Witchcraft Blog, Digital Grimoire, Tarot Readings and Spell Jars & Sachets
I’ve set up my Etsy shop again and will be selling the following items:
• Crystals;
• Spell jar earrings;
• Spell jar pendants;
• Mugwort;
• Handmade mugwort, lemonbalm and chamomile teabags (more blends will be added);
• Anti-anxiety/sleep spray;
• Face serum;
• Spell sachets; and
• Spell jars.
Here’s the link:
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ConceivingaDream
The third Full Moon of 2021 is due to arrive this weekend, just before March ends, with it being at it’s fullest on Monday 29th March.
This Full Moon is traditionally known as the Worm Moon (as this is the time of year the ground thaws and the worms can be seen appearing above the surface), although it can be known by different names in different parts of the world. You may also know this Moon as the Sugar Moon, the Paschal Moon or, if you had a Catholic upbringing (like me), the Lenten Moon, because it appears during Lent.
The astrological sign the Worm Moon will be in is Libra. This is the perfect time to undertake spells and rituals relating to heightening romantic desire, rationally discuss feelings, stay impartial and objective, make a promise (to yourself or others) and work to put harmonious energy in your home.
I will be undertaking a Home Protection Ritual, in conjunction with a good old fashioned Spring Clean, which uses the four elements of air, fire, water and earth.
If you wanted to do one too, here are the items you will need:
• Incense and holder – Any scent of incense you desire, but something suitable for protecting and cleansing your home, such as Cedar Sage (prosperity, protection, harmony) or Sweet Grass (home blessings, healing, positivity);
• Sea salt – for purification, cleansing and dispelling negativity;
• Full Moon Water – for deep energetic cleansing;
• Bowl – to make salt water mixture; and
• Fan (or a feather, or your hand, if you don’t have a fan).
METHOD
Light the incense, which represents the elements of air and fire.
Put the full moon water in bowl and add a pinch of the salt to represent water and earth elements.
Use the fan to gently disperse incense smoke around your home.
Sprinkle the salt water on walls, floors and ceiling.
Draw a pentacle in salt water over every door, window and any other opening to the outside.
I will say this blessing as I travel through our house.
Bless this house,
May peace dwell within.
Protect all that enter,
Whether friend or kin.
Bless every door, window, ceiling and wall, Bless each room, closet, attic, bless it all.
Bless this house with love and light,
Hold us safe here, day and night.
As above and so below,
So mote it be.
Sources:
The Little Book of Moon Magic – Sarah Bartlett
Gorse bushes, or Furze, are often seen around Ostara and is another of Mother Nature’s bright and beautiful announcements that Spring is here.
It is a perennial evergreen shrub belonging to the pea family, which forms multi-branched, stunted shrubs, usually no taller than six feet high, but it is still considered to be a tree.
The flowers are deep yellow in colour and have a beautifully aromatic coconut scent and, although the main flowering period is from March to August, flowers can be found on the furze throughout the year.
It’s wickedly sharp thorns and its dense habit make it an excellent hedging plant, which can also be used as a barrier to protect young tree seedlings in coppices from grazing.
Due to it’s thorny nature, it is often viewed as having protective powers. In Wales, gorse bushes are even said to guard against Witches and can protect the home against The Fae, who cannot pass through the hedge.
The bark and flowers of the gorse can be used to produce a yellow dye. In Ireland, the flowers were also used to flavour and add colour to whiskey and they’ve been known to be used to make beer in Denmark. The flowers can also be used to make wine and tea.
Medicinal properties
There was a Bach Flower Remedy (Edward Bach was an English homeopath in the 1930s) called “Greenman Essence of Gorse”, which was said to help to ease frustration, restlessness and anxiety, and also helped to promote emotional security and feelings of joy.
Gorse flowers are high in proteins and can be eaten raw in salads or made into tea, cordial or syrup. They can also add extra flavour and colour to beer, wine or spirits and even ice cream!
The buds can also be pickled in vinegar and eaten like capers.
**CAUTION: Do not ingest to excess, as the plant contains slightly toxic alkaloids, which can have a cumulative impact.**
There are surprisingly few medicinal uses for gorse, although its flowers have historically been used in the treatment of jaundice, scarlet fever, diarrhoea and kidney stones.
Magickal properties
Gorse is known as the ‘herb of love’ and is associated with love, romance and weddings. It is also known to protect against evil, negativity and dark magick.
It can help to restore faith, hope and optimism and enable you to gather your strength. It also attracts gold, so it is very useful in money, wealth and abundance spells.
Gorse Spell
Carve the word “Gorse” into a gold or yellow candle, then face east and light the candle. Then meditate on the light, whilst asking for for protection, money, love or whatever it has to offer that you desire.
With it being the 17th March in a few days, and therefore St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d write a little about clover, as it’s synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day and the luck of the Irish.
I know people usually refer to them as shamrocks, but they’re the same thing. A clover must have three leaves to be considered a shamrock. If the clover has more or less, then it is not a shamrock. Hence, all shamrocks are clovers, but not all clovers are shamrocks!!
There are a wide variety of different types of clover, all of which can be used in your magickal workings.
