Happy Beltane 2023

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

Beltane by artist, Emily Balivet on Etsy

In all sincerity, I wish I had time to present a brand new Beltane blog, however, I am recycling… or, re-using, this one from 2019. It says everything I still believe in and hope that you do as well.

Happy Beltane everyone! And, whilst I’m at it, Happy May Day.  It is the time of the year for the Wild Hunt, May poles, Morris Dancers, the May Queen and the Green Man…oh, there are many things to do and see, depending upon where you live.  But what if you are not able to join in in the festivities for whatever reason? No worries, I’m there with you, in spirit anyway… we can always find ways to celebrate this very important sabbat.

Of course, most of us will adorn our altars with all the flowers and fauna that we can.  It is a given in the witching world, isn’t it?  But what else?  Feasting is a wonderful thing to do whether you are with a large gathering of friends and or family or even alone.  For the solitary witch or practising neo-pagan, it would be a lovely thing to prepare a perfect Beltane feast for just yourself.  And why not?  We should be as kind to ourselves as we would be to others, yes?  Also, if you are unable to attend the many Festival of Fire gatherings where you live, why not have your own?  Perhaps in a fire safe cauldron in your back garden you could set a few small pieces of wood alight and use the fire for purification ritual of your own.  Walk round the fire thinking of what you wish to cleanse from your life and drop handwritten pieces of paper into the fire naming the things you want to be rid of which may be dragging you down.  When you are finished, it would not be at all silly to break into dance around the fire!  Enjoy yourself and be free of the things making you feel pessimistic and embrace a new future for yourself.  It’s not unlike the New Year’s resolution in a way.  Only, instead of writing a list you keep to tic off as you accomplish each resolution, you write down things you want rid of and burn them and then, when the joy of being free wells up inside you, dance in gratitude.  I doubt you’ll be alone in doing so 😊

Other ways we can celebrate Beltane is in caring for Earth.  Yes, I must mention this because I fear many of us may still be feeling a bit like the proverbial deer in the headlamps what with all the Climate Change news where one study says we have no time, and another says we have twenty years or so.  Don’t take that as a Doomsday prophecy!  I think what makes many of us throw up our hands and want to hide our heads in the sand is that there is a LOT of information being thrown at us and repeatedly.  Breathe.  You must  understand that this is what it takes to get some people shifting toward doing what is right.  What news folk don’t understand is, for every ten people who need to be prodded incessantly and that works for them, there are probably twenty more people whom are scared so badly they just want to hide.  Again, breathe…. If you are the one whom is scared, just regroup a bit and stop reading so much.  I know how scary it all is, I am and all.  However, I’m not going to allow it to stop me in my tracks, nor should it stop you.  What we need to do is to focus on what we can do.  Obviously, we can’t all be a part of the Extinction Rebellion, or plant a trillion trees, or go to work in a factory making wind turbines.  But there are many ways in which we can do our bit.  If only one person in 8 billion did one thing, it will never amount to anything.  But if one person does one thing and gets another person to do this thing and so on, it will amount to a great thing.  What little things can we do?

1. Contact your elected officials in your area.  No matter which country you are in, if you elect your government officials such as MP’s in the UK or Senators in the US, you can and should write to them.  Politely tell them what you hope them to achieve in the way of climate change.  But don’t let it end with the one letter or email.  Be persistent.  You may be able to do an online search to find a bog-standard kind of letter to write if you’re not savvy at how to address these people.  Don’t hesitate however to remind them that you did elect them, and they work for you and the many others who voted them into their office.  You and others could just as easily not elect them in the next election!
2. Recycling.  Easier said than done, particularly when I read of so many places whom are dropping recycling because China doesn’t want their plastics anymore.  I think this is in the US only for now, but it could happen to any country in time.  Still, recycling is still one of the best ways we can honour Mother Earth, not just at Beltane but year-round.  My first suggestion is to ring up or go online and find out exactly what is recyclable in your council or town or city.  I should think most recycling agencies would have a list they can send to you or one online which you can print.  Mind, it will vary between cities and countries.  So, you find you can recycle certain plastics, aluminium, and certain paper products.  What can you do about the rest?  What about coloured plastics, crisp packets, automotive wastes, cigarette butts…yes, cigarette butts!  Here we’re in huge luck.  I recently found a company called Terracycle.  Terracycle literally recycles everything!  Even your old flip-flops!  Light bulbs, bathroom waste like toothpaste tubes, coloured bottle caps, and the hated ciggy butts!  It’s a most exciting thing, this!  However, it does come at a price.  You do have to pay to become a recycler with Terracycle and I am afraid to admit, your average family probably can’t afford to.  However, if you are part of a charity or business which is keen on cleaning up and recycling, Terracycle might just be the ticket.  It’s my estimation that in due time, the more people who use Terracycle the lower the price of recycling with them will become.  Here are the links, in case you would like to check it out:  Terracycle UK, Terracycle France and Terracycle US.  I have just had an email from them and they say that there are other sites which do offer free recycling of some of the same things they recycle so I shall check those out and report at another time.
3. Join a Climate Change group. No entry fees, no enforced participation in most.  You can check these out passively in the beginning for a way to keep your finger on the pulse of what is being done in the world toward lowering the CO2 emissions which are causing much of the danger.  You can find many groups on Facebook including ones such as Extinction Rebellion, Earth First!, [I no longer recommend Extinction Rebellion as they have cost human lives by obstructing ambulance service and roads where people tried to get loved ones to A&E] and one I am going to head up which will be called Saving Gaia where I shall post relative news about Climate Change and recipes for homemade household cleaners which will not stress your budget but in fact will save you money along with other tips for helping our planet.
4. Reduce your thermostat at home. What temperature can you live with, even if a bit chilly? Lowering your thermostat will help more than you know, not to mention, save you money.  If your home has air con, setting the thermostat above what you can comfortably live with will also save money and be of less stress on the planet.
5. Peg out your washing. Tumble dryers are great in a pinch [I no longer have one], but there is no better way to help the earth and your electric bill than by pegging out the wash!
6. Assess how much you literally need to drive. If you can get to many places you shop, work, or simply go for fun, walk! I haven’t owned a car now for about 5 years and yes, it can be a bother at times, however, between the bus and an ex who doesn’t mind dragging me hither and yon for shopping, I do alright.  At least it is one less car on the road!  Mind, I do know that it is not always feasible to be without a vehicle but do try to think of ways not to drive if you can.
7. Stop eating meat one day per week. A recent study shows that reducing meat intake by one day each week would cut 1.69 million tons of CO2, according to IFL Science.
8. If you must have a vehicle, drive sensibly by not accelerating rapidly and braking suddenly. When you do drive aggressively it burns significantly more fuel than constant speeds and braking slowly. According to the Carbon Fund, drivers can save more than a ton of Co2 yearly by driving steadily and adhering to posted speed limits.  Also, keeping your vehicle MOT’d and in good working order – properly inflated tyres can save between 400-700 pounds of CO2 annually.
9. Back to your washing – washing at least two loads in cold water each week will cut down your energy use. If you do seven loads of wash each week in cold water only, you can reduce 218 pounds of C02 per year. Every little helps!
10. Using compact fluorescent light bulbs is more energy efficient than their incandescent counterparts. Replacing just three incandescent bulbs with the compact fluorescent bubs could save approximately 300 pounds of CO2 per year… and money!

