Holistic Medicine can be dangerous
if not researched fully before use.
Please use our recipe’s, suggestions, and guidance carefully. Some herbs may be harmful to pregnant women, women who are nursing, or those with certain types of medical conditions.
Holistic and alternative medicine should be researched fully, and/or one should consult with their physician or naturopath before ingesting any herbal recipes.
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To begin, Let's take a look at the Methods of Concoctions of Witchcraft, in general:
Potions: Spells in liquid form
Elixirs: Sweet flavored liquid to cure ills & ailments
Infusion: Herbs steeped like tea, but not consumable
Tinctures: Scented liquids , Ethyl-alcohol based & infused with dry plant materials
Salve / Balm: Healing paste/ointment laced or infused with herbs & oils
Essential Oils: Magical oils derived from plants
Poultice: A soft, moist, medicated mass that is heated and medicated by use of herbs to relieve aches, pains & inflammation
Smudge Stick: A bundle of dried herbs, bound with string or twine, that is burned and then blown out; the smoke is used for emotional, psychic, and spiritual purification
Incense: An aromatic gum of resin that produces a sweet, and usually earthy odor when burned; used to enhance a mood, psychic awareness, to cleanse, for focus in rites, to bless & consecrate, etc.
We will eventually have a post to refer to each of these methods, but for now, we will focus on
How to Make a Potion~
Making potions is one of the oldest crafts known to mankind, from making elixirs, beers and wines, to making teas and concoctions with the intent for a specific purpose or outcome infused into them during the making process.
Throughout the ages, from the earliest of civilizations, shamans, witches and healers were called upon to aid in sickness, attract abundance, or to protect from harm or negative threats and energies.
Today, we can utilize this way of the old to manifest, protect and help us in our times of need.
First, there are things you should know to lessen any intimidation:
- Potions can be simple or complex. Do what works for you. No need to over-complicate.
- Making a potion is as simple as making tea, but with magickal elements added to direct your purpose.
- Dried or Fresh Herbs can be used; you will need 3x the amount of fresh herbs than dried though.
(if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dried herb, you will need to make it 3 tablespoons if you use fresh herbs)
- Common herbs like Lavender, Rosemary and Mint have multiple magickal properties and can be used for many purposes. And those are only to name a few.
- Potions should taste good. The days of Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog are long behind us. Make your concoction taste-bud worthy.
- Prepare in advance. When you think of a need to cast any spell, or make a potion, set your sights on a particular day and time in the near future, and slowly & intentionally gather your necessary tools and materials. Put love and care into your craft, and you will get the most amazing results.
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Now, we must be sure we have the proper tools in order. The following are useful tools to keep on hand, and should only be used for magickal creation purposes. Meaning, they should be kept sacred, for their usefulness in your workings will be greater and more in-tuned with the energy needed for your tasks.
Tools for Potion Making:
- A clay, ceramic, earthenware, stone, or wooden bowl (just be sure it is of natural materials; more than one may be helpful)
- A pot or cauldron. (a cauldron is best)
- Wooden utensils for stirring your cauldron. (even our utensils should be of natural material; always stir clockwise)
- Cheesecloth and/or a fine sieve for straining herbs, spices, roots, barks, etc.
- A mortar and pestle for grinding.
- Sterile glass containers or bottles with lids or corks.
- A funnel is useful.
- Pure Vodka for added preservative, when necessary.
- Spring, Well or Rain Water are best. Moon-charged Water is even better. (how to make Moon Water is for another post!)
- Corresponding Candles, if you so wish, to strengthen your focus and intent.
- Matches for your candle.
- Dried or Fresh Herbs
- Honey and Lemon to sweeten and add more flavor, if you would like.
- A prepared verse/incantation to charge your potion with your intent while making it; usually 3 to 4 lines long.
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When making your infusion, it is important to be sure you have a secure fitting lid for your pot or cauldron. The lid is necessary in keeping the important, natural oils from evaporating as they heat up and start disappearing from our potion!
