Yarrow

"The pretty herb of Venus' tree,
Thy true name it is yarrow,

Now who my bosom friend must be,

Pray tell thou me to-morrow."

J.O. Halliwell-Phillipps, 1820-1889

Having spent the better part of the last two weeks working daily in my witch's garden, so named because I grow in it only those flowers and herbs that serve my magickal and/or medicinal purposes, I thought it a good time to talk about one of my favorite plants to work with, and one I use all the time. To anyone who visits my home, this garden looks just like a big, beautiful and very colorful field garden but it is, in fact, a very practical plot of land. So much is in bloom right now: hyssop and valerian, bergamot and echinacea, false indigo and heliopsis, thistles and poppies, and yarrow, to name a few. And it's the yarrow I'd like to talk about today as this is one very versatile and potent little plant.

As yarrow vibrates to the energy of both air and Venus, it is best used in spells that are spoken aloud. Speak loudly and clearly and let your intentions be carried on the wind. And any herb that is influenced by Venus is most potent for love spells and any spells that involve the emotions. Hanging yarrow over your bed will draw to you the love of your life and if you're getting married, hang a bundle over your bridal bed to ensure your love stays strong for at least seven years (though hopefully it will last a lifetime!).

Yarrow is said to increase your psychic ability and powers of perception when drunk as an herbal tea. Burn the flowers themselves and the direction of the smoke will predict your future: smoke that rises means good luck will come your way, smoke that floats downward indicates the opposite. Dried yarrow sticks made from the woody stems of the plant have been used for centuries in divining the I Ching. Because yarrow is such a spiritual plant, it was considered perfect for this purpose.

If you're in need of protection, yarrow is your herb. Want to purify your home or circle or cleanse a negative situation? Burn yarrow in ritual or carry the plant on your person in a small talisman or conjure bag. Even just a small sprig in your pocket will work, too. Yarrow wards off fear, evil and negative energy and is a powerful and dynamic element to include in any spells cast to work this magick. It can protect you from hexes and black magick aimed at you. Throw yarrow stems and flowers across the threshold of your home to protect your house from evil or tie a swag of it over your front door to do the same.

Please note that for some individuals, yarrow can be a skin irritant. If you have sensitive skin, handle with care or wear gloves when working with this plant. Likewise, unless you are sure that you are not allergic to yarrow, do not drink a tea made from it. Please use common sense and care.

Photo courtesy of doglington on flickr.

Saturn in Virgo

I've been reading some of the comments I received for yesterday's post and have been giving Life (with a capital L) some serious thought. I tend to do this all the time anyways, but for the last few hours I seem to be dwelling on it even a bit more than I usually do. One remark in particular is resonating with me, that 'strange events are making it very difficult to continue on our intended life path' (thanks Vipera).

I hadn't given a tremendous amount of thought to the fact that Saturn is wrapping up its stint in Virgo later this month (July 21). Sure, I had in passing thought of a few dramatic changes that I made when Saturn first entered this sign back in September of 2007, as well some closure I've been having with other aspects of my life lately whose timing was at first suspect. But did I dig much deeper? No. Clearly, this is an event that is stirring up some chaos in our lives. Maybe only chaos on a personal level that wouldn't mean much to others, but can be, for ourselves, quite dramatic and often upsetting.

Saturn is the planet that rules our endings and completions. And Virgo is the astrological sign of order, fussiness and getting things accomplished. Together these two are very powerful at propelling us along our life's path towards our personal destinies and seeing things through to their ultimate conclusion. This is the perfect time to reflect on what is important in your life, to jettison what you no longer need and to accept those things that you cannot easily change because maybe, just maybe, you are meant to carry these things with you a bit longer than you had planned. If Saturn isn't seeing fit to guide you to a conclusion right now, then you simply aren't ready for it to happen yet. You may not like what Saturn is throwing in your face right now, but keep in mind that in just under two weeks Saturn will be in Libra, which is a gentler, more compassionate and emotionally balanced sign that will hopefully help to iron out the weird turns of event that many of us seem to be experiencing as the end of this current phase approaches.

Photo courtesy of evinoryan88 on flickr.

Who's Driving?

I'm something of a control freak and it makes me feel good to operate under the delusion that I'm always in the driver's seat. I like to plan every little detail and I like things to go the way I expect them to, but as life is frequently messy, that is often not the case. And I'm of the belief that everything happens for a reason.