Clover has always been seen as a lucky plant, which is likely due to the religious connotations associated with the trifoliate (three) leaves, which symbolise the Holy Trinity. Due to this, they were often worn for protection and to deflect evil and spells.
On the other hand, four leaved clovers are often associated with the cross and were believed to bring the finder fortune. In some cultures, four-leaf clovers were worn to help a man avoid military service. They have also been used to enhance physic powers and to detect the presence of spirits. Placing a four leaved clover in your shoe is also supposed to increase your chances of meeting a rich new lover.
Two and five-leaved clovers are much less common than four-leaf clovers, but are still thought to possess potent magick.
Finding a two-leaf clover means you shall soon find a lover, whilst a five-leaf clover will bring riches, especially if worn.
In general, clover is believed to repel snakes, literally and figuratively, from your property if grown there.
It also brings general protection, whether worn or placed around the home, and aids in getting over heartbreak.
Furthermore, clover is one of the flowers of the Fae and can aid in your ability to see and work with them, whether sitting and meditating, or riding the hedge with clover attached to you. Clover blossoms can also be placed on your altar to attract the Fae, should you want to…..
White and red clover have some slightly different magickal properties too. White clover helps to break hexes, whilst red clover removes negative spirits, can be used in lust potions and brings prosperity.
Medicinal Uses
Red Clover is commonly used to treat children with skin problems, especially eczema and psoriasis. For adults, it is commonly used as an expectorant to treat coughs and bronchitis. However, it should be noted that red clover contains a hormone-like chemical called isoflavones which have caused reproductive failure and liver disease in cheetahs and sterility in livestock when consumed in large quantities. Furthermore, red clover is a blood thinner. So do not use red clover regularly and avoid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
RED CLOVER POULTICE
To make a poultice, combine dried red clover flowers with hot water in muslin and place on the affected area for 10-15 minutes. Red clover can also be used externally as a salve.
Sources:
https://coven.thethriftywitch.com/pages/magickal-uses-of-herbs
https://tesswhitehurst.com/the-magical-properties-of-clover/ Neal’s Yard Complete Wellness
This book focusses on the Witch trials of Pendle, Lancashire, England in 1612.
It is quite a short book, but contains quite a lot of detail. It encompasses eyewitness accounts, in addition to interviews from the trials, as well as general background information leading up to the trials. There are also excerpts from the various laws that covered witchcraft and how they were used at Pendle. It also includes a select bibliography for further reading.
There are several illustrations, from maps to family trees, to help the reader make sense of the people involved, their relationship to each other, in addition to the geographical locations of events.
The book on the whole gives an excellent insight into the events behind the cruel and vicious treatment given to people branded as Witches by the ‘church’, the Monarchy and the powers that be.
Coming from Lancashire myself, with Pendle being a mere 29 miles away from my home town, it makes it all the more interesting as I know and have visited several of the places in the book. It reminds me how fortunate I am to be a Witch in this day and age and not back then, as I would probably be dead by now.
It’s utterly unbelievable how the so called ‘Witches’ were treated. Notwithstanding the Chattox’s and Demdike’s, the main focus of the trials, but all the wise women (and men), healers, midwives, those with a special connection to animals etc, it’s a wonder how anyone could actually survived in these circumstances once accused! The laws were actually changed for these trials to allow gossip and hearsay to be used as evidence, and famously, the testimony of a child (Jennet Device). Luckily, some did survive, such as Alice Grey.
All in all, I found this book fascinating, if not deeply harrowing and quite upsetting. My only fault with it, was that it didn’t ‘flow’ very well, but that’s more the way it’s set out with case law, testimony and accounts of events. I would recommend anyone wanting to learn more about the history and persecution of Witches to read it though.
I went to the supermarket this evening to pick up a few bits and bobs and they had these beautiful tulips on sale for 10p! I thought I could give them a good home and they can be used for my Ostara Altar display too.
Tulips usually flower in April and May, but high demand for them for Mother’s Day in mid-March has them forced grown in the Netherlands, in huge fields as far as the eye can see.
Due to the wide variety of colors and shapes, tulips are thought to be one of the first flowers cultivated solely for their beauty.
Many people think tulips originated in The Netherlands, but in actual fact, tulips were first discovered in Turkey around a thousand years ago. There is little history of the tulip in Europe until the early 1500’s, when the Turkish introduced them to European traders and explorers. From then on, tulips spread across Europe, particularly in Holland, where they were prized and later became the National symbol, were associated with good luck and fortune, as well as love, and often cost more than gems and gold.
As far back as 2200 to 1600 B.C. tulip designs can be seen on pottery and have also been found on fabric from the Byzantine century.
Tulips are most commonly referred to as the symbol of perfect love and the Turkish people used them in love potions, or placed them on altars during love spells. They can also be used to increase desire and build relationships, both new and old.
Furthermore, tulips are also used in colour or flower language. Red is a declaration of love, yellow hopeless love, and black meant a heart burning with love.
Apart from their association with love, tulips also project other positive energies such as prosperity and protection.
They were often worn to safeguard against poverty and bad luck and are also sometimes associated with dream work, fame and protection. They can also be used in magick regarding gratitude, simplicity, happiness, beauty, and prosperity.
