Domestic Garden Witch: Staying In Touch with the Locals

A mixture of plants native to my home here in San Luis Obispo - this garden can be seen at our local California Polytechnic University! Golden poppies, buckwheat, and century plants can be seen, just to name a few!

Native Plants, Stronger Energy!

In many gardening articles for witchcraft, we see descriptions for containers, methods of gardening (i.e. with crystals or blessed waters), and most definitely descriptions of what plants to grow and why (rosemary for protection, basil for prosperity, et cetera). And while many gardens hold a beautiful energy and are often deeply spiritual (such as with moon, faerie, and dragon gardens), I don’t often see articles which address native plants in witchcraft.

This stands to reason, as it is difficult to address every single ecosystem on the planet. But I do believe it’s possible to tackle the subject in broad terms. After all, there’s a certain benefit in getting in touch with your local flora!

One of the goals for many witches is to develop and strengthen the bond between human and earth. This makes gardening a natural interest for many witches, giving rise to green witchcraft, garden witchcraft, et cetera. We meticulously cultivate plants for food and aesthetic pleasure, as well as for health and spiritual reasons. However, this comes with a certain risk. When non-native plants are brought into an ecosystem, one of the worst case scenarios is that the plant thrives to the point of growing out of control, and becomes an invasive species. One need look no further than giant hogweed in Oregon as an example - the plant has no natural predators, thrives in the environment, and can choke out other plants in the area (and that’s not including the fact that hogweed’s sap is extremely toxic to humans).

Some prevent overgrowth and invasion by carefully maintaining their gardens and preventing the plants from seeding or pollinating. But one of the best methods to avoid the risk is to cultivate native species of plants. In terms of witchcraft, this is double bonus points, as it allows us to interact with and connect with our local plant species.

Educational Spirituality

Growing native plants affords us a special opportunity to save money on gardening (no need for extraneous irrigation for plants that will thrive in your garden as is), but also to learn. In the process of collecting and growing local plants, not only can we learn how they are cultivated, but also what they can represent in our craft (golden poppies for wealth and prosperity; coast live oak for protection and wisdom; black sage for cleansing and health… just to name three natives here at home).

But as with any herb or witchy garden, it’s good practice to learn about the other uses of the plants in the area, as well as their history. We grow closer to nature by learning what it has to offer, and exchanging the gifts that it brings to us when we take care of it (another great example? coast live oak produces mass quantities of acorns - so many, in fact, that it became an incredibly easy to obtain food source for the Chumash and Salinan tribes who lived here; as such, coast live oak can also be associated with prosperity and health). 

For those who garden with aesthetic in mind, there is a certain beauty in the native blooms for any region. As can see in the image above, the Central coast has vibrant flowers, from the golden poppies to the white-yellow buckwheat and the purple native lilacs. The variation in textures and growth give a natural and pleasing appearance to any garden, and allows us to landscape with our homes in mind.

The Fair Folk Love It!

Faerie gardens often make use of bright colors and varying species in order to attract such spirits to the garden. But in a world where more and more space is urbanized, and more species are introduced that were not part of the environment before, perhaps it is good to consider how local spirits may feel if we can help provide a refuge of sorts, in which comfortable plants can thrive.

In my practice, I’ve always cringed a little bit to think of growing some of the gardens I’ve seen for local spirits. Something in my heart was bothered by the thought of trying to invite local spirits into my garden by using non-local plants - like trying to invite someone over to your house by trying to offer them their least favorite foods, or foods that don’t seem that attractive to them. Since faerie gardens are meant to invite your local spirits to create a home, consider ways in which you can focus on the plants that they’d be most familiar with, to create a pleasant and comfortable environment for them!

In Conclusion…

There is more to be said of native gardens - this article barely scratches the surface. They’re environmentally friendly, inexpensive to maintain, are educational, and provide a solid connection with nature’s bounty right where you live. If you struggle to introduce special or unique plants to your garden, try your hand and your magic at working with native plants - you may be surprised as to the possibilities that they can open up!

