Everyone knows that the holidays are stressful as hell, but personally I find the days immediately after the new year to be almost as bad. With holiday bills arriving in the mail daily, my high ideals of the shiny new year already struggling to be maintained, and even a bit of the mid-winter-darkness-blues settling in for an intimate little visit, this can be a very challenging time of year. Normally, I would take myself outside and recharge my batteries by connecting with the earth's potent energy, but the bitterly cold temperatures here where I live make it nearly impossible to spend any quality time out there. This little spell is a great way to recharge your core and eliminate the emotional flotsam caused by life. It can be used year round, but it's especially wonderful when it's better to be indoors all warm and toasty rather than outdoors in the deep freeze.
What you'll need:
A handmade cloth bag with a drawstring
A cup of dry earth*
A small bunch of healing flowers
What you'll need to do with these things:
Make a small bag out of a cloth you find pleasing to look at and touch. It's important that this little bag be sewn entirely by hand so that you are putting your essence into its creation. No sewing machines allowed! It should be large enough for you to put both your hands into it with room to move them around a bit and should have a drawstring at the top to close it securely. While you make your little bag, focus on your intentions: to be calm, relaxed and connected with the earth's power.
On a sunny day, collect a cup or so of clean earth. Feel the sun on your face (even if the rest of you is freezing to death!) and remember how you feel as you do this: the earth beneath your feet, the sun on your face, the air you breathe, the power of earth energy and nature. Bring the earth indoors and let it warm.
The original of this old spell, hailing from the Mediterranean region, called for fresh borage to be picked and dried but I much prefer flowers to herbs whenever possible. Besides, borage isn't an herb that everyone has growing on their windowsills, nor is it always readily available. Roses or gardenias are both easily found in flower shops and even supermarkets at this time of year and both are potent healers of personal stress by inducing peaceful vibrations. The flowers should be dried, but that's one thing this time of year has working in its favor: hanging a bunch of blooms over a furnace will dry them in a matter of hours, unlike in the warmer months when that process takes much more time. Of course, in warm weather you can pick your own fresh flowers and not have to rely on a store. There's always a trade-off, isn't there?
Place the soil and the dried flowers, stems removed, into your bag as you state your intentions clearly. Pull the drawstring closed. Keep your little bag of calm energy in a safe place and when things are going badly and you need to recharge yourself, take a moment or two to connect with the earth. Place your hands in the bag and run your fingers through the soil and the flowers, remembering the day you were outside preparing your spell and thinking about the power of Mother Earth's healing abilities.
*Granted, it's not the easiest time of the year to gather earth, but it can be done. After you've chipped up a bit of the frozen ground, bring it indoors to warm up and then break it up into proper soil once again. When you refill your bag in the warmer months (or if you're lucky enough to live somewhere fairly warm most of the year) this step will be much easier!
Note: This bag will remain potent for about six months and then will need to be refilled with fresh earth and newly dried flowers. Be sure to scatter the old soil and flowers to allow the earth to reclaim them.
Showing posts with label rose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rose. Show all posts
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Poppet Spell
I've made and used poppets in magick for some time now and find them to be very useful when something a bit stronger than a simple herbal spell is needed. Having something tangible to use to empower your needs, in combination with a traditional spell, can be quite potent.
I recently was having an issue with something that was causing me some considerable anxiety and so I decided to work a poppet spell to remove that fear when I needed it to be gone, thus enabling me to function effectively and without the nerves, which my poppet friend kindly cleansed me of when it was needed. The following spell is for the removal of anxiety, but this can be altered and modified to whatever your personal needs might be, such as a need for money or to heal a cold virus, etc. Be sure to adjust your colors and herbs accordingly.
What you will need:
Fabric, for the poppet body in a color appropriate for the issue
Herbs, appropriate for the issue to be resolved
Candles, again in an appropriate color for resolution of the issue
Spell, a written spell isn't essential for this, but it adds to the potency of the poppet
For my poppet's body I chose a natural cotton, in the color pink, which I always find to be calming. You can use a color based on traditional magickal associations (for example: green for money, or blue for healing an illness) or one that you choose on your own based on how it makes you feel. There are no hard and fast rules with this. You can even purchase a pre-sewn empty poppet body, available in various basic colors and ready to be filled with herbs, from a magick shop but I prefer to make my own as it empowers the poppet that much more, coming from my own hands.