The types of dried herbs and such that you need depend on the type of potion you wish to create.
{ Eventually, I will add a page of the Magickal Correspondences for herbs, but for now you can find some here. }
There are also various magickal correspondences for certain days and moon phases to cast any spell or potion, and you can find them all over the internet, but here is a basic rule of thumb:
Magickal Correspondences for Moon Phases:
Waning Moon (decreasing in size from Full Moon) = to push things away from you.
This is the time for spells that banish, release or reverse. This is the time to break bad habits, and to end relationships that no longer serve you. A time for deep intuition and divination.
The Waning Moon period lasts about 14 days.
Waxing Moon (increasing in size from New/Dark Moon) = to bring things to you.
This is a time for spells that attract. A time for spells of good luck, new beginnings, spells for love, spells for growth, and for positive changes in your life. A time to conceptualize new ideas, business decisions; a time to invoke.
The Waxing Moon period lasts for about 14 days.
Full Moon (fully visible in the sky) = to strengthen your power.
This is a time for spells that transform, spells to strengthen your power, a time to refuel & for major workings to occur. A time to increase psychic ability; spells for love, fertility and awareness.
The period for the Full Moon lasts about 3 days prior and after the full moon.
New/Dark Moon (in between the Earth & Sun, completely hidden) = to bring new beginnings
This is the time for spells of new beginnings, new undertakings, new ways of living, new business decisions. A time to be reborn.
You may wish to light a candles or a few candles based on your intent. Here are some magickal correspondences for colors, that can be used for candles, altar cloths, among other things in your craft.
White - Protection, Peace, Purity, Truth
Green - Healing, Money, Prosperity, Luck, Fertility
Brown - Physical objects, Healing for Animals, Houses & Homes
Pink - Emotional Love, Friendships
Red - Sexual Love, Passion, Energy, Enthusiasm, Courage
Yellow - Clairvoyance, Divination, Studying, Learning, The Mind
Purple - Power, Healing Deadly Diseases or Sicknesses
Blue - Healing, Meditation, Tranquility
Orange - Strength, Authority, Attraction, Luck
Black - Absorption of Negativity, Destruction of Negativity
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Now, let's make a potion together, shall we?
There are countless recipes out there in books and on the internet (and I encourage you to seek them out!), but let's make a recipe of our own.
Right now, on this very day, the moon moves into Waning, when it is moving away from Full, and going into the New or Dark Moon. So, as we have learned, this is the time for moving things away from us.
So let's make a potion to...
Banish Stress and Unnecessary Negativity
STEP ONE:
Gather Ingredients & Tools {see list of tools above}
We will need some herbs for purification, and I will choose:
Lavender, Rosemary and Basil
(all common household herbs)
Also, some herbs of healing may be beneficial.
(Use your intuition with your selections. Healing and Purifying just seem to fit well for our need with this potion.)
I will choose:
Sage
Lavender and Rosemary are also healing, so we have double the strength with those herbs. There are many, many more options I could add, but remember we want our potion to taste good, or at the very least, not taste horrible. ;)
The amount of each herb used is entirely up to you.
However, I like the power of 3. It seems to work with me well in my craft and in life in general. So I will use 3 tablespoons each, which is going to make for a strong potion!
I LOVE to use candles. So I will light an unused white candle for PEACE while I create my potion.
You could go as far as carving runes in your candle for comfort, peace and healing, but for now we will keep it simple.
STEP TWO:
Cast a Sacred Circle around your work area.
Very simple... you can either use the power of mind and create a circle of white light around your work area, you can use salt (but that gets messy) or you can do so with incense.
So if you are working in the kitchen, cast your circle around the entire kitchen.
The different ways to cast a circle will one day be another post, but for now we will leave it at this.
STEP THREE:
Call upon the Elemental Powers to enter and bless your circle.