I've owned poultry for the last ten years and I decided a couple of years ago that I didn't want to shoulder the burden of caring for them anymore. When I first began my backyard bird experiment, it was exciting as hell. I enjoyed the quaint ideal of raising the birds and occasionally breeding them, having fresh, organic eggs every day and sharing the surplus with friends. But the back-to-basics lifestyle came with a price: daily barn cleaning, bathing birds, feeding and watering birds multiple times a day regardless of the weather, my own health or available time, and caring for sick and aging chickens and ducks. As my last birds are well into their golden years with only a rare egg laid, the decision was made to let them all pass on in their own time and then I would turn the barn into a much-needed garden shed and their run into a fertile and vigorous vegetable garden. I even planned what vegetables I would grow, so detailed was my plan. So I've waited patiently and given my fowls' current ages, figured it would be only a couple of years, give or take a bit, before I am finally poultry-free. So tell me, what are the odds that one of those rare eggs would be deeply hidden in the bedding by a duck hen, go unnoticed and uncollected for the last month and then hatch a baby duckling, in an extended heatwave, all by itself? And not just any duckling, but a special needs duck with a malformed bill and a bit of trouble eating all by itself?

This was not in my long-range plan. I have spent years taking in unwanted birds and birds with special needs. I was nearly through and ready to move on to the next stage of my life. If this new baby survives, I'll be looking at possibly another six years at least before I no longer have poultry. And trust me, I couldn't give this duck away as no one will be interested in a bird with a bad bill who needs help at feeding time. No, it's mine to care for. So what's the lesson in this turn of events? What is the universe telling me? I'm not sure. Maybe it's as simple as my being meant to continue to care for unwanted poultry; the birds that others so easily throw away. I don't know.

I frequently get into discussions with those people in my life who don't believe that everything happens for a reason. They'll tell me that things "just happen" and it doesn't have to mean anything. I always disagree and when I ask them why they think this, I get a "just because." That's the pat answer that parents use when their children ask questions that they either don't want to answer or don't know the answer to. And although none of us knows for sure, including me, that isn't going to change my mind on this. I will always believe that everything happens for a reason, even if we don't always know what that reason is or want to admit to ourselves that this is the case. It's a part of our journey here, the good stuff and the not necessarily happy surprises that are thrown at us. Like my newest four days young little pet.

Clearly I'm not the one in the driver's seat, am I?

Trees 101: Hazel

The hazel is one of the most magickal trees of all as it's the tree that stands at the very heart of the faery realm. In the center of the Otherworld, nine sacred hazel trees stand in a circle around the Well of Wisdom and drop their nuts into the water from their overhanging branches, feeding the Salmon of Knowledge. Hazel was the sacred Tree of Knowledge in many ancient cultures, from the Norse to the Celts to the ancient Greeks. It's no surprise then that this is the tree whose wood is used most often for divination: Druidic wands were always fashioned from Hazel and it's the preferred wood for dowsing and divining rods as well. It's believed that, to this day, hazel works so well as a dowsing rod because it instinctively wants to reconnect with that first ancient well tree in the faery realm.

Want to protect yourself from evil (and especially that most evil thing of all- witches- the handmaidens of the devil)? Craft yourself a shield of hazel or use its wood to carve a protective rod or small wooden talisman. Use it at the dark of the moon in rituals, crafted as a divination tool, or eat hazelnuts before shamanic journeying to increase your psychic knowledge.

The hazel tree is feminine in energy and vibrates to the elements of both air and water. It is ruled by Mercury and the Sun and is one of the nine sacred woods of the sabbat fire in which it represents wisdom. The sabbats for which hazel is traditionally used for are Beltane and, most especially, Samhain.

Photo of this gloriously lush hazel tree courtesy of Argentem on flickr.

Full Rose Moon

Tomorrow's full moon is a potent one as it also brings with it a spectacular lunar eclipse. As an eclipse amplifies the energy of a full moon, this one will, in theory, be felt for weeks or even months after the event. Being in Capricorn, this moon represents responsibility, stability and reliability, which is a good thing if we're going to be carrying this energy around with us for a time. I'd hate to think how much more difficult things could become if this eclipse fell within a far flakier sign. And to amplify the astral energy, there will be a solar eclipse (visible only from the southern part of the Pacific Ocean and the southernmost parts of South America) on July 11. Be prepared to feel all this powerful activity on a personal level.

The June full moon goes by many names in addition to the Rose Moon. These include the Strawberry Moon, the Lotus Moon, the Windy Moon, the Honey Moon and the Full Hot Moon.

This would be the perfect moon under which to Draw Down the Moon tomorrow night but if your weather is less than perfect for outdoor ritual, work some magick indoors and take advantage of this beautifully powerful lunar event.

True Peace

The True Peace

The first peace, which is the most important,

is that which comes within the souls of people

when they realize their relationship,

their oneness, with the universe and all its powers,

and when they realize that at the center

of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit),

and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this.

The second peace is that which is made between two individuals,

and the third is that which is made between two nations.

But above all you should understand that there can never

be peace between nations until there is known that true peace,

which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.

- Black Elk, Oglala Sioux and Spiritual Leader (1863-1950)

"Appeal to the Great Spirit", bronze, Cyrus Edwin Dallin, 1909, at the entrance to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo courtesy of AntyDiluvian on flickr.

