What a beautiful morning it is! I have been up most of the night working on the Blue Moon candles (among may other things), and am all charged up! It's a funny thing about working on things like that - although it does take a lot of focus and energy, I find it also generates a lot of the same. Because I am attuning the candles to the specific Planetary vibrations for each candle, I am also attuning myself to those vibrations as well, so while it uses my energies it also replenishes them as well! Isn't that marvelous? Well, on to today's Herbs...

Balm of Gilead Buds:
Use this for love, manifestations, protection, healing, de-stressing, and assisting in healing from the loss of a loved one. Use in love sachets; carry for healing, protection, and mending a broken heart. Use the essential oil to dress candles for any form of magical healing. Burn to attract spirits. I have found these buds to be extremely potent as well as versatile. I usually only need 1-3 buds for my Workings
A.K.A.: Poplar Buds, Balsam Poplar, Balm of Gilead, Mecca, Mecca Balsam, Balessan, Bechan

Bamboo:
Good for protection, hex breaking, wishes, luck. Carve a wish into bamboo and bury it in a secluded area to make your wish come true. Carry a piece of bamboo for good luck. A dear friend introduced me to the Feng Shui concept of the "Lucky Bamboo" a few years ago, where the live Shoots are arranged in glass or bowl with water in order to balance the energies of a room or home. I much prefer this to working with the 'dead' bamboo pieces.

Well, that's all for now. Perhaps there will be another post today, I'm not sure yet. I hope the Universe sends you the energies to accomplish your desires.

My Solution to Being a Rotten Photographer!

Well, I was having absolutely no luck photographing my medallions so I could share them with you! They just looked horrible in actual picture mode! :( So I had a brainstorm! I tried scanning the actual medallions into my 'puter with my all-in-one printer and lo and behold - here they are! Below are my zodiac medallions.











These are approximately 1 inch across, and each one has a hole to put a ribbon or chain through. Use as a necklace or wall hanger - or just carry it in you pocket. I am offering these for $3.00 each, or all twelve signs for $25.00 (nice to keep on hand for those unexpected birthdays).


















The medallions below are slightly larger because of the braided rims. They are for( left to right):
Strength, The Horned God, Yin Yang (top row)
Fertility, Harmony or Union, and Joy (bottom row)


These can be anointed with oil and used as talismans, added to a charm bag to strengthen it or just worn around the neck as an amulet. I offer each one for $5.00 - or buy 5 and get the sixth one free!
















So thanks for looking and let me know through the comment link if you are interested in any of them!

Today's Herbs:

Anise:
Helps to ward off the evil eye, find happiness, stimulate psychic abilities. Sew a pouch into a pillow case and fill with anise seed to prevent disturbing dreams. Use to invoke Mercury and Apollo. Great for aromatherapy. Add to bay leaves for a purifying bath. Use in protection and meditation incenses.
Also Called: Aniseed, Anneys, Anise Seed


Asofoetida:
Protection and banishing negativity. Be forewarned that this herb is powerful, but has an awful smell when burned.
Also Called: Devil's Dung, Food of the Gods (Make sure the smoke detector is disabled before burning -just a pinch of this and you get billowing smoke as well as the nasty smell!)

Barberry:
Cleansing, sorcery, atonement, freeing oneself from the power or control of another.
Also Called: Witches Sweets This is especially good after an unpleasant break-up!


Well, that's all for now. I am busy trying to take some professional-looking pictures of some of my medallions and amulets to help sell them. If I have any luck with the camera at all today, I should be able to load some pix for all to see :)

Blessings of the Universe to you and yours.

Hello again. I am sorry I missed posting yesterday, but I got so busy with the New Moon that time just slipped away!
For those of you that are working on a full cycle Working, (Full Moon to Full Moon), it's time to change the energy you are putting into it from dissolving the blockages between you and your Intent, to charging and drawing the vibrations of that Intent.
I am going to post more than one herb today (to make up for yesterday gone missing).

Alder:
Used with divination, music, poetry, wind magic, weather magic, teaching, and decision making. Also used in rituals of death & dying to provide protection for the deceased.


Agrimony:
Use this to overcome fear & inner blockages; dispelling negative emotions. Also can be used for reversing spells. Sew into a dream pillow with Mugwort for best results. Use as a wash or oil to increase the effectiveness of all forms of healing rituals. Wards off evil entities . I also use this herb for impromptu Candle Workings by crushing it into a fine powder and then rolling oiled stick candles of appropriate colors. I then wrap them in wax paper and keep them stored in the refrigerator for quick use.

That's all I have time for right now, may the Universe bless you and yours.

