#30daysofsw

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 9

Headaches 

"Create or share a spell or witchy tip for dealing with headaches."

I'll be honest, I get headaches and migraines constantly, but I don't handle them very well...

My go-to resolution is an Excedrin, a bottle of cola (for the caffeine), and a nap.

BUT it really depends on what kind of headache I have. For example, right now I'm battling a sinus headache. I can feel it in my eyes and my teeth. This is probably #2 painful headache for me (migraines being #1).

I’m going to start off by saying in no way am I a doctor, this is not professional medical advice.  If you struggle with chronic headaches and migraines, I strongly suggest you visit your physician or a specialist because there could be an underlying cause that needs to be addressed.  Additionally, these are all things that I’ve found help me, but may not be best for your situation.

For sinus headaches, I try to drink lots of tea and water. It's important to stay hydrated, especially for this kind of headache. I also take long, hot showers and breathe in the steam. Sometimes I'll put a washcloth loosely over my face and inhale the steam that gets trapped underneath.

I don't have a humidifier, but I have been thinking about getting one. I think it could really help me. There are also humidifiers that diffuse essential oils into the air.  I haven’t tried it, but hear peppermint and eucalyptus oils are good for headaches.  I imagine that lavender could also be helpful to relax, especially if it is a stress headache.  Of course, each of these scents can also be overwhelming to some people, so pay attention if your headache gets worse.

ALWAYS be cautious using essential oils around your pets, as some oils are TOXIC to animals and can be FATAL. (tea tree oil especially is a bad one, but there are others)

Other headaches I get are from stress, lack of sleep, and dehydration. It's always a struggle to figure out why I have a headache, because each of these need to be treated differently.

Naps are good for sleep headaches and can help stress headaches. I can usually tell it's a stress headache because they are often focused in the back of my head/neck.  People often carry their stress in their shoulders, so if your headache is at the back of your skull, it is most likely stress.  Give your eyes a break from screens and reading. Turn down the lights, soft music if you can handle it, and do some meditation or breathing exercises.

The best thing to do with any headache, is drink a glass of water first.  It’ll help you if you are dehydrated, and it doesn’t hurt you if you're not. I recently downloaded an app called "Plant Nanny". It is an app that helps you stay hydrated by sending you reminders.  Each time you drink, you water a virtual plant which eventually begins to grow.  If you forget to water your plant, (I forgot to check in over an entire weekend once) it gets sick and dried out, but you can fix it by watering it again!

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 6

Netflix and Chill

"What are your favorite witchy themed films or TV shows? Do you watch any witchy youtubers? Are you a witchy youtuber?"

I do not watch any witchy youtubers, but I'd love some recommendations if anyone has any!

Some of my favorite movies are:

Practical Magic (Big fave! Two girls try to avoid a family curse which curses anyone who falls in love with them. Great modern day witchy representation.)

Hocus Pocus (A classic kid's movie about children who are trying to fight off three bad witches who have awoken on Halloween.)

Some of my favorite shows are:

Little Witch Academia (Cutest cartoon about a first generation witch who is struggling to fit in at a fancy witchy boarding school. 10/10 Highly recommend! There is also a movie.)

The Good Witch (A good tv drama with some accurate portrayal of modern witchcraft.)

Sabrina the Teenage Witch (I haven't watched this one in awhile, but was a big fave when I was younger.)

Bewitched (A tv classic, I used to watch this as a kid.)

Honorable Mentions:

Puella Magi Madoka Magicka (Not really witches, but they fight "witches"... Either way it's a really fun anime with supernatural elements.)

Chocolat (Not really a witch? But the main character has great intuition perhaps? Or she really is a witch. Either way, I always want to eat chocolate and pet a kangaroo by the end of the movie.)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Willow, one friend of the main character, becomes a super badass witch towards the end of the series. Probably one of my top 5 TV witches.)

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 3

Extra Spoons Day

"Share something witchy that you like you do when you have a few extra spoons."

An extra spoons day for me means little to no pain, as well as extra energy! I like to use this time to commune with nature by walking the park or going on a hike.

