Incense Cleansing: Incense Cleansing uses the element of air in order to purify a space or person. It often works on contagion or diffusion, where the incense's effects purify one secton, and that section's vibration or energy carries over into the next and forms a link of cleansing or empowerment. Recommended in a well ventilated space, please practice discretion and do not burn toxic materials or irritants. Some herbs have strong smells and may also have contrainfications, induce allergic reactions such as sneezing, runny nose, sore eyes, headaches and the like. Practice fire safety, do not handle burning coals with your hands, use a pair of tongs. Use heat-resistant plates for coal burning, or put it in a bowl with sand. Take into consideration the energetic quality, so don't burn martial incense in a home excessively otherwise it might inspire conflict, keep to soothing incenses in the bedroom and other resting spaces. Make sure to get the corners as well
Fire Cleansing: Makes use of a form of fire in a candle, lamp or greater fire. Good for spatial cleansing and for personal cleansing. For personal cleansing, sitting in front of the fire and meditating on it is suitable or walking around it to purify the body, mind and aura. Candles can be lit and taken from room to room in order to burn away obstacles and negative energy. As said, please practice fire safety. Make sure to keep the candle firmly in place, do not spill the oil and do not hold the candle near flammable materials. If the candle is held on a plate, then please make sure it is firmly set in the center. Dispose of any wax remnants after dismantling omens in a small bag, paper or otherwise, and throw it away.
Sound Cleansing: Making use of mantras, prayers, the clapping of hands, bells, conch shells, windchimes and other such items are useful for breaking up and moving stagnant energy. Practice discernment with wind chimes because if you're in a windy area, then it might prove to be frustrating to those who don't like noise. The bell should be rung in the center and four corners of the room.
Salt: Bowls of salt, salt water, or salt mixed with camphor, can be placed in the room to be cleansed as a sort of energetic roomba. Please practice discernment when disposing of the salt. Salt can be added to the bath, or kept in the hand and run over the body before cast into a fire.
Binding: An item like rice, salt, eggs, thread or other such items can be taken, run over the body with prayers and disposed of to remove negative energy or stagnant energy. If using salt, please avoid throwing it into plants. Rice is suitable and can be thrown into a fire or offered to a devouring deity to take the negative force away.
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Apotropaic: Usually in the form of amulets, written charms; used to turn away an undesired force. Examples include the Gorgoneion, a holy scripture (such as the Bible, Quran, Havamal, the Bhagavad Gita or the Devi Gita), Iron or Iron-Based Items.
Decoy: Instead of the Malefic Force hitting the practitioner, it gets distracted with an item or representation. Like a poppet, piece of meat.
Spirit Trap: The Malefic Force is given a distraction that prevents it from hurting the practitioner. Can include a layered plant like onion. Some make use of grains of sand, salt or rice which supposedly forces the spirit to count it rather than enter the house.
Offering: An item that is desirable is placed outside the house, the spirit partakes of that rather than entering the home. Especially suited for the Deipnon.
Warding (Spatial): Items are placed around the space that set up a protective barrier. Can become an issue when filtering, make sure to set the intent that malefic is kept out and benefic is allowed in.
Guardians: Statues can be infused to keep watch, allowing good in and evil is warded off. Some animals are very lucky and can be used for magnetizing and pacifying (reducing negative qualities and instilling positive ones in the home)
Floor Washing: Particular herbs or items are noted for their protective qualities. Might not mix Fire Herbs with Water, but it also depends on the space. Martial Herbs might be preferred outside but not in the living space where relaxation and peace is sought. Most basic is basil or salt.
Door Guarding: An item is placed over the door to ward off evil forces, horseshoes, iron, signs with sacred scripture, chalking and so on. A plant can be kept by the front door.
Binding: More active form of pacifying, enemy or force is stopped and blocked by methods. Prevents movement and action being taken against the practitioner. Useful for spirits, a spirit may be bound to a tree or item to prevent it from doing harm until it is decided or mediated. Can be used to help with illnesses and fevers.
Bodily Warding: Amulets worn on the body, strengthens spiritual connection in some cases while preventing unwanted forces from interacting. Veiling is common. St. Cards, Spiritual Scriptures and others can be kept or recited over the self. Useful before rituals.
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here are some different spell jar recipes I’ve made over the years. Some were made by referencing/modifying others I’ve seen; others (the divine fem & divine masc) I made by doing some research.
And then we come to the best holiday of them all - October 31st, good old Samhain. Seriously, if you don’t like Samhain or Halloween, I’m just not sure we can be friends. We all know how it’s celebrated - ghost stories and guising and good times. And lots of witchcraft. So much. All the witchcraft. -cackle-
Samhain is the third and final harvest festival, the harvest of flesh. This is when animals would be slaughtered, and sacrifices would be made, and the dead would be remembered. This is the night that the veil between the mortal world and the spirit realm is rumored to be at its’ thinnest. I mean, it’s always pretty thin, it’s a VEIL, after all, not a theatre curtain, although that’s another good analogy. But around Samhain, the dead travel more freely. They’re moving toward their final rest, if they haven’t found it yet, or perhaps they’re coming back for a visit. Día de Muertos is another holiday that celebrates this, with feasts and marigold garlands and family altars called ofrendas.
So first and foremost, Samhain is a time to remember those who came before. I think this is going to be sadder and more poignant in the next few years than it might have been before. We’ve all lost so much. It’s nice to have one night in the year when we’re encouraged to remember the dead fondly and laugh about the good times, even though it might be hard at other times. Honor your deceased loved ones with a cemetery visit or a gift of food or flowers. Commune with the dead, if you wish to do so. Just remember to hang up and cleanse the house after, so no uninvited guests stick around.
And it’s not just your immediate family you can call on, but your more distant ancestors too. Remember that ancestors aren’t just your blood relatives, but also people who inspire you or bring you insight. Honor the witches who came before as well, and the ones who were called witches but weren’t and suffered for it.