What better way to honour Mother Earth and celebrate Beltane than to commit to being part of the solution? I always love finding ways to be kinder to Earth but also helpful in saving money so I hope these will be of help to you as well.  Maybe you already do these things and I say, “Well done, you!”  But if you know someone whom is having a dilemma trying to decide what they can do to help the Climate Change cause, please feel free to share this blog.  I do hope everyone has a fabulous Beltane and May Day.  And don’t forget to care for our Mother!

Many thanks for reading my blog and warmest blessing to all whom this way wander. x

Happy Yuletide and Merry Christmas

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram: @thewandcarver

Or, in my second language, Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur! I have been away for two months, my deepest apologies. I don’t want to sound like a child making excuses but I have truly been busy! And, I am hoping once I get the new blogs rolling out you will know how much I love all of you! You will find new Wortcunner’s Cabinet blogs and new Magickal Trees blogs, as well as a new lot I am working on explaining Gods and Goddesses and some how-to blogs. And, there will be the occasional free spell along with some of the new things that will be listed in our Etsy shop. So yes, I really have been busy.

But I truly have missed everyone. You lot really are the best part of my online life and I deeply appreciate every one of you. I love your comments and how well you put up with me and my tendancy to go walkabout but that you still trust me to come dragging back home like an errant pet cat. You are the best!

On this special day, it is a day that many of us Pagans celebrate as do Christians because there is one common ground we all ascribe to – Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men. I hope this for us all. If we can be kind one day, we can be kind again tomorrow…and so on. My crow outside is cawwing in agreement. We can change the World with kindness.

So, Merry Christmas Nollaig Chridheil and I will see you next year! Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x With love, Isabella Le gràdh, Iseabail

How is a Witches Stang Used and Why?

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

If you have visited our Etsy shop, you have probably seen a stang or two being sold there.  Perhaps you wonder a bit about what they are and why they are used.  That is normal because not every witch walks the hedge path – which, by the way, is translated in many different ways I’ve seen from my online travels and many are not correct.

Author and Artisit Unknown 

Firstly, a Hedge witch is often a necromancer, or at least one who practises astral travel for his or her personal reasons.  As explained in a past blog Necromancy – It Isn’t a Dirty Word Anymore, necromancy has nothing to do with literally raising the dead [as in re-animating dead bodies] as it did in the past.  It may have done centuries or so ago, but today’s necromancer is generally happy to only reconnect with his or her ancestors.  I say “reconnect” because the blood of our ancestors runs deep in our veins whether we are hedge witches or not.  If at any time in your life you have felt a burning desire to visit a particular country or feel compelled by a certain culture, or even feel a propensity to live in a different century altogether, you very probably are being asked to do so by a long-ago ancestor of yours.  Some of us are much more sensitive to this than others… why, I do not know.  All I know is, my ancestors have run me through a gamut of interests in my life that often made little sense – until I started visiting them and listening.  Then, about fifteen years ago I began genealogy.  The going was rather slow in the beginning and I could only get to about five generations deep into my past.  Since then, I am now back to 30 AD in one line [the one where I discovered I’m the 28^th great-granddaughter of King Henry I and Queen Matilda of Scotland and my 51st great-grandmother was Queen Boudica of Iceni] – but then, most every one of you are probably related to them and all!  – and there are still lines where I can’t get much deeper than the 14^th great-grandparents.  But there is a point to be made here.  Without going over the top explaining, there were many things I inherently knew without being told.  I always felt them since a very early age.  My parents or grandparents did not tell me these things, I just knew. Still, I had no way of understanding how I knew until I focussed my path into necromancy and hedge witchery and genealogy, which gave me my proof.

