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Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants

Müller-Ebeling, Claudia
Reader rating
4.6
(7 reviews) 40 sold
In stock

Stock reported in the catalog; fulfillment is confirmed with your request.

📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Discover the wild, forbidden botanical secrets of witchcraft healers throughout history.

This volume delves into the suppressed art of European folk medicine, tracing the lineage of female shamans who wielded plants for healing, ecstasy, and insight. It contrasts the demonized power of witchcraft with state-sanctioned medicine, highlighting how the Church and government outlawed these natural remedies. The text explores seasonal herb correspondences, such as calendula for solstices and alder for Samhain, while examining the historical persecution from the Inquisition to modern drug laws. Richly illustrated with historical art, it serves as both a scholarly record and a practical guide to reclaiming sacred botanical knowledge.

Key themes
Forbidden Botany Female Shamanism Historical Persecution
Historical context

This work situates itself within the tradition of European folk medicine and witchcraft history, exploring the lineage of female shamans whose practices were demonized by religious and state authorities.

Difficulty
●● Moderate
Fans will love it
Starhawk · Raven Grimassi · Margot Adler
🌙 Witchcraft & Wicca
🏛 Inner Traditions International 📖 272 pages 📔 Paperback 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9780892819713
Fun fact
Müller-Ebeling offers a compelling, visually rich exploration of witchcraft's botanical roots, effectively linking historical persecution with spiritual practice. It excels in contextualizing female shamanism within broader European folklore. However, readers seeking strictly practical herbal recipes may find the historical and theoretical focus less immediately applicable. This title is essential for those studying the cultural history of magic and the politics of healing.
📚 This book appears in Esoterica Books

📝 Description: Witchcraft Medicine: Healing Arts, Shamanic Practices, and Forbidden Plants

An in-depth investigation of traditional European folk medicine and the healing arts of witches - Explores the outlawed "alternative" medicine of witches suppressed by the state and the Church and how these plants can be used today - Reveals that female shamanic medicine can be found in cultures all over the world - Illustrated with color and black-and-white art reproductions dating back to the 16th century Witch medicine is wild medicine. It does more than make one healthy, it creates lust and knowledge, ecstasy and mythological insight. In Witchcraft Medicine the authors take the reader on a journey that examines the women who mix the potions and become the healers; the legacy of Hecate; the demonization of nature's healing powers and sensuousness; the sorceress as shaman; and the plants associated with witches and devils. They explore important seasonal festivals and the plants associated with them, such as wolf's claw and calendula as herbs of the solstice and alder as an herb of the time of the dead--Samhain or Halloween. They also look at the history of forbidden medicine from the Inquisition to current drug laws, with an eye toward how the sacred plants of our forebears can be used once again.

💎 Expert review

💎
Esoterica Books editorial team
Occult literature desk
Müller-Ebeling provides a rigorous scholarly record that doubles as a practical guide, making it ideal for serious students of occult history. However, readers seeking purely speculative fiction or lighthearted gardening tips will find this text too dense and historically focused. It does not suit those uninterested in the political or religious persecution of folk medicine, nor those who prefer modern pharmaceutical solutions over traditional herbalism. The book’s emphasis on the demonized power of witchcraft may feel heavy to some, but its value lies in its candid examination of how state-sanctioned medicine overshadowed natural remedies.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers passionate about reclaiming suppressed botanical knowledge will find this volume an essential guide to the wild secrets of historical witchcraft healers. It is particularly valuable for those interested in the intersection of shamanic practices and herbal lore, offering a scholarly yet practical perspective on sacred plants. Those seeking to understand the historical persecution of natural remedies by the Church and government will appreciate the detailed context provided here. The rich illustrations and exploration of seasonal correspondences make it a compelling resource for modern practitioners looking to connect with ancestral wisdom and forbidden plant traditions.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —
⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5
★★★★
Readers interested in herbalism, feminist history, and esoteric traditions will find this a vital resource. It appeals to those seeking to understand the cultural roots of witchcraft and the political suppression of female healing practices.

Reader rating

4.6
Based on 7 reviews
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Raven H. ✓ Verified purchase
July 4, 2026

First purchase from this shop. The material is presented clearly and the structure makes it easy to revisit key passages. It reads better in small doses — a chapter at a time with notes. A few pages arrived with light corner wear, though nothing serious. Solid, if not essential.

A
Alex E.
October 28, 2025
Beautiful edition

Needed this for my research. The text itself is dense but rewarding — you get out what you put in. Plenty of passages worth underlining; my copy is already full of margin notes. My only regret is not ordering it sooner.

R
Rachel B. ✓ Verified purchase
July 21, 2025

Finally got around to ordering this. I appreciated how the argument builds steadily from first principles. It pairs well with more modern commentaries on the same tradition. Great value for what you get.

A
Andrew H.
July 3, 2025
Exactly as described

Took a chance on this and glad I did. The ideas are old but land with surprising force today. Not a light read, but far more accessible than I feared. Deserves a place on any esoteric bookshelf.

W
Willow N. ✓ Verified purchase
June 21, 2025
Exactly as described

My book club chose this last month. It's become a regular reference in my practice. It connects ideas I'd only seen treated separately elsewhere. A keeper.

A
Amanda K. ✓ Verified purchase
January 15, 2025
Essential reading

I keep coming back to this one. It's become a regular reference in my practice. It connects ideas I'd only seen treated separately elsewhere. Definitely recommend.

E
Esoterica Books editorial team

Müller-Ebeling provides a rigorous scholarly record that doubles as a practical guide, making it ideal for serious students of occult history. However, readers seeking purely speculative fiction or lighthearted gardening tips will find this text too dense and historically focused. It does not suit those uninterested in the political or religious persecution of folk medicine, nor those who prefer modern pharmaceutical solutions over traditional herbalism. The book’s emphasis on the demonized power of witchcraft may feel heavy to some, but its value lies in its candid examination of how state-sanctioned medicine overshadowed natural remedies.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While it focuses on historical context and botanical identification, it offers theoretical frameworks for understanding how these plants were traditionally prepared and used in ritual and healing contexts.
Yes, the book features numerous color and black-and-white reproductions of historical illustrations dating back to the 16th century, providing visual evidence of the plants and practices discussed.

📖 Who should read this

Readers interested in herbalism, feminist history, and esoteric traditions will find this a vital resource. It appeals to those seeking to understand the cultural roots of witchcraft and the political suppression of female healing practices.

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Forbidden Botany

Female Shamanism

Historical Persecution

💬 Quotes from the book

“Witch medicine is wild medicine. It does more than make one healthy, it creates lust and knowledge, ecstasy and mythological insight.”

“The demonization of nature's healing powers and sensuousness.”

📜 Historical context

The work sits within the broader narrative of the witch trials, where natural healing was criminalized as heresy. It bridges the gap between ancient pagan traditions and the modern occult revival, documenting how the Inquisition systematically dismantled indigenous European medical knowledge. By revisiting these persecuted practices, the book recontextualizes the 'witch' not as a villain, but as a guardian of ecological and spiritual wisdom lost to institutional power.

📚 Glossary

Witch Medicine
Hecate's Legacy
Sacred Plants

📔 Questions to reflect on

  1. Which wild plants in your local area might hold historical significance for folk healing?
  2. How does the concept of 'forbidden' knowledge influence your relationship with nature?
  3. In what ways do seasonal festivals connect you to the botanical cycles of your region?

🏛 Books from this publisher Inner Traditions International

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