May all your harvests be bountiful! )O(

concept playlists;

you’re lying on mossy forest floors, slowly transforming into a nymph, your fingers are turning into flower vines, your limbs are bleeding honey & growing thick skins of sepia bark, wings sprout in between your shoulder blades. your breath sounds like the wind. fireflies litter the air above you

you’re hold up in an abandoned church, outside there’s a raging storm & a horde of zombies roaming around, pressing up against the entrance doors. you & a small band of survivors are staying inside for the night in hopes to ride the bad weather out. you take first watch & listen to these tunes on an old ipod while everyone else tries to get some rest & the undead crawl outside, awaiting the taste of human flesh.

you’re in your boyfriend’s pickup. he’s asleep in the passenger seat, you’re driving without a destination in mind & you have the window down as you let the cool night air whip against your face in a state of pleasant delirium you’re on a rooftop somewhere, there’s 5 am air on your skin, streetlights glint like coins at the bottom of wishing wells from where you sit. you’re feeling peaceful for the first time all week

you’re lying in the middle of a crop circle forty miles from your grandma’s old house waiting for aliens to come and abduct you

it’s four pm in the afternoon and you’ve got your head in the lap of the only boy you’ve ever loved & you’re reading jane eyre & he’s sipping on tea & it’s the kind of weather where it’s just warm enough for you to pretend it’s summer & it’s drizzling & you’re listening to the rain beat softly against the windowpanes you’re curled up in bed as it pours outside, there’s a citywide blackout and the last candle you had left has finally blown out, but you feel strangely at peace within the warm, all-consuming dark

you’re making out in the bathroom of a house party with someone that makes you feel like you’ve swallowed the sun you’re standing amidst a city you burned to the ground. the apocalypse has come & gone. all that’s left is ashes & mortar & sad bones but you’re feeling empowered. a slow smile creeps up your lips as you realize how you’ve always wanted to watch the world burn you wander into wonderland and now you’re suddenly being crowned fairie queen, apparently there’s a prophecy waiting to be fulfilled  it’s mid morning but it’s dark outside from the rain. you thought the tapping on the window was from the rain but it’s actually a crow that flickers out of sight when you look directly at it you’re sipping on cherry cola by the pool on a lazy sunday & you’re feeling younger than you’ve ever been you’re summoning old ghosts in an abandoned parking lot on a smoggy thursday night

The Domestic Garden Witch: Po-Ta-Toes

So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.

For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.

This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!

Samwise Gamgee’s Dream Come True!

Okay, so if you follow my blog, chances are that you’re wondering if this whole potato theme for today is because of St. Patrick’s. I promise, I’m not enforcing Irish stereotypes on purpose. I just really like potatoes, and when it comes to gardening, it’s a bit of a disservice to overlook this vegetable. After all, when we think about kitchen gardens or home gardens, we think of herbs or flowers, and not about the veggies we eat that live a rather subterranean existence. But potatoes - those lovely little brown lumps that we can get for a couple dollars per five pound bag in the supermarket - are not only inexpensive. They’re extremely hardy little plants that can be grown rather easily.

You don’t need much to get started with this project. First, you need “seed potatoes.” This is not hard to find. Simply take a few potatoes and allow them to grow a bit. They will sprout a few short little stalks from the eyes on the surface. Save these, and get potting mix and two medium to large plastic pots that can easily stack one inside the other.

Carefully cut a few panes out of the inner pot as in the picture above, then place the inner pot into the outer one. Fill the pot part way with soil, add your seed potatoes, and cover them with potting mix. Water as needed until the potato plants peek up out of the soil. Cover them again and repeat this process gradually until the pot is full.

In roughly three months, you’ll have potato plants that are ready to begin harvesting. Simply lift the inner pot up and pluck your potatoes as needed from the sides! Fresh potatoes, free!

Ideally, this method of potato cultivation can help feed a family of four for about a year. My family had used this method, and our family of five was able to stay fed for a year off of two of these planters (we like potatoes… and we eat them a lot…)

How Can I Witch This?

Potatoes are very useful in witchcraft, and you can find out some of their magickal uses in my Foodie Friday article about Seafood Gnocchi. As for growing them, many of those properties remain the same!

As with any gardening venture, add crystals to the soil to promote healthy and fruitful plants, draw sigils and symbols on the pottery or planters, and incorporate protection or fertility ingredients into the soil - such as eggshell or coffee grounds.

Outside of the useful culinary benefits of having a potato planter on your front porch, a garden such as this is useful for outdoor space cleansing in small spaces, and for inviting prosperity into your home or property since potatoes represent such comforts as full bellies and pockets.

Since a small number of potatoes can be used to produce a much larger quantity in this planting method, you could even turn them into a prosperity or slow growth money spell! Pour your intent into the seed potatoes when you plant them, and as they produce new crops, give them water and food as an offering in order to keep the spell fed! Some of the potatoes produced in this way can also be converted into offerings or used in spellwork, in addition to being used to cook with!

The possibilities are practically endless where potatoes are concerned! See what you can do with these nifty little spuds!

And may your harvests always be bountiful!

