Unconventional & Affordable Ingredients For Spells

My college campus actually used to be a hospital! Yay, double the fun!

thinking about hospital and university underground tunnels....

there is something about them....

thank you for the pics of your silmarillion deck!! they’re so cute! can i ask how you decided on what messages to put on the oracle cards?

Hey sure! Basically I read that book like seven times and tried to think on their ‘purpose’ in Arda. They were out there for a reason. Some were easy (Manwë, for instance). Some…. I struggled (Melkor). But in the end, they all had lil messages, and they worked.

Ingredients that are Eco-friendly, pt 1

Hi, and welcome back to a new witchcraft post! I saw you guys really liked my post on spell disposal, and I wanted to make a post on some fabulous ingredients that are

Eco friendly ~

So here is part 1! The obvious one, herbs!

How to dry Herbs!

I think we are all in agreement that herbs are literally the most common of all spell ingredients, but you’d be shocked at how much people pay for a jar of dried herbs (or at least how much my mum pays at the grocery store)!

My family actually decided to start growing our own herbs, like thyme, lavender, sage, basil, oregano, rosemary, etc. Of course, my family being Christian, they used them for cooking.

But no matter what you do, cook or spell, an herb’s at its most potent when dried!

So how do you get from fresh herbs to dried?

Cut your herbs! Cut with plenty of stem, and don’t take too much, only what you will need for now. Make sure you thank that plant for its help, and give it a drink!

Take a bit of string and wrap one end around the base of your stems, so the herbs hang upside down.

Tie the other end to a hanger or a window hook, or a curtain rod. I hang mine in mostly darkness, my mum does it in mostly light. I recommend the mostly darkness method; my mum’s always turn out funky. I tie my bundles to a hanger in my closet and let them do their thing.

Wait 1-2 weeks, or until mostly crunchy to the touch. Not crispy, but crunchy.

Now you’re done! ✨✨

Have a magical day!✨✨

A Practical Guide to Herbology

Lesson One: Medicinal Teas

When I was first starting out with herbology, I was living in a small village in Croatia with a total population of less than 100 people. We depended on homemade teas, salves and medicines to heal us since the nearest hospital was two hours away. We treated ourselves with the power of herbs, gifted to us by the Earth.

These days, we can purchase all the tools we need to grow both common and exotic plants. Dried herbs are also another good option, especially for those that cannot grow their own. And with these tools, we can craft our own medicines. 

For the first lesson, I’m going to focus on something simple: the art of crafting medicinal tea. 

Creating Tea Blends

When starting out with creating medicinal teas, it’s important to understand how each ingredient interacts with our bodies. Be sure that you’re not allergic to any of your herbs and that they won’t interact poorly with any prescribed medications that you’re on. For example, those who are diabetic should not take angelica root; folks who are allergic to ragweed should avoid chamomile. 

Here’s a list of common herbs and their functions for the purposes of crafting medicinal teas:

Angelica Root: Soothes colds and flu, reduces phlegm and fever. (Do not use if you are diabetic)

Basil: Eases headaches, indigestion, muscle spasms, insomnia; reduces stress and tension

Blackberry Leaves or Roots: Reduces diarrhea

Catnip: Soothes teething pain, colic, diarrhea, indigestion, anxiety, insomnia. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on Lithium or sedatives)

Calendula (marigold): Reduces fevers, soothes indigestion, gastrointestinal cramps, flu; antiseptic. (May cause drowsiness. Avoid if on sedatives)

Cayenne Pepper: Soothes coughs, colds, arthritis (topical), nerve pain, fever, flu; expectorant. (Avoid taking with medications that contain Theophylline).

Chamomile: Reduces insomnia, anxiety, stress, fever, indigestion; aids with sleep and pain relief. (May decrease effectiveness of birth control pills and some cancer medications, may increase the effects of warfarin; avoid if you are taking medications for your liver)

Cinnamon Bark: Soothes sore throats and coughs; anti-inflammatory (Avoid taking with diabetes medications)

Dandelion Root: Detoxifying, aids digestion, relieves constipation, laxative. (Avoid if on antibiotics, lithium or water pills)

Dandelion Leaf: Mild diuretic, potassium-rich (Avoid if on medication for liver)

Elderberries: Wards off colds and flu

Ginger: Eases morning sickness, nausea, colic, indigestion, diarrhea, fever, sore throats. (Avoid taking with medications that slow blood clotting)

Ginkgo: Relieves anxiety, vertigo, tinnitus; improves circulation, helps concentration; helps PMS. (Avoid taking with ibuprofen or with medications that slow blood clotting; numerous medications have interactions with ginkgo so speak to your specialist before use)

Ginseng: Aphrodisiac, mild stimulant, boosts immune system. (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting, and avoid taking with diabetes medications or with MAO inhibitors)

Goldenrod: Relieves gout and cramps

Lavender: Reduces anxiety, headaches, tension, stress, indigestion, IBS; antibacterial; antiseptic; disinfectant (May cause drowsiness; avoid if on sedatives)

