herbal remedy – Page 2 – Melusina The Green Witch

Coastal Foraging Haul

In October 2020 I was out on site all day with various clients and colleagues along the North West Coast of England (I’ve walked 7.75 miles!!). Even though I was doing my day job, I can still do some witchy foraging on the side!!

The first site was a Dockside adjacent to an estuary, with lovely mudflats and salt marsh. It was absolutely FREEZING and rained all morning, but I cheered myself up by collecting some rosehips, marsh marigold, red clover and rowan berries.

The second site was a huge expanse of sandy beach, with defences along the back and some lovely sand dunes to the south. It had thankfully brightened up and stopped raining, but was VERY windy. Bonus though, I got a free face exfoliation from all the sand whipping about! I didn’t find any nice shells unfortunately, but I found some bladderwrack and, my favourite, a couple of smooth pebbles!

Here’s some uses for what I found and brought home (from left to right).

1. Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) – Protection, sea and water spells, wish spells and money magic.

2. Rosehips (from Dog Rose (Rosa canina) – Can be used as a charm to attract health and wealth, are a symbol of prosperity and fertility and if you place them beneath your pillow, they can protect you against nightmares and nasty spirits that want to disturb your sleep.

3. Marsh marigold (Calendula officinalis) – Can be used for consecration, inner vision, love, peace and truthfulness.

4. Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) – Can be used for exorcism, fidelity, love, money, protection and success.

5. Rowan Berry (Sorbus aucuparia) – Can be used for protection, inspiration and to help open the gateway for spirit communication.

Plants for Psoriasis

**Please note, these plants will not cure your psoriasis and advice from your doctor or primary care specialist will always be the best advice. These are just a few ideas of plants you could try to incorporate into a recipe, which might help.**

Seeing as though a lot of people suffer from psoriasis, including me (it’s hereditary in my mum’s side of the family and mine randomly started at 18…just when I thought I’d escaped the curse!), it stands to reason we may have some sufferers that are reading this.

Mine is really bad on my elbows, forearms and knees, with a tiny patch on either side of the bridge of my nose, where my glasses sit. I am slowly covering both arms with tattoos (mostly flowers, dot work Mandalas and insects!) to try and hide them as much as I can. I also have psoriatic arthritis.

I did a bit of research, as I wanted to see if there were any more natural solutions I could look into and thought I’d share my findings with you lovely people!

Oregon grape (barberry) (Mahonia aquifolium)

Oregon grape is a plant native to North America.

It is thought that extracts of this plant actually slow down the production of Lipoxygenase, which is an enzyme involved in psoriatic skin cell production. The plant itself also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Indigo naturalis

This plant is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of psoriasis and is derived from the plant that produces the dyes that make our jeans blue!

Aloe vera

Everyone knows the multitude of benefits Aloe Vera has. It’s widely known to be soothing and cooling, and is often used in aftersun products.

I suggest you do your own research, like I’ll be doing, to find out how the best way to prepare them is, whether in an ointment, or cream or rub.

Foraging Haul

Late last summer my husband, stepson and I went for a little (4.5 miles though!) walk in and around the countryside near our house. We are truly blessed to have this on our doorstep and I’m forever grateful.

It was around 13°C and beautifully sunny. We took plenty of water, some homemade biscuits and some apple spiced Bourbon (purely to keep out the cold, honestly!!).

We saw lots of birds, rabbits and squirrels and hardly any other people, just how we like it!!

The local farmer is also getting his pumpkin crop ready to sell!!

We managed to forage some awesome things! Here’s what we found and brought home (from left to right).

1. Pine cones (fresh and fallen) – Signifies health and prosperity, healing, protection, fertility, money/prosperity.

2. Yellow crab apple – Can be used for divination and in love spells/charms.

3. Conkers (Buck eye) – Conkers are useful in luck charms and spells and some people keep them in their pockets or purses to attract luck and bring them money. Other things they are good for are arthritis relief, migraine relief, male virility (in terms of fertility and things of a sexual nature) as a cold/flu remedy. **Not to be eaten in any form though, as they are toxic**.

4. Acorns (fresh and fallen) – The magickal properties of acorns include protection, abundance, fertility, strength, courage, abundance, longevity and healing.

5. Fuschia flower – Assists with accepting long repressed emotions and dealing with grief.

6. Elderberry – Good for exorcism, prosperity, banishment and healing. The berries are used for protection and in breaking spells that were cast against you or to undo spells of evil intent. Growing an elder in your garden will protect your property from misfortune and harm. In Europe, they planted elder in cemeteries to keep away the evil spirits.

