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.
Native to southern Europe, Northern Africa, and western Asia, the grape hyacinth (or Muscari) is a symbol of power and confidence and can also symbolise mystery and creativity.
It has associations with the Greek Earth Goddess Demeter and, as she is known to be the guardian of women, it was often worn as part of a bridal crown.
The Ancient Greeks themselves however, also regarded the grape hyacinth as a flower of death, with many European cultures associating it with remembrance.
It is also the flower of the Olympian sun god Apollo and is a symbol of beauty, peace and commitment, but also of power and pride.
Hyacinths are also often found in Christian churches, as a symbol of happiness and love.
The flower has correspondences of tenderness and softness and is a perfect flower if you want to give flowers to your beloved!
BOTANY
The grape hyacinth is a bulbed flower, which is part of the lily family, and features pretty, purple/blue flowers. Its hollow leaves, which grow only from the base of the plant, resemble onion or garlic, but don’t have the same odor.
USES
The bulbs of the grape hyacinth have been used extensively in cooking and the edible flowers taste like bitter grapes. If you boil them in vinegar (in order to reduce the bitterness), they can be made into very tasty pickles.
The flowers can also be made into an essence, which is said to provide assistance with communication and networking. This essence is also meant to help with feelings exclusion or abandonment, either through crisis or self-defeating behaviors, and can help to address personal crisis, especially when having feelings of despair or feeling like you are out of touch with others.
It’s that time of year when you’ll start seeing (and smelling!) wild garlic popping up in shady and damp woodlands, fields and hedgerows throughout Britain, Ireland and Europe.
If you don’t know what it looks like, it has tiny white flowers and bright green leaves, but it can be quite scarce.
It is commonplace in ancient woods, where it creates a carpet of star shaped white blossoms, instead of the blue flooring of bluebells.
MAGICKAL PROPERTIES
In Witchcraft, wild garlic can be used just like regular garlic and is primarily used for protection, banishing and warding.
It can offer protection from break-ins when kept around the house or utilised in wards. It can also ward against nightmares, if used in sleep charms, and is useful for banishing negativity and unwelcome spirits. By this token, you could probably also use wild garlic to get rid of unwanted mindsets, habits, emotions, etc. Finally, it can protect the user from gossip and psychic attacks, and it can be used in wards of almost any purpose.
Garlic has strong associations with Hecate and the ancient Greeks would place garlic at cross roads as an offering to her.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Wild garlic is useful in treating bronchitis, allergies and asthma, by helping to open the lungs and ease breathing. It is also a healthy antioxidant and has antimicrobial properties. Additionally, it can aid in preventing clots by thinning blood and therefore should be used in moderation, due to these properties.
It can also help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and it’s juice can be applied directly, or in a poultice, to burns.
Please take care, when picking wild garlic, to only remove the leaves. Don’t pull too hard, or you can pull the bulb straight out too, which has the potential to spoil next years crop and contribute to it’s scarcity. As with all foraging, take only what you need and treat the site with care, so you can enjoy it again next year!
Also, don’t pick anything from the side of the road, as there is too much pollution there from cars, or where people regularly walk their dogs, as no one wants pee or poop in their food!!
WILD GARLIC SOUP RECIPE
You’ll need the following ingredients:
• 40 g butter (or veggie/vegan alternative);
• 1 medium onion (chopped);
• 3 medium potatoes (peeled and diced);
• 1.5 ltr vegetable stock;
• 300 g wild garlic leaves (washed and patted dry);
• 100 ml double cream (or veggie/vegan alternative); and
• Salt and pepper.
Method:
Melt the butter over a medium heat, add the onions and saute until soft.
Add the vegetable stock and potatoes to the pan and simmer gently until the potatoes are fully cooked.
Add the wild garlic to the pan and allow to wilt for a couple of minutes.
Use a jug or hand blender (please be careful, as it’ll be boiling hot!) to blend the soup until you have a smooth and silky consistency.
Stir through the cream, season to taste and serve.
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.
I grow a number of herbs in little pots that stick to the inside of my kitchen windows, as I like to have fresh herbs when I need them, they look really nice and the plants always get plenty of sunlight.
A few weeks ago I discovered (whilst talking to and tending to my herbs, as you do….), that my beloved Basil plant, which I’ve been growing for MONTHS, had dreaded aphids on him!
I whipped up a quick batch of natural aphid spray to gently encourage them to vacate (some may be sadly killed in the process and, for that, I am very sorry).
