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[saucemgosh]

On Larkspur (Delphinium)

Hey Witchblr, Lucy here! I thought I’d write up a post on the Larkspur, my blog’s namesake. It’s a plant I use in my practice in various stages of its bloom cycle, which is why I cultivate it in my garden (and in pots inside during winter).

I will be discussing the genus Delphinium today. There is another genus of flower called the Larkspur: Consolida. I don’t have any experience using it in my practice, so that’s why I will focus on Delphinium today. In English, they both carry the name ‘Larkspur’ and in my native tongue, they share a name as well. They also share a very important feature, which I will bold before I continue this post:

All parts of the Larkspur plant are toxic upon ingestion and unsafe for human consumption. Depending on the species, ingesting Larkspur could lead to irreversible organ damage or even death. Do not, and I repeat, do not eat any part of the Larkspur plant. This also goes for cats, dogs, and supposedly for other pets.

For reference, this is Larkspur, a plant you should avoid eating at all costs if you come across it in the wild or elsewhere:

With that out of the way, let’s talk about cultivating the plant first. I believe growing your own plants when possible is a core part of any practice that uses plants. Here are some things you should know:

First of all, because it can’t be said enough: keep the plants away from animals and children. Preferably, stow it somewhere with mild to full sun depending on your climate and keep well-watered. Every species has its own needs which you may find online, or you could ask about the specific variety of Larkspur at the store where you buy the plant or its seeds!

Delphinium Larkspurs are perennial plants. This means it will live for multiple years (if treated properly of course) with most varieties living for 2-3 years while some can survive much longer and grow up to 2 meters (6’7”).

This means that you don’t have to harvest and save seed every year if you want to keep a healthy plot for a longer time, although I do advise it because a small plague or bad luck could wipe out your stock and leave you with no seed.

The flowers, which bloom in late spring and early summer in their natural environment, are pollinated by bumblebees and butterflies, so they would serve well in attracting insects to your garden.

With that out of the way, how can a witch use Delphinium species of Larkspur in practice?

General notes:

The plant lends itself well to use in all practices surrounding growth and the cycle of life.

I have found that in general, the species of Larkspur has no direct impact on its usage. If you do use multiple species, you may find differing results based on your specific practice. Take those results as what they most likely are: signs that your magic has a preference.

The plant is associated with the months June and July, and especially with the summer solstice.

The plant is also associated with the planet Venus and therefore with Fridays in Ptolemaic astrology

Using the flower:

Use the flower in rituals regarding protection and/or growth – personal growth, not the growth of relationships with others.

Its magical potency does increase with the size of the flower, but not necessarily with the size of the plant as a whole

The buds of the flower should not be harvested, for this represents dying. Of course, I will not judge if your practice includes death, but the Larkspur is a tricky plant; consider using other representations of death if you are not familiar with Larkspur.

Using the seeds:

The seeds of the larkspur represent potential, like many seeds do. Larkspur seeds specifically represent a potency to become kinder; this is represented in the fact that the seeds are the most toxic part of the plant.

When burned (in the open air, don’t breathe that smoke) the seeds can bring said potential to the area where it is burned. Because of this, the seeds are most useful to witches with altars or places of worship in the outside air.

When buried out of season, such that they can not sprout, the seeds can be used to keep new things from beginning or arriving in your life.

Using the roots, stems and leaves:

The stems and leaves of the Larkspur are best suited for rituals regarding growth of friendship and other relationships

The roots, when dried and burned in the open air, can bless a garden with good fortune.

If you do not grow food, use all parts of end-of-life Larkspur plants for compost to complete the cycle of growth and death the plant represents. If you do grow food, keep these plants away from your compost: the risk of transferring toxicity to your food is too high.

For the same reasons, you want to dig out all of the roots of your Larkspur if you decide to plant something else, and preferrably even change out the soil before you cultivate food there.

