Elsie Wild - Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch: A Practical Guide to Healing Herbs, Tea Leaf Reading, and Botanical Spells

W hen most of us hear the word witch, we tend to picture our favorites from movies and television: badass people with otherworldly powers, creating magic out of thin air with merely a snap of the finger or the recitation of some Latin phrasesomething that could not be achieved off-screen.

Add in the term witchcraft or even herbalism, and you may conjure up a different image: some old crone in a pointy hat stirring a giant black cauldron, dropping in strange ingredients, and working by candlelight. From an outsiders point of view, the craft may seem inaccessible, unattainable, and obsolete.

But all that is hocus-pocus.

Today, the modern witch mixes the magical with the mundane, giving older forms of witchcraft and divination a modern update. From drawing sigils on our cups of pumpkin spice latte to keeping a grimoire on our notes apps, modern witchcraft practices allow witches to tap into their magic in accessible ways. This is why herbalism and tasseography, or tea leaf divination, have become so valuable to todays witchcraft community. By using the knowledge that has been studied and practiced for centuries, we can brew our own magic.

Tasseography is one of the oldest forms of fortune-telling, allowing us to spill the tea on what the future holds for us. Our potions dont contain eyes of newt but rather rose petals and dandelion tea. Most of us have traded in foraging in the woods for creating herb gardens on our windowsills. We still carry the knowledge of herbalism within usjust with a new way of accessing it.

Herbal Tea Magic for the Modern Witch is precisely what the title states: an introductory guide to the magical world of herbal witchcraft: from learning about which plants you can add to your morning cup of tea, to crafting your own spells, to learning to read your destiny at the bottom of your cup. All while blending ancient knowledge, passed down from herbalists and witches for hundreds of years, with modern-day practices. No green thumb required.

My journey into herbal magic was a long one. Ive never considered myself to be the outdoorsy type. I liked natureif nature involved feeling the sun on my skin, walking barefoot in the grass, or being in or near a body of water. But actually being in nature: camping, hiking, or getting my heels caught in the mud? That was a hard pass for this witch. Despite being an earth sign (shout out to my fellow Virgo suns) and growing up right next to the Adirondack Mountains, the great outdoors never called to me. Even now, my green thumb still hasnt come in, evident by the several succulent plants I have recently killed. Cottagecore is a lovely aesthetic, but leave me in the woods to forage for food and I would be dead by sundown.

My introduction to the herbal magic world came during my junior year of college, sitting cross-legged in a metaphysical club meeting taking place in the supposedly haunted resident hall (yes, we were that kind of liberal arts college). During a tea reading party, I sipped cinnamon-flavored tea until I reached the bottom of my cup, amazed by what I saw there and by the fact that in decoding my leaves I had the freedom to follow my intuition rather than a set of firm rules like most divination practices. After the party, I brewed tea for everyone in my dorm to read their leaves. While I got plenty of eye rolls, my path to green witchcraft was set.

I spent the following years studying everything involving tea readings, including the different rituals to use. Soon, I began adding spells to the mix, and after some time, I began studying herbalism to learn what herbs, teas, and spices could aid my magic and life. I realized I didnt need to be one with nature to experience the wonders of herbalism; it was in the palm of my hand and at the bottom of my cup. Something as simple as a cup of tea suddenly became powerful in my hands.

This book is for the modern witch who follows their own magic, their own rules, and mother nature. For witches who are interested in creating their own potions, whether for healing, good fortune, or understanding their path. To love the earth in their own way and feel a connection to both the physical and the spiritual realms.

Oh, and to be a badass with a carryout cup in their hand.

In these pages, you will discover the meanings and uses of everyday herbs, how to cast spells, how to read tea leaves, and how to add other magical elements and drinks into your practice. But above all else, you will discover how to add a dash of magic to the mundane.

So, lets get started.

Just like with any craft, you are going to need the right set of tools and materials to make your potions, read your leaves, and cast your spells. However, you dont have to spend a lot of money on special magical tools like wands and spoons to get the best results. In fact, most of the things youll need for this book you may already own or can get cheaply. Heres a basic list of materials youll need to get started on your herbal magic journey.