#green camphor

[camphor2]

use of camphor

Use of camphor as an ingredient in many traditional remedies for cold, flu, and cough.

Use of camphor in the production of topical analgesic creams and ointments for pain relief.

Use of camphor is an effective natural insecticide that can be used to keep insects away from stored clothing and bedding.

Use of camphor is an important ingredient in many cosmetic products such as creams, lotions, and hair tonics.

Use of camphor can be added to hot water or humidifiers to provide relief from nasal and chest congestion.

Use of camphor in aromatherapy to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

Use of camphor as an ingredient in some mouthwashes due to its antibacterial properties.

Use of camphor as a natural cleaning agent for removing stubborn stains and odors.

Use of camphor is an important ingredient in some traditional balms and salves for wound healing and skin irritations.

Use of camphor in the production of some types of incense sticks for spiritual and religious purposes.

Use of camphor to treat fungal infections such as athlete's foot and ringworm.

Use of camphor in some types of pain-relieving patches for targeted pain relief.

Use of camphor as an important ingredient in the production of some types of explosives and fireworks.

Use of camphor as a natural insect repellent for pets and livestock.

Use of camphor is a versatile substance with many uses in traditional medicine, natural health, and industry.

[yebreed]

Centuries-old camphor trees in Yantou Village, Lishui, Zhejiang.

Photo: ©张霂佑tago

[lionfloss]

3,000 year old Camphor tree

[bonguri]

20230505 Rokusho shrine 4 by Bong Grit Via Flickr: また紅葉の頃にも来たいな。 @Rokusho shrine, Toyota city, Aichi pref. （愛知県豊田市 六所神社）

[nyxshadowhawk]

Hellenic Gods Fact Sheets and Hymns: Hecate

Other Names: Trivia, Brimo

Epithets: Anassa eneroi  (queen of those below), Aidonaia (lady of the Underworld), Amibousa (she who changes), Atalus (tender, delicate), Borborophorba (she who feeds on filth), Brimo (angry, terrifying), Despoina (mistress), Eileithyia (of childbirth), Enodia (of the roads), Epaine (dread), Euplokamos (bright-tressed), Khthonia (of the Underworld), Kleidouchos (keeper of the keys), Kourotrophos (protector of children), Krokopelos (saffron-robed), Liparokredemnos (bright-coiffed), Nycteria (nocturnal; of the night), Nyctipolos (night-wandering), Perseis (destroyer/ daughter of Perses), Phosphoros (light bearer), Propolos (guide), Propylaia (the one before the gate), Scylacagetis (leader of dogs), Soteira (savior), Trikephalos (three-headed/of the crossroads), Trimorphos (three-formed), Trioditis (of the three ways), Trivia (of the three ways).

Domains: Witchcraft, magic, necromancy, ghosts, nightmares, death, initiation, the crossroads, gateways, passage between worlds, and the night.

Appearance: [My UPG] A tall (over 6’) woman, neither young nor old, with waist-length black hair, pale skin, prominent cheekbones, a heavy jaw, and intense green eyes. She is usually dressed in black folds molded into a simple dress or robes. She has a severe expression and an intimidating presence. She speaks with a low voice.

Sacred Days and Festivals: Eleusinia (22 Metageitnion). Nemoralia (August 13th-15th). Deipnon, last day of each (lunar) month.

Symbols/Attributes: Torches, keys, daggers, strophalos (iynx wheel)

Sacred Animals: Dog, polecat, serpent, horse, frog.

Sacred Plants: Yew, cypress, garlic, willow, hazel, black poplar, aconite, belladonna, dittany, mandrake, hemlock, asphodel

Elemental Affinity: Darkness, light, fire

Planet: Moon

Colors: Black, saffron, silver.

Crystals: Black onyx, hematite, obsidian, black tourmaline, moonstone, smoky quartz, agate, amethyst.

Incense: Myrrh, almond, cypress, camphor, saffron, mugwort, pomegranate.

Tarot Cards: The High Priestess, The Moon, Death

Retinue: Empousai, ghosts of the dead, dogs, Lampades (torch-bearing underworld nymphs)

Associated People: Witches (and other magic-users), the dead

Offerings: Bread, eggs, honey, garlic, menstrual blood, graveyard dirt.

Syncretized With: Artemis, Diana, Persephone, Eileithyia, Selene, Nephthys, Ereshkigal, Nicnevin, Heqet

Hymns to Hecate

Orphic Hymn to Hecate

Hekate Enodia, Trivia, lovely dame, Of earthly, watery, and celestial frame, Sepulchral, in a saffron veil arrayed, Pleased with dark ghosts that wander through the shade; Daughter of Perses, solitary goddess, hail! The world’s key-bearer, never doomed to fail; In stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, And drawn by bulls, unconquerable, monstrous queen; Leader, Nymphe, nurse, on mountains wandering, Hear the suppliants who with holy rites thy power revere, And to the herdsman with a favoring mind draw near.

Hecate’s Hymn to Herself

I come, a virgin of varied forms, wandering through the heavens, bull-faced, three-headed, ruthless, with golden arrows; chaste Phoebe bringing light to mortals, Eileithyia; bearing the three synthemata [sacred signs] of a triple nature.  In the Aether I appear in fiery forms and in the air I sit in a silver chariot, Earth reins in my black brood of puppies.

(From Porphyry’s lost commentary on the Chaldean Oracles, preserved by Eusebius of Caesaria in Praeparatio Evangelica. According to Porphyry, this hymn was composed by Hecate herself.)

Magical Invocation to Hecate

Approach, you of the netherworld, of earth, of heaven, Bombo! You by the wayside, at the crossroads, light-bearer, night-wanderer, Enemy of light, friend and companion of night, Rejoicing in the howl of dogs and in crimson gore, Lurking among the corpses and the tombs of lifeless dust, Lusting for blood, bringing terror to mortals, Grim one, Ogress [Mormo], Moon – you of many forms, May you come gracious to our sacrificial rites!

