#sylvan practice

[herbalisyl444]

july full moon 🌕🦌

there are tons of names for each full moon and i'd recommend reading about those given within the region where you live; for example pacific northwest terms for this moon may include chokecherries, while eastern US regions reference blueberries. i'm going to list a couple here that are pertinent to my region, the midwest US.

the buck moon, a name likely created by american colonizers, referring to male deer's full grown antlers at this time of year

the hay moon, also a colonizer-derived term, referencing the july hay harvest period. this term is also found in england, referring to the same period (as the practices were imported and imposed in the US)

the wyrt moon (or wort, herb moon), a modern borrowing from old english [wyrt]. this is a similar concept to the actual old english terms for the months of july [mǣdmōnaþ], meaning meadow month, & august [weodmōnaþ], meaning weed (as in any vegetation) month. the modern borrowing refers to a time of year to gather herbs and plant medicines to process and store.

the thunder moon, a western abenaki term [pad8gikas] referencing the high amount of thunderstorms we have at this time of year

the grass cutter moon, a western abenaki term [temaskikos], referring to the time when new sprouts appreciate nurturing care, as they complete their rush towards the sun. this moon is also traditionally associated with sweetgrass (hierochloe odorata) braiding

the berry moon, an ojibwe & potawatami name [miin giizis – blueberry moon, minaakwedi-giizis – picking blueberries moon, minke gises – pickling blueberries moon (potawatami), & ode’imini-giizis – strawberry moon] referring to the ready-to-harvest wild berries

the bursting moon, an ojibwe term [baapaashkizige-giizis] with much more difficult to trace meaning. it may refer to to the shooting out of seed pods and the bursting of buds, or perhaps was a more modern name referencing fourth of july fireworks

divider by @uzmacchiato

here are some posts to read about this full moon:

@space-queen saturn retrograde ♄℞ + the full moon in aquarius ☾♒︎

@breelandwalker buck moon - july 29, 2026

my practices for this july full moon include:

a bonfire – with singing and dancing and milling around the fire

bread-baking magic – eating bread, or making poppet bread, etc.

harvesting – from the garden, preparing herbs & foods, kitchen witchery

& my standard full moon rituals

the emperor - stephanie law

the buck moon in name and premise reminds me of the various buck figures in tarot decks i use:

the emperor (verdance tarot): the sovereign. stability, power, discipline, strength and leadership, responsibility, rigid thinking, security in life, confidence

six of wands (verdance tarot): the triumphant. triumph, victory, achievement, recognition, self-confidence, pride

eight of wands (verdance tarot): the messenger. momentum toward a goal, progress, focus, ambition, initiative, rapid change, action, seizing the moment, communication flows

knight of wands (verdance tarot): the energizer. courageous, fearless, reckless, charming, passionate, free-spirited, following your heart

the stag (wildwood tarot; traditionally strength): represents taking responsibility for your actions, being aware of consequences, being honest, and having integrity.

six of acorns (spiritsong tarot; acorns = fire/wands): success, triumph, power, enthusiasm, leadership, recognition, strength

additionally, a quote from the verdance tarot guidebook pertaining to the qualities of the deer & stag:

deer: grace, intuition, intelligence

stag: majestic power, strength

sources:

July 2026 Full Buck Moon: Meaning, Peak Time, and July Moon Traditions

Moons & Days: Ojibwe.net

“Ode’imini Giizis” – The July “Berry Moon,” A Culturally Significant Time For The Ojibwe

13 Moons Curriculum: Wiba Anung

Miin (ni): the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

baapaashkizige (vai): the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

Temaskikos: Grass Cutter Moon – Sokoki Sojourn

Mædmonaþ: Wiktionary

Weodmonaþ: Wiktionary

Wyrt: Wiktionary

Verdance Tarot Guidebook

[herbalisyl444]

permaculture + witchcraft 🌳🕸️🗺️

i want to make a larger substack post on this subject soon, but i'm finalizing my permaculture design for my property right now and this is on my mind!

first of all, what is permaculture? in Practical Permaculture: For Home Landscapes, Your Community, and the Whole Earth, the author describes it as "meeting human needs through ecological and regenerative design".