It's traditional to use an odd number of herbs in a spell and the usual magickal numbers are 3, 7, and 9 as well as multiples of these numbers. Personally, I like to keep things simple and so I tend to not adhere to this. For the most part I use only four herbs when I can, one for each of the elements, but considering how nervous I was in this instance, I used far more herbs than usual for this! For my fear-calming poppet, I used lavender, rose petals (blue roses, as those are my favorite roses and always make me happy), passionflower, yarrow, scullcap, vervain, thyme and a dash of cinnamon. I don't add any oils to the herbs that I prepare for poppet magick as they can leach through the fabric and make a mess.
Lavender: brings peace and banishes sorrows.
Rose: calms personal stress and heals emotional imbalances
Passionflower: calms troubles and brings peace
Yarrow: stops fears and grants courage
Scullcap: encourages peace and relaxation
Vervain: brings peace and calms emotions
Thyme: gives courage and removes all ills from one's past that have caused the fear
Cinnamon: helps ensure success in a spell and increases the spell's potency
Double your fabric and draw an outline of a human body on your fabric, a bit chubbier in size than normal and cut it out. Either hand sew or machine sew the pieces together, leaving a section on one side open and turn right side out.
Grind your herbs of choice, based on your personal needs, and be sure to remain conscious of your intentions the entire time you do this. Attuning to the vibrations of your herbs and enchanting them is always critical in maintaining their power throughout this process. The herbs need not be ground to a powder, but refrain from using any sharp or twiglike pieces as they can tear or poke through the fabric body, and keeping the herbs fairly small makes it easier to stuff the poppet. Sew your poppet closed.
Once your poppet is finished, hold it in your power hand (this is your dominant hand, the one you write with and which holds the most magickal power for you) and clearly state and visualize your intentions. Place the poppet on your altar, cast your circle and light the candles you have chosen in appropriate colors and in a quantity that feels right to you. If you've written a spell to accompany the empowering of your poppet it should be done during the spellwork period of your circle ritual. Again, this isn't essential. The poppet will work even if you simply visualize it working and light your candles while meditating on your needs.
And as a reminder: spells that draw something to you (in this case, a sense of calm, courage and peace) should always be performed during the waxing moon and those to banish things you don't want should be done during the waning moon. (If I had chosen herbs to quell fear rather than promote a sense of well-being this would have been the correct time to work that spell instead). In this case, this spell was worked at the full moon with the Goddess at her most potent and powerful.
Put the poppet in a safe place and take it out only when needed. I am of the belief that, like my magickal tools and implements, my poppet should never be handled by anyone else so as not to introduce the energies and beliefs of that person, especially those folks who tend to poo poo anything not of the mundane. Personally, I prefer to keep things pure and unmuddied, but this is a personal choice.
When you no longer need your poppet, carefully take it apart stitch by stitch and bury the opened cloth body and the herbs in the ground and thank the Divine for their help in your spellwork.
I recently was having an issue with something that was causing me some considerable anxiety and so I decided to work a poppet spell to remove that fear when I needed it to be gone, thus enabling me to function effectively and without the nerves, which my poppet friend kindly cleansed me of when it was needed. The following spell is for the removal of anxiety, but this can be altered and modified to whatever your personal needs might be, such as a need for money or to heal a cold virus, etc. Be sure to adjust your colors and herbs accordingly.
What you will need:
Fabric, for the poppet body in a color appropriate for the issue
Herbs, appropriate for the issue to be resolved
Candles, again in an appropriate color for resolution of the issue
Spell, a written spell isn't essential for this, but it adds to the potency of the poppet
For my poppet's body I chose a natural cotton, in the color pink, which I always find to be calming. You can use a color based on traditional magickal associations (for example: green for money, or blue for healing an illness) or one that you choose on your own based on how it makes you feel. There are no hard and fast rules with this. You can even purchase a pre-sewn empty poppet body, available in various basic colors and ready to be filled with herbs, from a magick shop but I prefer to make my own as it empowers the poppet that much more, coming from my own hands.