7. Yarrow – Psychic powers, love, courage, exorcism, dreams, peace, happiness, divination and protection.

8. Ivy leaves – Protection and healing.

9. Holly leaves – Holly can be used in spells for material gain, physical revenge, beauty, protection (especially against lightening!), luck and dream magic.

10. Datura – Astral travel, concealment and invisibility, divination and enchantment.

11. Alder flowers (catkins) – Flowers are on catkins and, as the Alder is monoecious, which means that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree, there are two types. The long pendulous ones are male and the round ones are female. Alder helps you face up to things you’ve been avoiding, allows access to the fae and their realm and is thought to reduce nervousness and anxiety. It can be used in spells to aid success in business and academic matters.

12. Horsetail – Horsetail strengthens resolve and defines boundaries, can be used to make affirmations and commitments firm, to protect your psychic space against unwanted intrusions and it can help cleanse unwanted emotional leftovers from the system.

Blessed Basil

Basil Is Known Far And Wide As A Culinary Herb, But It Also Contains Some Interesting Magical And Medicinal Properties. In Some Countries, However, Basil Is Considered Something That Real Men Don’t Eat — Why? Because It’s Associated With Teas That Are Used To Provide Relief From Painful Menstrual Periods.

It’s Also Used As An Anti-inflammatory. Try Some Of These Methods To Incorporate Basil Into Your Healing Magick.

Chewing On The Freshly Harvested Leaves Has A Couple Of Different Benefits – It Can Help Relieve Symptoms Of Coughs And Colds, And Even Better, It Can Leave Your Breath Smelling Healthy And Refreshed!

Use A Bit Of The Oil Or Extract On Insect Bites To Relieve Pain And Itching.

Boil The Leaves In Water To Make An Infusion, And Take A Small Amount Every Few Hours To Help Reduce Fever, As Well As Provide Headache Relief. Gargling With Basil Water Can Make A Sore Throat Feel Better.

Basil Is A Wonderful, Robust Herb, Which Is Attributed To A Variety Of Magical Uses Such As Consecration, Divination, Exorcism, Fertility, Fidelity, Luck, Happiness, Harmony And Love. Basil Is Bound To The Planet Mars And The Element Fire.

Marvellous Mint

Mint Is For Symbolic Of Success, Motivation, Money, Healing. It Is A Cure-all, Relaxes The Nerves And Stimulates The Brain.

Medicinal Use: Mint In Tea Form Aids Upset Stomachs, Flu, And Can Be Used To Ease Hiccups. Inhalations Of The Leaves In Boiling Water Is Recommended For Head Colds And Asthma.

Mint Tea Used Instead Of Aspirin Is Great For Headaches, Particularly Premenstrual Headaches. Aids The Respiratory And Circulatory Systems. An Anti-inflammatory And An Antiseptic. Ideal For Treating Indigestion, Flatulence, Varicose Veins, Headaches, Migraine, Skin Irritations, Rheumatism, Toothache, And General Fatigue.

Magical Use: Used For Healing, Strength, To Augment Power, Luck, Travel..

Everyday Elder

I have a huge affinity for the elder tree, as my parents used to make elderberry wine and I have many a great memory of going out as a family, picking bunches and bunches of berries, then forking them off the stalks into a bucket and squelching them down with my (obviously clean!) feet. Then there’d be weeks of listening to the soft bubbling and sighs coming from demijohns stashed in all the warm places in the house throughout autumn, until the wine was ready to be drank and celebrated at Christmastime.

Medicinal properties

Traditionally all parts of Elder are useful medicinally. The berries and the leaves are both rich in vitamin C and the leaves can be made into ear drops to treat pain and inflammation.

The flowers make a tea that is good for treating coughs and irritable throats, as well as being made into a skin cleanser and lotion. The bark of the new small twigs can be made into a laxative. The bark, roots, berries and leaves can all be used as a dye. And the berries are good for making jam, wine, vinegar, and syrups.

Magickal properties

Exorcism, Prosperity, Banishment and Healing. The leaves and berries are used for protection and in breaking spells that were cast against you or to undo spells of evil intent. Growing an elder in your garden will protect your property from misfortune and harm. In Europe, they planted elder in cemeteries to keep away the evil spirits.

Anti Anxiety Spray

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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