From the Wortcunner’s Cabinet, Juniper Berries

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @iseabail_witchwriter

Juniper ~ ornamental-trees.co.uk

Of the Juniper bush, Nicholas Culpeper wrote in his famous The Complete Herbal and English Physician, “They [Juniper bushes] grow plentifully in divers woods in Kent, Warney common near Brentwood in Essex upon Finchley Common without Highgate; hard by the Newfound Wells near Dulwich, upon a Common between Mitcham and Croydon, in the Highgate near Amersham in Buckinghamshire, and many other places.” Of course, Mr Culpeper would not have known they also were growing in Europe, Southwest Asia, and North America.  He wrote about what was on hand mainly in England in the 1700’s and how each herb, spice, flower, and tree could lend itself to healing in the medicine of the times.  His information was good for his time and is still as useful today.

We can not speak of the berries, which many of us use for different purposes in magick and healing without first speaking of the bush/tree, of course.  And now that we have done, Mr Culpeper has more information regarding the Juniper, “The berries are not ripe the first year, but continue green two Summers and one Winter before they are ripe; at which time they are all of a black colour, and therefore you shall always find upon the bush green berries; the berries are ripe about the fall of the leaf.”

The Juniper bush can grow up to 25 feet tall…I would say that is quite a large bush, indeed! And any lover of a good G and T [gin and tonic] knows the primary ingredient in gin is Juniper berries. But we shall now ponder the magickal and healing ways of the berries.

Magickal

Juniper berries, if added to sachets and carried with, will protect the wearer from accidents and theft, as well as from attacks from wild animals and snakes.

The berries are also said to increase male potency.

If Juniper is grown by or hung dry by any entry door of your home, it is said that the home will be protected against evil forces and persons.

Juniper Berries are good for increasing psychic powers and other popular uses including incense mixtures for exorcism and breaking hexes.  It is also used in love spells.

Juniper has been said to be the guardian of the veil – the veil between the worlds.

For any magickal undertaking, the berries can be dried and crushed to be used in incenses for your purpose.  They can also be added to poppets and sachets for the reasons you wish to use their magickal properties and drinking Juniper berry tea is helpful when seeking out the other side as in hedgewitchery and necromancy. Do not drink the tea or work with Juniper berries if you are pregnant. 

Healing

Juniper berries are known for having health properties that improve memory and mental clarity.

Juniper berries act as a parasiticide (parasite destroyer) and antiseptic. Nicholas Culpeper writes, “The berries stay all fluxes, help the haemorrhoids or piles, and kill worms in children.”

Apparently, a great ridder of ‘wind’ [after all the rich foods partaken of back in the day, no doubt!] for Mr Culpeper also states, “…strengthens the stomach exceedingly, and expels the wind.  Indeed, there is scarce a better remedy for wind in any part of the body, or the cholic than the chymical oil drawn from the berries.”

Juniper berries ~ cma.org.uk

Juniper berries are excellent to use in a tea for its detoxifying properties and can aid in the treatment of gout and rheumatoid arthritis.  This is confirmed by Culpeper as he writes, “…[Juniper berries] are excellently good in all sorts of agues; help the gout and sciatica and strengthen the limbs of the body.”  The berries are also known as an excellent diuretic and is proved again by Culpeper, “they provoke urine exceedingly, and are therefore very available to all dysuries and stranguaries.”

Culpeper also says Juniper berries are “a most admirable counter-poison, and as great a register of the pestilence as any growing; they are excellent good against the bitings of venomous beasts.”  I have no doubt this is true.

Correspondences

Planetary:  Sun

Gender:  Masculine

Element:  Fire

Zodiac:  Leo

Powers: Protection, Mental Health, Love, Male Potency, Increasing Psychic Powers, and Breaking Hexes

Deity:  Bridghid/Bridget, Dhatara, Frey, Helios/Sol, Lucifer, Mithra, Ra, Savitar, Apollo, Inanna/Ishtar

Folk Names:  enebro, gemeiner wachholder, geneva, gin berry, ginepro and gin plant

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

Sources

The Complete Herbal and English Physician, by Nicholas Culpeper c 1702

The Encyclopaedia of Magical Herbs, by Scott Cunningham

The Magickal Magnolia Tree

First posted on 13/06/2017 by Isabella via speakingofwitchwands.net

by Isabella @TheWandCarver

The wood bark of the Magnolia Tree has long been associated with all forms of healing, including spiritual healing. In physical healing, Magnolia has been attributed with prevention of, and / or healing of, everything from cancer to being overweight. “One of the active compounds in magnolia, magnolol, is able to prevent the spread or increase of prostate cancer cells. Although research is in its early stages, many experts believe that magnolia bark extracts can also exert beneficial effects in terms of preventing/treating leukaemia and colon cancer.” – https://www.organicfacts.net – as well as a regular supplementary form of Magnolia is shown to help reduce weight by suppressing appetite..however, as always, see a health care professional before adding Magnolia in any form to your diet.