There are very little medicinal uses for tulips, likely due to their cost throughout much of history. However, a poultice made of tulip flowers can treat and soothe rashes, stings, scratches and minor burns. Tulip oil can also be used as a house freshener or added to baths and massage oils to uplift vibrations.
TULIP POULTICE
• To create a poultice of tulip flowers, you’ll need to warm 2-4 flowers in hot water.
• Place a towel into hot water and put the petals inside the towel.
• Lightly crush the petals and apply them to the affected area.
• Hold in place for 10 minutes using the warm towel.
Petals can also be combined with castor oil, especially for treating burns and insect bites.
I always considered myself a ‘no harm done’ kind of Witch. I try to be nice to everyone, a friend to all, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and a hand to hold. However, there have been occasions when a few people have taken advantage of my good nature and made it their sport to upset me or grind me down.
A few months back, in November 2020, this Witch decided she will NOT stand for that any longer!! There was one particular person that deserved their comeuppance and I was the one to serve it…..nice and cold! Don’t worry, it’s no one I have as a friend or follower on any social media, so you’re all safe!!
I don’t want to go into specifics, but believe me, I thought long and hard about this and they DEFINITELY deserved what I did. I also won’t be going into my specific intention for the Curse Jar I created, but I will divulge details on process.
The curse was done on the dark new moon on Saturday 14th November, close to midnight, as the dark moon is perfect for deconstructive magick and curses.
I used both black and red candles, for binding & repelling negativity, and strength & fast action, respectively.
I also used Dragon’s Blood incense to cleanse my materials and tools, in order to add extra energy and power to my curse.
I used the following ingredients within my Curse Jar:
• Amethyst, to cause my enemy to self-destruct;
• Fossilized Shark Teeth, as the remains of predatory animals are quite often used to cause harm through curses and hexes as it’s seen as an aggressive tool in magick.
• Thorns of blackthorn, hawthorn and wild rose to curse;
• Rusty nails;
• Black peppercorns, for a powerful curse;
• Cinnamon, for discomfort;
• Vinegar, for a powerful curse;
• Chilli powder for discord, bane and use in curses;
• Lime juice, to make their life sour;
• Patchouli oil, to sicken them;
• Poppy seed, to cause them to argue with their partner;
• Stinging nettle, to bring sadness and bad luck;
• Wormwood, for cursing and hexing;
• A photo (taglock) of the person;
• A piece of paper with my intent on it; and
• Lots and lots of nasty intention.
I never knew I could be so…..EVIL *cue manic cackling*
From what I’ve heard….it worked rather well 😂😂😂
Back on February 27th 2021 the full moon was in Virgo. At that time this reminded us that we must learn to organise our lives, accept that not everyone is perfect and to compromise.
Suitable activities that could have been undertaken during that full moon included:
• Editing, completing or finalising a project;
• Organising your kitchen, workplace, home or bedroom;
• Cleaning up the loose ends of a relationship matter;
• Making a plan for long term success; or
• Delivering an important message.
With regards to long term career success, I have big plans for my job this year. I have submitted my application to become a Chartered Environmentalist and am awaiting an interview. If successful, my work will hopefully promote me to Associate Director. I also did the same ritual for my husband at the same time, to help with his long term career goals.
Therefore, I decided to do a ritual on the might of that full moon, to ask the Universe to assist me with obtaining my career goals.
Here are the items I used (I needed two of everything, apart from the pen, as the spell was for two people).
• Two pieces of green paper;
• A gold pen;
• Six fresh mint leaves;
• Two teaspoons of dried sage;
• Two gold candles;
• Jasmine incense – for success, luck in general and good fortune. Jasmine also opens up the natural force of attraction and consequently helps us attract prosperity and success, in addition to helping live a life of beauty, through which our life circumstances naturally follow suit;
• Citrine – This crystal is commonly referred to as the abundance stone and it has powerful properties that attract career benefits, financial success and prosperity. Citrine is also useful for encouraging new opportunities and possibilities for the improvement of your career. The stone also helps promote joy and inner peace, blocking out negative energy and keeps you confident and positive. Citrine can also provide an extra boost of confidence to take with you on promotional reviews or job interviews. It also keeps you emotionally balanced in order to overcome any work challenges, whilst bringing good luck to any task or project you’re working on;
• Sodalite – This crystal enables you to harness your self-esteem, in order for you to take your career to the next level and also helps you to follow your instincts and have self-confidence. It is also known for its capability to inspire the confidence to make your dreams come true. It is also associated with the throat chakra, so provides great benefits for giving important presentations or speaking in public; and
• Selenite – This is one of the best crystals for career success, as it can penetrate any stagnant, stale or negative energy and completely remove it. Selenite can also help with connecting with your intuitions, to listen to your inner voice and push you to follow its guidance towards career success. Also, the crystal works wonders if you are sensitive, providing you with balance for your professional life and workspace.
Here are the steps for the spell. I will be doing this process twice, once for each of us.
• Light the jasmine incense.
• Draw a large pentacle in the centre of the green piece of paper with the gold pen. In the centre of the pentacle write the word JOB, making sure the star is pointing upwards not downwards.
• Around the word JOB, write the specific job each of us is pursuing.
