Texas Witchery

**ARCHIVE—no longer active!** A friendly resource for Texas witches and herbalists by your local cailleach feasa. LEAVE NO TRACE.

[txwitchery]

Hello! You said you could burn Texas croton. Is this the same thing as woolly Croton or Hogwarts? If so can you tell me the magical properties of it? Thank you so much! brandy

All species of the genus Croton may be burned! The only major guideline with this is the plants should be completely dry before burning, and ideally, burned outside.

[txwitchery]

at risk of sounding like a total prick and i'll admit to not knowing you outside of a few spell posts, but since you're from texas and not scotland.. why do you get to call yourself cailleach? i know what i sound like, and i do apologise, but it bothers me as a scottish person to see words and in this case literally the name of a god from my culture and practice used with what seems to be little regard for them or us. there must be something unique for you as a texan to call yourself too

I’m from Ireland, living in Texas, so I use the Irish phrase ‘cailleach feasa’, which in my language, just means something along the lines of ‘seer’ or ‘wise woman.’ I mean no offence or disrespect to Scottish people or culture by that, and I also mean no reference to the Scottish concept of the Cailleach (capital C). Our languages have a lot of overlap, as do our cultural traditions. I use the term because it helps me feel connected to my cultural roots, even while I’m living so far away from them.

[txwitchery]

My. Ex wife put a curse on me and it makes a vine like grow in my skin do you you know what this is and how do I get it to go away

I’ll be real with you mate, you should see a dermatologist for that. A vine??

[txwitchery]

Hi, can purple sage or texas sage be used instead of sage for burning ?

I’d like to preface this with a little caveat about burning sage--if you’re not Native, don’t ‘smudge’ with white sage. Ever. I don’t care why you want to. Non-Natives have so many incense options that are not rooted in another culture’s spiritual practise. (Also, white sage is endangered, and this is highly exacerbated by white spiritual theft/colonisation, so please never buy white sage--if you have it, look into donating it to Native people who want it.)

OKAY--with that being said, if you would like to burn (not smudge) any Texas plants for incense/offering purposes, I would say purple sage and crotons (Texas croton, prairie tea, etc) make good ones. Be sure to dry the leaves completely before burning. I dry croton leaves for burning--you can make incense cones out of the powdered dry leaves with some other ingredients, or just toss some into a flame. 

[txwitchery]

A Doorway Charm Against Bad Magic

The following is a simple protective charm that intends to protect a household from bad magic--that is, spells and energy of evil intent cast by others in your direction. You may choose to do this at the door you enter/exit your residence from the most, or over each external door to your residence. 

If you rent or there is any other reason you can’t nail something into your residence proper, that’s fine! Obtain a small piece of wood in which to hammer the nail and hang it somewhere as a charm.

Take up a hammer and an iron nail. Find a spot above your front door in which the nail can be placed. With each strike of the hammer, read a line of the following:

istud qui malefacit, istud qui imprecatur, istud qui exsecramur, hic non gratum es. eiecto te, abstergeo te.

(that one who curses, that one who hexes, that one who loathes, you are not wanted here. I eject you, I drive you away.)

Repeat as many times as you need and visualise a shield forming around your residence, originating from the nail. 

[txwitchery]

Incenses for (Some of) the Gods

NOTE: These are the incenses that I personally use for offerings to the gods listed below. If you use different incenses, that’s your prerogative! 

Iupiter: pine

Iuno: cinnamon

Neptunus: myrrh

Minerva: bay laurel

Mars: cinnamon

Venus: rose

Apollo: opium/frankincense/bay laurel

Diana: frankincense

Vulcanus: juniper/cedar

Vesta: juniper/cedar

Mercurius: frankincense

Ceres: vanilla/barley

Pomona: orange/bergamot/peach

Carmenta: frankincense

Luna: frankincense

Sol: sandalwood

Tellus Mater: pine

Fortuna: cinnamon

Feronia: pine/juniper

Bacchus: opium/vanilla

Concordia: frankincense

Ianus: benzoin/styrax

Iuturna: myrrh

Trivia: frankincense/opium

the Lares: bay laurel

the Manes: cinnamon/saffron

[txwitchery]

All right, which one of you ‘hexed the Moon’...