(Preserved in Refutation to All Heresies by Hippolytus)

Invocation to Hecate from PGM IV 2708-84

Come, giant Hecate, Dione’s guard, O Persia [daughter of Perses], Baubo Phroune, dart-shooter, Unconquered Lydian, the one untamed, Sired nobly, torch-bearing, guide, who bends down Proud necks, Kore, hear, you who’ve parted / gates Of steel unbreakable. O Artemis, Who, too, were once protectress, mighty one, Mistress, who burst forth from the earth, dog-leader, All-tamer, crossroad goddess, triple-headed, Bringer of light, august / virgin, I call you Fawn-slayer, crafty, O infernal one, And many-formed. Come, Hekate, goddess Of three ways, who with your fire-breathing phantoms Have been allotted dreaded roads and harsh / Enchantments, Hekate I call you

[…]

O Hekate of many names, O Virgin, Kore, Goddess, come, I ask, O guard and shelter of the threshing floor Persephone, O triple-headed goddess, Who walk on fire, cow-eyed BOUORPHORBE PANPHORBA PHORBARA AKITOPHI ERESHKIGAL / NEBOUTOSOUALETH Beside the doors, PYPYLEDEDEZO And gate-breaker; Come Hekate, of firey Counsel, I call you to my sacred chants.

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A sandwich on a ciabatta roll; a plate of tomato sliced and a glass of mint lemonade are in the background. End ID]

Tofu sandwich with garlic-lemon sauce

A sweet, savory, and well-spiced glaze clinging to fried, crispy tofu. The zest and brightness of garlic-lemon mayonnaise complement the depth of the glaze. A great breakfast sandwich or weekend lunch option when eaten with your choice of bread and toppings.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

For the sandwiches:

4 ciabatta rolls, or other bread

Bean sprouts or other greens

For the tofu:

1 block (350g) extra firm tofu

2-3 Tbsp potato starch, or cornstarch

Oil to fry

For the tofu slurry:

2 scallions, sliced (optional)

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, or olive oil

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 tsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp Sichuan pepper

Pinch ground fennel

Pinch ground sumac

Pinch ground cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba; kabab chini; كبابة صينى)

Pinch smoked paprika

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Cubeb berries may be found in the spice section of a south Asian grocery store, where they will be labelled "kabab chini." They are sometimes mistaken for allspice, but cubeb berries are smaller and more consistent in size, are darker in color, and have a slightly 'wrinkled' appearance. They have a pungent, camphorous, and sharp aroma. If you don't have any, you may replace them with equal parts black pepper and allspice; or a pinch of ground Indian black cardamom.

For the garlic mayo:

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise

1 large clove garlic, grated

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Water, if necessary

Instructions:

For the garlic mayo:

1. Mix all ingredients except water in a small mixing bowl. Add water or lemon juice until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

For the marinade:

1. Pulverise scallion with salt in a mortar and pestle, and mix with other ingredients; or add all ingredients to a blender and combine.

For the tofu:

1. Drain tofu, wrap in a kitchen towel, and press under a flat, heavy object for 20-30 minutes.

2. If your block of tofu is particularly thick, slice it into two thinner slabs; then halve it widthwise to make four pieces. The tofu in the photo has only been halved widthwise to make two, thicker pieces.

3. Coat tofu in potato starch or cornstarch.

4. Heat 1/2" (1cm) of a neutral oil in a skillet on medium. Fry tofu slices, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Set aside.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (or remove the oil from the one you used earlier). Add tofu and marinade and cook, pushing the marinade onto the tofu slices and flipping occasionally, until marinade is clinging to the tofu.

To assemble:

1. Add cooked tofu to sandwiches along with greens, tomatoes, avocado, or sliced onion as desired. Top with garlic mayo.

[strrkie-art]

flavors of jjk characters

amateur set of aroma associations. aromatherapy is my little relaxing hobby, I am not a perfumer

Satoru Gojo woody-musky composition with light floral notes. The fragrance fits snugly to the skin

Suguru Geto oriental woody perfume. his hair and clothes smell of palo santo, he carries a trail of kitchen spices and petricore (Satoru calms down and says even "sobers up" from this fragrance, when you need to put your thoughts in order, Shoko calls him "honey wood")

Shoko Ieiri among the mixed smells of latex gloves, formalin and cigarettes, her fragrance consists of one tuberose and sounds weak, almost imperceptible

Utahime Iori nothing came to mind but the scent of white lily and lemon peel

Yuki Tsukumo I think a refreshing playful composition of neroli and pepper with notes of grapefruit would suit her, while poorly hiding the smell of rubber and metal on her hands

Choso camphor and tea rose

Mei Mei fragrance of cashmere, black currant berries, ginger

Kento Nanami  sun-warmed trees, oak and fresh aquatic notes on warm days, in cold weather he will be warmed combination of guryun balm, bergamot and pomegranate peel

Hiromi Higuruma restrained fragrance of clary sage, cardamom, lavender and cedar

Yuuji Itadori orange, sage, vetiver I think Yuu is not picky, it is normal for him to use a 3 in 1 shampoo with an indefinite smell, he has not yet decided what exactly complements it, he uses different probes that Nobara gives him as a present, but most often unconsciously chooses compositions with orange

Megumi Fushiguro  green tea and oak moss, smell of cleanliness, which happens to washed laundry with a powder without fragrance, brought from the cold into the warmth of the room

Ryomen Sukuna strong vanilla at the beginning and after it sounds deeper with bitter wild herbs and pine needles, supplemented with tobacco, orchid notes and musk, completely eclipsing the original suffocating sweetness

Uraume cotton, fresh figs and burnt laurel leaves

Tsumiki Fushiguro pink pepper and lily of the valley

Toji Fushiguro woody-resin fragrance with animalistic notes and tobacco (he smokes, his hands and clothes smell of strong cigarettes)

