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The Green Mysteries: An Occult Herbarium
THE GREEN MYSTERIES is a complete lexicon of the spiritual, magical and occult properties of plants. Containing more than 400 individual entries, this occult herbal focuses especially upon plant power as an emanation of spirit, and how herbs are utilized in the active practices of magic and ritual. It includes trees and herbs from the Americas, as well as native European plants familiar to students of the Western Esoteric Tradition. Prepared with the modern occult practitioner and researcher in mind, it draws from diverse sources of herb lore, folk magic practice and myth, as well as religious and occult traditions. Interspersing the encyclopedic plant entries are short narratives addressing the spiritual dimensions of the vegetal world, the concept of wildness, and the practice of occult herbalism. Much of the material is also drawn directly from the author's experience working with the plants themselves. Many of the featured herbs also feature tables of correspondence, linking the plants to gods, spirits, planetary attributions, and psychological states. As a further arena of investigation, some also feature a Spirit-Retinue, a grouping of thirteen personified attributes, virtues and powers demonstrating the plant’s dominion of power within the human sphere. The text is also augmented with recipes and 'The Dream-Book of Sylvanus', a short dream interpretation manual examining the significance of specific plants in dreams. The Green Mysteries is accompanied by over 300 original illustrations by artist Benjamin A. Vierling, prepared in collaboration with author especially for this volume. Paying homage to the traditions of the European herbal, these faithful botanical renderings uniquely embody the viriditas of each herb ―its ‘sacred green power’― as well as its magical character and arcana.
476 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 1, 2021
I don't know how anyone can give this a 5 star rating, when it has never been released. Many people have been scammed by this company, paying for copies in 2016 and 5+ years later still no book or any news from Three Hands Press on when it might be coming. They keep promising a new due date and it comes and goes over and over again. Now they have just stopped saying anything. There are two reddit groups on the issue... https://www.reddit.com/r/occult/comme... and https://www.reddit.com/r/occult/comme...
May 20, 2024
I'm one of a lucky few to get this gorgeously illustrated lexicon of plant magic. It'll be a lifelong reference in my Apothecary along with The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl, The Plant Spirit Familiar by Christopher Penczak, and The Poison Path Herbal by Michael Coby.
Occult texts tend to hyperfocus on Western Mystery traditions at the expense of wisdom from the rest of the world, so I give credit to Schulke for including some Eastern, Pacific, African, and Afro-Caribbean references.
Occult texts tend to hyperfocus on Western Mystery traditions at the expense of wisdom from the rest of the world, so I give credit to Schulke for including some Eastern, Pacific, African, and Afro-Caribbean references.
March 24, 2023
FINALLY! We have arrived! Well worth it.
July 24, 2025
Una fantasía de libro, para aquellos amantes de lo oculto y de las plantas es de los mejores libros para tener como enciclopedia de hierbas, el autor ha hecho un recogido de muchísimas plantas, hay mucha variedad y las ilustraciones son de otro mundo, consiguen plasmar la esencia de los espíritus que lo componen.
Aunque la verdad todas o casi todas las plantas de america, asia o africa me sobran bastante, me encantaría ver una versión Europea, con esto sí que tendría 5 estrellas
Aunque la verdad todas o casi todas las plantas de america, asia o africa me sobran bastante, me encantaría ver una versión Europea, con esto sí que tendría 5 estrellas
April 2, 2023
We waited a loooong time for this book, years after the preorder, my "standard hardcover"has shockingly just arrived, and I am gobsmacked at the result. It is GLORIOUS, STUNNING, dense, filled with lore on every plant you can imagine, a true master work! I am feeling like I have just stumbled upon a great treasure filled with secrets, like some hidden great plant-kingdom knowledge has just descended upon the planet, just wow.
I gave up on receiving it, and I was completely shocked to receive it in the mail to my updated address (even) with a nice response to my social media message when I asked if they indeed had it on file . The shipment direct from Three Hands Press came with another gift-pamphlet article on Pyrenees folklore, a nice touch (in addition to the complimentary Woodrose Homilies that direct-orderers received a few years ago, as a gift-for-the-waiting, "please hold tight here's a gift"offering). So I can acknowledge it would have been nice to receive more detailed regular updates via email, we can wish for more communication from the publisher, but in the end they came through with an out-of-this-world delivery. Printing and shipping costs are much much higher than when we ordered years ago, and yet they delivered, shipped priority and wrapped beautifully, and they delivered over 470 giant pages densely written with illustrations, and they delivered with added gifts. I can imagine they made no profit on this and it is merely a gift to the world. I am grateful for it!
A book of this size and detail seems a decade or more of work, it is dense with illustrations and stories and reputed powers of every green living thing.
There are more than 25 essays, such as:
Concerning the Occult Powers of Plants
The Pharmakkon and the Fool
Against the Evil Eye
Seeds of Power, and their Dispersion
The Aromatick Labyrinth
Concerning the Powers of the Hedge
Where Wood Meets Flesh
The table of contents is 6 pages of plant and essay names, organized alphabetically with letter sections, so it is easy to find that one plant you want to research, and the entire book is alphabetical, so it is easy to just go searching without referring to the ToC. It seems that most pages have illustrations of one type or another, mostly line drawings, and there are inserts of full color artworks that would be at home in a museum.
Each plant entry reads like an encyclopedia-meets-secret knowledge entry. For example, on Cacao, the entry begins with the physical botanical description. Then it describes its powers over the body (its medicine), its taste, its uses in balms and butters and more, the various parts used and how. Then it goes on to describe Mesoamerican and Aztec use, their use with mushrooms, botanical gardens featuring the plant with lines such as "The gardeners planting these specimens observed solemn rituals of autosacrifice, sprinkling the soil with their own blood. Traditional formulations of the Cacao drink use the blossom of the Funeral Tree Catcahuaxochitl ('precious flower') which cause them to froth and foam." Then the entry goes on to describe the chemical analysis and profile, and then the planetary correspondence, and sacred use in old christian rosaries and use for banishing evil spirits, and their use in female initiation events.