I keep seeing stuff about some idiots hexing the Moon. I don’t know why this is how some people have chosen to spend their time, but whatever, what a good excuse to honour the Moon and one of her patron Goddesses, Diana! Tonight (20 July) is a New Moon, so it’s a good time to set our intentions and ground ourselves, as well as reaffirming our faith (for those of us who worship deities associated with the Moon). 

The following incantation comes from the 1899 work Aradia, Gospel of the Witches. If you are not comfortable with the incantation or its source, you may substitute your own.

Set up an altar facing East if possible, with a metal bowl in the centre, with an image (if you use images) of your deity, a white candle, a quartz or moonstone crystal, and some frankincense. Take also seven bay laurel leaves. If you make food or drink offerings, set those nearby as well. 

At night, when the Moon has risen, light the candle and the frankincense from the same flame. Breathe all the way in and all the way out, making your lungs new for the invocation. Raise your hands up, palms facing the sky, and say:

Bella dea dell’arco! Bella dea delle freccie! Della caccia e dei cani! Tu vegli colle stelle, Quando il sole va dormir To colla luna in fronte Cacci la notte meglio del di. Colle tue Ninfe, al suono Di trombe--sei la Regina dei cacciatori--Regina delle notte, tu che sei la cacciatrice Più potente di ogni,  cacciator--ti prego pensa un poco a noi!

(Lovely Goddess of the bow! Lovely Goddess of the arrows! Of the hunt and of the hounds! You who wake in starry heaven, when the sun has gone to sleep you with the Moon on your forehead who prefers the night-hunt to the day.  With your nymphs, to the sound of the horn--yourself the Queen of the hunt--Queen of the night, you who are the Huntress more powerful than any,  hunter--we beg you think a little of us!)

Take up the crystal and pass it, with your left hand, through the smoke of the incense and over the candle flame three times, then hold it up to the sky. When it feels right, set down the stone and take up the bay laurel leaves. Set them alight one by one with the candle flame and allow them to burn in the metal bowl, all the while saying:

Bella dea del arco del cielo! Delle stelle e della luna! La Regina più potente Del cacciatori e della notte! A te ricorro, E chiedo il tuo aiuto Che tu possa darci Sempre la buona fortuna! Se la mia scongiurazionne Ascolterai,  E buona fortuna ci darei, Un segnale a mi dia!

(Beautiful Goddess of the rainbow! Of the stars and the moon! The Queen most powerful of the hunters and of the night! I appeal to you, and ask for your help that you may give us always good fortune! If you listen to my conjuration, and would give us good luck,  then give to me a signal!)

Allow the bay laurel leaves to burn out completely, and burn also your food offering (if that is your custom). Allow also the candle and incense to burn out, and dispose of all the ash together in the way most comfortable to you.

Optionally, you may offer money to the Goddess, either in a religious way or by giving charity in her honour, especially to charitable organisations which benefit women and/or the LGBT+ community. 

[txwitchery]

Consulting the Sacred Hen

The Romans and Etruscans both used chickens in their divinatory practises. The following is an adapted combination of several of these practises.

Keep a well-fed hen. When you need to divine an omen, draw on the ground a large circle and divide it into four with a cross. Ascribe to each of these quadrants a potential answer (e.g. the upper right quadrant represents my getting this job, the lower left represents my getting a different job). Sprinkle some grains evenly within the circle and release the hen into it. Observe the hen, keeping your question in mind. 

If the hen leaves the circle immediately, the answer to your question is not for you to know at this time. 

If the hen wanders from section to section but does not eat, your question is too complex to be answered in this way.

If the hen should eat the grains only in one quadrant, then the answer is clear.  

If the hen wanders from section to section eating grains, then the first section the hen eats from represents the true answer, and the third quadrant the hen eats from represents that which you wish will happen.

If the hen begins eating especially greedily, dropping the grains from its beak, this is a good omen--the answer corresponding to that segment will be good for you. 

If the hen begins eating, then abruptly stops and leaves the circle, this is a bad omen--the answer corresponding to that segment will not be good for you.

[txwitchery]

Read the Lightning

Possibly deriving from an ancient Etruscan practise, Roman augurs would read lightning as a way to determine future outcomes or events. As lightning was sent from Iupiter himself, it was a powerful sign of the will of the gods. 