I hope you learned something from this post, and if you have any questions - about Larkspur or otherwise - feel free to reach out!

[saucemgosh]

[saucemgosh]

Taking care of the disabled and injured is human nature actually. We have evidence of our ancestors caring for folks with disabilities. We're a cooperative species that takes care of their own. If our starving, weary, and hunted ancestors could care for the disabled members of their tribe, in this era of modern medicine and abundant resources we absolutely can afford to do the same.

[saucemgosh]

call him bubonic the way he plagues me

[saucemgosh]

I hate how often some (typically abled) people will go “well, if you can’t [get a specific support], then what?” when it comes to disabilities. As if it’s a “gotcha” moment. And then act like you’re exaggerating when you answer that question honestly.

Disabled people often die from a lack of support. A lot of disability aids are not a luxury, but a basic need in order to live.

“Well what happens if—” people die. People hurt themselves. People hurt others. Disabled people don’t magically become abled if our needs aren’t met.

If a bedbound quadriplegic is caught in a housefire, and there’s nobody there to save them, they’ll probably die. They won’t magically become able-bodied out of sheer will.

If a nonspeaking/nonverbal autistic is denied access to alternative methods of communication, they’ll suffer in silence. They won’t spontaneously become capable of speech.

Disabled people are disabled all the time. Our disabilities don’t go away just because they’re inconvenient, or if we’re in danger.

[saucemgosh]

Remember when you see the trends, when you see things touting softness or meekness or dependence or subservience as desirable traits, when you see "clean girl" or "soft girl" or that beige/pink spotless house aesthetic, when you see homemaking and childrearing and domestic labor glamorized as Essentially Feminine Things, THAT IS PROPAGANDA.

If you Choose any of these things because they appeal to you personally and privately, that's one thing. If you feel that you Must do any of these things in order to be Desirable or Acceptable, you are eating the boot.

Remember that the patriarchy and the fascists WANT you soft. They want you waifish and babyfaced and demure and housebound and god-fearing and SILENT.

Remember always that no matter how soft or feminine or family-oriented you CHOOSE to be, you do not OWE that to anyone.

Remember always that feminism means choice and inclusion and equity. Anything that takes that away is anathema. Especially when it comes from other women.

Remember that trans women are your sisters too. Remember that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and the oppression of ANY person's bodily autonomy or right to self-determination is oppression for ALL.

Remember that we stand together or we fall apart.

And remember that all of you have teeth.

USE THEM.

[saucemgosh]

⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖° 𓈒ㅤׂㅤ𓇼 ࣪ 𓈒ㅤׂㅤ⭒ 𓆉⋆｡🐚𓇼 🫧⋆.ೃ🪸࿔*:･𓈒ㅤׂㅤ𓇼 ࣪ 𓈒ㅤׂㅤ

[saucemgosh]

Shop , Patreon , Books and Cards , Mailing List

[saucemgosh]

An important lesson we can learn from plants, especially those considered "weeds", is that if a system does not work for you, grow around it.

Dandelions cannot thrive trapped under a concrete roof, so they twist and spread and sprout between the cracks.

Tree roots will find their way through foundations and bricks to feed the tree.

Brambles will climb up and over fences designed to keep them out, if what's beyond let's them grow.

A sunflower in a pot will face the sun, not the room it's owner so desperately wants it to decorate.

Do what you need to do to thrive, irregardless of what others think you should do.

[saucemgosh]

Switching between these every day

[saucemgosh]

now for ur phone. go make some strangers uneasy in public 👉👉

[saucemgosh]

Custom Sigil Wheels

So I read this post https://in-her-broomcloset.tumblr.com/post/160210641160/witch-tip-making-your-sigil-look-better and I took it too seriously/misunderstood what it meant.  So here are the results of what I thought she was saying, lol.

