An Element of Magic

Sure some of the stereotypes may work out okay. Everyone knows roses symbolize love or sunflowers are joy/solar energy. But can you tell me about the red clovers, acorns, and maple leaves in your town? What energy do they hold, and what folklore or physiological propreties tell you about that energy?

There's no shame in using what's popular, but truly knowing what you're working with makes all the difference! Same goes for tools such as scissors, coffin nails, mirrors, cords, and so on.

I don't want a printing subscription, or a typing subscription. Hell, I'll go find an old typewriter before I buy into that sell. I'll even learn to make ink and paper.

I don't want to "subscribe and save" to something. I don't want everything to automatically renew. I most certainly do not want to give an AI assistant access to ANYTHING of mine (including my thoughts, questions, or ideas), but especially not to my bank account.

I don't want glasses that tell me what things are, I'd rather ask someone who knows. I don't want a robot to summarize the key points of my group chat, I want to talk to my friends and family for myself.

I want picnics in the park, phones put away in bags and not thought about unless they're actually needed. I want water fights in summer, not water shortages to feed the machine. I want a colorful house, not a smart one. I want care, not convenience.

If one day Microsoft locks me out of my laptop because I refuse to pay for a subscription, I'll go to the library and check out a few books to figure out how to reprogram it. I'll learn fucking Linux, if I have to. Hell, I'm considering learning it now, with the way the world's going.

The answer is no, not anymore. Especially if it's a nature-related bit of knowledge. Or home maintenance. Or any of a number of skills.

It may never have been common sense, either. It may have been something that you grew up with in your family or your community, but isn't taught commonly elsewhere.

Everything you THINK is common knowledge was taught to you at some point. Someone taught you.

I know I've made some gripes on here about frustrations around a lack foraging knowledge in people, but when I'm on here yapping about something or other, I'm venting. When I'm in real life, I stop and I talk the person through whatever it is, whether it's 'why we don't eat unripe berries (for the love of god stop)' or 'yes, really, thunder means there's lightning'. I try very hard not to make them feel dumb (although it's very frustrating when someone won't listen to me, which is where the venting comes in), because we all have new things to learn.

If you are a socially anxious person, you have to socialize. Your panic/anxiety attacks will only get worse and trigger more frequently if you constantly avoid contact with The Public. Not saying that you need to be a social butterfly- but there is a genuine problem with not being able to order your own meal at a restaurant. And it cannot be solved by always having someone else do it for you.

Helps improve the overall health of your local ecosystems and native wildlife.

Allows you to build a better relationship with the spirits of your area.

There is no such thing as overharvesting, so if you worry you’re the type when foraging for ingredients to go heavy handed; go to your invasives.

Inherently these plants when used in spell work will be fast-working, highly adaptive, and dominating.

You likely already have an invasive in your area that has the intentions you want to use in your next spell.

Allows you to not rely on massive monoculture farms that over-farm and hurt the environment.

Gives you the excuse to go outside and get moving which has been proven to have positive impacts on mental health.

Invasives aren’t hard to find. You can find them at the park, school campuses, any patch of grass along the road, etc.

The baneful possibilities are endless, like you can get so creative.

Depending on what exactly is your invasive and where you’re foraging from it’s free food.

Some Important Reminders

Research what are your natives and your invasives and learn to identify them, especially if they are similar to natives or have dangerous look-a-likes.

Read up on your area’s by-laws to ensure you are foraging invasives in a legal and safe way.

When harvesting invasives harvest carefully and be aware of how this specific invasive spreads, so when harvesting you’re not possibly helping it spread.

Don’t compost invasives.

Some invasives are poisonous or toxic, so research and be careful when handling. Please don’t consume or use in any workings that would require burning them or skin contact.

If looking for edible invasives or invasives you plan on using in salves or bath rituals, don’t harvest from polluted areas and ensure it is not toxic.

in reality, the concept of self-harm is heavily socially constructed and an issue of bodily autonomy. as humans, we seek out physical pain all the time. we eat spicy foods. we get tattoos and piercings. we engage in BDSM. so why do we forbid self-regulation through pain?

when people are told to cover up their scars, when people are kicked out of DBT support groups for self-harming, when people are conditioned to lie about their self-harm to avoid getting sent to the psych ward, you are telling them that their body is not their own.