Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a plant found throughout Europe and Asia and displays as a spiny, thicket-forming shrub, often found in sand dunes along the coast of England. It is most obvious in autumn, when it is full of bright orange berries.
Sea buckthorn berries are a source of omega-7 fatty acids and an array of vitamins, including beta-carotene, vitamin C and E. Omega-7 helps body cells retain moisture in the mucous membranes. They are also a great support to the immune system and overall wellbeing.
They can also be dried very well to store for future use (I use them dried).
Here’s how to make a sea buckthorn infusion using these steps:
1. Boil 950ml water. It should be very hot, not just warm. 2. Take 12 heaped table spoons of buckthorn berries. 3. Cover with top and leave to brew for 20 minutes. 4. When time is up, add 3-6 table spoons of honey. The quantity of honey you’ll need depends on how sweet the honey is. You may want to put try 3 tbps first, see if the taste is to your liking and, if it’s not sweet enough, add more honey. 5. Strain and enjoy.
I am suffering with a nasty chest infection, my second in 12 months, and I’m feeling really ill with it. I’ve been to the doctors and have been prescribed antibiotics, steroids and an inhaler, but I want to boost my immune system as much as I can at home too.
Therefore I’ve developed this tea today and am brewing up a large batch (enough for about 4 cups worth) to last me throughout the rest of the day and evening.
**Disclaimer: Any medicinal benefits given here are a product of my own research and as such should not be taken over the advice of trained medical professionals. If you are ill, please go and see a doctor. Always make sure that anything you consume is 100% safe. If you are pregnant, consult your doctor or midwife before consuming something you haven’t tried before.**
INGREDIENTS
Fresh peppermint (a few sprigs roughly chopped) – The antioxidants found in mint can fight inflammation in your body and also include compounds, such as terpinene, quercetin, and tocopherols, which have immune-boosting and neuroprotective (the ability for a therapy to prevent neuronal cell death by intervening in and inhibiting the pathogenetic cascade that results in cell dysfunction and eventual death) effects.
Dried elderberries (heaped tablespoon) – The berries (and flowers) of elderberry are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that may boost your immune system. They could also help tame inflammation, lessen stress and help protect your heart, too. Some experts also recommend elderberry to help prevent and ease cold and flu symptoms.
Dried goji berries (heaped tablespoon) – These cheerful red berries contain a number of healthy antioxidants which are known for their immune-boosting qualities and their ability to fight harmful free radicals and inflammation. They also contain large amounts of vitamins A and C, similar to other berries.
Dried echinacea (tablespoon) – Studies suggest that echinacea contains active substances that boost immune function, relieve pain, reduce inflammation and have antiviral and antioxidant effects.
Dried nettle (tablespoon) – The nettle plant contains several immune-boosting compounds, including flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamins A and C. These antioxidants help protect immune cells against damage that can weaken immune function. Research also shows nettle extract strengthens the immune response, encouraging immune cell activity.
Dried rosehips (about 15 halved) – Due to its high levels of antioxidants, rosehip tea may also help to boost your immune system. Please be careful with the seeds, they’re hard as diamonds!!
Cinnamon bark (a couple of pieces broken up) – Studies show that this spice and its antioxidants have potent anti-inflammatory properties and helps your body fight infections and repair tissue damage.
Sliced whole tangerine – The Vitamin C found in tangerines (and other citrus fruits) is a powerful antioxidant. Additionally, tangerines provide potassium and B complex vitamins, namely B1, B6, and B9, or thiamine, pyridoxine, and folate, respectively.
METHOD
Put all the ingredients into a pan, cover with about 5 cups of boiling water and gently simmer for ten minutes. Strain through a sieve and/or a clean towel/muslin and decant to a cup. Sweeten to taste with honey, brown sugar, agave syrup or your sweetener of choice. Drink and enjoy.
I don’t have much luck with outside plants, due to the crap British weather and the local wildlife that gets into our garden. Therefore, I’ve decided that this year I’ll grow lots of things in the conservatory on the back of the house (which is where our dogs Wade and Wilson and have their beds and bowls, as they sleep there at night and eat their meals in there too).
