Witchcraft

AGATE – Inspires competition and eloquence (perfect if you have something to say). Mouth – fever – circulation.

AGATE BLUELACE – Composure, calm, balance. Inflammation – fever.

AGATE BOTSWANA – Understanding. Recuperation – infection.

AGATE DENDRITIC – Balance, energy, steadiness. Recuperation.

AGATE MOSS – Assertiveness, renewal. Heart – lungs.

AGATE TREE – Organization, management. Chest – stomach.

ALEXANDRITE – Investment, growth. Nerves.

ALMANDINE – Inspiration, tolerance, affection. Eyes – heart.

AMAZONITE – Self-expression, insight, stabilizes emotions, promotes growth, study, clarity, insight, success. Nerves.

AMBER – Helps career, relieves stress, accomplishments, uplifts. Depression – chest.

AMETHYST – Aids sleep, reduces electrical energies, creates calm and tranquility, inspires happiness, generates positive feelings, relieves stress. Addictions – acne.

Watch: Comedian Aamer Rahman’s explainer of reverse racism is still requisite viewing.

After posting a few guides on how to do various things with herbs, I started receiving a lot of questions on how to dry herbs, specifically how to dry certain types of herbs and flowers. I didn’t make a guide on it because I assumed most people knew how, but after finding out this isn’t something a lot of people know how to do, I decided to explain how to dry herbs.

First off, the method of drying herbs is to hang them upside down. This allows the saps in the herb to drain down into the top of the plant, keeping the herb fresh and producing a dried herb that isn’t wilted or moldy, but also allowing the natural oils within the plants to stay instead of breaking down. The best place to dry herbs is somewhere away from moisture and out of direct sunlight so the herb will not mold or dry out too quickly. This works especially well for herbs that have flowers on them, or for actual flowers (I like to dry out flowers and keep the petals). When drying herbs, it is always best to rinse them and towel dry them to remove as much of the water as possible as water causes plants to mold faster. There are some people who recommend putting them in bags or other storage items while drying, but I have dried my own herbs for years by simply hanging them somewhere away from water and direct sunlight.

There are different methods depending on the length of the herb, such as a branch compared to just the flowers or blossoms off of a plant. Below are different methods for drying these different herb types.

Drying Branched/Stemmed Herbs:

Gather the herbs and wash them. Towel dry them as best as possible to remove moisture.

Remove any dead, brown, dried, or otherwise discolored leaves or parts of the herbs.

Place the herbs together in little bundles. A good handful, but not too thick to prevent the internal section of the bundle from drying.

Tie a string of some sort around the base/bottom stem as tight as possible so when the herbs dry, they do not slip out of the string.

Hang the herbs upside down away from moisture and direct sunlight, and preferably not touching anything (I always hang them in the kitchen with a thumb tack on a cork board to hold the string).

Drying Short Herbs/Flowers/leaves:

Method 1:

Wash the leaves and flowers very carefully, making sure not to bruise the flower petals or break them. Dry with a towel.

Grab sewing thread and measure out enough thread for your herbs. I do sections of 12 inches long.

Cut the thread from the spool, and knot one end, placing the thread through a sewing needle on the other end.

Using the sewing needle and thread, carefully push the needle and thread through the stem of the flower or leaf.

Thread multiple flowers/leaves while leaving space between them, enough so they do not touch.

Remove your sewing needle and knot the end of the thread, making the thread have a knot on both ends.

Use thumb tacks to push into the two knots, and hang the herb string away from moisture.

Method 2:

Clean and dry all of the flowers and leaves gently, and towel dry them.

Using a window screen or other piece of mesh screen or material and two bricks (or wood blocks, or books), place the two bricks on a counter space somewhere away from moisture. Lay the screen over the bricks. The bricks should be sitting at both ends of the screen with nothing but space in the middle to allow air to flow under the screen.

Gently place the flowers and leaves on the screen and allow them to air dry. Turn and rotate the herbs every other day to make sure all parts are fully dried.

Drying Barks:

Gather the amount of bark or roots you desire, and wash them of all dirt and insects.

Find a place away from moisture that is in direct sunlight, such as a window or table in front of a window.

Lay a towel down and place the bark onto the towel.