A Simple Litha Spell

Marigold Ritual for Strength

What you'll need:

at least eight small stones, one rather smooth, more for additional talismans

an earthen pot, of a size big enough to grow one or more plants

one or more marigold plants

potting soil

a permanent marker

Write your birth sign on a small, relatively smooth, stone in permanent ink and place it at the bottom of an earthen pot. You can also write words of encouragement on additional stones, such as "strength", "empowerment", "courage" or any other potent words that you draw energy from. Fill the pot with soil and plant one or more marigolds in it. Place seven stones around the plants and as you do all this chant the following:

"I honor this summer season

that bathes me in the light,

I open my heart to your power

And I feel your gentle might."

The marigold is a powerful plant that vibrates to the sun's energy. They are symbolic of summer and the fiery weather that comes with it. String a garland of marigolds over your door to stop evil from entering your home, or plant them in your gardens to protect your property. Place them under your pillow at night while you sleep and your dreams will come true. They are also known to give you prophetic dreams as well. It is said that if a girl touches the petals of a marigold plant with her bare feet, she will understand the language of the birds.*

Marigolds used in any spellwork should always be picked at noon when the sun is at its hottest and strongest. This particular planting spell can be performed anytime during the summer season, but will be most potent when performed during the waxing moon, at noon on a day closest to midsummer.

Marigold is the flower of endurance. It grows in even difficult conditions and always turns its bright face to the sun, following its path through the sky throughout the day. This ritual will give you strength and power while connecting you to the essence of the summer season.

*Legend of the language of the birds courtesy of the late Scott Cunningham.

Photo courtesy of Shertila Tony on flickr.

Midsummer

Like every other sabbat, Litha comes with its own beliefs. Besides the well-known and traditional rituals of lighting a bonfire (or building a smaller fire to be jumped over), as well as drinking, dancing and making love, there are many lesser known rituals linked to the celebration of midsummer.

To honor the culmination of the Oak King's rule, men traditionally wore wreaths of woven oak leaves on their heads and women wreaths of midsummer flowers. Pick some blossoms and place them under your pillow on Litha night and you will dream of your future husband.

Want to be healthy throughout the coming year? Then be sure to be up to see the sun rise on the solstice. If you're in need of healing, the calendula (marigold) plant was believed to possess miraculous healing powers when picked on Litha. The traditional healing plants to be picked on the sabbat for the coming year are fennel, rue, rosemary, lemon verbena and st. john's wort, among many others.

Place a swag of summer greenery over your front door for a year of luck and prosperity.

And despite the joy and abundance associated with midsummer, there is always at least one festival that flies in the face of love, health and prosperity. Fortunately, the medieval French ritual of burning cats on midsummer's night has long since disappeared (especially if you happen to be a cat).

A blessed Litha to you all and safety in all you engage in that night.

Photo courtesy of mermaiden creations on flickr.

Two Litha Recipes

Normally, the recipes I publish here are tried and true favorites that I know without a doubt will turn out just as I say they will, without so much as a single surprise for my readers. And if I have a recipe I've never used before but think it might be of interest to others, I do a dry-run before I put in on my blog so I can tweak anything that's off and be certain that I'm not telling people how great something is when it could potentially be a total disaster. But given the fact that I've been beyond-busy lately (as you can see by the unusually sporadic posting of late), and the fact that Litha is just eleven days away, I thought I'd throw caution to the wind and post a couple of recipes for the sabbat that I've never tried myself. The bread recipe does come with high praise, albeit those kudos came from complete strangers, and the mead recipe is a total shot in the dark. Together we can decide if this was a good idea or a bad one. Here's hoping it's the former.

SOFT MEAD

1 quart of water (preferably spring, not tap)

1 cup of your favorite honey

1 large lemon, sliced

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Boil all the ingredients in a (preferably) non-metallic pot, stirring constantly and scraping the foam scum from the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the liquid boils clean and isn't clinging to the sides of the pan, remove from the heat and add:

a pinch of salt

the fresh-squeezed juice of half a lemon

Strain into a clean bottle or pitcher and cool in the refrigerator. This gentle, non-alcoholic mead can be served with cold, fresh slices of lemon in each glass.

HONEY CAKE makes approximately 24 little squares of cake

4 cups flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/3 cups honey (I'm going to use a jar of lavender honey I got at my local farmer's market)

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325f degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. Beat the eggs and honey together. Add the vanilla and butter and beat again. Beat in the sugar. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the wet mixture. Mix well. Turn into prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely, cut into squares and serve.

Photo of gorgeous honey cake courtesy of smittenkitchen.com

Whiling Away a Summer Afternoon

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."

-John Lubbock

Photo courtesy of honeybSF on flickr.