I have a question regarding potion ingredients. Can a potion's power be determined by the number of ingredients in it. For example, if one potion is composed of three different herbs and another is made with six different herbs, would the latter be twice as powerful for having twice the kinds of herbs as the former? It's something I'd just thought of and none of the sources spoke of this for some reason.
The ingredients aren't what affect the desired change. You are. Your belief, your faith, what it is that you're convinced is the reality of the desired end, is what affects the end result of a working.
I agree with the above response to an extent. If your creating an herbal potion for cough suppression, it's the herbs mostly.
If your creating one to add power to a spell and your dumping it out, it's you.
The strength of the potion has nothing to do with how many, it has to do with what you intend to use it for. I might use wormwood to open my third eye or 5 less toxic plants that have the same benefit.
The power of a spell lies in a combination of variables. Intention is one aspect, as well as the ability of the caster to gather and redirect energy for a magical working is another. More herbs don't always mean a stronger spell as one caster may use three and have an outcome that is more inline with their intention than another who used ten. Numerology may be a part of one's practice and a spell that calls for four different herbs may not jive with a being and instead they pick another herb to add so that five herbs are used or they omit one and use just three. Substitutions for herbs can also be done however I do suggest research and caution be practiced with this. Wormwood can be used in different ways during magical practice. Burnt as an incense or diffused into the air can aid in banishment and also aid divination or creativity. Wormwood can be ingested as a tonic to treat a variety of ailments such as intestinal and kidney issues, depression, fever, muscle pain, decrease swelling, and to stimulate sweating. Wormwood contains thujone, a chemical that is highly toxic and is the reason Absinthe must have a reduced content of this specific chemical in the countries it's legal to imbibe this "potion"in. Distilling wormwood in alcohol increase the thujone content. Thujone excites the nervous system however it can also cause seizures and other adverse side effects so one must use with caution. For many purposes but not all Mugwort can be used as a substitute for wormwood. Again research into whether or not it will work for your specific need should be done before casting any magical working or for use of an herb medicinally.
