bitter hag witch

Protective spells are a common way to shield yourself from various types of threats, whether it be negative energy or direct attacks from others. The major problem with these types of spells is that they require a lot of energy. In chaos magick, a servitor is basically a program created by you to do a specific task. In this case, we’ll be creating a servitor specifically for spiritual protection.

Saint Dymphna

Saint Dymphna may seem like an odd choice for Caribbean Brujeria and that’s because she is an Irish saint. However because my Brujeria is based in Catholic petitions so any of Los Santos are useful.

Saint Dymphna is the Patron Saint of the Mentally Ill. Struggling with mental illness myself she has been a part of my work for roughly 3 years now. Petitions to Saint Dymphna are based in honesty. There is nothing you can’t share with Saint Dymphna because she devoted her life to caring for those of us who struggle with sanity and our faith. I won’t go into extensive detail about her because this isn’t a post about that.

What you need: A saint dymphna 7 dia novena candle. If you can’t find one you can print an image of her off google and tape it to a large white candle. Saint Dymphna died a virgin, having committed her life and body to Christ and because of this you’ll wanna stick to white candles for everything. Maybe purple if you’re looking for some serious psychic/mental intervention from her.

Anoint your candle, bless with Holy Water and light your novena candle. Offerings to Saint Dymphna can include fresh flowers and hand written Psalms. If you choose an image of her carrying a book, that represents the mental strength you want to obtain. The book may represent content, a come down from the chaos. When I just want things to calm down, or some clarity I use an image of her with the book. You could think of this as a Mercy petition. However if you are looking for strength over an obstacle or are experiencing severe mental health issues using an image of her with The Sword is preferable.

The book she holds represents her commitment and faith in the Holy Father, while The Sword is used to represent her death by beheading for her beliefs.

The Petition:

“Glorious Saint Dymphna, eternal virgin and daughter of God who died by her father’s hand may you hear my petition and take mercy upon my soul for I am lost in the fog and plead that you show me the way with your divine light”

After saying this you can “start talking” as I call it. This is where the real magic happens. It’s hard to explain exactly what the experience is like after this petition because each Bruja will experience her intervention in a different way. The Conjure portion of brujeria can be performed after this petition but that’s another post too.

Facing top; a blackthorn wind-roarer by Cornish Crafter Steve Patterson, a ragwort hand broom, a bramble 'witch's whisk', a switch of sage twigs and a goose feather sweeper.

Facing below; A troy stone with examples of other working stones.

—

Traditional Witchcraft:

A Cornish Book of Ways

This is a post specifically on Hekate Brimo, for Brimo as a general epithet and goddess, please read @nehetisingsforhekate’s post on Brimo.

The Name:

Brimo (Βριμὼ) is an epithet Hekate is sometimes referred to in Her chthonic manifestations, and this name means ‘angry’ or ’terrifying’. Hekate is also called by different names of a similar nature. She is called “δασπλῆτις” (Dasplêtis), meaning frightful or horrid, in Theocrates’ Pharmakeutria. She is also named “θεά δεινός” or “δεινὴ θεὸς” (Thea Deinos/Deini Theos), meaning dread goddess, or frightening goddess. This phrase is used in the Argonautica, referring to Hekate named as Brimo.

Historical Usage:

Brimo is most notably used to refer to Hekate in the Argonautica. She is called Brimo three times, specifically in the rituals of magic that are performed. This shows a trend of calling on Underworld deities specifically by their epithets when worshipping their chthonic manifestations, as well as the trend of magic’s association with chthonic powers. These passages are reproduced below:

“Medea, clothed in black, in the gloom of night, had drawn off this juice in a Caspian shell after bathing in seven perennial steams and calling seven times on Brimo, nurse of youth, Brimo, night-wanderer of the underworld, Queen of the dead. The dark earth shook and rumbled underneath the Titan root when it was cut, and Prometheus himself groaned in the anguish of his soul.” (132)