Something like,
"I ask the power of the elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, to enter my circle, and to bless my work."
STEP FOUR:
Call upon the Great Spirits, your Divine Guardians to enter your circle and bless your work.
Something like,
"I call upon the Great Spirits and all that is Divine to enter my circle and bless my work with their powerful energy."
STEP FIVE:
Assemble your tools for Use
Put pot on the burner.
Fill the pot with 3 cups of water.
Add your herbs.
Add in honey and lemon juice to taste.
For this, I will add 3 tablespoons each.
Light your candle.
Take a moment to center yourself spiritually, in any way that serves you.
STEP SIX:
Empower your Ingredients and Tools
Talk to them.
Handle them.
As you place them in the pot of water, put your emotions into them.
Truly feel the moment and let your guards down.
You are safe here.
Cry if you need to.
Laugh if it helps.
See the outcome as being so.. Visualize how you wish to feel afterward and know it be true.
Do not underestimate the power of thought.
That is your magic. Use it.
STEP SEVEN:
Heat Ingredients & Charge your Potion
Now is the time to stir your pot.
Always stir clockwise.
It is heating up and not quite to a boil.
Repeat your prepared incantation.
Something like,
"Herbs of Earth, Power of Water,
Steam of Air, Flame of Fire,
Hear my needs, beckon my call,
Bring peace and harmony,
To One and All."
Repeat 3 times while stirring.
Repeat 9 times, if you so wish, for 3x the strength.
Or just follow your intuition and repeat your incantation as many times as you feel the need, until you feel your potion is ready.
STEP EIGHT:
Steep & Give Thanks
Not quite to a boil yet, cover your pot and let it come to a boil.
Keeping it covered will ensure the natural oils do not escape your potion through evaporation.
Watch closely so that it does not boil over.
Once it is to a boil, remove from burner and let steep with cover on for 10 minutes.
To give thanks, simply thank the spirits, guardians, and elements for their presence and blessings. Nothing fancy, just thank them out loud or in your head.
I usually take a moment to pray, meditate and pay reverence.
Let your intuition be the guide.
STEP NINE:
Bottle, Clean up & Grounding
Bottle your potion and clean up your area, and then take down your circle.
You may add a few drops of vodka to each bottle and shake it into the mixture as a preservative if you wish. I usually only make potions that will be used immediately, so this is not usually something I have to do.
As you bottle your potion, recite:
"As I will it, so mote it be."
Store in a dark space at room temperature.
Clean your area, clean your tools, consecrate them if you would like (I always do so they are fresh and ready for use), and put them away.
Take down your circle that you cast by visualizing a door opening in your circle, and then the light slowly dissipating back into the Earth, or atmosphere.
(again, that is for a different post!)
Not all Witches find Grounding to be necessary, but when I build up my cone of power, I feel a come-down is necessary.
Simply touch some soil and smell it. Feel it in your hands, fingers or between your toes. Eat something crunchy and natural; carrots are great. And give a big sigh of relaxation as you know what you have accomplished.
STEP TEN:
Give or Drink
Give the potion to the intended person to drink, when the time is right. Remember, always, ALWAYS ask for permission before performing magick for someone. Usually, the recipient comes to me for help.
Or, drink the potion yourself when the time is right.
Drink the potion immediately if you wish, or wait until you visit your altar next, or for a particular ritual.
I like to wait until really early in the morning, while the world is still quiet, my children are sleeping, and the moment is completely mine. Usually, I do a mini-rite that involves tarot, prayer, meditation and then a journal entry after.
There is no wrong way to take your potion. Only you know the best "time". Let your inner-voice and gut feeling guide you.
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I would always encourage you to archive your experiences, to write down your spells and recipes, and how you felt during and afterward.
Your future self will thank you for it.
<3
~*~With Endless Love & Light~*~
Blessed Be.
MoonsWay )O(
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