 Bull Bay Magnolia Grandiflora

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/630524/Six-of-the-best-trees-for-clay-soils

Every tree is a powerful source of spiritual healing that can help your own immune system to fight any illness or sorrow. Magnolia trees (Magnoliaceae) are an ancient species, arising before bees, they do not produce nectar, but carry a medicinal energy and essence. They are pollinated mostly by beetles. Over 200 species in the world, and often known as “Champa“, this tree bestows blessings of feminine strength and faith in our deepest ideals, as we open our heart and remember to stay true to ourself no matter how much pressure is placed upon us. The Magnolia is a perfect Mother Goddess tree. But that is my opinion and not really what most literature indicates. Magnolia not only heals her children physically, but she also soothes their anxiety and depression giving spiritual healing as well. This is the reason we sell Magnolia Bark in our Etsy shop, when available.

photo by i.macy

The bark of Magnolia oficinalis has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to address anxiety and nervous tension and to promote sleep. Some researchers believe honokiol, a chemical in magnolia bark, is what makes this happen.  Without knowing what the dosage requirements and side-effects, if any, are involved, I don’t recommend brewing up a kettle of Magnolia bark tea and drinking it, although it probably wouldn’t do any great harm.  There are other ways in which to use Magnolia bark without ingesting it which I find, are very beneficial.

One of the ways I use the bark is in healing and anxiety prevention poppets. For instance, in a poppet for a good night’s sleep I would add the bark along with other sleep-inducing herbs and flowers. It is also wonderful as a base for loose incense if you are doing a healing spell.  But one of my favourite ways of using Magnolia is our Magnolia anti-anxiety pendants [availability unknown]. I leave the bark intact where it will be against the skin. Any time I feel particularly anxious, I simply rub the pendant between my fingertips and feel much calmer.

Magnolia is also said to increase feeling of love and loyalty; reduces the power of addictions and obsessions, especially smoking; helps skin problems; restores strength after a long illness. Promotes psychic development – a reason why I like to create dowsing pendulums with this wonderful wood. It aids meditation and spiritual opening; promotes harmony, peace, tranquillity.

Magnolia helps learning from past experiences and clarifies true identity. It eases restlessness and confusion and helps to maintain balance during difficult changes. Magnolia promotes a sense of freedom and relaxation. It really is a perfect wood for healing, spirituality, and mental health.

Gender-Feminine -Planetary Association: Venus; secondary-Uranus

Element-Water; secondary-Earth

Zodiac Associations-Taurus and Libra

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

Sources:

http://www.webmd.com

https://www.organicfacts.net

Cunningham’s Encyclopaedia of Magical Herbs

Letting go….a Little

First posted on 05/12/2013 by Isabella via speakingofwitchwands.net

by Isabella @TheWandCarver

Sometimes you really do have to give up.

I’ve been tearing around like a blue-arsed fly for the last few months, trying so hard to kick-start a fledgling business, be a Mum and a Nana, sort out and organise things, worrying that Yule-tide would catch me in the usual state of panic. Things continually kept going awry, I began to become uncustomarily impatient, worry set in, and one day recently I snapped.  It had to happen.

No, I didn’t do anything untoward, really…just had myself a right row with myself and felt as though I could not, perhaps even should not, cope with what I’ve been trying to achieve.  However, it became quite clear that, I really SHOULD do what I’m doing, just at a slower, more relaxed pace.  And please for the love of all things good and true…just allow Divine Spirit take over for a change!  Take the time out to do what I was created to do….create!  Enjoy my life, create, and love what I do.  I’ve had quite enough of shoving it down everyone’s neck.  I just want to make things, let my artistic self run amok, and not give a monkey’s if I’m not in Google’s top ten sites.  I will be someday.  Just believe.

So, I’m letting go. I’m not really giving up.  I’m not planning on going anywhere.  Just going to allow the Universe to guide me again.  Take the time to write, make jewellery, paint, draw, create things.  Love.

It is time to let go and believe.  Things will fall into place