Category: Herbs

What Do I Need To Have and Do to Be a Witch? – Introduction to Series

This is an introduction to help explain the title question. Today’s post is just going to answer frequently ask questions I have gotten over the years. Some of the other topics for this series will include but not limited to magickal tools, herbs, essential oils, crystals, precious and semi-precious gems, stones, your Book of Shadows, your altar and what you want to put on it, spells, rituals, etcetera. Most of the topics have other posts about them on Coven Life and Witches of The Craft. I also might add viedo links and/or a link for a general search on that day’s topic.

If you have questions about things in any of the post please ask them in the Comment box located below each post. This way if other people have the same question I only have to answer once.

If at anytime you want to share a picture of how you do something for that days topic please email it to LadyBeltane@aol.com subject line should have “For Sharing” please include your first name only or you pagan name and a short description about the picture. At the end of each days post the top I for tomorrow will be there. If you get pictures to me by 8:00 PM CDT for the next days topic I will include them in them post.

Any questions please ask them in the Comment section and I will reply to them by 8:00 PM CDT.

Tomorrow’s topic will be “Magickal Tool.” I look forward to learning different ways of doing things for every topic with you.

 

Herbs: A – Z List (The Medicinal, Spiritual and Magical Uses of…)

Herbs

The following information is for reference only. Herb-lore is an art which must be respected, and several herbs can be as equally dangerous as beneficial if not used correctly.

  • Aloes:

General: Aloes are indigenous to East and South Africa, but have been introduced into the West Indies (where they are extensively cultivated) and into tropical countries, and will even flourish in the countries bordering on the Mediterranean. The drug Aloes consists of the liquid exuded from the transversely-cut bases of the leaves.

Medicinal Use: The drug Aloes is one of the safest and best warm and stimulating purgatives to persons of sedentary habits and phlegmatic constitutions. An ordinary small dose takes from 15 to 18 hours to produce an effect. Its action is exerted mainly on the large intestine, for which reason, also it is useful as a vermifuge. Its use, however, is said to induce Piles. From the Chemist and Druggist (July 22, 1922):

‘Aloes, strychnine and belladonna in pill form was criticized by Dr. Bernard Fautus in a paper read before the Chicago branch of the American Pharmaceutical Society. He pointed out that when given at the same time they cannot possibly act together because of the different speed and duration of the three agents. Aloin is slow in action, requiring from 10 to 12 hours. Strychnine and Atropine, on the other hand, are rapidly absorbed, and have but a brief duration of action.’

Aloes was employed by the ancients and was known to the Greeks as a production of the island of Socotra as early as the fourth century B.C. The drug was used by Dioscorides, Celsus and Pliny, as well as by the later Greek and Arabian physicians, though it is not mentioned either by Hippocrates or Theophrastus.

Spiritual Use: The word Aloes, in Latin Lignum Aloes, is used in the Bible and in many ancient writings to designate a substance totally distinct from the modern Aloes, namely the resinous wood of Aquilaria agallocha, a large tree growing in the Malayan Peninsula. Its wood constituted a drug which was, down to the beginning of the present century, generally valued for use as incense, but now is esteemed only in the East. The Mahometans, especially those in Egypt, regard the Aloe as a religious symbol, and the Mussulman who has made a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Prophet is entitled to hang the Aloe over his doorway. The Mahometans also believe that this holy symbol protects a householder from any malign influence. In Cairo, the Jews also adopt the practice of hanging up the Aloe. In the neighbourhood of Mecca, at the extremity of every grave, on a spot facing the epitaph, Burckhardt found planted a low shrubby species of Aloe whose Arabic name, saber, signifies patience. This plant is evergreen and requires very little water. Its name refers to the waiting-time between the burial and the resurrection morning.

  • Arnica:

Please click the link HERBS above for the rest of the list.

A Good Youtube Channel

This is my dearest spirit sisters’ youtube link. She has some good information but the latest video with her familiar, Pumpkin, will give you a good laugh. Victoria, is trying to boost her subscribers and watchers. So I ask for her if upu have some free time, even a couple of minutes enjoy the knowledge and laughs. In order for you watching her bodros you need to watch them all the way to the end. Make sure yo click on the thumb up icon also.

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCopeuk53MA1yZp32xlP_DQg

Victoria’s website has some pagan posts but also green living, vegeterian recipes, and much more.

My sister thanks you for you watching and helping her.

The Magical Uses of Plants: 23 Sacred Herbs for Health, Prosperity and Spiritual Protection

Caption from picture “herbs can do so much more than just add flavor to foods and improve health. they also have magical uses that can help you expand spirituality and do intensely practical things like create more success, prosperity and protection for negative influences.”

