Mercredi: The Art of Giving

It happens to be that time of year again.  The one where pretty much all of us, regardless of background, creed or faith, start to think about the giving of gifts.  The problem is that we in the Western world are bombarded by the media blitz of “only the biggest is best”.  If you don’t buy her a diamond, you don’t love her.  Only the largest, most plugged in, most HD-iest TV will do for him.  And as for the kids? iPod, XboX, new phone, laptop…  what is your problem Mom and Dad?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: no.  You have to put a stop to it at some point and yet – despite the withering of our economy here in the U.S. and elsewhere – we still insist on buying, buying, buying.

But that’s not the point of this post.  Everyone needs to do what’s best for them.  I maintain, however, that something handmade tucked into a stocking or waiting on a breakfast plate is one of the kindest things anyone can do for someone they love.  So I’ll kick off the season with a dream mojo.  Easy to make, easy to use, and full of sweet dreams.  Here’s what you’ll need for four bundles:

5 tbsp dried lavender

25 whole cloves

5 tbsp dried rosemary

1 amethyst bead for each mojo

Four fabric squares about 5” x 5”; your choice of color

Ribbon or thread to tie up your bundles in either matching or coordinating color

Take some time away from your worries to concentrate on putting these dream mojos together for family and/or friends.  Light a candle, put some music on, immerse yourself in a dreamy atmosphere so that you can infuse your work with wishes for pleasant, prophetic dreams.

When you’re ready, combine the herbs in a bowl or cup.  If possible, use your fingers for this and concentrate on the magick of sound sleep.

Next, lay out your fabric squares.  I like to use a soft fabric like silk, satin or velvet in dreamy, night time colors like dark blue or violet but white muslin will work perfectly well.  Distribute the herb mixture evenly into the four fabric squares.  Place a little amethyst bead on each of the piles of herbs; this is to keep away nightmares and restlessness.  No semi-precious stones to hand?  No worries; use a pinch of salt or a large seed such as a pumpkin or sunflower seed to do the same job.

Now you are ready to tie up the bundles with your ribbon or thread.  Remember to use three knots for each before finishing with a bow if you like.  Don’t forget to continue to focus throughout the process.

Give these right away or tuck them into a safe, quiet place for presentation at your holiday celebration with instructions for them to be placed under the receiver’s pillow at bedtime.  And please don’t forget to make one for yourself; you deserve beautiful dreams, too.  A votre santé ~

Header: Dante’s Dream by Dante Gabriel Rossetti c 1871

Mardi: Herbal-Wise

It seems to me that as we near the Holidays and the winter months creep close – at least here in the Northern Hemisphere – people are more prone to accidents.  And I’m not just talking about the kind that happen because conditions are really bad on the road and you probably shouldn’t be driving at all.  Injuries, particularly those involving winter sports, rear their ugly heads.  Even in perfect climates, people distracted by the concerns of the season make mistakes behind the wheel that they wouldn’t normally pull.  And then there is the overt hazard that is so called “flu season”.  Given all the other obligations that pile up this time of year, very few of us have the dubious luxury of being sick or injured.  Right now, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Old wives had a simple solution in the form of an herb known to this day as feverfew.  A form of chrysanthemum, the feverfew plant was carried in sachets, planted in window boxes and brewed into tisanes to keep away illness and injury or to cure those that had already occurred.  This plant found its way into both Wiccan magick and hoodoo root work, and its properties for protection and healing are still widely regarded.

Scott Cunningham advises carrying feverfew to keep illness away, particularly those of the upper respiratory variety.  It is also thought to guard against accidents.  A sprinkling of the dried leaves and flowers can be carried in a muslin bag as a pocket piece for this purpose.

In hoodoo, feverfew is often added to warding mojos.  Dried feverfew and comfrey root are placed in a bag along with a Saint Christopher medal; if the medal has been blessed, so much the better.  Keep this in your vehicle to avoid accidents.  The same mix, along with dried rosemary, is thought to be an excellent protection for people who work on or near roads and highways.  A similar mojo filled with feverfew and wormwood should be carried while undertaking dangerous sports such as rock climbing, skiing, sky diving, etc. to prevent serious or life threatening injury.

