✨Baroque Hedge 🅱️itch✨

⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊ Lunar Events: ⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊

● Jan 7th Full Moon in Cancer

○ Jan 22nd New Moon in Aquarius -  Lunar New Year

● Feb 6th Full Moon in Leo

○ Feb 20th New Moon in Pisces

● March 7th Full Moon in Virgo  

○ March 22nd New Moon in Leo

● April 6th Full Moon in Libra

○ April 20th New Moon in Aries 
◉ Total Eclipse

● May 6th Full Moon in Scorpio ◉ Total Eclipse

○ May 20th New Moon in Taurus

● June 4th Full Moon in Sagittarius

○ June 18th New Moon in Gemini

● July 3rd Full Moon in Capricorn

○ July 18th New Moon in Cancer

● Aug 2nd Full Moon in Aquarius - Supermoon

○ Aug 16th New Moon in Leo

● Aug 31st Full Moon in Pisces - Blue Moon

○ Sep 15th New Moon in Virgo

● Sep 29th Full Moon in Aries

○ Oct 15th New Moon in Libra ◉ Annular Eclipse

● Oct 29th Full Moon in Taurus ◉ Partial Eclipse

○ Nov 13th New Moon in Scorpio

● Nov 27th Full Moon in Gemini

○ Dec 13th New Moon in Sagittarius

● Dec 27th Full Moon in Cancer

⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊ Wheel of the Year: ⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊

✧˖°.☼.°˖✧Southern Hemisphere✧˖°.☼.°˖✧

Lammas/Lughnasadh  Feb 2nd

Mabon/Autumn Equinox  March 21st

Samhain May 1st

Yule/Winter Solstice Jun 22nd

Imbolc Aug 1st

Ostara/Spring Equinox Sep 23rd

Beltane Oct 31st

Litha/Summer Solstice Dec 22nd

✧˖°.☼.°˖✧Northern Hemisphere✧˖°.☼.°˖✧

Imbolc Feb 1st

Ostara/Spring Equinox March 30th

Beltane May 1st

Litha/Summer Solstice June 21st

Lammas/Lughnasadh Aug 1st

Mabon/Autumn Equinox Sep 22d

Samhain Oct 31st

Yule/Winter Solstice Dec 21st

˖⁺‧₊˚  ˚₊‧⁺˖Retrogrades & Directs: ˖⁺‧₊˚  ˚₊‧⁺˖

☿ Mercury

RX 29th Dec 2022 --> 19th Jan  //  20 Days

RX 21st April --> 15th May  //  23 Days

RX 24th Aug --> 16th Sep  //  23 Days

RX 13th Dec --> 2nd Jan 2024  //  19 Days

♁ Venus RX  23rd Jul --> 4th Sep  //  42 Days

♂️Mars RX 31st Oct 2022 --> 13th Jan  //  74 Days

♃ Jupiter RX 5th Sep --> 31st Dec  //  117 Days

♄ Saturn RX 18th June --> 4th Nov  // 139 Days

♅ Uranus

RX 24th Aug --> 23rd Jan  //  151 Days

RX 29th Aug --> 27th Jan 2024  //  151 Days

♆ Neptune RX 1st Jul --> 7th Dec  //  158 Days

♇ Pluto RX 2nd May --> 11th Oct  //  162 Days

* ⋆·˚ ༘ * 🔭 Astro Events to See:  * ⋆·˚ ༘ * 🔭

Quadrantids Meteor Shower 1st-7th Jan; Peaks on the 3rd. Full Moon

Venus Conjunct Saturn Jan 22nd

Venus Conjunct Jupiter March 1st

Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower 19th April -28th May. Strongest in Southern Hemisphere

Lyrids Meteor Shower 16th-25th April, peak on the 22nd/23rd

Venus near Pleiades & Hyades star clusters April 21st/22nd  (20 meteors per hour)

