So I’ve been really pretty lazy when it comes to posting recently.
Anybody have any suggestions on what herb to research for the next herb of the day??
Any herb you’ve been curious about, or love and think everybody else should know about!
These are dandelion roots. Most people call dandelions pests, but I like to call them medicine. The dandelion is very beneficial in many health problems, and unlike some herbs and flowers they can be taken with any medication. The leaves, flower, and roots are edible and have vitamins A, B complex, C, and D; they also carry the minerals iron, magnesium, copper, chroline, calcium, boron, silicon, and zinc potassium. It acts as a mild diuretic, and can lower the cholesterol in some people. Dandelion purifies the bloodstream, liver, and the gallbladder of toxins. It increases the health of the stomach, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys. It is beneficial for menopausal, pregnant, and elderly women. It may even avert to the development of age spots and breast cancer. The dandelion might cause a stomach ache because of hyper-acidity so, but this reaction is not common in most individuals. So instead of getting rid of your dandelions harvest them, and reap their medicinal benefits.
Nelumbo nucifera
lotus seed pod, known as the fruit
upon researching lotus, i was pleasantly surprised by its versatility and its variety of uses. this flower is truly cherished by people all over the world.
ill begin with its roots in religion. the ancient egyptians used to sacrifice lotus flowers to the gods. in buddhism, it is one of the eight auspicious symbols, an organized system of their teachings. it is believed that the growth pattern of the lotus symbolizes the progress of the soul: seedlings emerge from the mud, rise into dark waters of uncertainty, and into the sunlight of enlightenment. often deities are seen with a lotus resting in their hand. this is because the unopened lotus is thought of as the heart of man; when the divine influences of buddha touch it, the lotus blooms. color has a strong influence on the lotus’ symbolisms:
white lotus- represents a state of spiritual perfection, mental harmony, and a spotless soul.
pink lotus- the supreme lotus. often depicted with he highest deities, often with the great buddha himself.
red lotus- purity of the heart, compassion, love, and other qualities of the heart.
blue lotus- symbolizes spiritual control over the senses, wisdom and knowledge.
the lotus plant itself is used frequently around the world. the dried seed pods are commonly used in floral decorations, however every part of this plant is utilized. the “root” (actually a rhizome) is large and sausage shaped, with ten air tunnels running through it length-wise. cut, it is a beautiful addition to the dinner plate.
lotus-root stew
the taste is described as starchy, yet crisp, and slightly sweet. it can be stewed as above, grated into a salad, sliced thin as a garnish, and cooked many other ways. the seeds are also commonly eaten while drinking tea. (personally i was inspired to research lotus because i bought some lotus flower tea in chinatown!).
medicinally, lotus is a nice thing to have in the cupboard. the leaves, rhizomes and seeds are used to treat diarrhea, fever, dizziness, vomiting, and even dysentery. any part of the plant can be used to treat mushroom poisoning (lotus tea can be a real lifesaver if your having a bad trip.). the pods contain alkaloids, which will stop bleeding. the petals, taken as a tea, can help ease menstruation.
in magick, lotus flowers and seeds can make a great offering when evoking deities. the scent of the lotus will protect all those that inhale it. carried or worn, it ensures blessings from the gods. lotus is also used to unlock doors. Cunningham states, “place the root of a lotus under your tongue and say the words “SIGN, ARGGIS” toward a locked door. it will miraculously open.”