Blessed Be! )O(

Just kinda wanna be that spooky misunderstood witch who lives in a small cottage in the woods that smells like sandal wood and cinnamon as well as walk around talking to a crow that chills on my shoulder

me: god i love paranormal shit and urban legends

me, after indulging in aforementioned content:

Smooth as Silk Bath Glamour Spell

Here is a quick easy bath spell you can use to help get your skin smooth and soft to the touch!

You will Need: 

Be sure to have a nice warm bath, while it fills add your ingredients and sit down and relax. The Milk and Honey will treat any dry skin you have and calm down any irritations you may have including sunburns. The Coconut oil is fantastic for softening the skin. I enjoy rose petals personally because it makes the bath more relaxing to me. Enjoy my dears!

☔ Storm Grounding ☔

a quick guide on grounding with storms for storm witches

☔ to be done during a storm

☔  stay in a safe place when you practice this form of grounding. only allow yourself to get wet if your health allows, and please avoid places that would get you struck by lightning. 

☔  have a view/hearing of the rain to the best of your ability

☔  visualize:

☔  when you are ready, let the storm fade its hold on you. you are not severing the ties harshly, only letting them fall away, the way rain dissipates and the storm calms down.

Fuck yeah. And even if we were just specifically discussing the witch hunts of Western Europe, men and women and children and everything in between were persecuted. During the Scottish witch hunts whole families were starved to death in dungeons just based on suspicion (over a terrible misunderstanding on King James’ part)

SHE DID THAT

me at the family dinner, sometime in 2036

Every time I see this video, it renews me

“My tattoo heals quickly without scaring and fading” draw it near your tattoo for best results

A Few More Everyday Magick Tips For Witches

I hope these help some lovely Witches!

– Juniper

for when I can start a grimoire

⚖ witchcraft and the law ⚖

as we approach the anniversary of “the bone incident” i thought this was important. not an expert in law, but throughout my practice this is a list i have gathered of things that may conflict with things you may want to do in your craft

there are just some things that are straight up against the law. this isn’t aimed at your religious freedoms, this is about following the laws of the land you live in. while your religion/spiritual beliefs may allow and encourage it, that may not be coincide with what is legal in your area.  

🐦   bird feathers - some species of birds and animals are endangered and collecting their feathers or remains is against the law. this varies from state to state, so you should check the laws of your area before collecting things you find in the wild. (x)

📩   plants/animal parts in the mail - there are a number of restrictions on what can and cannot be safely mailed in a sanitary method, and they need to be followed. (x)

📖   teaching witchcraft to minors - in many places, it is the parents who get first and only say in what religion is taught to their child, until they reach the age of majority. legal action can often be brought against those who teach a minor witchcraft without the parent’s consent. (x)

💀   digging up bones - just no. collecting bones that somehow come out of the graves is off the table too. the selling and buying and overall collection of human bones is often illegal, if not entirely. (x)

🌍   littering - spells that tell you to bury a glass jar somewhere, or to throw it in the ocean are not only harmful to the environment, they’re illegal, and subject to fines and prison time. you need to find a decompose-able method or a different spell (x)

🍷  tampering with someone’s food or drink - no matter what your intentions are, giving someone a love potion or something for their benefit, this is illegal in every state. not to mention, you don’t know if they’re allergic to what you put in. (x)

🔪   human sacrifice - i’m not even going to source this. you should know better.

💉   improper disposal of spell remains - be very careful on how you dispose of a spell, and make sure you aren’t introducing mercury or other toxic chemicals into the ecosystem. it’s bad for your surroundings, and it’s illegal (x)

🐕   animal abuse - it does not matter how sacred animal sacrifice and abuse it to your craft, if it breaks the laws, you should rethink it. (x)

🚷   trespassing - no matter how much you may want to pick some herbs that grow on someone else’s property, doing so without permission is trespassing and stealing. not to mention dangerous, as there are states with laws that allow the owner to bare arms against trespassers. (x)

🔥   fire safety - so you go out into the woods to set up a ritual, cool. but you dont pay attention to the fire alert that day and a stray spark from your ritual candles could start a forest fire and endanger countless people. it does not matter what stars are in position, if smokey the bear says no, do it a different day. (x)

this is not about dictating your beliefs or repressing your religious freedom. this is about public safety and respecting other people’s rights. practicing magic does not put you above the law, and it does not make your whims more important than the safety and rights of other people. if you do any of these, you’re not expressing your beliefs, you’re putting those around you in danger.

this is based on my experience in america and in reference to american law. if you have any more to add or other countries’ law restrictions, feel free to add. 