Put out some fruit offerings - I usually use apples - or a few shots of alcohol or a dish of salt. Another tradition calls for carving the names of the deceased into apples or potatoes and tossing them into water as an offering. I think this one might be an offshoot of the old “bobbing for apples” party time, but it’s not a precursor.
Bobbing for apples is a throwback to older traditions where partygoers would use apples and other party food to perform simple divinations. An apple peel taken off in one strip would be tossed over the shoulder and the shape it formed when it landed was supposed to show the initial of your future spouse. Dishes like barm brack and colcannon would have little charms hidden inside that were supposed to tell the fortune of the person whose portion contained them for the coming year. So if you’ve got divinations to do, especially for love or fortune, this is the time. Cast your predictions for the coming year.
Carve pumpkins and make baked pumpkin seeds. Tell the tale of Jack O’ Lantern and his glowing turnip. Learn about the history of Halloween and Samhain and where they intersect.
Samhain is a holiday that pretty much demands bonfires. Between burning leaves and the symbolic sacrificial pyre, a towering pile of flaming branches is something that’s pretty ubiquitous in cooler climes. When I lived in Pennsylvania, there was always a farm somewhere that would host one, usually alongside other spooky seasonal festivities.
If you have the opportunity to visit another harvest festival or a Halloween fair or a haunted attraction, go and have some fun! It’s a time of year for celebrating the spooky side of life, the scary things that remind us just how alive we are. So put on those scary movies, decorate your home, and scare your friends and neighbors. Tell your favorite ghost stories and bump Spooky Scary Skeletons loud enough to disturb folks in the next county. However you celebrate your spooky side, indulge it as far as you’re able.
On Samhain, we let our witch flags fly. It’s the one time of year that even those of us still witching in secret are sometimes able to get away with living in the open, or at least, a little less in hiding. Celebrate your life as a witch, even if you must do so in private. Revel in the pop culture visibility that’s giving us more of a foothold in the “normal” world.
On a personal note, this is the time of year that I do my annual home warding. Part of it has to do with the need to refresh them because of the increased spirit traffic, and part of it has to do with Samhain being an easily-markable holiday. I perform a full altar cleaning, an offering with fire and whiskey to honor my ancestors and my patrons, plus whatever spells I need to do for divination or immediate needs. Then, I do a full ritual to unravel the old wards, clean the place out, and weave new protections that will last until the following year. I do patch them in the interim sometimes, if they need it.
If you have something big to do with your craft, Samhain is a good time for it. Or, if you need a break, it’s a fine time for that too. You’ll know what’s best for you at the time.
This is a season of remembrance. In addition to honoring those who came before, study the history of your chosen craft and of witches in general. Think about what brought you to the craft in the first places, and what keeps you going. If you feel like your inspiration is waning, it’s a good time to find ways of reinvigorating yourself.
Meditate on the year so far. What knowledge have you gained? What do you want to learn next? What do you wish you’d done differently? What has passed out of your life that you’ll miss? What do you remember most fondly?
Meditate on the nature of disguise. What metaphorical masks do you wear? When and where do you feel most like yourself? Is there some part of yourself that you feel compelled to hide, and if so, why? What face would you like to be able to show to the world? Is it maybe time to find ways of living more in the open, or is it safer to keep your mask on for now?
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Some notes from my BOS of weeds / local plants that can be used in one's craft. Includes magickal correspondences, traditional uses (medicinal and culinary), and some of their folklore.
Disclaimer at the end !!
𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊
Acorns- the nuts of oak trees. They're made of one seed covered by a tough shell with a cap on top. These nuts can be eaten and are turned into flour to make breads and pastas. Much about acorns are unknown as they are mainly unused in everyday life, but we do know that they contain a high fiber content which has been used to treat bloating, diarrhea, stomach pains, and other digestive issues. Because these nuts come from oak trees they’ve been a symbol of great wisdom and longevity in many cultures such as Celtic and Nordic. Many people have worn necklaces with acorn charms on them to bring protection
• Protection, prosperity, growth, wisdom
Bull nettle- Thick stock and toothed leaves with stiff prickly stinging hairs, the flowers are small, white, and covered in hispid. The seed pods are lightly coloured and cylindrical, containing ~3 seeds. Touching this plant will cause a stinging, burning, or itching sensation that will last for hours. The seeds from the seed pods are edible and taste nutty but need to be harvested with extreme care as to not sting yourself. The seeds can be roasted or ground into a "cornmeal." The root of bull nettle is edible, it's similar to a potato but tougher and the core is so tough it should be discarded.
Binding, banishing, warding, baneful (to cause pain)
Cattails- Cattails are semi-aquatic plants that consist of multiple long spiked leaves with one center spike holding a sausage-shaped head that is filled with cottony seeds. Their rhizomes can be turned into a flour with a high protein content and the shoots can be cooked and eaten. The stems and leaves can be turned into paper. A poultice from the roots can be used as an antiseptic, for burns/cuts, and to reduce inflammation. When harvesting this plant please do not overharvest, it’s a very important part of a wetland’s ecosystem ! Also, always make sure the water near the cattails is clean because cattails filter pollutants out of the water so if you plan on consuming the plant, you could also be consuming those pollutants.
Catchweed- Also known as cleavers, hitchhikers, goosegrass, or sticky weed. Catchweeds are branchy, square stems that latch onto other plants and buildings with small hooked hairs on their leaves and stems. They have tiny, star-shaped, green or white-ish flowers with four petals. They also have small burrs that contain a few seeds that are covered in hooked hairs so they can latch on to animals to disperse seeds. For those who want to risk getting pricked, catchweed is edible. Young leaves and stems can be cooked and eaten like spinach. This plant is also in the same family as coffee, meaning that you can dry and roast the seeds in their burrs to make a lower-caffeine coffee substitute and teas. Poultices have been made with the whole plant, as with tea washes from dried leaves, in many cultures for light burns, small wounds, and eczema. It has a cooling effect so it’s also used in infusions for bug bites, stings, and poison ivy.