• Tear up the three mint leaves and put these, along with the dried sage, onto the pentacle (keeping the herbs within the outer circle).
• Draw (or carve, if you’re using a pillar candle) with a Sharpie the bindrune ‘Provide energy for success’ onto the side of the candle. I actually couldn’t find gold candles, so I used yellow jasmine scented ones and scattered some gold heart shaped glitter on the top of the wax.
• Place the candle on top of the herbs and light it.
• Place the citrine, sodalite and selenite on the paper around the candle.
• Chant the following words three times (for each spell). I will do mine and my husband will do his:
Universe wide, hear my plea,
Send me the job, that’s just for me,
Grant me the job, that I will love,
I send this message, to you above.
• Allow the candle to burn down completely, then carefully take the paper with the herbs on it to the nearest window, open the window and blow the contents from the paper into the air.
• Then we just patiently wait to hear that we’ve been successful.
A few weeks ago I was feeling really exhausted, unable to concentrate properly and just felt really off. There were a mixture of things causing this, such as being really busy at work and an extra long mercury in retrograde, but mostly it was due to one of my health conditions, which I knew required my medication to be increased.
I have something Hashimotos Disease, which causes an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). This disease tricks my body into thinking that my thyroid gland is a foreign body and is therefore producing antibodies to slowly destroy it. Your thyroid’s function is to basically control everything in your body, from your heart rate and metabolism, to temperature regulation and stimulating digestion, so you can understand that if that is out of whack, everything goes potty!
I did seek proper medical advice from my General Practitioner and Endocrinologist though, including a full panel of blood’s to check all of my hormone levels. However, due to the current pandemic, and the understandable knock-on effects it’s having on our National Health Service, I couldn’t get a blood test done until a few days ago and I’m still waiting for the results.
Therefore, I thought if there was anything I can do to help myself in the meantime, with natural remedies and a bit of kitchen and green witchcraft, then I would try it!
I’ve did some research on Healthline.com, mindbodygreen.com and mycrystalaura.com.au for information on essential oils, herbs and crystals that can help to energise and uplift me, whilst also supporting my thyroid health.
I decided that making a pulse point roll-on oil, with essential oils and crystals would be the best thing to create, to help boost my mood, enhance my mental clarity and improve my focus, whilst also supporting my thyroid.
Here’s a list of the ingredients I used, along with their properties, health benefits and magickal correspondences.
‼‼REMINDER: Make sure you only use a maximum of two drops of essential oil per 5ml of carrier oil. Also, always check the safety information for allergy advice and any contraindications with prescribed or over the counter medication you may be taking. Many essential oils are also not safe to use when you’re pregnant or breast feeding. It is also highly advisable to do patch test first too!‼‼
• 8ml Coconut Oil (carrier) – As all essential oils are dangerous when used on the skin neat or undiluted, so you MUST use a carrier oil to dilute them, so they can safely be used.
• 1ml Vitamin E Oil – Vitamin E is used as a stabilising agent, which means the pulse point roll-on oil will have a longer shelf life (around 4-6 months).
• 1 drop Therapeutic Grade Lemongrass Essential Oil – Lemongrass Oil helps to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. It is also good for purification, protection, health and cleansing. With regards to cleansing, it has a dual quality of being able to assist you with clearing obstacles standing in your way and is also known for ‘Road Opening’ (something that open paths and roads in magick, so that what you want can be achieved). It is also known to help with changing bad luck to good luck, especially for those who have been affected by negative energies. It can also help to detox your thyroid while maintaining it’s natural lymphatic function.
• 1 drop Therapeutic Grade Peppermint Essential Oil – Peppermint Oil can be used to encourage better mental and physical health. It can also be used for increasing your energy and concentration, bring mental clarity and assists with regeneration and vibrancy. Peppermint oil is known to aid digestion and, if your metabolism is sluggish from an underactive thyroid, you can use it to stimulate your metabolism.
• 1 drop Therapeutic Grade Eucalyptus Essential Oil – Eucalyptus Oil can be used to bring fresh energy to a situation, reduce worries and relieve mental exhaustion. It is also great for improving concentration, balancing and grounding you and for purification.
• 1 drop Therapeutic Grade Frankincense Essential Oil – Frankincense oil is packed with anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting and pain-relieving properties. It is also beneficial in improving skin disorders, which are caused by thyroid imbalances. This essential oil also protects the thyroid gland, by destroying free radicals in the body. Additionally, it also promotes good cellular health.
• Aquamarine crystal chip – This crystal works as an effective regulator and balancer for the thyroid.
• Citrine crystal chip – This crystal is excellent for energising and recharging, in addition to balancing the thyroid and fortifying the nerves.
• Lapis Lazuli crystal chip – This crystal harmonises the thyroid and has been popular with healers for centuries. It also overcomes depression and helps to alleviate insomnia.
I placed the crystals into the blue glass roller-ball bottle first, reminding myself of each of their properties. I then added the coconut carrier oil and the Vitamin E stabilising oil. Lastly, I put one drop of each of the essential oils, again reminding myself of each ones properties and purpose as I added them. I lastly put in the roller-ball and popped on the lid and gave it a good shake to mix everything up, whilst imbuing it with my intention for it to help energise me and help to support my thyroid gland.
