Herbs - Blog Posts
)O( WITCH TIP )O(
Hello my fellow witchlings! I just wanted to shout a reminder about mortars and pestles and spell work! Note: mortar and pestles are usually made of stone or wood. WOOD IS ONLY FOR HERBS. Stone ones–soap stone or otherwise–is use for crushing resins and even fresh garlic! I would recommend having one stone one for your kitchen for kitchen magic, and one stone one exclusively for resins. You’ll see why in a moment. If you’re a witch who likes grinding things into powder (oh hi!) please remember the following: - Use 2 separate mortars and pestles, one for resins and one for herbs. - Resins get gummy the more you pulverize them and it’s been my experience that myrrh in particular is sticky/gummy and WILL leave a bit of a sticky residue in the mortar. There will always be a bit of resin stuck in the rougher mortars. It’s life. But it’s also why you should keep it separate from herbs. Too sticky. - Use wooden mortars and pestles for crushing and mixing herbs and oils. Always crush herbs before adding oil (or essential oils). Wood is used because oil doesn’t soak into it like it will in stone. - Remember that churning your pestle in a clockwise direction stirs IN magic and positivity. Counter clock wise banishes negative energy. A mortar and pestle is a great way to practice focusing and raising your energy if you’re new to spell work! Find an incense recipe you want to make, ground and center, then get comfy in your magic kitchen or in a space you’ve deemed magical (or sacred). put on music that’s calming or upbeat (but no words), whatever your preference! I usually listen to Gaelic or even Hawaiian music when I do this! Take each plant and hold it for a moment. Feel it’s energy. What does it feel like? Thank the herb and put it in your mortar and begin to crush it, focusing on putting your energy into each crush and turn, on the reason why you’re making this incense (protection? Luck? Love? Happy home?). Do the same for each herb (and then oil) you use. Feel the energy raising and flowing from your hand to the plants, from the plants to your hand, building energy in the mortar. When you feel its done/ready say “so mot it be”. Your incense is ready to use!
Self Love Bath
Rose petal bath bomb with added herbs (I used rosemary, but this is all about you so use what makes you feel best).
Candles I used:
Red - for love
White - for love and peace
Incense:
Vanilla *I used this one!
Cinnamon
Rosemary
NOTE!
A lot of different incense could work just as well, I’d search for a list of incense and their symbolism just in case :)
Bubbles are great for this bath!!
Pamper yourself however you see fit. Shave, read, listen to music, talk to friends, use face masks and lotions and all sorts of products, wash your hair, etc. Anything works!
Bowynn Gods: Jayleen Jarra
Jayleen Jarra (Jay-leen Jar-rah) Goddess of the healing arts and medicinal herbalism. She is one of the daughters of the god Owenn and sometimes her sisters and her are said to be female Kii; referred as The Sisters Jarra. Primarily Jayleen is indeed the goddess that rules or the healing properties of herbs and the making of medicines. She is also a patron of pharmacists and medical scientists.
There are no sacred tales of Jayleen or her sisters outside of their constant vigil over mortals. Jayleen is said to be seen at her father’s side or out in the wild, always looking for new medicinal herbs. Jayleen’s own chamber in Alaway is a massive chamber of every herb, flower, root and wood known to mankind, filled with ground herbs, oils, salves and balms.
Jayleen is described as a young goddess with dark hair and a dress of green. Her Hlad is also green, detailed with images of herbs and medicinal flowers. While some have seen her with a staff in hand, most of the time she has been seen with an herbal basket or medicinal bowl in hand. When not seen in this form, Jayleen will take the form of a bird. Offerings to Jayleen are herbs, flowers and incense.
Hmmmmm, what do you think?
Herbs and first harvest moon 🌿
Sabbat Bread 🖤
Here is a really simple bread recipe that I make on almost all sabbats. At its base it is focaccia so you can add different herbs for different properties or times of the year.
What you’ll need:
A large pan
Three large bowls
3 1/3 cups of water (preferably at 110°F or 43°C, but you can honestly just turn your sink as hot as it will go and this will work)
2 teaspoons of sugar/honey
3 1/2 cups of flour
2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast (or one 1 oz packet)
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 teaspoons of coarse sea salt (if using table salt, only use 1 teaspoon.)
