Herb Talk ~ Bay

Herb Talk ~ Bay

     And now,  from my exploding herb cabinet, I bring you Bay Leaves.  Bay is one of the first herbs I worked with when my foray into herbalism and kitchen witchery began.  It has multiple uses dating back to the ancient Olympic games and beyond and you can find it in any grocery store.  Because of its long history it has quite a few folk names.  Bay Laurel, Baie, Daphne, Grecian Laural, Laurier d'Apollon, Noble Laurel, Roman Laurel and Sweet Bay are a few of its folk names. Its ruling element is fire and its planet is the Sun.  Bay is a masculine herb and it's associated with Apollo, Ceres, Eros and Faunus. 

                                                                     Dry Bay Leaves

     Bay is a powerful, multipurpose herb.  It's used for healing, protection, purification, strength, wishes and psychic powers.  An herb that represents success, triumph and victory, bay was used to crown the victors in ancient Olympic games.  Need to bring some success to your life?  Add bay leaves to a hot bath or grind some leaves up and burn them.  Sprinkle bay around your place of business to attract customers and leave a few bay leaves under or in the cash register for prosperity.  For a money spell, dress(rub oil onto the candle) a green candle with bay oil.

     Bay is also a great herb for protection.  It will not only remove negative energies but it also draws in positive energies.  Carry bay leaves to ward off negative energies and spirits.  When hung in the home, bay will prevent cranky spirits from stirring up trouble and help remove anything negative already in the home.  Plus, bay leaves smell great, look great and maintain their shape so hanging some in your home is a nice touch (especially during Yule).  Bay is also used in wisdom and psychic potions (keep in mind it has a strong taste). To induce prophetic dreams sleep with bay leaves under your bed or pillow.  Bay was used by ancient priestesses of Apollo. They chewed the leaves to bring on a meditative and prophetic state.  They also used bay as a Yule decoration and many people still practice this today.

Simple Bay Leaf Spell

Use a bay leaf to make a wish.  First take a bay leaf and hold it in your hands.  Think about your wish and envision it coming true.  Then take the leaf and write your wish on it.  Once you've written the wish on the bay leaf place the leaf under your pillow or bed.  Leave it alone, forget it's there (except when you change your sheets! don't wash the leaf, remove it and then put it back) and allow your wish to manifest. You can also place the leaf on your altar or any place safe and out of the way. Once your wish has manifested bury the leaf.  I recommend using a felt tip pen, a fine point sharpie or something similar when writing your wish on a bay leaf. Using a regular pen will crack and break a dry bay leaf. 

Bay leaves can also be used to attract love in a few different ways:

• Write a simple love wish 
• Draw a heart 
• Place a few drops of a love drawing oil or your favorite perfume on a bay leaf

Some may suggest writing the name of the person you desire on the leaf but that's a little too close to tinkering with someones' free will in my opinion. Carry the leaf with you until love finds you. Then bury the leaf or put it away somewhere safe. 

Since bay is a dual purpose herb (it repels the negative and attracts the positive) you can also use it to remove something from your life.  Take a bay leaf and hold it in your hands.  Think about what it is you want to push away from you. Then write it on the bay leaf.  Once you've written down what you want to get rid of burn the bay leaf and throw the ashes to the wind. Or, if you are near a source of water (a creek, lake etc), take the leaf to the water.  Place it in the water and watch it float away while envisioning it taking away what you want to get rid of.

Will bay leaves kill me??

Absolutely not.  It is used around the world to season foods.  Everything from soups, meats, fish and spice mixtures are seasoned using bay leaves. If your eating a dish that contains bay leaves and you find yourself with a bay leaf in your mouth don't eat it right away!  First, make a wish.  Bite the leaf while simultaneously making your wish. Then put the wish out of your mind, allowing it to manifest. If you're having guests for dinner, charge the leaf before adding it to your dish, telling it to find the person that needs the wish the most. Tell your dinner guests that the person who finds a Bay leaf in their dinner gets to make a wish. Make sure they know the wish is between them and the leaf!

