So you have seen our lovely bath magic spells but you cannot take a bath. Maybe you don’t have a bath in your current residence, maybe you are physically unable to use bathtubs, maybe you’re just super stretched for time but want to get in some extra magical umph. Recreational Witchcraft is here for you.
Shower disks are traditionally used in the aromatherapy world to relieve congestion and other flu-symptoms while showering via the use of essential oils, but we will be bumping up their magical potential.
Basic recipe:
1 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/3 cup of water
Muffin tins and muffin liners
Combine baking soda and corn starch (making sure there are no clumps), then slowly add in the water. Fill lined muffin tins about third of the way, then leave out for 24 hours to dry completely. Carefully take them out of the liners, add your essential oils, and place your disk somewhere in your shower that will allow them to dissolve slowly while you do your business. Bam. You’re done.
Now onto the magic.All dry ingredients (herbs, spices, etc) should be added in with the baking soda and corn starch before the water is added. All essential oils should be added right before they’re used (so when they’re completely dry).
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Wort is one of those words that just sounds kind of witchy. It actually comes from the Old English wyrt which just mean “plant”. There is a forest’s worth of plants that still have the word “wort” in them- well worth it for any witch to know. (I posted this before, but it was a long list so I abridged it.)
Masterwort: A name of several umbelliferous plants.
Sulphurwort: Peucedanum officinale. Hog fennel.
Hoodwort: Scutellaria lateriflora. Also called skullcap and madweed.
Lazarwort: Laserwort.
Ebony spleenwort: common North American fern with polished black stripes,
Scorpionwort: either Ornithopus scorpioides or scorpion grass, the forget-me-not.
Water figwort: Water betony.
Stinkwort: Various plants including Helleborus foetidus, the stinking hellebore; Dittrichia graveolens and Inula graveolens; and Datura stramonium, jimson weed.;
Honeywort: A bee plant of the genus Cerinthe.
Fumewort: Genus Corydalis.
Greater Spearwort: Ranunculus lingua.
Garlicwort: Alliaria officinalis. The hedge garlic.
Miterwort or mitrewort (British): Bishop’s cap. Any plant of the genus Mitella.
Brotherwort: Wild thyme.
Crosswort: Eupatorium perfoliatum. Lysimachia quadrifolia. Boneset. Also, maywort, a species of Galium, and species of Phuopsis.
Catwort: A plant of the genus Nepeta. Catnip.
Yellow-wort: Chlora perfoliata, Gentianaceae
Haskwort: A broad-leafed bell-flower, Campanula latifolia, found throughout northern and central Europe.
Navelwort: Any of various Eurasian plants of the genus Omphalodes, having cymes of usually blue flowers and nutlets with a navellike depression on one side.,
Dragonwort: The bistort, Polygonum Bistorta, and with the old herbalists the green dragon, Dracunculus vulgaris.,
Flukewort: Hydrocotyle vulgaris.
Lichwort: The wall pellitory, Parietaria officinalis.
Talewort: Borago officinalis. Formerly considered a valuable remedy.
Mugwort: Artemisia vulgaris.
White Swallowwort: Vincetoxicum officinale.
Thoroughwort: Eupatorium perfoliatum. Boneset.
Tetterwort: The larger celandine, Chelidonium majus, so named from its use in cutaneous diseases; also, in America, sometimes the bloodroot, Sanguinaria Canadensis.
Wallwort: The dwarf elder, or danewort, Sambucus Ebulus; sometimes, also, the wall pellitory, Parietaria officinalis; the stonecrop, Sedum acre; and the navelwort, Cotyledon Umbilicus.
American lungwort: Mertensia virginica.
False miterwort: plant with tiny white flowers hanging in loose clusters on leafy stems; moist woods from Alaska to central California and east to Montana,
Neezewort: Same as sneezewort.,
Lungwort: A plant of the genus Mertensia, the lungworts. Also, a boraginaceous plant of the genus Pulmonaria.
Spurwort: Sherardia arvensis. Field madder.
Clown’s Ringwort: plant featured in the 1605 panel of the New World Tapestry.
Adderwort: (Bot.) The common bistort or snakeweed (Polygonum bistorta).,
Peterwort: Saint Peter’s wort.
St. John’s Wort: Can refer to any species of Hypericum.
Moneywort: A European creeping plant (Lysimachia nummularia) naturalized in eastern North America, having rounded, opposite leaves and single, axillary yellow flowers.