permaculture design is already based around using natural systems as a frame of reference, such as fractals, spirals, grids, networks, & tessellations. building systems based on a bee hive or on leaf veins gives an extra connection to that source which we can imbue and utilize magically.

i also think that the entire property design process can become a hypersigil, alike any "art form". enchanting while designing, and integrating enchantments into the designs, can be done throughout the length of the design process.

specific locations and species/cultivars of trees and plants may be used as a wide-ranging hypersigil, or features may be designed to be specific altar spaces.

when you eventually set up gardens, or other designated areas of vegetation, you can also enchant and commune with the plant and seed spirits as they are planted. identification and pilgrimage through wooded areas may be followed by devotion. wards and other spellwork can be planted or affixed within structures and gardens put in.

i hope this post provided any of you with some ideas! if you are a witch interested in permaculture, i have some book recommendations under the cut:

Practical Permaculture: For Home Landscapes, Your Community, and the Whole Earth; by Jessi Bloom & Dave Boehnlein

Holistic Homesteading: A Guide to Sustainable and Regenerative Lifestyle; by Roxanne Ahern

The Vegetable Gardeners Guide to Permaculture: Creating an edible ecosystem; by Christopher Shein (available on Internet Archive)

if you are an urban witch i'd highly recommend Toolbox for Sustainable City Living; by Scott Kellogg & Stacy Pettigrew (available online)

thorn dividers by @pixopix

[herbalisyl444]

targeted breath 🫁🌬️

when meditating on the breath, focus can be on the head (the nose & throat), heart (the chest), and/or stomach (the diaphragm).

i have been focusing on these zones, taking three breaths, as a simple mindfulness exercise recently.

i've also used this in a sustained form to enter trance.

excerpt from Anatomy of a Witch: A Map to the Magical Body by Laura Tempest Zakroff:

To seek mental clarity and connect with others, breathe into your head.

To gain emotional balance and focus on the task at hand, breathe into your heart.

To foster healing and promote physical well-being, breathe into your belly.

dividers by @strangergraphics

[herbalisyl444]

personal associations with the summer solstice ☀️✨

inspired by this post by @hiiighpriestess913!

flora:

garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

sumac (Rhus spp.)

clover (Trifolium spp.)

jewelweed (Impatiens spp.)

joe pye weed (Eutrochium spp.)

strawberries (Fragaria spp.)

fauna:

rabbit, hare

snake, serpent

red-winged blackbird

oriole

hummingbirds

the mother deer & her fawn

foods:

hot dogs cooked over the fire & served with homemade relish

cold fruity red wine

fresh salad with strawberry syrup & red wine vinaigrette

marshmallows at the bonfire

activities:

wassailing & dancing around the bonfire

flower collection for vases and pressing

pilgrimage & oblation of water (or wassail) for the spirits of nature

oblation of honey, milk, and/or flowers for the fair folk

collection of serpentine energy into sprowl-weaving wand

collecting solar solstice energy with knot magic into solar cord

pass collected flora through the bonfire smoke

collect ashes from the fire as a potent protective ingredient

misc:

aka gathering day, midsummer

mother mary

pride month & all pride flags

energization, strength, might, will, vitality

the fair folk, the summer ball; the queen of elfame

great mother, the creatrix

thunderstorms, rain, thunder, lighting, thor, the thorn rune

the green man, the oak king, cain the verderer, devil of the hedge

childhood, celebration, abundance, light

communion with elemental spirits, & spirits of flora and fauna

thorns, blades, knives, swords

kindling, embers, flame, constructs, sparks, smoke, skill

saint john — preparation for his feast day

[herbalisyl444]

sensing energy 🔍⚡️

adapted from the green witch illustrated: an enchanting immersion into the magic of natural witchcraft.

see also: @windvexer's Pinging Method

'ingredients': the physical item or anchor to what you are attuning to, a grimoire or other record notebook, & a writing utensil.

before beginning the ritual do your best to identify the object thru mundane means — plant, mineral, animal, material identification. check for safety to touch the specific object.

