Herbs are gifts from the great Mother herself. They are ours to use for healing, protection, purification and magic. We are often willing to exterminate a "weed" that looks unsightly, but in fact, a weed may be just the thing to use as a fertilizer for the rest of the garden.

Each herb has its own unique vibratory energy. When an herb is used in conjunction with another that is close to it's frequency, the power of each is enhanced. Herbs can be used with stones as well. Stones have energy, too. A stone and an herb of like range, can compliment each other.

You can grow your own herbs, you can buy them at health food shops, or you can order them through the mail from different suppliers. Any method is fine. If the herbs are being used medicinally, take extra care to obtain fresh and safe herbs from your suppliers. Check out the supplier carefully before ordering. Discuss the establishment's growing practices, drying methods, and storage before stocking up. You will be trusting these herbs and their properties with your health and psychic well-being. Make sure you feel comfortable with them.

If the herbs are purchased from a shop, look carefully to see if the color is right. The many jars of herbs should contain different tones of greens, browns, yellows and grays. If they all look similar, perhaps your best bet would be to try elsewhere. My favorite type of shop is one that does not prepackage herbs, but keeps them in great jars and customers can help themselves. This way I can smell the herb, see its texture and color, and feel for moisture. When you are buying dried herbs, make sure they are dry, otherwise moisture and mildew will build up in the container. This reduces the value of the herb.