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
A sprig of fresh rosemary (1 tablespoon of dried)
How to make:
Pour water and sugar into a large bowl, mix until dissolved. Lightly stir in yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until yeast has foamed.
In another bowl mix together flour and two teaspoons of salt.
Slowly stir in half of the flour salt mixture, then add 1/4 a cup of olive oil. Continue to combine while adding the rest of the flour mixture.
Before kneading the bread by hand, cover a different bowl in a thin layer of olive oil and set aside.
Flour your hands and begin kneading the mixture, continue adding additional flour if the dough is too wet.
When the dough no longer sticks to your hands transfer dough to the oiled bowl and cover with a damp towel.
Leave dough to rise in a warm area for an hour.
After the dough has risen, transfer this to a oiled pan that you plan to bake the bread in. The pan can be a cast iron skillet, glass cake pan, it doesn’t matter!
Let bread rise for another 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F or 204°C.
Use your fingers to press holes all over the dough. Do not worry about hitting the bottom of the pan, press holes all around the dough until it is spread out evenly throughout the pan.
Cover the dough in a light layer of olive oil, salt, garlic and rosemary.
Cook the bread for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let rest for 10 minutes, remove from pan and enjoy!
Metaphysical Properties:
Not everything you cook has to be magick, but if you do intend on practicing make sure to cleanse your kitchen and set your intentions throughout the process!
Garlic is a feminine protective and purifying root.
Rosemary has healing properties and is known for its feminine energy, it is also used for clearing the mind.
Sea Salt is traditionally used for protection and banishment. It’s ties with the ocean and femininity make this bread good for full moons.
Other Notes~
You can use a stand mixer if you have a dough attachment instead of kneading by hand.
Serve with a mixture of olive oil, parmigiana cheese and red pepper flakes to dip.
Grow and dry your own herbs baby girl 🌿🍄☘️
Dry your herbs babygirl 🌱
Acorn - Good luck, personal power, protection and wisdom. Dried acorns are a natural amulet for youthfulness. It's associated with the Sabbat of Litha and the element of water.
Angelica - Also called Archangel. It is a very powerful protection herb, healing, creates harmony and courage and helps in exorcisms. Aids vision. Element Air.
Apple - Garden magic, love, healing and wisdom, also vanity, marriage and beauty. Associated Mabon & Samhain. Element water.
Basil - Also called witches herb. Use in spells for Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, and protection. Associated with Imbolc. Aids astral projection. Element Fire.
Bay Leaf - Protection, success, purification, strength, wisdom and healing, also increases psychic powers. Element Fire.
Belladonna - Also Called: Deadly Nightshade. Toxic. Use for forgetting past loves. Protection, beauty and original flying ointments. Adds energy to rituals. Element Water.
Bergamot - Money, prosperity and sleep. Protects from both evil and illness. Good for luck and wealth. Increases magical power. Element Fire.
Black Pepper - Banishing negativity, exorcism, and offers protection and help with inner strength. Element Fire.
Blueberry - Protection of children, keeps evil out, and strengthens the aura. Associated with the Great Spirit. Element Water.
Calendula - Also called Marigold. Attracts success and justice in legal matters. Increases psychic/spiritual powers and aid prophetic dreams. Dispels negativity. Element Fire.
Cardamom - Lust, love, and fidelity. Sweetens the personality Use in handfastings. Element Water.
Chamomile - Love, sleep, protection and purification, also reduce stress. Use for meditation work and to attract money. Solar Magic. Element Water.
Cinnamon - Also called Sweet Wood. Use for Solar magic. Meditation and astral projection. Increases spirituality, success, healing, protection, power, luck, strength, and prosperity. Element Fire.
Clove - Use to protect, banish negative forces, and divination. Also helps with any teeth spells. Aids money and draws love. Element Fire.
Dandelion Root - Magical uses include divination, wishes and calling spirits. It also enhances dreams and works well in astral projection. Element Air.
Evening Primrose - Ideal for moon magic. Also use in love charms and to attract fae. Element Water.