The New Moon occurs when the sun, earth and moon come into alignment (align at approximately the same degree astrologically). The moon is positioned between the earth and sun and, therefore, the entire illuminated portion of the moon is on the back side of the moon, the half that we can’t see.
The New Moon tomorrow (Sunday 14th March 2021) is in Pisces.
When this happens it’s time to vanquish all self-doubt and reflect upon and put into action your dreams, desires and long term goals.
This is a ‘Get it Done’ spell, to help finalise and push forwards with your dreams, desires and wishes.
For this spell, you will need the following:
• A red candle (any candle will do, votive, tealight, birthday candle….whatever you have to hand);
• A green pen to signify growth, prosperity and personal goals; and
• A piece of paper.
On the evening of the New Moon, light the red candle on your Altar or Sacred Space and write on the paper with the green pen the following spell:
‘With this pen I do inscribe,
Desires and wishes as described,
Bring me, Luna, all that I think,
And secure my future with this ink’.
Then write your desire/wish below the spell, again with the green pen.
Once you’ve written everything, place the candle on top of the paper and focus on your intended goals for a few minutes.
Let the candle burn down and leave everything in place until the next morning, to let the energy from the New Moon in Pisces charge your spell and bring the desired results. Then, take the piece of paper and bury it somewhere on your property.
My husband struggles with his stomach and from pretty savage heartburn, so I’ve been trying to devise a way to create something that will settle his stomach, but that won’t irritate his throat or trigger his heartburn.
I researched some of the herbs and spices I already had and found that juniper berries (Juniperus communis) can be used for digestion problems, including an upset stomach, intestinal gas (flatulence), heartburn, bloating and loss of appetite. They are also said to have antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal properties, in addition to being helpful for coughs, congestion and may have antidiabetic properties.
In addition to this, I have fresh peppermint growing (with a ton of other plants and herbs!) on my kitchen windowsill. Peppermint is also known to relieve digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating and indigestion. It is also thought to fight bacterial infections.
**Please note, juniper berries can have a diuretic effect (need to pee more often) and should be avoided during pregnancy, lactation and by persons suffering with kidney stones or other kidney disorders. Please also ensure that neither juniper berries, nor peppermint, present any contradictions with any medication you may be currently taking, or that you are allergic to either of them**.
Juniper Berry and Peppermint Tea Ingredients
✧ 1/2 tsp of dried juniper berries (Juniperus communis)
✧ 8-10 good sized peppermint leaves
✧ 2 cups of boiling water
✧ Honey to taste
Method
Place the juniper berries, peppermint leaves and water in a pan of boiling water and simmer for around 10 minutes. Carefully strain through a fine sieve, pour into a cup and sweeten with honey to taste.
The moon spends a little over two days at a time in each of the 12 zodiac signs, as it travels through the zodiac wheel. It completes its rotation through all 12 signs in about 28 days, which is a full moon cycle.
As the moon moves through the zodiac, it frequently forms planetary aspects with the other major planets.
A void-of-course moon (or void moon) is the period of time before the moon moves into a new sign. During this time, it doesn’t form any significant alignment with any of the other planets.
Not everyone believes or follows this, but it is said that spell work shouldn’t be done during this time, as the moon’s energy and influence are greatly reduced, or corrupted, and it is not a good idea to work any magick or start anything new or important, as it could not work at all, or go disastrously wrong!!
Sometimes the void moon only last a few hours, but can sometimes be a couple of days.
You can easily find the calendars online, which have date, start time and end time.
For example, where I am today (Saturday 13th March 2021), the void moon starts at 16:37 and ends at 23:43 the same day (lasting 7 hours and 6 minutes).
The next void moon won’t be until Tuesday 16th March and will start at 03:40, ending at 10:56 (lasting 7 hours and 16 minutes).
**WARNING – Please do not use essential oils if pregnant or breast feeding, as they can be very harmful. Also, please ensure any ingredients do not have any contraindications with medication you are using, or that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Thank you!**
A few months back, I was struggling to sleep, due to some of my medical conditions flaring up and causing me pain. Despite the herbal tea (Sleepy Tea Blog) and bath salts (Bath Salts Blog) I make and use, I needed something a bit more powerful to add to my bedtime arsenal. Therefore, I decided to make a herbal sleep sachet for inside my pillow.
I do a lot of crafts and have drawers full of bits and bobs, including some cute Disney fat quarters (I found these in Aldi a few years ago). I chose a nice pattern and cut it to the size I needed and hand sewed it, inside out, along two sides, with one side left open and a flap to tuck in. Once sewn, I then turned it inside out again, so that it was the right way round and the two sewn sides were now on the inside.
I put the following dried herbs into a bowl:
• 2 chamomile teabags (opened and emptied, but you could use loose, dried chamomile flowers) – for it’s mild tranquillising effect and sleep inducing properties;
• 1 piece of star anise – to repel nightmares (use sparingly);
• 2 teaspoons of catnip – for increasing restful sleep;
• 2 teaspoons of lemon balm – for it’s ability to reduce anxiety and insomnia, in addition to relieving stress;
• 2 teaspoons of jasmine flowers – to reduce stress and anxiety, help with symptoms of depression and to help get a good night’s sleep;
• 2 teaspoons of mugwort – for pleasant dreams and to help fall back to sleep if awoken (I do this a lot, so need something to help me fall back to sleep again);
• 2 teaspoons of rose petals (mine were pinky red, but you could use any colour) – for loving and peaceful thoughts and dreams; and
• 2 teaspoons of Lavender – for it’s anxiolytic (anxiety relieving) properties and as a sedative, to increase relaxation and calm, and help for bringing about sleep.
