lily-forestcat - Tumblr blog

lily-forestcat · 6 years

Text

Important Info for Witches in US!

okay a LOT of people don’t seem to know this so i’m putting it here too.

In all 50 states in the US, teaching witchcraft (or any other religion) to minors (under 18 in 48 states, 21 in Mississippi) without the full knowledge & consent of parents/guardian is illegal. aka this means fines or even jail time.

you can advise them to do research, attend spiritual events, meditate, and things like that but you can NOT mentor them or give any sort of direct information. i recommend a signed consent form from the parents to prevent any legal issues.

likewise, if you are <18 in the US, do not seek out a mentor if your parents haven’t given you permission!! you could get someone in serious trouble. if you know your parents would not consent to it, do your own research and then seek guidance when you are of age. It is safer for multiple reasons that way.

i don’t know the laws in other countries but i suggest looking into it!

4K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 6 years

Text

Tarot in Spells

this is a list of magical associations for every tarot card, they can be added into spells to amplify your intentions and strengthen your manifestations

Wands are connected with the Fire element and is centered around movement, direction, energy, passion

Swords deal with thinking, communication, perception, and issues dealing with truth, connected to the air element

Cups are connected with water, and the full spectrum of emotions. every emotion imaginable is covered in the cup’s suit.

Pentacles are connected with Earth and are symbolic of manifestation, rewards, material wealth and material abundance.

The Fool creates new beginnings and can be paired with other cards. ex: the fool + the lovers for new romance, the fool + pentacles for new opportunities, etc.

The Magician increases your power and capability on all levels, willpower, emotional security, balance within yourself, etc.

The High Priestess increases your psychic abilities, mediumship abilities, and intuition

The Empress will help you with creativity and creative endeavors

The Emperor establishes order, structure, and command

The Hierophant can be used in a lot of ways, my favorites are 1. Pairing it with the fool to attract a new mentor, 2. Using it to summon a spirit guide or ascended master

The Lovers help invoke and attract love, partnership, mutual relationships, and passion

The Chariot is amazing for success, and triumph. I always use this in success spells for exams, tests, and projects. The Chariot will help the best possible outcome for a situation to arise

Strength will help you master your emotions

The Hermit is good for rituals and meditations based going within and gaining a better understanding of your own self, and life purpose.

The Wheel of Fortune can be used for luck, change, and getting a desired situation moving

Justice is great for truth, legal matters, and justice

The Hanged Man buys you time for a situation you aren’t ready to face, delays events

The Death card works well for ending situations, closing doors, gaining closure, and new beginnings

Temperance will restore balance and serenity to any situation

The Tower is best used for hexing and cursing, brings misfortune, unhappiness and chaos

The Star card is good for when you are casting spells focused on gaining something, The Star card is centered around healing, openness, and hope

The Moon helps develops intuitive abilities and can be used to send bad dreams

The Sun is used in spells for summoning happiness, success, and health

Judgement will help clear confusion and help you with understanding your life mission similar to the Hermit in that aspect

The World invokes wholeness and completion

Page of Wands: works with communication, messages, action, and passion

Page of Cups: boosts creativity, taps into your spiritual nature to bring out new creativity

Page of Swords: amplifies ingenuity and creativity, helps deliver messages from one person to another, can be used to attract someone’s attention to yourself

Page of Pentacles: good for grounding and centering spell work

Knight of Wands: speeds up any workings involving passion, love, and creativity

Knight of Cups: speeds up workings dealing with emotions, psychic development, inner strength

Knight of Swords: speeds up workings involving communication, balance, and thinking

Knight of Pentacles: speeds up workings dealing with manifesting abundance, material wealth, prosperity, and creativity

King of Wands: associated with leadership, command, can help you gain authority

King of Cups: associated with personal feelings, can help you resolve personal conflicts and inner turmoil

King of Swords: aids in strengthening your communication and speaking skills

King of Pentacles: invokes luxury, great card for business success

Queen of Wands: establishes a sense of self security and sufficiency

Queen of Cups: develops your psychic abilities, also helps with understanding/controlling your emotions

Queen of Swords: helps you develop stronger focus

Queen of Pentacles: abundance, creativity, fertility

Aces: used for new beginnings based on the energy represented in that suit

Two of Wands: positive progress in any situation whether it be romance, health, career, etc.