Junpei Yoshino ylang-ylang, cumin, cucumber

Mahito something incongruous, for example, the smell of moisture and sweet rot of autumn leaves, a diluent for oil paints in combination with patchouli or vanilla

Yuuta Okkotsu jasmine tea, soy wax, juniper

Toge Inumaki fennel, rosemary, sea buckthorn leaves

Nobara Kugisaki I don't associate with anything other than perfume Funny by Moschino

Maki Zenin watery violet fragrance

Momo Nishimiya peony, freesia, geranium, amber, frankincense, powder (oh, no, Mai, it's not grandma's perfume, it's called a mystical witch fragrance)

Mai Zenin white pineapple strawberries, tobacco dust and cloves

Kasumi Miwa  is something powdery, delicate and barely perceptible iris or verbena

Noritoshi Kamo woody earthy fragrance with a hint of salt and almonds. his hands smell of suede, ink and coffee beans

Kokichi Muta ozone, bigaradia, nutmeg, licorice and musk

Aoi Todo perfumed deodorant with lime, nutmeg, basil and chamomile tea (to calm the rage in the chest in the spa evening)

Kirara Hoshi patchouli, rose and chocolate shampoo

Kinji Hakari iron, spruce, red apple and fire smoke

Mimiko Hasaba vanilla, apricot, wormwood

Nanako Hasaba geranium, rosehip, cinnamon

Nitta Akari rice water, pomegranate, grapefruit, red currant berries

Nitta Arata lavender, cardamom, walnut, lemon

Yorozu red wine, wild honey, rice, ginger cookies

Hajime Kashimo aquatic fragrance, chrysanthemum, bamboo

Naoya Zenin sandalwood, powdered sugar, caramel, salt

Haruta Shigemo fir, tangerine, lime, bitter chocolate, salty-sweet popcorn

Dagon land, mud, sea

Jogo wet burnt wood, mango, gasoline

Hanami fresh grass, garden flowers after rain

Kiyotaka Ijichi cocoa, tobacco, cloves, amber

Ino Takuma guaiac wood, vetiver, bergamot, lemon

Atsuya Kusakabe aquatic or woody fragrance with tea tree

Hana Kurusu powdery mimosa

Ryu Nishikori copaifera balsam, pine resin, clary sage, pineapple and burnt caramel

Takako Uro gunpowder, lemongrass, blackberry, leather notes

I think to end the thread on this note, it turned out to be longer than I expected. In any case, it was fun for me to pick up fragrances for the characters, relying on my olfactory memory, rather than adjusting to personal preferences (this was especially difficult with Naoya's fragrance😅)

[sassenach77yle]

I WOKE DRENCHED in sweat. The thin chemise in which I slept clung to me, transparent with wet; the darkness of my flesh showed in patches through the cloth, even in the dim light from the unshuttered window. I had kicked away sheet and quilt in my disordered sleep, and lay sprawled with the linen shift rucked up above my thighs—but still my skin pulsed with heat, waves of smothering warmth that flowed over me like melted candle wax. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and stood up, feeling dizzy and disembodied. My hair was soaked and my neck was slick with perspiration; a trickle of sweat ran down between my breasts and disappeared.

Jamie was still asleep; I could see the humped mound of his upturned shoulder, and the spill of his hair, dark across the pillow. He shifted slightly and mumbled something, but then lapsed into the regular deep breaths of sleep. I needed air, but didn’t want to wake him. I pushed away the gauze netting, stepped softly across to the door, and into the small box-room across the hall. It was a small room, but it had a large window, in order to balance the one in our bedroom. This one had no glass as yet; it was covered only by wooden shutters, and I could feel drafts of night air drifting through the slats, swirling across the floor, caressing my bare legs. Urgent for the coolness of it, I stripped off my wet shift and sighed in relief as the draft skimmed upward over hips and breasts and arms.

The heat was still there, though, hot waves pulsing over my skin with each heartbeat. Fumbling in the dark, I unfastened the shutters and pushed them open, gasping for the great draughts of cool night that flooded in upon me. From here, I could see above the trees that screened the house, down the slope of the ridge, almost to the faint black line of the river far away. The wind stirred in the treetops, murmuring, and wafted over me with blessed coolness and the pungent green smell of leaves and summer sap. I closed my eyes and stood still; within a minute or two, the heat was gone, vanished like a quenched coal, leaving me damp but peaceful. I didn’t want to go back to bed yet; my hair was damp, and the sheets where I had lain would still be clammy. I leaned naked on the sill, the down-hairs of my body prickling pleasantly as my skin cooled.[...]

Then I saw Jamie, standing still. He made no noise, but I felt him at once; a warmth, a thickening, in the cool air of the room.

“Are ye well, Sassenach?” he asked softly from the doorway. “Yes, fine.” I spoke in a whisper, not to wake Lizzie and her father, who slept in the back bedroom. “Just needed a breath of air; I didn’t mean to wake you.” He came closer, a tall naked ghost, smelling of sleep.