Venus-Mars-Moon Triangle May 23rd

Beehive Star Cluster near Mars & Venus June 1st/2nd

Venus-Mars-Moon Triangle June 6th

Moon Venus Mars Visible low in the west on the Solstice of June 21st

Delta Aquarids July 12th - Aug 23rd; peak 28th/29th July

Perseids Meteor Shower begins July 27th and peaks on 12th Aug

Blue Moon Aug 31st

Oct 14th Partial Solar Eclipse, visible to Southern USA; Gulf of Mexico

Leonids Nov 3rd - Dec 2nd; peak Nov 18th

Geminids Meteor Shower Dec 4th - 17th, peak on the 12th (120-160 meteors per hour)

Typed up from my grimoire on different ways to use plants, born from a childhood passion for "making potions" out of things from my garden. ✨Please do not consume harmful plants✨

✨🌱✨🌿✨🌱✨🌿✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨

Processes: 

✨Infusion: Extraction from fragile, less dense herbal matter. (Leaves, flowers etc) Weakest method; the process for most teas. Herbs are steeped in (hot) water for preferred time and temperature.

✨Decoction: Slightly stronger extraction for dense plant matter (roots, rhizomes, berries, mushrooms); boiled for a longer period of time eg for three cups of plants boil with five cups of water for 20-30 minutes. Best consumed within 48hrs. 

✨Enfleurage: Contents extracted by soaking plant matter in oil or fat (either heated or at room temperature), resulting in an essential oil (if at room temperature) or a pomade if the result is solid. Strength will vary depending on how long plant matter is saturated. Most likely for external use. In a jar, place chopped plant matter and carrier oil on top (such as olive, almond, sunflower or apricot oil), leaving 5-8cm space at the top. Ensure the plant material is completely covered to prevent oxidation/spoilage. Seal the jar and store for 4-6 weeks with frequent checks and shakes. When ready, strain plant material out.

✨Maceration: Highly concentrated liquid herbal extract where herbs are steeped in a solvent (eg vinegar, alcohol or glycerin) resulting in a tincture. Alcohol is the strongest option. Commonly used for medicinal purposes; consumable. If stored correctly out of heat and sun, shelf life is indefinite. General rule is one part herb matter to 5 parts solvent.

✨Digestion: maceration process with added heat

✨Expression: Forcibly separating liquid from plant matter with a press

✨Percolation: for extracting dried, finely-powdered herbs. Powder is placed in a vial with paper filter on top and solvent is poured onto/through the filter. The solvent works its way through the powder for 24 hours(with more solvent added as needed) and drips into container beneath the vial, carrying extracted constituents with it.

✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨🌱✨ ✨🌱✨🌿 ✨

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Specific Forms:  

✨Tincture: Liquid; through maceration. Single plant & alcohol base; chop and grind plants and place inside jar. Fill the jar with menstruum (the liquid solvent that makes up the tincture base to draw out plant constituents; such as rice vinegar, cider, wine; in this case alcohol), ensuring the plant is completely covered to avoid mold. Seal with non corrosive lid (eg plastic). Store for 4-8 weeks, shake often and strain when ready. If stored correctly, shelf life is indefinite. For greater strength, add fresh plants weekly. Fruit matter: don't add too much or sugars will counteract the vinegar. (Good as dressing or marinade)

✨Elixir: tincture with added sweetener such as honey or glycerin. Can be used to anoint objects and people. By some definitions, you can also have stone or colour elixirs where a crystal is steeped within or coloured light has travelled through the solvent.

✨Oxymel: Sweet, non-alcoholic tincture, such as apple cider vinegar + honey + herb. If correctly stored, it will last 1-2years. Finely chop or grind dried herbs and place in a jar, pouring half cider vinegar or alternative menstruum to half full and fill the 2nd half with honey (or alternative) to the top. Seal and allow to sit for 4-6 weeks, at room temperature,  shaking often. (In warmer climates, let sit for closer to 4 weeks and refrigerate). Once ready, strain out plant material to prevent it becoming bitter.

