Tag: Biology

The Witches Spell for January 10: Simple Broom Purification Spell


Witchy Comments

THE BROOM PURIFICATION SPELL

Before dawn, take a branch from any tree. Thank the tree for its gift and leave a coin or semi-precious stone at its base in payment.

Next, obtain several brightly colored flowers on long stalks. Tie these flowers to the branch to fashion a sort of broom, then sweep the floor in every room of the house, visualizing the flowers of the broom absorbing negativity and “evil” as you work.

Then, still before sunrise, leave the broom at the crossroads.
Traditionally this ritual is repeated at the first of each month.

Advertisement

The Sacred Herbs Of The Gods

The Sacred Herbs Of The Gods:

Adonis: myrrh, corn, rose, fennel, lettuce, white heather

Aesculapius: bay, mustard

Ajax: delphinium

Anu: tamarisk

Apollo:  leek, hyacinth, heliotrope, cornel, bay, frankincense, date palm,

cypress

Attis: pine, almond

Ares: buttercup

Bacchus: grape, ivy, fig, beech, tamarisk

Baldur: St. John’s wort, daisy

Bran: alder, all grains

Cupid: cypress, sugar, white violet, red rose

Dagda: oak

Dianus: fig

Dionysus: fig, apple, ivy, grape, pine, corn, pomegranate, toadstools, mushrooms, fennel, all wild and cultivated trees

Dis: cypress

Ea: cedar

Eros: red rose

Gwydion: ash

Helios: oak

Horus: horehound, lotus, persea

Hypnos: poppy

Jove: pine, cassia, houseleek, carnation, cypress

Jupiter: aloe, agrimony, sage, oak, mullein, acorn,  beech, cypress, houseleek, date palm, violet, gorse, ox-eye daisy, vervain

Kernunnos: heliotrope, bay, sunflower, oak, orange

Kanaloa: banana

Mars: ash, aloe, dogwood, buttercup, witch grass, vervain

Mercury: cinnamon, mulberry, hazel, willow

Mithras: cypress, violet

Neptune: ash, bladderwrack, all seaweeds

Odin: mistletoe, elm, yew, oak

Osiris: acacia, grape, ivy, tamarisk, cedar, clover, date palm, all grains

Pan: fig, pine, reed, oak, fern, all meadow flowers

Pluto: cypress, mint, pomegranate

Poseidon: pine, ash, fig, bladderwrack, all seaweeds

Prometheus: fennel

Ra: acacia, frankincense, myrrh, olive

Saturn: fig, blackberry

Sylvanus: pine

Tammuz: wheat, pomegranate, all grains

Thoth: almond

Thor: thistle, houseleek, vervain, hazel, ash, birch, rowen, oak, pomegranate, burdock, beech

Uranus: ash

Woden: ash

Zeus: oak, olive, pine, aloe, parsley, sage, wheat, fig

 

As the Craft, we will take only that which we need from the green and growing things of the Earth, never failing to attune with the plant before harvesting, nor failing to leave a token of gratitude and respect.

Herbal Etiquette

Herbal Etiquette

by Amber S.

When studying herbology within witchcraft, it is important to learn about how plants work and the best ways to gather our stores, whether they come from wild plants or plants in our garden. There is more to herbs and trees than meets the eye.
All things have a soul: rocks, trees, animals and people. The soul is the energy of an object that exists in the same place and time as the physical body. Things that exist on the physical plane can be seen on the astral plane because of their energy. When you remove part of a plant, it is customary and proper to ask before you take any part of it and thank the plant once you have finished.
Plants that you grow and raise in your garden do not need to be asked for their permission to take leaves and flowers. Because they depend on you for protection and sustenance, you can remove what you need when you need it. It is an understood relationship between the grower and the plants. They give their leave and fruit in exchange for protection and care. Prayers and spells should be said over the crop at significant times such as planting, watering, pruning, and harvesting.
Wild plants are a little different. these plants are dependant on themselves for their health and survival. When you remove part of a plant, you must first ask the plant. Do this by closing your eyes and imagine just for a moment what you want from the tree. Normally, you will get no answer in return or a feeling of acceptance, in which case, you may remove what you need. Occasionally, however, you will receive a feeling of mistrust or an uncomfortable feeling telling you that you may not remove any part of the plant, in which case, you must move on.

