HedgeWitch (15 page)

You can also spill all your sigils like runes on the center of the table. Those lots facing up apply to the situation. Those with hidden sigils do not. Those lots facing up and in the center of the table are the most significant. Those to the right indicate energies that helped to create the present. Those to the left are helpful guides to the future. Cleanse the lots with the blessed water and dry them before you return them to the bag.

Your Symbols as Spell Activators

You can draw your symbols on candles, petitions to deity, or even work them into a stitchery design for a friend! Use the general HedgeWitch conjuration on page 107 as an empowerment charm. Refer to this book and your journal for what herbs you may wish to use for the working. Reword the affirmation to fit the circumstance. For example, if you desire to do a healing for a friend (let's call her Margaret), first write down (in primal language) exactly what you want: “I want Margaret to enjoy good health.” Say this statement at least three times. Then, you could make something nice for Margaret—perhaps a card, bookmark, flower arrangement, or design a perfume, magickal oil, or soap just for her, somehow incorporating your healing rain sigil in the gift. Not only are you giving Margaret your good wishes, you are also sharing your talent, and therefore your chi, or personal energy of harmony. While you are physically making the gift, repeat rain's affirmations, changing the wording to fit Margaret (adding her name, for example), or choosing an affirmation that is more suitable to her circumstances. Just remember, Margaret's destiny will not be changed simply because of your efforts. To make any change in oneself, one must believe. You are merely a vehicle of assistance should she reach out for that energy.

Other Ways to Use Your Magickal Symbols

You can meditate on a specific symbol to continually align your mind and body with the harmonious powers of the universe. Turn your symbol into a beautiful painting, stitchery, or other creative project, repeating the affirmations that match the symbol or creating your own affirmations. Carry the symbol with you throughout the day to continually keep the pathway to that energy open. Make a mandala of all your symbols for meditation out of fiber art or canvas. You could even design separate drum beats (for drummers) or dance moves (if this is your talent). Into car parts? Fine. Match a car part to each symbol.

Your symbols can also be used as talismans to draw a specific desire to you, as all the symbols you created follow the law of attraction. Let's say you need to pay a bill, and you don't have the money. Activate the earth symbol, using its affirmations, and draw it on a dollar bill. Rub it with chamomile herb (inexpensive and plentiful—you could even use chamomile herb tea from the grocery store). Roll the dollar bill toward you, speaking the affirmations several times. Clearly formulate in primal language exactly what you want, and then repeat what you have formulated aloud three times. Remember to say thank you, and smile. Put the dollar bill in your pocket and carry it with you until your desire is met.

Use your symbols to continually encourage harmony in and around the home. Create stepping stones for your garden or outdoor altar area that carry each individual symbol, or make a mini altar with a stepping-stone mold and concrete, and decorate it with your personal sigils. Decorate indoor and outdoor flower pots, garden flags, or tools with your sigils. Because you have designed your symbols, they carry great personal power!

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section

HedgeWitchery
Within and Without

All of the recipes in this section use organically grown herbs. Your formulas will be especially powerful if you have grown most or all of the herbs yourself in your own herb garden, but if this isn't possible, look for the highest-quality herbs and spices during your magickal shopping. Use primal language to find the best selection!

HedgeWitch Brews

A HedgeWitch brew is a combination of herbs, spices, salts (sometimes), essential oils, and water. These brews are for cleansing the body and freshening the air—they are not for ingestion. You may wish to empower the herbs with the following charm, written in primal language (remember, primal language uses the fewest amount of words possible, still gets the point across, and is positive in nature):

Remember, remember, the oldest of herbs

The fruit of the vine, the root and the words.

You have the power of infinity.

You have the power of healing and good health.

You have the power to attract abundance and good fortune.

You have the power to move in any direction.

Awaken, awaken! Bring my will to perfection!
It always works. Always a blessing!

Sunshine Brew

This amazing formula has many uses! The liquid can be added to soaps and floor washes, and the dried herbs can be included in your own incense recipes or burned alone on an incense charcoal tab. I created the formula to vibrate to good health, wealth, and success. Be sure to empower the finished brew with your magickal bell (tuning forks) and your own special prayer.

