My grimoire’s page on Lady’s Slippers. With more extensive information in another post.
When I was a little girl, my grand mother use to rince my hair with a table spoon of pale cider vinegar diluted in a pitch of water. It made my hair so shiny and strong, I kept this tradition in my adulthood.
Now I have more knowledge in herbalism and witchcraft and I adapted the recipe to be even more effective.
This is a remedy to treat small ailments. Always consult with your GP before. This doesn’t replace any medication!
Ingredients:
1L raw organic apple cider vinegar.
½ cup dried chamomile.
½ cup dried lavender.
4 to 5 fresh rosemary sprigs (or ½ cup dried rosemary).
Equipment
1l Mason jar
Plastic lid for the mason jar (you can find some here https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=mason+jar+plastic+lid&crid=1JCPADG0E2V6O&sprefix=mason+jar+plastic%2Caps%2C157&ref=nb_sb_ss_organic-diversity_1_17
Muslin cloth to filter the vinegar
Herbalism
Apple cider vinegar for the hair: help remove buildup of hair products, help balance hair’s pH, clean the scalp, boost circulation, condition hair, soothe dry itchy scalp.
Chamomile: Soothes the scalp
Lavender: Increases circulation, promotes hair growth, calms inflammation, soothes scalp irritation
Rosemary: Increase scalp circulation, promotes hair growth, strengthen hairs, fights dandruff
Magical intent
Apple cider vinegar: Purification, protection
Chamomile: Purification
Lavender: Protection, purification
Rosemary: Protection, purification
Recipe:
Add all the dry ingredients in the mason jar
Fill up to the top with raw organic apple cider
Don’t use metal lid as it will be corroded by the vinegar!
Store in a dark cool cupboard for 6 to 8 weeks. You can be tempted to wait less, but the result will be a weaker vinegar.
Shake every couple of days
When ready, strain and compost the herbs.
The concentrated vinegar will store indefinitely but you’ll need to prepare the rinse before each wash.
Don’t use it more than twice a week.
Always label your jar with the date of creation and what’s inside!
Utilisation
Use a 500mL mason jar.
Add 2 table spoons of vinegar, fill up with water to the top.
Take your shower, wash your hair, then use the rince on your wet hair. Don’t rince your hair with water after!
Be careful to your eyes!
Rinse your shower after you’re done to remove any vinegar residue.
The rinse is really diluted, it doesn’t smell really strong. The smell will disappear when the hair will dry.
Also, it requires a long time of infusion so be mindful of the time frame when you are doing your next batch!
When was the last time you cleansed your home?
When was the last time you checked your wards?
When was the last time you made sure your space was clear of bad energy, bad spirits, and other nasty things?
When was the last time you did that saltwater-incense-bell ringing thing you do?
When was the last time you did a banishing ritual?
If you feel your space is funky, here’s your reminder. Here’s your great cosmic sign. Fix that shit.
You really don't need all the fancy bullshit every tumblr influencer will ever tell you to use. Here's my countdown ofaxtually useful shit.
A pocket knife, preferably with a wood handle. Use that bitch for everything, enchant it, carve symbols in it. It will absolutely be your best friend.
A good bag or backpack with a couple of plastic or ziploc bags in it. If you ever run off into the woods to find minerals, bones, plants, etc. A set aside bag and some things to store your treasures in becomes a necessity.
Basic divinatory sets. You don't have to buy fancy shit, learn to divine with playing cards and dice, or learn geomancy, lithomancy, or rune casting with homemade sets. A tarot deck is nice, but it isn't necessary when you've got so many other divinatory aids available.
A nice sized chunk of scrap cloth. When you process dried plants or sort new ones, that shit can and will get everywhere. A scrap piece of muslin or linen can help contain all of that mess and make clean up way easier.
A stash of good rocks. Draw sigils or symbols on those babies and leave them in the garden, the windowsill,property boundaries, under the stoop, etc. You can never have too many good rocks.
A pendulum, for fucks sake. The cards are going to be vague as hell when you're trying to figure out yes or no questions, and using a candle to communicate with spirits is really fucking hard outside. If you can't afford one, find a nice chunk of pointy quartz and learn to macrame.
A workspace. Everyone talks about having big fancy altars, but no one mentions that you need a good surface to do all your work on.
Storage, so much storage. I'm not talking about mason jars and pill bottles, I'm talking about where you put all the things you put in those jars. Having a workspace with drawers is immeasurably helpful.
A broom and water source. You're going to be cleaning up after yourself a lot, it's helpful to have a jug of water and a broom that stays by your workspace.
A mode of cleansing. I make a salt concoction to scatter around my workspace on short notice and store it close by.