I used the following:
• Clean spray bottle (I reuse everything I can, so jam and pickle jars become herb containers or jar spells, old candle containers get new candles made inside them from soy wax, colourant wax and essential oils, and spray bottles, which have contained liquids that aren’t too toxic (fabulousa or febreeze spray bottles are ideal for this, but avoid anything that contained bleach or other harmful chemicals), get thoroughly washed out and reused, as more natural cleaning product bottles);
• 400ml fresh filtered water (we have hard water so everything we drink, cook with or give to the dogs gets filtered);
• 10-12 drops Rosemary essential oil;
• 10-12 drops Peppermint essential oil; and
• 10-12 drops Lemon essential oil.
I popped all the ingredients into the spray bottle, gave it a little shake and took my plant outside (to give them a chance to escape and bother someone else’s plants!) to spray the heck out of it!
I checked back the next day and they were all gone! I then gave my Basil a good spray with moonwater, as a little treat to help it recover from the vicious aphid onslaught and because I use this Basil in both my craft and my cooking, so I want to remove as much essential oil off the plant as I can.
Mr. Basil is doing very well now and not an interloper in sight!
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
On our walk out with the dogs this afternoon, there were lots of lovely daffodils, so I thought I’d write a blog post to honour them, and add some photos I took, as they make me happy and signal that Spring is definitely on the way!
*PLEASE NOTE: Daffodils are highly toxic and should not be used medicinally or consumed. Even biting down on a stem can cause chills, dizziness and even fainting. Enjoy their beauty, have them in vases around your house, but be extra careful children or pets do not consume them, due to their toxicity.**
Daffodils are sometimes referred to as the “flower of March,” as they characterise of the start of Spring. They’re seen as a symbol of new life, fertility and growth.
Daffodils belong to the plant genus Narcissus, which is a name you may have heard of before, and which is steeped in Greek mythology.
According to Greek mythology, Narcissus was a handsome and charismatic young man who was able to charm almost anyone. Upon seeing him, the wood nymph Echo, who had been cursed by Hera to be unable to speak properly, and instead repeat only the last words addressed to her, fell deeply in love with him. Narcissus spurned her love and told her that he’d rather die than give himself to a wood nymph like her.
Echo, heartbroken, retreated to a cave and, without having any appetite or thirst, withered and starved away, until the only things left of her were dust and her voice.
When Nemesis heard of Echo’s fate, she wanted revenge for how poor Echo had been treated, so she led Narcissus to a pond near Echo’s cave, wherein he fell in love with his own reflection.
Narcissus could not leave his own reflection out of love and vanity and starved to death, just like Echo. But, before he died, Narcissus cried out to his reflection “Farewell, dear boy. Beloved in vain.” Echo’s voice repeated his last words from the cave as Narcissus drew his last breath. To this day, Echo still repeats the last words or phrases in caves or labyrinths.
Other stories tell a slightly different tale of the Gods, scared that Narcissus would waste away, turned him into daffodils. In other accounts, Narcissus drowned whilst trying to hug his reflection, and daffodils sprouted on the bank of the pond where he fell.
Daffodils are considered lucky flowers. One particular folktale says that, if you make a deliberate effort not to step on them and crush them, fortune will favor you with abundance.
Also, if you gift someone daffodils, they too will have good luck, but you need to make sure you give them an entire bunch, because a single flower will bring poverty and ill fortune.
In parts of the British Isles, including Wales, if you are the first your neighbours to spot the first daffodils of Spring, it is said you’ll see far more gold than silver come to your home over the coming year. However, seeing a daffodil growing alone is said to bring the opposite.
Daffodils are also used to represent love. Again, back to Greek mythology, some recounts of the famous Myths say that the daffodil was the flower Hades used to distract Persephone, before stealing her away to the underworld to be his wife.
In some Middle Eastern traditions, the daffodil is considered to be an aphrodisiac. Either way, the daffodil has strong connections with love, which is why it is one of the best flowers to use during love spells and rituals.
Also, due to its association with Hades, the daffodil is sometimes associated with the underworld and death, making it a perfect flower for funeral arrangements to honor the deceased.
Because the daffodil is one of the first flowers to bloom in the Spring, it also has strong associations with fertility and it is said that having a bouquet of daffodils in the bedroom can increase the chance of conception. Daffodils can also be used during fertility rituals to increase the spells potency.
Here’s a number of ways you could use daffodils in your magickal workings:
• Put fresh daffodils in a vase in your home to bring you abundance.
• Place daffodils on your altar during any workings related to love, especially if the relationship is new and you’re still trying to figure things out.
• You can add potted daffodil bulbs to your altar for spring (Ostara) celebrations, along with other spring flowers such as hyacinth, crocus and snowdrops.
• Wear this flower close to your heart to draw love, but be careful that your love is reciprocated.
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!
Despite being a secular Witch, I still have an Altar.
Mine is not dedicated to various Deities from different Pantheons, but to nature. This is represented by shells, pebbles, feathers, a mink skull, crystals, candles, lots of cute drawers containing herbs, dried flowers, nuts, berries and seaweed I’ve foraged, my singing bowl, driftwood and pots of seasalt and fossilized sharks teeth.
