a plant that you will want to have
somewhere near the kitchen for
healing burns. Split open one of
the fleshy leaves and apply the
moist inner gel to the burn. Aloe is
cooling and soothing and loaded with skin-healing
vitamins.ANISE SEEDS: Anise is a spice that was used by the
ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Anise seeds
are used to flavor pies, cookies, and stews. The tea is
a sedative and a great remedy for colic, gas, and indi-
gestion. Steep two teaspoonfuls in a pint of freshly
boiled water for ten minutes. Strain and take a table- Introduction:
About Wortcunning
ERBALISM IS THE LORE AND ART OF
knowing and using the magickal,
medicinal, and other properties of
plants—especially herbs or (in
Old English) worts. The old word
used for the knowledge of the se-
cret properties of herbs is
wortcunning (herbal wisdom),
and this has always been a particular study of Witches.
Wortcunning has two aspects. The first deals with the
chemical and medicinal properties of herbs; the sec-
ond is concerned with their occult and magickal prop-
erties. Ancient doctors, traditional herbalists, Wizards,
and Witches have always considered both these as-
pects, but modern physicians and pharmacologists
only concern themselves with the first. Ethnobota-
nists and psycho-pharmacologists study the cultural
and psychological aspects of certain “medicine
plants”—plants particularly known for their con-
sciousness-altering effects.
Vast amounts of herbal lore, remedies, and reci-
pes have been compiled into books called herbals.
The earliest known herbal was written by the Greek
physician Pedanius Dioscorides (40-90 CE). His famous
text on botany and pharmacology was called De Ma-
teria Medica (“On Medical Matters”) and it was the
primary herbal source book for European Witches and
Wizards throughout the Middle Ages. Many of
today’s medicines have come from these ancient herbal
recipes, though most modern doctors dismiss them as
mere superstitious “folk remedies.”
I think that the most important thing about
wortcunning is learning to grow and harvest the herbs
yourself. My own greatest pleasure inTANSYCorrected pages 3rd printing.2.p65 26 6/10/2004, 4:02 PM