upper part of Elm stang ~ photo by i.macy

Now, how do we use a stang and why?  Perhaps more why to start… A stang, is, unlike a wand [although it can be used as a wand] is forked in representation of the Horned God [like, say, Cernunnos or Baphomet].  Many times, a stang is more like a staff, longer than the ones we create for sale and you will often see depictions of them with a candle between the forks or tines.  That is because Hecate assisted Demeter in her search for Persephone, guiding her through the night with flaming torches. Any wood can be used for a stang… many prefer Ash because Yggdrasill was/is Ash.  But I feel for the shorter stangs used for necromancy/Hedge witchery, woods can be chosen to the personal tastes of the witch.  And, because Hecate is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy I try to use a wood which also matches the occasion and resonates with Hecate.  Our newest stang is made from Elm wood which is more than perfect for this reason, however, it is not finished just yet.  “Because Elm’s and Yew’s mythology are twinly bound to Death and the Underworld” is what I wrote in my blog called The Magick of Elm.  Yew would also be a very good wood to create a stang from.  We have also sold a Magnolia stang in the past but sadly, we have no more Magnolia wood.  Sounds a bit lightweight for such a heavy journey, I’m sure you’re thinking. Yes, there is certainly a method to my madness here.  Magnolia is profoundly efficient for spiritual opening.  And, you must be spiritually open to allow yourself to cross over during a hedge walk.  Magnolia is also a stress and fear reliever which can come in handy during a hedge walk.  I added thirteen Howlite skulls because focussing on a piece of Howlite can assist in journeying outside the body and gaining insight from past lives. Then there are four small silver-plated keys as a nod to Hecate and her keys to the four Crossroads.  So, as you can see, your stang is  a tool of protection and help throughout your hedge walks and for various other instances of your necromantic life.

How do you use it?  That is largely up to you and how you feel it best benefits you.  I personally always hold it in my power hand or lay it across my lap if I’m feeling more at ease.  I’ve read that some use it as a director of energy through their soul flight and others place it beneath their knees as they sit.  I’m sure there may be many other ways of using a stang during a hedge walk and if you care to leave yours in comments, we would all love to read them.

Many thanks to all whom wander this way.  Many happy astral travels to all and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources

Experience

Necromancy –  It Isn’t a Bad Word Anymore, by Isabella

The Magick of Elm, by Isabella

Crystal of the Week – Howlite, by Isabella

From the Wortcunner’s Cabinet – Poppy

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

Red Poppy ~ Norfolk Wildlife Trust

As it is nearly October, I felt it is a fitting time to talk about Poppy.  It is the flower representing firstly the lives lost in WWI and in succeeding wars.  It is a talisman to spark the memory of others to pray for our troops in the here and now, and to buy a Poppy these days means you support those troops and their families.  No matter how you feel about war, be grateful we have trained men and women who will protect us come what may.

End of my Poppy Appeal.  Let us move on to the magick.  Poppies have long been associated with death and sleep.  It was once believed that Poppies would grow where men died in battle.  Was it  coincidence that so many men died in the brutal battle in Flanders Field full of Poppies? For Poppies have represented the dead long before we adopted them as our official remembrance flower.

In the Victorian Language of Flowers, Poppies symbolise sleep, and imagination.  Red Poppies mean pleasure, white Poppies are for consolations, and yellow Poppies mean success.

In the World of the Gods and Goddesses, Demeter loved a youth named Mekon. When he died, she turned him into a poppy.  And, Hypnos, Greek God of Sleep and Dreaming, sometimes carried a Poppy stalk or a horn filled with Poppy juice.  The Minoan culture featured a Goddess wearing a garland of Poppies in her hair, and Poppies in Christian art can represent both the blood of Christ on the cross and Christ’s death prior to his resurrection.

Magick

Poppy is a useful ingredient to put into loose incense for love spells or any kind of love working.  It is also used in Moon incense and in any incense for prophesy, fertility, psychic awareness, dream magick, and spirituality.

Poppy seeds ~ Google images

I have heard from people who practise HooDoo magick  that they mix Poppy seeds with Inflammatory Confusion Oil [which I’ve never heard of]  and rub the mixture on black Mustard seeds which are also widely believed to disrupt the activities of troublesome people.

Poppies are a flower favoured by Hecate and any magickal work you do using Poppy when you evoke Her name should go favourably with you.

Sleep with a sachet under your pillow stuffed with Poppy seeds to bring relief from insomnia.

The dried leaves and flowers of the Poppy can be used just as the seeds are if you don’t have the seeds.

We put Poppy in our Love Witch Bottle Necklaces to help people attract love and to learn to love themselves.