I then put 8-10 drops of each of the following essential oils into the dried herbs and stirred deosil (clockwise), imbuing the mixture with my intent for peaceful, relaxing and restorative sleep.
• Frankincense – for it’s aromatherapeutic benefits, which help relieve stress and promote relaxation;
• Clary sage – for it’s natural sedative properties, which can provide a calming effect to help fall and stay asleep. It is also known to reduce the levels of hormones associated with stress, such as cortisol, which helps your body prepare for a good night’s rest; and
• Bergamot – for it’s calming effect and ability to induce physiological changes that precede sleep, such as lowering heart rate and blood pressure.
I also wanted to include some crystals in my sachet that are associated with sleep, so I looked into the properties and correspondences of various crystals and chose the following.
• Amethyst – this crystal helps with sleep by blocking stress and negative energies. It is especially helpful when insomnia is caused by stress and over thinking. It also protects against nightmares;
• Rose quartz – this crystal is helpful as it is the stone of unconditional love and peace. It can remove negative energy and replace it with positive vibes and can provide restorative healing and self love;
• Moonstone – this crystal has been used for centuries as a sleep stone and can also increase sleep quality. It is also fantastic for calming and stabilising the emotions and promoting a restful sleep; and
• Clear quartz – this is the most powerful healing crystal, in addition to being a great energy amplifier and can be used to enhance the energies of other crystals. Therefore, I added it to my sleep sachet to increase and amplify the energies of the amethyst, rose quartz and moonstone.
Once everything is thoroughly mixed, I carefully spooned the mixture into the open end of the sachet, until all the mixture was inside. I then folded in the edges, along with the flap, and sewed it shut.
It’s been in my pillow ever since and if it needs refreshing, I just sprinkle a few drops of each of the essential oils I used onto the material of the sachet. I’ve honestly been sleeping so much better!
I have been fascinated by witchcraft, forteana, the paranormal and cryptozoology (I had a subscription to the Fortean Times from about 11/12 years old onwards) for as long as I can remember (I am 44 now). There’s a bit of paranormal history in my family too, with both my mum and my grandma on my dad’s side having had encounters with Spirits on a couple of occasions. My mum was also once told by a psychic medium that she had latent psychic abilities that she should develop, but she never did as far as I’m aware. I was also one of those kids that had an imaginary friend. Mine was a pony called Poppet and he was with me for years!
Looking back, I think my journey into witchcraft started when I was about 12 or 13. I found some dream books and books on herbs in the loft at my parents house that were my mum’s. I started foraging for the herbs in the books, or finding them in our garden, and made teas, tinctures, soups and condiments, anything I could really. I once made my dad nettle soup, which was truly awful, but, bless him, he ate every drop and pretended to love it! I also persuaded my mum to buy me more herb and natural remedy books from the garden centre too.
I also had what I now realise as being an altar of sorts, from about 13/14 onwards (without actually realising what it was), which was a big shelf above my radiator, over which I painted a big Mandala on the wall with a Yin Yang symbol in the middle.
On this shelf I kept interesting stones, fossils and minerals I’d found, shells and feathers, bits of plants and dried flowers. I also burned incense, had candles and drank herbal teas, sometimes with added herbs from the garden or spices from my mums spice rack. Here I’d make wishes on candles to do well in a test, or to get that boy I liked to notice me, which were in essence my first spells. I’d also write things down on paper and burn them, which I now know is a way of manifesting your desires.
I used shufflemancy with my CDs, and my own version of bibliomancy with my books, to make decisions, long before I found out these were forms of divination. I would also have little fires at the bottom of the garden and just sit out there, watching the moon and stars whilst drinking my tea.
We didn’t have the internet at home when I was younger and the local librarian was loathed to lend me Stephen King books, let alone anything to do with witchcraft or the occult, so I had no choice but to make things up as I went along. Even at university there was limited access to the internet! It’s so much easier nowadays for people to do research, watch videos and join online groups and communities to learn about witchcraft. I wish there’d have been something like that when I was younger.
It’s only really been since my mid 30’s that I realised the things I’ve been intuitively doing since I was a young teen could be classed as witchcraft. I just didn’t realise, because these things just came naturally to me. As I’ve got older, the pull towards properly learning and researching has become stronger and our house has become more cluttered with stones, feathers, shells and dried flowers I’ve found, in addition to crystals.
Over the years I’ve read so much more into it and got so invested in the idea and history of witchcraft, that to NOT develop it was becoming impossible to resist!! So here I am! I’ve only recently started to refer to myself as a Witch, or even been comfortable in telling people about it.
