The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals (Wild Wisdom)

I purchased The Illustrated Herbiary: Guidance and Rituals from 36 Bewitching Botanicals by Maia Toll, and it has been a delightful addition to my collection. The book offers a unique blend of botanical wisdom and spiritual guidance, making it both informative and inspiring.​ Each of the 36 plant profiles is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated oracle card, allowing for a more interactive and personal experience. The rituals and reflections provided for each plant encourage mindfulness and a deeper connection to nature. As noted by Publishers Weekly, Toll's imaginative approach offers "fanciful descriptions and symbolic flights of fancy" that prompt introspection into the natural world. Overall, The Illustrated Herbiary is a beautifully crafted book that offers both visual pleasure and soulful insights. It's a treasure for anyone looking to deepen their connection with the plant world.

I own more books on the topics of plant magick and herbalism than I care to admit, but - despite this - I could not be more delighted with this addition to my collection. Maia's book is wholly unique and provides a very different way of connecting to the magic of the plant world. While she has undeniable street cred in terms of her knowledge of plant-based healing (having done an actual, year-long, old-world-type apprenticeship with a traditional healer and herbalist in Ireland), Maia has written a book that takes a step beyond the rote medicinal and magickal correspondences. The Illustrated Herbiary is an invitation to peel back the layers and sink into a deeper knowing. It's an opportunity to open up to a more personal relationship with these marvelous little beauties of the botanical world. Rather than looking at each plant as simply something to be harvested and used, this book invites you to get to know the personality of each plant, and - in doing so - get to know yourself a little better, too. The descriptions are evocative, speaking to your intuition and sparking your imagination. And the rituals and reflections provide simple but surprisingly effective ways to further your exploration and understanding. And then, of course, there are Kate O'Hara's rich and beautiful illustrations, which grace not only the pages of the book, but also the deck of oracle cards that come tucked in a vellum envelope attached to the back cover. Whether you are reading the book or using the cards for guidance and inspiration, there are so many ways this beautiful work inspires and facilitates a magical journey. Highly recommended.

I won't repeat what other reviewers are already covering. If you are looking to step it up with your intuitive hits that you gather from the plant kingdom, this book is for you. It gets your imagination revving, your eyes excited with the feast of images. Each plant is covered in about 4 pages: a beautiful image to meditate and connect, a page of wondrous word-smithery, and then there are two additional pages with "ritual" and "reflection". There are a LOT of plants covered in this book, and it's guaranteed that you can find a dozen right outside your door (as Susun Weed would say). This is a book for connecting with the essence, the spirit, of the plants. This is not a book to look up your ailment and pair it with an herbal remedy. In that regard, I think this is a great book for beginners who are just starting out, but the book will require some work out of you. You can dig deeply, or you can nibble at bits here and there in the book. It would also serve well for bibliomancy. The oracle cards are fantastic. They are flimsy, but I intend to put a new backing on them so they'll last forever. Also note that you should really bend the perforated folds all the way to carefully separate the cards. Otherwise you risk ripping them. I plan to get a lot of use out of these cards. I intend to do a lot of journaling and create my own "oracle deck" book based on what I get from the cards. P.S. As a side-note, you don't have to be a feminist to appreciate this offering. I am not one, and a lot of times I have a hard time finding materials in this genre that aren't saturated with the ideology. Just a friendly note to individuals. :)

Una edición preciosista cuidada en cada detalle. Papel de muy buen gramaje, tintas de calidad para unas ilustraciones bellísimas y encuadernación cosida. El libro nos invita a un maravilloso viaje guiado por 36 plantas que nos adentran en el universo vegetófilo de una manera sutil y mágica, acompañando sus mensajes con unas hermosas cartas oraculares. Una delicia para los sentidos.

I bought the hardcover because I thought this would be a book in which I'd want to underline, highlight, and scribble notes in the margin. NOT going to happen–this book is far too beautiful for that! No attention has been spared, and no corners cut, from producing a truly beautiful, high quality book. The aesthetics are what grab your attention first: the colours, the quality of the paper, the illustrations, and the cards–even the endsheets. In the content, the charming descriptions, ritual suggestions, and the thought-provoking Reflections have the capacity to move one from knowing *about* the herb, to *knowing* the herb. If Maia Toll ever sets her sights on creating another book, I'll be first in line to buy it.

Ame este libro herbiary ! Bello y con mucho significado para mi con cada panta, árbol y fruto❤️

Très bon livre, avec de très belles illustrations et un jeu de carte plutôt sympa.

Ho ordinato questo libro a seguito di un consiglio di un'amica. È davvero meraviglioso, belle le immagine, belle le carte, bello il materiale. Se Vi interessa fare o farVi un regalo compratelo perché ne vale davvero la pena.