I found some great potted herbs at Costco and some others in Aldi, so here I have three types of thyme, flat leaved parsley, basil, rosemary, sage and oregano.
Today I’ve planted up into compost slices of cherry tomatoes (as the seeds in the tomatoes will germinate once the slice rots down) and some nasturtiums (trailing orange flowers who’s flowers and leaves you can eat). Nasturtiums are also great companion plants (which is the planting of different crops in proximity for any of a number of different reasons, including pest control, pollination, providing habitat for beneficial insects etc) for tomatoes.
I’ve also bought the following seeds from Amazon, so I can plant up peppers (Capsicum), chilies, peas, purple basil, coriander, marjoram, dill, chamomile, cress, lemon balm and chives.
All these plants and herbs will be invaluable to me as a Green (and Kitchen) Witch and I can’t wait to tend to and care for them when they start growing!
I’ve not been sleeping properly, due to one of my chronic conditions flaring, causing me pain and discomfort. However, we have appointments this weekend and plans to go out for the day tomorrow, so I needed a bit of an energy boost!
I had a look what I’ve got in my mini apothecary for energy and revitalisation and decided to make a tea, which can either be drunk hot, or iced, and sweetened with honey (or agave syrup for our vegan friends).
INGREDIENTS
DANDELION – The leaves and root of this plant are known to be used in the herbal medicine of many Cultures, such as Korean, Native American and Arabic, where it is used for energy improvement and general health. Clinical trials have also shown that dandelion may reduce fatigue and promote immune health and different research has suggested that dandelion has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Additionally, dandelion is considered to be a good substitute for caffeine and can help alleviate the fatigue that is brought on by the physical pain caused by certain chronic conditions.
ELDERFLOWER – This flower is good for heightening your energy levels and relieving stress. It also acts as a natural detoxification aid and can enhance liver function, by making your body sweat out toxins and eliminate waste. This natural process is very important for helping your body feel renewed and relaxed.
Elderflower also contains Vitamin B6, which helps to reduce tiredness and fatigue and contributes to a healthily functioning metabolism.
PEPPERMINT – Peppermint is a hybrid of spearmint (Mentha spicata) and water mint (Mentha aquatica). Just inhaling the minty fresh aroma of fresh peppermint leaves, or even peppermint essential oil, can help to boost your energy, mood, alertness and even athletic performance.
Several studies have shown that peppermint can reduce fatigue, boost alertness, improve memory and provide additional energy. One study even found that exposure to the aroma of peppermint essential oil could increase alertness and improve memory.
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.
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.
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!
When my husband or I struggle to sleep, I make us both this ‘sleepy tea’ and it works really well (with the added bonus of vivid dreams and occasional lucid dreaming!). I know most people have their own version of this, but here’s the recipe I use.
The ingredients are as follows:
🚫 Please check that you aren’t allergic to any ingredients, that they’re safe to take whilst pregnant or breast feeding or there aren’t any contraindications with medication you are prescribed or taking over the counter. 🚫
• Dried mugwort to relieve sleeplessness and induce vivid dreams (do NOT use if you are pregnant); • Dried lemon balm to improve sleep quality; • Dried chamomile to induce/initiate sleep (you can use chamomile teabags); and • Dried Yarrow for it’s mild sedative properties.
I add one teaspoon of each herb per person, boiled up in just over two mugs worth of water (as some water will steam off) in a pan for 5/6 minutes.
Stirring clockwise occasionally, imbued with your intent for a good nights sleep. I often combine this with a spray I created, made from a around 200ml moon water and 10-12 drops of lavender essential oil, sprayed on our pillows and the tops of our duvet, 10-15 minutes before bed.
Drain and strain the herby liquid mixture through muslin (or a clean tea towel, even kitchen roll) in a fine sieve and squeeze the pulp in the muslin to get every drop of lovely liquid out. Sweeten with honey (or sweetening of your choice) to taste.