Generally, a plant referred to as an herb possesses some sort of medicinal, culinary, or magical value. Botanists and gardeners sometimes differentiate herbs from other plants by the stem: if the plant has a “woody” stem above the ground, it’s not an herb but a tree or a shrub. According to this definition, mint is an herb, but rosemary is not.

In the magical and spiritual world, however, the term “herb” is used as a catchall for bits of trees, flowers, spices, and all sorts of plants. Herbs thus form a huge portion of the green witch’s practice. Following the herbs, you’ll find some miscellaneous greens that are also useful (though often overlooked). The following list comprises some aromatic, culinary and magical plants and herbs.

1. Allspice (Pimenta officinalis)

Also known as pimento or Jamaica pepper, the dried allspice berry is a common staple in the kitchen spice rack. Called “allspice” because it incorporates flavors such as clove, cinnamon, and pepper, it is a common flavoring for spice cookies. The sweet yet spicy aroma is released when the dried berry is crushed. Allspice berries make wonderful additions to magical herbal blends for money and prosperity and any magic focusing on increasing energy, love, healing, and luck.

Where to Get It: Organic Allspice Powder

2. Angelica (Angelica archangelica)

Also known as archangel or angel’s herb, this fragrant plant has been used throughout the centuries for improving digestion, flavoring wines and liqueurs, and making candy. It is particularly powerful when this magic herb is used for protection and purification.

Where to Get It: Organic Angelica Root Extract

3. Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Also known as sweet basil and St. Joseph’s Wort, basil is commonly found in spice racks and in kitchen gardens all over Europe and the Americas. It is extremely versatile in the culinary arts and is an excellent all-purpose magical herb as well. Basil is used for prosperity, success, peace, protection, happiness, purification, tranquility, and love.

To read about the other 20 herbs please click on this link: Uses for Herbs

About The Author

Arin Murphy-Hiscock is the author of The Way of the Green Witch, The Green Witch, The Way of the Hedge Witch, Pagan Pregnancy, Power Spellcraft for Life, Solitary Wicca for Life, and Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide. She has been active in the field of alternative spirituality for over twenty years, and lives in Montreal, Canada.

Thousands of Little-Known Plant Species Are at Risk of Extinction

When I copy and paste from this source it always looks messy for that I apologize but there is nothing I can do to change it. The reason I am posting this is it will have an impact not only on Mother Earth’s over all ecosystem but it will affect the types of esstenial oils, herbs, plants, and flowers we have available to use fo spells, rituals, homemade remedies, etc. Always keep in mind with anything that is affecting our pericous Mother Earth – one person CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE either in a positive or negative way. Let it be said about each of us that care for and nuture Mother Earth that our impact or in modren terms our carbon footprint was small and we did everything we possibly could and maybe to help rejunvanate her for the coming generations instead that we helped to helped to rape and defile her more.

 When researchers used machine learning to evaluate 150,000 plant species, they found that 10 percent were likely to qualify for the IUCN Red List

image: https://thumbs-prod.si-cdn.com/_JnAnE2G-nALqQOb4Hu7xBeZBH8=/800×600/filters:no_upscale()/https://public-media.si-cdn.com/filer/07/9f/079f4287-c7e8-4299-8c33-29183b314310/symphyotrichum_georgianum_georgia_aster_earlier_bloom.jpg

The Georgia aster is one of many threatened plant species (Wikimedia Commons)

By Meilan Solly

SMITHSONIAN.COM
DECEMBER 4, 2018

35911011447

When it comes to endangered species, animals like the Asian elephant, black rhinoceros and Bornean orangutan tend to draw the most attention. But a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences places the spotlight on an entirely different—but equally at-risk—kingdom of life: plants.

There are nearly 400,000 known plant species spread out across the globe, but as Gregory Barber reports for Wired, less than 10 percent have been assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In total, the plants actually included on the list constitute just five percent of all known species.


Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thousands-little-known-plant-species-are-risk-extinction-180970945/#celsF5rgoor34Auw.99
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Lady Beltane’s recovery and New Posts on Website

Lady Beltane is home and resting after her knee surgery. The surgeon did a great job on her left knee.

Lady Beltane managed to get some posts scheduled for these days but please do not expect them every day this week and possibly the beginning of next week. She is kind of loopy from pain pills and a herbal tea mixed of her own.

Any candles, or prayers or healing energy for Lady Beltane would be very welcomed and appreciated. Thank you to those that have done either one or all three things asked for.