A cobbler I passed by one day in New Orleans!
hello all! forgive me for my long vacation from tumblr, ive been trying to keep up since ive been on vacation (obviously you can tell i dont take very many vacations). now that i have a little time, here are just a few photos from my excursion.
on my birthday, my boyfriend and i went to the st. louis cemetery, where the famed marie laveaux is said to be laid to rest. on our way we got a little lost in a beautiful park, where this unbelievable oak tree resided (first picture.).
now, when we finally reached the cemetery, we were only a few paces in before Mitch pointed out a white cat running down a little alley (because new orleans is below sea level, the ground is too swampy and susceptible to flood to bury the dead. instead, everone gets their own beautiful tomb!). we ran after the cat, which we quickly lost. however, it lead us to the first altar of our visit, which happened to be my favorite (second picture. third picture shows the altar closer up. the candle was already lit upon our arrival).
the next few photos are of some other altars we found. i brought some mugwort with me so as to make offerings to some tombs.
the final, white tomb was said to be that of marie laveaux. while visiting this tomb, a woman approached me and asked to take my picture. when i informed her it was my birthday, she seemed quite convinced our meeting was good “mojo”. (in the second to last photo, in the corner on the ground, the grave was numbered 3. this i consider interesting as 3 is a number of power.)
i hope you enjoy these photos! if youre curious at all about what else i did, you may ask if you like (though i can assure you i did NOT cook, which does not occur often).
Starting tomorrow, I will be on vacation for eight days (About time, if you asked me. ). my boyfriend and I will be visiting his family down in New Orleans! so, like any good witch, I intend to visit as many magick/ritual supply shops as I possibly can. my plan is to find some really great deals on supplies, and to learn as much as possible while I’m there! Ill also try to include photos, and I’ll post which shops I visited and where they were, and whether or not they have an online store. In an attempt to keep up the ol’ “city witch” theme, I’d like to try to post something that would be helpful to those who plan on visiting the city in the future, but are unsure as where to start. Luckily, I’ll have a guide while im there… Anyway, I will also graciously accept any suggestions as to where I should stop by, any voodoo/hoodoo specific herbs or mixtures to try, or any beautiful historic graveyards I should visit! Or, if you have any great voodoo/hoodoo spells I ought to try, I’ll gladly take those as well! I have really only studied hoodoo, so I look forward to learning a lot about more about voodoo and new Orleans magick!
Did I mention I’ll be there through my birthday? Yep, Aquarius!
As many of you know, I live in New York City. So today I went with a friend of mine to Chinatown as a spectator of the Chinese new year celebration, which is where I acquired the small bell above ($2). There were fireworks, several different dancing troupes dressed as dragons followed closely by drummers and symbolists in large pull-carts, in all it was a very noisy ordeal. in fact, it has to be: making lots of noise is thought of as a way to banish evil spirits and negativity in traditional Chinese culture. so when I got home, I thought it would be appropriate to use my new bell to ring out negativity. I went through every corner in my house, all the closets, everything! I feel so great after cleansing my house, I thought I’d share the idea with all of you!
downinthemorgue send me an ask because I approached her about a discussion she was having with 2 of my following and fellow witches.
This is the answer I sent her, I commented every sentence or so of what she sent me. I need fellow wiccans to say something about this, because if she is right…
… man, that’s some real snort-coffee-out-the-nose stuff she’s peddling, isn’t it?
Ignore her. She sounds like she’s misguided at best and quite possibly an idiot dedicated to her ignorance and foolishness. Other Wiccans on my feed, could you take a moment to read the post above and respond? I think the OP needs some reassurance that we’re not all raging evangelical fluffernutters. :)
Woah, what a CUNT!!! That’s the most preachy, closed minded, it’s-just-not-in-your-blood prejudism since the fucking third reich. As far as I’m concerned, this chick is a Wicca-Nazi. She’s adamant about blood ties, persecutes others for the paths they have chosen, and does all this without displaying any knowledge in Wicca and magick in general, other than the bullshit spewing from other moron.
For our readers above the equator, ice is one of those things that is just about everywhere right now - you’re in the middle of winter. Why not celebrate Imbolc by making some simple ice candles? Imbolc is a day of candles and light, and this is the perfect indoor craft project to get you working on some winter candle magic! Make Ice Candles for Imbolc
WOAH COOL ICE CANDLES!!?
About a city witch in training