Intended for External Use:

✨Poultice: Applied plant matter to skin. Make paste with dried herbs and hot water or fresh plants chopped/ground to a pulp. Use heat-giving herbs such as ginger or turmeric. Place between cotton cloth to prevent direct skin contact if necessary and avoid direct eye contact. For herbal powders, make smaller batches as oxidation in grinding shortens shelf life.

✨Salve: melted beeswax and added liquid (usually an herb oil), allowed to cool. Lasts 1-2 years. More beeswax creates a firmer salve. Depending on herb oil used, soothes irritation, dermal cuts, scrapes and bruises. Beeswax is nourishing for the skin.

Intended for Consumption*:

✨Electuary: Paste made of ground plant matter and honey. Best with aromatic herbs (eg mint, rosemary, lavender) and raw honey (or honey alternative). Grind herbs to powder and mix with honey in a jar. Store in a cool place (or refrigerate).

✨Syrup: make strong tea with 2 cups of water, brewed for a minimum 20 minutes and strain into a heatproof bowl. Add 1 cup of honey and mix gently until the honey melts through, pour into bottles and allow to cool completely before sealing. Store in the fridge for 1-2months or indefinitely outside of the fridge, depending on plant used.

✨Plant sugars: One part plant one part sugar blended and placed in a jar OR layer plants and spices (whole or cracked only for this method) alternating with granulated sugar. Seal and let mature for at least 3 weeks. Floral plants: remove all green and use flowers only. Use in same ways you would normal sugar for consumption. 

✨Candies: (Similar to toffee but water used contains plant matter.) Brew half cup of strong tea (or stronger extraction method depending on plant), brewed for at least 20 minutes and strained. Add 1 cup of honey to a saucepan and simmer on medium/high heat for 25-30 minutes. The mixture will harden instantly in cold water when ready. Pour into silicon molds and allow it to cool. Once ready, remove and dust with extra plant powder. Can be stored in an airtight container for 2-4 weeks or in fridge under warmer conditions.

*Depends again on plant used please don’t eat poisonous things 

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omg hey bestie ✨Ask and u shall receive✨

🔮Baby Witches: anything by Arin Murphy Hiscock (Green Witch, The Witches Book of Self Care) or Sarah Bartlett (Little Book of Practical Magic in particular) as they explain a lot of general stuff and aren't tied to any specific religious path as opposed to Buckland's books which are great but heavily based in Wiccan practice

🔮A Witches Book of Answers by Eileen Holland and Cerelia - this ones pretty dated (2003 🙄) but covers a whole bunch of topics; useful for both baby witch questions and more advanced specific questions. It is more focused on wiccan practices and this bias does come through in some areas but overall pretty useful if you can still find it anywhere haha

🧿Symbols of the Occult by Eric Chaline is great for identifying symbols across a whole range of practices/cultures (much easier than trying to google them lol) including ancient symbolism, medieval alchemy as well as modern symbolism - useful if you are going to be reading any older grimoires like the Book of Oberon etc

🧿Magical Symbols and Alphabets by Sandra Kynes is also great not only for identifying stuff but its far more practical and she goes into a lot of detail on fixed stars, the ogham and runes - I haven’t read any books specifically on these topics so the fact that this book contained so much was really exciting

💎The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian is the best crystals book I have read hands down because it covers both the scientific and spiritual properties - its also huge (like 400 different rock varieties or something). Good for both individual identification and correspondences/uses.

🌱not strictly a witch book BUT Verinder’s The Plant Clinic is really good for herbology/kitchen witchcraft/ specifically edible plants rather than those for spells/non edible offerings etc) I found as unlike basically all the other books I have which focus on the spiritual significance of plants it came at it from a more scientific perspective and still very practical

🌱for witchier herbology tho Herbal Magic by Gerina Dunwich and The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magical Herbs by Judy Ann Nock were pretty detailed and talk about herbal divination/spells as well as describing individual plant uses

🧙‍♀️Missing Witches by Risa Dickens and Amy Torok - its written so beautifully??? This one isn't so much for practical use but a feminist history of witchy women structured to follow the wheel of the year and just *chefs kiss* They also have a podcast by the same name if u don't want to read words.