“Then he dug a pit a cubit deep, piled up the billets, and laid he sheep on top of them after cutting its throat. He kindled the wood from underneath and poured mingled libations onto the sacrifice, calling on Hecate Brimo to help him in the coming test. This done, he withdrew; and the dread goddess, hearing his words from the abyss, came up to accept the offering of Aeson’s son. She was garlanded by fearsome snakes that could themselves round twigs of oak; the twinkle of a thousand torches lit the scene; and hounds of the underworld barked shrilly all around her. The whole meadow trembled under her feet, and the nymphs of the marsh and river…cried out in fear.” (141)

These passages indicate that Brimo was a particularly frightening manifestation of Hekate. One which shook the earth as She emerged, and was attended by fearsome creatures. She even frightened the nymphs who resided in the place where She manifested. 

Brimo is also used as the name for Hekate in Lycrophon’s Alexandra. The passage has been reproduced below:

“O mother, O unhappy mother! thy fame, too, shall not be unknown, but the maiden daughter of Perseus, Triform Brimo, shall make thee her attendant, terrifying with thy baying in the night all mortals who worship not with torches the images of the Zerynthian queen of Strymon, appeasing the goddess of Pherae with sacrifice. And the island spur of Pachynus shall hold thine awful cenotaph, piled by the hands of thy master, prompted by dreams when thou hast gotten the rites of death in front of the streams of Helorus. He shall pour on the shore offerings for thee, unhappy one, fearing the anger of the three-necked goddess, for that he shall hurl the first stone at thy stoning and begin the dark sacrifice to Hades.” (1174-1188)

Here Hekate is called Triform, or three-formed, Brimo. This description of Hekate is also far from one of a peaceful and friendly goddess. Here She is described as angry, and being attended by frightening baying hounds. Thus, Brimo is used to indicate Hekate’s more horrifying manifestations in its historical usage.

Hekate Brimo in My Practice:

In my practice, Brimo is ‘the lowest manifestation of Hekate.” To me, this indicates that Hekate Brimo is the most fearsome, Underwordly version of Hekate. She is a terrifying goddess, crowned with venomous snakes and oak branches. She carries daggers and torches, and sometimes has snakes instead of legs. Her skin is grey and Her eyes are like flames. In Her wake, the ground shakes, and out of Her steps grow the most noxious flowers and roots.

Brimo is the name I give to any of the more dreadful manifestations of Hekate. She is called on for petitions for justice and revenge, and is the goddess invoked in harmful magic. Hekate Brimo is the version of Hekate I associate with the Restless Dead, and who I view as roaming the roadsides on the night of the dark moon. This Hekate is also what I equate with Her role as the Queen of Witches, but not necessarily as the goddess of magic more generally. Her association with magic lies within curses, spells for justice and punishment, spells involving the dead, and rituals which invoke the inhuman daimons of the Underworld, over which She has dominion.

Hekate Brimo is also closely associated with the Erinyes, or Furies, in my veneration of Her. These Underworld goddesses of punishment and justice are frequently associated with Hekate in the PGM, as well as other literature. In Statius’ Thebaid, they are invoked and propitiated together (along with Hermes). These goddesses also mirror Hekate Brimo’s appearance, with snakes in their hair and carrying flaming torches of yew. 

Hekate Brimo is honored with chthonic offerings: libations of milk, honey, and wine. She was also historically offered black sheep. These are burned in a pit, and once these offerings and rituals are completed, one must turn away and not look back. Hekate Brimo is also attended with the hounds of the Underworld, and dogs on earth are in tune with Her presence. Whenever I have done a ritual invoking Hekate as Brimo, I have heard dogs barking before, during, and after. She may also send snakes to you. Plants I associate with this goddess are oak, yew, and various poisons, mainly aconite and mandrake.

Brimo is the face of Hekate which most often captivates audiences, and is the one that should be feared and is the representation of Hekate who is given offerings in hopes of averting Her. This is not an epithet of Hekate to be called on lightly, and these invocations must be done with the utmost care and reverence. She is one of the most frightening goddesses in the Ancient Greek pantheon, and is the stuff of nightmares.