There are many ways and reasons to make ritual a part of our daily lives. I'm not talking about put on your Ceremonial Robes and polish the Altar brass and gather with Magical friends at stroke of twelve... I mean the little rituals that you do by yourself, for yourself, every day. They vary from person to person, and change throughout our lives to fit where we are at that particular time in our lives. Every one has them, whether they recognize them as Ritual or not. They can be Spiritual or Mundane in nature. In my lifetime, my rituals have gone from full ritual, greeting the Goddess at Dawn with bell ringing, candle burning and incense billowing -to sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee and thanking the setting Sun for all the good things that have happened that day. There was also a time when my Ritual was to open my eyes in the morning, rise from my bed thinking "Crap! I'm late! I don't feel good, work sucks, and if I didn't need the money so bad I'd just say screw it and go back to bed!" Usually, by the end of those days, all I could think of at night was "Dammit! I'm gonna have to go through this crap again tomorrow!" That was a particularly bad period in my life. Not because Karma was making me pay for past misdeeds or anything like that. Because I got what I looked for! Not because the Gods are so petty and small-minded that if you don't pay homage to them each and every day, they send nasty things to torment you. But because Like is attracted to Like. Because the Universe gives you what you ask for! Because, if you build a big enough barrier of negativity between you and all that the Universe has to offer, you'll never see the great opportunities for Joy in your life. Now , I'm not saying that if you Pollyanna your way through life bad things will never happen. Sometimes bad things happen through no fault of our own, for no discernible reason. But the way we react to those things can determine how crippling the situation becomes. About two years ago, I had a medical crisis in my life. I was hospitalized for almost a week and ended up spending several months in a nursing home. This whole episode was a result of years of self-indulgence and neglecting my physical health. It was a life altering situation. I had to make a choice during that time about how I was going to live the rest of my life. Because I re-acted in a positive fashion to a negative situation, my life now is much better and improving even more all the time. Things are getting better in most every area of my life because of the way I used that medical crisis as a catalyst. I was able to avail myself of resources that would never have been available to me under my previous situation. And I am using those resources as a springboard to a level of physical, mental and spiritual well-being that I might never have otherwise attained. Of course, it could have gone the other way. I could have allowed myself to be overcome by the seriousness of the situation and just swamped myself with the negative aspects of that crisis. And I would probably be dead right now - or wish that I were. My daily ritual of thankfulness and my improved awareness of the blessings in my life have attracted even more blessings to me. Because I am learning to focus more on the positive side of life than on the negative aspects of it, I find more and more opportunities for joy in my life. And so I ask that you look at the daily rituals in your life. Examine them. Are they based in need? (Do you 'need more money-'need' love in your life?) Because all you will find is more need coming to you as a result of the vibrations you are putting out there with your thoughts and actions. Learn to see the abundance in your life, rather than the lack, and soon you will find that you are living a truly abundant, joyous life!

And now the Herb for today is

Angelica
Protects against negative energy and attracts positive energy; creates a barrier against negative energy. Use in healing & exorcism incenses; scatter for purification, protection, and uncrossing. Add to incense to promote healing or to the bath to remove curses, hexes, or spells. Also thought to promote temperance. Sprinkle ground herb in the shoes to prevent tiredness and weakness. Sprinkle around the outside perimeter of the home for protection and exorcism. Burn to bring a lost love back to you.
Also Called: Masterwort, Archangel, Garden Angel, Angelica Root I like to use the dried root rather than the leaf - it seems to bring more power and strength

Well, that's about all for now.
May the Universe give you the ability to recognize all the joys in your life.

So, what do you think about my new look for the Blog? I find myself in a re-decorating mood lately. Comments are welcome. Also, a reminder of the newest addition to this Blog: refer to yesterday's Topic of Discussion - Ouija Boards - leave you're comments or stories about them.

Don't forget, you are more than welcome to save the herb uses for yourself each day. If you're faithful with it, you will find yourself in possession of an extensive Magical Herb Catalog eventually!

Arrow Root:
Purification and healing; can be used as a substitute for graveyard dust. I have found this to be a very powerful ingredient in almost any HOO DOO Spell !

Asparagus:
Male Sex Magic. I get the visual, but haven't found anything on a practical method of use!

Well, that's it for now,
Remember: It will only be as bad a day as you allow it to be!

I've been trying to find a way for you, my Not-So-Gentle Readers, to become more interactive with me on this Blog. I thought maybe I would start a topic by giving my opinion or experience and then giving you a few days to respond (via the comment area). If this proves to be a popular feature, I will actually install a discussion or Message Board here. Today I would like to start a discussion about the Ouija Board. I know that there are people on both sides of the fence - one side being that it is a wonderful tool of medium-ship and the other side that it is a tool of the "Devil". Although it is not a tool I personally use, I do recognize it as a tool (when used properly). I also feel, though, that when used by someone with a big Gift and little Knowledge, it can be dangerous. First and foremost I think it's important to remember that it is a mundane thing that was made as a game. As such, in mundane or un-Awakened hands it is just that - a game. However, if someone who has just started Seeking or who has a previously un-awakened Gift starts playing around with it, I believe it can cause harm. There are those who can "play" with it for years with no bad result. And then there are those who, having used it the first time, will find that they opened a doorway to, at the very least, mischievous Spirits. There is an 'etiquette' to using the Board, and if it is not followed, chaos of an unhappy sort may be the result. Remember, the Board is a way to open a gate to the Spirit Realm. And the Spirit Realm can be a dangerous place for those who don't know (or won't follow) the rules! And that is my opinion - what's yours?

Today's Herb:

Amber:
Protection from harm, outside influences, and psychic attacks. Mental clarity & focus. Transforming negative energy to positive energy.
Though technically not an herb, in the resin form it is soft, rather sticky feeling and has a marvelous aroma. Best carried in one of the cute little boxes with decorative holes in the top that nothing else seems to fit in :)

That's all for now - have a Blessed Day!