Healing

White Poppy ~ whiteflowerfarm.com

Historically the white Poppy has been and probably still is used for creating narcotic medicines.  And, they are still very much in use for creating heroin, unfortunately.  I’m afraid I can not speak to healing with Poppy as I am not at all familiar with it and a bit afraid to lead anyone else to dabble with it unless you only use it in sympathetic medicine.  Of course, using Poppy seeds in small amounts or even dried Poppy probably would not harm anyone, however, I do hear that ingestion of Poppy seeds can make a urine test positive for narcotics so if you think you may be tested in future, don’t eat the buns with Poppy seeds!

An interesting fact –  Roman surgeons used an anaesthesia made from Opium [morphine for numbing pain and limiting movement], Henbane seeds [scopolamine for inducing sleep], and Mandrake [for slowing heart rate and deadening pain].  Please do not try this at home.

Nicholas Culpeper in his 17^th century tome, Culpeper’s Complete Herbal and the English Physician has much to say about Poppies, although for our purposes nothing which can be used.  He recommends “the garden poppy heads with seeds made into a syrup, is frequently, and to good effect used to procure rest, and sleep, in the sick and weak, and to stay catarrhs and defluctions of thin rheums from the head into the stomach and lungs, causing a continual cough, the forerunner of a consumption; it helps also hoarseness of the throat, and when one has lost their voice, which the oil of the seed doth like-wise.”

No doubt the patient was at the very least, quite happy!

Correspondences

Planet:  Moon

Zodiac:  Cancer

Element:  Water

Gender:  Feminine

Deity:  Demeter, Kore, Hypnos, Thanatos, Nyx, Somnus, Ceres, Aphrodite, Hecate

Powers: Calm Energy, Communion with the Infinite, Invisibility, Overcoming Addiction, Making Peace with Death, Perspective, Relaxation and Sleep, Surrender and Release

Other Names:  Corn Poppy [red], Corn Rose, Opium Poppy [white], The Black and White of the Garden, Erratic Wild Poppy

Many thanks for reading and wishing warm blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources

Witchipedia

The Encyclopaedia of Magical Herbs, by Scott Cunningham

The Complete Herbal and English Physician, by Nicholas Culpeper

The Old English Herbals, by Eleanour Sinclair Rohdes

Experience

The Wheel Ticks Over Again – Happy Mabon 2022

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

A blessed Mabon to all.  Depending upon where you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you may begin your celebrations on the 22^nd, in the UK it is the 23^rd.  Either way, it is a time for the last harvest rituals which set us up for the winter months.

Not everyone farms any longer as may have been the case in years past. But the idea would be that everyone put by all the food they could to last through the cold harshness of winter.   We can still do our own version of this if we have small gardens or by simply stocking our larders with things which can last throughout the coldest months.  I am personally always happy to do whatever I can to stay out of supermarkets!

For our personal Mabon celebrations, we have the obvious many ways to feel in touch with the Sabbat.  I love a beautifully Autumnal look for my personal altar as I am sure everyone does for theirs.  But what else can we do?

If you are a young parent with young children, you might choose to begin teaching them about the Sabbats and this one is a lovely one to begin with if you have not already begun teaching them.  You could teach them about why we celebrate Mabon, of course, but also how to help provide for those who do not have as much as perhaps you do.  Then again, I understand what it is like to be a young parent as I have been there so as we know, it is hard to help provide for others when you have little yourselves. Still, it is an idea that they could at least be taught. Making colourful decorations for the Mabon feasting table or even their own altars is also lots of fun.

This is also the time of the Autumnal Equinox which, of course, means that the nights will get longer through the Autumn and Winter months.  If your children are at an age to start noticing this, something we would do is have a child mark the time of the sunset on the calendar each night/afternoon.  It is also a good time to teach them about the Sun King’s death and how to mourn.

And if you want a very special  event to add to your celebrations, you can always go to the Stonehenge Autumn Equinox Tour 23 September 2022 https://www.stonehenge-tour.com/stonehenge-day-tours/stonehenge-mabon-pagan-druid-access-tour.

However you choose to celebrate, I hope you enjoy and your family does as well. Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Feuille-morte

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

“To make a countryman understand what feuille-morte­ colour signifies, it may suffice to tell him, it is the colour of withered leaves in autumn. “

— John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1690

My favourite time of the year – Autumn! She is on her way! And the trees coming alive with colour; the freshness in the air signifies the Autumnal change from a fairly sweltering Summer.  Funny how I would think the trees are coming ‘alive’ with colour when in fact, they are dying, the leaves are that is.… but I think that, in and of itself, has  great significance to the time of year and its representation. We think of Autumn, being the time before Winter – when for many the world looks barren, plain, and dead – as the ‘old woman’ status of the world during the season.  I rather think it more like the ‘late middle-aged woman’.  She is still invigorating and colourful.  She still has much to do and enjoys fun as much as the next.  She dresses herself in bright colours – reds, purples, yellows, and feuille-morte: which in French literally means ‘dead leaf’ but think of the hues of those dead leaves!  The colour name, feuille-morte refers specifically to a brownish-orange or yellowish-brown colour. I think that gives our late middle-aged season just that little bit more flair, don’t you?  She deserves it.