Three of Wands: business prosperity

Four of Wands: strengthens any type of relationship

Five of Wands: used in hexes and curses to invoke conflict, and arguments

Six of Wands: manifests recognition, success,

Seven of Wands: use this card when you’re in a tough situation, it will help you succeed and come out of it stronger

Eight of Wands: directs energy and intentions towards a specific goal or purpose, helps to speed up workings

Nine of Wands: use this card when you come face to face with a difficult task, this card will keep you brave and strong

Ten of Wands: can either be used to achieve something great, or it can be used in a hex or curse to manifest burdens

Two of Cups: union, strengthens romantic relationships

Three of Cups: strengthens a friendship

Four of Cups: dissatisfaction with surroundings

Five of Cups: causes despair and sadness

Six of Cups: lifts your mood when you’re feeling down

Seven of Cups: illusions and deceptions

Eight of Cups: used to help you move on from the past

Nine of Cups: make a wish and use this card’s power to grant your wish, invokes happiness

Ten of Cups: brings happiness to relationships of all kinds, friends, family, romantic, etc.

Two of Swords: used in curses and hexes to cause someone to have a limiting mindset

Three of Swords: heartbreak and emotional strife

Four of Swords: used in healing spells, sleeping aid

Five of Swords: manifests conflict, and failed success

Six of Swords: this card will aid you when you face a difficult change, helps you to move on and move forward

Seven of Swords: causes betrayal

Eight of Swords: powerful energy that causes isolation

Nine of Swords: sends nightmares and anxieties

Ten of Swords: defeat and betrayal

Two of Pentacles: brings balance

Three of Pentacles: strengthens business connections

Four of Pentacles: manifests financial stability

Five of Pentacles: financial problem

Six of Pentacles: prosperity

Seven of Pentacles: material abundance

Eight of Pentacles: if you’ve worked hard this card ensures you that your efforts will be rewarded

Nine of Pentacles: success, luxury, accomplishment

Ten of Pentacles: success, wealth

Negative aspects of the cards can be used for hexing and cursing

37K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Text

Domestic Garden Witch: Herbs in the Spiral Dance

Project from Family Food Garden, and can be found here!

So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.

For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.

This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!

Spinning in Spirals

When we live in urban environments, it is sometimes difficult to maximize the amount of space available for planting. This is even more true when we desire a variety of herbs for cooking and magical purposes. Having multiple planter boxes isn’t always a practical option, but there are always ways to incorporate natural growing environments into our limited space!

This project makes use of terracing in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and spiritual. It’s practical and saves space, as well!

Clear out an area in your garden appropriate for your herbs (the garden in the picture is about two yards in diameter), and build up a circular wall from brick or stone. Fill it with soil, then extend the wall inward, following a spiral path until you have a space at the top. Continue filling in with soil as you go, until you have a conical mound.

Plant herbs that need more moisture near the bottom of the mound, and herbs that need drier, sandier soil at the top. This method provides a natural means of recreating the ideal environment for the herbs while conserving space, as well!

Twisting, Turning, in the Spiraling Dance

There are so many ways in which this form of gardening can be made witchy, from the choices in plant to the materials in the wall, to crystals added to the soil. But for me, the primary magical influence in this garden is the spiral itself.

Spirals feature in many religions, for varying reasons. From the triskele of Celtic imagery to the the spirals drawn on cave walls, we see it everywhere. But the spiral is far from man-made. It is a naturally occurring pattern that can be seen on shells worn by crustaceans, pine cones, in the petals of blooming roses, and even in mathematics!

From a spiritual perspective, the spiral is much like the circle - a never-ending pattern repeating itself in a cycle. It radiates both outward and inward, and promotes constant movement. For this reason, it’s often associated with the movement of energy and magic.

In the garden, this can be of benefit, keeping the area cleansed and nourished with a constant stream of energy, while also helping provide a bit of spiritual health for you as well. This method of growing plants does not have to be limited to herbs, either. Spirals are as aesthetically pleasing as they are practical.

Consider ways in which this primal symbol can enrich your garden and your magic!

May your harvests always be bountiful! )O(

123 notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Text

Knitting Witchcraft 101, a crash course by witchimplumis

To start this off, obviously there are TONS of ways to do a lot of this stuff. This is mostly the method I use. This also isn’t a tutorial to knitting, there’s lots of great videos out there explaining how to knit, if I tried to teach all of that in this post, it would be at least 3 times as long. Finally, most of this probably also works for crochet, but I don’t know the first thing about crochet, so I’ll let someone else weigh in on that.