It's traditional to use an odd number of herbs in a spell and the usual magickal numbers are 3, 7, and 9 as well as multiples of these numbers. Personally, I like to keep things simple and so I tend to not adhere to this. For the most part I use only four herbs when I can, one for each of the elements, but considering how nervous I was in this instance, I used far more herbs than usual for this! For my fear-calming poppet, I used lavender, rose petals (blue roses, as those are my favorite roses and always make me happy), passionflower, yarrow, scullcap, vervain, thyme and a dash of cinnamon. I don't add any oils to the herbs that I prepare for poppet magick as they can leach through the fabric and make a mess.
Lavender: brings peace and banishes sorrows.
Rose: calms personal stress and heals emotional imbalances
Passionflower: calms troubles and brings peace
Yarrow: stops fears and grants courage
Scullcap: encourages peace and relaxation
Vervain: brings peace and calms emotions
Thyme: gives courage and removes all ills from one's past that have caused the fear
Cinnamon: helps ensure success in a spell and increases the spell's potency
Double your fabric and draw an outline of a human body on your fabric, a bit chubbier in size than normal and cut it out. Either hand sew or machine sew the pieces together, leaving a section on one side open and turn right side out.
Grind your herbs of choice, based on your personal needs, and be sure to remain conscious of your intentions the entire time you do this. Attuning to the vibrations of your herbs and enchanting them is always critical in maintaining their power throughout this process. The herbs need not be ground to a powder, but refrain from using any sharp or twiglike pieces as they can tear or poke through the fabric body, and keeping the herbs fairly small makes it easier to stuff the poppet. Sew your poppet closed.
Once your poppet is finished, hold it in your power hand (this is your dominant hand, the one you write with and which holds the most magickal power for you) and clearly state and visualize your intentions. Place the poppet on your altar, cast your circle and light the candles you have chosen in appropriate colors and in a quantity that feels right to you. If you've written a spell to accompany the empowering of your poppet it should be done during the spellwork period of your circle ritual. Again, this isn't essential. The poppet will work even if you simply visualize it working and light your candles while meditating on your needs.
And as a reminder: spells that draw something to you (in this case, a sense of calm, courage and peace) should always be performed during the waxing moon and those to banish things you don't want should be done during the waning moon. (If I had chosen herbs to quell fear rather than promote a sense of well-being this would have been the correct time to work that spell instead). In this case, this spell was worked at the full moon with the Goddess at her most potent and powerful.
Put the poppet in a safe place and take it out only when needed. I am of the belief that, like my magickal tools and implements, my poppet should never be handled by anyone else so as not to introduce the energies and beliefs of that person, especially those folks who tend to poo poo anything not of the mundane. Personally, I prefer to keep things pure and unmuddied, but this is a personal choice.
When you no longer need your poppet, carefully take it apart stitch by stitch and bury the opened cloth body and the herbs in the ground and thank the Divine for their help in your spellwork.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Help for the Spring Cleaning Blues
Uh-oh! Here we go: it's time for spring cleaning once again. I tend to take my sweet time doing it and often find that I end up not finishing it by Beltane, which is a big no-no. I mean, who really enjoys cleaning out their cupboards and drawers? Yes, it feels good afterwards to be truly clean and organized, but let's be honest here. The process that gets you to that point of perfect squeaky-clean joy is not very pleasant. Still, since it must be done, here are some herbs and oils that make for a really clean home to welcome the young God to manhood.
Whether you choose to use homemade scrubs and oils or just clean the traditional way with modern products from your local market and then burn incense to purify when you're done, Mother Nature offers a wealth of herbs that can make your home both physically clean and rid it of any negative energy that's accrued over the dark winter months.
There's a reason why pine is used in so many supermarket cleaning solutions and it isn't just because it smells so good. It has been known for millennia as a plant that purifies, heals and cleanses, as does cedar, which also has the additional benefit of promoting spirituality as well. You can also use in a pinch, from your kitchen cabinet, clove, cinnamon, thyme and sage, all of which protect, heal and purify. These herbs, and many more, can be quickly ground down in a mortar and pestle to make simple incenses that can be burned over charcoal. And don't forget lemons. Lemon juice mixed with warm water makes a simple wash that cleanses all negative vibrations from your home: from the house itself as well as individual personal objects such as jewelry and small items you use regularly. Cleansing with this is most potent at the full moon as the lemon plant's ruling planet is the moon. I always like to add a little lavender to any mixtures I whip up, especially in incense recipes as it not only smells glorious, but in addition to its cleansing and purifying properties, it also adds an element of peace and calm to a home (and who doesn't want to be relaxed?).
