Poisonous plants have long accompanied the practice of witchcraft, revered for their powerful yet perilous properties. Throughout history, herbs like belladonna, mandrake, and monkshood have been associated with witches, alchemists, and healers, believed to possess a dual nature to both heal and harm, curse and cure. The use of such plants has been recorded across cultures, from ancient Greece to the European witch trials, weaving a mythology of danger and power.
This course offers a deep dive into the historical, folkloric, and magical significance of poisonous plants. Students will explore the botanical properties of key plants used in witchcraft, exploring traditional uses in both medicine and the magical arte. They will also examine the symbolism these plants carried in cultural perceptions of the witch, exploring why and how the witch and the poisoner came to be intertwined. The instructor will guide students through historical texts, ancient practices, and modern interpretations of these plants in witchcraft, exploring both the theory and praxis of the poison path.
In part 3, students will finally uncover rituals, charms, and spells from history which work with the veneficium, the kingdom of poisonous plants.
By the end of the course, students will have gained a thorough understanding of the most important poisonous plants in witchcraft and the occult, as well as the historical and symbolic contexts in which they were used. Whether you are a student of the occult, a botanist with an interest in folklore, or simply curious about the intersection of magic and nature, this course will provide you with a nuanced understanding of these fascinating plants and their dark history.
To see the other classes in this series, follow the links below -