if it is safe to hold, hold it in your left hand; if not, set the object down and hold your left hand near it.

perform breathwork or your personal methods for entering trance, with your eyes closed if desired.

visualize (or describe aloud) the energy tethering between your left hand and the object in (or near) it.

in trance, practice mindfulness thru redirecting focus back onto the object in your hand. continue this throughout the ritual.

let your mind fully silence, like a receptive void, and anticipate sensory signals from the object. do you feel a specific emotion? ideas or thoughts drifting into your head? vague hunches? imagery? smells, sounds, tastes? energy signatures? pay attention and write these down.

once you feel satisfied with the information gathered, or it starts to slow down, speak your gratitude to the object for this information exchange, and visualize your energy disengaging from it and retreating back into yourself.

open your eyes (if closed), place the object back where it belongs (into the earth, into storage, etc.) and shake your hand(s) to remove any excess energy.

analyze your observations through: organizing your initial observations into categories, researching the symbolic histories of the individual observations, reanalyzing the categories and all symbolisms realized, and synthesize this information into the "properties" of the object.

divider by @uzmacchiato

[herbalisyl444]

R.I.T.E.S. for ritualization & spellcrafting 📜🪶✨

this is an acronym from Laura Tempest Zakroff's book Weave the Liminal: Living Modern Traditional Witchcraft. it is applicable for rituals and spellcrafting, from low to high levels of complexity.

🪾 Roots: ancestry, origins, identity

✨ Inspiration: influences, appealing practices

🕑 Time: schedule, auspicious timings

🌳 Environment: location, landscape

🌟 Star: personal code of ethics

in practice, this acronym can work like this for a ritual. for example, as i am currently using this acronym to create a motivational morning ritual for myself, i'll describe some of it here:

Roots: i will likely call upon two specific ancestral spirit guides of mine for this task, as i know they are helpful with tasks of willpower and energization. many morning prayers are found in Carmina Gadelica, such as Morning Prayers: Supplication, Morning Prayers: The Three, & Invocations: Morning Prayer.

Inspirations: i love the cute vanity-type aphrodite altars i see on tiktok, and i am trying to do something similar in my own style. i also like the idea of the mirrors where people collage motivational quotes and pictures onto the borders. i may attempt this if i have the nerve!

Time: i've got to make sure this ritual for myself is very short to ensure that i'll actually do it. i could do it sundays or tuesdays, but ill probably do it tuesdays because sunday is supposed to be for resting.

Environment: i'm going to make a charged solar oil with various energizing plants (cinnamon, bay leaf, citrus, acorns).

Star: this motivation is not to overwork myself, or to distract from self-care or cues. any hard work is to be followed by proper nourishment—this is necessary for proper gains! it's important in all of my interactions with spirits to be reciprocal and maintaining respect. motivation has no punishment, and any lack of motivation does not equate to failure. the ritual will work again even if it is missed prior.

so at this point i might reorder this information into a simple ritual idea.

prep beforehand: herbal oil – cinnamon, dried citrus peels, dandelion petals, (dried from fresh) oregano, in jojoba oil. vanity altar – where i've already got a mirror, i'm going to relocate my enchanted jewelry, my makeup and hair products, and maybe some pertinent crystals that i already own: chrysocolla, aventurine, tigers eye, etc. prayers – print out supplication morning prayer from Carmina Gadelica. set up new madonna print on vanity altar.

plan for: tuesdays after waking up. open the window before, and face east.

read supplication morning prayer while applying motivational oil on the head, heart, and navel in a cross, with the right hand pinky finger.

i hope this framework serves useful to someone else!

candle divider by @uzmacchiato // star divider by @strangergraphics

[herbalisyl444]

a few ritually collected items from my recent pilgrimage. this collected deer fur was left in tufts on the path, likely from a white-tailed deer rubbing itself on a tree nearby. the swamp water was ritually collected from the rich wetlands in this area.

in a nature preserve or other natural, non-urbanized location, i do not leave offerings like coins, foods, or anything non-degradable (e.g. plastics). in my practice and mindset, it is disrespectful to the spirits of the forest or natural area you are in to—intentionally or not,—introduce litter into their soils or waters.