Blessed be dear ones

 

Last Harvest of the Year for Northern Hemisphere

According to legend and some pagan path gradations the last day to harvest all fruits and vegetables this year is Tuesday, October 30th. After this date we are to leave anything still growing on trees, plants, shrubs, and vines for three main reasons. First reason. Is as an offering to the Gods, Goddesses, and Elements that helped the fruits and vegetables to mature from the seedlings in the spring until their fruition in the fall. The second reason is to allow the Fae Folk (if you are blessed with them in your yard or close, that help us tend our gardens, trees, shrubs, and flower beds. The third reason is so our wildlife brother and sisters can eat them where they are or bring them into their place of waiting out the cold, rainy, and snowy days ahead.

So think upon these things are you finish harvesting what you have grown and leave a few of whatever you do not have to have to feed your family there to honor the Gods, Goddesses, Elements and to help feed the Fea Folk, animals, and birds.

This is another way for us to honor the energy that contacts all things be the part of Mother Earth and/or a deity.

Also when you are done with your harvesting do a short ritual to thank everything and everyone for what you have been able to gather through out the growing season. Give the part of Mother Earth you used as a home vegetable garden a good sprinkling with water, add your homemade or if you have to buy compost make sure it is organic.

Do not forget to gather and dry your cooking, medicinal, and ritual herbs that are grown outdoors by this date also. For indoor growing herbs just snip some off and sprinkle it in your yard as a thanks and offering.

COVEN LIFE STUDENTS ONLY; Write to me if you are not sure how to do a thankfulness ritual. We have chat this Sarurday from 5:00 to 8:00 PM CT where we can discuss this topic further.

 

Rue Moon

“There is nothing to rue about having Ruta graveolens in the Moon garden. Rue foliage is soft, with a slight oval, rounded, blue-green leaves on a perennial shrub that can live for decades in gardens where it is happy.

Some find the scent released from the glands in its leaves over-powering. Others think of it as enticing. Rue is a common ingredient in Mediterranean dishes, in which small amounts are added to salads and cheese spreads. It is believed to have been a key ingredient of four thieves vinegar – that infamous formula that was thought to have protected a party of thieves who robbed victims of the Great Plague of London.

Michelangelo and Leonardo DaVinci were said to have partaken of rue to improve their eyesight and to release their inner artistic visions. In the early days of the Roman Catholic Church, it was called “the herb of grace” and was a symbol of repentance. SMall bundles of rue were used to sprinkle holy water at mass. Rue is perfect for breaking hexes or protecting one from the evil eye.”

Copyright Llewellyn Witches Datebook 2018 Page 123 by J D Hortwart

As the Northern Hemisphere Begins to Settle in For The Cold Tempatures and Shorter Days

Now is the time to finish your final harvest as anything left on plants, trees, and vines on Samhain, October 31st is for the wildlife, gods, and goddesses to enjoy.

It is time, if you can, to can fruits and vegetables. To pick, during the right Moon phase for optimal power, and dry your herbs. To stick up on other non-perishables you have to buy, put extra meat and homemade or store bread in your freezer. I even buy a small thing of powdered milk in case we get snowed in.

I also check to make sure I have all my magickal supplies, candles, herbs, oils, etc, stocked and ready for use. I also make sure I have my Yule log under a trap so I don’t have a problem lighting on the Winter Solstice. Whenever possible I do a ritual outdoors for Samhain and the Winter Solstice because I do not have any type of fireplace indoors.

As for my home now is when I do a fall cleaning and through smudging in every room and my basement. I want to make sure I do not have any negativity in my home before the windows are closed and the furnace turned on giving it and/or nasty beings a place to hide in.

Please tell us what you do to get ready for you he darker and colder time of the year. Leave as long a comment as you want to. I hope I can get some new ideas from others on preparing for this time of year.

The Practice of Esoteric Herbalism

When many people begin exploring the world of magic, myth and legend one of the first places they turn to is plant magic.  There are hundreds of resources on plant based practices, herbalism, and the creation of botanical preparations for both healing and ritual.  Some people are interested in the chemical components of plants, others look to their astrological and elemental correspondences or the large body of plant folklore.  There are numerous authors that write on the many different facets of plant based practices, and there are still many that are yet to be explored.  New ways of working with ancient plants are being revealed and practitioners are finding that there are new plants waiting to be discovered and worked with.  The practice and process of esoteric herbalism is about exploring the subtle nature of plants and how they can be worked with in a ritual setting.  Plants can open us up to new insights about ourselves and the world around us, and act as magical catalysts that enhance our own working through their unique combination of energies.

To continue reading…..