Each entry is filled with highly detailed information such as this, and many have artwork alongside.
There is so much information and inspiration that I can see this book reaching across audience types, from occult and witch to herb and garden lover, tree hugger and plant-experimentalist, artist and writer.
A true gem, thank you to Three Hands Press and Daniel Schulke for sticking through the grind to produce such a magnificent work. It is absolutely a master work of a life, what a treasure-book!
I gave up on receiving it, and I was completely shocked to receive it in the mail to my updated address (even) with a nice response to my social media message when I asked if they indeed had it on file . The shipment direct from Three Hands Press came with another gift-pamphlet article on Pyrenees folklore, a nice touch (in addition to the complimentary Woodrose Homilies that direct-orderers received a few years ago, as a gift-for-the-waiting, "please hold tight here's a gift"offering). So I can acknowledge it would have been nice to receive more detailed regular updates via email, we can wish for more communication from the publisher, but in the end they came through with an out-of-this-world delivery. Printing and shipping costs are much much higher than when we ordered years ago, and yet they delivered, shipped priority and wrapped beautifully, and they delivered over 470 giant pages densely written with illustrations, and they delivered with added gifts. I can imagine they made no profit on this and it is merely a gift to the world. I am grateful for it!
A book of this size and detail seems a decade or more of work, it is dense with illustrations and stories and reputed powers of every green living thing.
There are more than 25 essays, such as:
Concerning the Occult Powers of Plants
The Pharmakkon and the Fool
Against the Evil Eye
Seeds of Power, and their Dispersion
The Aromatick Labyrinth
Concerning the Powers of the Hedge
Where Wood Meets Flesh
The table of contents is 6 pages of plant and essay names, organized alphabetically with letter sections, so it is easy to find that one plant you want to research, and the entire book is alphabetical, so it is easy to just go searching without referring to the ToC. It seems that most pages have illustrations of one type or another, mostly line drawings, and there are inserts of full color artworks that would be at home in a museum.
Each plant entry reads like an encyclopedia-meets-secret knowledge entry. For example, on Cacao, the entry begins with the physical botanical description. Then it describes its powers over the body (its medicine), its taste, its uses in balms and butters and more, the various parts used and how. Then it goes on to describe Mesoamerican and Aztec use, their use with mushrooms, botanical gardens featuring the plant with lines such as "The gardeners planting these specimens observed solemn rituals of autosacrifice, sprinkling the soil with their own blood. Traditional formulations of the Cacao drink use the blossom of the Funeral Tree Catcahuaxochitl ('precious flower') which cause them to froth and foam." Then the entry goes on to describe the chemical analysis and profile, and then the planetary correspondence, and sacred use in old christian rosaries and use for banishing evil spirits, and their use in female initiation events.
Each entry is filled with highly detailed information such as this, and many have artwork alongside.
There is so much information and inspiration that I can see this book reaching across audience types, from occult and witch to herb and garden lover, tree hugger and plant-experimentalist, artist and writer.
A true gem, thank you to Three Hands Press and Daniel Schulke for sticking through the grind to produce such a magnificent work. It is absolutely a master work of a life, what a treasure-book!
September 25, 2024
The Green Mysteries by Daniel A. Schulke is an absolute treasure for anyone who feels a deep connection to plant magic. This book is more than just an herbal—it’s a full-on spiritual journey through the occult and magical properties of over 400 plants. What I loved most is how it taps into the spirit of each plant, showing not only how to use them in magic, but how to connect with their essence. Schulke's firsthand experiences with these plants really shine through, giving it an authenticity you can feel on every page. The tables of correspondences and Spirit-Retinue for certain herbs were especially fascinating, making it easy to see how these plants link to gods, spirits, and planetary energies. And let’s talk about the illustrations—Benjamin A. Vierling’s artwork is stunning, perfectly capturing the magical aura of each plant. If you’re into herbalism and magic, The Green Mysteries will become your go-to. It’s a masterwork of occult herbalism.
September 8, 2023
This is book is a collection of lore about several hundred plants and their occult properties. Entries include magical history and, for some plants, correspondence lists and spirit-retinues.
Scattered throughout the volume are short articles such as “Plant portions and their power”, “rootworking” and “the hedge”. Also interspersed throughout are illustrations and image plates worthy of a medieval grimoire
In short, this book is the kind of tome that people fantasize about when they think of a herbal witchcraft book. It’s tempting to have this paperback rebound in ancient creaky leather.
Scattered throughout the volume are short articles such as “Plant portions and their power”, “rootworking” and “the hedge”. Also interspersed throughout are illustrations and image plates worthy of a medieval grimoire
In short, this book is the kind of tome that people fantasize about when they think of a herbal witchcraft book. It’s tempting to have this paperback rebound in ancient creaky leather.
May 28, 2023
After years of waiting for this "pre-order", and seeing it arrive on ebay, amazon, etc., I still haven't received my copy. The publisher is unresponsive, as they have been throughout the entire "pre-order" process. At this point, I don't honestly trust the other positive reviews here either. This feels like a scam, and I feel like a sucker for continuing to hope that this book may one day arrive.
Assuming this book actually exists, definitely don't buy it from the publisher. You probably won't ever get it.
Assuming this book actually exists, definitely don't buy it from the publisher. You probably won't ever get it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews