Reviews

Endorsements

“An aroma can trigger memories, moods, and emotions. It plays on the most primal part of our brain. The essential oil of an herb is where all the good smell is and is the essence of any plant. In Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic, Amy Blackthorn shows us how to utilize essential oils to affect magic. In addition to the magical applications of pure essential oils, synergies (essential oil blends), and base oils, she gives practical information such as safety precautions and shelf life. This book is a must-have for anyone who utilizes essential oils in their magic.” —Deborah J. Martin, Master Herbalist and author of A Green Witch’s Cupboard and A Green Witch’s Formulary

“I absolutely love this book! Amy Blackthorn’s vast experience with herbs and oils is evident on every page, and her friendly, wise, and witty voice makes it a pleasure to read. I particularly liked the chapter on using herbs in cleansing smoke, as well as the attention given to base oils and their various magical uses. The entries for each herb are rich with lore, recipes, and magical uses. This unique reference is a must-have for anyone who wants to get serious about using essential oils in their magic!” —Lisa Chamberlain, author of Wicca Herbal Magic, WiccaLiving.com

“If you haven’t heard of Amy Blackthorn, well, you should. Not just because her tea (Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends) is delicious, let alone magical. Amy is an authority on herbs, oils, and brews of all sorts. I’ve witnessed her identify flowers in the field by name, species and genus, detect the notes in the essential oil I was wearing, and whip up just the right concoction of herbs to go with pork chops. Her formulas are efficacious and her knowledge of all things aromatherapy deep. She brings this expertise, as well a charming, warm, and genuine voice to Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic. Beginner or expert, magical or mundane… if you work with plants in any way, shape or form, you need this book in your life.” —Natalie Zaman, award-winning author of Magical Destinations of the Northeast

“To be a witch is to work with the powers of nature, and the green power of the plant kingdom is one of the greatest of all. Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic is a resource for anyone who works with plant materials, whether they have just planted the first seed in their garden of knowledge or are surrounding by an encompassing grove of long experience. This book is more than a dry tome filled with facts and correspondences, it is rich with the sap and the fragrance of the author’s love of this lore. The author’s hand tends the reader as gracefully as they would their garden, and that is a gift.” —Ivo Dominguez, Jr., author of Keys to Perception

“So much wisdom is packed in Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic. The flow of information seamlessly blends the practical, scientific, historical, and magickal without overwhelming the reader, yet offering new ideas for a seasoned green Witch.” —Christopher Penczak, Co-Founder of the Temple of Witchcraft

“Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic is a fantastic starter guide and takes such care in speaking about the origins and cultural connections of various plants and herbs. If you’re looking for a practical guide that also takes time to answer how and why we’re drawn to botanical magic, this is it.” —Jaya Saxena, co-author of Basic Witches

“What a fresh new voice! Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic has wisdom for the novice, the experienced herbalist. and everyone in between. Amy Blackthorn’s style is accessible and the information so valuable in these anxiety-provoking times. Get this book and practice what you learn here.” —H. Byron Ballard, author of Earth Works: Ceremonies in Tower Time and Embracing Willendorf: A Witch’s Way of Loving Your Body to Health and Fitness

“Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic is a valuable resource that fills the need for information about the magical properties of essential oils. A book unlike any other, it guides the reader through the world of essential oils, describing their origins and dispelling the myths that surround them. The compendium of oils is a treasure trove of information, filled with magical correspondences, lore, therapeutic applications and scores of original recipes for using oils, herbs, and other botanical ingredients for making magic. This book belongs in the library of every occultist, healer, and herbalist interested in incorporating essential oils into their practice.” —Nicholas Pearson, author of The Seven Archetypal Stones and Crystal Healing for the Heart

“Brilliantly written and jam-packed with practical advice and easy-to-follow recipes, Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic is the one book that no magical practitioner can do without. I wish I’d had it when I began my practice!” —Dorothy Morrison, author of Everyday Magic and The Craft

“Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic really reached inside my soul and chimed a ring of truth. Beautifully written, using contemporary magic to heighten and empower your life, I found it a wonderfully informative read, covering all manner of herbal witchery including essential oils and herbal plants to enlighten the reader. A must-have book for all those Green Witches, Kitchen Witches and Hedge Witches out there!” —Leanna Greenaway, author of Wicca Plain & Simple and co-author of Wiccapedia

“In her signature style, Amy Blackthorn offers botanical entries which are thorough and informative, with herbal lore to satisfy and so many rich, inspired recipes for magical intentions — spells — all based on aromatherapy. Carrier oils are well-discussed as are ways to use magical EO’s every day. There are even recipes using other types of botanicals such as chile pepper and whole clove, the inclusion of which I consider a real bonus.” —Doreen Shababy, author of The Wild & Weedy Apothecary

“Knowledge is power when it comes to botanical magic and Amy Blackthorn has filled her book with scientific and magical information along with easy to follow formulas. Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic is a great resource for anyone looking to put the potent power of plants behind their magic.” —Adam Sartwell, co-founder of the Temple of Witchcraft and award-winning author of Twenty-One Days of Reiki and The Blessing Cord

Customer Reviews

For Puck’s Sake Review

The Fairy Tale Witch

“This reference is an absolute must have for anyone who works with essential oils in any capacity, whether they call themselves witch or not. It is filled with Amy’s unique voice and many years of expertise, and her warmth and humor shine through with passion for the subject matter. I loved being able to do a read through with the audiobook, as I struggle with reading physical books and time management. I highly recommend having a physical copy as there are many recipes and passages on which you’ll want to take notes, and I personally don’t feel an audiobook makes a good tool for something you need to grab in the moment of a working or moment of inspiration, which you will have planty of once you glean the info contained. ” -Melissa D.

“Amy Blackthorn has done SUCH an amazing job making this material accessible to newbies and useful to longer-term practitioners.
The depth and breadth of “recipes” in this book are blowing me away. If you have a need, I can pretty much guarantee you will find a DETAILED suggestion to meet it.
I don’t find that it skews toward any one particular religious or spiritual tradition and I’m so pleased that it addresses the issue of cultural appropriation in a nonjudgmental way. I also LOVE that it is designed around delighting our senses because, while there may be very valid reasons for using something stinky, I know I would be less likely to incorporate something like that into a oft-used ritual no matter how potent.
I really couldn’t be more pleased with this and can’t wait to start trying out some oil creation using plants from my garden and blending them with store-bought essential oils.” -Jodi M.

“Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic is a gift. Amy’s style is fluid and thorough with a keen wit, interesting and accessible! This guide is a panacea of a reference. It has everything you need at your fingertips in one book to craft an effective working and increase general knowledge, whether you’re a novice or experienced, wealthy or less so. It includes candle color correspondences, days of the week correspondences, the historical information behind the herbs (which is very inclusive without ever being dry) and guidance on where to order hard to find and quality oils. There are also some really clever tips sprinkled in, like how to make a diffuser simply using salt and essential oil and even how to figure out if the moon is waxing or waning just by looking at it in the sky! There are spells included in the introductory chapters as well, not just the section focused on the herbs, and also a section that lists spell focuses and a soliflore (and a glossary!), so you can learn to craft your own blends. After reading it, I am now on the hunt for an old apothecary cabinet to house all of the oil blends I would like to make. Blackthorn’s Botanical Magic has drawn me to begin practicing this facet of my craft on a deeper and more committed level, knowing that I have a guide I can trust to follow. Thank you, Amy!” -Renee L.

“The boy and I are super exited to discover many new things and learn more about botanical magic. My husband and I have a working knowledge of herbs and essential oils but I am not as confidant in the craft as he. I’m almost done with the book and realize that I know more than I give myself credit for. Amy’s writing style is how she talks and while reading the book I heard her narration in my head. Just for that the book is utterly fantastic and I can’t get enough.
Section six- oils from a to z is such an easy reference from the novice to the expert. I Love the layout and I want to break out the highlighters and colored pens to add my notes and helpful hints for future reference.
I cannot sing enough praises. Thank you for this and thank you for existing, Amy.” -Christina