It also contains items that remind me of my parents and photos of the day my husband and I got engaged and the day we got married. It’s a very special place to me.
I also have some little shelves on the wall above it, where I store more of my crystals, drawer of supplies and some of my many Witchcraft books.
A lot of the time, Witchcraft isn’t complicated. It’s not all about casting circles, long and contracted rituals and spell casting. It about saying daily affirmations out loud, stirring love and positive intent into a meal you’re making for your loved ones or carrying crystals in your pocket (or bra, I don’t judge!). It can also look like self care. Ritual baths, filled with fragrant and healing salts, oils and herbs. Taking that time out to be on your own, so you’ve got peace and quiet, space to be reflective and mindful and you can just ‘be’.
I’m relaxing in a bath with a lavender & jasmine epsom salt blend, dead sea minerals, hemp, coconut and lime bubbles, nag champa oil, candles and freesia and sweet pea incense.
I can just relax, clear my mind, not worry about what I’ve got to do tomorrow, or whether what I’ve done today was good enough. I just need to know that I do my best in everything and that’s all I can ask of myself. Now’s the time to just be present in the moment.
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
**PLEASE NOTE: I am not medically trained and none of the advice given is meant to be used in place of proper medical advice given by your doctor, primary care physician or rheumatologist. They are suggestions to be potentially used alongside proper medical advice and treatment**.
I, like many other people in the world, suffer from arthritis. For those of you who don’t know, arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and swelling (inflammation) in the joints. Unfortunately, I developed it quite young, as it usually occurs in adults over the age of 65. I had it officially diagnosed in my early 40’s, but looking back I’ve had this since my early 30’s and have been trying to get diagnosed since then (which is difficult when doctors won’t believe you, as you’re ‘too young’).
Mine is focussed on my lower joints; hips, knees, ankles and feet. It’s also a weird one, as what I have is called psoriatic arthritis and is linked to my skin condition of psoriasis, which is conversely only on my arms.
I decided to research what crystals can be used for Arthritis and/or Osteoarthritis, in the hopes that I could find some relief, as sometimes my prescribed medication, TENS machine, oils, creams, exercises and painkillers just still don’t completely rid me of my stiffness and pain.
I wanted to share what I found with all of you, in the hopes it could help you or a loved one.
First of all, Calcite and Magnesite help with calcification, which can be a major contributing factor to some types of arthritis.
• Crystals recommended for pain relief can also assist with providing relief from the pain of arthritis, such as Amber, Amethyst, Dendritic Agate, Boji Stones, Aragonite, Celestite, Fluorite, Hematite, Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Malachite, Magnetite/Lodestone, Clear Quartz, Sugilite, Mahogany Obsidian, Seraphinite, Smokey Quartz, Rose Quartz, Tourmaline and Green Aventurine. Also Kunzite is useful to deal with the pain associated with this complaint.
• Clear Quartz is reputed as the master and all-round healer, plus it is an energiser, so combining it with say Fluorite (or your chosen stone) should lead to better results.
• Obsidian (best used for short periods only) and Rhodonite can also contribute to repair and provide a degree of pain relief.
The stones/crystals I’ve mentioned can either be put straight on the skin (but not on any broken or damaged skin), or (if it is safe to do so with each specific stone), put into massage oil and used on the effected area.
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.
You don’t always need elaborate rituals or spells to work your craft. You can put magick and your intent in everyday things too. Kitchen witches do this all the time by using corresponding herbs, spices, fruits or vegetables, along with their love and energy, into creating in the kitchen.
I made pizza tonight. Pretty mundane you think? It can be, or…..it can be magickal (and full of health benefits)!
As well as the usual suspects (tomato and mascarpone base and four cheeses), I added the following (which aren’t really the most unusual of pizza toppings), with reasons why:
Fresh Basil – My husband hasn’t been feeling well today (he has stomach issues and had his gallbladder removed last year), so I added some basil as it is great for stomach and intestinal problems, stomach cramps, nausea, indigestion, gas and bloating.
Pineapple – A symbol of devotion and love, to my husband and stepson. Pineapple also has a multitude of health benefits and contain a lot of vitamin C. They also contain manganese, which can help with bone health and is especially important for me, as I have psoriatic arthritis and it can get quite annoying (not to mention painful) moving towards the colder months.
Pine Nuts – For prosperity, but also packed full of Vitamin A and magnesium (crucial for the health of my old lady bones!!).
Capers – Good for gas and bloating, again for my husband and his iffy tummy.
So next time you make a salad, bake a cake or brew a simple cup of tea, do a bit of research and see what you can add to make it even better!
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.
Melusina The Green Witch 