Image credit: Sage and Smudge

OK, so one thing that often comes up in Q&A sessions about witchcraft is herbalism. It’s extremely complicated in some parts, and this isn’t helped by the fact that there’s often a lot of new and complicated terminology that can really obfuscate the techniques used to people who aren’t used to it. 

This post is therefore meant to clarify a few things about terminology to help people decipher what the hell is going on. It does not go into the effects of herbs (like what the difference is between a sedative and a hypnotic), that’s for a later post. This one talks about actual techniques used to MAKE a herbal preparation.

NB: The terminology I use is the most common terminology and definitions used in Western tradition herbalism. Some terms have different definitions in biochemistry or in other herbalism traditions to the ones they have in Western tradition herbalism (WTH). If a term is likely to cause confusion, I’ll try to put an asterisk (*) beside it.

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Acetum* ­– A tincture that uses vinegar as its menstruum. The plural is aceta.

Active ingredient – The medicinally active component chemical(s) of a plant; these are what you’re trying to extract.

Aqueous* – An extract that is prepared with water is called an “aqueous extract”, or simply an “extract” (though this is correct, it is vague and therefore should always be clarified as an aqueous extract).

Aromatic* – A chemical that has an easily-discernible fragrance or smell, e.g. menthol from peppermint

Ayurveda – Literally “science of life”, this is a form of Indian herbalism. Included because people often ask what it is and I’m sick of answering.

Cold infusion – A form of herbal preparation in which a herb is steeped in room temperature water overnight as a means of extracting active ingredients.

Constituent – Any component chemical of a plant, regardless of activity.

Decoction – A herbal preparation in which plant matter is simmered in water without boiling until half the liquid has been evaporated.

Double decoction – A form of decoction where the water is evaporated down to a quarter of its original volume, rather than a half.

Elixir* – Any liquid preparation that contains both alcohol-extracted and aqueous-extracted components.

Ethanol – An alcohol with the chemical formula C2H4OH, also known as drinking alcohol and ethyl alcohol.

Extract* ­– Any liquid preparation in which plant matter is left in a liquid solvent for several weeks. The word “extract” can also refer specifically to aqueous extracts.

Filtrate – The liquid retrieved from a physical filtering separation process.

Fluid Ounce – Also known as an ounce by volume, this is a measurement of fluid equal to 1/16th of a pint by volume, or approximately 0.03L metric. Weight-to-Volume ratios measure volume in fluid ounces most commonly. Symbolised as fl. Oz.

Folkloric extract – A herbal extract prepared without measuring weights or volumes of the marc or menstruum. Much more variable in dosage than measured extracts, and therefore more risky.

Glycerine – Also known as glycerine and glycerol. A chemical with the formula C3H5(OH)3, often used in the preparation of sweet-tasting extracts.

Glycerite – Any extract prepared using glycerine as the solvent. Glycerites should be a minimum of 55% glycerine by volume in order to preserve their contents against bacteria.

Hot infusion – A herbal preparation made by steeping plant matter in boiling or boiled water for at least 10 minutes. Less than 10 minutes forms a tea instead.

Inactive ingredient – Any molecule in a plant that does not have medicinal or biological value. A plant will always have more than one inactive ingredient, but a herbal preparation could theoretically have only one (although it never will).

Liniment – An extract, most usually a tincture, which is used topically on the skin rather than taken orally. Also known as an embrocation.

Lipid – Any fat. Often used as a solvent when dealing with fat-soluble compounds, for example cannabinoids.

Lozenge – A herbal preparation in which the active ingredient is made into a thick syrup, heated until candying occurs, and then allowed to cool and harden. Often used to make unpleasant-tasting medications more palatable, such as for children.

Marc – The solid matter in an extract or tincture.

Menstruum – The liquid component of an extract or tincture.

Ounce – A measurement of weight, 1/16th of a pound, and just under 30g metric. Symbolised as Oz.

Pastille – A herbal preparation similar to a lozenge, but unheated and therefore preserving many of the medicinal compounds that are otherwise heat-sensitive. Made by grinding herbs into a powder, and then mixing them with sugar and a binding agent. Maple syrup or honey is often used.

Preparation – Any herbal remedy, of any kind.