Autumn Crone ~ art by Mollie Kellogg

Of course, the colourfulness of her dress does not completely cover the knowledge that she is dying.  She knows it.  We know it. But something we may not think about is that the sap is going to carry on rising within the tree just as the movement through Winter, or the ‘death’, is going to carry on shifting… until the Sun rises on Spring and the tiny green leaves will unfurl from the tree where the Autumn Crone enjoyed her last hurrah just months before. And she is reborn as a young Spring Maiden again with a pretty green frock and time to enjoy.  One thing you can be assured of – her spirit never died.  It has been there all along, resting up for her new adventure and her new youthfulness.  And so, it is with us all.

My heartfelt thanks to those who read this. Warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

The Strength and Stay of a Nation, the World

Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram: @iseabail_witchwriter

Sometime shortly after 6 pm… 6.30 pm to be exact, judging from my last text to my friend Liss where I had just gotten the word on BBC News as I was finishing my message to her.. where I could only say, “She is dead.” Little did I realise until later is that the clouds opened and a double rainbow arched over Buckingham Palace 20 minutes before the announcement of her death.

And then I howled. Long, guttural howls of grief. I am sure the same was going on at Liss’ house. And likely all over the country, the world even. Most of us have never known another Monarch in our lifetimes. Most of us stupidly thought we would have her around for at least a few more years. Her mother lived to be 101 years of age, so why not she herself? Even Prince Philip – who I might add, needed a lot of persistence from his good lady wife, the Queen – to kick the smoking habit, lived to be 99 years old.

WHY COULDN’T SHE!!! I screamed.

Sky Sports 08.09.2022

I sat with my head in my hands and realised… I am like a child chucking its toys out of the pram. Then I had the most stupid thought which made me laugh a little – Just who would send her a special card for her 100th anyway? Would she send herself one as she does to other people?

That helped. So, in quiet reflection, I realised that the Queen isn’t fussed about dying. She is a very spiritual woman. She knows she will be with her beloved husband and no telling how many pet Corgi’s she has lost to death over 70 years of her reign. In fact, I don’t doubt all the Corgi’s in the Divine Plane knock her down for pettings when she comes in… it’s a good job we are younger when we get there.

But mostly, it is that she is back with Prince Philip. You could tell by the way she looked at him how she adored him all through the years. And, like many married folk, they were not without their problems. But they worked those out as they went. And they stayed together where many would not. They were, in my opinion, the God and Goddess’s Emissaries on Earth. She showed us all, no matter who we are, how to live in grace. This goes for whatever walk of life we are from, whatever colour, whomever we love, whatever or whomever we believe in. She said, after Prince Philip’s death “He was my strength and my stay”.

And now, the Nation has lost its strength and stay. Not just the Nation, but the World. Elizabeth II, the World was a better place for having you in it. Your smile always made so many smile back. Your joy was our joy.. It will be hard to substitute the word Queen for King in the national anthem. But I can’t sing anyway so… I will simply raise a toast to King Charles III. The Queen is dead; Long live the King.

I’m crying again….

Thank you for reading and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

A few little Elizabethan facts [and some which aren’t but you might want to know]

Queen Elizabeth II had fifteen Prime Ministers over seventy years. Her first was Winston Churchill who was born in 1874. Her last was Liz Truss, born in 1975 – 101 years apart!

The Queen enjoyed a little flutter [bet] on the gee gees [horses]. She never looked happier than at the Royal Ascot with a winner.

Elizabeth II found it difficult to cry. It is why some thought her cold-hearted during circumstances of emotionally disturbing times. The truth is, she stayed away from some situations because of this and not wanting to appear cold. It was likely due to how she was raised to always keep a stiff upper lip.

Queen Elizabeth was my 13th cousin. But I never got an invite to the castle. Probably because she didn’t know. And before you think I’m just bragging, chances are you are a cousin of Elizabeth’s yourselves! Get to digging into your ancestry!

There will be a ten day period of mourning for Britain until the Queen’s interment.

It is rumoured that when the Queen died the code for her death would be “London Bridge has fallen”. This was set up in the 1960’s for Operation London Bridge.

Elizabeth III’s full name was Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. She could have easily chosen Alexandra or Mary for her Monarchy name. Just as King Charles III has Charles Philip Arthur George he could choose from, but he is staying – so far – with Charles.

Talking of names – Elizabeth II had a lovely “nickname” from herself! She could not say Elizabeth when she was very small and it always sounded like “Lilibet”. Therefore, her father King George V always called her Lilibet. The only other person allowed to call her this later in life was her beloved husband, Philip.

The new line of succession:

King Charles III 2022 –

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, his son

Prince George, his son

Princess Charlotte, his daughter

Prince Louis, his son

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, his son

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, his son

Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, his daughter

Prince Andrew, Duke of York

Princess Beatrice, his daughter

Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, her daughter

Princess Eugenie, his daughter

August Brookbank, her son

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

James, Viscount Severn, his son

Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, his daughter

Anne, Princess Royal

Peter Phillips, her son

Savannah Phillips, her daughter

Isla Phillips, her daughter

Zara Phillips Tindall, her daughter

Mia Tindall, her daughter

Lena Tindall, her daughter

Lucas Tindall, her son

David Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, nephew of Queen Elizabeth II

And no, you will never find me on this list!