Drink around half an hour before bed and you’ll have a great nights sleep and some pretty awesome dreams!!
I’ve always, right from being a toddler, been fascinated by the sea and my absolute most favourite place on Earth to be is on a beach or in the ocean. I love the sea so much, that I have got two coastal/marine related degrees/qualifications and have worked for the past 21 years protecting and enhancing the environment of multiple areas along the UK’s coast.
Kelp beds at Cullercoats Bay, North Shields, England, taken whilst on marine biology field work with Newcastle University
If you’re lucky enough to live by the ocean, or can travel to one without much difficulty, there’s a plethora of items and treasures you can forage to use within your craft.
One of my coastal defence schemes at St. Annes, England
Whenever I do go foraging on the coast, I usually take an empty rubbish bag with me to pick up and take home any rubbish I find, as my way of giving thanks for the items I’ve taken.
Gorgeous clean beaches at Bentota, Sri Lanka
Here’s a run down of the various types of treasures you could pick up from a day at the seaside, in addition to their magickal and metaphysical properties.
TYPES OF WATER
• Seawater: Used for health, magickal power and manifestation of goals. An old Welsh belief states that a spoonful of seawater a day will ensure a long and healthy life.
• Beach Water (e.g. from rockpools or beach ponds): Used for rituals, spells, fascinations and meditations.
Beach pond at one of my coastal defence sites in Bispham, Blackpool, UK
• Harbor water: Used to promote abundance and prosperity, in addition to also serving as an aid in banishing things.
SEA GLASS
Sea glass is thought to be a symbol of renewal, relaxation and have healing properties.
Spiritually, our relationship to sea glass shows us that, like sea glass, as it’s been eroded, tumbled and smoothed, we too often have to lose some of our ‘selves’, when we overcome pressures and work through our adversities. We lose our sharp and jagged edges, wash away some of our impurities and our labels peel away. Just like sea glass, we are also often lead on a trajectory or down a road we do not plan, even after we tried our best to stay on course. Often we are thrown away, only to be reshaped by our environment, in order that we may come back more beautiful than ever.
It all depends on how we learn to adjust, cope and adapt, to make the best of the situation we’ve been thrust into and also how we learn to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves to us.
• Clear sea glass – Can be used for healing, peace, spirituality, purity and sincerity.
• Green sea glass – Useful for abundance, prosperity, hope, growth, emotional stability, helping to navigate through loss/grief and increasing love and compassion. Good for working with panic attacks and addiction.
• Blue sea glass – Can be used in spells and rituals relating to creativity, intuition, inspiration, peace, joy, tranquility, faith in yourself, trusting others and easing loneliness.
• Foggy sea glass – Can be used in curses to interfere with the target’s ability to think clearly.
BEACH STONES AND PEBBLES
Beach stones can be any class of stone that has been touched my the water of oceans, seas or the waves along the coast. They have all been moved around, nurtured, tumbled and tossed by the waves and currents. I don’t know about you guys, but I have a huge affinity for smooth pebbles and have loads dotted all over the house. They make me feel grounded and the tactile nature of them instantly calms me.
A small selection of stones and pebbles I’ve collected over the years
PIECES OF CORAL
Corals are developed through an ancient and unique partnership known as symbiosis. This is a collaboration that benefits both animal and plant alike. Corals are classified as animals, as they do not make their own food, like plants do.
Corals themselves have tiny, tentacle-like, ‘arms’ that they use to capture their food from the water, then they use these arms to sweep the food into their mouths. Most structures that we call “coral” are, in fact, made up of hundreds, to thousands upon thousands, of tiny coral creatures called polyps. Each soft-bodied polyp secretes a hard exoskeleton of limestone (calcium carbonate) that attaches to either rocks in the sea, or the dead skeletons of other polyp colonies.