2 tablespoons dried chamomile

2 tablespoons dried bergamot

2 tablespoons dried ginger

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

Mortar and pestle

1 cup distilled water

1 paper coffee filter

1 clear glass bottle or jar

Grind the herbs with mortar and pestle just enough to break them up and release their aroma, not enough to pulverize them. Boil one cup of distilled water. Take one half of your herbal mixture and place in center of a paper coffee filter. Twist filter tightly. Place filter in the cup of hot water. Remove after one hour; throw soaked herbs away. Refrigerate sunshine brew, and be sure to label do not drink. To use, empower at sunrise or at noon. Add a crystal to the brew for more power.

Ginger, chamomile, rosemary, and bergamot are all considered body-safe herbs; however, anyone can have an allergic reaction to an herbal additive. Always check a small area of your skin first before using any herbal product.

Spring Sunshine Brew Floor Wash

To one gallon of warm water, add:

1 cup sunshine brew

Juice from one squeezed lemon

Juice from one squeezed lime

1 herb bouquet of your choice
(see page 254)

Excellent as a spring-cleaning floor wash to encourage good fortune and harmony in the home.

HedgeWitch Tub Teas

Relaxing in a warm, magickal bath does wonders for the body and mind! Tub tea formulas consist of botanicals, bath salts (sometimes), and a large tea bag made for the bath (these are available from many herbal suppliers on the Net and in some health-food stores). If you don't have these paper bags, use a small, clean cotton drawstring bag. Here are some great recipes to encourage magickal stress relief!

Aura-Cleansing Tub Tea

Lavender

Rosemary

Lemongrass (shred to release aroma)

Chamomile

6–10 drops lavender essential oil

Sea salt

Mix equal parts of dried lavender, rosemary, lemongrass, and chamomile. Add lavender essential oil, and fluff herbs. Fill remainder of bag with sea salt. This is an excellent recipe for aura cleansing, especially for a ritual bath before an important ceremony. This mixture can also be used in a cleansing ritual.

Healing Salts & Minerals Tub Tea*

¼
cup Epsom salts

½
cup sea salt**

½
cup European mineral salts

**Note:
To scent any sea salt mixture, add twelve drops of body-safe fragrance to one cup of salt mixture.

Body Toning Tub Tea

1 cup dried chamomile

½
cup dried peppermint

¼
cup dried comfrey

¼
cup dried lemon peel

¼
cup dried rose hips

¼
cup dried rosemary

¼
cup dried sage

¼
cup dried, crushed ginger

Note:
In some areas of the United States, comfrey is considered illegal because, if taken internally, it is now thought to damage the liver. It is still sold for topical use in many states. Substitute dried rose petals if this applies to you. For more power, scent with body-safe patchouli fragrance.

Zen Tub Tea

½
cup dried lavender buds

½
cup chamomile

½
cup oatmeal

½
cup green tea

¼
cup orange peel

¼
cup rosemary

¼
cup lemongrass (shred to release aroma)

8 bay leaves (minced)

HedgeWitch Soap Making

Making your own soaps with empowered herbs can be an extremely rewarding and magickal experience. The recipes in this book rely on melt-and-pour soap bases that can be purchased at your local craft store or online. This type of easy carrier allows you to make lots of fragrant soaps in a single afternoon and can be a great magickal project practiced with a circle of friends or your children (as long as you monitor the hot soap and you do the pouring). When shopping for a glycerin soap base, look for formulas that permit good suspension of herbs, as most herbs will sink to the bottom of the mold unless the soap is poured just at the moment of setting (which can be tricky). Here are the general supplies you will need for all of the recipes:

Soap cauldron (can be purchased at local craft store) or microwave (if soap directions say you can use this)

Desired fragrance (sweet scents help to instill good feelings and harmony within the body)

Small plastic baggies or shrink-wrap system for packaging after soap has cooled

Sharp, smooth-blade knife (for cutting soap base into small, 1-inch blocks)

Pyrex measuring cup (4-cup size)

Wire whisk (only to be used for soap)

Droppers (for adding scent and color)

Rubbing alcohol in spritzer bottle (removes bubbles from the poured soap)

Ladle (if using a soap cauldron)

Mortar and pestle or spice grinder

Soap molds (you can also use silicone muffin molds)

X-Acto knife (for trimming soaps if you over-poured the mold)

Wire curing rack (for handmilled soaps)

In soap making, timing is essential. If you whisk too long, then your soap will begin to gel in the measuring cup to the point where you won't be able to pour it. If this occurs, it must be re-melted before pouring. Re-melting soap with fragrance can destroy the integrity of the aroma. Expect to make a few mistakes when first learning to make your own soap; however, you will quickly get the feel of this super-simple process! Goat's milk, coconut, and shea butter bases do not have good suspension and require that you whisk your formulas until they thicken but are still warm enough to pour.

