Herbalism & Witchcraft

swedish folkore: skogsrån

A gentle reminder that you are you and who you are is beautiful and amazing and perfect.

You get decide who you are, not your parents, not your peers, just you.

You belong to nobody else but yourself.

-This list will be added to and edited for accuracy as I learn more-

Odin, the primary god of wisdom, strategy, war, fatherhood, and kingship. “The All-Father”. Also known as Wotan. Married to Frigga. Spirit animals are Geri and Freki, his two gray wolves; Munin and Hugin, his two ravens, and Sleipnir, his eight-legged gray horse.

Frigga, the primary goddess of wisdom, strategy, war, motherhood, and queens. “The All-Mother”. Married to Odin. Spirit animal is a great-horned owl.

Baldur, a god of war, nobility, beauty, schooling, and later, tragedy. Also known as Palter. “The Shining One”. Heir to, and son of Odin and Frigga, and married to Nan. Spirit animal is a golden eagle.

Nan, a goddess of joy and later, sorrow. Married to Baldur. Spirit animal is a mourning dove.

Forseti, a god of justice and law. Son of Baldur and Nan. Spirit animal is a gray wolf.

Hod, a god of nobility, schooling, war, and obstacles. “The Blind God”. Second son of Odin and Frigga. Spirit animal is an hoary bat.

Moona, the primary goddess of the night, the moon, stealth, and war. Also commonly known as Mani (in male form), Luna, and Selene. Daughter of Odin and Frigga, and second cousin to Sunna (possibly Odin’s cousin and Sunna’s sister). Spirit animals are a pack of seven eastern timber wolves.

Hermod, a god of messaging and communication, bravery and courage. Third son of Odin and Frigga. Spirit animal is a gyrfalcon.

Bragi, a god of writing, poetry, music, and performance. Fourth son of Odin and Frigga, and married to Idun. Spirit animals are nine song birds: a black-capped chickadee, a boreal chickadee, a purple finch, a snow bunting, a pine grosbeak, three different northern wood warblers, and a hermit thrush. Sometimes Bragi is seen with nine of the same, or only one of these birds.

Idun, a goddess of protection, guardianship, and watchwomen. Married to Bragi. Spirit animal is a barred owl.

Asha, a goddess of visual art, pottery, creative design, and celebration. Daughter of Bragi and Idun. Spirit animals are a painted turtle and a wood turtle.

Thor, a god of storms, strength, and war. “The Thunder God”. Also known as Donar and Perun. Oldest son of Odin and Fjorgyn. Married to Sif. Spirit animals are two Dall’s sheep.

Sif, a goddess of beauty and strength. Married to Thor. Spirit animals are two tundra swans.

Ull, a god of competition and sport. Son Sif and stepson of Thor. Father unknown. Spirit animal is a polar bear.

Thea, a goddess of beauty, strength, and storms. Also commonly known as Thrud. Daughter of Thor and Sif. Spirit animal is a black bear.

Magnur and Modin, gods of brotherhood, survival, and strength. Sometimes called Magni and Modi. Twin sons and youngest children of Thor and Sif. Spirit animals are a pine marten, each.

Vali, a god of vengeance, war, and later regret. Son of Odin and Rind, a giantess. Spirit animal is a northern shrike.

Vidar, a god of vengeance, war, and anger. Son of Odin and Grid, a giantess. Spirit animal is a wolverine.

Lothur, a god of loyalty, pacts, oaths, inspiration and spirit. Also commonly known as Vili (which may have been more of a title than a name). Odin’s younger brother. Spirit animal is a caribou.

Heimdall, a god of protection, guardianship, and watchmen. Son of Lothur and nine goddesses of the oceans. Spirit animals are a (German) Shepherd and his horse, Gulltoppr.

Hoenir, a god of honour, respect, holiness, and all things sacred. Also commonly known as Ve (which may have been more of a title than a name). Odin’s younger brother. Spirit animal is a walrus.

Loki, the primary god of trickery, deceit, and chaos. “The Trickster”. Stepbrother of Odin. Married to Sigyn. Spirit animal is a fire wyrm or serpent.

Sigyn, a goddess of loyalty and compassion. Married to Loki. Spirit animal is a red fox.

Hel, the primary goddess of the dead, lost and damned spirits, and demons. Daughter of Loki. Spirit animal is Garm, her black hound.