AN ALL PURPOSE CITRUS CLEANSING OIL
(can be rubbed onto a candle for burning or a talisman or stone)
1/8 cup extra virgin, organic olive oil as a base
3 drops orange essential oil
2 drops lemon essential oil
2 drops lemongrass essential oil
1 drop grapefruit essential oil
1 drop lime essential oil
In a small glass container with a well-fitted lid, add to the oil base by dropper each of the essential oils. Gently swirl in a clockwise motion between each addition. Cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place. Use only genuine, 100% pure essential oils, not synthetics, as they contain none of the real plant's magickal properties.
A HOUSE PURIFICATION INCENSE
(this is especially potent when burned during the full moon)
3 parts rosemary
2 parts sandalwood
1 parts dragon's blood
1 part wood betony
1/2 part dill
1/2 part basil
a few drops of essential rose oil
Grind all the herbs individually into a fine powder, cleansing your equipment between each, then mix them all together in a clockwise motion in a glass, ceramic or wooden bowl. Lastly add the oil and gently mix once more. Store in a tightly lidded glass container in a cool, dark place. Try to use both of these mixtures before they get too old as the herbs lose their potency the longer they sit.
One small caveat: Please remember that some herbs stain fabrics and surfaces and some herbs are also skin irritants. Make sure you know what you are using and what you are using it on before you leap in and start slathering mixtures all over yourself or your precious belongings. Do your research first and you'll be a happy witch whose clothing and skin stay lovely despite your magickal workings! Happy house cleaning!
Whether you choose to use homemade scrubs and oils or just clean the traditional way with modern products from your local market and then burn incense to purify when you're done, Mother Nature offers a wealth of herbs that can make your home both physically clean and rid it of any negative energy that's accrued over the dark winter months.
There's a reason why pine is used in so many supermarket cleaning solutions and it isn't just because it smells so good. It has been known for millennia as a plant that purifies, heals and cleanses, as does cedar, which also has the additional benefit of promoting spirituality as well. You can also use in a pinch, from your kitchen cabinet, clove, cinnamon, thyme and sage, all of which protect, heal and purify. These herbs, and many more, can be quickly ground down in a mortar and pestle to make simple incenses that can be burned over charcoal. And don't forget lemons. Lemon juice mixed with warm water makes a simple wash that cleanses all negative vibrations from your home: from the house itself as well as individual personal objects such as jewelry and small items you use regularly. Cleansing with this is most potent at the full moon as the lemon plant's ruling planet is the moon. I always like to add a little lavender to any mixtures I whip up, especially in incense recipes as it not only smells glorious, but in addition to its cleansing and purifying properties, it also adds an element of peace and calm to a home (and who doesn't want to be relaxed?).
AN ALL PURPOSE CITRUS CLEANSING OIL
(can be rubbed onto a candle for burning or a talisman or stone)
1/8 cup extra virgin, organic olive oil as a base
3 drops orange essential oil
2 drops lemon essential oil
2 drops lemongrass essential oil
1 drop grapefruit essential oil
1 drop lime essential oil
In a small glass container with a well-fitted lid, add to the oil base by dropper each of the essential oils. Gently swirl in a clockwise motion between each addition. Cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place. Use only genuine, 100% pure essential oils, not synthetics, as they contain none of the real plant's magickal properties.
A HOUSE PURIFICATION INCENSE
(this is especially potent when burned during the full moon)
3 parts rosemary
2 parts sandalwood
1 parts dragon's blood
1 part wood betony
1/2 part dill
1/2 part basil
a few drops of essential rose oil
Grind all the herbs individually into a fine powder, cleansing your equipment between each, then mix them all together in a clockwise motion in a glass, ceramic or wooden bowl. Lastly add the oil and gently mix once more. Store in a tightly lidded glass container in a cool, dark place. Try to use both of these mixtures before they get too old as the herbs lose their potency the longer they sit.
One small caveat: Please remember that some herbs stain fabrics and surfaces and some herbs are also skin irritants. Make sure you know what you are using and what you are using it on before you leap in and start slathering mixtures all over yourself or your precious belongings. Do your research first and you'll be a happy witch whose clothing and skin stay lovely despite your magickal workings! Happy house cleaning!
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