“I always wake when you do, Sassenach; I sleep ill without ye by my side.” He touched my forehead briefly. “I thought ye were maybe fevered; the bed was damp where ye’d lain. You’re sure you’re all right?” “I was hot; I couldn’t sleep. But yes, I’m all right. And you?” I touched his face; his skin was warm with sleep. He came to stand beside me at the window, looking out into the late summer night. The moon was full, and the birds were restless; from near at hand, I heard the faint chirp of a late-nesting warbler, and farther off, the squeak of a hunting saw-whet owl. “You recall Laurence Sterne?” Jamie asked, evidently reminded of the naturalist by the sounds. “I doubt anyone who’s met him would forget him,” I said dryly. “The bag of dried spiders makes rather an impression. To say nothing of the smell.” Sterne carried with him a distinctive aroma, composed in equal parts of natural body odor, an expensive cologne that he favored—which was sufficiently strong to compete with—though not to conquerconquer—the pungencies of various preservatives such as camphor and alcohol—and a faint reek of decay from the specimens he collected. He chuckled softly. “That’s true. He stinks worse than you do.” “I do not stink!” I said indignantly. “Mmphm.” He took my hand and lifted it to his nose, sniffing delicately. “Onions,” he said, “and garlic. Something hot . . . peppercorns. Aye, and clove. Squirrel-blood and meat-juice.” His tongue flicked out like a snake’s, touching my knuckles. “Starch—potatoes—and something woody. Toadstools.” “Not fair at all,” I said, trying to get my hand back. “You know perfectly well what we had for dinner. And they weren’t toadstools, they were woodears.” “Mm?” He turned my hand over and sniffed at my palm, then my wrist and up my forearm. “Vinegar and dill; ye’ve been making cucumber pickles, aye? Good, I like those. Mm, oh, and soured milk here in the fine hairs on your arm—were ye splashed churning butter, or skimming cream?” “You guess, since you’re so good at it.” “Butter.” “Damn.” I was still trying to pull away, but only because the stubble on his face tickled the sensitive skin of my upper arm. He smelled his way up my arm into the hollow of my shoulder, making me squeak as the strands of his hair drifted across my skin. He lifted my arm a bit, touched the damp silky hair there, and ran his fingers under his nose.

“Eau de femme,” he murmured, and I heard the laughter in his voice. “Ma petite fleur.”

“And I bathed, too,” I said ruefully. “Aye, with the sunflower soap,” he said, a slight tone of surprise in his voice as he sniffed at the hollow of my collarbone. I gave a small, high-pitched yelp, and he reached up to lay a large, warm hand across my mouth. He smelt of gunpowder, hay, and manure, but I couldn’t say so, what with him muffling me. He straightened a little, and leaned close, so the roughness of his whiskers brushed my cheek. His hand fell away, and I felt the softness of his lips against my temple, the butterfly touch of his tongue on my skin. “And salt,” he said, very softly, his breath warm on my face. “There is salt on your face, and your lashes are wet. D’ye weep, Sassenach?” “No,” I said, though I had a sudden, irrational urge to do just that. “No, I sweat. I was . . . hot.” I wasn’t any longer; my skin was cool; cold where the night-draft from the window chilled my backside.

“Ah, but here . . . mm.” He was on his knees now, one arm about my waist to hold me still, his nose buried in the hollow between my breasts. “Oh,” he said, and his voice had changed again. I didn’t normally wear perfume, but I had a special oil, sent from the Indies, made with orange flowers, jasmine, vanilla beans, and cinnamon. I had only a tiny vial, and wore a small dab infrequently—for occasions that I thought might perhaps be special.

“Ye wanted me,” he said ruefully. “And I fell asleep without even touching you. I’m sorry, Sassenach. Ye should have said.”

“You were tired.” His hand had left my mouth; I stroked his hair, smoothing the long dark strands behind his ear. He laughed, and I felt the warmth of his breath on my bare stomach.

“Ye could raise me from the dead for that, Sassenach, and I wouldna mind it.”

He stood up then, facing me, and even in the dim light I could see that no such desperate measures on my part would be required. “It’s hot,” I said. “I’m sweating.” “Ye think I’m not?” His hands closed on my waist and he lifted me suddenly, setting me down on the broad windowsill. I gasped at contact with the cool wood, reflexively grasping the window frame on either side. “What on earth are you doing?” He didn’t bother answering; it was an entirely rhetorical question, in any case.

“Eau de femme,” he murmured, his soft hair brushing across my thighs as he knelt. The floorboards creaked under his weight. “Parfum d’amor, mm?”

The cool breeze lifted my hair, drew it tickling across my back like the lightest of lover’s touches. Jamie’s hands were firm on the curve of my hips; I was in no danger of falling, and yet I felt the dizzy drop behind me, the clear and endless night, with its star-strewn empty sky into which I might fall and go on falling, a tiny speck, blazing hotter and hotter with the friction of my passage, bursting finally into the incandescence of a shooting . . . star. “Ssh,” Jamie murmured, far off. He was standing now, his hands on my waist, and the moaning noise might have been the wind, or me. His fingers brushed my lips. They might have been matches, striking flames against my skin. Heat danced over me, belly and breast, neck and face, burning in front, cool behind, like St. Lawrence on his gridiron. I wrapped my legs around him, one heel settled in the cleft of his buttocks, the solid strength of his hips between my legs my only anchor.

“Let go,” he said in my ear. “I’ll hold you.” I did let go, and leaned back on the air, safe in his hands.

The fiery cross cap 107 ZUGUNRUHE

[our-lord-satanas]

SANTA MUERTE

WHO IS SHE?

Santa Muerte, "Holy Death" in Spanish, is a deity of death and the Underworld. She is a figure of protection and guidance, helping people navigate through the trials and obstacles of life. She is often venerated as a saint, or even considered to be a Goddess, especially in Latin American and Hispanic cultures. Santa Muerte is a spiritual figure, and she has no direct connection to Christianity or any other mainstream religious tradition.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: She is usually portrayed as a female skeletal figure in black robe or a woman in black cloak. In some depictions, she is also shown carrying a scythe. She is sometimes depicted as having long black hair and a skull-like face. She is also often shown with skeletons and skulls as decorations and symbolism.

Personality: Santa Muerte's personality is varied and complex. As a deity of death and the underworld, she is often seen as cryptic and mysterious, often holding a playful and humorous side. She is also often seen as powerful, protective, and caring, offering guidance and support to those in need. In some depictions, she is also seen as vengeful and destructive when crossed.