Sources:

https://www.theoi.com/Text/ApolloniusRhodius3.html

https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0227%3Abook%3D3%3Acard%3D1190

https://www.theoi.com/Text/LycophronAlexandra.html

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0450%3Asection%3D22

https://www.theoi.com/Text/StatiusThebaid4.html

We are between two paths

Both destructive yet unequal

And only threatening to me

In the way a path that leads to pain

Seems more alluring to people

Than that which leads to death

Lady Hekate of the crossroads

Of direction and freedom

Clear the path of growth for us

Break the shackles that keep slaves in line

And make sure every voice can ring clear

So we all my have a say, equally

We're our future goes from here

Mistress Hekate of the crossroads

Show the oppressors and terrorists

Masked in love of the homeland

Why your name is Alexeatis and Brimô

Swallow the hearts of men

Who color us black and blue underfoot

And lead us back to true greatness

Mother Hekate of the crossroads

I feel your loving embrace

In this liminal space

I wish for my love

To expanse the same distance

Between here and the moon and back

So you may feel my devotion

Hekate of the crossroads

Have mercy on the threatened

On the lovers and divine feminine

On the colors and Magick of humanity

Have mercy on the lives being debated

Have mercy on us, Hekate

Things that are compostable.

This isn’t always appropriate, especially if it’s somewhere like a graveyard where you want to keep it looking nice, but if you’re hiking and see a wild plant you’d like to pick? Drop some strawberry tops or a cut up banana peel somewhere close but out of sight to feed the plants or animals around that area. If you have plants in your yard? Leave some orange peels or parts of plants that you eat that you would normally just throw away. Ones that you know can be broken down by the plants you’re giving back that life to. (Research what is good for compost beforehand, so that you know you’re not hurting a plant or introducing seeds that will take over that plant).

Water also counts! If you’re taking from a place that you know you can’t drop compostable waste into, give the plants water. Thank the plant before you pour it.

And another good practice, whether it be picking a plant or picking up treasures from the land, is asking the plant or land, and WAITING UNTIL YOU FEEL ITS GIVEN YOU PERMISSION. This can be tricky, and you can often feel that the answer you get is really just your own bias, but listen. Which sounds better to you?

You take something from someone and they go “hey! That’s mine! You can’t just take that, I need that!”

You ask the person, and they give an answer that seems ambiguous but implies that you can, so you take it. Worst case, they say “hey, I said no” and you go “whoops, I apologize, your answer wasn’t clear. Here you go” and you give it back. Best case, they really did say yes and you can indeed take it.

Now I’m not saying you should take things from PEOPLE without explicit permission, but nature isn’t always explicit. So always be listening to your gut feeling, and express extra care in land that you’re not familiar with or that you’re not native to.

I see this referred to very often, usually with similar instructions to wait until you “feel” permission has been given, either to enter a place or harvest a plant or pick up a stone or what have you.

But what is the feeling one should be looking for? How long should one wait for an answer? What if one doesn’t have a particularly well-developed intuitive sense for land spirits?

The instruction I see for this practice always seems to be very nebulous and very vague. I mean, I’m more than willing to allow that intuitive feelings are difficult to describe in text, but isn’t there some further description that might be given, especially if this is meant as a best-practices technique for beginning practitioners?

Just seems like a discussion that’s worth having.

@breelandwalker thank you for raising this question, I’ve certainly talked about this topic as if it were inherent knowledge, forgetting that we were all beginners once!

For me, I think it’s just as much my subconscious making connections as it is a message from the land/plants. I’ve been wildcrafting and harvesting (which I’ll be using for my examples) for a long time, so I don’t go through the mental checklist of ethical harvesting—it becomes second nature.

Because of that, I may not consciously think “hey, there aren’t very many of this plant here, maybe I shouldn’t harvest it”, instead I simply know (or have a feeling) not to harvest it and move on. Sometimes I don’t make this connection until I’m leaning down and about to harvest it and something stops me. Is this my subconscious? The plant? Both? Who knows. But I think it can be fostered by having an awareness and knowledge of how impactful you’re being.