Energy, binding, commitment, protection during travel
Chickweed- Also called chickenwort/weed, winterweed, and simply ground cover as that’s its primary use in modern society. Long stems with pointed, oval-shaped leaves and tiny white star-shaped flowers that resemble carnations. Its star-shaped flowers earned it the botanical name “Stellaria media”. Its flowers and leaves are both edible and are very popular in salads, soups, and stir-fries. It has a taste similar to sprouts that you’d use in a salad. Chickweed salves are used for skincare, poultices for poison ivy, and teas for digestion. Historically, it's been used for skin ailments like itching, dry skin, and even bruises or bug bites from a tisane/tea of the stems applied to the affected area. In European folklore, it was said to help promote a happy, balanced family and love life. This is believed to come from how chickweed grows so closely with all its stems intertwined but in a way that promotes each part to grow healthy, so it promotes everyone in a household getting along with one another while having their own sense of individuality. It’s also associated with perseverance (like most weeds I’ll admit), this is because chickweed is seen growing everywhere, in yards, in forests, on piles of dirt. If it sees an opportunity, it’ll take it and thrive year-round.
Clovers- white, balled flowers with three to four small, round leaves. Every part of this plant is edible, the leaves and flowers are sweet and vanilla-y so they are good in teas and sweets. Clover has been used to ward off fevers and used in tisanes/teas for inflammation. Clover has been associated with good fortune for centuries, especially four-leaved clovers. A shamrock is a symbol of a three-leafed clover representative of the Christian Holy Trinity, it’s also believed that the Celtic druids thought shamrocks to be significant because they had three leaves possibly representing the underground, earth, and sky.
Luck, prosperity, happiness, faith
Creeping Speedwell- Teeny tiny violet/baby blue flowers with light yellow middles, it is incredibly fast-growing and can be found in most yards. Speedwell is edible and good in salads, pestos, and smoothies. Tea is made from the leaves and flowers to help clear congestion, allergies, and coughs. Some add it to their baths to help with their allergies and inflammation, inflammation is also helped by a poultice. In some folklore, it’s said that a tea or ointment from speedwell could help one with psychic visions and faerie sight. Before I truly knew the folklore behind speedwell I had this sense that it would help with your clairsenses.
Abundance, divination, psychic/clairsense work
Creeping buttercup- Buttercups are toxic and will leave blisters when raw so they must be cooked or dried before being consumed, even then it's not recommended to eat. A poultice of the (boiled) leaves is used for inflammation and wounds and a tea from the plant is used for its analgesic properties, but be wary of the blisters that may occur. Buttercups used to be used to ward off faeries, many farmers would plant these around their cows to prevent them from being stolen from the fae. There are a lot of stories relating buttercups to cows which is very very cute but ironic because buttercups are actually toxic to many animals! For its many associations with children, fairies, and coyotes across various cultures it can also be related to mischief
Youth, happiness, love, protection from fae, mischief (jinxes/hexes/glamours)
Creeping charlie- Also known as ground ivy. Creeping charlie has square stems with dark, rounded or fan-shaped, toothed leaves. It has small blue or lavender, funnel-shaped flowers that grow in clusters of two or three in the spring. Creeping charlie is edible and has a long history of being used in beer and cheese, it tastes subtly minty as it's in the mint family. Young leaves are good in salads to freshen them up and it's also really good in teas and sweets. There is a risk of it being toxic if consumed in large quantities though. For centuries now it's been used in teas to calm a cough, been said to help with headaches, and has been used on the skin to reduce pain and soothe inflammation. Some have turned it into a snuff and used it for congestion, kind of like Vaporub. It was actually brought over from Britain to the Americas for its medicinal uses, now it’s one of those weeds people will spend tons of money trying to get rid of. Alike creeping buttercup, it’s said that some may have used this to ward magick from their livestock and themselves. Some say it’s good to use to find out who has cursed you or sent the evil eye your way and in some stories, people would drink it as a tea to get rid of their shyness.
Protection from magick and spirits, divination, clarity, courage
Deadnettle- My favourite weed :) Square stem, fuzzy leaves that occasionally are red/purple at the top, with tiny tube-shaped light pink flowers. Despite technically being a nettle, it’s not a true nettle so very few people will have a reaction when touching this plant. Deadnettle is part of the mint family and every part of it is edible, despite that though it's not very minty and is floral and sweet. My favourite parts are the tiny pink flowers which have sweet nectar in them and are good in teas, syrups, sweets, and jams. The leaves are good in teas, smoothies, pestos, and salads. A poultice or salve can be made from the leaves for wounds and teas can help with allergies. This plant is sometimes called purple archangel because it pops up around the Feast of the Apparition when it was said St. Micheal appeared. It’s associated with determination because this lil dude will grow anywhere, even in spots with the worst quality soil.
happiness, determination, peace, healing
Dandelion- Dandelions are bright layered yellow flowers with toothed leaves that grow pretty much anywhere there is enough dirt to get their roots in. The entire plant is edible, the flowers are slightly sweet making them good for salads, syrups, and sweet. The leaves are slightly bitter but that can be lessened when harvested young or boiled, they're good as spinach replacements and can be dried for teas. The flowers can also be turned into dyes. The plant's name can be literally translated to 'healing herb' as it has been used in many cultures for it's gut health and detoxifying properties. Teas and tinctures from leaves are made for a diuretic and flowers are made into salves or beauty products to treat acne/eczema and to reduce inflammation. About dandelions being diuretics - the name dandelion comes from the french name dentdelion (tooth of the lion) but there’s actually a second French name, “pissenlit”, which means piss the bed !!
