City Witch: Urban Wild Crafting
By Christopher Penczak
A few years back, something happened to open my eyes to the world around me. I started to take notice of things that I never saw or felt before. I pride myself in sensing the subtle energies and recognizing the sacred in places were most people don’t. That’s what my book, City Magick, is all about, recognizing the magick and sacredness of urban environments. Most people overlook them, or think they are not magickal. Now I had an experience in woods and fields that opened me to a deeper level of the city.
My experience was taking an herbal apprenticeship at the Misty Meadows Herbal Center in Lee, NH. There’s nothing really urban about Lee, though its not far from the city of Portsmouth. As a witch, I had been working with herbs for many years. I loved to make potions, oils, incense and teas. I knew a lot about the magickal and spiritual uses of herbs from my training and my own research into the field. But I didn’t know much about the medicinal, or at least my medicinal knowledge of herbs was scattered. I decided I wanted to get a solid foundation, and understand the more practical wisdom of the herbs, along with the mystical.
Part of our training was many walks in the woods and fields. For six months, one weekend a month, we lived on the farm, taking our classes and doing hands on work. In the weeks between, we had to complete a set number of apprentice hours working in the shop, making products, wild crafting harvesting and most importantly, doing plant identification.
Our teacher, Wendy Snow Fogg, took us on weed walks and hikes through the forest and fields, pointing out both medicinal and magickal herbs. Most plants have both qualities. Plant ID was completely new to me. Though I had a lot of herbal knowledge, I was the typical urban/suburban witch I know many of us are. I knew how to ID my herbs because that is what the label from the store said. I bought herbs in jars, in tiny packets from witch shops and the really exotic ones from mail order. Some I could identify through smell or taste, but most came in a package from a store. I didn’t grow it. I didn’t pick it. I didn’t dry it. Someone else did. I didn’t know where they really came from. Though they were usually fresh and carried vital life force in them, for magick or medicine, I was divorced from the living, growing essence of the plant world.
As we started our journey, Wendy told us that we would never be the same, that we would never look at the world the same. She was right. Though I was changed in many ways, one was the recognition of all the plants around me, from cultivated gardens to roadsides. I saw power plants and green allies wherever I went. Things I knew from childhood, but had no name for, were actually powerful medicines. I had been using them in magick, but never recognized them growing all around me.
We continued our journey by having a list of plants we needed to locate in the wild, identify and take a pressing for future reference. It wasn’t just technical. True we did have our wild flower guides and pictorials to help us identify our species, but it was a spiritual process as well. We were encouraged to spend time with the plant. Be in its presence. Look at its symbolism, the play of elements within it. Was it earthy and low to the ground, or fiery with bright colors, spikes or a spicy taste? Not only could I identify them from the leaf, flower or stem, but we also learned to feel their energy. It’s subtle and intuitive, but powerful.
The truly unexpected part of the journey came much later. Afterward I had the opportunity to travel to many new cities when promoting my books. I love to wander the neighborhoods and soak in the different flavors. I usually would pick up the “vibe” of the neighborhood and it’s people, but now something was different. The plants of the city were talking to me. I would feel a pull, and from the sidewalk would be growing what I would have thought was just a weed, but now I knew what it really was. Many magickal plants are consider to be just weeds.
With my eyes open, I saw many plants just “hanging around” in the cracks of the road, in the gutters, in the tiny little plots of land, near bridges and highway under passes. The places most of us think are dead and lifeless were bursting with not only green life, but some rather exotic and special forms of green life. Some were cultivated. Most were wild. Others were escapees from gardens through their seeds being scattered by wind or birds.
These plants anchored a magical energy, a spirit medicine. Even if they were not recognized. Even if they were not taken internally, they brought a new vibration to the neighborhood they lived in. Wendy talked about how certain plants would show up in your life because you needed that energy. The plant world would anticipate the human world’s needs and send its representatives to help. It works on both a large and small scale.
Wendy mentioned how the summer before the 911 attack, St. John’s Wort was more abundant, at least in our area, than ever. St. John’s Wort is used spiritually and herbally for trauma and to bring a sense of light, hope and protection. Most think of it as a mood lightener, but it has many blessings as a tincture, oil, flower essence or magickal charm. When I was in need of protection magick, but tried to deny that their was a problem because I didn’t want to acknowledge that someone would wish me harm, nightshade and yarrow suddenly sprung up in my garden. Both herbs are used in protection spells. Notice what herbs grow around you. We are attracted to plants we both like and need. They are attracted to us and will come, even if we are not aware of them.
Though most herbalist believe in using herbs grown near you are best, the environment in most cities doesn’t make taking herbal medicine from such urban plants the best action. I don’t suggest consuming any of the herbs you find in the sidewalk cracks. But you can use the local herbs magickally, and quite effectively. By working with living plants, and picking your own leaf or flower, you get in touch with the living energies. Wild craft small amounts of it, so the plant may still thrive in the city, but you can add a leaf or two your own charms and mixtures. You can sit down next to a plant and “tune into” it. Any magick done with that plant will be much more effective. Herbal witches develop a relationship with their herbs and can make a small number of herbs do most needing things, from healing to magick.