Sneezewort: A Eurasian herb (Achillea ptarmica) of the composite family, having aromatic, linear, finely serrate leaves and clusters of white flower heads grouped in corymbs.
Asterwort: Any composite plant of the family Asteraceae.
Hartwort: Any of certain plants of the genera Seseli, Tordylium, and Bupleurum.
Pearlwort: Any plant of the genus Sagina, which consists of small matted or tufted herbs of both hemispheres, with threadlike or awl-shaped leaves, and minute flowers. These plants were once regarded as a remedy for the eye-disease called pearl. Also pearlweed.
Blue throatwort: Trachelium caeruleum.
Bullock’s or Cow’s Lungwort: Verbascum thapsus, the common Mullein.
The Elements are the forces of Nature and life, and are incorporated into ritual and magick. Every aspect of existence is bound up in Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. And the fifth element which is Spirit (or also deemed Aether), which is present in each of the other four. Each of the four classical Elements is associated with one of the four cardinal directions; North, East, South and West.
There are also energetic associations, that add great depth to interpretations of how people with different zodiac signs interact with each other, for each sign is associated with an Element, and each Element is different.
Hey there witches! I’ve covered water infusions aka Hydrosols before, but it’s time to move onto the hard stuff: alcohol
A tincture is an extract which has an alcohol base. Traditionally, these were herbal infusions used for medicine, but for today’s topic, we’ll be talking about tinctures in all forms, but it’s up to you as to what’s for consumption, and what may be used as a perfume, floor wash, or ritual spray etc.
Tinctures can be a lot easier to make because they have a cold infusion method, as in no heat source is used to speed the process. Alcohol absorbs plant matter and dissolves quite easily, so heating it is a dangerous step not necessary for the occasional infusion.
What can be made into a tincture?
Flowers
Berries
Leaves
Roots
Stalks and barks
Spas and resins
Seeds
These can be dried or fresh.
Especially for flowers, some fragrance doesn’t carry once the flower withers, so using fresh can be super helpful if the fragrance is important!
What do I do to make one?
Take your container like a mason jar
Fill with plant material about halfway*
Add in your alcohol**
Shake and let infuse***
Strain and decant into its new container
Now it’s simple, but you do have to make some decisions like if you’re making individual tinctures or a blend. Individual tinctures can be blended later of course, but takes more containers and individual checking than throwing it all together. Go by instinct and research until you’ve got the experience.
That sounds simple, but I want some more tips:
Break apart or cut up ingredients so more of the matter gets mixed and infused. It releases fragrance, juices and gives more surfaces for the base to interact.
Shake your tincture while it’s infusing every day. You may want to infuse for a day, a week, or a full cycle of the moon, you do you!
If you’re using a mason jar or other metal lid container, a piece of Saran Wrap/cling plastic can protect the lid from corroding.
You can get a high proof alcohol and dilute it with distilled water.****
If taking internally, do so with care, and dosage is usually only a few drops at a time. Check with your doctor before starting any regiment.
If you want to make a ritual tincture for a salt bonfire, the alcohol has to be minimum 100 proof or it won’t catch fire. Don’t burn yourself.
I have a ginger tincture I use for upset stomachs. Just a few drops in mineral water and it settles right down (think ginger ale).
For tooth aches, I use a few drops of clove tincture in warm water and swish around. Plus my breath smells great afterwards.
Just remember, it’s concentrated, and in a lot of cases may not taste great by itself, just like if you took a spoon full of vanilla extract. Start small, dilute, or use in ritual.
Also known as : Laurel, Sweet Bay, Victor’s Laurel
Scientific Name : Laurus nobilis
Identification : Evergreen Shrub or Tree with leathery dark green leaves. Small yellow flowers and shiny black berries.
Properties : Antiseptic, Antifungal, Mild Sedative, Anti-dandruff, carminative, cholagogue , digestive, diuretic, nervine, and vermifuge, It contains 10 anti-bacterial chemicals.
Uses: Diabetes (It boosts insulin to balance blood sugar), Migraines, Chest infections, Pain Relief, culinary, Cancer, Dandruff and blood pressure.
Try It : Placing a bay leaf under your pillow on the new moon is said to lead to prophetic dreams. Interestingly the priestesses of Apollo went one stage further and chewed the leaves for an extra kick.