Daisy- Daisies are low-growing flowers with thin, long, white petals and yellow disc florets (middles). Common daisies are edible, these are really found growing anywhere even in your lawn. Leaves can be used in salads or stir-fries and flower heads can be pickled or used in salads. Wines, soups, and teas are also commonly made from daisies. The flowers have a slightly bitter taste but look pretty in dishes. Daisies have been used in teas for coughs, bronchitis, and common colds. It's also been used to "stimulate the digestive system" to promote appetite. Daisies have been into lotions and other skincare products to treat rashes, eczema, and other skin issues. Daisies came to be associated with love and motherhood through it being the flower of Freya, innocence/purity through the story of Vertumnus and Belides where the flower gets its scientific name, and purity the popular phrases like “fresh/clean as daisies”.
Feverfew- Feverfew are daisy-like flowers with bright yellow middles and white petals, with yellow-green leaves in a feathered arrangement, that grow in small bushes together. Feverfew is edible but many will steer clear of it as it has a very bitter taste. It’s often made into teas and used in pastries. Although feverfew isn’t used to reduce fevers anymore, there are still many health benefits and medicinal uses of the plant, some people even calling it ‘medieval aspirin’. People will take feverfew pills or apply a poultice to relieve pain from arthritis and inflammation. A poultice can also be applied to minor cuts, scrapes, and bug bites. Teas can be made for headaches and some use it to help with menstrual pain. Feverfew is also known to show some skin benefits by reducing redness and inflammation. Feverfew may increase bleeding as it acts similar to an anticoagulant, because of this it is advised that if you are taking a blood thinner like aspirin, Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Heparin (Innohep), or others, you talk to your doctor before taking feverfew. This plant has more medicinal uses than references in mythology but I did find a few references to it being believed to be able to save the life of someone that had fallen from the Parthenon, a temple to Athena, which gave it the scientific name parthenium.
Healing, curse-breaking, love
Lesser celandine- Also known as pilewort or sometimes fig buttercup. Pilewort is a plant on the buttercup family that has dark, heart-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers with glossy petals. Despite its pretty exterior, touching the plant could cause rashes or blistering especially when the plant is crushed. Ingesting the plant can cause dizziness, vomiting, and worse. While there may be ways to cook out the toxins, I cannot advise anyone to consume this plant without proper experience. This plant is also known as the spring messenger as it's one of the first plants to bloom in the spring. Lesser celandine was referenced a lot in literature, most being about love and foreshadowing happiness alike how it signals spring.
Joy, love, Spring associated magick
Maple seed pods- Maple seeds, also known as helicopters or samaras, are the seed of maple trees, as one would assume. These are winged pods consisting of a papery tissue surrounding a single seed that is usually joined together in pairs of two. The seeds are edible once the outer covering has been removed and taste better while young, becoming bitter as they mature. Some say that smaller pods taste sweeter and larger ones taste more bitter. They're good in roasts, stir-fries, and salads. They can also be dried and pounded into flour ! Much of what we know about maple seeds are simply culinary and there's not much information on their medicinal uses. The majority of the correspondences of maple seed pods come from maple trees which represent balance and longevity. They also are associated with childhood after the many many years of children playing with these helicopter-like seeds.
Longevity, growth, balance, youth
Mulberries- Mulberries come in three different colours which are red, white, and black. Different mulberries grow on different mulberry trees. Black mulberry trees have an orange-y-toned bark with toothed, heart-shaped leaves. White/red mulberry trees have a greyish bark with large, deeply lobed, oval-shaped leaves. Mulberries look very similar to blackberries but longer with each cluster of fruit containing a seed. Mulberries are edible, black ones taste the best and can be both sour and sweet and the white/red ones are duller in flavour but sweet. These are made into jams, syrups, wines, sweets, sorbets, really anything sweet and it tastes great ! These berries are more known for their culinary uses but some studies suggest that they can help reduce cholesterol and improve digestion. In Greek/Babylonian mythology, red mulberries came from white mulberries that were stained red from the deaths of the star-crossed lovers Pyramus and Thisbe which gave them the association of love and death.
Love, death, faith, wisdom
Osage oranges- Also known as horse apples or hedge apples. Osage oranges are a yellow-green fruit with a very rough and bumpy peel. These oranges grow on trees called Maclura pomifera. The wood of these trees are used for very good firewood and yellow-green dyes. The Osage natives would use the wood from the tree for many things like bows and boats as it’s very flexible. The roots of the trees are sometimes made into water infusions to help with eye conditions. People have also used the wood, or even sat out the fruit, to deter insects. Osage oranges are edible but most people, and even animals, will avoid eating them due to their dry and bitter taste. They taste like very bitter and citrus-y cucumbers. These oranges can cause skin irritation to some.
Warding, protection, strength
Pinecones- Pinecones are geometric cones that come from conifer pine trees that produce pollen or seeds depending on their sex. Pinecones symbolize fertility and life in many cultures and have been used in artwork for centuries. The pineal gland in the brain was named after pinecones because of its shape, this gland is sometimes referred to as the “third eye” and some believe that it acts as a witch’s eye would; this is how pinecones were tied to the idea of enlightenment and rebirth as well as the fact that they have been around for so long. Some conifer cones are edible (some aren't!) but they are very tough to chew so you must boil them before eating, pinecone jam has been commonly made from young cones. Pine has been used in teas, tinctures, resins, and many other things to treat coughs, allergies, and help with sinus infections.
Prickly lettuce- a quite tall, red stem that contains latex with large tooth-shaped leaves that have prominent veins and spikes lining its edges and main vein on its underside. When it blooms it has small, pale yellow flowers. This plant is edible and is pretty much used like normal lettuce while having a slightly bitter taste, as usual, this gets less noticeable as it matures. Leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked/steamed and the root can be made into a tea. The latex substance that comes out of the leaves and stem when injured is called lactucarium which is known as lettuce opium due to its sedative and pain-relieving properties; the process of harvesting this substance is tedious. This can be used to help people sleep, relax, and relieve pain. Lettuce in general has a great amount of significant historical usage. Lettuce came to be associated with sex because an Egyptian fertility god, Min, was associated with lettuce as it was known as an aphrodisiac that was ritualistically ingested before sex. These effects were due to the lactucarium. In Hellenism, when Adonis died he was laid on a bed of lettuce along with other fast-growing plants. In festivals for him, they would burn withered lettuce and mourn his death, this related lettuce to death.