To read the lighting, first be aware that lightning is super dangerous and that you don’t want to attract danger by standing somewhere in a storm where you’re not safe. Avoid high grounds and metal structures! Now that the safety notes are out of the way...

Face southward and fix your eyes on the sky. Bolts of lightning will arrive from various directions:

From the East is a favourable omen.

From the West is an unfavourable omen.

From the North is deeply ominous.

From the Northwest indicates extremely bad news.

From the Northeast indicates good fortune. 

Lightning striking nearer to you, especially if you are attempting to determine whether the gods look favourably upon you, is a good sign. Farther away is not a good sign. 

[txwitchery]

Longleaf Pondweed / Sargazo

Potamogeton nodosus

This plant, mainly seen as a weed throughout its range, grows in standing or slow-moving water, and is recognised by its lanceolate leaves borne on long petioles that allow the leaves to float on the surface, collecting light. Its flower spikes are reddish brown with densely packed yellow-brown flowers. 

The leaves feed many species of invertebrates, including the waterlily aphid. The plant may hybridise with other Potamogeton species, making identification sometimes difficult. 

In folk medicine, this plant is used for acne, cough, diarrhoea, dysentery, jaundice, and tuberculosis. The starchy rhizome is sometimes described as edible, but the whole plant may be considered toxic--err on the side of caution. 

I associate longleaf pondweed with the god Volturnus, the astrological sign Pisces, the Sun, and the element Water. 

[txwitchery]

To reverse a love spell.

[NOTE: I’ve made clear my views on love spells and their ethical issues--don’t try manipulate anyone into feelings!]

Should a love spell be placed on you, or should a love spell you have cast no longer be required, this may nullify its magic:

Take four goldenrod roots the size of your little finger and bind them together with a black thread. Place the bundle in a pot and cover with water. Boil the water on the stove, then turn down the heat to medium-low, letting it infuse. Allow infusion for at least two hours.

When the liquid has cooled, remove the roots and bury them. If you have a physical representation of the love spell (e.g. a charm bag or tablet), ‘drown’ it in the root liquid and leave it there overnight. If you do not, take the liquid to a place where the target (or caster) of the love spell spends their time, and sprinkle it outside of the place, where they must walk over it. 

[txwitchery]

Thank you so much!!

I know I’ve been sporadic with posts here (grad school life), but I wanted to take some time to thank you all for your continued support. I’m glad to say that we are up to almost 1000 followers (which blows my mind)!

I’d also like to thank the person that donated to my ko-fi link. I can’t tell you what that means to me--I didn’t get paid this month, and that contribution is genuinely helping me survive. You’re wonderful. 

I’m trying to get back into more regular posting now that I have such a large amount of followers here (again, thank you thank you thank you!!!!), so stay tuned for more posts!! :)

Many blessings to you all :)

[txwitchery]

Prayer to the Goddess Spes

Spes, the Goddess of Hope, is someone deserving of honour and sacrifice in these uncertain times. Her temple was consecrated on 1 August, and this day is often used to honour her. 

As a sacrifice, wash your hands well, then throw bay laurel leaves and the fresh thigh bones of any animal upon a fire.

Spes vetus: te precor quaesoque  uti sies volens propitius mihi domo familiaeque nostrae, uti to morbos visos invisosque, viduertatem vastitudinemque, calamitates intemperiasque prohibessis defendas averruncesque; duisque bonam salutem valetudinemque mihi domo familiaeque nostrae; harumque rerum ego, sicuti dixi, macte hisce immolandis esto.

Ancient Hope: I pray and beseech thee that thou be merciful to me, my house, and my family, that thou ward off and remove illness seen and unseen, destruction and barrenness, ruin and unseasonable influence; and give good health and strength to me, my house, and my family; to this intent, as I have said, deign to accept this burnt offering.

Allow the fire to burn itself out. 