Lemon balm: Relieves anxiety, cold sores, colic, insomnia, restlessness, indigestion; boosts memory (May cause drowsiness, avoid taking with sedatives)

Nettle: Reduces hay fever and arthritis; diuretic. (Avoid taking with diabetes medications, medications for high BP, sedatives, medications that slow blood clotting, and lithium)

Peppermint: Relieves nausea, anxiety, indigestion, IBS, colic, diarrhea, fever, coughs, colds; anesthetic (Avoid if you have acid-reflux disease; avoid taking with cyclosporine; avoid if on liver medications)

Pine Needles: Expectorant; antiseptic; relieves coughs, colds, fever and congestion

Rosemary: Improves focus, memory, concentration, BP, circulation; antiseptic; antidepressant; eases indigestion

Thyme: Antibacterial, antiseptic, eases coughs and colds, expectorant (Do not take with medications that slow blood clotting)

Recipes

For those starting out, here are a few recipes for common ailments. As you start making your own teas, you’ll learn which blends of herbs work best for your body. Keep track of which ingredients and combinations are successful - with each steep, you get closer and closer to crafting your perfect personalized medicine cabinet.

Anxiety Relief - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp lemon balm Cold Relief - ½ tsp elderberry flower - ½ tsp thyme Mood Booster - ½ tsp lavender - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp rosemary Cramp Relief - ½ tsp basil - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp goldenrod Indigestion Relief - ½ tsp ginger - ½ tsp lemon balm - ½ tsp peppermint Expectorant - ½ tsp pine needles - ½ tsp nettle leaf - ½ tsp angelica root Insomnia - ½ tsp chamomile - ½ tsp catnip - ½ tsp lavender Sore Throat Relief - ½ tsp cinnamon (or half a stick) - ½ tsp ginger - 1 tbsp honey Fever Break - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper - ½ tsp angelica root Flu Relief - ½ tsp calendula (marigold) - ½ tsp lemon balm

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Photographs are under the Creative Commons License. Content is from my grimoire and is embedded with information from a variety of sources over the years. 

Updated 7 March 2018 with relevant warnings and to be consistent with other posts in this series.

Warnings:  All plant material should be sourced appropriately and responsibly for your own safety and well-being. Be certain that you are purchasing food-grade ingredients from a reliable retailer or supplier. Along these lines, not all dried herbs are meant for consumption so please be on the lookout for “external use only” labels - you do not want those products for this.

Do your own research regarding medicinal plants and usage, especially if you are sensitive or have allergies of any kind. If you are on medication(s), consult a doctor before use.

Finally, medicinal teas are a health supplement and not a substitution for professional medical and psychiatric aid. If you are experiencing any prolonged health and/or mental health issues, SEE A DOCTOR.

These are the first 5 cards in my handmade tarot deck: the World, Judgement, the Sun, the Moon, and the Star.

It’s all a matter of respect- respect the fae, they’ll respect you!

Do some research- see if this is a path that you could work with. THEN work with actual fae, because once you start, it’s like the mafia- you never get out.

I’ve always been super curious about working with the fae, but I’m also terrified from what I’ve heard. 😬

Hello. Thank you for your help. It’s greatly appreciated. It gave me clarity and insight!

No problem!

In preparation for my next post, have…

The Theban Alphabet

It will be used in my next post! Think of it as a secret alphabet for all you in the broom closet!

Hello I’m Winnie your new follower. Can I please request a free reading regarding how Zeus and Ares feel about me? What’s energies are between us? Thank you in advance I’ll leave feedback!!

Hey there! Sorry it took so long! Here are two readings, one for each deity!

Here’s Zeus’s:

The Ace of Cups and the King of Swords!

The Ace of cups is a card of new beginnings and emotional fulfillment, while the King of Swords cuts through lies and deceptions, and is a pillar of strength in a chaotic mind.

Zeus is offering you a new journey, or a new path; one that will lead you to a place of fulfillment. He will guide you, and give you the strength to stand tall amidst lies and chaos.

This is the reading for Ares:

The Page of Cups and the Magician in reverse!

The Page of cups is telling you that the unconscious or the spiritual is trying to contact you, though you may not know why. The reversed Magician can mean you are being deceived by someone using their powers for their own purposes at the cost of others, and that you are drifting further and further from the truth.

It appears Ares is trying to tell you someone near you is deceiving you, and that he can help you find them. HOWEVER, this could also mean that it is someone pretending to be Ares, and you are unaware. Whatever the meaning, please be careful!!

Hope it was helpful!

There’s so many of these posts, but like many others that post this, my dash is deceased. 

So reblog if you post about: 

Random Witch Things

Chaos Magic

Green Witchcraft

Witchy Herbs 

The Fae 

Runes and/or Sigils  

Norse Paganism/Heathenry 

Craft Names

And reblog if you’re: 

A Witchling/Baby Witch

LGBT+ Witch

A Witchy POC

A Male Witch 

A Closeted Witch