eiri-na-gealai-blog

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

Flying Salve Recipe (Double Boiler Method)

*Warning: Always do your research on herbs before using them.  Do NOT use if pregnant, lactating, or have heart troubles.  Only use if you have time on your hands (i.e., don’t operate machinery, etc.).  Do not allow it to come into contact with your mucous membranes if you don’t know what you’re doing (e.g., eyes, nose).  Give yourself plenty of time to recover from the effects of the salve.

If you don’t have a double boiler, follow the oven method or make your own double boiler (Google/YouTube it because it’s really easy!).  

—

Needed:

1-pint glass jars or metal tins

Pure olive oil

Rule of thumb is you want enough room for the dry herbs to expand, so I usually use 1 cup of olive oil per 2-3 oz of dried herbs

2-3 oz of dried herbs—I will be using mugwort, wormwood, mandrake, cinquefoil, bay leaves, and wild lettuce for this specific flying salve.

Beeswax (I replaced lard with beeswax because I don’t like the feeling of lard on my skin)—1.5-2 oz per cup of infused oil

4 or 5 vitamin E capsules for preservation

Recipe:

Put enough water into the bottom pan to leave about 2 inches between the water and the top pan (this is what I’ve found works best for me, at least).  Put it on the stove on the lowest setting.  Measure out everything and put it in the top pan of the double boiler, then put that on top of the bottom pan once the water in the bottom pan heats up a little bit.  Cover it if you can.  Let this infuse on heat for two to three hours, stirring about every fifteen minutes.

Once the two hours are up, either infuse that oil again with more herbs to make it more potent or just use that oil for the flying salve.  Strain the mixture either by using a fine strainer or cheesecloth and then put it back into the top pan.  Add 1.5-2 oz of beeswax per cup of infused oil you have and add the vitamin E capsules.  Continue stirring until the wax has melted.  Pour into metal tins and let cool; I put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process.

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

TAROT CHEAT SHEET #1

MAJOR ARCANA

0. THE FOOL | blank slate, beginning, innocence ®* | reckless, negligence, unaware of consequences 1. THE MAGICIAN | willpower, manifestation of desires ® | trickery, illusions, lies, out of touch w/ truth 2. THE HIGH PRIESTESS | intuition, inner voice ® | repressed/unheard inner voice 3. THE EMPRESS | mother figure, nurture, earth/nature ® | smothering, dependence, needing to let go 4. THE EMPEROR | authority, structure, control, father figure ® | tyranny, too much control 5. THE HIEROPHANT | tradition, conformity, morality ® | rebellion, subversiveness, divergence 6. THE LOVERS | union, duality, choice, harmony ® | disharmony, loss of balance 7. THE CHARIOT | self-control & willpower leading to victory ® | loss of control, lack of direction 8. STRENGTH | bravery, inner understanding that radiates power ® | self-doubt, insecurity, weakness 9. THE HERMIT | solitude, contemplation, seeking inner truth ® | loneliness, isolation, disconnect w/ fellow humans 10. WHEEL OF FORTUNE | change, cycles, inevitability ® | bad luck, helplessness, series of bad events 11. JUSTICE | cause & effect, karmic retribution ® | unpunished misbehavior, unfair, turning a blind eye 12. THE HANGED MAN | willing sacrifice, release of control ® | stalling, needless sacrifice, waiting to no avail 13. DEATH | end, cyclical closure, metamorphosis ® | fear of change, stagnation, limbo, holding on 14. TEMPERANCE | moderation, balance, middle path ® | extremes, excess, lack of balance 15. THE DEVIL | materialism, destructive patterns, excess ® | freedom, release, restoring control 16. THE TOWER | sudden disaster, upheaval, collapse ® | delaying inevitable disaster, avoiding suffering that could lead to growth 17. THE STAR | hope, faith, guidance ® | faithlessness, lack of guidance, negative thoughts 18. THE MOON | unconscious, intuition, illusions, dreams ® | confusion, misinterpretation 19. THE SUN | success, clarity, positivity, conscious ® | negativity, depression, sadness, pessimism 20. JUDGEMENT | reckoning, honest evaluation of oneself ® | lack of self-awareness, self-loathing 21. THE WORLD | completion, wholeness, fulfillment ® | incompletion, no closure, nearing end of journey but something is missing

*® = reverse card meaning

Tarot Cheat Sheet #2 - Wands

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

“Unfortunately, white sage is difficult to grow in captivity and is largely wild-crafted, which threatens native populations and since it's really not part of European-based traditions, we really don't need it. Our European spiritual ancestors burned a lot of different herbs in their practices, but white sage was not among them. If you feel the need to use sage, garden sage is a suitable substitute. Indeed, most Salvia species can be burned by the non-Indigenous witch and we can leave white sage to those to whom it is truly sacred. If you must have it, try to grow it yourself.”