As we get more experienced, we tend to forget what it was like to be in the learning stages. It’s like driving a car. At one point, we fumbled with something as simple as turning the ignition and getting into gear. But once you’ve done it enough, you don’t think about it. It becomes second nature.

So what I’d recommend for those wanting to be more in tune with the land is learning about it. Know the names of the plants. Know which animals live here. Everything ties together, figure out how much you can give or take before breaking that tie by building your mundane knowledge.

Talk with people. Google it. Read field guides. Learn the history of the land. Spend time in the area. There are resources compiled by people passionate about this, waiting for you to find them!

Plants:

Who relies on those plants? Is the plant common or rare? Invasive or important? Introduced or native? What phenological phase is it in? How many are in this area? Are there other patches of it?

What’s the best way to harvest it? When’s the best time to harvest? What are you going to use it for? You should know before you harvest. How can you tell if it’s healthy? How much should you leave for the plants and animals? (ie. what percentage can you harvest before having a negative impact)

Animals:

Know who lives here. There are often species lists compiled for areas, and you can reference range maps as well.

Are you influencing an important habitat? It’s important to consider both large and small creatures. That stone may not be important to a bear, but it may be shelter for a salamander or insects. Finding bones is fun, but are you taking all of them? They’re an important source of nutrients for creatures such as rodents.

Big picture:

What landscape are you in? What are it’s biggest threats? What influences it the most? (is it an ever shifting riparian zone, shaped by the river? A green belt that gets trampled and compacted by human feet? A recent clear cut?) How has it changed over the years?

1) Investigate, investigate, investigate. You don’t want to touch something toxic by accident.

2) Use your common sense and tackle all the mundane reasons first. Is this resource property of someone else? Is foraging in the area permitted? Etc.

3) Always ask for permission

4) Pay attention to your feelings and thoughts. Are you trying to pic a flower and suddenly feel a sense of uneasyness. Try taking a step back and breathe then get closer and notice if the feeling changes. If you start feeling actual guilt, stop. Better be safe than sorry.

5) Pay attention to your surroundings. Are you trying to pick something when a gush of wind blows on your face or a nearby alarm goes off? Better leave. (This has happened to me. It’s very hard not to hear the “no” when dirt is being blown into your face)

5) Au contraire, if you’re trying to pick something and you feel honoured and easy it is most likely a permission.

6) If something bites you after you’ve taken something you go put back whatever you took and apologize. (Also happened to me).

7) if you took something and you start feeling bad, better go back and leave it and apologize.

8) if you misinterpreted and realized days later, go to the place and apologize, if you can, leave an offer.

9) ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU!!! The earth is allowing you to take something they made. It’s only polite.

10) If you’re walking in a park and suddenly something falls in front of your or, on you. It probably is a gift, follow the above suggestions as a checkup and say thank you.

Those are the basics I follow. If you want to talk about how to do this with bodies of water let me know.

I’ve been talking to trees for ages now, so I’m just so used to the standard operating procedures of, “It fell in front of me or appeared on my path, and I’m not going to refuse a gift” and “I’ll water this bush/plant/tree after I prune some twigs or pick some blossoms.” I’ve never yet felt like something was telling me to faff off, but that might be because I generally do my foraging on friendly land and keep my pruning to what I need.

Couple points to add, mostly regarding picking up bones or feathers - Check your local laws regarding the ownership of animal parts. Some places don’t allow ownership of certain species, even in the form of freely-found castoffs like feathers or bones. (It’s an anti-poaching thing.) So just be aware of that as you’re picking things up.

Also, I feel like it’s important to note that while humans can be a threat to natural areas and we should be aware of and careful with what we’re doing when we step into the woods, remember that you’re part of nature too. Walking on two legs and wearing clothes doesn’t mean you should automatically feel like you don’t belong. As long as you’re properly cautious and respectful, especially when visiting fragile or sacred areas, you should be all right.

A long ass list of methods of divination, just in case you’re curious ~~~~~~

Divination is the method of discerning answers beyond a direct interaction. It can be used for foreseeing future outcomes or problems, but that isn’t inherent. It can also be used to commune with entities like deities or spirits, or even for delving deeper into the self (like shadow work).