Poultice – A herbal preparation formed by mashing fresh, solid plant matter into a mash, and then directly applying it to the skin. Sometimes also involves wrapping the plant matter in gauze or fabric to prevent it coming apart.

Precipitate – The solid matter that forms from the marc when making a tincture or an extract of some kind.

Proof* – As it related to alcohol, this is a measurement that is equal to either two times the alcohol percentage (US definition) or is equal to 1.75 (4/7th) times the percentage (UK definition). Almost all sources use the US definition, but all sources will also use the alcohol-by-volume (ABV) metric, which is a simple percentage.  

Residue – The solid matter left in the filter after a physical filtration separation.

Solubility – The ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent.

Succi ­– The preserved juices of a plant. Alcohol is the most common preservative.

Syrup – A decoction that has subsequently had sugar added to it, and is then simmered down further until it forms a thick, sweet liquid. Mostly used for making herbal preparations that are unpleasant-tasting easier to swallow.

Tea – When boiling water is added to plant matter and is left to steep for no more than 10 minutes. If it is left for longer than 10 minutes, it is described as a hot infusion.

Tincture* – Any liquid extract in which alcohol is the solvent. The word tincture is often used interchangeably with extract in herbal sources, but they are actually different things.

Weight-to-volume extract – Any extract in which the marc and menstruum are actually measured out before manufacture. This is a little more complicated, but makes the dosage much less variable and therefore much safer to use.

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This took bloody ages to write, so I hope like hell that someone finds it useful!

Smoky Quartz: for grounding, removes negative and excess energy. 

Kunzite: Beautiful light pink stone that is known for its powerful abilities to help one heal emotional disorders. Releases tension, restores peace, calming. 

Lepidolite: Helps one remove negative thoughts, especially obsessive ones. Is also known to help stabilize mood swings, and balances excessive energies. 

Tiger’s Eye: Grounds energy and brings a more positive outlook. Works with energy from both the sun and the earth. Highly protective, can help defend against unwanted, negative energies. 

Sunstone: Dispels fears, phobias, and can create a more positive outlook. It is a stone of independence and strength.  

Citrine: known for its positive attributes. Radiates positive energy.

Rose Quartz: A gentle healing stone that aids in self-love, compassion, and emotional issues. 

Chrysoprase: promotes joy and happiness. Is known to ease anxiety issues. 

Lapis Lazuli: Can help overcome abuse issues, trauma, depression, and grief. Aids in independence, inner power, and hope. 

Lithium Quartz: Releases stress, helps restore emotional balance, can ease mood swings. 

Jet: Purifies & protects, calms anxiety & fearful thinking. Promotes self-reliance, eases stress due to transitions/changes. 

✨ OFFERING STONES ✨

Not sure I’ve ever posted the recipe on Tumblr! I made a video though showing how I make them if you’d like to actually see it done :)

Offering stones are a great, all natural way to honor nature, a deity, the Fae, or whatever you feel like giving thanks to! Herbs and crystals can be added for different correspondences as well as things such as shells, acorns, pine cones, etc! You can also roll the dough out and use cookie cutter for different shapes :) If you add non-organic materials (such as glitter), please keep them indoors as to not harm the environment. (They could also be made as an Earth spell! The stone is the actual spell, and you can let it weather away on/in the ground!)

~INGREDIENTS~ 1 cup flour 1 cup water ½ cup salt (the finer, the better.) 1 Tbsp oil 1.5 tsp cream of tartar (I’ve made it without this, works fine.)

And of course whatever herbs, crystals or anything else you want to add! Also, you can use infused oils, sea salt (instead of table salt), special witchy waters like storm water, snow water, ocean water, etc to help correspond and boost the magick :)

1. Mix ingredients in a pan and cook on low heat, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken (like mashed potatoes, where it’s sticking to the spoon). 2. Pull off stove and continue to mix until it becomes less sticky and like a dough consistency. You may need to dig in and use your hands once it’s cooled a bit :P 3. Pinch off small amounts of dough, add herbs (or glitter if they are for indoor use), roll into a ball & flatten to around ¼ inch thick. Store extra dough in an air-tight container. 4. Leave out to dry in a cool, aerated space for a few days, no longer than a week. You may need to flip it once or twice to make sure the bottom dries out completely. 5. Use your stones how you please!