However, I found a few communities for Witchcraft online and became an active member, writing blogs and articles on things I’d researched, or spells/rituals I’d developed/undertaken and hosted/co-hosted chats on crystals, nature, kitchen witchery and candle magick etc. I also found out, through helping and advising the younger or more inexperienced members of these communities, that I knew a lot more about witchcraft than I realised.
For me, the next logical step was setting up this website, and associated social media, as a way of recording what I know and have done and to help others starting out in their journeys into witchcraft
One of my favourite bath salt blends to make is this one, for helping to relax, unwind, de-stress and sleep. I always have some made up on hand at all times, stored in a recycled gherkin jar (washed out, obviously!), so it’s there ready if I need to use it. I also try and make it well enough in advance to give the ingredients time to meld together and infuse.
These sleepy salts really help me to relax and unwind and, combined with some sleepy tea that I make (Sleepy Tea Recipe), along with playing rainstorm or crashing wave sounds through Alexa in our bedroom, or guided meditation through my headphones, I am guaranteed a full nights sleep.
Here’s the ingredients I used:
• Himalayan pink salt for cleansing, centering and grounding;
• Dried jasmine flowers for their sedative effects and use for reducing anxiety and depression;
• 6-8 drops of ylang ylang essential oil to boost my mood, alleviate anxiety and reduce depression;
• 6-8 drops of rose essential oil for also relieving anxiety and stress; and
• 6-8 drops of patchouli essential oil to relieve depression, provide feelings of relaxation and helping to ease stress or anxiety.
I first put the salt into the jar. I then added each essential oils, 2-3 drops at a time, putting the lid on and shaking to mix well in between each addition. Each time I shook it I thought of my intention for this to help me destress, not be as anxious and to try and relax more, whilst soaking in a bath containing a handful.
The last thing I added was the dried jasmine and gave it a final shake.
It smells divine and the other thing about it that soothes me, is that it smells of my mum’s favourite perfume. I lost my mum very suddenly and quite traumatically in 2016. It took me a long time to get over that. This smell reminds me of her, and how wonderful and loving she was, and makes me feel connected to her. The label at the bottom of the jar has her initials as I’ve dedicated this blend to her.
Following on from my post yesterday about my Altar, I wanted to show you a way you can still have an Altar, but for it to be a bit more discreet. So this will be perfect if you’re in the Broom Closet, don’t have the room, travel frequently, not allowed by your parents or, like me, enjoy taking your practice out into nature.
I found this cute oblong metal tin (I think it’s supposed to be a pencil case) in IKEA a while back, which is decorated to look like a little snake!!
On the inside, I personalised it with some stickers on the bottom part of the tin (from the top down):
• Triple Moon Fertility Goddess to represent my lifelong struggle with infertility;
• A beautiful and colourfull beetle to represent my love for nature; and
• A Mandala to represent my spiritual journey.
Inside the lid, I have three metal flower of life Metatron’s cube stickers, to represent the journey of energy throughout the universe, and of balance within the universe, to aid with meditation. (I am a bit annoyed I put them on a bit wonky, as they’re so thin, I can’t get them off again without ruining them). The contents of my travel altar are as follows:
• Mini besom to symbolically cleanse and purify wherever I decide to do any work;
• A lighter for my candles and incense;
• Mini green, yellow, white, orange, red and black rolled beeswax candles, for any spells, rituals or to signify the fire element when casting my circle;
• A metal disc incense holder;
• The tiniest bottle of Himalayan pink salt to represent the earth element when setting up a protective working space;
• Small glass jar of Samhain Blue Moon water to signify the water element when circle casting;
• ‘Meditation’ scent incense cones to represent the element of air;
• Clear quartz teardrop, to use as a substitute for any other crystal I may need;
• Rosemary essential oil, as Rosemary can be a substitute for any other herb/essential oil I may need;
• Pine cone to signify health and prosperity, healing and protection; and
• Chamomile tea bags, because they’re just lovely.
I just love how cute and organised it is (and that it all fits!) and I can’t wait for the warmer months to use it outside!
I did a tarot spread this evening, for the New Moon in Capricorn. I decided to do a spread for self reflection, shadow work and home truths.
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Here’s the questions I asked my cards:
1. What are my strengths?
2. How can my strengths help me overcome any challenges?
3. How can I ground myself?
4. What truths do I need to see?
5. What intentions should I set at this New Moon?
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After cleansing my cards with incense smoke and giving them a good mix up and shuffle, I dealt out five cards, one for each question, and laid them out as shown below.
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The cards I pulled were:
1. King of Wands (reversed)
2. Nine of Pentacles (reversed)
3. Two of Chalices
4. The Hierophant (reversed)
5. The Emperor (reversed)
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Here are my interpretations of the cards.
1. King of Wands (reversed) – This card is telling me some of my strengths include high expectations, whether that be of myself or others, and I can often be ruthless. These aren’t necessarily good strengths to have though, as with these traits I can often be impulsive, aggressive in my pursuit of goals and even occasionally overbearing, sometimes without actually realising I’m behaving this way. I also see this card as a warning against setting too high expectations for myself (and others). I need to stay true and focussed, and not try to do too much too quickly, or expect others just to jump when I click my fingers.