Ginger - Increases magic power. Success, love, money and power. Element Fire.
Hibiscus - Attracting love and lust. Use in divination. Associated with lunar magic. Element Water.
Horsetail - Use for strength and resolve. Protection, cleansing and clearing unwanted emotions. Element Earth.
Jasmine - The herb of attraction. Helps prophetic dreaming, money and love. Element Water.
Lavender - Magical uses include healing, sleep and peace. It also promotes chastity and love. Increases longevity of life, tranquility and happiness. Element Air.
Lemon Balm - Also called Melissa. Love, success and healing. Aids psychic/spiritual development. Supports mental health disorders and compassion. Element Water.
Lemon Grass - Psychic cleansing and opening. Use in lust potions and when using Dragon Magic. Element Air.
Lime Tree Leaf - Healing, calm and love. Aids strength and tranquility, Element Air.
Marjoram - Use for cleansing, purification, and dispelling negativity. Also aids grief and sadness. Element Air.
Mint - Promotes energy, communication and vitality, protection and draws custom. Element Air.
Mugwort - Use for strength, protection and healing. Mugwort amplifies magic. Aids astral projection, and psychic power. Element Earth.
Nettle - Uses include dispelling darkness & fear,and curse breaking. Healing and protection and increases lust in partners. Renewal. Element Fire.
Orange Peel & Flower- Attracts abundance, luck. Love and happiness and strengthens divination. Element Fire.
Passion Flower - Attracts friendship and passion. Caming, peace and instills passion into stale relationships. Good for house blessings too. Element Water.
Patchouli - Used in spells for connecting with spirits. Money attracting, increases fertility and lust. Calming and peaceful. Element Earth.
Peppermint - Use for headaches and other forms of healing. Increases sleep and love. Use for increasing psychic power and divination. Element Air.
Rose - Use for divination, increased psychic power, love, lust and healing. Helps strengthen close friendships. Place around sprains and bruises to help them heal faster. Element Water.
Rosemary - Use in healing poppets and love/lust spells. Improves memory. Increases sleep, mental power and protection. Burn to help purification and removing negativity. Associated with faery magic. Element Fire.
Sage - Used for self purification and cleansing. Helps grief and loss. Healing and protection, also increases wisdom. Element Air.
Strawberry Leaf - Attracts success, good fortune, and favorable circumstances. Increases love and aids pregnancy. Element Water.
Thyme - Attracts loyalty, affection, and love. Increases good luck and psychic power. Drink in tea to aid sleep. Element Air.
Verbena - Psychic protection, peace and purification. Healing and helps depression. Increases beauty and love. Mind opening and clearing. Ideal use for exams. Element Earth.
Willow - is Used for lunar magic, drawing or strengthening love, healing, and overcoming sadness.. Element Water.
From the Herbal Grimoire by the blog The Wiccan Lady. Here's the link to the blog for the complete list and further reading:
Old Herb Names
Raven and Crone
Adders Tongue: Dogstooth, Violet, Plantain Ass Foot or Bulls Foot: Coltsfoot
Bats Wings: Holly Leaf Bats wool: Moss Bears Foot: Ladys Mantle Birds Eye: Germander Speedwell Black Sampson: Echinacea Blood: Elder sap or another tree sap Blood of Hephaistos: Wormwood Blood from a Head: Lupine Blood of Ares: Purslane Blood of a Goose: A Mulberry Trees Milk Blood of Hestia: Chamomile Blood of an Eye: Tamarisk Gall Blood from a Shoulder: Bears Breach Bloody fingers: Foxglove Bloodwort: Yarrow Bodily Fluids: Houseleek Bone of an Ibis: Buckthorn Brains: Congealed gum from a cherry tree Bread and Cheese Tree: Hawthorne Bulls Blood or Seed of Horus: Horehound Burning Bush: White Dittany