As a final note, though feverfew was and is brewed into curative teas, one should consult an herbalist or other expert before trying that route at home.  Feverfew decoctions can cause digestive upset and pregnant/nursing women should never ingest the plant in any form.  Bonne chance ~

Header: The Skating Pond by Currier & Ives c 1862

Lundi: Recipes

In the most recent issue of the magazine 61 Degrees North, published by our local paper, Anchorage Daily News, there was a page full of recipes for cold-weather beverages.  Some I’ve tried, some I’m new to; some are good for you and the kids, some are strictly for grown-ups.  This week, I’d like to offer two of the non-alcoholic delights.  We’ll save the booze for next Monday.

Mulled Cider

2 quarts apple cider (raw pressed if possible)

3 cinnamon sticks plus 8 more for garnish

2 whole allspice berries

5 whole cloves

5 cardamom pods

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 orange, thinly sliced

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients on the stove.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Pour into eight mugs and garnish with reserved cinnamon sticks.

Hot Chocolate from Modern Dwellers

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup cocoa

2 ½ cups powdered milk

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cornstarch

Hot milk

Cayenne pepper (optional)

Marshmallows (per the recipe, not optional)

Combine the first five ingredients.  Fill two mugs half full with this mixture, then top with hot milk.  Add cayenne if you like; leave room for marshmallows.  Bon appetite ~

Header: Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge in midtown Anchorage, AK via Superwife

Dimanche: Swimming

Untitled by Adelaide Hiebel via American Gallery

Vendredi: Numbers and Letters

The meanings of numbers and letters in tasseography are probably the most straight forward in this form of divination.  Although everything is open to interpretation, and of course the reader should inform the reading with their own intuition, these shapes are pretty cut and dried.  All interpretations have been taken from Albert S. Lyon’s Predicting the Future published in 1990 by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

The shape of any letter at the bottom of a teacup indicates the first letter of the name of a person that has influence either over the situation or the petitioner.  I would add that this is probably a person the petitioner already knows as the letter is completely meaningless in any context if it is not recognizable to him/her.

With numbers, which in my research over the last few weeks come up a lot more frequently than I would have thought, the meanings are more specific.

1 ~ ambition, a leadership role, excitement about a project/undertaking

2 ~ partnership, love interest or friendship

3 ~ written communication including writing for a living or musical talent

4 ~ hard work or the settlement of an argument or disagreement

5 ~ possible public speaking; a significant change

6 ~ harmony; a happy home and/or personal partnership

7 ~ decision made on intuition or a spiritual awakening

8 ~ good business decisions; possible promotion to an executive position

9 ~ volunteering or other altruistic venture; a flash of insight

Note that numbers are read separately; in other words a 5 and a 4 together are not 54 but simply two single numbers next to each other.  If they are touching, their meanings strongly influence one another.  Depending on the petitioner and their question, I might interpret that combination as a significant change in the petitioner’s life brought about by hard work or a court settlement.

Next week, we’ll look into geometric shapes (which will include that circle you may have thought would have been read as a “zero”).  Vendredi heureux ~

Header: Telling Fortunes by Harry Roseland c 1900

Jeudi: Root Work

It's Thanksgiving here in the country where I was born and I will step up straight away and say I have much to be thankful for.  I have a wonderful family, a cozy home, reliable transportation, good health and the best dog in the world.  Really, beyond enough to eat – which I am also blessed with – what else is there?

All that said, this time of year carries exceptional burdens and many of them are unfortunately linked to finances.  The so called Holidays loom large and, if you are like me, the expectation of giving is beyond the reality of budget.  Thankfully (there’s that word again) real need is a powerful tool in magick.  Tomorrow, coincidently, is not only the start of the Holiday season but a brand new moon (the birth of the Long Night Moon in Wicca).  That makes it the perfect time for a money-drawing working to get you through the “season of giving” with a little extra cash to spare.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 green candle

Olive oil

Sea or Kosher salt

Peridot or olivine chips or sand (optional)

Green fabric square

Gold or yellow embroidery floss, ribbon or thread

While concentrating on or even stating aloud your need for money, dress your candle with olive oil.  The olive is a symbol of prosperity as is the color green.  Make a ritual of this and have a clear picture of your need in your mind.  If it will help, go through your finances and write down a reasonable figure on a scrap of paper using green ink if possible.  Place this under your candle on a plate or candle holder.