Necromancy, offerings for the deceased, fertility, sex
Queen Anne's Lace- Also known as wild carrot. A tall flowering weed with a thin, stiff stem and tiny white, clustered flowers. The flowerhead consists of a bunch of separate flowers, some plants may have a singular purple/pink flower. Queen Anne's lace's root is edible which is actually where it gets the names wild carrot and Daucus Carota, it's good steamed and boiled. It is pretty stringy and if you wait too long to harvest it can become very hard and woody. This plant is NOT safe to consume for those who are pregnant ! The stem is known to cause skin irritation and rashes to people with sensitive skin. Despite being edible, most wouldn't suggest eating it because it looks almost identical to poison hemlock which if consumed could be fatal. It also looks a ton like wild celery but that's less of an issue. Historically, the seeds of wild carrot were used as an abortant in a "morning after pill" type of way. Wild carrot was named Queen Anne's Lace after Queen Anne of England who was a great lace maker, there is a legend that when making lace one day she pricked her finger then a single drop of blood fell on it and that's why the flower has a single purple flower. Because of the association to Queen Anne, some would use it to try to attract love or make themselves look more beautiful. Wild carrot is also called bird's nest or the bishop's flower which ties it to themes of safety and sanctuary.
Beauty, love, glamours
Rosebay willowherb- Also commonly known as fireweed for its appearance or bombweed because it began to heavily grow in bomb craters/sites in WWII around the UK. The rosebay willowherb has tall reddish stems and willow-like leaves with long magenta flowers. Traditionally it's been used in teas, jellies, and salads. It has a pretty bitter taste so you need to harvest it young and cook it before eating. It's used in teas for its demulcent properties, to treat certain stomach conditions, and has been used in skincare because of its astringent properties. There’s not much folklore about this plant but it’s well known for appearing after events that devastated an area, it was one of the first plants to start growing after Mt. St. Helens, after colonizers burnt down forests, and after bombs dropped in WWII. I’ve also heard it’s bad luck to pick its flowers, either stating that a storm will occur or your mother will fall ill.
Courage, perseverance, change, bad luck
Stinging nettle- tall, heart-shaped, toothed leaves. The leaves are covered in small stinging hairs that when touched will inject chemicals into one's skin and cause slight stinging sensations. Young stinging nettle has widely been used in dishes as soaking/cooking it takes away the sting. It is very similar to spinach in taste, texture, and nutrients. Ointments are made to treat arthritis and inflammation, teas are made from dried leaves and flowers to treat allergies and hayfever. Poultices of the leaves were used for stiff joints and muscle pain by helping blood circulation in that area. Be wary of using stinging nettle on your skin as it can cause rashes and blisters. Some Native American groups used it in teas as a stomach tonic. In Celtic folklore, it was said to keep evil spirits and illness at bay, it also says that when you see thick strands of nettle it means that faeries are nearby.
Binding, protection from baneful magick and evil spirits, strength, curse breaking
Sweetgum seed pods- Also known as witch’s burrs or witch balls. Sweetgum seed pods are hard, spikey seed pods with small holes where the seeds once were. These fall from sweetgum trees after they mature and disperse their seeds. These aren’t edible nor really used for any medicinal purpose. They’re often placed around plants to protect them from animals. Magickally, you can place them around your space to ward off unwanted energies and entities or even grind them into a powder for banishing or protection. These things hurt like hell to step on so they’re also good to use in baneful protection magick, like baneful wards or return to senders.
Protection, warding, binding, baneful protection
Violet- There are many species of violets so I'm going to cover them in a broad sense. Violets are usually small, light purple flowers with short stems, little shrubbery, and heart/kidney/scalloped leaves. In many species of violet both the leaves and flowers are edible and contain high levels of vitamins A and C, but make sure to properly identify your plant before consuming. These can be made into teas, sweets, salads, etc. Violet syrup is my favourite ! Some leaves in wild violets will taste quite soapy, so try them out before cooking them into anything. Violet leaves have cooling and anti-inflammatory properties so they are used in poultices, salves, compresses, and oils for scrapes, burns, and bug bites. Violets have traditionally been used in teas or tonics for coughs and swollen lymph nodes. There is a lot of folklore and mythology that this flower is a part of. Violets are largely associated with modesty and innocence and this stems from two main stories; Persephone was said to be picking violets when Hades kidnapped her to live in the underworld and in Greek mythology when Apollo pursued a nymph, Artemis/Diana turned her into a violet to protect her. There are also stories in The Bible that associate violets with modesty like when Archangel Gabriel tells Mary she is pregnant, violets bloom around her. This is why sometimes when a child dies, violets are put on their grave as a representation of their innocence. There are many other popular stories of violets turning to tears when someone is crying. They’re also associated with love from a story of Venus and Cupid and were believed to be an aphrodisiac in the Middle Ages.
Femininity, respect, wisdom, modesty, divination, love
𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊
Disclaimer !!: Before you consume or use a plant medicinally, make sure you are 100% sure on the ID. Speak with a doctor before using a plant, especially if you’re pregnant, and make sure you aren’t allergic and that it won’t interact with any of your medications. Do not substitute legitimate medications with herbal remedies, this is not medical advice. Always do your own research before consuming or using a plant medicinally. Some of the plants, while generally safe for humans, are not safe for animals and children. As a general rule of thumb, younger greens will taste better. As the plant matures and bears fruit it will typically become more bitter, so the best time to harvest most of these is before it bears fruit. Make sure to avoid areas treated with pesticides and always wash your takings before use. And make sure you're never over-harvesting, always make sure there's another 'patch' of the plant your taking !!