On that note: SOMETHING TO CANCEL SPELLS WITH. Eventually, something will go wrong. You'll want to end that spell immediately. Have something to do it with.
A strainer. If you don't have a blender, rub dried plants across it to get a powder. If you do have a blender, you can strain that powder with it. Either way, if you intend to powder shit, get a strainer.
Small trays. It makes drying flowers so much easier if you have a small metal surface to contain them with- then just stick those suckers in a southern window and let em go.
Yarn/string scraps. Having a box or drawer of scraps makes trying this up to dry easier and a bit less wasteful.
A stash of offerings for whatever you work with. Honey for fae, coins for graveyard gatekeepers, alcohol for ancestors, etc.
Protective talismans or charms. Once you're into all of this stuff, you'll likely stick your nose in something you shouldn't. Having basic protection with you or in your workspace is incredibly important. A key and hagstone with red string is simple and effective.
A lighter- so many people forget the most basic shit. You're going to want to light shit on fire if you're a witch.
And a last tip- if something is too hard for a mortar and pestle, a plastic bag and hammer works too.
A friend of mine that is not heathen was having trouble explaining blót to his girlfriend, who is also not heathen. I liked my answer enough that I wanted to share.
Blót is an Old Norse word that refers to a ritual of sacrifice. It is the origin of the English words blood and blessing.
A central idea to Norse thought is that a gift demands a gift. Blót is a ritual in which we give gifts to the gods in thanks for what they have given us. In pre-Christian times this was done through animal sacrifice, though sacrifice of weapons, armor, or other significant items like jewelry is known to have occurred.
The essence of blot, for me, is that I am giving back to the gods a gift of what they have given me after it has been shaped by my own efforts into something new. For instance, I will give jewelry I have made, or food I have cooked.
Blót is a ritual of developing with the gods. Friendship are formed by giving of yourself to another. This ritual is about creating and sustaining friendship with the gods.
It's common practice for candles to be lit in offering to various spirits and powers for favor, power, or gain. The seven day glass jar candles which are available in just about every witchcraft store, Botanica, and apothecary are perfect for this purpose, as they are not only self-contained in their jar, but can be refilled and reused if you have the know-how. But that is a post for a different day.
One practice I have really fallen into a routine with is the practice of "feeding" offering candles. While the burning candle itself is already a great offerings, thay offerings can be made more sacred and appropriate. The "feeding" process is very simple, and only requires a candle and an oil.
Take your offering candle and prepare it however you feel is appropriate. For the glass jar candles, this may include anointing them, carving sigils into the top, or speaking specific prayers over them. Here I have a simple white candle.
Light the candle in the name of the figure to whom it will be granted. Allow it to burn for a moment to melt the wax around the wick. Then, grab your oil of choice. I tend towards a blend of Tunisian frankincense and myrrh, but Olive Oil will literally be PERFECTLY fine. I just like these because of the scent that is created.
With the dropper, drop several drops of oil into the wax pool.
If you like, you can reiterate your prayer as needed when feeding.
This process can be used to feed not only the offering candles, but can be used to offer various substances to spirits, even the witch's blood should it be desired, through the medium of the burning flame. As the oil is dropped into the wax, the wick will absorb it until the oil itself is burned off by the flame, completing the offering.
Just to make it clear, there is NOTHING wrong with the just burning these candles, as multiple practices and peooles do across the world. This is just a ritualistic process that helps me focus my offerings a little more, and one that I feel compelled to share.
[to any deity in particular]: Hi. I’ve brought shitty alcohol, two electric candles, a chocolate bar, my many issues, and an undying love for you. Can you help me un-fuck myself?
[deity]: sighs deeply
Never... And I mean NEVER beat yourself up for not being able (for whatever reason) to do a full ritual for a Sabbath. Since today (August 1st) is Lammas/Lughnasadh I thought I'd share somethings you can do on a Sabbath without it being a full-on ritual at your altar with offerings.
Remember that a Sabbath is personal. If you take a moment to speak with the God and Goddess, or your patron deity, that is perfectly fine. Give thanks and ask for continued prosperity. Acknowledging the holiday within yourself is more than enough; you can light candles if you like but you can speak to you deity without any supplies.
Spend time on your grimoire [book of shadows] simply spending some part of the day devoted to your craft can be very rewarding. If a Sabbath comes up quickly and you don't have anything prepared then you can make a page in your BoS for that particular Sabbath with all of its associations and lore; or you could plan a Sabbath ritual in your book to use next year.