i choose to show my respect primarily through veneration (praise, devotion, worship), spoken word (prayers for the land, psalm of arrival), and if i am giving a gift, i follow these practices. firstly, i give the gift at the edges of the natural area, closer to the entrance where the natural meets the urban. secondly, i will give a gift of a natural substance, ideally blessed water or a prepared veneration tea, or i will light an incense when available. if i do not have any supplies with me i will use spit or blood.

i have also shown these images here to describe another way i venerate these lands. i do believe i got this idea somewhere on tumblr – feel free to link the post to me if you remember it. i've collected a small jar of water, and returned it home, and it will be worshipped, enchanted, cleansed of toxins, and otherwise blessed before being returned then refilled upon the next visit. i will do this a few times, as well as divination and communion, before asking anything of the nature spirits of this land, such as for any kind of spellworking assistance.

the deer fur i really only included because it was collected on this same trip – however, i'm not really sure at all how i'll use it. if anyone has any ideas or suggestions feel free to reply or send an ask.

[herbalisyl444]

seasons of the otherworld: spring 🌷

created by @stagkingswife, inspired by #where i live

this year i'm choosing to describe the seasonal change in one specific otherworld location which i frequent, in this case the tower, AKA the corridor. this otherworldly location was initially introduced to me through Weaving Fate: Hypersigils, Changing the Past, & Telling True Lies By Aidan Wachter, and has been one of my most frequented otherworldly locations, primarily because it is easiest for me to access. in my practice, the tower is located three steps below the natural (mid)world, and looks out over various otherworldly locations below, primarily peering over areas of gloaming or of wilderness. every visit to the tower is a bit different, but the space remains generally the same.

sight

on the left and right walls near the door are bookshelves, filled both with books and with a variety of materials and magical souvenirs. in the spring these bookshelves are cast with speckled rainbow light due to witch bottles that hang in the windows across the room. in the center of the tower, a working altar sits with a vase of vibrant fresh flowers, in the spring. out of the windows most recently was a view of an ocean, with translucent gulls flying in and out of luminescent cumulus clouds. in the distance there was a brick red lighthouse in the south-east, shining left and right across the sea.

smell

in spring, the herbs strung across the ceilings begin to be populated with green, fresh herbs to be dried. these herbs, especially when hit with a breeze, smell fresh and aromatic throughout the circular room. when fresh herbs arrive i try to use the dried herbs, typically as incense which is part of my typical rituals in this space. this smell is etched into the walls and is replenished every time i visit. recently, when the windows revealed a sea, i could smell the salt from the splashing waves from up in the tower.

taste

i frequently cook and bake at the hearth in the tower, but in the spring i don't tend to light the fire as much. i do taste the fresh herbs out of curiosity, which do give a very strong physical reaction although they don't give me the exact sensation of tasting the herbs. if i am presented with a bouquet of daylilies, it is hard for me not to eat some of them! a few times in springs before, i have been presented with baskets of various fruits, berries, or vegetables that a spirit ally would like me to prepare for them in the tower, which i do dutifully, then we share the meal together. i quite remember some rhubarb pastries i made in this way!

sound

the sounds of whatever is out of the window is a primary one, which can frequently change. i've discussed already the recent ocean exterior, which had the amazing rhythmic noise of waves hitting the beach. almost always there will be bird calls of some kind. sometimes i will be peering over gatherings of the gloaming, where they sing and dance below me. otherwise the sounds within the tower will either be the hearth, or another fire such as incense or candle-flame. or just me humming! when there is a breeze, the wind chimes go in the windows.

feel

the windows open up or disappear entirely as a warm breeze enters through the window, blowing through my hair. the walls are almost always thick, rough grey stone, which scrapes against my fingertips where i touch it. the seats in the windows have velvet cushions, which are a pleasant opposition to the surrounding stone. i love to run my fingers through the fresh herbs (keeping an eye out for nettle however), which are typically super soft and amazing to run over my hands.

thorn dividers by @pixopix