Natural Witchery (25 page)

Herbal wreaths can serve as a gift or be used as a tool for a specific magickal purpose, such as protection, love, or prosperity. Wreathmaking is an ancient practice. The wreath has been used since the Middle Ages to celebrate the changing seasons and holidays. Creating herbal wreaths is a fun and enjoyable process, and best of all, it's not expensive or hard to do.

There are three basic elements to wreathmaking: the base, the materials used, and the method of attachment. Many of the items you'll need to decorate your wreath may be homegrown or easily located at the local arts and crafts store. Before you go and plunk down lots of money, though, first take a walk around the yard or herb garden. See how you can incorporate the natural bounty that nature has to offer. The herb garden has much to provide to the clever herbalist and Witch. There are gorgeous flowering herbs and magickal flowers, changing autumn leaves, acorns, pine cones, twigs, or even a fallen feather or two. Often a lazy hour spent outdoors yields more organic material than any trip to the store.

When you begin to assemble the components for your own herbal wreaths, you may find it helpful to refer to the herbal correspondence charts listed here on pages 226 and 228. You can really add more magickal punch to this project if you time the creation of

your herbal wreath with a certain phase of the moon or day of the week, although don't forget your intuition: let your instincts guide you.

The basic supplies you will need for herbal wreaths are:

• A low-temperature glue gun and glue sticks
  
• Florist wire, gauge 20
  
• Floral picks
  
• A base, such as a 12- to 18-inch grapevine wreath
  
• Dried or fresh herbs, flowers, seed pods, nuts, and small twigs
  
• Ribbons in assorted colors and widths
  
• Small metal celestial charms (optional)
  

Directions

Gather your material with intention. Refer to the correspondence charts or follow your own instincts. Next, arrange your wreath by laying out the herbal components. Take your time, and position things to your liking. Have fun and relax so you can enjoy yourself. (Remember that it's much easier to shift pieces around before you glue them on than it is to pry them off afterwards.) If you are incorporating twigs or berries, try and work them into the grapevine for a more natural look. After you have chosen the design, then carefully hot-glue or wire the natural material, ribbons, and celestial charms onto the grapevine.

Another great tip that I can pass along to you is if you are working with large clusters of flowers such as yarrow blossoms or roses, then work with an odd number. (This is an old floral designer's tip!) There is something about even numbers that always makes

wreaths look like a clock face. Go for threes and fives for your main flowers. Perhaps you can weave a pentagram in the center of your wreath with the ribbons. Tie on a pretty bow or have ribbon streamers dangling from the bottom. Also, those celestial charms would look great tied to the end of the streamers. Go with whatever you like the best; the possibilities are endless.

An All-Purpose Spell for Herbal Wreaths

Once you have your wreath all arranged and finished, you will want to enchant it. Try this all-purpose spell to activate the magick within your herbal creation. Hold the finished wreath in your hands and transfer a bit of your personal power into the wreath. Then repeat the following verse:

See the magickal herbs arranged on this circle of vine?

These will bring enchantment and blessings to us at all times.

Made with my own two hands, this herbal magick begins.

Now grant us prosperity, happiness, and wisdom.

For the good of all, this herbalist's spell is spun.

As I will, so mote it be, and let it harm none.

When you are finished, ground and center yourself. Hang up your enchanted herbal wreath in a prominent place.

I sent thee late a rosy wreath …

Ben Jonson

Herbal Beeswax Candles

Have you ever tried your hand at making your own herbal candles? Just think, specialty herbal candles you can create and imbue with your own positive personal power. Then you would have custom-made magickal supplies right at your fingertips. How cool is that? You can make herbal candles for healing, prosperity, affection, or protection.

There is a simple way to do this, and it won't require you to have wax boiling away on the stove, which can be expensive, messy, and dangerous. You will still need to make a trip to the local arts and crafts supply store, however. But the following candle project is a practical, affordable alternative to purchased candles.