Knitting magic is great for anyone, from witches on a budget (yarn, especially acrylic, can be dirt cheap), broom closet witches (it’s easy-peasy to pass off as a normal, non-witchy hobby), practical witches (you get a useful garment at the end!), and more. You can use it on its own, or as a part of a larger spell or ritual.

Intent

Much like all magic, a lot of knitting magic is intent and visualization. Before starting a project, come up with a purpose for the finished product. For this scenario, I’ll use a real project I’ve done. I wanted to make a shawl to help me in the upcoming school year. When you’re knitting, focus on the purpose that you want to imbue the finished product with. Imagine your hopes for it entering each stitch, and being locked in place with your needles. When you first start, it may feel mentally exhausting or draining, or it may be really hard to focus and you may find your thoughts drifting away, but as you practice you’ll get better and be able to focus longer. I find that once I start to lose focus the best thing to do is leave for a while and pick the project up later, once I’ve had time to clear my head.

Rs/ws

If you’ve been a knitter for any length of time at all, you know that flat knitting has what’s called a “right side” (the side that shows when you’re wearing/using your created object) and a “wrong side” (the side that faces towards you, like the bottom of a blanket or inside of a cardigan), or rs and ws on patterns. When working out the beginning of my projects, I come up with two different intents, one for the outside world to see (right side) and one to affect only me (wrong side). So, in the example of my school shawl, I wanted other people to view me as capable in my field. So my rs intent was “I am a learned student of my trade.” On the ws, I choose an intent that helps me to acheive my ultimate goal (doing well in school) so the intent I used was “I have the focus required in my studies.” HOWEVER, when working in the round, there’s no wrong side. So then how do you go about wrong side intents? Two options: one, have only one overarching purpose for all knitting (such as “I will succeed in my chosen field”), or alternate lines as you would if you weren’t knitting in the round.

Color/texture

Yarn comes in pretty much every color and color combination imaginable. Color associations/color magic are not only possible to do with yarn but strongly encouraged. I use lots of sources for mine, googling “color associations” brings up bunches of pages, or you can use your own personal associations. If you’re going to do this, read reviews for the yarn and check for or ask about color bleeding.

Textures are an often-overlooked factor. Prickly yarn can be used in a defensive spell, or soft yarn in one for comfort and warmth. Always keep in mind what kind of thing you’re making though, and try to work off of that. Some textures are not ideal for some uses.

Materials Yarn materials are important to fit to your project. For example, you don’t want to make a knit bralette out if dish scrubby yarn (ouch). You have tons of options, but I’ll stick to the kinds you’re most likely to run into cheap-ish. My standing recommendation for all of these is if there is any way at all you can see and feel yarn in person before buying it, do so. I don’t recommend buying in bulk of you haven’t dealt with a brand or line of yarn before.

Acrylic- acrylic yarn is usually extremely cheap and comes in tons of colors and textures, some are shiny, others are really fuzzy, there’s all kinds for all purposes. It’s really great if you have allergies because it’s synthetic fiber.

Wool/superwash wool: usually somewhat coarse, wool is a natural fiber that comes from shearing specific breeds of wool-producing sheep. Some brands will even say specifically what breed(s) or country their wool comes from. In my experience, wool is much easier to work magic with than acrylic, however it will usually also be more expensive, and there are fewer textures and appearances available.

Cotton: cotton is a nice in-between of acrylic and wool. It’s a natural fiber, but I don’t know of anybody being allergic to it. It can come in many different colors, but not really any texture variety, they all just feel like cotton. If you’re not morally opposed for any of various reasons, Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Cotton yarn is by far the best cotton yarn I’ve found, in terms of softness. If you ARE morally opposed however, Sugar n Cream makes cotton yarn on huge spools very cheap.

Bamboo: it’s considered eco-friendly yarn. I don’t know how true that is, as I don’t use it enough to actually look into the carbon footprint of bamboo yarn. That said it feels like actual clouds and looks like them too.

Silk: we all know what silk is. Silk yarn exists. It’s on the expensive end of cheap stuff, usually only comes in small amounts.

Merino: wool that comes from the merino sheep breed specifically. This wool is really soft, I don’t work with it much because it’s usually really expensive compared to every other kind.