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2. Nine of Pentacles (reversed) – The reversed Nine of Pentacles is all about self worth and reflecting on your personal value. I should try and find a way of using my strengths to undertake some serious introspection, in order to learn that I don’t have to act in such ways to still have self worth.
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3. Two of Chalices – This card depicts the flow of love between two people. A deep connection and partnership, which is based on unconditional love, shared values and compassion. I am lucky in that I have all of this with my husband, so I take this card to mean all I need to ground myself is the love, companionship and mutual respect of my husband.
Our Wedding Day. Jack only turned 5 six days earlier and was his Daddy’s Best Man.
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4. The Hierophant (reversed) – Seeing the Hierophant card in reverse may mean that I feel restricted and constrained (who doesn’t with the amount of lockdowns we’ve had in the UK!) and, as a result, I have lost quite a lot of control, as well as flexibility, in my life. It also tells me that I am strong willed, stubborn and a bit of a control freak. This is very true. I like order, tidiness and do like to be in control over every aspect of my life (I’m an awful backseat driver!!). This is something I do need to work on. They do say the thing you need to hear the most is always the thing you don’t want to hear!
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5. The Emperor (reversed) – With regards to setting intentions for this New Moon in Capricorn, the reversed Emperor card tells me that although I have a fear of losing control, this can be seen as an opportunity to loosen the reigns and realise that not being in control of everything isn’t the end of the world and being so stringent and overbearing will only ultimately harm myself the long run. I need to remember to go with with the flow and accept that sometimes situations are out of my control and that’s OK. Therefore my intentions should be to loosen up, accept, chill out and stop being so anal about everything!
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My husband, who is a train driver, goes back to work tomorrow after being off since March last year. That’s 10 MONTHS off work!! Understandably, he’s really anxious about going back.
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Therefore, I’ve made him an anti-anxiety spray, for his pillow tonight before he goes to sleep and to take with him in his bag, to spray onto his sleeve, or a hankerchief, to smell if he starts feeling antsy.
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For the base of this spray I’ve used around 150ml of cosmetic grade rosewater (so that it’s safe if any gets on his skin), for enhancing moods and relieving any stress associated headaches, plus about 250ml of cosmetic grade orange water, to soothe and relax nerves and settle upset stomachs (as who doesn’t get stomach ache when they’re anxious and nervous?).
I also added 8-10 drops of each of the following essential oils into the mixed rose and orange waters, swirling it deosil (clockwise), imbuing the mixture with my intent for calm, inner peace, confidence and happiness.
• Clary sage – as it is known to reduce the levels of hormones associated with stress, such as cortisol, which helps your body and brain calm down and become more focussed;
• Bergamot – for it’s calming effect and ability to induce physiological changes, such as lowering heart rate and blood pressure;
• Ylang ylang – to boost his mood, alleviate his anxiety and reduce any depression;
• Lavender – for it’s calming effect; and
• Chamomile – for anxiety relief.
I topped up the mixture with blue moon water I made at Samhain, so the bottle was full.
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The final things I added were around 8/9 amethyst chips, as this crystal provides relief from stress and anxiety, and helps to calm your mind.
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Here is my recipe for Mulled Wine.
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Please drink responsibly, avoid alcohol consumption if you are pregnant or breast feeding and please abide by your local Laws regarding under age drinking
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To make my mulled wine I buy a nice bottle of red wine. It doesn’t have to be an expensive bottle, but try not to buy a cheap one either. I pour the whole bottle into a large pan, then I gather the following ingredients:
• Cinnamon sticks – to warm the circulation and regulate glucose metabolism;
• A piece of star anise – for love and protection;
• A Winter Spice Infusion bag (contains black tea, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and cardamom);
• A good squirt of maple syrup – for a long life and spiritual healing; and
• A whole orange – for joy, health and purification.
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I place the cinnamon sticks, star anise, infusion bag and maple syrup in the pan, with the wine. With each ingredient I add, I tell them the properties that I am using them for and what I want them to imbue the mulled wine with. I also stir the liquid and ingredients deosiI, adding my love and positive intent. I then slice up the orange into half centimeter or so slices, all the time thinking of the goodness and positivity the oranges can provide. I then add them to the pot, pop it on a low heat and simmer very gently for about half an hour. I use a ladle to scoop use mixture out into mugs. It’s so warming and comforting, especially when it’s so cold!
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With the wine and spiced infused oranges that are left over, I pop them onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake them in the oven at 140°C for 45 minutes to an hour. Once dried, I’ll string ribbon through them and hang them on the Christmas tree, as they smell amazing!
I did a quick ritual out in the back garden (not recommended for indoors, as it really smells!!) to manifest/attract wealth and abundance.
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I wrote onto 6 bay leaves (I won’t say exactly what, but it represented my intentions) and spoke to the Universe whilst burning the bay leaves in my mini cauldron.
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Once it’s all cooled down, I’ll scatter the ashes to the wind and say:
‘The Moon has Awoken, with the sleep of the Sun,
The ashes are are scattered, the spell has begun.
The powerful Conjunction, of Jupiter and Saturn,
Will trigger my spell, for an affluence pattern.
With blessed relief from stress and from debts,
So our lives will be free of worries and frets.
My Magick has spoken, so mote it be.’
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Melusina The Green Witch 