Working with a Wyrtcunnere
In a world increasingly shaped by technology, speed, and disconnection from the natural world, many people find themselves longing for a deeper, more rooted way of healing—one that honors both the body and the spirit. This is where spiritual herbalism and the ancient art of wortcunning come into play.
Whether you're feeling the stirrings of a spiritual awakening, navigating chronic health concerns that feel resistant to conventional approaches, or simply seeking a more meaningful relationship with the earth and your own body, working with a spiritual herbalist can open up a path of healing that is rich, layered, and deeply transformational.
Let’s explore what this kind of work entails, what makes it different from other types of herbalism or holistic wellness, and what you can expect when you choose to walk this path with someone trained in the sacred traditions of plant medicine—particularly as practiced by a modern-day wortcunning practitioner.
What Is a Spiritual Herbalist?
A spiritual herbalist approaches healing from a holistic, animist perspective—meaning that they recognize and work with the spirit, or consciousness, of plants in addition to their physical properties. While clinical herbalism focuses on the chemistry and therapeutic actions of herbs, spiritual herbalism weaves in the emotional, energetic, and spiritual layers of healing.
Spiritual herbalists are often trained in intuitive work, ritual, and plant spirit communication. They may draw on ancestral traditions, earth-based spiritual practices, and frameworks from folklore and mysticism. In this context, healing is not just about treating symptoms; it’s about uncovering the root of imbalance—often buried in the emotional body, energy field, or spiritual landscape.
What Is Wortcunning?
Wortcunning is an Old English term that means “plant knowledge” or “herb craft.” It refers to the traditional, often mystical practice of working with herbs for healing, protection, blessing, and guidance. A wortcunner (or wortcunning practitioner) combines deep botanical knowledge with folkloric wisdom, animistic worldview, and spiritual ritual.
This path is rooted in ancient European traditions, particularly Anglo-Saxon and Germanic folk medicine, and often involves practices like herbal charms, amulets, sacred smoke, lunar timing, and intuitive plant spirit work. Wortcunning honors plants not just as medicine, but as allies, elders, and sacred beings.
What Happens in a Session?
When you work with a spiritual herbalist and wortcunning practitioner, your experience will be unique to your needs, but here are some common elements you can expect:
1. A Deep and Holistic Intake
Unlike a quick consultation at a health store or clinic, this work begins with an in-depth intake—usually 60 to 90 minutes—where we explore not only your physical health but your emotional landscape, spiritual experiences, dreams, ancestral background, energetic imprints, and personal goals. This holistic approach helps uncover the hidden threads that contribute to dis-ease or imbalance.
2. Energetic and Intuitive Assessment
Spiritual herbalists often use intuitive tools like plant spirit journeying, divination, or subtle body reading to gain insights into your energetic state. This may include noticing where energy is stuck, depleted, or overactive, and identifying any patterns held in the nervous system, aura, or subconscious mind.
You might receive messages from the plants themselves, or guidance from spirit allies that show up in the session. These impressions help shape your personalized plant path forward.
3. Custom Plant Recommendations
Based on the intake and energetic reading, you’ll receive custom herbal recommendations. These may include:
Herbal teas, tinctures, or powders made with energetically matched plants
Ritual baths or smoke bundles for clearing and protection
Flower or gem essences to support emotional and spiritual integration
Sacred plant work for journeying or connecting with spirit allies
Suggestions for seasonal or lunar practices aligned with your healing goals
The plants chosen are not only for what they do chemically—but also for who they are spiritually and how they show up in your story.
4. Spiritual Practices and Ritual Guidance
Working with a spiritual herbalist often includes guidance on how to build a deeper relationship with the plants themselves. This might involve:
Rituals for invoking plant allies
Altars and offerings to the spirits of place and lineage
Meditative journeys or visualizations with your plant guides
Protection work or energy clearing techniques
Ancestral healing practices
These practices support your personal growth, deepen your intuition, and help you reweave connection with the sacred.
5. Education and Empowerment
A good spiritual herbalist is not here to “fix” you—but to walk beside you as you remember your own wisdom and power. You’ll be educated on how to use your plant allies, tune in to your body’s needs, and cultivate an ongoing healing practice rooted in nature.
You might learn traditional plant lore, seasonal cycles, earth-based rituals, or how to make your own preparations. The goal is to help you become more sovereign in your healing journey.
Who Is This For?
This work is especially supportive for:
Highly sensitive, empathic, or intuitive people
Those undergoing spiritual awakening or transition
People living with chronic illness or mystery symptoms
Individuals feeling disconnected from themselves or the earth
Seekers wanting to develop a sacred relationship with plants
People interested in ancestral healing, folk magic, or animist practice
It’s also a good fit if you feel like you've tried conventional routes and still sense there's a deeper layer calling for attention.
Why Work with a Wortcunning Practitioner?
The art of wortcunning brings a distinctly rooted, ancestral quality to spiritual herbalism. It connects us with ancient ways of knowing and healing that were once common in village life—but have since been pushed to the margins of modern wellness.
A wortcunning practitioner doesn't just match herbs to ailments. They craft rituals, listen for omens, observe nature’s signs, and act as a bridge between worlds. They work with the land, the old ways, and the unseen—helping you navigate life transitions, soul wounds, and spiritual pathwork.
This is slow, sacred, and often surprising work. It’s not a quick fix—but it is powerful, transformative, and deeply nourishing.
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
If this approach to healing calls to something deep inside you—if you’ve been looking for a way to work with your body, heart, and spirit in harmony with the natural world—I’d be honored to walk this path with you.
As a clinical and spiritual herbalist based in Salt Lake City, Utah, I’ve spent over a decade studying the intersection of plant medicine, animist practice, and traditional folk healing. My work is rooted in reverence, shaped by ancestral wisdom, and guided by the plants themselves.
Whether you’re seeking relief, direction, connection, or simply a return to the old ways, you are warmly invited to step into a healing relationship that honors the whole of who you are.
Work with Herbalist Josh Williams
I offer one-on-one spiritual herbalism sessions, plant spirit journeys, and personalized remedies crafted with care and intention. I also guide people in building their own earth-based practices and learning the ways of traditional wortcunning.
If you're in the Salt Lake City area—or open to working remotely—I’d love to support your healing journey. You can schedule an appointment or learn more about my offerings at the link below.