My husband and I will pack a lunch and make a day out of a big hike. We hike to the top of a trail, eat our lunches, and then hike back down.

Along the way, I try to identify all the plants and animals I recognize. I also like to collect an interesting rock to bring back to my collection. It is important you do not take more than needed (this goes for rocks, soil, plants, sticks, berries, etc.) and you do not disrupt the ecosystem. I try to pick small rocks, making sure no one is living under them, or that they aren't part of something else important (like a natural dam).

If you harvest plants, make sure you are 100% certain of the plant ID. Also, do not harvest more than 50% of one plant or you'll kill it. It's better to take a little from many different plants, than to take all from one. Be sure to leave some of the harvest for the local wildlife, as berries and nuts are important food sources for rabbits, deer, and other wildlife. They need it more than you.

The environment is important to me and my craft and so I also pick up any trash I find on my hikes. Bring an extra bag just for trash you find on your walk.

This is one of my favorite quotes about nature:

"Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but photos."

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 11

Aches and Pains

"Create or share a witchy tip, spell, or sigil to help with general aches and pains."

I don't have any spells, but I'm really interested in herbal medicine. My knowledge is not extensive (yet!) BUT here are a few things I've learned:

Rosemary is an anti-inflammatory herb. You can drink it in tea, which is what I often do.

Ginger helps with nausea and stomach aches. Chew a piece of fresh or candied ginger (fresh is quite spicy), or steep fresh ginger as tea.

Horseradish is an anti-inflammatory herb. It's great for sinus headaches! I forgot to mention that in my headache post.

Turmeric is another anti-inflammatory herb and helps with indigestion. I use it in tofu "egg" scrambles. It makes everything yellow! One source says turmeric is not recommended for people with gallbladder complications.

St. John's Wort I hear is good for pain and arthritis, but this one use EXTREME caution and consult your doctor first. I believe it is also a blood thinner and can negatively interact with many medications.

Cloves are good for toothaches. They have a mild anesthetic property, which is why if you've noticed your tongue gets tingly if your apple pie or chai has too much clove. Cloves are also a blood thinner.

As always, I am not a doctor. Please, consult with your doctor before taking any herbs, they ARE medicine and can interact with your current medicine or make your condition worse. Please take caution.

I also HIGHLY recommend meditation. Learning breathing exercises has really helped me on high pain days. I breathe in fresh oxygen for my body, and focus it on the pain. I breathe out the toxins and send the pain away.

Yoga, if you are able, is also good to help align and strengthen your body, preventing any additional pain.

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 7

I wanna sleep

"Create or share a spell, sigil or witchy tip for dealing with fatigue. Share a spell for restful sleep."

As a result of my PTSD, I have a lot of nightmares. Some of these nightmares are just flashbacks, which oddly enough I've learned to cope with, but more commonly they are ones where I am dying. I will wake up crying or out of breath after one of those.

I won't go into details, but after a particularly scary nightmare I was afraid to fall asleep the following night (because the threat in my dream told me if I thought about it, I'd have the dream again and it would be worse). So I created a little sleep sachet to fight off nightmares.

You will need:

A bay leaf [protection]

Cinnamon (stick or ground) [protection]

3 whole cloves [protection and banishing/removing negative energies]

Cayenne [cleansing and removing negative energies]

Garlic (ground, don't use fresh) [protection and healing]

Ginger (ground, not fresh) [used to strengthen sachet, personal confidence, and protection]

Lavender [tranquility and promotes peaceful sleep]

Hematite [stress relief and reduces anxiety]

Amethyst [tranquility and protection]

Place all items into a silver bag (or white bag with silver string) [silver helps promote good sleep] You could also use yellow and orange to increase positive thinking and overcome depression, or blue for protection and tranquility.

If the stones aren't available to you, some others you could use are: Blue Lace Agate, Black Tourmaline, Shungite (good for insomnia), Morganite (this one is good for panic attacks) Here's some more that could help: http://anxiety-gone.com/natural-stones-that-help-with-anxiety

Place the sachet inside your pillowcase, and rest up knowing the herbs and stones are keeping you safe through the night.