Symbols: scythe, globe, scales of justice, oil lamp, black cloak or robe, skulls, bones, hourglass, and candles

Goddess of: healing, protection, financial wellbeing, and the afterlife

Culture: Mexican

Plants and trees: fresh flowers, rosemary, apples, marigolds, palm trees, rosary pea, cacti, dandelion, and boneset

Crystals: amethyst, black tourmaline, moonstone, tigers eye, smoky quartz, and melanite

Animals: owl, dogs, cats, dove, crows, and snakes

Incense: Santería, copal, dragon’s blood, palo santo, sandalwood, camphor

Colours: red, white, black, blue, and green

Numbers: 7 and 13

Zodiac: Scorpio (not official)

Tarot: Death

Planets: Saturn and Pluto

Days: Saturday, Monday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and Halloween

Parents: none known

Siblings: Magda

Partner: Mictlantecuhtli

Children: Los Negritos aka The Little Black Ones (not confirmed)

MISC:

• Scythe: one of the most common symbols associated with Santa Muerte, and it represents the final end of life and death itself.

• Crystal ball: used to communicate and make predictions in the presence of Santa Muerte.

• Coins: are often used in offerings to Santa Muerte as a form of payment and gratitude.

• Sugar skull: used in the celebrations of the Day of the Dead in Mexico. They are traditionally created as offerings to Santa Muerte, as well as to the souls of dead ancestors and loved ones.

• Skull: as a Goddess of death, her skull is often another symbol of her.

• Colours: play an important role in many rituals and prayers to Santa Muerte. Red, black, white, and pink are commonly used.

• Rose: often linked to the feminine energy and to love, and they are often used as offerings to Santa Muerte.

• Cross: another of her common symbols is the cross, which represents the bridge between the two worlds: life and death.

• Water: often used in rituals and offerings to Santa Muerte, as it is seen as a medium of communication and a bridge between worlds.

• Candles: also often used in rituals and offerings to Santa Muerte.

FACTS ABOUT SANTA MUERTE:

• She has no connection to Christianity or any other mainstream religious tradition.

• Santa Muerte has become more popular in recent years due to the rising interest in indigenous cultures and spiritualities.

• She is often venerated by those who seek protection, guidance, and spiritual freedom from societal restrictions.

• Santa Muerte is often given a gender and identity, but she is seen as beyond the realm of gender. Some cultures see her as the embodiment of death, but others see her as the feminine embodiment of life.

• Some believe that Santa Muerte possesses clairvoyant and clairaudient abilities, as she is often the subject of paranormal claims and stories.

• Santa Muerte is often depicted as being a protective and benevolent figure, but some also associate her with vengeance and destruction.

• She is often regarded as an intercessor and patron for those who are oppressed or marginalized.

HOW TO WORK WITH SANTA MUERTE:

One way to work with Santa Muerte is to devote time and effort to establishing a spiritual connection with her. This can include setting up an altar dedicated to her, lighting candles, offering prayers and songs of devotion, and giving offerings of flowers, food, alcohol, and other items that she may appreciate. It's important to make this altar a safe and welcoming environment where Santa Muerte feels respected and appreciated. Also, it's important to create a clear intent and intention when establishing a connection with Santa Muerte. It could be something like protection or guidance, and to be consistent in that desire.

PRAYER FOR SANTA MUERTE:

To begin, you can address her by name and say something like: 

"I call upon Santa Muerte, the Queen of the Underworld, the protectress of the dead. I ask for your guidance and presence in my life. I commit to building this connection more deeply and sincerely. I offer you these tokens of my devotion and respect. May I feel your presence and influence in my life. Hail Santa Muerte.”

WHAT ARE SIGNS THAT SANTA MUERTE WANTS ME TO WORK WITH HER?

If your request to work with Santa Muerte has been accepted, here are some signs that you can look for:

• See her symbols or imagery appearing in unexpected places.

• Have vivid dreams or visions about Santa Muerte.

• Feeling drawn or compelled to worship her.

• You feel an immense sense of peace and protection when praying to her.

• A sense of clarity and direction in life that you did not have before.

• You experience positive feelings and sensations when thinking about or focusing on Santa Muerte.

• A sudden interest in death and the Underworld.

• Experience synchronicities and coincidences relating to Santa Muerte.

• Unexpected signs or omens that point to her presence.

• Feeling a sense of protection or guidance when meditating on her symbols or imagery.

• You feel a deep resonance with her attributes and virtues.

If your request to work with Santa Muerte has not been accepted, you may notice the following signs:

• You feel a strong sense of disappointment or rejection when praying to her.

• Find yourself feeling disconnected or distance from her presence.

• Have difficulties establishing a connection with her.

• Experiencing an unexpected setback or blockage in your life.

• Feeling frustrated, confused, or angry when engaging in her devotion.

• You find yourself feeling lost, directionless, or unsure about your life path.

Overall you need to be respectful of deities denying your request.

OFFERINGS:

• Cash.

• Bones or skulls.

• Cigars.

• Tequila or other alcoholic beverages.

• Cannabis.

• Fresh water.

• Cakes.

• Flowers: marigolds, roses, chrysanthemums, and other dark-coloured flowers

• Candles.

• Graveyard dirt (collected respectfully).

• Candy.

• Fruit (mainly apples).

• Chocolate truffles.

• Bread.

• Sugar.

• Anything black: black stones, black ribbons, black jewelry, etc.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS FOR SANTA MUERTE:

• Talking to her in the space you created for her.

• Buying flowers weekly for her altar.

• Getting a tattoo.

• Meditating on her energy.

• Carrying around her images or symbols to protect against negativity and harm.

• Reading and researching about her mythology and history.

• Pray and sing for her.

• Clean up graveyards.

• Draw and paint her.

IS IT SAFE TO EAT OR DRINK AN OFFERING I GIVE TO HER?

Consuming offerings given to Santa Muerte is not recommended because it may disturb the connection with the deity and cause an imbalance in energy. Santa Muerte is a powerful deity and she is not someone to be underestimated. She is a protector and guide of the dead, and she is often seen as a symbol of justice and vengeance. She is a very prominent figure in Latin American and Hispanic religious practices and rituals, and it is important to show respect and reverence when working with her. Consuming offerings given to her may disrupt the connection with the deity and cause an imbalance of energy.

