User Profile

A former academic, I now run an online shop catering to the Pagan/magic community that focuses on botanicals--seeds, resins, oils, and hand compounded incense, especially historically accurate kyphi. I enjoy experimenting with scent in a spiritual context and make all sorts of fragrant oils from botanic materials. I'm especially interested in the use of scent in magic, for instance, in dreamwork, and in ancient perfumes. I also practice magic, with particular focuses in not only plant magic/witchcraft but traditional Jewish magic and practical alchemy.

I am very interested in the folkloric uses of herbs, and I garden quite a bit. My specialty in the garden is growing mandrakes, belladonna, henbane, and other banefuls; my particular love is the Solanaceae. Through organic gardening, I got interested in permaculture and various ways of creating an environment that does not take such a throwaway attitude towards plants and food. Recently I moved from a rural area to a small nearby city and am really enjoying having more people around and things being more accessible, despite the decrease in yard space. This year I am beginning the project of trying to grow as much of my own food as I can. I expect what I learn to wash over into the seed selection of Alchemy Works.