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Making massage candles is very similar to making any other type of potted candle  I recommend using soy wax as it is soooo gentle on the skin . Soy was is also nice and soft so it melts easily and stays together in a puddle after melting and can be reused for us thrifty crafters. If you have an allergy to soy and it won't irritate your skin unless you have a soy allergy, you can use beeswax instead which is so widely used. (For example, it is in nearly every single Burt’s Bees product.)  It is the addition of the additional oils and prevents it from hardening again and also enables your skin to absorb it.  Essential oils or cosmetic-grade fragrance oils are also added to create a soothing atmosphere. All soap-making fragrances that are also soy candle safe are perfect choices for scenting your massage candles. Try the basic directions below to make your first candle. For every three ounces of wax, you'll add one ounce of liquid oil, and one-quarter ounce of fragrance. I suggest making two candles in 4 ounce metal tins while you master this craft.

Gather together:

·        2 ounces sweet almond carrier oil or vitamin E oil

·        6 ounces High quality soy wax

Tisanes: Nurturing With Nature

Tisanes are teas that are strictly herbal. Brewing up a tixane is one of the best ways to nourish the soul, ease the mind and heal the body:

 It amuses me to see how trendy cold brewed coffees and teas have become as hedgewitches and wise women have been making this delightful concoction for centuries. It is the same as making Sun Tea, which is gently heated by the warmth of the sun, but is made at night in the light of the moon. Simply take lidded a quart canning jar and fill it with cold, pure spring water and add 4 herbal teabags of your choice or a large tea ball or muslin bag filled with 3 heaping tablespoonfuls of dried herbs. Seal the lid on the canning jar and leave it outside or on your windowsill so it can be exposed to the light of the moon. When you awaken in the morning, you will have cold brewed tea. Do make notes in your Book of Shadows for which brews taste best to you. I can tell you that when the full moon is in the signs for Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Libra and Pisces, the tea is most delicious to me, with my current favorites being ginger peach and cinnamon hibiscus.

We might call it kitchen witchery and our Scandinavian friends could say it is how we “get hygge,” which means to get as cozy as humanly possible. This newly trendy 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:

Some of us, like me, are not all that crafty so simplicity is key. This 3 ingredient recipe takes all the fuss and muss away so you even enjoy the process of creating your own calming balm. This concoction will not only soothe and nourish our skin but it also is very good for your soul.

Gather the following:

• 1 cup shea butter
• ½ cup almond oil
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 15 drops each of 2 neroli and vanilla essential oils
• Double boiler and water
• Wooden spoon and whisk
• Small Clean jars with lids, 4 ounce

Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes. Add in the almond oil (you can substitute olive oil, jojoba oil, any organic, liquid oil that is organic.) After experimenting a good bit, I discovered that the fresh and lightly citrus scent of neroli in combination with vanilla is extremely comforting and also tremendously relaxing, It is so pleasing, you may even consider using it as a perfume. I

 Stir in almond oil and blend. When the l oils start to partially solidify, add in 15 drop each of the essential oils. Stir in, and then whip the mixture until a butter-like consistency is achieved which will only taka few minutes. If you’re like me, you immediately try it on your own skin so do indulge yourself, you earned it!

 Roman Chamomile essential oil is derived by distilling  fresh or dried flowers of this beloved herb, Another frequently used option is  German Chamomile or Matricaria chamomilla which has much  smaller flowers. The deep blue German Chamomile essential oil is better known for its excellent anti-inflammatory properties. When you read about the splendid healing at European spas, they are using one of these two tried and true favorites. These treatments have been being used for over 2000 years so that is a good indication of how they have helped. Chamomile oil was used by the Roman soldiers to relieve anxiety and to induce a strong sense of purpose as they set out to fight. In clinical trials, this essential oil has been found to be effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder.  A walk in the garden where these delightful little flowers grow is often considered a sure cure for depression. The sweet scent released by this aromatic plant and the sight of the pure white flowers with sunny yellow centers can raise the spirits. Similar effects can be obtained by using ¼ cup of Roman chamomile oil in your bathtub and dabbing a few drops on the pulse points. The vapors can be inhaled or the oil can be used in a diffuser for a generalized effect. Before you step in your Roman chamomile bath, prayer aloud:

Such earthly elements as simple and salt and pepper can be part of your self-healing, I learned about the strong protective magic of black pepper from the great Scott Cunningham himself .   I recommend this as a rite to ether begin your day with in the soft morning light or at twilight, when the sun is weakening. This will both soothe and raise your spirit, offering quiet  contentment and a fresh perspective.

Gather together: