Even if you don’t ascribe to magic, you would probably guess that certain flowers and herbs have their own energies, in the same way they have uniquely lovely scents and oils. Simmer this mixture whenever you feel the need to infuse your home and hearth with the energies of quietude and protection. This will safeguard you and your loved ones from outside influences that could be negative or disruptive. Set your intention for how you want your space to and gather together the following dried herbs:
I tell people that gardening is my therapy and they always think I am joking but I am not. It is an enormous source of peace in my life. Pulling weeds and plant tending is very positive way to handle nervous energy or upset. It also helps me work out problems. I will come back in after a wild and weedy session and feel calm and in control. Bringing together the divine with the beauty of the plant kingdom can bring great pleasure to your life. Gardening is also very calming and, after the work is done, you can enjoy the fruits of your labors. Sometimes, literally if you have fruit trees and berry bushes. A green thumb is hardly necessary to create your own secret sorcerer’s plot. I am an advocate of garden statuary and, if you were to come over for a sip of tea and garden gazing with me, you will see an altar adorned with deities and a few carefully placed statues, What seems sacred and inspiring to you and is pleasurable to your eye will certainly do nicely but even if you have a deck, a fire escape or sunny windowsills, you can create your own sanctuary, indoor gardening can absolutely fulfill the desire for an otherworldly aesthetic. For a truly witchy garden, it will come as no surprise that many of these plants love shade, or look best in the moonlight. The rare art of magical gardening serves to put you in closer touch with nature, which is essential to pagan’s horticulture and is an amazingly peaceful pursuit, and working directly with the earth and her plants and flowers will teach you the secrets of our Great Gaia. Tending and growing these herbs and flowers will usher you into a very specialized world. From this vantage point, you can dry herbs to make special teas, potions, tinctures, and flower essences that are uniquely healing and magical.
Basil is beloved because it’s so delectable and versatile. It is easily grown in pots. Take care to remove the growing tip when the plants are 15cm high for bushier growth. Plant out in the garden when the weather gets warmer. Basil prefers full sun and a sheltered spot.
Chives come from the onion family and have slim, pointed leaves. You should sow seeds directly in the ground in early spring, late March or April. Chives grow best in a sunny spot with rich soil, so keep the plants watered. Chives produce pretty purple or pink and perfectly round flowers. Gorgeous in the garden and palatable on the plate Sage is a marvelous cooking herb and is truly easy to grow.
Essential oils have been used medicinally for centuries.They are extracted from flowers, grasses, shrubs, herbs, and trees.If you are skeptical about the efficacy of essential oils, you’ll at least find it reassuring to know that the oils enter and exit the human body without leaving any toxins behind.The best ways to use essential oils are externally, absorbed through the skin, or through steam inhalation.However, oral applications are indicated for some remedies.
There are hundreds of essential oils used by herbalists, but for general therapeutic use in the home, these are my recommendations you need to have at the ready,
Using almonds and almond oil is a simple way to attract into your life whatever you want more of—love, money, a new home, you decide! The great psychic Edgar Cayce even believed that eating five almonds a day could prevent cancer. I anoint myself with almond oil every morning as a kind of self-blessing for health and wealth. A little dab of this attraction oil will go far for you, too.If you are feeling a financial pinch, try rubbing some almond oil on your wallet and visualize it filling up with bills. Rubbing this essence on magnetite can miraculously bring your wishes directly to you. A drop or two on green candles will also make an appreciable difference.
Almond oil works quickly because it is ruled by Mercury, the god of speed and communication, who operates in the realm of air.
No matter what kind of work you do, there are moments where you need to take a momentary break, regroup and refresh yourself. This comforting and calming potion will do just that. Keep this in your desk drawer where you can access this homemade helpmate anytime you need it. The subtle combination of almond, coconut, lavender and vanilla is deeply comforting and uplifting. In a mere ten minutes, you can whip up a spa retreat in lotion form. This is so quick and easy, you will doubtless add this to your list of calming crafts.
Many enthusiasts enjoy several cups a day of their favorite herbal infusion which is a large portion of herb brewed for at least four hours and as long as ten. I recommend placing one cup of the dried herb into a quart canning jar and filling it with freshly boiled water. After the steeping, strain with a non-metallic method such as cheesecloth or bamboo. Herbal infusions can be made with the leaves and fruits which provide healing aspects of this comforting brew. Many of the favorite kitchen garden herbs contain minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals including the list herein.
Erin Lale
Fellow faculty at Harvard Divinity School posted an open letter to Wolpe in response to his article. It's available on this page, below the call for p...
Erin Lale
Here's another response. The Wild Hunt has a roundup of numerous responses on its site, but it carried this one as a separate article. It is an accoun...
Erin Lale
Here's another response. This one is by a scholar of paganism. It's unfortunately a Facebook post so this link goes to Facebook. She posted the text o...
Erin Lale
Here's another link to a pagan response to the Atlantic article. I would have included this one in my story too if I had seen it before I published it...
Janet Boyer
I love the idea of green burials! I first heard of Recompose right before it launched. I wish there were more here on the East Coast; that's how I'd l...