There are dozens of plant species in the arsenal of the green witch. Commonly-used varieties and usage varies somewhat between traditions, but most of us are fairly familiar with industry standards like basil, bay, rosemary, sage, and so on.
But what do you do when faced with a plant that has no listed magical correspondences anywhere that you can find in your witchcraft library? Simple - you create some.
Allow me to demonstrate with a little plant I found in my own backyard. It's a common weed called Virginia copperleaf (Acalypha virginica). But despite it's widespread range and abundant growth as a field weed, there are surprisingly few references to the plant in regional folk medicine and none at all that I could find in contemporary witchcraft.
So in order to incorporate this hardy little weed into my practice, I set about creating some correspondences for it.
First, I researched the physical properties of the plant. It is a small annual spurge with long taproots, a resistance to drought and many herbicides, and a reputation for fast growth and being difficult to eradicate from fields due to prolific seeding. The leaves turn coppery-red in the fall and small spiky flowers bloom among the foliage. It is also mildly poisonous. The juice of the plant may cause contact dermatitis or a mild rash in some people and if ingested, it may cause GI symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Next, I researched references to the plant in folk medicine. I could only find a single reference that cited copperleaf as a possible diuretic and expectorant. That does track with the previous mention of GI symptoms, but it doesn't mean the plant is safe to use. I did discover that an alternate name for the plant is three-seeded mercury or mercury weed, likely because of its' tendency for fast growth and the fact that it is propagated by the wind.
So now comes the business of creating the correspondences, using the physical properties of the plant as a basis.
The first and most obvious association is strength. Any weed that is resistant to drought and herbicide and uprooting is bound to be useful for spells involving tenacity and fortitude. Prosperity is also a likely use, both because of the name copperleaf and the way in which the plant grows and spreads quickly. Because of the alternate name mercury weed and the wind propagation, it could be used for wind magic or communication spells. (I often associate the element of air with communication and the name of a messenger god is right there as well, but your mileage may vary.)
The plant could also be used as an ingredient for baneful magic, either to bind and frustrate someone's efforts by consuming available ground where their ambitions might grow, or in its' capacity as a mild poison, to cause physical discomfort and stomach trouble.
So in the end, I have a handful of copperleaf and a listing in my witchbook that details the properties of the plant and notes that it could be useful for spells involving strength, tenacity, prosperity, wind, or communication, as well as possible baneful uses including binding, discomfort, and sickness.
This is my system for assigning correspondences to previously-unknown plants, and I encourage readers to use it as a template for their own practices or to create their own system. Either way, I recommend the use of a field guide or plant identification app like PlantNet to properly identify plants as you find them. Remember to forage and harvest responsibly, be a good steward of the land around you, and always label your plant cuttings.
Happy Witching! 💚🌿
(If you're enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. You can also check out my show Hex Positive wherever fine podcasts are heard. 😊)
More witchcraft exercises here:
Just a quick compilation of the posts I've made about exercises to help improve your craft. These can be used as journaling prompts, inspira
Just a quick compilation of the posts I've made about exercises to help improve your craft. These can be used as journaling prompts, inspiration for activities, or as methods for pulling yourself out of a slump and recharging your witchy inspiration.
Witchcraft Exercise - Quantifying Your Craft
Witchcraft Exercise - Dig Through The Ditches
Witchcraft Exercise - The Book of Lessons
Witchcraft Exercise - Home Brews
Witchcraft Exercise - Witchy Inspo Journal
Witchcraft Exercise - Spring Cleaning
Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Correspondences
Witchcraft Exercise - Creating Your Own Runes
Witchcraft Exercise - How to Write Your Own Spells
Witchcraft Exercise - Shakespearean Witchcraft
Witchcraft Exercise - Music To Witch By
Related Prompt - Music to Witch By
Witchcraft Exercise - Annual Review
Most of these are also available in the May 2021 bonus episode of Hex Positive (check your favorite podcatcher).
Happy Witching!
(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)
Witchcraft is a complicated business. There are lots of moving parts, dozens of things to study, and so much information to try and keep straight in your head. It’s easy to become overwhelmed. Sometimes we forget things. Not just when the full moon is (although plenty of us do) but what it is we want to do with our craft.
And sometimes we feel like we’ve lost our drive. Like whatever moved us to become witches in the first place has somehow slipped away, leaving us with just the dregs. Sometimes we feel stuck, unable to make progress. It’s easy to become frustrated too, but it’s important to push on.
To that end, I offer this exercise.
Choose a journal or open a word document and begin quantifying your craft.
Start by outlining the broad concepts. Do you follow a particular path or tradition? How would you classify your craft, i.e. green witchcraft, cottagecraft, sea witch, lunar witch, and so on? Do you work with any deities, and if so, which ones? Do you work alone or with others? How long have you been practicing? What, to you, is the most important aspect of your craft?
Then get into your working space. Do you have an altar? If so, what’s on it and why? Do you have a dedicated workspace, or a place you go to work magic outside of your home? If you could describe your ideal workspace, what would it look like?
Next, describe your tools. Do you have cards or runes or a wand or other specialized tools that you work with? What do you use most frequently? Do you have favorites? Do you make or grow any of your components? Where do you acquire the things you use in your magic, if you can’t make them at home? Do you have a personal library? What are your favorite sources of information? Do you have ritual garb or jewelry that connects you with your craft?
Sketch out your year as a witch. What holidays do you observe and how do you celebrate them? What seasonal festivals or special occasions do you mark? Which ones do you enjoy the most? Is there a time of year when you feel more energized?
Once you have all of this recorded, think back to what first interested you in magic and witchcraft and describe that. Was it a movie? A favorite book? A personal experience? Were you raised in the craft or did you come to it on your own? What made you decide to become a witch?
Then think about how you’ve progressed since you started. Have you achieved a particular goal you set when you began, or are you closer to achieving it then you were? What have you gotten really good at? Where are you still struggling? Where would you like to be a year from now? Are there things you’d like to try but haven’t yet?
And of course, if anything else occurs to you, record that too.
There is no need to share these thoughts with anyone if you don’t want to. This is purely a personal exercise, to help you understand where you are, where you’ve come from, and where you want to go. Quantifying this information might provide some much-needed inspiration, in addition to helping you solidify any nebulous thoughts that might be floating around. It’s much easier to progress in your craft if you have an outline for what you’re already doing.
Happy Witching!
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Want more witchcraft exercises? Check out the masterpost here.
(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)
Wanna learn energy work? Wanna keep yourself on your toes? Get a rock.
Legit any rock, bonus points if it's got personal meaning. Put it in your hands or in a space where you can see it. Connect to something, like the sun, the moon, a spirit, the earth... Create a circuit, energy goes into you and energy goes out of you. You're not the proprietor of the world, you sustain it and it sustains you.
Find your center point, find the source's center point... Now find the stone's center point. Continue with the circuit. Energy comes into you, leaves you and enters the stone, leaves the stone and back into you, and then back into the source.
The stone becomes more affected and resonant by exposure, now pump it with energy. Give it its own circuit (it takes in energy and sends out energy, sustaining itself) and repeat constantly to just build up the muscle.
Oh for fuck's sake, are we having the curse-shaming argument AGAIN??? Every time I think we're done unteaching this nonsense.....
Arright, quick rundown of the points, more or less in order, because I've already had this discussion a hundred times:
One - There is no universal moral or ethical code in witchcraft. Not every witch is a Wiccan or follows Wiccan principles. Not even all Wiccans follow every Wiccan principle, and that includes the Rule of Three / Threefold Law. The Wiccan Rede is ADVICE, not a set of hard and fast rules or divine mandates. You don't get to tell other witches what types of spells they should and should not cast.
Two - If you think the Rule of Three / Threefold Law means, "Whatever you give out comes back to you times three" or if you think it only applies to baneful magic, you don't understand the rule. The original rule, as stated by Robert Graves in "The White Goddess" (you know, the fictional novel that Gardner used as a model for Wicca) states that whatever a witch is dealt, they should deal back three times over. In fact, the passage cites a particular initiation ritual that involves symbolic flagellation, NOT a code of ethics for witchcraft.
It was picked up by later authors as "Whatever You Give" and popularized by media like The Craft and Charmed and authors like Silver Ravenwolf in the 90s when the modern witchcraft movement was having its' millennial boom. (This is a gross oversimplification, but that's when the concept became common enough in pop culture that non-witches were starting to become familiar with the term.)
Three - Karma has absolutely nothing to do with it. Karma is not instant or sentient and the bastardized version of the concept that's been worked into much of modern witchcraft literature more closely resembles the Christian concept of sin and judgment than what karma actually is. Remove the word from your vocabulary when you're talking about magic. The universe does not give one single flying fuck what you do with your spells.
Four - The word you're searching for when you talk about these concepts is CONSEQUENCES. Every action you take, every spell you cast, everything has consequences and everything has a price. This isn't a divine mandate or a cosmic law either. It's a simple fact of life. BUT. It doesn't mean that baneful spells are morally or ethically wrong or that they're going to blow up in someone's face. The only reason a baneful spell might be more likely to rebound is that it's one of the only types of spells that witches actively ward against.
Five - Witches have a right to use magic for persuasion, defense, justice, retribution, binding, prevention, or outright harm if they so choose. If you don't like those types of spells, then don't cast them.
Six - Moral puritanism is a cancer that will destroy us all. Get off your high horse, drop the holier-than-thou bullshit, and remember that being a witch does not make you immune to propaganda.
There are a variety of methods in which the talisman or amulet is used and they are often based on the actual desire latent in the same. One would understand that a love talisman would be placed somewhere associated with love, and thus common places would be the marital bed, or on the person (sometimes with emphasis on very intimate parts of the body such as the genitals or chest). Protection Amulets also vary, and mostly based off their actual use. An amulet for bodily protection would best be worn on the body, an amulet for travel would be worn on the body or kept in the vehicle, an amulet for household protection would be kept in the house. Interestingly enough, the latter would prove to have more influence. For example, the usage of the Evil Eye, a Gorgon's Head or some other form which has eyes or senses, would be placed in an area where it can watch such as the main entrance or even in a high place such as on the wall or on the door. I've seen a few homes have a shrine which is placed by the door itself which both serves as a place to give respects to the Spirits of the Home (The Saints, the Madonna and the Trinity, with a bit more of an emphasis on the Madonna, especially if she was of the family history. One example is Portugal, with even me and my mother keeping statues of Our Lady of Fatima. Fatima is a very common Apparition for the Portuguese Household), as well as to protect against intruders. It would often have some apotropaic symbol such as the cross or even something that is holy to ward off evil as well as bless those who entered.
Another note is made on the door itself. Portals were often the home of the Household Protection as they were where spirits, people, energy, wind or anything entered and left. Having a charm on the doors was akin to a "keep out" for everything from sickness, to enemies, to curses, to misfortune.
Further depending on the nature of the Household Charm is the room. A charm against poverty or lack would be placed in an area symbolic of that same, such as the pantry. A charm against nightmares would be kept in the bedroom. A charm against enemies would be kept not only on the door but also in a place where one welcomed guests who could have varying intents such as the living room or the front passage. To a similar end, the household or protective amulet could be used to define a boundary, being placed in the four corners of a home, the four corners of a property and, as said, to close off portals such as doors, windows, mirrors and the same.
Amulets against sickness could be either curative or preventative. The Curative Amulets were often in more direct contact with the patient, sometimes being diffused into water for the patient to drink or attached to the body. The Second Pentacle of Mars makes the distinction that it should be placed against the ailing body part in question. As mentioned above, the amulets could also be used to ward the sickroom, being placed on the walls or on the bed of the person, over them, under the bed and so on.