Hit the candlemaking aisle, and look for sheets of beeswax and wicks. I have even found beeswax candlemaking kits! You may use colored beeswax sheets or the plain, old-fashioned-looking honey-colored ones. (You may find it helpful to refer back to page 200 for a color/candle magick guide.) So choose your supplies and ingredients, and let's get started!

Candlemaking Supplies and Directions

• Assorted sheets of beeswax (approximately 16 x 8 inches)
  
• Wicks (look for lead-free wicks)
  
• A hair dryer
  
• Assorted magickal herbs
  

All nature seems at work.
Slugs leave their lair—the bees are stirring—
birds are on the wing—

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

How to Make Rolled Herbal Candles

1. If the beeswax you are working with is rolled, then gently unroll it. (If it is hard, stiff, or might crack while unrolling, then soften it up by warming it with the hair dryer set on low.)

2. Lay a piece of wick along one of the short edges of the beeswax sheet. Warm the beeswax up with the hair dryer set on the lowest setting.

3. Sprinkle the sheet with your chosen magickal herb. Gently press the herbs down into the sheet of wax.

4. Finally, carefully roll it up. Your herbs will stay between the layers as you roll the candle. (Think of a jellyroll type of situation.)

5. When you have finished rolling all the wax, run the hair dryer over the candle again. This molds the edges together just a bit and softens the bottom so that you can give the candle a nice, flat, smooth surface.

A Charm to Enchant Your Herbal Candles

To enchant your handmade herbal candle, try this quick charm. Hold the herbal candle in your hands, and repeat the following:

Goddess, bless this herb candle made by my own hands,

May it spread enchantment and light across the land.

• • •

Circle Mechanics

Quarter Calls and a Circlecasting

Here is one of my favorite quarter calls and circlecastings. I like this one the best as the quarter calls rhyme and are simple and uncomplicated. Plus it was very easy for me to commit it to memory. Typically, I begin my quarter calls in the east, which is the direction that I associate with the air element. Your own magickal traditions may be different. Some practitioners may begin their quarter calls in the north or have different quarter associations for air and fire—and if that is the case, then I invite you to rework this to suit your own practice.

Begin by moving to the eastern quarter. Light the yellow quarter candle, and say:

In the eastern quarter,

I call knowledge and intuition true.

Move to your right, and go to the southern quarter. Light the red quarter candle, and say:

At the southern quarter,

I call for passion and courage in all that I do.

Turn to your right again, and go to the western quarter. Light the blue quarter candle, and say:

Here in the west,

grant me visions and bless me with love.

' Tis now the very witching time of night.

Shakespeare

Finally, move to your right, and go to the northern quarter. Light the green quarter candle, and say:

In the north,

I call for security and strength from the gods above.

Now move to the center of the circle, and bind or seal the circle. Turn in a clockwise (deosil) motion, and spin slowly around, casting the circle by pointing at the ground and saying:

As above, now so below; the elemental powers spin, and my magick holds.

After your ritual, spellwork, or celebration is complete, you may open the circle in the following manner: this time, we begin in the northern quarter. Turning to the left and working in a counterclockwise (widdershins) direction, go to the west, then the south, and then finally end in the east. I typically say at each quarter,

Hail and farewell to the element of the [earth, water, etc.]; many thanks, blessed be.

Keep in mind that you will switch out the word in brackets to suit each quarter, so in this case it would be opening the quarters in the order of earth, water, fire, and air.

After you have worked your way completely around the circle, move to the center, and say:

The circle is now open but unbroken;

Release the magick as my words are spoken.

• • •

[T]he power of the world always works in circles,
and everything tries to be round.

Black Elk

Spell Worksheet

Goal:

Moon Phase:

Day of the Week:

Astrological/ Magickal Symbols Used:

Candle Color (if you added candle magick):

Herbs Used:

Magickal Significance of the Herbs:

Crystals or Stones Used and Their Associations:

Charm or verse:

Results:

[contents]

Now comes the end of the book;

Many blessings on your spells and charms.

May you walk your chosen path wisely,

And never cause any harm.