So on my journey I walked the streets of various cities, from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle to Denver, Columbus and New York, I encountered these powerful plants that you might come across in your own city.
Black Eyed Susan – Black Eye Susan is a cone flower with a dark center, the eye, and bright orange petals. Though medicinal its roots can be used in a similar way to Echnacea, and in healing magick to help the immune system, the true magick of Black Eyed Susan is in the shadow self. This flower helps us see what we deny. As a charm, it facilitates our entry into the underworld, and in working with the dark goddesses and god.
Burdock – Burdock is known by its bur-covered seed capsules. They easily get caught in hair and clothes. I found some at the edge of an unkempt urban lawn. The signature of the seeds and the deep root is to get to the root of an issue. The spirit medicine of Burdock is used for endurance. It helps us to stick to things, even when times are tough. It helps us endure a situation, and get to the heart of our problem.
Cinqufoil – Cinqufoil is also known as five finger grass or witch grass because its leaves often have a five pronged motif, with yellow five petaled flowers. Cinqufoil is used to undo hexes and curses. It is also used to help others understand your point of view. I have steeped cinquefoil in olive oil, out in the sun for a month. Though it has no real aromatic scent, the magick is in the oil now. I anoint candles when having difficulties with other people, so we can all understand each other better.
Clover – Clover comes in many varieties. You will most likely see red or white clover. Traditionally clover is a symbol of good luck, known by the stories of four leaf clovers. Their rariety brings luck since most clovers are three leafed. Red clover is known as an herb of prosperity and money. Ruled by Jupiter, it brings expansion. White clover is not so much for material wealth, but spiritual wealth and understanding.
Dandelion – Dandelion is by far my favorite weed. The plant is one of transformation, going from yellow flower to fluffy white fuzz. The deep taproot gives it the folk name Earthnail, since it can be used for grounding. Herbally it is a liver medicine, and spiritually the liver is the organ of anger, so Dandelion can be used to identify, release and heal anger.
Hawkweed – Hawkweed looks like a littler version of the Dandelion on first inspection, but with a closer look, they are very different. Hawkweed is used for seeing things more clearly, like the sharp eyes of the hawk.
Loosestrife – Loosestrife is the bright magenta weed that springs up in wet areas, taking over roadsides and marshlands. You can find them by the side of the roads all over New England and they are considered to be an environmental hazard, choking out other life. I find it interesting that some herbalist use it for eye issues and the spirit medicine of Loosestrife is for chaos. No wonder it is springing up everywhere. We don’t see the world clearly, and we have created so much chaos. It has to keep multiplying Carry a charm of Loosestrife with you when you enter chaotic situations, or when you need to perceive things clearly.
Milkweed – Milkweed stems contain a milky white sap, giving it its name. The sap is traditionally used to remove warts, and because of that has an association with witches. Spiritually milkweed is about nourishment, and can be used in mother goddess rituals. It is also popular in spells for weight loss, weight gain or developing a healthy sense of body image.
Nightshade – Nightshade is one of my favorite magickal plants. Related to the more deadly Belladonna, Nightshade is herb traditionally used in flying ointments to aid shamanic journey and astral travel. Its also used for protection and breaking hexes. You can use it safely and effective by drying it out and carrying it in a herbal pouch.
Pussy Willow – Pussy Willow has fuzzy catkins in the spring, giving it a soft, furry quality. Willows in general are special to goddess work, and psychic ability, I have found that Pussy Willow in particular is powerful in issues related to touch. Healing rituals for those who have been harmed or abused can use Pussy Willow to help receive a sense of safety in the realm of touch and physical contact with others.
Queen Anne’s Lace – Also known as Wild Carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace has a deep taproot, like a carrot, with a beautiful white lacey flower at the top. In the center of the flower is a black/dark red dot, said to be where Queen Anne was decapitated. It is also vaguely reminiscent of an eye. Queen Anne’s Lace is used to expand psychic ability, opening the third eye, yet keeping you grounded and rooted to the physical world as well. It’s a great charm to carry when you read cards or do other psychic work.
Yarrow – Yarrow is a guardian plant, showing up at the edges and boundaries of gardens and roadsides. Traditional herbal magick gives Venus rulership and it is used in love spells, though some modern herbal witches share its dominion with Mars, since herbally it works on the blood and spiritually, it protects us by healing holes in the aura and giving us a healthy sense of boundaries.
If you are not familiar with plant identification, get yourself a good plant ID book with color photos. Each geographical area will have one. Have it on you as you walk not only field and forest, but sidewalk and alleyway. Learn about the plants around you and see how your relationship with the urban green world transforms.