Corals under UV light at The Deep Aquarium, Hull, England during an evening conference dinner
In the case of stony or hard corals, which you find most often washed up on the shore, these polyp conglomerates grow, die and endlessly repeat this cycle over time, often hundreds, to hundreds of thousands, of years (the Great Barrier Reef is thought to be approximately 500,000 years old!!), slowly laying the limestone foundation for coral reefs and giving shape to the familiar corals that reside there. Because of this cycle of growth, death, and regeneration among individual polyps, many coral colonies can live for a very long time. Corals, as a species, have been around for 500 Million years!
Although coral is not a crystal, it has been used for centuries for its healing properties. Also, since ancient times, coral has been used as a divination tool for casting (similar to runes or bone throwing) and the stone is thought to tap into your intuitive nature to help with psychic and energy work.
SHELLS
Seashells are natural vessels. which can be used for cleansing and make a great carrier for incense. They can be placed on your altar, as a reminder of fun times on holiday or at your local beach, or as a tribute to nature and all her powers.
Limpet shell, carrying barnacles and periwinkles
They can also represent the element of water when casting a circle. As they protect the soft bodied invertebrates they contain, such as molluscs or hermit crabs, they can be used in protection and shielding rituals and spells.
Selection of shells on a wall underwater at Porth Dafarch beach, Anglesey, Wales
SEA SALT
Salt is one of the easiest and most effective remedies on the earth! Sea salt, which is a salt obtained by evaporating seawater, is used for cleansing negative energy and life’s impurities. It can be used to cleanse (salt safe) crystals and be used in a multitude of spells and rituals due to it’s metaphysical properties of and for abundance, manifestation, anchoring and grounding, devotion, spiritual development, hospitality, domestic harmony, purification, spiritual protection, balancing emotions, well being, vitality, and longevity.
FOSSILIZED SHARKS TEETH
As fossilized shark teeth are the remains of predatory animals, they can be used to cause harm through curses and hexes, as they’re seen as an aggressive tool in magick.
Fossilized shark teeth found on beaches in Florida, USA
I recently refreshed the protection on our home and made a protection sachet for my husband to take to work as, after being off work for ten months (due to the Covid Pandemic), he’s recently gone back to works as a train driver.
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I made a spell bottle to tie onto the inside handle of each of the three external doors to our home, so I found some which were really thick walled, so if they somehow slipped off, they wouldn’t smash as easily on the floor. For the sachet for my husband, I used a red Chinese silk bag, which has a drawstring tie closure.
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Inside each of the three bottles and the sachet we put the following:
• Black Salt – Black salt is a powerful protective charm that absorbs negative energies and curses into itself and will rid you or your home of their harmful influence.
• Cascarilla – This is made from crushed eggshells, and can be used for protection, due to it’s natural property of protecting a chick embryo as it develops. The protective quality is therefore embodied within the shells when they are used for protective magick. The protective nature of cascarilla also stems from its banishing qualities, as negative energy can’t exist in the presence of cascarilla and it is said that harmful spirits find it repulsive. Therefore, the cascarilla acts as a barrier against harmful spirits and negative or destructive energies.
• Dried Basil – Basil brings happiness, love and peace to a home and can be used to protect the home and family. Haitians also use Basil to keep away thieves. In addition to this, and for the sachet for my husband, it can also be used to bring luck in physical journeys.
• Heather – Keeping heather around the house will attract friendly spirits and bring peace to the household. For the sachet, carrying heather with you will attract positive energies, general good luck and protect against assaults or attacks, making it useful for traveling sachets.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon can purify any negative energy within a home, protect your home and family from harmful energy and bad intentions of any outsiders.
• Bay leaves – Bay leaves can be used to protect against negative energies and misfortune.
• Obsidian – Obsidian is a protective stone that can be used to guard against all forms of negativity and in spells to remove negativity from an area.
• Red Jasper – Many of the magickal attributes of Red Jasper focus on its protective energies and ability to keep its user safe. It can also be used to combat the Evil Eye and makes an excellent talisman.
• Amethyst – Amethyst is a powerful protective stone, which can guard against psychic attack, by transmuting the negative or harmful energies into loving energy. It can also protect from all types of harm, including electromagnetic stress and ill wishes from others.