The Magickal Bodhi Tree

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

The Bodhi tree doesn’t seem to be mentioned much in witchcraft and that may be down to its religious connotations.  It even has religiosa in its name, i.e., Ficus religiosa which means “sacred fig”. Can you eat the figs from the Bodhi Fig tree? As best I can tell, yes. But for the most part, the figs we eat usually come from the Common Fig [Ficus carica] tree.  And, here is a little fig fact for you [although, you might decide to give up eating this delicious fruit when you read the following]

Figs Are Not Vegan Because They Are Full of Dead Wasps

You’re welcome 😊 I’m pescatarian, not strictly vegan, therefore, this doesn’t stop me from eating a fig… although I did shed a tear for the poor mother wasp.

photo by Neil Satyam

Back to the Bodhi Fig.  This tree is also called “the tree of awakening”.  Many of you may already know that the Mahabodhi Tree, located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, under which Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher who became known as the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment or Bodhi.  The Bodhi is a many-storied tree and I could carry on writing about its lore; however, we shall move onto how it can benefit us in so many ways.

Magickal

the Mahabodhi Tree, photo by G3Krishna

I have never used any part of the Bodhi tree for magickal purposes.  As close as I may have come is using the branches from a huge Ficus tree that was once in our garden but died of natural causes, for wands.  But that was an entirely different genus of Ficus.  I have found very little regarding magickal endeavours with any part of the Bodhi tree.  It would seem, if you want to do anything magickal with a Bodhi tree you must own one or travel to a place that does have one.  No, you don’t necessarily need to travel to India to visit the Bodhi for magickal or enlightenment purposes, however, you will need to travel to where they can be grown as they need warm temperatures.  I have read where they grow in the United State’s California and Florida.  And, I have also found a website which sells the seeds to grow your own Bodhi for a reasonable price.  If you live in the US, you can purchase a Bodhi tree in a 4-inch container for not an unreasonable amount of money, but it will need to be ordered and p&p will apply, I am sure.  How would you use a Bodhi tree if you could travel to one or buy a small pot plant?

According to my go-to for odd trees, Tess Whitehurst writes:

Protection

“The Bodhi tree’s divine alignment and active positivity provides a potent protection boost  Whilst simply spending time with a Bodhi tree can increase the natural protectiveness of your personal energetic field, walking around the trunk in a clockwise direction nine times will have a particularly protective and purifying effect.”

Wisdom

“If you’re in need of a little wise guidance, or you would like to increase your own personal wisdom on any given issue you need look no further than a living bodhi tree.  A true guru of the tree kingdom, simply spending time with a bodhi tree can offer the counsel you need.  For this purpose, visit the tree as you would a spiritual master, kneel near the trunk and silently offer up your challenge or situation through your thoughts and emotions.  Then, simply relax and be with the tree until you feel entered, grounded and calmly certain about how to proceed.”

She also speaks of healing, rainmaking, and nature spirits. If you would like to buy a copy of her book, find her under Sources below.

Correspondences

Planet:  Sun

Gender:  Male

Element:  Air

Powers:  Fertility, Healing, Nature Spirits, Rainmaking, Protection, Wisdom

Deity:  Buddha [all], Brahma, Vishnu, Siva [Hindu]

Sabbat:  Litha

Other Names:  Peepul tree, Bo tree [Hindi], sacred fig, Aswattha [Sanskrit]

Health

All parts of the Bodhi Tree have been used as a medicine for their cooling and healing properties, as part of the Ayurvedic healing system. They have been used to treat various diseases of the skin and blood, digestive, reproductive, respiratory and other body systems.  I have yet to learn where any part of the tree can be obtained from to aid in at-home Ayurvedic healing or holistic healing, of which I use both in my practise.

Some known medicinal uses reported in the literature are:

Leaves – to relieve diarrhoea and dysentery

Fruit – to treat asthma, digestive problems and as an antidote against venom and other poisons

Seeds – for urinary ailments

Bark – as an antibiotic against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Sap – to remove warts

Roots – to heal ulcers and gum disease

“Oh, Aswattha tree! You are a God.

You are king among trees.

Your roots represent Brahma, the Creator;

your trunk represents Siva, the Destroyer and your branches,

Vishnu the Preserver.

As such you are the emblem of Trimurti.

All those who honor you ;

in this world by performing Upanayama,

walk round you, adoring you and singing your praise;

obtain remission of their sins in this world and bliss in the next.

I praise and adore you.

Pardon my sins in this world and give me a place with the blessed after death”.

Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources

EarthStoriez

The Magic of Trees, by Tess Whitehurst

Wikipedia

The Magickal Baobab Tree

By Isabella @The WandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

Now, for something a little different.  Most of us won’t have a Baobab [Adansonia] tree growing in our back gardens unless, of course, we live in say, Madagascar, Australia, the African mainland, or the Arabian Peninsula.  The Baobab tree can live up to 3,000 years and grows quite huge  reaching heights of 5 to 30 m [16 to 98 ft] and have trunk diameters of 7 to 11 m [23 to 36 ft]. The Baobab trees in the southern part of Africa began dying off the early part of this century with the cause not certain, however, it is strongly believed that pesticides and/or dehydration from Global Heating are a determining factor.  Of course, pests could also be to blame, but I’m sure the former two are as much to blame.