Eat witchy. By this I mean you can do something small to still commemorate the holiday. You could quickly look up associated herbs with the particular Sabbath and make tea if you have it available. Other than that, most Sabbaths are associated with wheat- that being said, having a quiet moment to yourself eating some toast with honey on it and thanking your deity/deities for the abundance of food and a beautiful harvest. [I know most of us don't harvest our wheat and make our own bread, but someone did, so give thanks] If you can't eat gluten then some fruit and milk'n honey are good universal Sabbath foods.
how i celebrate Beltane whilst in lockdown for 2020
I started of the morning by making Gluten-free pancakes with my younger brother. He loves them and i’ve recently had to go Gulten free so we were trying them out. They were amazing!! I then got dressed into my red dress but had to wear a black top as well as it was so cold.
Later in the afternoon I made oat cookies for my family.
I also made a fruit smoothie for me and my mum but forgot to take any pictures to document it. I used fresh strawberries and bananas!
In the evening, I unpressed all the flowers i pressed to try a few weeks ago - id been leaving it until Beltane to do so!
I then made my offerings to the fae. It was honey, milk and some of my oat cookies. I left it under a beautiful flower in my garden that’s surrounded by our strawberry pots.
I also took a moment whilst outside to appreciate the sunset i could just see.
I then proceeded upstairs to write my wish letter to the Gods and Godesses i celebrated with today. (it’s only the title as i didn’t want to show it)
When i go to bed, i plan to fully pray to the Gods and thank them for a beautiful day!
I’d love to hear what you did below!
It’s fall y’all, and while for some that means pumpkin spice season, but for me it means apple season! This cake is great for a Mabon or Samhain feast, and isn’t too complicated to make. Let’s get to it!
Keep reading
I’m going to use this post not only as a correspondence guide but also as a traduction guide, since english is not my native language and I need to keep record as to what is what. So I’m posting the original english correspondence and just below the names in spanish and catalan with a spanish traduction of the correspondences.
BTW, the original correspondence list was made by @peachyymama. So all praise be to her.
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Manzanas / Pomes: Amor, fertilidad, matrimonio, belleza, vanidad, sabiduria.
Aguacate / Alvocat: Deseo, amor, belleza (puedes llevar un hueso de aguacate para irradiar belleza)
Albaricoque / Albercoc: Atrae el amor.
Plátano / Plàtan: Fertilidad, potencia, prosperidad.
Mora / Mora: Curación, protección, dinero.
Arandano / Nabiu: Paz, protección.
Brócoli / Broquil: Liderazgo, protección, fuerza.
Coles de Bruselas / Cols de Brusseles: Protección, resiliencia, protección.
Remolacha / Remolatxa: Amor.
Repollo / Col: Buena suerte, dinero, fertilidad, magia lunar.
Zanahorias / Pastanagues: Deseo, fertilidad.
Coliflor / Coliflor: Protección.
Apio / Api: Poder mental y psíquico, deseo, fertilidad.
Cereza o Guinda / Cirera: Amor, adivinación, felicidad.
Coco / Coco: Purificación, protección, castidad.
Maíz / Blat de Moro: Protección, buena suerte, adivinación.
Pepino / Cogombre: Salud, castidad, fertilidad.
Ajo / All: Curación, protección, purificación, exorcismos, guarda contra las malas energias.
Uvas / Raïm: Diners, fertilidad, poderes mentales, magia de jardín.
Pomelo / Aranja: Limpieza, purificación.
Limón / Llimona: Limpieza, purificación, remueve bloqueos.
Lechuga / Enciam: Adivinación, protección, sueño, magia lunar, hechizos de amor.
Lima / Llima: Protección, purificación, promueve la calma.
Setas / Bolets: Conciencia psíquica.
Cebolla / Ceba: Estabilidad, dinero, deseo, protección, prosperidad.
Naranja / Taronja: Amor, felicidad, alegría.
Melocotón / Préssec: Fertilidad, amor, sabiduria.
Pera / Pera: Deseo, amor.
Guisantes / Pèsols: Suerte, dinero.
Pimiento verde / Pebrot verd: Crecimiento, prosperidad.
Pimiento rojo / Pebrot vermell: Energia, fuerza.
Pimiento amarillo / Pebrot groc: Creatividad.
Piña / Pinya: Suerte, dinero, castidad.
Ciruela / Pruna: Curación, paz, amor.
Granada / Magrana: Adivinación, deseos, riqueza, fertilidad
Patata / Patata: Curación, dinero, suerte.
Calabaza / Carbassa: Curación, prosperidad.
Rábano / Rave: Protección, deseo.
Frambuesa / Gerd: Amor, protección, felicidad, estamina.
Espinacas / Espinacs: Prosperidad.
Fresas / Maduixes: Éxitos, buena fortuna, amor, suerte, romance.
Batata o Boniato / Moniato: Anclarse a la tierra, amor, deseo.
Mandarina / Mandarina: Protección.
Tomate / Tomàquet: Curación, amor, prosperidad, protección.
Sandía / Sindria: Curación.