Feel free to make your own sigil wheels and stuff like that. You can encircle the sigils in a circle or in the shape of the sigil wheel used (whichever you prefer). Happy sigil making! ^^

[saucemgosh]

Am very interested in this signs. Want to have more info. Thanks

5 Types Of Sigils

How exactly do you use a sigil?

How to make Sigils.

How I Make My Sigils

How to use sigils

Sigil Placement

Inverted Sigils

Body Sigils

Linking sigils

Mixed Sigils

Hypersigils

Sigil surroundings

Tracing sigils into the air

How to make Sigils

Sigil Matrix

Tribal Sigils, And How To Make Them

Active, And Passive Sigil Activation

Name Sigils

Acoustic sigils

Verbal sigils

Hand Tapping Sigils

Ways to charge a sigil

Ways to activate a sigil

Sigil Altars

Sigil Triggers

Sigil Matrices

Alphabet of Desire

Alphabet Of Binding

Sigil Triggers

Photograph Sigil Method:

Automatic Writing Sigil Method

Eyes Closed Sigil Method

Word Sigil Method

Here you go my friend, I hope this helps. Thanks for the question, I appreciate it.

- wolf of antimony

[saucemgosh]

refusing to legally recognize queer identities historically has not stopped people from being queer. try to erase us all you fucking want. if you ever take me down, i’m going down with your flesh between my teeth and love buried in my goddamn bones.

[saucemgosh]

dear usamerican high schoolers looking for a way to resist fascism: sit through the pledge of allegiance.

no getting up. no looking at the flag.

everyone will be looking at you. you'll be sweating like a fucking hippopotamus. your teacher will sternly tell you to get up. you'll feel stupid and that maybe its not worth it because you're just a kid in a classroom. but I'm here to remind you that there are no real life consequences to detention. there are however real life consequences to resisting a thoughtless performance of nationalism.

[saucemgosh]

Shadow Work Prompts

With my last post being about shadow work, I thought I’d give y’all some prompts to use.

How does the feeling of envy show up in your life?

What do you need more of in your life?

What do you love most about yourself?

If you could get rid of one bad memory, what would it be and why?

In what ways are you inauthentic?

What irrational fears do you have and how do they hold you back?

Do you hold grudges against others that could be let go? What’s your motive for holding onto them?

What do you hate about others? Why? What might that say about yourself?

What do you need to stop running away from?

What do you need to let go of?

What should you attract into your life?

How do you feel about “love”?

Why do you think you don’t deserve love?

What do you minimize about yourself? What do you flaunt?

How do you deal with criticism?

How do you perceive pain?

Why haven’t you dealt with your past before?

What don’t you like about your life? Why? How can you change it?

How often do you lie to yourself and what about?

What emotion(s) do you try to avoid? Why don’t you want to feel those ways?

Write a letter to someone who hurt you and then burn it.

How does your inner child see you?

How are you deceiving yourself?

What does success mean to you? How are you standing in your own way?

What is going on in your life that you are actively ignoring?

What keeps you motivated?

What inspires you?

Who or what is making your life difficult? How can you deal with it constructively?

How have you been betrayed in your life? What did it teach you?

How has your voice been stifled in the past?

What areas of your life do you excel in?

What are the most important/integral things you have learned over the past few years?

In what ways are you too defensive? Why?

How are you pessimistic in your own life?

Why do you not trust others?

What hardships have you overcome? How has it changed you?

What are you doing to pursue your dreams?

What do you still need to forgive yourself for?

What did that relationship teach you? (you know the one… that one)

How can you maintain your individuality?

In what ways can you be more true to yourself?

In what ways are you lying to yourself? Why?

How can you lead with your heart in your life?

How have your dreams fallen short of reality?

What is your relationship with your mother like?

What is your relationship with your father like?

Write a letter to your inner child. Maybe apologize for what has happened to them and that you couldn’t protect them, tell them how far you have come and how much you have done. Say whatever comes to mind.

How have you been a martyr/victim in your own life?

I’ll keep this post updated with more prompts when I find them