• Dragons Blood Incense – Dragons blood incense was used to cleanse the inside of the bottles and contents, as it is good for cleansing a space of negative entities, or influences, and to increase the potency of spells for protection.
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The final thing I did was securely tie up the sachet, so that none of the contents could escape, and drip black candle wax (black for protection and repelling negativity) over the rubber stoppers in the bottles, to seal everything inside.
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As it’s the last night of the first full moon this year, I have put the bottles and sachet in the garden to charge in the moonlight, making their power and effectiveness as strong as possible, before I securely tie the bottles onto the door handles with ribbon and put the sachet into my husband’s work bag.
I decided to do a simmer pot for prosperity, luck and wealth. I threw everything I could in there and stirred deosil, furiously chanting and alternatively beseeching Hecate!
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Here’s what I used, along with their magickal correspondences.
• Heather – for peace, attracting positive energies and good luck.
• Red rose petals – for peace, happiness and attracting good luck. • Orange – for fortune, good luck, money, peace and wealth. • Cinnamon sticks – for prosperity and luck. • Acorns – for money, abundance and luck. • Juniper berries – for prosperity and manifestation. • Pomegranate – for luck, prosperity, protection, wealth and wishes. • Blessed thistle – for spiritual healing and breaking hexes (just in case….). • Clary sage Essential Oil – for prosperity. • Bergamot Essential Oil – for prosperity, used to attract money and success and to lift spirits. • Cinnamon Essential Oil – for luck and prosperity. • Thyme – to attract prosperity. • Fresh Basil leaves – for good luck and attracting money. • Dried Bay leaves – for blessings, wishes, comfort, guidance, luck, defence, endurance, resilience, victory, success and wealth. • A selection of green crystals (adventurine, green jade, moss agate) – for prosperity, luck and wealth.
I poured the remainder (just under a litre) of my Blue Moon Water, left over from Samhain, into a pan and added each item individually, telling each one what it was for and it’s purpose. I wrote ‘luck’, ‘prosperity’ and ‘wealth’ on the bay leaves last and added them to the top of the pan and set it to heat up to just boiling. It’s now simmering and when most of the water has evaporated (I left the kitchen window open for the steam and intentions to go out into the Universe) and cooled down, I’ll take it into the garden and scatter it under the ash tree I’ve grown from sapling.
I’ve was lucky enough to have another great day out on site last October on the North West Coast of England (9.75 miles walked that day!!).
Not only did I get time to just sit on the beach early in the morning, with barely a soul about, so I could do some soul cleansing and grounding in nature, but I got some awesome witchy foraging done again! This time from sand dunes, saltmarsh habitat and wide open sandy beach.
Here’s some uses for what I found and brought home (from the top, going clockwise around the cheese).
I also found some pumpkin spiced Wensleydale (crumbly, creamy English cheese) in a local supermarket, wrapped in cute pumpkin wax protection too.
1. Laver Rhodophyta (Porphyra umbilicalis) – Good for happiness, good energies, love and peace. This seaweed is also a traditional food in Wales, where it’s made into small flat cakes, and fried until crisp in bacon fat, or heated with butter, lemon juice, and pepper. It is also eaten in salads, made into biscuits and as an accompaniment to roasted meat.
2. Rock Oyster (Crassostea gigas) shell
3. Mussel (Mytilus edulis) shell
4. Razor Clam (Ensis magnus) shell
5. Egg Wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum) – Can be eaten pickled in apple cider vinegar, with fennel and black peppercorns.
6. Glasswort (Salicornia europaea) – Sometimes known as wild samphire, glasswort can be lightly steamed (or eaten raw when picked fresh) and is often served as a side fish with fish.
7. European searocket (Cakile maritima) – A fleshier, slightly saltier, version of rocket (or arugula if you’re not English!). Can be used in salads or eaten as a side vegetable (I tried some raw straight from the plant and it was delicious!). Magical properties include clairvoyancy, helping with processing events or feelings, energy, warding off negativity, fertility and sexuality.
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.
**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.
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.
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.
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.
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..
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.
Melusina The Green Witch 