Novelty yarns: I love incorportating these. Some are great for practical reasons (dish scrubby yarn) and others are great for using some of their elements as part of a spell (like feathery yarns or beady yarns etc.)

Stitch types I don’t think there’s a widely agreed upon set of associations for stitch type/pattern, these are just some common ones I’ve come to associate. YO/lace- these large, open patterns I associate with “bigger” or more wide effects. Alternately, because they’re basically big holes in the object, allowing your intents to come out into the environment. seed- just like its name, I associate seed stitch with potential and growth. Garter- I tend to associate garter stitch with mundane life, alternately with its common use as a border stitch I associate it as a holding stitch, keeping things in (like secrets) or protected. Stockinette- a super common stitch pattern for fronts of things, especially socks (as per the name). I tend to associate it with appearances, and spells like glamour aids.

Blocking When/if you block, visualize the water charging your finished object. You can use scented wool wash in scents that are associated with the spell you’re doing, you have tons of options.

Beads, etc: You can get all kinds of things at craft stores! I found crystal charms last time I went that would look great on a heavier-weight shawl, there’s beads of various different materials and colors, if I went over all of these things it’d take a whole extra post. Play around and see what you like.

Finished products: Clothing- either for yourself or for others. Make ritual clothing or just a warmth-intent hat. Possibilities are totally endless. Poppet- maybe make a poppet out of yarn? Stuff it with things you want the poppet associated with? Disclaimer: don’t burn knit poppets unless you are 100% certain ALL ingredients are safe to burn wherever you’re burning them. I prefer to “destroy” my knit poppets by stabbing them with knitting needles, so that I can reuse them, even better, make the end drawstring-style, so you can reuse it with different ingredients. Eco friendly witchcraft! Spell swatch- I call it a spell swatch but it may have another name by now. It works pretty much exactly how it sounds, knit a swatch of fabric in varying colors, stitches, etc., based on what the spell is. Knit in beads or feathers or hair or whatever you feel like you should. Then pin it on your wall or carry it with you. It doesn’t have to (and probably won’t) look nice, it’s just a little spell to carry with you, like a very personalized sigil.

Other uses: knitting is great for meditation! Finding a simple pattern to knit for a while can leave your mind free to relax and do its own thing, I love leaving guided meditations, binaural tones, etc. on while I’m knitting things like socks or blankets.

#resources #yarn #crochet #knitting

3K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Conversation

Basics of Astrology

Dates:

Aries: March 21—April 19

Taurus: April 20—May 20

Gemini: May 21—June 20

Cancer: June 21—July 22

Leo: July 23—August 22

Virgo: August 23—September 22

Libra: September 23—October 22

Scorpio: October 23—November 21

Sagittarius: November 22—December 21

Capricorn: December 22—January 19

Aquarius: January 20—February 18

Pisces: February 19—March 20

•

What These Signs Mean:

Aries - Active, Demanding, Determined, Effective, Ambitious

Taurus - Security, Subtle strength, Appreciation, Instruction, Patience

Gemini - Communication, Indecision, Inquisitive, Intelligent, Changeable

Cancer - Emotion, Diplomatic, Intensity, Impulsive, Selective

Leo - Ruling, Warmth, Generosity, Faithful, Initiative

Virgo - Analyzing, Practical, Reflective, Observation, Thoughtful

Libra - Balance, Justice, Truth, Beauty, Perfection

Scorpio - Transient, Self-Willed, Purposeful, Unyielding

Sagittarius - Philosophical, Motion, Experimentation, Optimism

Capricorn - Determination, Dominance, Perservering, Practical, Willful

Aquarius - Knowledge, Humanitarian, Serious, Insightful, Duplicitous

Pisces - Fluctuation, Depth, Imagination, Reactive, Indecisive

•

Your Signs:

- ________ Rising

- ________ Sun

- ________ Moon

- ________ Mercury

- ________ Venus

- ________ Mars

- ________ Jupiter

- ________ Saturn

- ________ Uranus

- ________ Neptune

- ________ Pluto

•

What Those Signs Mean:

Rising: Your rising sign, in short, is you're actual Zodiac. It is based off of time zones in which the day you are born. The names for them are Aries, Capricorn, Gemini, Taurus, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Aquarius, Virgo, Pisces, and Cancer. Your Rising sign might be found easily on first impressions you might give.