Magickal

Baobab trees ~ Encyclopaedia Brittanica

It is said that gazing at a Baobab tree can invoke an ancient feeling; that perhaps it is bringing back a past life memory or a genetic one.  As someone who is used to receiving both kinds, it can be difficult to discern which it is.   I can imagine though, as a many-greats granddaughter of Mitochondrial Eve, who left Kenya some 150,000 to 200,000 years ago and travelled through the Sudan [or, her closest descendants did] en route to Turkey, then Italy and places further abroad until they ended up in Britain, that the picture of a Baobab tree merely conjures the genetic memory.  Regardless of what memory it gives us, you only need look to see that the Baobab has a very ancient, otherworldly feel to it.  The Baobab is brilliant for helping us connect with our past lives. A good way to do this is to imagine and meditate upon the Baobab. Allow yourself to be taken to a different world – perhaps your own or an ancestor’s.

Another interesting feature of the Baobab is that it almost appears upside-down.  Funnily enough, there are local [to the tree] legends regarding the tree falling from the Divine Plane and the top half becoming stuck in the earth whilst the roots stuck out above.  Kind of gives new meaning to “As above, so below”.  Or, did that come from the Baobab? Perhaps we should meditate on that one.

Boabab powder ~ nuts.com

We can’t all have a Baobab tree, but we can have parts of one to work with.  You can buy the fruit [aka, monkey bread] of the tree. Well, I mean, the powder that comes from the fruit.  It is useful in a variety of ways.  You can buy the powder from BuyWholeFoodsOnline.co.uk or if you’re in the US, TerraSoul Foods.  I do have to say, the US pays a lot more for this stuff than the UK! Even with the currency exchange being rather low, it is a good bit more highly priced than in the UK. Still, I think it is worth the money and I will highlight some of the best reasons under Health, shortly. 

But we’re still thinking on the magickal ways in which to use Baobab. One way I like to use the powder, aside from using in food or drink for health, is to put a small amount of Baobab powder into a bowl on your altar whilst doing any kind of past life or ancestral spell work.  If you worship the African Gods or Goddesses, you might like to leave a bowl of Baobab powder on their altar, dedicated to them and if you can get them, Baobab flowers would also go down a treat.

There is one thing you would never get to do is build a wand from Baobab. Injuring the tree in any way is a sacrilege to the Orishas/Gods and terrible punishment would rain down upon the offender.  If you cut one down, it would leave the residing tree spirit homeless, and the spirit would seek revenge. In some communities, people won’t dare pick a leaf or collect dead, fallen wood which may cause an immediate sentence of death.  If this sounds a little familiar, we of any Celtic or Gaelic pagan beliefs know that certain trees must not be cut without certainty of punishment to ensue.

If you want to learn more about this stunning and majestic tree, please visit Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu.  Nothing better than learning from one whom has lived with Baobab all his life!

Corresponces

Planet: Earth

Element: Divine Spirit

Gender:  Masculine  and Feminine

Powers:  Ancient Awareness, Divine Communication and Blessings, Generosity, Grounding and Earth Wisdom, Knowledge, Natural Abundance, Spiritual Power, Sustenance, Transitioning to and from the Spirit World, Travel

Deity: Osanyin, Aja [Goddess], Oko, Ososhi

Sabbat: Mabon

Folk Names: monkey bread tree

Health

Baobab fruit, inside the shell ~ photo by Annabel Hughes

The shell of the Baobab fruit bakes in the sun for about six months, drying on the branch – as a matter of fact, it is the only known fruit that does dry on the branch.  The Baobab is often called “the Tree of Life” and after researching this phenomenal fruit and what it offers, I can certainly see why.

Because of this, the fruit inside the hard shell is naturally dehydrated.  This produces a 100% superfood, extremely high in Vitamin C and other antioxidants.  Is it any wonder that where Baobab grows, even in poorer cultures, that the people there are remarkably healthy? The ones who eat the Baobab fruit, at any rate.

The main, mostly only, way we in other parts of the world who can’t have access to a Baobab tree can at the least purchase the powdered form, which is just as beneficial.  The flavour is said to be very tart and lemony.  If mixing in water for a drink, you can add honey for sweetening.  You can add it to almost anything you eat or drink, if you like a tart, lemony flavour.  I think this would be excellent sprinkled over baked fish!  You could even add it to your cup of tea of a morning.  I don’t know anybody these days who add lemon to their tea… or mint… but, if you were a mind to, Baobab powder would suffice without the sticky mess!  I have also read the powder tastes like sorbet.  Perhaps making a sorbet with the powder in it would be another way of taking it.

However you ingest your Baobab powder, there is a long list of “why you should”.  Firstly, and I’m guessing you’ve cottoned on to this one already is for your immune system.  As you know, the human body does not create nor store Vitamin C, therefore, a nearly endless daily supply is needed to keep one at less risk of colds, not to mention to support our collagen supplies.  A single serving [2-3] teaspoons offers up 33% of our daily Vitamin C requirement! Given that you would need to eat 20 oranges per day to attain your optimal level of Vitamin C, that means you would need to eat 6.33 oranges just to reach 33%!  I love an orange now and again but, flamin’ ‘eck! I would be sick of oranges by that point!

Blood sugar management is another way Baobab fruit helps us. Baobab powder contains 34% soluble fibre, which helps to slow down the release of sugars into the blood stream, reducing energy spikes. Soluble fibre can also help to control blood glucose levels, improve blood cholesterol and reduce visceral fat [body fat that is stored around the organs in your abdomen]. It also helps with the absorption of iron, which many do not know. If you’re short on iron supply and must take supplements, this wonderful powder can help you get the most out of it.