Will-O’s Jar Spell for Removing Energy Blocks!

So, I had a really nasty energy block in my chest. It felt like all my energy “veins” were filled with mud. It made magic HARD. I got tired of not finding solutions and decided to do something about it my damn self.

*Best if performed during a waning moon, since it’s a spell about dissolving blocks!

What You Need*:

*As always, things can be substituted or used in different forms than I did. You do you!

What You Do:

🐇💐 Rabbit Heart Glamour 💐🐇

a glamour inspired by Florence + the Machine’s song rabbit heart, intended to bring you courage and make you feel invincible.  

Here I am a rabbit hearted girl Frozen in the headlights It seems I’ve made the final sacrifice

We raise it up, this offering We raise it up

🐇 play the song as you perform the spell, chant along if you like. 

💐 gather a shiny mirror by a sunny window, a flower crown. preferably make the crown of basil, thyme, pennyroyal, thistle, or carnations. however, any flowers will do. 

🐇 hang the flower crown on the mirror and apply your usual makeup routine/brush your hair while looking at your reflection through the crown.

💐 when you are finished with your routine, turn to the sunlight, bathe in its warmth and envision that it is turning you to gold. 

🐇 wear the flower crown after if you like

So you just did a big curse... now what?

     1. Cleanse your space, cleanse your tools

     2. Cleanse yourself

     3. Protect your home

    4. Protect yourself

    5. Take it Easy

Rainy’s Beauty Bath Glamour

A glamour bath spell to enhance your natural beauty, give you confidence and a lovely ‘glow’! Not only is this a magickal solution, but the ingredients will also replenish key nutrients in your body and soften your skin.

Written by Rainy-Day-Witchcraft, please do not remove source!

Materials:

1. Combining the Ingredients

In a small bowl, combine a few handfuls of salt (Maybe a little more than cup, for protection and cleansing) a handful of Epsom salt/fresh lavender (For healing and love), and the zest of half an orange (For confidence, joy, and beauty). After mixing all these ingredients together, sprinkle a bit of pink rose petals over the top (pink: for self love and beauty), and place the bowl off to the side while you run your bath.

2. Preparing the Bath

While your bath is running, collect a few tea candles to set around your bathroom. These needn’t be any particular size, color, or scent, just as long as you have the candles! Electronic tea lights would also do wonderfully.

When the water is about halfway full, sprinkle in the healing mixture. Be sure to mix it around a bit, to encourage the salts to dissolve and the zest/petals to soak in the water. After a minute, the bathroom should begin smelling nicely of orange, lavender, and rose! Allow the steam to fog up the room and create a relaxing atmosphere ~

3. Performing the Spell

Turn off or dim the lights, lighting your candles. When your bath is full, get in, and take a bit to enjoy the water and the smells in the air. Do not worry if the zest makes you sticky; a quick shower rinse afterwards will do the trick. 

After you are finished enjoying the warmth of your bath, begin meditating or preparing yourself for the magickal part! You can meditate with your eyes closed or open, sitting up or laying back in the water, or even visualization will work ~ As long as you can get yourself into the “mood” and calm your thoughts. 

When ready, swirling your hands around in the warm water and feeling the healing and beautiful energies in the air, chant:

“With flowers’ touch and waters’ energy,

I am beauty, grace, and positivity

Infuse my spirit with radiant light

Smite negativity with self-loving might”

Feel the “glow” of beauty and confidence surrounding you; feel the unconditional love you hold for yourself, and feel at peace. You may experience a tingling or overwhelming sense of emotion, and this is perfectly fine ~

After you have completed your chant, and feel positive energy around yourself, you have finished the spell! Rose petals and orange zest will clog up your drain, so remember to gather it all up while draining and put it back in the bowl to be disposed of later. (I actually created a self-love charm bag from the roses in this spell, so whatever you wish to do with them afterwards is up to you!) This may be the time you wish to shower off the remnants of the bathwater ~ 

4. Enjoy!

You have successfully finished the spell, and have cast a glamour upon yourself! This spell is especially helpful on days when you need a bit of a pick-me-up, or a boost of beauty and confidence for an important matter. Like all my spells, it has also been written, tested, and performed by myself to ensure magickal results ~ 

I hope you’ve found this glamour useful, and let me know if you have any questions or comments! Please be sure to check for allergic reactions or skin irritation to any of the ingredients before starting, for your own safety. 

~Rainy

Bath Spell to Release Anger

Intent: To release anger, to calm down

“I am clean, I am serene. Anger does not control me. I will not shout, I will not lash out. Anger does not control me.”