Sun: This is who you are in personality, your normal self. This is how you may act if alone, and is your inner traits. How you act can be described with this sign, also as to who you are.

Moon: You may call the moon sign you have your emotions. It influences your decisions. It is how you feel on the inside, whether everyone knows this or just you. It holds your loves and fears, hates and excitements. Anything, really.

Mercury: is how you may be like in time of communication, reasoning, intellect and awareness. It's known for it's power of the brain.

Venus: The sign of Venus is based upon the time you were born and can be called something of Love.

Mars: is in charge of attraction and raw energy for that matter.

Jupiter: The planet of Jupiter is responsible for luck and good fortune. Whether the optimization is for humor or good will, it's going to be a major apart of you no matter what. It's the happy part in your life. You need it there.

Saturn: This sign, Saturn, is here for the parts in life with things like restriction and limitations. Found as you get older, this is known for being you as you grow up.

Uranus: is here for the change in life. The sign can be for the worse or better at times, and it's a part of life you'll eventually come across. Take it, hit or miss, and in the end it might make you better than it seemed.

Neptune: can be called dreamy, for this matter. The sign for this works as great influence, fantasy, and imagination seen in your daily life, so to say. With this, you might find it almost as if a dream.

Pluto: Not the same change with Uranus, but Pluto is part of big change. It's more of transformation. Life challenges thrown your way will lead to this sign, Pluto.

•

I hope that helped! If you have any questions about your signs or how to find them, you can ask me @dxncingblxck or any other astrology blog basically. Have fun and happy astrology-ing!

#resources #astrology

27K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Text

Free Useful Apps for Tech Witches//

Good General Witchcraft App

Herbal Dictionary App

Crystal and Gem Dictionary App

Crystal Charger App

Horoscope App

Tarot App

Spirit Board App

Star Walk 2 App for Star Gazing

Moon Globe App

Planets App

Dream Interpretation and Diary App

Tesla Toy App

Candle App

White Noise App

Koi Pond App

Zen Garden App

#resources #techno witch #apps

2K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Link

Huh, interesting. Thoughts?

#interesting read #reference

67 notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Photo

#resources #tarot

7K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Conversation

50 Things All Witches Do But Don't Admit

001: forgets which incense scent they bought and just rolls with it

002: buys bath supplies just for the pretty jar

003: misplaces all of their notes

004: forgets what a sigil looks like immediately after using it

005: leaves a candle burning by accident

006: mixes up correspondences

007: has to look up ingredient meanings

008: doubts if their spell worked

009: constantly reorganizes their supplies

010: burns themselves lighting candles

011: leaves spell remnants inside of materials for a week before finally cleaning it up

012: gossips with their tarot deck 24/7

013: gossips with their familiar 24/7

014: gossips with their deity 24/7

015: tries and fails to make their own magically infused bath and facial products

016: forgets what kind of crystals they bought and spends hours on Google figuring it out

017: even if they can't figure it out, just rolls with it

018: stalks the Dollar Tree more than is normal

019: low-key wants to have *real* magic powers

020: leaves random spell stuff (candle stubs, ashes, etc) laying on the altar

021: forgets to throw out the old and moldy food offering for their deity

022: doesn't practice witchcraft daily

023: buys spell ingredients and doesn't end up using them

024: low-key snags orange peels or other dry-able ingredients from family, friends, or garbage cans

025: makes excuses for why they need these things

026: always looking for jars

027: *stares at 20 empty jars on floor* "I still need more jars"

028: laughs when someone says sarcastically yells, "sorcery!" when they pull off an amazing feat.

029: forgets about the full moon until the night of

030: forgets about the new moon until the night of

031: doesn't even know what lunar cycle it is

032: is kinda iffy on the day of the week too

033: tbh, might not even know what month it is

034: casts a spell with no results

035: casts a spell with undesired results

036: uses store-bought instead of natural ingredients

037: plans a ritual and forgets about it

038: forgets steps during a ritual or spell

039: forgets to gather ingredients until halfway through a spell

040: completely messes up a spell and has to start over

041: does magic unintentionally

042: dresses as a witch for a Halloween party

043: forgets they did a spell until they start to see results

044: is still blown away by magic

045: feels overwhelmed by the amount of research

046: does not know everything about their craft

047: has evolved their craft many times

048: completely misses a sabbat or solstice

049: forgets about their solar or lunar water until three days later

050: makes shit up as they go

#for fun

15K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Text

How to Substitute in a Spell 🌿

not all witches have the same budget or spell ingredients readily available to them, so when one witch writes a spell with ingredients they consider easy to procure, it may not be the same for the next witch that wants to try that spell.