Calfs Snout: Snapdragon Candelmas Maiden: Snowdrop. Capons Tail: Valerian Cats Foot: Canada Snake Root and or Ground Ivy Cheeses: Marsh Mallow Chocolate Flower: Wild Geranium Christs Ladder: Centaury Christs Eye: Vervain, Sage Clear-eye: Clary Sage Click: Goosegrass Clot: Great Mullein Corpse candles: Mullein Corpse Plant: Indian Pipe. Crocodile dung: Black earth Crowdy Kit: Figwort Crows Foot: Cranesbill, Wild Geranium Cuckoos Bread: Common Plantain Cucumber Tree: Magnolia Cuddys Lungs: Great Mullein
Daphne: Laurel/Bay Dead Man: Ash or Mandrake root carved in a crude human shape or poppet Devils Dung: Asafoetida Devils Plaything: Yarrow Dew of the Sea: Rosemary Dogs Mouth: Snap Dragon Doves Foot: Wild Geranium Dragons Blood: Calamus Dragons Scales: Bistort Leaves Dragon Wort: Bistort
Eagle: Wild Garlic Ear of an Ass: Comfrey Ear of a Goat: St. Johns Wort Earth Smoke: Fumitory Elfs Wort: Elecampane Enchanters Plant: Vervain Englishmans Foot: Common Plantain Erba Santa Maria: Spearmint Everlasting Friendship: Goosegrass Eye of Christ: Germander Speedwell Eye of the Day: Common Daisy Eye of the Star: Horehound Eye Root: Goldenseal Eyes: Aster, Daisy, Eyebright
Fairy Smoke: Indian Pipe Fat from a Head: Spurge Felon Herb: Mugwort Fingers: Cinquefoil Five Fingers: Cinquefoil Foxs Clote: Burdock Frogs Foot: Bulbous Buttercup From the Belly: Earth-apple From the Foot: Houseleek From the Loins: Chamomile
Goats Foot: Ash Weed Gods Hair: Hart’s Tongue Fern Golden Star: Avens Gosling Wing: Goosegrass Graveyard Dust: Mullein Great Ox-eye: Ox-eye Daisy
Hags Taper: Great Mullein Hagthorn: Hawthorn Hair: Maidenhair fern Hairs of a Hamadryas Baboon: Dill Seed Hair of Venus: Maidenhair Fern Hand: The expanded frond from a male fern used to make the true hand of glory, which is nothing more than a candle made of wax mixed with fern Hares Beard: Great Mullein Hawks Heart: Heart of Wormwood Heart: Walnut Herb of Grace: Vervain Hinds Tongue: Hart’s Tongue Fern Holy Herb: Yerba Santa Holy Rope: Hemp Agrimony Hook and Arn: Yerba Santa Horse Hoof: Coltsfoot Horse Tongue: Hart’s Tongue Fern Hundred Eyes: Periwinkle
Innocense: Bluets
Jacobs Staff: Great Mullein Joy of the Mountain: Marjoram Jupiters Staff: Great Mullein
Kings Crown: Black Haw Knight’s Milfoil: Yarrow Kronos’ Blood: of Cedar
Lads Love: Southernwood Ladys Glove: Foxglove aka Witches’ Gloves Lambs Ears: Betony Lions Hairs: Tongue of a Turnip [i.e., the leaves of the taproot] Lions Tooth: Dandelion aka Priest’s Crown Little Dragon: Tarragon Love in Idleness: Pansy Love Leaves: Burdock Love Lies Bleeding: Amaranth or Anemone Love Man: Goosegrass Love Parsley: Lovage Love Root: Orris Root
Maidens Ruin: Southernwood Mans Bile: Turnip Sap Mans Health: Ginseng Master of the Woods: Woodruff May: Black Haw May Lily: Lily of the Valley May Rose: Black Haw Maypops: Passion Flower Mistress of the Night: Tuberose Mutton Chops: Goosegrass
Nose Bleed: Yarrow
Old-Maids-Nightcap: Wild Geranium Old Mans Flannel: Great Mullein Old Mans Pepper: Yarrow Oliver: Olive
Password: Primrose Peters Staff: Great Mullein Pigs Tail: Leopard’s Bane Poor Man’s Treacle: Garlic Priests Crown: Dandelion leaves Pucha-Pat: Patchouli
Queen of the Meadow: Meadowsweet Queen of the Meadow Root: Gravelroot Queen of the Night: Vanilla Cactus
Rams Head: American Valerian Red Cockscomb: Amaranth Ring-o-Bells: Bluebells Robin-Run-in-the-Grass: Goosegrass
