Hair represents strength and energy. Early Christians shaved their heads to show their devotion to the religion. In some cultures, it is seen as an act of purity to have all body hair removed before marriage. In the Middle Ages, cutting a person’s hair had symbolic value judicially and was done to dishonour the lawbreaker. In cultures where magick was practised, a person’s shorn hair could signify...
Nails have been associated with demons and evil; some Jews keep their fingernails as short as possible, and tribes in Madagascar believe the Devil lives under unpared fingernails. Much Western magical lore about hair and nails can be traced to the Vendidad, a Zoroastrian liturgy written in the mid-5th century b.c.e. According to the Vendidad, hair and nails are instruments of evil because they gro...
While it can be therapeutic to put something off, procrastination or ignoring a problem isn’t self-care; in fact, it’s the opposite. Ignoring a problem just makes it more of a problem. Self-care involves scheduling things so that they don’t reach problem status and includes being kind to your future self by not leaving you a mess to handle. So often we carry around our guilt and let it fester with...
Contemporary witches and Pagans view healing as one of their most important functions. They use a wide range of healing techniques, including magic; herbal and folk remedies; bodywork, and energy work; Native American Indian and shamanic techniques; and Western approaches to medicine and psychology. Some Witches are professional healers, trained in Eastern and/or Western medicine and psychology. W...
An Electuary is a medicinal paste created with something sweet, such as honey or jam. Thick electuaries can be rolled into little balls for children to take with some juice, and thinner electuaries can be mixed with beverages such as hot tea. At its essence, an electuary is an herb infused honey.According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the first known use of an Electuary dates back to the 14th ...
Anxiety is a normal response to a stressful situation. It is an emotion that we all experience at some point. It keeps us alert and ready for action as a survival mechanism, allowing us to react quickly to life-threatening situations. In short, a marvellous medley of hormonal changes and physiological responses serve to help us to either fight off threats or run like the wind to escape from them. ...
Herbal medicine has been practiced for as long as humans have been around. It was the only form of physcial medicine (except for acupuncture), available until the last century. When it was discovered that the active ingredient of an herb or chemical could be isolated, and in may cases reproduced in a lab, medicine went from treating the patient to treating the symptoms. While this has been a good ...
Charms and sachets – Fill a small bag, of the correct color or material, with herbs to make a charm or sachet. You can carry the charm with you, hang it in the house or car, or bury or burn it, depending on the purpose, and the spell you are performing.
Grandmas always seem to know it all don’t they? Well, here are some unique and wonderful old-fashioned remedies you may not have heard before that we would like to share. While we cannot guarantee that grandma was always right, we do know, however, that there are times in life when just about anything and everything is sure worth a try! And….if all else fails…Grandmas never run out of hugs or cook...
All healing herbs must first be empowered. You can use ready-dried and powdered herbs or chop yourown and grind them in a mortar and pestle. This method is particularly suitable for herbs to be placedin a healing sachet. * Place your chosen herbs in a small ceramic or glass bowl and run them through your fingers into aceramic or wooden bowl, repeating an appropriate imprecation, for example, ‘Fenn...
Tea tree foot and hand soak for fungus problems, also good for nice soft good smelling hands and feet 1/2 cup warm cider vinegar6 drops of tea tree oil Add one of these four essential oils (your choice)1 drop sandalwood oil2 drops peppermint oil2 drops patchouli oil2 drops thyme oil Add the three ingredients listed above (vinegar, tea tree, and your choice of secondary essential oil) to a basin fi...
Although herbs are generally safe with very few side effects, one should be responsible and careful when using any herb. Some herbs can have dangerous interactions with conventional medications, so if you are on any medications, consult a professional doctor, herbalist or naturopath first before you start any herbal treatment. If you do react badly to a herbal remedy, stop taking it immediately an...