🌿 homemade replacements:

sometimes you can make a substitute for the ingredients, the way land locked witches can make sea water from sea salt and tap water. it’s not entirely the same but it’ll do well enough. however, not everything can be almost-manufactured.

🌿 common “replaces anything” alternatives:

rosemary - replaces any herb

rose - replaces any flower

quartz - replaces any crystal

white or black candle - replaces any candle.

however, these are just stand in- the hold the spot, boost the spell, but only in generic, neutral energy. these ingredients can even water down the intent of the spell because they don’t support the correspondences of the spell. without components that have the intent of the spell, what do you have to direct that energy?

🌿 so how to replace a spell component?

the core of any spell is the intent, the results it wants to achieve. however, that intent is the sum of the intents of the ingredients in the spell. you need to break down the spell into its ingredients and understand what is needed and why, and even if anything is expendable.

example: a spell to speak clearly may have one herb for communication and another for clarity, and one for luck.

the one for luck may be less necessary than the other ingredients, just there for a little boost to the spell.

however, using only the component for communication, the spell might only bring opportunities to communicate, and they may go badly or well, there’s nothing in the spell to balance that. so the other component is needed, the one for clarity.

however the herb for clarity on its own may end up only providing insight and understanding on your part, and not communicating well with others.

figure out the correspondences of the herbs and their part in the spell, and look up herb/stone/etc correspondences for that intent, and replace with what you find that is available to you.

🌿 however, there are other times you may need to replace something in a spell, like personal association.

say you hate lavender, yet it’s in every calming or sleep spell. if lavender makes you gag when you need a sleep spell, it’s plain not going to help the spell for you, even if you have plenty of lavender on hand.

again you research what lavender or whatever herb generally stands for, and find an equivalent, like chamomile tea. if you like chamomile and have it on hand, it can be your new go-to replacement.

BONUS RESOURCE for herb/stone correspondences/associations: 🌿 pinecone.pub 🌿

#resources #spells #substitutions

5K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 7 years

Photo

The Moon Box

this is my second Moon Box so far and I am still impressed. The same amazing packaging as last month and beautiful smells. Here are pictures and a list of what I received this month.

The contents of the box:

Letter from The Moon Box explaining the contents with an additional blank piece of parchment for use.

Hand carved Beltane Box with moss

Hand Anointed “Seeding Spell” candle with mantra

Dandelion Leaf, Strawberry Leaf, and Star Anise

Intention Necklace (Jasper, Jade, and Rudrakska beads)

Altar artwork featuring a crow and the rune Berkanan

Earth Oil

Forest Incense Sticks and Palo Santo

Argonite Star Crystal

Incrementum Sacred Salt

#supplies #subscription box #moon box #Beltane #the moon box #resources

0 notes

lily-forestcat · 8 years

Photo

FIRST, gather your herbs.

Consider starting with something gentle that will be nice to learn with. Some of my first tinctures were skullcap and lemon balm. These herbs aid in stress and are usually effective if taken multiple times daily over time. I find that trustworthy plants like these are great doorways into herbalism.

The best place to gather herbs from would be your own garden. If this is not possible be sure to find a trustworthy local herb shop or a bigger buyer like Mountain Rose who sells organic. It is best to tincture most herbs fresh, but dry works well too.

*** If the herbs are coming straight out of the garden you can gently wash the aerial parts, and definitely scrub the roots clean of any dirt residue.

THEN, chop and macerate.

Chop up the herb or root as small as possible. Once you think it is small enough, go smaller. The more surface area that is exposed during the maceration process, the stronger the medicine can be! For roots, dried herbs, and larger projects I will use a Vitamix. If you often have a small amount that can be easily ground, you may want to consider getting a coffee grinder to reserve for all your herbal endeavors.

Now you are ready to macerate, which basically means to let the plant sit in alcohol for a few weeks. This process pulls out all the healing constituents that make tinctures therapeutic!