Approximately 40% of people have at least one digestive symptom at any one time [NHS, 2016]. Despite the growing awareness of the role of fibre in improving our digestive health, 80% of people in the UK don’t eat enough of it. Baobab powder is almost 50% fibre. There are two types of fibre that our body needs: soluble and insoluble – and baobab contains both. Soluble fibre dissolves in the water found in your digestive system and can help to reduce the level of cholesterol in your blood.

Prebiotic or gut health. The soluble fibres of Baobab fruit pulp are prebiotics: non-digestible food components that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and activity of beneficial microflora [Journal of Food Research, 2016].  It’s these prebiotic qualities that could explain how Baobab might just be the secret to having the world’s healthiest gut. Studies of the Hadza Tribe in Tanzania, some of the planet’s last remaining hunter gatherers, found they have 40% more diverse gut microbiomes than the average Westerner! “According to scientists, the Hadza have the most diverse gut bacteria of anyone anywhere in the world” [Independent, 2017]. One of their key staples? If you said Baobab, you got it in one! Well done, you!

And, for those of us wanting better skin, younger looking skin? Baobab powder has twice the antioxidants gram per gram of goji berries and more than blueberries and pomegranates combined.

Baobab is packed with antioxidants and vitamin C which supports collagen formation – helping to give you radiant, glowing skin as well as preventing wrinkles.

In fact, baobab’s skin benefits are so impressive that Baobab was the first ever food item to be sold in the beauty halls of the prestigious London department store, Liberty, where it is listed as “must-have” thanks to its exceptional ‘beauty from within’ properties.

There really are loads more reasons why everyone should be eating Baobab in some form or the other [actual fruit or the powder].  It helps balance one’s PH, it defends our bodies from chronic diseases and ailments such as hypertension, arthritis and deficiency in vitamin D.  It can even help with post-workout soreness because of its high vitamin C content.

I hope you have found all this helpful in your magick and for your health.  Many thanks for reading and warmest blessing to all whom this way wander.

Sources

The Magick of Trees, by Tess Whitehurst

Wikipedia.com

Chief Yagbe Awolowo Onilu

NHS

The Independent

Journal of Food Research

The Magickal Crape Myrtle Tree

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

Pair of Crape Myrtles ~ thebritishgardner.com

The Crape Myrtle [Lagerstroemia indica] tree is native to China and grows well in sandy, chalky, or loamy soil as it must be well-drained. And it likes sun.  In frost-prone areas, grow against a warm, sunny wall, or overwinter in a cool or temperate greenhouse. In warmer climates, grow as specimens, in group plantings, or as a hedge or screen.  I am lucky to live in a so-called warmer climate in the south; therefore, I have at one time had one of these beauties growing on a corner of my rented maisonette some years ago.  Pruned correctly they are magnificently stunning.  The RHS Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants gives it a rating of 2 stars for hardiness meaning it can withstand temperature drops of down to -5 Celsius. If you want to grow one in the north, I imagine it would be best to grow it in a conservatory/green house.  And not that I’m a bit thankful for climate change, but it has contributed to the fact that the gorgeous Crape Myrtle tree is growing better than ever in the UK.

But this fragile-looking tree has staying power.  It has a longevity of up to 50 years if cared for properly and is magickally attributed to good health and longevity of humans in the realms of business, partnerships, and love relationships. There is even a charm for life longevity.

Magickal

As noted above, there is a charm for longevity. Aptly titled the Crape Myrtle Longevity Charm:

Crape Myrtle flowers ~ burncoose.co.uk

Lovingly gather a Crape Myrtle blossom.  Tie it in a scrap of muslin along with a Haematite, nine Evergreen needles, and a cat’s naturally shed whisker.  Anoint it with oil of Tea Tree.  Hold it in your right palm and bathe it in sunlight as you say,

For timeless ages, I [they/this will] will joyfully stay

Nine times nine, forever and a day,

Happy, healthy, wealthy, strong,

My [our/this] life’s span is vast and long.

Place your left hand over the charm and cup it in both hands.  Bury it near or under a threshold you regularly cross.  ~ by Tess Whitehurst, The Magic of Trees

For love, plant a Crape Myrtle near your home to ensure your committed relationship stays strong.  This only works if the relationship is to your truest good, otherwise it will speed its dissolution.

A nice, hardy wood which would make a most excellent wand.

Correspondences

Planet:  Saturn [according to Whitehurst, many cite Venus]

Gender:  Feminine

Zodiac:  Capricorn

Element:  Water

Powers:  Business, Love, Longevity, Strength, Stability

Deity:  Venus, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hathor, Astarte, Ashtoreth, Marian

Other Names:  Crepe Myrtle [North America]

Health

Not much can be found.  The stem bark is febrifuge, stimulant, and styptic. The bark, flowers and leaves are hydragog and a drastic purgative. A paste of the flowers is applied externally to cuts and wounds. The root is astringent, detoxicant and diuretic. A decoction of the flowers is used in the treatment of colds.  I have never tried any of this in my practise so use carefully if you do.

Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings on all whom this way wander x

Sources

RHS Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants

The Magic of Trees, by Tess Whitehurst

Experience