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Many herbal enthusiasts swear by infusions. Here is a wonderfully simply method for brewing up an infusion. I recommend placing one cup of the dried herb into a quart canning jar and filling it with freshly boiled water. After the steeping for up to four hours, then, strain with a non-metallic method such as cheesecloth or bamboo. . Many of the favorite kitchen garden herbs contain minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals including the list herein. What do you need to attend in your life now? This list of herbs and associations can be your guide; one of the smartest ways to approach this methodology is to brew right before bedtime and you will awaken to a freshly infused herb. Some of the most popular herbs and fruits used to create infusions are as follows:

Anise Seeds & Leaves: soothes cramps and aches
Caraway Seeds:  aids in romantic issues, helps with colic
Catnip Leaves:  makes women even more attractive
Chamomile Flowers: helps with sleep, good for abundance

We are here in the heart of fall, nearing the holidays and that is the time our Scandinavian friends suggest we “get hygge,” which means to get as cozy as humanly possible.  This lovely lifestyle tradition from the frozen north is not just for lazing about, though we greatly appreciate that aspect; it is also a very healthy way of living with sauna sessions, lots of herbal food and drink but also community, which is an immunity booster on its own.  Tea is a mainstay if you want to be healthy and we feel sure wise women and hedge witches in Northern Europe were the first on the hygge bandwagon, So much of our knowledge about herbal teas and tinctures comes from them.  Herbal tea conjures a very powerful alchemy because when you drink it, you take the magic inside. For an ambrosial brew with the power to calm any storm, add a sliver of ginger root and a pinch each of echinacea and mint to a cup of hot black tea. Before you drink, pray:

If you love everything about lavender, you may well want to create your own lavender vinegar. Many herbs make for excellent vinegars so pay attention to which ones are especially appealing with you as you go about your gardening. The more herbs you pack into the jar, the higher the mineral content in your vinegar which makes it more flavorful and healthful. Once you have your own apple cider vinegar or a premade organic kind you and your family love, pick an herb you know works for you and pack a quart canning jar as full as you can. Pour room temperature apple cider vinegar to cover and seal with paper and bands and pop back on the dark corner shelf for six weeks, giving a shake once a week. At the end of the infusion period, strain out any remaining compostable twigs or stems that remain, if any and store in colored bottle and add a pretty label. These make wonderful gifts so I recommend you get a set of labels for all your herbal brews. Nearly any plant or herb can used in homemade vinegars. Check this list for your next batch of brew:

Anise Seeds & Leaves: soothes cramps and aches
Caraway Seeds:  aids in romantic issues, helps with colic
Catnip Leaves:  makes women even more attractive
Chamomile Flowers: helps with sleep, good for abundance

Here is a delightfully easy recipe that will produce a flavorful homemade liqueur that smells as good as it tastes.  If you are interested in making a hassle-free bottle of spirits apples are a wonderful way to start.  Start with these ingredients:

There is not denying we live in a time of immense tension. So many of us are living under enormous stress and strain. But, come to think of it, so were our grandparents and relatives who lived through World Wars. The Great Depression and really hard times. For that reason, some of the homemade healing potions, teas and cures our grandmothers cooked up from the kitchen cabinet are the best things to turn to in tough times. Here are some lovingly passed down from Auntie. Many remedies can be made from what you have in the kitchen, from spices as well as plants. These kitchen table cures will offer you and your family much relief from stress and strain.  Here are a few simple tried and tested recipes:

After a week like we all just experienced, boost your mood and immune system with herbs.  Nettle (Urtica dioica) Nettle has been used as a healer for untold centuries and relieves allergies, is an immune booster and can even help with a distended prostate. It is also a superfood and beloved for the nutrients. If you are working with fresh nettles, wear gloves to avoid the stinging. Cooking or drying removes any irritant. Any herb or health food store will have dried nettle or capsule form. Make nettle tea by steeping 2 teaspoons of leaves for ten minutes or take the capsules in recommended doses of 300 to 500 mg twice a day. Nettles are a hedgewitch's favorite and you'll soon see why. Take good care of yourself!

I don’t know about you, dear ones, but many of my friends, family, coworkers and I are experiencing extremely high stress. Therefore, I feel called to offer what small wisdom I have for what you can do to counteract this lack of balance in your environment and our world.  As you may know, I am a strong believer in the calming and healing power of crystals. When people ask me, “How the heck could a piece of rock help heal my body?, I will point them to the wisdom of the chakra system.

It is becoming widely known that crystals can be curative for the emotional body, the spiritual body, and the physical body. And, we have learned that crystals can interact electromagnetically with people. The prehistoric medicine man and shamans knew instinctively how to harness this stone power and use it to enhance or stimulate energy; they never doubted the power of the unseen. Modern shamans talk about the body in a different way; they are in tune with and are working with the etheric body, the subtle life force that sustains the physical body and serves as the matrix for the metabolic functions. They work with the system of chakras (points of energy in the astral body that are associated with various parts of the physical body) and endeavor to make sure everything is in proper alignment. Illness beginning with misalignment of either the etheric body or physical body can result in a domino effect of maladies. Imbalance in the etheric body can cause low energy; depression; stress-related diseases such as shingles, ulcers, and migraines; and any number of other serious physical issues