The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook: A Complete Guide to Magickal Herbs and How to Use Them - Karen Harrison 2020

Philtres, Elixirs, and Fluid Condensers
Practicum: The Creation, Composition, and Blending of alchemical Herbal Formulas

Herbal Philtres

An Herbal Philtre is a combination of herb materials and liquid that is intended to be ingested. Therefore, you must do some investigation into the physical effects of the herbs you are considering and choose herbs that react well in the human physical system and to which you have no known allergic reactions.

You can make a tincture-style Philtre that incorporates the plant substances in alcohol or wine, or you can create an Infusion-style Philtre in which you incorporate the plant materials into distilled water. The tincture style is self-preserving due to the alcohol's property of keeping the resulting Philtre liquid fresh, but the Infusion style will need to either be consumed within a few hours or kept refrigerated.

For a tincture-style Philtre, the herb material is crushed with mortar and pestle and then steeped in an alcohol that is at least 70 proof. You can use a grain alcohol or vodka if you prefer to taste the herbal content, or a brandy or liqueur if you prefer a smoother taste. In a glass or enamel pot, heat one cup of your preferred liquid to almost a simmer, then turn off the heat. Stir in one-half cup of your dried herb mixture or one full cup of fresh herb materials. Let this combination of alcohol and herbs steep for three days and then strain out your plant materials. Pour the resulting tincture into a bottle and seal it. This type of Philtre will last indefinitely if stored in a cool, dark, dry space.

When making an Infusion-style Philtre, crushed herbs are added to simmering distilled water. Place one cup of distilled water into a glass or enamel pot and bring it to a slow simmer. Meanwhile, crush and mix one-half cup of dried herbs or one cup of fresh herbs in your mortar and pestle. Turn off the heat under the distilled water and stir in the crushed herbs. Let this mixture steep in the water for approximately eight hours. Strain out the plant material and pour the Philtre into your chalice for immediate use.

Herbal Elixirs

An Herbal Elixir is an alchemically prepared liquid that contains properties of the Planetary energies, thanks to the inclusion of herbs possessing the chosen Planet's equivalent vibrations.

In an Elixir, the herbs are blended with the physical, astral, and spiritual aspect in mind so that the energy vibration of the final result is one in which all three levels are balanced. Thus, the physical, astral, and spiritual being of an individual is affected when the Elixir is used.

An Herbal Elixir can be used in the same ways that a Philtre is used but is most often utilized in conjunction with internal (self-transforming) rituals such as pathworking rites.

You will begin by preparing what is known as the Menstruum. This is an alcohol-based substance such as brandy in which you will place the herbs to extract the “sulphur” (astral qualities of the herb). Place one pint of brandy in a small enamel or glass saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer with the pan covered until you have reduced the liquid alcohol by half. Turn off the heat.

Pour the reduced alcohol into a dark, wide-mouthed jar. Now, add one-half cup of your chosen dried herbs or one cup of fresh herbs to the reduced alcohol in the jar and seal it. The alcohol is considered to be the “mercury” (the spiritual qualities of the herbs used). Keep the herbs and alcohol in your sealed jar in a slightly warm place for about two weeks. At this point, strain the mixture until it is clear and has no particles of herb left in it. Take the herbs that you have strained out of the liquid (reserving the liquid for the last step of this process—store it in your dark, wide-mouthed jar) and allow the herbs to completely dry. This may take a few days. When they are dry, place them in a fire-resistant dish and ignite them. Allow the herbs to burn to ash. Next, place the ashes in their fire-resistant dish over the low flame of a Bunsen burner and heat the ashes to a red glow while grinding them occasionally. This produces the alchemical “salt” (physical qualities of the herb).

Mix the alchemical salt back into the liquid in your dark jar and store the mixture again in its warm place. Let it sit for another two weeks. After that time, pour the liquid off, leaving the solid matter in the jar, and seal it. Allow it to sit another two weeks and then open the jar to allow any moisture remaining to completely evaporate. After the Elixir is completely dry, scrape it out of the jar and place it into a small, airtight container.

You can certainly save the liquid that you removed from the solid matter in the jar and use it in the bath, or, if you prefer to discard it, you may pour it in a running stream to disperse your desires into the Universe.

When you wish to use the Elixir, mix one-fourth teaspoon of dry Elixir with two cups of distilled water and take it internally over a week's period just prior to your Magickal working.

By using this alchemical process, you have worked with the physical (salt), astral (sulphur), and the spiritual (mercury) properties of the herbs. This will then affect those levels within yourself when used in ritual.

Herbal Condensers

An Herbal Condenser is more simple to prepare than the Elixir but can be used in similar ways. For your Condenser, take a large handful of an herb or herbal combination and place it in a small glass or enamel pot. Cover the herbs with distilled water. Let the mixture simmer for twenty minutes with the pot covered. Turn off the heat and allow your mixture to cool, leaving the pot covered. When it is cool, strain out the herbs and return the liquid to the pot again. Simmer with the lid on until the liquid has boiled down to half. Cool the liquid again and mix it with grain alcohol equal to the volume of the liquid. Now, add ten flakes of gold and stir. Bottle it in a dark amber or blue bottle to keep any light from touching the liquid and store in a cool, dark place.

When you wish to use the Condenser, shake well first, then drink a liqueur glass full each day for a week prior to your rite.

Suggested Gemstones and Metals

With any of these Magickal liquids, you may add a gemstone of the appropriate Planet or the metal/material of the Planet to the jar or bottle in which you are storing them for added energy.

Sun

Gemstones: sunstone, gold topaz

Metal: gold

Moon

Gemstones: moonstone, pearl

Metal: silver

Mars

Gemstones: garnet, ruby

Metal: iron

Mercury

Gemstones: clear quartz, opal

Metal: Mercury's metal is poisonous to the human body. Never add quicksilver to an Elixir, Philtre, or Condenser.

Jupiter

Gemstones: sapphire, turquoise

Metal: tin

Venus

Gemstones: rose quartz, emerald

Metal: copper

Saturn

Gemstones: onyx, smoky quartz

Metal: Saturn's metal is poisonous to the human body. Never add lead to an Elixir, Philtre, or Condenser.

Neptune

Gemstones: amber, fluorite

Material: abalone shell

Uranus

Gemstones: rutilated quartz, Herkimer diamond

Metal: white gold

Pluto

Metal: hematite, obsidian

Material: lava stone