There are many forms of divination. So many. There are even many forms of what would be considered “unusual” beyond the more commonly practices like cartomancy, runes, or stichomancy. Today I shall be focusing on ones I’m familiar with so I can better elaborate and answer questions.

The methods I will be exploring today:


Aleuromancy: divination using flour (or a flour substitute!)


Catoptromancy: a form of scrying using a mirror (my method uses a cast iron pan actually!)


Osteomancy: divination using bones

~~~~~~

Aleuromancy

A form of divination using flour that’s mentioned in some Mesopotamian cunefiorms, as well as being practiced in Greece and Rome. There are a couple ways this can be done. Firstly is when you pour out the dry flour and look at the way it falls into a bowl or on a plate or surface. Much like tea leaf reading (tasseography), you seek out shapes in the flour and interpret based on that. Another variation is doing the same but after you’ve mixed the flour with the liquids you’re baking with and kneaded it/mixed it and then taken it away to be baked. You examine the remaining streaks of wet dough on your surfaces for shapes and patterns.

The third method is to actually put slips of paper into the items you’re baking to be taken at random and broken open to answers questions after they’re cooked (akin to fortune cookies). This can be a tricky process depending on what sort of paper or ink you’ve used (speaking from experience :-X). The historical Greek version of this used excerpts of famous philosophy and mixed the balls of doughs nine times (a significant number in ancient Greek)

It can take a lot of patience to try and find shapes and patterns in flour and admittedly it’s much easier with tea leaves. No wonder that became the standard. Don’t get disheartened if it isn’t something you have success with. You might have more fun and results experimenting with the baking slips of paper into dough methods. Great for ritual cookies!

The kind of divining using this method is very simple, more “omen-like” than detailed q&as like in Tarot or runes. Expect to see simple images that may give insight to something coming your way (a boat or bird showing a trip) or warn of a specific type of trouble that may be on the horizon (a money sign showing finances) rather than getting a formulated question clearly answered. However, you can dabble in that methodology when using the slips of paper instead. That way is more akin to stichomancy where you get a general idea or snapshot of the emotion or proverb-like metaphor to your question.

The type of flour can be tailored to help “fine tune” the reading as well- much like a certain flavor or tea or a certain deck of cards. Keep in mind that all types of grains/flours have a baseline association with prosperity and material gain/finances so this method of divination is especially good for those type of questions!



Flour Correspondences:


Acorn: An uncommon one in stores of course, but has deep wildcrafting results if you have the time and patience to grind some yourself. Associated with protection, health, money, healing, potency, fertility, luck, wealth, wisdom, and personal power.


Almond: creativity, luck, wisdom, spiritual understanding, nostalgia

Buckwheat: Money, protection, dreams and sleep


Flaxseed: health, finances, prosperity, beauty, psychic powers

Oat: family, home, hearth, money

Potato: protection, banishing, soothing/healing


Rice: prosperity, career/job, travel, romantic relationships/sex

Wheat: general prosperity, rebirth/renewal, solar energy

~~~~~~

Catoptromancy

From the Greek word katoptron, meaning mirror, this is a form of scrying that specifically uses a mirror rather than flame, water, or crystal ball. However, my version is a bit of a kitchen witch twist on it. We’ll get to that in a moment!

 The Wikipedia article on it refers to a Greek temple that used this method but it was also practiced in many other countries in history. There’s references to the “true seeing” of Hathor/Het-Hert/ḥwt-ḥr mirrors as well, despite them being mainly for practical purposes. The divination is practiced most commonly by placing a mirror near water, outside in moonlight, or near a candle flame. Then the reader looks into the mirror and interprets the images seen. They can be direct appearance-based (how you look) or seeing other images. The mirror can be a standard one, a painted one, or one made of a more opaque substance like obsidian or metal.

