A Reminder That Robert Graves Is Not A Reliable Source, And If You Are Relying On Any Books By Him, Including

Every ailment, physiological or mental, is molecular in nature, because human beings are a collection of complex bio-molecular mechanisms.

Every cure and treatment therefore should be based on a molecular understanding. Even treatments that don't involve direct usage of chemicals, like therapy, should be based on an understanding that what they're doing is interacting with a chemical system.

Any "cure" or "treatment" that's based on stuff like "higher energies" or "body thetans" or "the power of prayer" or anything that claims to interact with something other than the body and its chemical processes, is a sham.

Witchcraft is queer Witchcraft is queer Witchcraft is the struggle of the oppressed Witchcraft is the power of those who don't have power Witchcraft is women who have lost their agency in the land enclosure Witchcraft is people bringing their cultures and religions with them as they are taken to slavery Witchcraft is practices that cling on under colonisation Witchcraft is for those who are marginalised oppressed and otherwise powerless Witchcraft is reversal of power and changing status quo Witchcraft is queer

"Larch, showing natural engrafting."

Science-gossip. 1888. Processed image.

Internet Archive

How to Dehydrate Herbs

This is my first post on my newly-minted digital grimoire, so I thought I'd start out with info I already know. Here's a short little guide on how to dehydrate herbs and other materials at home in your oven (if you have one). I usually dehydrate fresh materials instead of hanging them as firstly: I have a cat who will find a way to reach anything I hang up to dry, and secondly: there are some materials I don't feel comfortable leaving out in open air as they will likely rot. Also, it just saves on drying time.

Steps:

1. Grab whatever you want to dehydrate whether it be fruits, peels, herbs, veg, or (my favourite) eggshells.

Important Note: DO NOT EVER put plants which are known to be toxic or whose origins are unclear in your oven. It's never worth it.

2. Place your items on a sheet pan with parchment paper underneath (there may be lingering oils on the pan, but if you are okay with that feel free to skip the parchment).

3. If your oven is fancy and you have a dehydration setting, great! Use the recommended temperature. If not, set your oven between 160-190*. I usually set it lower, but if you're short on time it will work higher.

4. This is the most crucial step: keep your oven door slightly ajar in order to let moisture escape. However, very importantly DO NOT EVER LEAVE YOUR OPEN OVEN UNATTENDED (or your closed one, for that matter), especially if you have an older oven. Basic fire safety applies here.

5. The process usually takes around 2 hours if you are dehydrating thinner plants, but may take up to 3-4 if you are dehydrating something thicker like citrus peels or fruit slices. Either way, be prepared to wait a bit. You will know they are done when you can easily crush them if plants or they are breakably-solid if peels. With eggshells they will be brittle anyways, but it's nice to dehydrate them to more easily grind into a powder and also to kill any lingering bacteria.

6. Store herbs as you usually would in a container away from sunlight. Enjoy!

Sources:

Printer's Ornament (Chiswick Press, 192)

You don’t have to have fancy crystals and herbs for spell jars btw. You can use sugar, coffee grounds, leaves, acorns, etc. Don’t fall victim to witchcraft consumerism.

Types of meditation

1. Mindfulness meditation: Focus on your breath or a specific sensation, bringing your attention to the present moment.

2. Loving-kindness meditation: Cultivate feelings of love and compassion towards yourself and others.

3. Transcendental Meditation: Repeat a mantra to achieve a state of relaxed awareness.

4. Body scan meditation: Direct attention to different parts of your body, releasing tension and promoting relaxation.

5. Zen meditation (Zazen): Sit in a specific posture, focus on your breath, and observe thoughts without attachment.

6. Guided meditation: Follow a recorded or live guide's instructions for visualization and relaxation.

7. Vipassana meditation: Develop insight by observing bodily sensations and thoughts with non-reactive awareness.

8. Yoga nidra: A state of conscious relaxation achieved through guided meditation while lying down.

9. Chakra meditation: Focus on energy centers in the body, visualizing and balancing them.

10. Mantra meditation: Repeat a word, phrase, or sound to quiet the mind and enhance concentration.

Harvest Moon last night so I guess it really is autumn now 🍂

The True Value of Tools in Magic (It’s Not What You See Online)

When you’ve spent enough time looking at the occult and witchcraft communities online, you begin to notice patterns that repeat themselves. The type of tools people use, the way people set up their altars, how much money people put towards their craft… I feel like it is important to talk about the true value of these things, because ultimately the tools aren’t what matter the most.

Before I go any deeper into this post, I want to put out a little disclaimer. There is no shame in spending a lot of money to buy fancy tools and such. This is all a matter of personal preference. This is not a post meant to shame people with expensive tools. This post is meant to reassure those who don’t have the luxury of buying expensive tools for their craft.

There seems to be a growing number of people online who talk about why you absolutely need this or that in order to do a little spellwork or honor some sort of entity. You need to buy this expensive candle to honor a deity. You need to use a cauldron of some sort to burn things. You need to be using this herb because it is the best thing you’ll ever use. I’m here to tell you: you don’t need anything that you cannot afford or do not want. Although I do believe they are the minority, I have seen some individuals who will drag others through the mud because they aren’t seeing a reflection of their personal craft in other people’s personal crafts. I feel like some people in the occult and witchcraft communities need to humble themselves and accept that some people simply cannot afford to buy expensive tools, or they just simply do not want to buy them.

I grew up asking my parents “can we afford this” instead of “can you buy this for me”. I was always aware that my family wasn’t as financially well-off as others. I often saved my begging for Christmas because at least that was the time of year when people would go out of their way to please their families. Even today, now that I am an adult, I still pay extra attention to my finances. I don’t buy myself expensive things for my craft often. When I do, it is because something was on sale. I prefer to grow my own herbs, make my own tools and create things by myself. That’s just my preference and it is also more affordable to me. I wasn’t like this when I first started practicing witchcraft, though. No, I was pretty set on buying all kinds of things when I first started. I saw all the pretty things other people were using and thought that I was going to need it. It took me over two years to figure out that all I needed was what I wanted. Two years is how long it took for me to realize that my passions beyond witchcraft could also be applied to my craft.

So, what is truly valuable in magick if not tools? If intention is what you are expecting me to say, sorry. That ain’t it. I’m not a believer in “intention is everything”. I feel like intention is similar to tools, in a way. You can have them, but that doesn’t mean they will make the magick on their own. What I find to be most valuable, beyond intention and tools, is the ability of the individual.

I’m sure many of us have failed when doing spells and rituals, especially when we first started to actively perform spells and rituals. We didn’t get the results we were seeking. Some of us may have gotten the exact opposite. I know that was the case for me. I believe that is because our abilities were only just beginning to grow. You see, I like to think of the individual’s ability to perform magic like a tree. It starts off as a seed. It has potential, but that potential needs a few things in order to grow. In the case of an individual’s ability to use magick, what they need is energy, practice and patience. The individual may not see any results for a while, and if they do see results it may not be anything impressive. After some time, though, the individual will see their abilities grow. They will find what works for them. They will find their path. The individual’s ability grows from that one, little seed into a sprout, then into a sapling and eventually, it grows into a magnificent tree.

Tools and intentions are only two parts of the formula to success in magic. The final, and most important thing, is the individual’s abilities.

@natureaestheticdreams for more 🍃