• Interviews,  Poisonous Plants & Herbs

    Interview-The Modern Merlin Talks with Coby Michael, Author of The Poison Path Herbal and The Poison Path Grimoire

    In this interview, The Modern Merlin speaks with Coby Michael, the author of The Poison Path Herbal and The Poison Path Grimoire, and proprietor of The Poisoner’s Apothecary.  For those looking for a review of Coby’s latest book, The Poison Path Grimoire, click here. Coby Michael is an occult herbalist and magical practitioner who teaches about the ritual use of poisonous and psychoactive plants. He is the author of The Poison Path Herbal and coauthor of Leo Witch. He owns and operates The Poisoner’s Apothecary, an online shop and education resource for those interested in the Poison Path and Dark Herbalism. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. You can find the link to his website below: The Poisoner’s Apothecary    …

  • Reviews

    Book Review – Backyard Witchcraft: The Complete Guide for the Green Witch, the Kitchen Witch, and the Hedge Witch by Cecilia Lattari and Betti Greco

    Book Review Backyard Witchcraft: The Complete Guide for The Green Witch, The Kitchen Witch, and the Hedge Witch Written by Cecilia Lattari Illustrated by Betti Greco Publisher: Ixia Press 160 Pages Release Date: September 14, 2022         Backyard Witchcraft is a lavishly illustrated book that focuses on modern homespun witchcraft with an emphasis on herbal cunning tradition. In the Introduction, we learn all about the author’s approach to magic as an expression of plant relationship, and the three types of witchcraft that she will be discussing: green witchcraft, kitchen witchcraft, and hedge witchcraft. A bit like a witchy internet meme in book form, the book includes a…

  • Reviews

    Book Review – The Poison Path Herbal: Baneful Herbs, Medicinal Nightshades, and Ritual Entheogens by Coby Michael

    Book Review The Poison Path Herbal: Baneful Herbs, Medicinal Nightshades, and Ritual Entheogens by Coby Michael Published by Park Street Press 256 pages Publication date: October 26, 2021       Despite the abundance of herbal literature available today, it’s still hard to find accurate information on those plants whose physiological effects are dangerous and potent. It’s easy to see why: many authors don’t want to assume any responsibility for what readers might do with this information, nor do publishers. And so, instead of tackling the challenge these plants present, they write them off entirely, give them the label “poison,” and only explore their attributes in order to identify and…

  • Monthly Columns,  Spells & Rituals

    Notes from the Apothecary

    Notes from the Apothecary: Bluebell     Tiny bluebells are, for me, a sign that spring is truly on the way. In the woods near where I live, they spring up, completely unannounced, sometime between the snowdrops and the wild garlic. It’s a “blink and you miss it” kind of phenomenon; Come to early, and the ground is just green and dormant. Come too late, and the flowers have already wilted, the plants getting ready to store their energy until next year. The most spectacular showing of bluebells is at a patch of woodland a little further afield, by the banks of one of our waterways. These bluebells arise and…

  • Monthly Columns

    Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times

    Celebrating the Old Ways in New Times for June 2020   (pic by AmberAvalona on pixabay.com)   Bright Blessings! Believe it or not, it will be Summer Solstice before we know it! What warmer weather we are having that at this time a month ago! Many of us will be merrily working away at our gardens! For me, having pulled a raised bed, I won’t be planting as much- and I learned a very ugly truth meaning I might not plant hardly anything at all. I still live in the condos- truthfully, we may be stuck here as long as another year- if not longer. Long boring story- sigh. Normally,…