Preventative amulets can be personal or spatial, with some amulets being placed in a home to ward off sickness, within a room to ward off the same, or used to block the door against sickness or spirits that bear the same. Further, we can also find personal amulets which would be kept on the person themselves.
On the case of direct use of amulets/talismans, an amulet or talisman could be diffused into water, or burnt into an ash and administered or used. Beauty Talismans would be kept on the person, or one could administer one which was to be used as a supplement to cosmetic care, such as being diffused into a basin of water and that water used to wash the face to make the face appear beautiful. The ash itself provides a more versatile use, or at least for me, as it can be formed into a paste which can anoint the body and, for the one skilled with the creation of ointments or cosmetics, they could be used in conjunction with the other ingredients to create a specific item. In the case of it being used in conjunction with other cosmetics, one could also use a perfume which was mixed with either the talisman ash or with the actual ink and paper from the talisman in a similar way.
A talisman or amulet may also be placed in the bath. Experience has found this to be very good for healing rituals as well as cleansings though one may also take into consideration the herbal ingredients prepared for the same. A final note, which is another favourite method, is to use the talisman/amulet in the creation of another. I've done this by way of stitching an amulet or talisman onto a spell-bag as a semi-abstract way of saying that the energy and spirit within the bag will follow the instructions. Most often, I like to use Psalms or written conjurations with the above formula, such as words of power.
A final method would be the active interaction. If we were to understand that the amulet/talisman could affect energy as mentioned above, we could assume it to be an amazing tool for altar work. A love talisman kept on a love altar could be a very nice seal as well as control agent, consistently "programming" the energy on the altar as well as empowering it by its own personal symbology and spirit. This is especially noted with amulets or talismans which make use of spirits or spiritual forces such as deity amulets or pentacles such as the head of a Gorgon for a protective altar or general house altar though the variety of protective spirits (including the aforementioned deities, saints and spirits) is limitless.
The Esoteric Name of Christ, drawn from Hebrew, is that of YHShVH, which contains the original Tetragrammaton, representing the Elements of the Holy Creator, vivified by the Presence of Shin, Holy Spirit, Spiritual Fire. We find this further in INRI, that being that it is through Spiritual Fire that Nature is Revived.
Regardless, there must be some primal movement, like how a river flows back to the ocean. The only goal of the soul, its only movement, is towards the Creator. With that bit of knowledge, the understanding that there is indeed a pulling force, we can then surmise that there is a piece of Heaven in every person. What is above, is below, and what is below, is above. There is no distinction between Man and Their Creator, for the Two exist within each other.
"They can't say, "Here it is!" or "There it is!" You see, the Kingdom of G-d is within you." Luke 17:21
One may also note the Creation of Man precedes the Creation of the Body in the Bereshit. One may further dive into the rabbit hole, understanding that if something cannot be created from nothing, then the creation of Eve from Adam implied that the two were already together, and that the creation of Eve from Adam implies that Eve was already a part of Adam. We find a reflection of the ends of Esoteric Catholicism that support the idea of a "Hermaphrodite", that being that the Original Man is one that is neither man nor woman, but simply the existence of Eternity, the proposed Kingdom of G-d.
The further note of the Holy Name of YHShVH places forward that the understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven, that force which is within man, is the understanding of the above, that being the realization of the Fire within the Self.
"Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done, On Earth as it is in Heaven".
One may further find some Valentinian Streams to place forward that the existence of the Material is as the fruit which holds the Seed to mature, the Pleroma to unfold. We can then understand that there is indeed no distinction between G-d and the World, and that One is Truly All and All is Truly One. That Holy Phrase of ARARITA truly allows us to understand that there is no distinction between Man and G-d, save the idea of such a distinction being created in the formation of the Skandhas.
(Additional Note: I was watching Kitbull while writing this. Go watch it, it's adorable. I love it, really helps the mood.)
I think we all know that colour magick is very subjective and based on culture, religion and just personal preference. For example, despite the fact that Blue is a nice healing colour, I don't like it because too much blue makes me depressed or silent. So I prefer to use it for meditation or for helping with grieving because it prompts a catharsis. One may see it as a colour of wealth because blue was a relatively hard colour to obtain.
Black, however, is rather controversial. It is associated with Hexes and Curses but any colour can be associated with Hexes and Curses when they're worked with properly. Blue, as said, could be used to induce depression for me, yellow looks like puss depending on the dye so maybe sickness for that. I figured that I might as well put some musings on the colour black to put forward my two cents on it.
Black is Void, it is the Primal. It represents pure potential. The amount of deities that are considered dark or black skinned and associated with deeply transcendental topics is proof of this. If Black absorbs every colour, then it has the capacity of every colour within it. Therefore, Black is akin to white in its multitude of uses.
Black represents Reception, it draws all colours in. If it does draw all colours in, then what represents a better colour for psychic work than black. Its protective qualities are also up there and I can't think of a better colour for Spiritual Illumination, Light coming from Nothing.
It is useful for flame gazing. Let us assume that you are in a dark room, a black candle will meld in with the rest of the room, leaving a beautiful flame. It again represents the Seed of Potential, the Holy Force of Mother Barbelo which extends through all Creation.
The Pillar of Severity holds the Sphere of Saturn (Binah, Understanding), Gevurah (Strength or Restraint) and Hod (Awe). Let us assume its transcendental qualities apply to it. Awe represents the understanding and Mercurial Adoration of G-d, that being Understanding which is also found within the Sphere of Saturn. Gevurah is the Restraint placed on the Expansiveness of Chesed, thus it is the representation of the ability of the Infinite One to control the Everlasting Love for each person according to their proportion. Binah is associated with Archetypal Understanding. Therefore, we can find a deeply beautiful metpahor in the Colour Black representing the Capacity to fully Understand. The same understanding can also be found in the representation of the Void and Light (Light represented by the Flame).
Eclectic Wiccan @witchcraft-kitten513 - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
