Samhain Herb Bundle

Just small things you can use to incorporate a little magick into your day 🥰🧿

20 Tips to being a Safe Witch

Altar Safety

When burning anything always keep a glass of water near you, unless you are working with burning oils, then keep a fire extinguisher or baking soda on hand.

When working with essential oils(EO), do not burn them they are highly flammable 

Never leave anything burning unattended, be it a burn bowl, candle, incense. DON’T LEAVE IT!

Please remove anything flammable such as paper or string from the candle, it will ignite and you will be alarmed.

Make sure that what you’re burning your candle in is fire safe, metal and cast iron are good bets. Do NOT burn in a glass, if you have to put it out and dump water on it, it will explode. 

Make sure you tie back loose hair and don’t have any floppy sleeves or necklaces to get in the way. 

When putting out a candle it is best to use a candle snuffer and do not use water. 

Don’t burn kitchen sage, it gives off a toxic smoke. Not something you wanna inhale.

Essential Oil Safety

Please, please dilute them properly. I have a chemical burn scar I can never get rid of due to undiluted cinnamon bark oil. The proper dilution is one drop per teaspoon.

Never ingest EO, there are some that are now generally recognized as safe by the FDA, but the quality of EO are not regulated. Who knows what a bad quality EO could do to your internal organs, not something I wanna test.

Essential Oils are photosensitive, meaning they deteriorate in light store them in a dark area to prevent them from spoiling.

DO NOT put them near on your skin and get in the sun or a tanning bed, especially citrus oils, they will blister.

Water will not dilute essential oils, only other oils(canola, olive, sweet almond, olive will all dilute). If you want to use them in a bath it is one drop per a teaspoon of oil.

Please seek medical attention if anything seems off after using EO, they seem harmless but can be very dangerous

Pets can be very sensitive to essential oils(particularly cats) and it is almost impossible to cover all my bases here. The sources provided below have some great resources.

Always go by the scientific name, German and Roman chamomile are very different products.

Kitchen Magic Safety

Wear shoes if you’re doing anything, I nearly lost a toe the other day cause I dropped a knife. I got lucky I was wearing boots. 

Wear correct clothing, and tie back hair. No matter if you have a gas, electric or induction stove, I’ve caught a lab coat sleeve on fire thanks to a torch while making a creme brulee. 

Use your knives correctly, learn about the pinch grip and use the correct knife for the job. Using a paring knife for chopping potatoes is asking for trouble. There are tons of videos online, I like the ones from Alton Brown and Jamie Oliver.

As a side note use sharp knives, a blunt knife will do more damage than a sharp one.

Don’t leave knives in the sink, someone could begin to wash dishes and cut themselves. 

Watch the steam. Steam can give a worse burn than dry heat, open pot lids away from you and don’t stick your face and phalanges in steam. 

Don’t leave food products unattended. 

Use your damn pot holders, they protect you and your counters. 

Store raw meat on the lowest shelves, and never store cooked meat on the same shelf

Wash your hands before, wash your hands after handling raw meats, wash your hands after. 

Don’t leave food that is meant to be cold or hot out for more than 2 hours, this is to decrease foodborne illness. 

When using the store turn handles in, to keep yourself from bumping them off the stove. 

Cook meats to proper temps(there is a chart in the sources)

If you are using herbs be sure to use kitchen grade herbs, those that are not kitchen grade are not held up to the same purity standards and could have more pesticide residue.

Herbal Safety

Please be aware a lot of herbs can work against prescription medications, or should only be taken in very specific doses( St. John’s Wort I’m looking at you.) Check in with your doctor or a licensed herbalist or naturopath before ingesting herbs.

Crystal Safety

Identify your crystals, some are water solvent some are not and it matters

Some that aren’t safe in water include malachite and selenite. They have copper and if aren’t sealed they can become toxic. There is no way to know for sure if it was sealed or not keep -ite crystals dry as a good rule of thumb. 

Some crystals fade in sunlight like rose quartz, amethyst and citrine, in order to prevent fading try cleansing them with sound, flower petals, moonlight and energy.