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 8

Duvet Day

"Share some tips with how to be witchy when you are bed-bound or having a day in bed."

So a lot of my low/no spoons days are spent on the couch, instead of bed, because I can reach more things like my laptop, books, and TV. BUT it's a similar concept to staying in bed; I plunk myself onto the couch and then don't get up for the rest of the day.

I like to curl up with a nice fuzzy blanket and just loaf around. To feel more witchy I may light a candle (or eight), drink LOTS of tea, and then I spend my time reading witchy books or doing online reaearch. I like looking up new spells and recipes that maybe I'll never do, but it's the thought behind them that I like best.

It kind of gives me hope? Like, when I feel better and I'm not in pain and I have the energy, I'll make these new recipes. Maybe it'll never happen, but you need to keep hope.

Occasionally I'll have a "pamper yoself" day, which I can do right from my couch. It involves my favorite tea (everything involves tea!), incense, soft music, painting my nails, and maybe a face mask. You could paint your nails using color magic, or write sigils on your nails. Maybe the face mask or lotion is scented with your favorite herbs/flowers. Light candles or incense with scents that correspond to your intent.

I don't know if this will help anyone, but it's just the silly little things I do when I'm stuck on the couch.

Did I mention tea? 😉

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 10

Trees and Flowers 

"What ways do you connect to nature when you have low spoons/ are not well? Share a low spoons spell involving nature elements."

I postponed answering this because we had snow and I just couldn't mentally process how can I connect to plants and nature when it's cold and dark outside.

Anyway, the best thing to do (when it's not snowy) when you have low spoons or don't feel well is to open a window. Let some fresh air flow in and breathe deep. Let the new air cleanse your lungs, and breathe out the CO2 as a gift to your plants (they'll love it).

We have a Lovesac (beanbag chair) that I pull in front of the sliding glass doors of my living room. I open the door and sit in the sunlight. It's so refreshing to breathe in the clean air, and feel the sun warm my skin. The sun gives me chills and my body gets all tingly as if you've gotten pins and needles from sitting on your foot. I like to believe that this tingly feeling is the sun's energy warming me up and strengthening my body.

[foxes-tea-and-witchythings]

30 Days of Spoonie Witchery- Day 5

Dear Diary...

"Do you keep a Book of Shadows or Grimoire? Do you have any tips for low spoons witchy journaling?"

Technically I keep a FEW witchy journals, but I'm not great at keeping up with them. I only had a Grimoire at first with all the research I've done on witchcraft (moon phases, corrospondences, herbs, sabbats, etc). This was my book to be as aesthetically witchy as possible, with fancy drawings and such, and like most witches I've met, I didn't write in it for fear of "messing it up."

However I recently read a book which suggested to write down everything into a scrap journal of sorts, like a rough draft, and then transfer it over. Great idea! So I now have TWO grimoires, a rough draft and a fancy one.

I also started a separate Book of Shadows for spells only, and a personal journal for witch purposes. The personal journal is to track things like my physical and mental responses to the moon phases, any reactions to herbs I've tried, spells I've done and the results.

I'm also thinking of starting an additional journal just for herbalism once I start getting deeper into that. But that's only in the near future.

A tip I can give for low spoons journaling is keep a journal next to your bed for the days you may be stuck in bed. Don't designate it to anything in particular, use this journal as a "rough draft" journal. Once you have the energy, then you can transfer your rough journal into the corresponding "fancy" journal.

I also like to keep those sticky note flags nearby, so I can mark off passages in books I'm reading and then either research further or transfer the info into my journals.

Here's an example. They are color coded too! Blue for personal revelations (things that stick out to me personally), yellow to research further, pink as a quick reference, and orange as things to do (like crafts and activities). (This picture was taken a few months ago and now I'm finished the book and there are SO MANY flags, it's amazing!)

Also, if anyone is looking for more information on green witchcraft, I highly recommend the above book. "The Green Witch" by Arin Murphy-Hiscock.