When gathering wild herbs:- Never remove the bark from a tree. Bark covers a tree to keep out disease and fungus just the way our skin does for us. removing the bark can result in infection and the death of the tree. If you need bark for a recipe, remove twigs instead and strip the bark from the removed twigs with a knife.
– Try not to remove the entire plant. If possible, take only a few leaves or flowers and move on.
-Always ask a plant before you remove any part of it.
-Always thank plants after you have taken from them.

Plants are very sacred to witches. All plants should be given homage when we take something from them. There are many different ways of giving thanks. Any act of devotion is acceptable. Traditionally, gifts of apple cider, milk, honey, tobacco, or prayer are given. You can also give shiny coins or fertilizer as a gift. If you have nothing to give, a prayer for the health and well-being of the plant is more than sufficient. Leaving gifts for the tree spirits is also a good thank-you idea. Fairies enjoy music. Performing a song and dance for them is also a good thing to do if you have not brought any gifts with you.

Daily OM for July 10 – The Unseen World

The Unseen World

What We Can’t See

by Madisyn Taylor

 

Exploring the unseen world can be well worth your while as there are many gifts awaiting you there.

 

Just because we can’t see something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, although this is a common way in which people deny the existence of spirit guides, angels, and other unseen helpers in our lives. However, anyone who has encountered such beings can attest to the fact that they do, indeed, exist, just as our breath exists, keeping us alive, even though we can’t see it. The wind exists, too, but we only know this because we feel it on our skin and hear it moving the leaves on the trees. All around us and within us are things we can’t see, and yet we know they are just as real as the grass beneath our feet.

What we see and don’t see may just be a matter of perspective, like the ladybug who sees the leaf on which she sits, but not the tree the leaf grows on, or the person sitting beneath it. And the person beneath the tree may or may not see the ladybug, depending on where he focuses his attention. Still, all of these things, whether seen or not seen by the person or the ladybug, exist in reality. Some people are more gifted at accessing that which we cannot see, but given an open and willing heart, anyone can tune into the invisible realm and begin to find their way.

Human beings have always done this, and it is only recently that we have fallen into distrusting the existence of what we can’t see. If you have lost touch with the unseen world, all you have to do is resolve to open your heart to its existence, and it will make itself known. Closing your eyes in meditation and visualization, or engaging the unseen through the written word, are just two ways to welcome the invisible back into your life. Whatever you choose to do, cultivating a relationship with that which you can’t see is a time-honored human practice that can greatly enhance your life.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day June 6

“We need to save those Elders who cannot speak for themselves — the trees.”

–Haida Gwaii, Traditional Circle of Elders

The trees are the Elders of the Earth. Go to the forest or to the mountains and find a young tree. Then find and old tree. Spend time with each. Sit by the young tree and listen to your thoughts. Then move to an old tree and listen to your thoughts again. Just being in the presence of an old tree, you will feel more calm. Your thoughts will contain wisdom and your answers will be deeper. Why is this so? These old trees know more, have heard more and are the Elders of the Earth. We must ensure these trees live so we can learn from them.

My Creator, help me to protect the trees and listen to them.

*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*<<<=-=>>>*

ACACIA

Folk names:  Cape Gum, Egyptian Thorn, Gum Arabic Tree, Kikwata, Mkwatia, Mgunga, Mokala

Gender: Masculine

Planet:  Sun

Element:  Air

Deities:  Osiris, Astarte, Ishtar, Diana, Ra

Powers:  Protection, Psychic Powers

Ritual Uses:  The wood is used as fuel in sacred fires in India, and is also used in building temples.

Magickal Uses: A sprig of the tree placed over the bed wards off evil, as it does when tucked into the turban in Eastern countries. When the wood is burned with sandalwood the psychic powers are stimulated. Acacia is also used in money and love spells, although in the latter case the outcome would be a platonic love.

Bird Migration

Bird Migration


Each year, with the onset of Winter, flocks of birds from the Northern hemisphere fly long distances to warmer territories in the South. Birds navigate their way by following internal compasses comprising tiny grains of a mineral called magnetite, stored in their brains. During rest stops they recalibrate their inner compasses using the positions of the stars to account for the fact that magnetic north lies 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres) from the North Pole. When rest stops are too short, birds can get disorientated. In a similar way we possess a sense of inner knowing that helps us to find our way in life. But, unless we allow ourselves daily periods of time alone in which to tune into this inner knowing and recalibrate it against changing circumstances, we, like migrating birds, can lose our way.

Happy and Glorious Saturday to All!

