[Help] Finding Alternative Herbs for Road Opening Rituals

[khloexia]

I live in China, where there are many herbs different from those in Europe and America. Some herbs commonly used in the Western world are either difficult to purchase here or very expensive, so I need to find substitutes.

Someone once told me that I could use the native Eupatorium (Peran) to replace the congeneric Abre Camino. I use the leaves of Eupatorium, but I’m not sure if this is correct.

Also, can Sichuan peppercorn replace black pepper? Fresh Sichuan peppercorn has a lemony, spicy aroma, and when mature, its husk splits open. It causes a numbing sensation when eaten. I wonder if it might serve a similar purpose to black pepper in removing obstacles. I can buy black pepper here, but it’s inconvenient to get whole peppercorns. I still have some Ceylon cinnamon purchased online, but I’d also like to know if I can substitute it with the more pungent and intense Chinese cinnamon (or Cassia cinnamon).

P.S. In Chinese culture, Eupatorium is a sacred herb. Poets used to adorn their clothing with it as an expression of noble ideals, and people use it to repel insects, ward off evil, or deodorize clothes.

Sichuan peppercorn, with its many small seeds, is traditionally seen as a symbol of numerous descendants. During the Chinese New Year, people drink Sichuan peppercorn wine to pray for longevity or ward off evil. Over two thousand years ago, it was regarded as a sacred plant used in libations to honor deities. It is also used medicinally to dispel cold, regulate the stomach, and relieve pain.

Cinnamon (Cassia) is also a sacred spice in Chinese culture, often steeped in wine together with Sichuan peppercorn as an offering. It is considered a very “hot” medicinal substance that can dispel cold and alleviate pain.

* I'm not a native English speaker and I translated this passage using AI and the translator, thank you for your reading and understanding.

 

[Keldan]

I live in China, where there are many herbs different from those in Europe and America. Some herbs commonly used in the Western world are either difficult to purchase here or very expensive, so I need to find substitutes.

I googled “Peran” and what came up was Pei Lan. I’m not sure if that’s actually the same thing you mean, but if it is then Pei Lan is a different species, so it’s not something you can just swap in as a replacement.

Are there any herbs in Chinese that are more about “protecting the path”? If you can, could you list them with their English names too? And I’ll try to cross check them. The reason I ask is because the English translations may not be the correct herbs that are sold in your country.

For black pepper, you can just use Sichuan pepper or whatever pepper you can get locally. And same with cinnamon, Chinese cinnamon is fine, but any cinnamon you can buy in your area works too.

 

[Aldebaran]

Eupatorium for Abre Camino:
Eupatorium is traditionally used to ward off evil, repel insects, and purify, which aligns well with road-opening and obstacle-clearing work. Abre Camino is fundamentally about removing blockages and clearing the way. Using a sacred local plant with protective and cleansing qualities is a perfectly reasonable substitute — often even more effective because it’s culturally rooted where you are.

Sichuan peppercorn for black pepper:
Yes, it can work. Black pepper is used for protection, banishing, and adding “heat” to a spell. Sichuan pepper is also hot, protective, and historically used to ward off evil. It has a slightly more dispersing and expansive quality compared to black pepper’s sharp, piercing heat, but for protection and clearing, it’s absolutely valid.

Cassia for Ceylon cinnamon:
Totally fine. Cassia is stronger and hotter than Ceylon cinnamon, but historically, much of the Western “cinnamon” was cassia anyway. Just be aware it’s more intense — great for activation, protection, warming, and speeding things up.

I may have had some help from Paul Beyerl on some of these

Overall, local sacred herbs with clear cultural meaning often work better than imported correspondences. Focus on what the plant does and what it represents in your own context. When substituting herbs, ask:

1. What is the spell trying to DO?
2. What qualities are needed? (heat? protection? clearing? attraction?)
3. What plant in my environment already carries that meaning culturally?
4. What is its medicinal action? (often a strong clue)
5. Do I personally feel resonance with it?

Magic based on imported shopping lists is fragile. Magic based on:
-
Local ecology
Cultural symbolism
Functional properties
Personal relationship

Is much stronger.