For your menstrum (or solvent) you will need to use some sort of alcohol. Some people like to use glycerites which are sweeter, or apple cider vinegar. Traditionally brandy or some form of alcohol like vodka was used. When I do the standard method, which is a bit more complicated, I use grain alcohol that is nearly 100%!

Fill a jar all the way to the top with your herbs. Cover it with your brandy or alcohol of choice. Let the herbs macerate for one full lunar cycle. Starting medicines on the full moon can be quite magical! Label your jar with the ingredients and date, and store in indirect light. Shake the maceration daily with good intentions.

***Remember that you are powerful and the energy that you put forth and the intentions that you set will come through in the medicine.

FINALLY, strain and enjoy!

After a month (or longer) has passed, strain out your herbs with the muslin cloth. Squeeze out any remaining liquid that might be living in the herb. Compost the finished herb which is also known as mark. Pour the now tincture back into jar or into a dosage bottle with a custom label. You have now made your very first folk tincture!

Now you can make medicine from all the beautiful plants that grow around you. You will begin to discover that most of what you need is pretty close by. The St. John’s Wort on the highway, the kudzu on the pine trees, the wild oats dancing in the pasture, the dandelion in your lawn, all the plants are here waiting for you!

With love and healing light,

Summer Ashley

#resources #herbs #tincture

7K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 8 years

Photo

Collecting Tree Energy. Taoist Masters observed that trees are tremendously powerful plants. Not only can they absorb carbon dioxide and transform it into oxygen, but they can also absorb negative forces and transform them into good Energy. Trees strongly root with the Earth, and the more rooted the tree, the higher it can extend to Heaven. Trees stand very still, absorbing the Earth’s Energy and the Universal Force from the Heavens. Trees and all plants have the ability to absorb the Light of the Energies and transform it into food; in fact, they depend on light for most of their nourishment, while water and earth minerals make up about 30% of their nutritional intake. Trees are able to live very long lives. The Tree as Healer and Friend Trees are the largest and most Spiritually advanced plants on Earth. They are constantly in Meditation, and Subtle Energy is their Natural Language. As your understanding of this language grows, you can begin to develop a relationship with them. They can help you open your Energy Channels and cultivate calm, presence, and vitality. You can reciprocate by helping them with their own blockages and devitalized areas. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that needs cultivation. Choosing a Tree to Work With Throughout history human beings have used all parts of the tree for Healing and Medicine. The best trees for Healing are big trees, especially pines. Pine trees radiate Chi, nourish blood, strengthen nervous systems, and contribute to long lives. They also nurture Souls and Spirits. Pines are the “Immortal Tree.” Early Chinese poetry and painting is full of admiration for pines. Although pine trees are often the best choice, many other trees or plants can be used. The larger trees contain the most Energy. Among the most powerful are trees growing near running water. Some trees feel warmer or hotter than others; some feel cooler or colder than others. Practice distinguishing the varying properties of different trees. You do not need to go far out into the forest to find an appropriate tree to work with. Trees that are used to having people around understand our Energy and are actually more accessible and friendly than those far out in the wilderness. There is a certain size range within which trees are most accessible to human beings. When a tree is too small, it does not have enough Energy to make much of an impression on you. When the tree is too big, you have the opposite problem, so it takes more persistence to get large trees to take an interest in you. As a source of Healing Energy, it is best to choose a large, robust tree from within the accessible size range. Establishing Communion with a Tree There are certain methods to approaching, interacting with, retreating from and taking leave of a tree. By following specific steps you create a Ritual of Silent Communion that both you and the tree can understand, and so increase the potential for Harmonious Interaction. The steps were derived from observation of the Natural course of events in Subtle Energy Communion, and apply to communion with just about anything: tree, rock, human, or animal, although the following is concerned specifically with trees. First of all, each tree, like each person, has a personality, desires, and a Life of its own. Trees differ widely in their taste for human contact. Some are very generous and want to give you all the Energy you can take. Others are weak or ill and need your comforting and Healing Energy. Some are just friendly Souls who enjoy human company. You can learn and grow by working with all of them. Trees operate on a longer time scale than do human beings. You can help to bridge this gap by returning again and again to the same tree, so that a relationship develops. Visit regularly so that the tree knows when to expect you and can look forward to seeing you. Spiritual communion with trees resembles love more than any other human activity. Let the tree lead you into the wonders of its own inner life.

#resources #energy work

15K notes · View notes

lily-forestcat · 8 years

Photo