[camphor2]

Nautral camphor

Nautral camphor is a waxy, white crystalline substance that is extracted from the wood of the camphor tree.

Nautral camphor  has a strong, distinctive fragrance and a cooling, soothing effect on the skin.

Nautral camphor  is commonly used in traditional medicine for its antiseptic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Nautral camphor  is a popular ingredient in many herbal remedies for coughs, colds, and respiratory ailments.

In India, Nautral camphor  is used in religious ceremonies as an offering to deities and for purification purposes.

Nautral camphor is also used as a natural insect repellent and as a moth deterrent.

Nautral camphor is a natural decongestant that helps to relieve nasal and chest congestion.

Nautral camphor  can be used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

Nautral camphor  is an effective natural remedy for muscle pain and soreness.

Nautral camphor  is used in the production of some types of plastics, including celluloid.

Nautral camphor  has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments.

Nautral camphor is a powerful natural stimulant that can improve mental clarity and alertness.

Nautral camphor can be used to treat skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Nautral camphor  is a safe and effective natural alternative to chemical insecticides and mothballs.

Nautral camphor  is a versatile substance with many uses in traditional medicine, spirituality, and natural health.

[shinoposting]

Shino can't take a lot of medication or even eat spicy food. In any no-ninja-shit AU you would have to give Shino a lot of food and drug allergies to mirror his insects' sensitivities.

I've done quite a lot of research into what foods are harmful/repellent to insects and especially weevils, so here's some potential problem items for any version of Shino.

Allicin (repellent/insecticide): alliums such as garlic and onion

Nicotine (extremely neurotoxic): No smoking!!

Caffeine (neurotoxin): Coffee, chocolate, yerba mate, guarana, tea tree (includes white, yellow, oolong, black, pu-erh, and green, especially matcha, tea)

Capsaicin (repellent): all peppers excluding bell pepper, black peppercorn

Thujone (repellent/antifeedant/insecticide): wormwood, mugwort, oregano, common sage, some mints

Eugenol (powerful insecticide): cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, basil, bay leaf

Eucalyptol (repellent/insecticide): marijuana, camphor laurel, galangal, tea tee, ginger

My personal headcanon is that certain members of the Aburame clan have their own vices and, though they really shouldn't, breed their beetles to tolerate them better. Shibi has been known to smoke a pipe, much to Shino's dismay, and yet, hypocrite that he is, Shino drinks decaf. He'll rationalize it saying that it's not as bad as full-caff, but it's still caffeine.

[artastickk]

Day 4 (Age 20) 🥰🥰🥰

✰ ─ SIGNIFICANT OTHER : Bruno Madrigal

⤷ DATING HISTORY ⵓ

♤ duration : 1920-“present” (1950)

♤ label : Husband

♤ current status : Married

⤷CASUAL WEAR ⵓ

Typical blouse and skirt or dress for the era (almost always in pinks and florals). Although loves more Victorian styles than traditional Colombian. White slip on espadrilles with pink roses embroidered. Green dangling emerald earrings and beautiful pink camphor glass wedding ring.

Married- June 16, 1920

(The luckiest day to get married)

After a rough last few years in school and in her parent’s home, She and Bruno finally married! 🥰 Making her the first spouse to be brought to live in Casita.

Bruno proposed to her at their special place (a little spot by the river on the outskirts of the Encanto). He did his homework on jewelry or the Victorian period and put a lot of work and money into making her beautiful pink camphor glasses ring. After she enthusiastically said yes they sat and talked about their future. Not caring for once about the villagers mistreatment or their families. They braided flowers into each others hair and stayed till dark to watch the stars.

Since Bruno put in so much effort into the proposal she made sure to put just as much if not more into the wedding. She sewed their marital quilt, she spent the entire six months of their engagement hunting down a four leaf clover. She likes to think the miracle still sends a bit of magic to those in need because she found one sprouted right outside Casita merely 3 days before the wedding!

Much to her parents and Alma’s dismay she sewed her dress herself using beautiful vibrant green calico pattern. But let’s just say with all the fooling around her and Bruno did for the past few years she didn’t wanna jinx anything by wearing white 🤭

Right now she is loving life despite some of the challenges Bruno has to deal with and her by extension. She’s traded her “mourning” clothes for lots and lots of pinks!

Bruno calls her his ‘Muñeca’ and she calls him ‘Mí Cesne’ after reading in a book that swans mate for life.

@encanto-extended-edition

⌛️⌛️⌛️

First pic drawn by the lovely @glendybluebird

Second and third drawn by @c_corabell (twt)

[bonguri]

20230505 Rokusho shrine 1 by Bong Grit Via Flickr: 新緑の六所神社へ。農村舞台の横のイチョウとその奥のクスノキは大正天皇即位記念だそうです。 @Rokusho shrine, Toyota city, Aichi pref. （愛知県豊田市 六所神社）

[jetts-witchy-library]

Artemis information masterpost

Goddess of: hunting, wild animals, childbirth, chastity, archery

Animals: stags, Deer, dogs, bears, boars, wild animals

Colors: white, silver, yellow, gold, green, blue

Signs: Pulling The High Priestess, Temperance or The Moon in Tarot, Interest or talent in Archery or Hunting, You see Lunar Symbols a lot in your life, You are often visited by wild animals

Offerings for Artemis:

- crystals: amethyst, emerald, moonstone, pearl, quartz, crystal, silver, turquoise, iron, aluminium, moss agate and diamond

- plants: jasmine, mugwort, lavender, walnuts, willow, Oak, aloe, cedar, tarragon, wormwood, lemon, anemones, flowering almond, Hazel, ranunculus, honeysuckle, passionflower, thistle, laurel, fir tree, amaranth, nuts, wildflowers

- scents for candles and incense: jasmine, frankincense, lemon, aloe, ginseng, verbena, camphor

- Dog fur (ethically sourced)

- Honey

- Olive oil

- Keeping your word

- Moon imagery

- colours: silver, white, red, green, blue

- Study her mythology

- Moss

- Rocks found on walks

- Almonds, walnuts, and acorns

- Ritual baths

- Moon rituals

- Divination

- Moon water

- Get in touch with nature

[cleolinda]

Patchouli in perfumery, feat. Snake Oil (Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab)

In the course of writing up Coco Mademoiselle (which I'll post after this), I realized that I need to stop and discuss patchouli first, because: wtf is going on there, seriously. Sylvaine Delacourte explains,

Patchouli has a woody, earthy, humid, dark smell and evokes a colour between brown and black.

