The Poison Path Herbal

The Poison Path Herbal ~ Baneful Herbs, Medicinal Nightshades & Ritual Entheogens

Author: Coby Michael

"THE book that witches have long been waiting for....an intense ride through the history and folklore of baneful plants, ...it also thoroughly details their proper preparation and usage on both magical and mundane levels....an important addition to the library of any apothecary or hedge rider.”
-TARA-LOVE MAGUIRE,coauthor of Besom, Stang, and Sword

"Michael' seamlessly laces botanical science with entheogenic enchantment throughout this engaging work. ... Read closely and carefully, as this book is not for the faint of heart. Michael is a real witch, and this is a book of real witchcraft.”
-THOMAS HATSIS,author of The Witches' Ointment

Part grimoire and part herbal formulary, this guide to the Poison Path of occult herbalism shares history, lore, and information regarding the use of poisonous, consciousness-altering, and magical plants.  Author Coby Michael explains how, despite their poisonous nature, baneful herbs can become powerful plant allies, offering potent medicine, magical wisdom, and access to the spirit realm.

Detailing the spiritual, alchemical, astrological, and symbolic associations of each plant, the author explores their magical uses in spells and rituals. He focuses primarily on the nightshade family, or Solanaceae, such as mandrake, henbane, and thornapple, but also explores plants from other families such as wolfsbane, hemlock, and hellebore. He also examines plants in the witch's pharmacopoeia that are safer to work with and just as chemically active, such as wormwood, mugwort, and yarrow.

The author shares rituals suited to the individual nature and powers of each plant and explains how to attract and work with plant spirit familiars. He offers plant alchemy methods for crafting spagyric tinctures and magical techniques to facilitate working with these plants as allies and teachers. He shares magical recipes featuring the plants, including a modern witches' flying ointment. He also explores safely cultivating baneful herbs in a poison garden.

COBY MICHAEL is a practitioner of the Poison Path of occult herbalism and a cultivator of entheogenic herbs. He contributes to the Pagan Archives at Valdosta University, writes regularly for The House of Twigs, and maintains a blog, Poisoner's Apothecary, on Patheos Pagan.  He teaches classes and online workshops on plant magic, baneful herbs, and traditional witchcraft. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.