Tools of an Herbalist
Mortar and Pestle In most herbal preparations, the plant material is ground thoroughly,
before herb mills and grinders, the mortar and pestle was used. Most herbs grind easily, some require additional effort, but
choosing the old fashioned way infuses the preparation with magic. The mortar is the bowl-shaped tool, representing the
feminine, while the pestle, or pounder-grinder, represents the masculine. When herbs are ground using the mortar and pestle,
the energies of the plant, the practitioner, and masculine and feminine come together, resulting in healing, creativity and
magic.
Chemically speaking, plants store active compounds in their cellular structure as they grow. When they are cut and dried, these compounds become trapped in the cell membrane. Breaking up the plant material increases the surface area, allowing water or alcohol a greater area from which to absorb the active constituents. This results in more potent decoctions, infusions or tinctures.
Mortar and pestle sets can be found in kitchen supply stores or specialty occult shops. If you plan to use herbs both for cooking and magic, purchase two sets and use one exclusively for each of the two purposes. The best sets are made from marble or hard-fired ceramic and have an unglazed inside which allows for greater friction. Wood sets are also available, but a varnish will rub off into the mixture and raw wood will absorb essential oils from the plant.
Cleaning your Mortar and Pestle
To clean out those gummy resins and powder residues, pulverize 2-3 Tbsp sea salt twice. The first batch will come out off color, the second should come as white as table salt, if it does not repeat the procedure a third or even fourth time.
Salt is abrasive and physically cleans the bowl and the tip of the pestle, but salt also bears mystical associations of cleansing and purification so this is a magical as well as mundane cleaning.
Philtre Rather than the metal strainer found in the typical kitchen, a philtre refers to a natural strainer. Cheesecloth, muslin, medical gauze, a coffee filter, a bamboo tea ball or natural cotton are ideal materials to use to strain loose plant material out of teas, oils and tinctures. Metal may react with oils in the plant and result in toxic chemicals in the preparations.
Infuser A teapot or steeper in which herbs may be left to steep in boiling water. Again, metal containers should be avoided, chemical reactions can occur. A tight seal should also exist, since volatile oils can escape in the steam. Place loose herbs in the infuser and swirl occasionally for 10 20 minutes. Herbs may also be bagged in a philtre, but this reduces the surface area of the plant that is available to the water.
Measure Many incense recipes call for a part. A part is a constant measurement, designed to maintain the ratio of one ingredient to another. A measure may hold 2 ounces, 1 ounce or a Ό teaspoon, depending on how much finished product is needed. The important thing is to use a constant measure throughout the preparation. If you begin a recipe using 1 tablespoon as a part, a half tablespoon equals one-half part. Many herbalists find a specific measure they feel comfortable with, it may be a collectable teaspoon, a spoon from an heirloom silver set, a kitchen measuring spoon or a porcelain rice bowl. In such a case measure also refers to the physical item used to measure; the spoon or the bowl.
Additional Tools
* For sachets, dream pillows, charm bags, and poppets needles, thread, pins, thread, scissors, different colors of
cloth
* For incense censer, self igniting charcoal, sand or salt
* For poultices medical gauze, adhesive tape, first aid bandages
* For oils eye droppers
* For harvesting a spade or hand trowel, a bolline (knife for cutting herbs), sharp clippers, an illustrated herbal
with detailed plant descriptions, string to tie bunches of drying herbs
* Miscellaneous darkly colored bottles and jars for storage, labels, funnels, a notebook to record recipes and
experience
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