http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:sage#toc0

... And then this one mentions Indigenous practises being “borrowed” which is *eyeroll* but here is some info for Euro-descendent witches who are appropriating Indigenous practises :

“In Europe plants that were traditionally used in smoke purification included vervain, mugwort, pine and juniper. Often herbs were dried as loose leaf and burned on charcoal or thrown onto fires; vervain and mugwort work better dried as loose leaves. For pine and juniper small branchlets can be dried and used as smudge sticks. Rosemary also works well this way.” http://networkmagazine.ie/articles/smudging-rekindling-ancient-traditions

Mugwort is amazing. I’m sure a little more digging (this “research” took less than 10 minutes) would reveal even more accessible Euro practises. 

If you have been a helper to an Indigenous traditional Elder or invested a lot of time learning a tradition from an Indigenous mentor, taking the time and paying respect through reciprocity protocols, and they have passed on knowledge of plants such as sage and sweetgrass to you and encouraged you to use it, even gifted you with it, that sounds respectful. If you have been privileged enough to have these experiences be humble about them and remember that if you are Euro you are never under any circumstances entitled to BIPOC cultural traditions and medicines. 

Please be mindful that these traditions have been coopted and watered down by commercial interests looking to capitalize on Indigenous customs and medicines. They are NOT BORROWED; they are taken without permission and often without any protocol, and without any of the original teachings. This can slowly erode the cultural meaning of the tradition from its origin when the appropriators have more hegemonic power and are dominant in the society plunked on top of “borrowed” (stolen) land. 

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

TRIGGER WARNING : reference to sexual violence, abuse, rape

Lyrics:

Oooh, call off the dogs We found her in the woods That girl never stood a chance After that dark dance with the waves She waltzed her way into the sea Baby take me with you please I don't know what I'd do If you leave Whoaaaaaaa... whoaaa. whoa Watch all the torches go out One at a time The world gets darker every night Cause I see it all Without the lights She waltzed her way into the sea Baby take me with you please I don't know what I'd do if you leave She waltzed her way into the sea Baby take me with you please I don't know what I'd do if you leave Whoaaaaaaa... whoaaa. whoa Whoaaaaaaa... whoaaa. whoa Reach up your hand to pull me down. down Pull me down. Down. Down Pull me down. Down. Down Pull me down. Down. Down Pull me down. Down. Down Pull me down. Down. Down Pull me down Oooh call off the dogs, we found her in the woods

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

we

return to each

other

in waves.

this

is how

water

loves.

-Nayyirah Waheed

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

"Come Together" by Laurel (feat. Sivu) I'm a maker of rituals, I'm gonna swallow you up and eat you whole I'm that second you can't let go, We'll come together as we'll melt and mold Uuh uh, come together come together, Do I come to mind? Uuh uh, come together come together, Don't leave me behind! Pick up me, I'll make it easy Gotta keep the peace I'm the maker of the physical, Feed off the stomach and the human soul, I'm your waste of time, But we gotta go home! Uuh uh, come together come together, Do I come to mind? Uuh uh, come together come together, Don't leave me behind! Pick up me, I'll make it easy Gotta keep the peace Pick up me, I'll make it easy Gotta keep the peace Pick up me, I'll make it easy Gotta keep the peace Uuh uh, come together come together, Do I come to mind? Uuh uh, come together come together, Don't leave me behind! Pick up me, I'll make it easy Gotta keep the peace Pick up me, I'll make it easy Gotta keep the peace

[eiri-na-gealai-blog]

"Shells" by Laurel Make me feel again The sea is cold my only friend I don't want to be alone On the shells, on the shore Skin and bones, we've lost ourselves Holding onto all we felt You pushed me out to survive I fell in love just in time But does she have what you want Does she love how I love Is she everything you need Colder you are making me fall I am breaking Love hurts when it's all you need And you're breaking me Staring into the dark Scared to go back to the start I'll hurt and you will heal Nothingness is all I feel But does she have what you want Does she love how I love Is she everything you need Colder you are making me fall I am breaking Love hurts when it's all you need And you're breaking me I walk into the wind The sea's waves against my skin Empty hand and tired eyes Leave me here I'll be fine But does she have what you want Does she love how I love Is she everything you need Colder you are making me fall I am breaking Love hurts when it's all you need And you're breaking me And you're breaking me And you're breaking me