Warnings: Never ingest the oil. Patch test the oil as it can cause Contact dermatitis. Sadly some people have died from perforation their intestines with fragmented bay leaf, always remove the leaves before eating the dish. Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) and West Indian bay (Pimento racemosa) are highly toxic and should not be ingested
Parts used: Berries, Leaves and Seeds
Magic: Divination (The Delphic Oracle used Bay), Protection (neither poisoners nor witches can harm those who carry bay)
Planet : Sun
Element : Fire
Deities : Apollo, Aesculapius, Ceres, Eros.
Folklore and History: Highly valued by the Ancient greeks and romans it was used as a medicine, as a tea or bath fragrance, a spice in cooking and for decoration. For the festival of Saturnalia (Roman winter solstice) the leaves were picked and twisted with holly to make garlands. Greek students would take the berries to help them study as they are a good stimulant. Lighting is not supposed to land where it is planted. In the 17th century it was carried as a protection against black magic. Today it is used as a fragrance in toothpaste.
Plant Tips : Growing well in almost any soil type it just needs to be well drained. It is very slow growing, so if you are using a pot you will need to use a fertilizer.
After seeing numerous masterposts about herbs, I noticed there wasn’t any mention of the correspondences when it comes to rotted or decaying herbs. Here’s my take on this.
Anise- Use to cause a person to have nightmares, misfortune and/or relationship issues.
Apples- Use to cause turmoil between romantic partners.
Barley- Use to direct negativity and misfortune towards a person.
Basil- Use to cause fights, arguments, etc. between two lovers, two friends, two family members. Used to deter love from developing between 2 people. Use to deter customers from shopping at a business. Use to attract negativity (place in rooms of a house for protection from negativity).
Bay- Use to cause a person to experience nightmares. Use to direct negativity and misfortune towards a person.
Birch- Use weaken protection of a person.
Blackberry- Use leaves in spells to cause for wealth to be drained or mismanaged.
Blueberry- Use to cause for a person to experience negativity and unwanted guests at their home.
Cabbage- Use to cause for fighting and arguing between a married couple.
Cactus- Use to weaken the protection of the home or other properties.
Camellia- Use to cause a person financial difficulties.
Carnation- Use to weaken a person’s leadership skills, commemoration and self-esteem.
Carrot- Use to cause for a person to lose sexual desire.
Catnip- Use to direct misfortune and unwanted spirits towards a person. Use to cause for a person to feel confused or unwanted.
Celery- Use to cause a person to have difficulty concentrating during tasks. Use to cause a person to have difficulty falling asleep. Use to cause for sexual desire of a person to decrease.
Chamomile- Use to cause for financial difficulties. Use to heighten curse effects.
Cherry- Use to cause a person to feel undesired or loved.
Chicory- Use to heighten and strengthen obstacles in a person’s life.
Cinnamon- Use to cause for setbacks in business or a person’s goals in career. Use to decrease a person’s protection.
Clove- Use cause for financial hardships.
Cucumber- Use to hinder fertility.
Cumin- Use to cause a person to argue with their significant other and to cause for a person who’s been unfaithful to feel overwhelming guilt.
Cypress- Use to slow down emotional healing process.
Daffodil- Use to cause a person misfortune and to have difficulties in love. Use to cause a person to feel isolated.
Daisy- Use to deflect unwanted attention from potential romantic partners.
Dandelion- Burn to block unwanted thoughts about a person.
Dill- Use to weaken protection of a person. Use to cause a person to be unnoticeable and avoidable.
Elder-Use to direct negativity and misfortune. Use to cause a person to experience a restless night’s sleep.
Fern- Use to weaken a person or location’s protective energy.
Fig- Use to cause a person to experience decreasing sexual desire and decrease protective energy of a home.
Flax- Use to cause a person to experience financial difficulties.
Foxglove- Use to cause for a person’s garden to rot.
Frankincense- Use to weaken protection and stunt spiritual growth of a person.
Gardenia- Use to cause a person’s illness to be slow and difficult. Use to cause for a person to to feel unwanted.
Garlic- Use to weaken a person’s protective energy and to cause for a restless night’s sleep. Use to cause a person to experience a stroke of bad luck.
Geranium- Use to cause a person to experience weakened protection, romantic desire, and confusion.
Ginger- Use to cause a person financial and love life difficulties. Use to undermine another person’s magickal workings.
Ginseng- Use to repel love and cause for a person to feel unwanted. Use to cause financial difficulties. Use to weaken a person’s glamour magick and promote back luck.
Grape- Use to decrease fertility and to weaken mental powers. Use to cause a person to experience financial hardships.