(I find this to be true; I always picture a very dark, dark brown when I smell it, even if nothing else in the fragrance makes me think of a color.)

A camphor note molecule is identified in it, it also has almost a dusty scent. Patchouli can be reminiscent of a cork or an overripe apple, some find it smells like mushrooms, cellars and mould. Many perfumers have told me that they can detect a hint of cocoa in good quality patchouli.

On the other hand, as the Perfume Society describes it, in "So you think you hate… patchouli?":

Amazingly, from those fragile-looking leaves comes a sweet, spicy, smoky, cedar-y scent so powerful it has to be handled with care: patchouli is the most powerful of any plant-derived essence.

May the odds be ever in my favor.

But, the Perfume Society continues,

perfumers wouldn’t be without patchouli, for the richness that it gives to fragrances – and not just those heady Ambrées: patchouli makes its way into many chypre and powdery fragrances, swirling exotically alongside lavender, sandalwood, labdanum and bergamot, clove, clary sage, as well as vetiver. (It’s a little like vetiver, if you close your eyes.) Used alongside rose, it extends and ‘fixes’ rose’s sweetness.

Back to Sylvaine Delacourte: "Patchouli is the most important raw material in perfumery," a statement that really surprised me, but this is the former Artistic Director of Guerlain talking here. She concurs that it "combines beautifully" with woody notes like cedar, sandalwood, and vetiver, adding,

It brings depth and sensuality and is considered by some to be an aphrodisiac, especially when combined with sweet oriental [often called "ambrée" now] notes such as incense, vanilla and cistus. Patchouli can be refreshed by citrus fruits such as bergamot. It is often associated with rose, sometimes with jasmine, a little less with ylang-ylang. Patchouli is also a perfect match for gourmand notes.

Sure enough, Thierry Mugler's Angel (1992) famously combines patchouli and cotton candy (and several fruits) (and caramel) (and chocolate). That's a fragrance I also have on deck to write about; it was a game-changer, no exaggeration, at the time. I had also thought that Angel was considered the first "fruitchouli" (nsfw photo), as such, but apparently that may be... Coco Mademoiselle.

Delacourte also mentions that patchouli is "sensual and charismatic, often replacing mosses in chypre constructions and is essential in oriental compositions." And here comes Coco Mademoiselle again: it's considered a "neo chypre." If you go back to the Mitsouko post I did, you'll see that a classic chypre involves bergamot, oakmoss, and labdanum. As Basenotes user purplebird7 neatly explains, "This creates a sweet/sour/earthy/wet/dry combination of notes that makes chypres so complex. [...] New chypres use vetiver instead for the sour/dry component. They also use patchouli for the earthiness, and substitute other citruses for bergamot, the way Coco Mademoiselle uses orange, and [Chanel's] Chance uses citron."

Now, I haven't told you how the word "patchouli" comes from Tamil (patchai ellai, green leaf), or how Tutankhamun had gallons of patchouli oil in his tomb, and how it was worth its weight in gold, literally, to European traders. Or, for that matter, how it came to France via the paisley shawls, layered with insect-repelling patchouli leaves, that were so loved by Empress Eugénie. I didn't mention that patchouli is still very much associated with the "dirty hippies" of the 1960s, who (it's said; I wasn't there) used it to mask either weed or body odor. And I didn't mention any of this because I wanted to focus on how patchouli is used today—and because the hippie thing is extremely cliché. But maybe that's exactly what I should touch on, because:

I don't like patchouli. I do, in fact, Think I Hate Patchouli. Or I did, rather, before I started working on this post. And it's because of the "dirty" smell. Something that's like a combination of fermented basement lichen and the stoner guy I knew in college who took 40 minute showers but never washed his clothes? But since patchouli's in the base of just about everything these days—I decided that I'm going to have to get past that. Rather than use a moralistic term like "dirty," I've started calling the persistent aura that smells like "mushrooms, cellars and mold" The Funk.

And I've noticed that aged patchouli is a lot smoother; The Funk gets less rambunctious with time, and this may be why aged bottles of Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab's Snake Oil are so prized. For years, I wasn't even sure what was in it; the original description only mentioned "Indonesian oils sugared with vanilla." But once you find out that 80% of the world's patchouli comes from Indonesia—yeah, you can tell it's the primary note of Snake Oil. BPAL actually sells it pre-aged now, and with a more detailed description:

Snake Oil has shed its skin, and is back — now with vintage patchouli and dark, rich, aged vanilla absolute. Snake Oil is our signature scent, our first perfume: deep, rich, earthy notes swirled with vegetal musks, sugared vanilla bean, and dark spices.

A few nights ago, I pulled out a vial I'd gotten several years back. I remember that Snake Oil was really heady when it was fresh: a vortex of incense, spicy vanilla, and The Funk. This time, it was pure patchouli, albeit a mellow and dignified one; on a second try, I realized I needed to swish the molasses-thick oil back and forth until it was at least somewhat blended again. I then got a unified patchouli-vanilla and what I swear was a very strong ylang-ylang and sandalwood (both of which are cultivated in Indonesia, among other places). It's a good combination; the light, golden sandalwood-ylang note was the only thing I liked about Chanel's No. 5 Eau Première. I know it sounds weird (or immature, even) to say "I like Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab more than Chanel," but Snake Oil picked something to do and did it well, and that something was not giving me a headache or smelling like a diaper.