I hope everyone is having a beautiful Saturday so far.  I fell asleep in the floor last night and woke up this morning at 3:00 a.m., to Hitler invading Russia.  Great to wake up to early, early on your Saturday morning. I got up when to wash dishes and here comes hubby wanting to know if there is any coffee made. Of course, seeing all the violence on TV, I wanted to pop him on the head with the coffee pot. Then I got to thinking coffee, not a bad idea. So I made us a pot, rather me a pot. He had one cup and went back to bed. Dawn was beginning to crack, so I did what I love to do. Take my coffee outside, curl up on my bench and watch the beautiful Sun come up. Curling up wasn’t in the picture this morning. Two of the wildcats were already outside waiting on me. The biggest one and the  smallest one and would you believe they were occupying my bench, lol! They wanted to play and love. But out of all of them, the big one is the most hostile. It took me forever to befriend him. Now if there is any of the others out there, forget they don’t come close to me. We played and loved a little bit, then I broke up fights, then I went and got their food. I figured that was the only way I was going to get any peace.

I had noticed when I came back in the house, I had wasted an hour and a half playing with the cats. The sky was beginning to lighten up, so I figured it was a great time to water the garden (since I forgot to last night).  I gathered up my pitchers and flashlight. Now remember I said it was just starting to lighten up, you still couldn’t see that great. I put the garden on the back side of the porch. Turns out it was a pretty smart move. I can stand on the porch and water the garden in cast it is super muddy. I forgot to mention, when I was digging this spot up the ground was just so soft and it took no strength what so ever to dig it up. This is very, very unusual for the ground around here. I didn’t think anything about it, I was just thrilled I didn’t have to kill myself. The day I dug up the garden, I went into to get a glass of ice water. When I came back I found out why the ground was so easy to dig, I was digging in a wolf spider’s nest. It was almost down right funny, I went to observe my handy work and there in the middle of the dirt had to be the grandpa of all wolf spiders. He was huge. I figured after I watered the ground some more, they would leave. I brought the hose around the house and started watering. Oh brother, did I get a reaction out of that spider. He jumped at me. Needless to say, I had forgotten they could jump and it scared the crap out of me. Now back to this morning, I had my flashlight and was up on the porch. I noticed one of my plants had been moved. Miss Perfectionist couldn’t stand that. She had to go and put it back in its place. I had totally forgot about the spiders. I pulled the plant up and move it over just a little bit. I wasn’t paying attention but I had opened the spider’s hole back up. I had just stood up and the evil spider jumped on my foot. I am sure I woke up every neighbor in a five-mile radius. I screamed a dirty word while dancing around on one foot. I never did think I was going to get that damn spider off of my foot. Finally after throwing my foot out-of-place, I got the spider off of me. Thank the Goddess he didn’t bite me. I can do some of the stupidest things at times. Please use this as a what not to guide when gardening.

Beware of soft dirty. (It is a mean, cruel joke played on you by some creature or critter)

If your plants get up and move on their own. (Leave them alone, the plant will be happier and so will you)

Never garden by flashlight. ( This should be a no boner)

If you find a spider of any kind in your garden, leave him be and maybe he will do the same. (If not, just give him a good drink of water and a shower. Hopefully the shower will do him in, lol!)

Today’s featured picture

Today’s featured picture
Blackbird nest A female Common Blackbird (Turdus merula) in her nest. Cup nests like the one shown here, usually made of pliable materials like grasses, are commonly built by passerines. Other types of nests include the knot-hole left by a broken branch, a burrow dug into the ground, a chamber drilled into a tree, an enormous rotting pile of vegetation and earth, or a mud dome with an entrance tunnel.

Photo: JJ Harrison

Herb of the Day for May 23rd is EUCALYPTUS

Herb of the Day

EUCALYPTUS

Do not use on the faces of small children.

Folk Names: Blue gum Tree, Stringy Bark Tree

Gender: Feminine

Planet:  Moon

Element: Water

Powers:  Healing, Protection

Magickal Uses:  The leaves are used to stuff healing poppets and are carried to maintain good health. To relieve colds, ring green candles with the leaves and pods and burn them to the socket, visualising the person (or yourself)) as being completely healthy. Also hang a small branch or twig of eucalyptus over the sick bed.

String the immature (green) pods on green thread and wear to help heal sore throats. Placed beneath the pillow,the pods guard against colds

The leaves are also carried for protection.