Scaldhead: Blackberry See Bright: Clary Sage Seed of Horus: Horehound Semen of Ammon: Houseleek Semen of Ares: Clover Semen of Helios: White Hellebore Semen of Hephaistos: This is Fleabane Semen of Hermes: Dill Semen of Herakles: Mustard-rocket Seven Year’s Love: Yarrow Shameface: Wild Geranium Shepherds Heart: Shepherds Purse Silver Bells: Black Haw Skin of a Man: Fern Skull: Skullcap Snake: Bistort Snakes Blood: Hematite stone Soapwort: Comfrey or Daisy Sorcerer’s Violet: Periwinkle Sparrows Tongue: Knotweed St. Johns Herb: Hemp Agrimony.(this is not St. John’s Wort) St. Johns Plant: Mugwort Star of the Earth: Avens Star Flower: Borage Starweed: Chickweed Sweethearts: Goosegrass Swines Snout: Dandelion leaves
Tanners Bark: Common Oak Tarragon: Mugwort Tartar Root: Ginseng Tears of a Hamadryas Baboon: Dill Juice Thousand Weed: Yarrow Thunder Plant: House Leek Titans Blood: Wild Lettuce Toad: Toadflax Tongue of dog: hounds tongue Tooth or Teeth: Pinecones Torches: Great Mullein
Unicorns Horn: False Unicorn:Helonias Dioica Unicorn Horn: True Unicorn Root Unicorn Root: Ague Root
Wax Dolls: Fumitory Weasel Snout: Yellow Archangel Weazel Snout: Yellow Dead Nettles/Yellow Archangel Weed: Ox-Eye Daisy White: Ox-eye Daisy White Mans Foot: Common Plantain White Wood: White Cinnamon Witch’s Asprin: White Willow/Willow Bark Witch’s Brier: Brier Hips Wolf Claw: Club Moss Wolf Foot: Bugle Weed Wolfs Milk: Euphorbia Worms: Gnarled, thin roots of a local tree
Making dried orange peel! These can be used for baths, hot teas or ciders, potpourri, or witchcraft! The process is extremely simple, and makes the entire house smell nice and fresh (which is also a good way to cleanse and banish negative energies in the home, as I’ve noticed). You can also do this with lemons, it’s the same process and the same usage!
The process: -Get a large amount of healthy oranges with unblemished skin. Be sure to wash the oranges and scrub them lightly, because they are often coated with lots of germs and pesticides, which you REALLY don’t want on your dried product!
-Peel them however you wish, I find it easier to peel the entire orange in a giant coil shape, and then cut that coil to whatever sized pieces that I want my end result to be. Keep in mind that bigger pieces will be easier to strain out of whatever you use these in, so shaving them extremely tiny isn’t very convenient.
-Set your oven to it’s lowest setting, preferably around 200°. Place an aluminum foil sheet over a cookie tray, and generously arrange your peels on the foil. You don’t have to wait until the oven is completely heated, just stick them in there.
-The key is to expose them to low heat for a long period of time, which I’ve estimated to be about an hour and a half. Turning up the heat higher in an attempt to make the process faster will result in a few scorched pieces instead of lightly browned and crisped. You’ll know they’re ready when you can pinch one in the middle and it won’t give at all. Don’t be afraid to stir them around a bit so they all can get even amounts of heat exposure.
-While you’re waiting for them to finish, you can cut open the peeled oranges, and either juice them or slice them for eating!
Voila, now you know what to do with those orange rinds that people often throw away! 😊
Get this handy expandable storage tray for your supplements, medications, or your spices and herbs! Order from our website and have it delivered to your door!
Biscuits - Low-Calorie Buttermilk Biscuits Light cream cheese is a low-calorie alternative to butter in these soft buttermilk biscuits you can serve with any meal.
𝓘𝓼𝓷'𝓽 𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓲𝓯𝓾𝓵? 🐸🌿