VIV Sassmaster, WHC Blog Manager, WHC Moderator @thestudiouswitch

Sources

http://candles.org/fire-safety-candles/

http://www.pixiespocket.com/2016/03/lets-talk-about-candle-safety.html

https://naha.org/explore-aromatherapy/safety/

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=182.20

https://www.thespruce.com/dangers-of-essential-oils-555089

http://www.thelavendercat.com/images/PDF-TheLavenderCat_temp_use.pdf

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/do-essential-oils-pose-a-risk-to-pets

http://www.usingeossafely.com/is-it-safe-to-use-essential-oils-with-dogs/

https://www.thespruce.com/top-kitchen-safety-tips-481834

http://www.dummies.com/food-drink/cooking/kitchen-safety/basic-rules-of-kitchen-safety/

https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html

http://www.amfed.org/editor/BEAC/Articles/2011/AdultArticlesAdv/16.Minerals%20Safe%20to%20Handle-Some%20Require%20Caution.doc

http://arccitius.tumblr.com/post/149575827181/crystal-safety

What Native people say about the use of sage: you can use sage, but you cannot smudge as nothing you are doing (waving sage around) is actually smudging. Smudging is a ceremony and you are, we promise, not smudging. Please buy sage from either us, or someone who sources the sage from us. White sage may not be considered endangered by the US government but corperate sourcing is making it difficult for us to source sage for our own religious purposes. Let alone to sell it.

What white people hear: never use sage ever, don’t ever buy it, don’t own it, don’t even look at it.

Look, y’all. There’s a couple of facets to my talk today.

1) Yes! You can buy sage! You really, truly can! Buy it from either native sellers (go to a powwow! Eat our food, buy our stuff, watch some dancing!) Or buy it from a seller who sources the sage from native people. Pick one. And no, buying it from 5 Below doesn’t count.

2) you CANNOT smudge. This isn’t just you “shouldn’t”— this is a YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF SMUDGING. Waving a sage stick around your doorways IS NOT SMUDGING. It is smoke clensing. Smudging, depending on the tradition and tribe, could easily have dancing and drums involved. You, as a white person, do not have the cultural BACKGROUND to even know how it works. At all. Period.

3) please, for FUCKS SAKE, stop making posts here on tumblr where you tell other white people about cultural appropriation and what they can and cannot do. Please stop, your license has been revoked because none of you bother to get the facts right. We native people are FULLY CAPABLE OF DOING IT OURSELVES. Consider instead: a) reblogging our posts where we talk about it! We’re here! We have made posts!! b) Making a post that states what we said and then LINKS BACK TO US. Screenshot with a link if you must. Stop centering your own voices in these conversations. You are already centered in everything, stop centering yourselves in a native space.

I’m tired of this nonsense, y’all.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk ™

——

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Autumn Healing Brew

(Standard Disclaimer: I am not a physician. This is purely a suggestion and is not meant to circumvent, supersede, or replace modern medicine. Please consult your doctor before trying any new medication or treatment and take all proper mundane measures to care for your health. Avoid or replace any ingredients to which you are allergic.)

This is my favorite recipe for recovering from cold and flu. I made a batch of it this morning for some of my officemates who haven't been feeling well and I thought I would share in case anyone needs a pick-me-up.

You will need:

Black tea (I usually use Earl Grey for this recipe)

Honey (local is best if you can get it)

Ginger paste

A fresh orange

Cinnamon stick (if desired)

Brew the tea on the strong side and fill your favorite mug about 2/3 of the way. Add a pea-sized amount of ginger paste plus honey to taste and stir well. Slice the orange into wedges. Select a piece and prick the rind with a fork before adding it to the cup of tea. Macerate the orange a little to release the juice and pulp. If you want, you can also add a cinnamon stick for flavor.

Breathe in the steam while the tea is hot, then sip slowly once it's cooled to a drinkable temperature. It's best to drink it while it's hot. I find this really helps with cough and sore throat, plus it's tasty and comforting. Nothing like a good cuppa to put oneself right again.

Pro-Tip: If you want to make a decongestant version, add a pinch of cayenne pepper. Your nose will run like a faucet, but it helps.

Happy Witching! 🤧

from love as an act of merciful conquer by silas denver melvin

click for better quality (my instagram)

[Text ID: “you want to be loved if only to prove it possible: to tell the world that someone saw you as a conquest & came back alive. that above all else, you are worthy of the risk, the effort. you want someone to serve you the evidence: (in italics) you are not as damned as you think you are. you are not as damned as you think you are (end italics)”. /End ID]