(But notice that I say I like it more rather than it is better. Skin chemistry is a wild—but incredibly important—card here. Ultimately, there might be a critical consensus on something, but you can only experience what your nose can sense, and what duet the skin of the wearer, yours or someone else's nearby, can produce.)

Come to think of it, Chanel's Jacques Polge may have removed the patchouli from the original No. 5; I didn't see it in the notes for the 1986 formulation still used today. I wonder now if that patchouli served as a bridge between elements that's no longer there, and that's why the extra pared-down No. 5 Eau Première seemed disjointed to me. On the other hand, there are people who think the new No. 5 Eau Première is a masterwork unto itself, and there are people who hate the dizzying baby powder/Play-Doh turn Snake Oil can take. So it goes. I actually think I might prefer fresh Snake Oil, heady as it is, but the aged notes may be more mellow and perhaps more wearable over all (also tenacious as fuck). I may try a new vial of the pre-aged Snake Oil soon and see how the difference splits.

So, aged patchouli: Good! Manageable! Let's try another! I had left a rollerball of Pacifica's Himalayan Patchouli Berry in a drawer for a couple of years; when I first used it (I was trying to broaden my palate!), The Funk was too much. (Side note: This is a weird perfume, in that Pacifica will tell you upfront that it's grapefruit and patchouli, and you can tell it's grapefruit if you mentally squint at it, but it really does smell like some kind of berry. What kind of berry? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Here in 2023, the fragrance has mellowed out, and it's a lot easier to wear. Also, it proves Sylvaine Delacourte's point about citrus working well with patchouli, whether it's cosplaying as someberry or not.

I also had a fresh Nemat patchouli on hand. This was interesting because it had a little too much Funk for me, but it was also the first time I'd been able to smell a vetiver-like note in a patchouli. And by this time, I'd worn both Coco Mademoiselle and Snake Oil twice; my nose was tolerating patchouli better overall. After a year or so, this could smooth out into something really nice.

So: you can render patchouli more crowd-pleasing with the slow ingredient of time. What if you just used science? The Perfumer's Apprentice sells a natural patchouli oil that's undergone fractional distillation, which "produces a more elegant smell with less earthy tones, similar to the flower itself." On the other hand, Firmenich straight-up uses white biotechnology (today I learned!) to synthesize its Clearwood aromachemical:

Beaming with light, it offers the creamy warmth of amber and a dark woody character reminiscent of patchouli. [...] At higher dosages it can be used as a new building block. Rich in patchoulol, CLEARWOOD® can elegantly complement a patchouli essential oil.

I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing some kind of defunked patchouli, be it fractionally distilled or wholly synthetic, is what's in Coco Mademoiselle, which has a very elegant patchouli base. I mean, it also busts out harsh and peppery at first, but there is no actual Funk, oddly enough. But we'll get to that in the next post, now that you have the background.

Coco Mademoiselle (Chanel, 2001) and Coco Mademoiselle L'Eau Privée (2020)

Perfume discussion masterpost

[najia-cooks]

[ID: A conical pyramid of a brown spice blend surrounded by whole spices including allspice, cardamom, and rose petals. End ID.]

سبع بهارات المصرية / Seb'a baharat al-misria (Egyptian seven-spice)

Seb'a baharat is one of a few spice blends often referred to in English simply as "baharat" (the plural of Arabic بهار / bahar, "spice"). It is also sometimes called بهارات الحلبية (baharat al-Halabia), "Aleppo spices," due to its origins in Aleppo, Syria. A warm, earthy blend, it is commonly used to season meat, fish, and poultry in the Levant, Eastern Arabia, and Egypt, where recipes differ from region to region and from person to person. Common ingredients include paprika, cumin, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Egyptian versions of the blend foreground sweet, warming spices, with allspice dominating the mix and black pepper, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger rounding it out. Occasionally, bay leaves and dried rosebuds are also added. The result is an intensely aromatic, floral, slightly camphorous blend that's great for marinades, dry rubs, and roasting.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Ingredients:

Makes about 2/3 cup

20g (1/4 cup) allspice berries (كبابة صينى \ بهار حلو)

18g (2 Tbsp) black peppercorns (فلفل اسود)

6g (1 Tbsp; 25) green cardamom pods (حبّهان \ هال)

5g (one large stick; 1/2 Tbsp ground) Chinese cassia cinnamon (قرفة)

3g (one small) nutmeg (جوزة الطيب)

2g (1 tsp) ground ginger (زنجبيل)

1g (1/2 tsp; 20) whole cloves (مسمار)

1g (1 tsp) dried rosebuds (زر الورد) (optional)

0.5g (3-4) Mediterrannean bay laurel leaves (ورق لاورا) (optional)

2g (1/2 tsp) cumin seeds (كمون) (optional)

1.7g (1/2 tsp) coriander seeds (كزبره) (optional)

Despite the name, seven-spice does not always feature exactly seven spices. The core components of most Egyptian blends are the first seven spices listed in these rough proportions, with bay leaves and rose buds being optional additions; sometimes the blend mixes savory and warming spices, with cumin and coriander being added, or taking the place of allspice, nutmeg, or ginger. Rarer additions are thyme, gum mastic (مستكه), and paprika. You should change the blend to suit your own taste.

Instructions:

1. In a mortar and pestle or using the flat of a knife, roughly crush nutmeg and cinnamon.

2. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast whole spices one at a time until each is strongly fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool in a single layer on a large plate. The bay leaves will only need to toast for a moment or two.

3. Remove skillet from heat and toast ground ginger, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from skillet.

4. Grind all spices together in a mortar and pestle or a spice mill. Pass through a sieve to remove large pieces. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place.