Hazel- Use to cause a person confusion and forgetfulness.
Holly- Use to cause for a person to experience bad luck.
Honeysuckle- Bury near a home to cause for the residents to experience financial difficulties and a stroke of bad luck.
Iris- Use to weaken protection around a person or location. Use to cause a person confusion.
Ivy- Bury near home to cause for it to experience chaos and disarray.
Jasmine- Use to cause a person to experience financial difficulties. Use to cause a person nightmares and a restless night’s sleep.attract money.
Juniper- Use to weaken protective energy around a person or location.
Lavender- Use to cause a person to experience difficulties with love. Use to cause a person to experience nightmares and a restless night’s sleep. Bury near a person’s home to cause the home to become restless and chaotic.
Lemon- Use to cause a person to question their romantic partner’s faithfulness. Use to cause a strain between friends.
Lemon Grass- Use to cause a person’s psychic powers to weaken.
Lettuce- Use to cause a person to experience a restless night’s sleep.
Lilac- Use to cause a person to experience bad luck.
Lily- Use to cause for a person to have unwanted visitors to the home.
Liverwort- Use to drive an emotional wedge between romantic partners. use to cause a romantic partner to doubt their lover’s dedication.
Magnolia- Use to expose a unfaithful romantic partner.
Maple- Use to repel unwanted romantic partners. Use to cause a person financial difficulty.
Marigold- Use to weaken a person’s protective energy and to cause for a restless night’s sleep and/or nightmares. use to cause a person to become less influential and respected and respected by peers, colleagues,etc. Use to cause a person to experience difficulty in handling legal matters.
Mint- Use to repel unwanted sexual urges. Use to cause a person to experience financial difficulty.
Mistletoe-Use to cause a person to experience misfortune, nightmares while sleeping and weakened protection. Use to cause for couples to fight.
Mulberry- Use to cause for a person’s magickal work to backfire or be negated.
Oak- Use an acorn from an oak tree to cause for a person to experience a deduction in sexual desire. Use to cause for a person to physically and mentally “feel their age”.
Orange- Use to cause for a person to come across as being bland and dull.
Orchid- Use to cause a person financial and social/interpersonal difficulties.
Pansy- Use to repel unwanted feelings associated with love.
Parsley- Use to repel unwanted sexual desire. Use to cause a person to experience a decrease in lustful thinking.
Peach- Use to cause a person confusion and forgetfulness. Use to prevent emotional attachment.
Peppermint- (See Mint).
Pine- Use to weaken defenses against negativity.
Raspberry- Use to decrease protective energies around a home or person.
Rice- Use to cause for a married couple to argue.
Rose- Use to repel an unwanted lover or romantic partner. Use to cause a couple to argue and fight.
Rosemary- Use to cause a person to experience a restless night’s sleep and nightmares. Use to cause a person to experience difficulty in learning new information and become confused.
Rowan- Use to cause a person’s divination skills to become weak and confusing. Use to cause for a person to become weak, unlucky, and experience misfortune. Use to increase spirit communication.
Rue- Use to cause a person to become love-struck and confused. Aids in curses.
Saffron- Use to repel lustful feelings.
Sage- Use to cause a person confusion and misfortune.
St. John’s Wort- Use to cause a person to feel unwanted. Use to repel unwanted romantic partners.
Sassafras- Use to cause a person to experience financial difficulties.
Spearmint- Use to deter lust.
Strawberries- Use to cause a person to feel unwanted or unloved.
Sugar Cane- Use to deter unwanted love and attention.
Sunflower- Use to hide the truth from a person or within a situation. Use to cause a person misfortune.
Thyme- Use to cause a person to experience nightmares. Use to cause a person to be avoidable and unnoticeable or to cause a person to receive overwhelming amounts of unwanted attention. Use to decrease energy level and cause for a person to become fearful and afraid.
Vanilla- Use to decrease lust. Carry a vanilla bean to cause a person difficulty in maintaining energy and memory.
Vervain- Use to cause a person to experience chaos and instability. Use to cause for wishes made to be unheard. Use to cause friends to become enemies. Use to repel unwanted lovers.
Violet- Mix with lavender to repel unwanted lovers and sexual partners. Use to cause a person to have difficulty sleeping and have an increase in their anger.
Willow- Use to repel love. Use to cause healing of a person to be slow.
Wintergreen- Use to cause healing of a person to be slow.
Wormwood- Use to cause a person to experience mechanical difficulties. Use to repel an unwanted romantic partner.