Sunna, the primary goddess of the day, the sun, clarity, and war. Also known as Sol (in either male or female form). Cousin of Odin and his brood. Spirit animals are two white horses.

Tyr, a god of law, battle, and war. Also known as Tiw. Married to Sunna. Spirit animal is a northern goshawk.

Two daughters of Tyr and Sunna, names lost, goddesses of sky. Spirit animals are sparrows or finches, perhaps a common redpoll and an hoary redpoll.

Eir, a goddess of mercy, health, and healing. A friend to Frigga and Odin. Spirit animal is a gray jay.

Saga, a goddess of information keeping, history, and stories. Older sister of Wayland. A friend to Frigga and Odin. Spirit animal is an eastern chipmunk.

Wayland, a god of labour, woodworking, and metalworking. Also known as Wyman. Younger brother of Saga. A friend of Frigga and Odin. Spirit animal is a beaver.

Mim, a god of friendship, council, and communication. A friend to Odin and Frigga. Spirit animal is a northern mockingbird.

Vulla, a goddess of secrets, council, and beauty. A friend to Odin and Frigga. Spirit animal is a raccoon.

Sjofn, a goddess of love, communication, and law. Sometimes called Lofn or Gefjon (or they may be three separate goddesses). A friend to Frigga and Odin. Spirit animals are two wood ducks.

Val, a goddess of travel, council, clarity, and deduction. Sometimes called Vor or Var (or they may be three separate goddesses). Married to Freyr. A friend to Frigga and Odin. Spirit animal is a moose.

Hlin, a goddess of war, guardianship, and law. Sometimes called Syn or Snotra (or they may be three separate goddesses). A friend of Frigga and Odin. Spirit animal is a red-tailed hawk.

The Vanir:

Aegir, a god of salt and the oceans. Married to Ran. His spirit animal is a kraken.

Ran, a primary goddess of nature and fresh water (specifically lakes, rivers, and springs). “Mother Nature”. Married to Aegir. Sister of Fjorgyn and Hertha. Spirit animals are a common loon, a great blue heron, and an arctic grayling.

Nine unknown-named daughters of Aegir and Ran, and the mothers of Heimdall. Goddesses of oceans, seas, and waves. Some of their names may be known in the languages of the First Nations of North America. Common spirit animals are a leatherback sea turtle, a beluga whale, a narwhal, an Atlantic puffin, a harp seal, a harbour seal, a pink salmon, A whale shark, and an Atlantic white-sided dolphin.

Fjorgyn, a primary goddess of nature, stone, and soil. Also commonly known as Jord. “Mother Nature”. Sister of Ran and Hertha, and mother of Thor. Spirit animals are a snapping turtle, a Canadian toad, and a rock vole.

Hertha, a primary goddess of nature and vegetation (including plants, moss, lichen, and fungi). Also known as Nerthus. “Mother Nature”. Ex-wife of Njord, mother of Freya and Freyr, and sister of Ran and Fjorgyn. Spirit animals are a red fox, a white-tailed deer, and a wood frog.

Ostara, the primary goddess of the spring season, birth, and spring weather. Also commonly known as Eostre. Spirit animals are two snowshoe hares.

Morrigan, the primary goddess of the autumn season, death, and autumn weather. (Nordic name unknown). Spirit animals are a murder of crows.

Skadi, the primary goddess of winter, hunting, and winter weather. Ex-wife of Njord. Spirit animal is an arctic fox.

Njord, the primary god of the summer season, travel, and summer weather. Ex-husband of Hertha and Skadi, and father of Freya and Freyr. Spirit animals are a flock of Iceland gulls.

Freya, a goddess of love, fertility, fauna, battle, and hunting. Also known as Damara. Daughter of Njord and Hertha. Married to Od, and twin sister of Freyr. Spirit animals are two Canada lynxes.

Od, a god of love, desire, and wishes. Married to Freya. Spirit animal is a blue jay.

Hnoss and Semi, goddesses of sisterhood, love, treasure, and value. Twin daughters of Freya and Od. Spirit animals are a northern river otter, each.

Freyr, a god of love, fertility, flora, farming, and hunting. Also known as Yngvi and Cernunnos. “The Horned God”. Son of Njord and Hertha. Married to Val, and twin brother of Freya. His spirit animal is Gullinbursti, a feral pig or boar.

A lot of us get started with the practice when we’re in our edgy teen stages and are looking to get back at our middle school bullies.  It never takes long for us to do our research and quickly get more sucked into the craft as a whole, and we forget about the curse we wanted to cast.

That being said curses and hexes are a part of magic, although they really shouldn’t be used without good cause.  Most people who know about curses use their knowledge for detecting and breaking curses.  That being said, we can’t ignore an aspect just because we don’t like it, or because it can be harmful, rather we need to share what information we have, and help each other think through what we’re doing before we hurt someone.

I imagine a lot of beginners would hear this and ask “Why not use curses, some people deserve it?”  The simplest answer is because you shouldn’t use magic to solve all your problems and if someone truly deserves it, I’d recommend non-magical means to help them get what they deserve.  Another good reason is because odds are, whatever you do will come back to bite you.  This can be called karma, but I hear it more often called the threefold rule, which basically states whatever you do will come back to you three times over.  So even if you’re casting a curse on someone who truly deserves it, are you prepared for the consequences?

If you find you absolutely must curse some one, then I’d stick to the idea of “confuse, don’t abuse.”  Which is to say, mess with them for sure, but don’t actually hurt them.  Some ways I’ve seen this put in practice is a curse to keep someone away from another person.  I’ve used such a spell to help my friend avoid an abusive ex (note: never cast a spell that effects someone you know without their permission, it’s just rude.)  Another way I’ve seen a curse done is to try and help someone realize what they’re doing wrong.  I wrote a spell that I titled “You’re a dumbass” and have used only when I see someone doing things that are clearly wrong from and outside perspective, but they can’t seem to see it.  This is without a doubt a curse, but one that’s not especially harmful, and I was prepared for my own flash of perspectives as a consequence when I used it.

Now we’re to the end of my rant when I put the “manly” spin on things.  In this case I have very little spinning to do, curses are unisex, as are their consequences.  What I will say for the more masculine is a warning.  Generally when we’re raised in a more masculine in environment we’re taught to keep our emotions inside and bottled up.  This can quickly be something we lose control over, which can lead to unintentional curses fueled entirely by our own anger.  The solution here is simple, don’t hide your emotions.  All emotions are healthy to express, including negative ones; If you have an issue with someone, talk to them about it.  The problem you thought could only be solved with a curse may just be a miscommunication that spiraled out of control (yes that is speaking from experience).

Needed:

- a glass bottle or jar 

- marker 

- nails 

- salt 

- things with protective properties (certain crystals, certain herbs) 

- candle wax to seal (can in the worst case be replaced with charged liquid glue) 

- a piece of paper 

- a regular pen to write 

- decorative elements, if you want to 

- something personal (nail clippings, hair, dust from the house, etc)

How to make it:

Charge the salt and protective things. Clean and cleanse the glass jar, put the personal thing into the jar, and write upon the paper what you want to protect yourself or the house from. Write it as extensively as you want to or feel is needed. Pierce it with one or more of the nails. Then put that into the jar too. 

After that, put the charged salt and other protective things into the jar, remembering that their purpose is to keep away the negative energies. Close the jar and seal it, and draw protective symbols of your culture or religion onto it, charging them as well while or after you drew them. Decorate it, if you want to.

Explanations:

I feel most of this is pretty self explanatory, but the things I will explain are: a) the order,

b) some ingredients and

c) the purpose of the paper. 

a) The order is important. You should cleanse and charge first, so that the evil of the paper does not stay too long with your personal belongings in the jar unprotected. This may lead to you accidentally inviting said evil in before you get the chance to banish it or keep it away. Then, the personal thing signifies whatever you want to protect. This is already here, so it needs to be the first thing in the bottle. The paper needs to be written up next, and pierced right after, to in a way hurt whatever you want to keep away. Then, you add protective things to further keep the evil away. You close the bottle and seal it so the evil cannot get out. The additional protective symbols are a kind of extra safety. 

b) Salt: Where I am from, salt is used for protection and keeping evil away. You can replace it with something else if this connotation does not exist in your culture.

The dust/other personal thing: It symbolises whatever you want to protect, so it needs to be related to this.

The nails: I know many witches like to use rusty ones, but this is up to you. I feel like the rusty one could give additional pain, but the not rusty one is stronger, in my opinion, more hardy. They are meant to cause physical or spiritual harm to the evil.

The wax: This can add additional protection if you use a colour that symbolises protection in your culture, but clear glue will do the job as well. If you want to reopen it again, though, wax might be the better choice.