I will say personally, I practice catoptromancy in an “inner eye” scrying way rather than a pattern/tasseography way. That means that I am the conduit and the mirror/surface is to help me get into a trance state and what I “see” will be from my mind’s eye or may likely be added to what little I see on the surface through intuition and that sixth sense. But either method is absolutely fine.

I also don’t use a mirror. I use a well loved, well seasoned cast iron skillet for my catoptromancy, with a lighted candle usually. The glossy surface is mostly black iron but is just mirrored enough from the soaked in fat during the past decades of seasoning that it performs quite well for scrying. And the sentimental value helps it’s power. You may want to select an object in a similar fashion. You can choose an important mirror (the size doesn’t matter) or pick something that is mirror-like. The reflective ability is all that matters.

Get settled down in a comfortable spot without too much light. Get your one light source ready; a candle, the moon, a small table lamp or booklight even. You’ll want to be grounded, centered, and calm and then let yourself “zone out” in order to get into the mindset for scrying. Then examine your own reflection for certain aspects that stand out or look past yourself (or angle the mirror to not be looking right at you) to see other shapes or patterns that you expand upon with your trance state. Keeping a journal for this method is especially important. There’s an emotional and internal reflection aspect that can be helpful to refer back to and examine how things went in your life after certain sessions. It can also pair well with dream magic. What you were seeking might manifest after the trance mirror session in your dreams. This method of divination is especially good for shadow work as well.

~~~~~~

Osteomancy

Bones, bones bones! Throwing the bones! Examining the bones! Reading the bones! This is a divination method that obviously uses bones in order to determine associations and messages. It was prevalent in so many cultures throughout ancient and more recent history that it’s hard to pin down a single source. However, there are definitely methods that have particular cultural ties and those should be respected when it comes to closed ones. 

Much like runes or staves, the most common method counts upon both the appearance of the bones themselves as well as their placement in a “casting” (when you gently toss them onto a flat surface). Casting sets also frequently include items that aren’t just bones like small stones, coins, shells, pieces of jewelry, etc.

You can carve, mark, paint or stain the bones in ways that have personal associations to you to help in reading them. You can obtain these bones in any ethical way you are comfortable with. I don’t believe they have to be remains you have processed yourself; though that can add a different spiritual component. You should be considerate in collecting your set though. There is no set number of objects to have (even a single piece can answer yes/no questions) but I don’t recommend starting out of the gate with a pile. You should get comfortable with each piece and determine its associations before moving on to a new one.

Unlike Tarot, they don’t come with set meanings. Though there are sometimes obvious ones: a coin for finances, a seedpod or nut for fertility/prosperity, a sharp tooth for protection, etc. Think about what creature the bone is from, what part of the body, what shape it has when helping determine your personal associations. Treat it like a correspondence for herbs or crystals and that way you can have a more organic “sliding scale” type meaning for when you cast rather than a rigidly detailed one like with Tarot. For example: a meaning like “luck” or “prosperity” is better than “success in work”. It’s also common to have objects touch and then their meanings are joined. In the previous example you could get promotion/raise at work from having a work piece crossing with a prosperity or luck piece.

It is also up to you on what level of ritualized dedication and/or care you would like to give your set. Many people like to do a special dedication ritual to almost “welcome” the item to its new job as a divination tool (my own is what I call “Massaging the Bones”). You can also regularly cleanse and “feed” the casting set (energy that is- not literal food, though you could give it energy from something you’ve cooked in a non-literal way!). I do recommend a special bag or box to keep everything in as well as a soft thicker cloth to cast on. Just so the items don’t get damaged. Be careful in your casting. Practice a lot to know your strength level to throw while still keeping the objects safe. There may be a couple pieces (like baculums or thinner bird bones) that you need to wrap in a square of cloth before storing with the rest of your set for extra protection. This is especially true if you plan to take your set anywhere where it’ll be traveling in a bag or purse.

You can have a ritual circle of string or another material (embroidery hoop!) you lay out to help organize your cast if you like too. This is usually treated one of two ways. Like the face of a clock and items “closer” to certain times are more immediate and further away items around the imaginary numerals are more in the future. Or it’s concentric and the closer to the center of the circle are more important/relevant and then less relevant or immediate as you get closer to the edge. Those that fall outside the circle aren’t relevant to the reading.

This is a divination method you need an large amount of patience for as it is basically creating a tool yourself from scratch, even if you buy the supplies from elsewhere. The framework is laid by you. And just like someone designing a Tarot deck from scratch; be gentle with yourself and allow yourself the room to practice, change, grow, have fallow periods, return, get bored, become fanatic, etc. It’s a process sort of divination that grows like a living thing. This makes it a bittersweet one- rewarding and frustrating but mostly immensely satisfying.