(Prayer adapted from Cato’s De Agricultura)

[txwitchery]

Texas Indian Mallow / Pelotazo

Abutilon fruticosum

Despite its English common name, this plant’s native range includes Africa, south and west Asia, and northern Mexico as well as Texas. It’s a small perennial with soft, velvety greyish-green leaves, and is most often found in prairies and forest edges, especially over limestone. Its pale orangey-yellow flowers may be seen from June through October. It is browsed by deer and other ungulates and its seeds are eaten by doves and quail. It serves as a larval host for many species of skipper butterflies.

While BRIT does not list any ethnobotanical information about A. fruticosum, its close relative A. incanum’s pounded flowers, leaves, and root bark was used by Native Hawai’ians in a decoction for stomachaches. 

Magically, this plant may be used as any other mallow plant could be used. I associate this plant with the Sun, the goddess Salacia, the astrological sign Libra, and the element Water. 

[txwitchery]

To Meditate With the Dead

Note: this is a symbolic ritual only. No spell can actually raise someone from the dead or manifest a ghost. This is simply a way to consciously remember a departed friend or relative. 

Light a small fire and two sticks or cones of frankincense incense. Place one incense to your left and the other to your right. Sit in front of the fire and watch the flames for a moment, breathing in the scent of the incense and burning wood. 

On the fire, lay down nine fresh branches of acacia. Listen to the green leaves crackle in the flame and close your eyes. Breathe purposefully. Hold something in your hands, like a small stone, or an item that belonged to the person you have in mind, if it helps you to focus. 

Picture the departed person in your mind. Carefully consider them, bringing each of their features into focus. Think of their scent, the sound of their voice, the feeling of their skin or their embrace. Focus on them, and only them. Let everything else leave your mind. 

When you are ready to finish, picture saying goodbye--wave to them, give them a hug or a handshake--just as you would if they were with you. Watch them leave or fade away before opening your eyes. Allow the incense and the fire to burn themselves out. 

[txwitchery]

White Ball Acacia / Palo de Pulque / Ocpatl

Acaciella angustissima

Note: In times of drought, this plant may accumulate high levels of hydrogen cyanide in its foliage, making this dangerous to eat. Err on the side of caution.

This small thornless tree has bipinnate leaves with narrow pointed leaflets arranged in 20-40 pairs. Its flowers are roughly globular, with white corolla and stamens, and are replaced by long papery pods holding 8-12 seeds. As a nitrogen fixer, it serves as a pioneer species for rejuvenating degraded lands. Subspecies texensis is most common in drier areas of Texas, but the plant is found from here to Argentine. It has spread as an invasive to Hawai’i, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Australia. 

Its astringent bark is used in Mexico for inducing fermentation when making alcoholic drinks. Tzotzil Maya use it for bloody or mucoid diarrhoea, as well as treatment for toothache, rheumatism, skin lesions, and tumours. Its flowers are favoured by bees and it serves as a larval host to the acacia skipper butterfly (Cogia hippalus) as well as two months in the genus Sphingicampa (S. blanchardi and S. raspa). Bark extracts show some antimicrobial effect against E. coli and S. aureus. 

Magically, I associate white ball acacia with the Sun, the element Air, the god Ianus, and the astrological sign Capricorn. As with many other acacias, white ball acacia is associated with dreams, divination, and death. 

[txwitchery]

Mustacei (Roman Must Cakes)

(This recipe is from Following Hadrian, a blog about Roman history and tracing Hadrian’s footsteps. It’s a great follow for anyone interested in history and classics!)

400 g plain flour

200 mL grape juice

1/2 tsp dry yeast

60 g pecorino cheese, grated

2 tsp ground aniseed

2 tsp ground cumin

60 g hard vegetable fat or pastry lard

olive oil

bay leaves

Pour the grape juice in a pan and warm to about body temperature (35 degrees C give or take two degrees). Dissolve the yeast into the grape juice and let froth a few minutes. Grate the cheese. Put the flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cumin and aniseed.

Add the grated cheese and fat and work into the flour until the dough has the consistency of bread crumbs. Pour on the grape juice and yeast mixture. Knead for five minutes until you have a supple dough and roll into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel.

Brush a baking tray with olive oil and position the bay leaves on it at 5 cm intervals. Sprinkle a board with flour and roll out the dough until it is about 1 cm thick. Use a round pastry cutter to make the cakes. Place each cake atop a bay leaf and bake at 180 degrees C for 30-40 minutes.