Once your candle is anointed and set in a safe container, ring it with a thick band of salt.  Salt, which was once as valuable as gold, draws money.  You can add peridot chips or olivine chips/sand to the salt if you like.  The green color of the stones is also money-drawing; the debate is ongoing as to whether or not they are actually the same stone.  Peridot chips in particular are easy to find at craft stores like Michael’s.  The stone chips are not at all necessary to the success of this working, however; if you’re in a real bind, just plane table salt will work equally well.

Once your ring of salt/stones is complete, light the candle with intention.  Again, speak out loud about your need if you like; the universe will hear you if your thoughts/words are sincere.  Let the candle burn down and out in a safe place away from flammable objects.  Remember to keep it in your sights.  If you like, you can meditate on wealth and your thankfulness for what you have already been given as the flame burns.

When the candle is out and cool, save any remaining wax in a plastic bag.  Then collect the salt/stone ring in your fabric square.  Green fabric is nice but white fabric will work just as well.  Bundle up the ends of the fabric and tie the bundle securely with thread or ribbon, using three knots to bind the tie.  Carry your bundle with you, in your purse or pocket, throughout the season. 

When your need is fulfilled, thank your spirits and bury the bundle, along with any wax from the candle, in your yard or in a flower pot to keep the prosperity coming your way in the new year. 

Happy Thanksgiving and bonne chance ~

Header: Jeanne d’Arc Finding the Sword of St. Catherine de Fierbois by Miles W. Mathis

Mercredi: The Art of Beauty

These days we hear a lot about the correction of a skin condition known as rosacea.  This disease causes red patches on the face that tend to follow a “butterfly” pattern covering the nose and both cheeks, although chin and forehead can also be affected.  The redness can very from bright prink to crimson.  Of course exertion increases the effect as do some foods and alcohol, particularly red wines, dark beers or ales and hard liquor.  Unfortunately, the problem is often a source of embarrassment for those afflicted

Our modern obsession with reducing redness is particularly amusing in my view as the classic pattern of rosacea used to be a sign of youth and vigorous health.  When did you ever see a Fragonard or Boilly painting whose buxom heroine had not a spot of red on her face?  All the same it seems that skin now should be a blank canvas that is only made to “blush” with the help of manufactured powders and creams.

Most people treat rosacea over-the-counter but the products, even without a prescription, can be cost prohibitive.  As a sufferer myself, I generally eschew the drugstore cure in favor of a calming mask that features, of all things, potatoes.  Raw potatoes actually have both a calming and anti-inflammatory property when used on skin.  While cucumbers are the vegetable of choice at spas and in commercials to relieve puffiness around the eyes, slices of plain old potato work better and faster.  Elizabeth Taylor allegedly relaxed for five minutes every morning with potato slices over her eyes.

You will also need pure clay, which is an excellent skin softener and deep cleanser.  This can easily be found on beauty supply sites around the web.  My favorite is Living Clay Company who sells clay powder and does not test on animals.  Keep in mind that pure clay does not have preservatives in it, so you should make only enough of this mask for one treatment and remake a new batch every two weeks or so.

¼ cup pure clay

1 tbsp potato very thinly grated

1/8 tsp powdered marjoram

4 drops tea tree oil

Mix the clay as per the directions with a small amount of water to form a paste.  When you are satisfied with the texture, add the other three ingredients and mix thoroughly.  The mixture should be quite stiff but feel free to add a little more water if it becomes too thick.

Keeping very clear of eyes and lips, rub the mask over your entire face.  Relax for ten to fifteen minutes and then remove with a cloth soaked in warm water followed by a thorough rinse.  Complete the treatment with your favorite moisturizer.  A votre santé ~

Header: The Swing by Jean Honore Fragonard c 1767