~~~~~~

Wherever X lays their head, so shall unrest follow and linger

Wherever X finds their nourishment, may nothing satisfy them

Wherever X finds or has made a sacred space, render it profane

Wherever X’s feet tread most after the sun sets and before it rises, there you shall go; there you shall stay.

These ancient superstitions and beliefs prove the deep respect human beings had for their environment, back to an era when we were aware of the unity of this nature.

HARVEST

- Avoid cutting the plant with a vile metal such as iron. The first mythical reason is that spirits (especially faes) abhor iron, known to repel and hurt them. Use a bronze or copper blade, sometimes even a gold or silver coin to dig up the roots. There also lies a logical, scientific explanation of a remarkable empiric coherence : iron salts quickens the action of the tannins contained in certain plants, significantly altering their components.

- Some plant spirits are not cooperative, so you’ll have to foil their harmful influence. Do not talk to anyone about your intention of picking the plant on your way to reach it, so as not to warn the spirit - thus counteracting any intention to flee it may have.

- Pluck the plant backwards to protect yourself from the spirit’s ire (this is particularly true of poisonous beauties such as foxglove, belladonna, etc.).

- Drawing a circle around the plant, using a wand or a knife, or even the finger, isolates the reaper from the wrath of the spirit while preventing it from escaping its plant host .

- It is expected to explain to the plant the intended use for which it is plucked.

- Pay a small tribute to the spirit of the plant as a salary for the effort you asked from it.

PRAYERS, PLEAS & INVOCATIONS

« Je coupe ta verdeur parce que tu purifies toutes les humeurs qui entraînent l’Homme sur des chemins d’erreur et d’injustice ; par le Verbe vivant qui a fait l’Homme sans le regretter. »

•

“I will cut your greenness, so you could purify all the moods that lead Man on the paths of error and injustice; by the living Word who made Man without any regrets.”

(Supposedly from abbess Hildegarde de Bingen, who also advocates to cut the plant with the left hand)

« Ô toi par qui s’endort la nature, toi qui fais fuir le jour et amène la nuit, toi qui nous cache le soleil, qui engendre toutes les herbes et les donne aux humains pour la guérison… Celle qui vous a créée avec vos propriétés salutaires veut bien que je vous cueille. »

•

“O thou by whom nature falls asleep, thou who drive away the day and bring about the night, thou who hides the sun, who generates all the herbs and gives them to the humans for healing… She who made thou with all thy salutary properties allows me to pick thou. ”

« Lève-toi, lève-toi, va guérir X… Je sais que tu dors, mais j’ai besoin de toi. »

•

“Wake up, wake up, and come to heal X… I know you are asleep, but I need you.”

STORAGE

- Drying a plant makes it lose a large part of its properties. Whenever possible, always favor the use of fresh plants.

- The plants are hanging in a bouquet or spread on a flat surface to dry in open air.

- Plants are stored in glass jars or paper bags once fully dried. Iron boxes and containers are of course prohibited.

- Do not keep your plants more than a year: their power slowly fades then disappears, so you will have to renew the stock every year.

***

The idea of “Three Mothers” comes from “Levana and Our Ladies of Sorrow”, a section of Thomas de Quincey’s Suspiria de Profundis.

The piece asserts that just as there are three Fates and Graces, there are also three Sorrows.

They include Mater Lachrymarum (Our Lady of Tears), Mater Suspiriorum (Our Lady of Sighs), and Mater Tenebrarum (Our Lady of Darkness).