Basic Melt-and-Pour Soap-Making Instructions

• Heat your soap base as indicated by manufacturer. (Be careful not to overheat or you will destroy the integrity of the soap base.)
  
• Add color per manufacturer's instructions.
  
• Add fragrance or essential oils per manufacturer's instructions. Hint: For every pound of soap use three teaspoons of fragrance (this does not apply for essential oils).
  
• Add herbs.
  
• Add any other inclusions—water for handmilled, jojoba carrier or other oils; vitamin E (a preservative), etc.
  
• Whisk mixture until it begins to thicken.
  
• Pour into molds.
  
• Spritz each soap while still warm with alcohol to remove bubbles.
  
• Allow to cool completely in mold.
  
• Remove from mold.
  
• Air-dry (length of time depends on what type of base you are using). Glycerin can be packaged after one hour.
  

HedgeWitch Body-Safe Dried Herbs for Soaps

There are a large number of body-safe dried herbs that you can include in your soaps, although some of them, such as chamomile, sage, and teas, will bleed over time. This doesn't hurt the soap but may make your soaps unsightly. Adding ¼ teaspoon of vitamin E to each pound of your soap mixture will help to retard this process by preserving the herb. Although some individuals add rose petals to their soaps, I don't recommend it because rose petals have a tendency to turn black over time. Here's a list of herbs you can include in your magickal soaps!

Allspice

Almonds

Barley

Basil

Bergamot

Bladderwrack (sea kelp)

Brown sugar

Calendula (marigold)

Cardamom

Chamomile

Chocolate

Cinnamon (just a bit!)

Coffee

Coriander

Cornmeal (for garden and deep grime removal soaps)

Dill

Eucalyptus

Ginger

Ginseng

Green tea

Juniper berries

Lavender (might bleed)

Lemongrass

Lemon peel

Lemon verbena

Lime peel

Mints

Neem

Nutmeg

Oatmeal

Oregano

Patchouli

Rose hips (purchase only those sold for health and beauty products)

Rosemary (finely ground)

Safflower

Sage

Thyme

Note:
T
ake special care when making soaps for allergy-sensitive individuals. Ingredients like almonds, cinnamon, and honey may have adverse effects on some individuals.

How Much Soap Base to Melt?

If you don't want to melt as much soap base as the recipe calls for, fill your soap mold with water. Pour the water into a measuring cup and mark the water line. That's how much soap you'll need! Pour out the water and dry the cup and the mold. Cut your soap base like cutting a block of cheese and place in Pyrex measuring cup. If you need only a small amount, cut a few pieces of base at a time and heat. If you are using a microwave product, wave first at fifteen seconds and then nine-second intervals. Once the soap is melted, adjust your other ingredients (dye, fragrance, botanicals, butters, oils) to match the amount of soap you are using.

Note:
Do not overheat the soap base. If a base is cooked too long, it will smell funny and most likely crack when cooled.

Charming Soap and Other Beauty Products

Intoning prayers and charms during any project focuses the mind on a positive future and fills the item you are working on with clean, bright energy. How you empower these items is entirely up to you, as your good will is the primary catalyst. Here are a few magickal tips on project empowerment:

• If the recipe calls for water, use empowered spring or distilled water.
  
• Always stir herbs, sauces, waxes, etc., in a clockwise direction.
  
• Choose chants, charms, and repetitive words that are positive in nature. Think about what you do want, not what you don't want.
  
• Work in a clean, orderly environment.
  
• Pennsylvania Dutch
  Braucheries
  (magickal people) used similes in their conjurations. They chose something they knew to be true, and then equated what they desired to this truth as well. For example, if they believed that the sun rising in the morning was an absolute truth, then they might say: “As surely as the sun rises each day, so, too, shall I have great health, wealth, and beauty.” Try making your own magickal similes; just be careful what you say you believe! Choosing the words you speak aloud carefully is a wonderful magickal exercise for the mind and something we can continually endeavor to practice, no matter how long we've concentrated on our spirituality!
  
• Use the highest-quality ingredients in your soaps and body-care products.
  
• Bells and tuning forks work wonders during project formulation whether you are making soaps, beauty brews, candles, or knitting that afghan! The clear tonal sounds remove unwanted negativity and clear the mind.