     Bay leaves.  This powerful, multipurpose herb can be used to repel the negative and draw in the positive.  Use a bay leaf to make a wish or add some taste to home made soup. Challenge ahead or goal in mind?? Bay is about success. Carry it with you to make sure you achieve your goal. Wear it when competing in physical competition (put a bay leaf in your shoe when running a marathon etc.) to ensure strength, stamina and victory.  Add bay leaves to a bath to give yourself a boost of successful energies. Bay leaves are sold in most grocery stores so keeping them on hand is very easy. However you choose to use it, I highly recommend adding bay leaves to your own exploding herb cabinet. 

Bright Blessings,
~Amethyst~



***I am not a doctor and I don't play one on TV. Do your research before you consume any herbs via potions etc.


Source:
Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by: Scott Cunningham
The Encyclopedia of Magickal Ingredients by: Lexa Rosean
Witchipedia.com

I'm Tired. We're Tired.

I wrote/shared this on my personal Facebook page and decided to share it here as well. ~BB~


I’m tired. I’ve been ruminating on the events of the last few days and that’s all I can come up with. I’m just tired. Our world is steadily descending into oblivion like a car careening off the road while everyone pretends the brake pedal doesn’t exist and I’m tired of it. Tragedies happen daily, hourly, all over the world. Bombings, drone strikes, wars that never end, rapists walking away from their crimes with gentle slaps on the wrist, people dying in the street because their skin is too dark or a person who should be minding their own business deems their lifestyle inappropriate. I’m tired. I’m tired of listening to politicians lie and bicker like children. I’m tired of the anger and denial that obscures the seldom used middle ground. I’m anxious for us all to come together, not just with our neighbors down the road but our neighbors throughout the world. I’m tired of so many people still not realizing that we are all connected, every living creature and we absolutely need each other. I’m tired of the media’s flat out refusal to tell people the truth and the revisionist history that has been told for so long most believe it to be true and will stand their ground defending it no matter what. I’m tired of the memes, flag filters for profile pictures and social media posts that pop up after our regularly scheduled tragedy: “Our thoughts and prayers are with (insert person or person affected here)." They accomplish nothing. I’m tired of how numb most of us have become. Tragedies and massacres happen and for a frighteningly brief moment we come together. Candlelight vigils, gathering together to shake our fists in the air, shedding tears, co-workers exchanging exasperated ‘WTFs’ only to turn back to computers and bury their heads in work. Then it all ends, the survivors and people left behind trudge forward with their pain and emptiness while the rest of us turn back to the status quo. School, the kids, work, funny kitten videos on Facebook, Netflix marathons, taking a pic at just the right angle because your life on Instagram is at stake. Anything to not feel it and anything to put it as far away as possible, until it happens again. A tragedy, a massacre, a woman raped behind a dumpster only to be kicked in the teeth by our legal system, mass kidnappings of school children, an entire city drinking poison water, people using bare hands to dig thru rubble because their city was bombed… again. We’ll feverishly share articles on Facebook, gasping at how awful our world is. We’ll offer up opinions, argue with people we’ve never met in person and revel in our indignation. But then it falls away and the hollow status quo our lives have become begins again. I’m tired of it and if you tell me you aren’t I know you’re lying to me and yourself. I’m tired, not because I lay awake fearful of the abyss we’re falling into but because I lay awake searching for a solution I can’t see, a solution that probably won't be found in my lifetime. When the spark that initiated the big bang happened, when God said let there be light, or if the ingredients needed to make this creature called human was dropped off by an asteroid –whatever it is you believe- I’m sure that the state in which we currently find ourselves and the world is not what was intended. I’m tired. We’re tired. So WTF do we do? #ImTired #OnePulse

Book Review: Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans

     I'm kind of a nut when it comes to books.  I have a lot. When I say a lot I mean multiple overflowing bookcases and I'm pretty sure I helped Borders bookstore stay in business a few extra years. From candle magick and divination to historical texts, the books in my house encompass a wide range of topics. One of those topics is astrology.  I have quite a few books about astrology but it's a subject I gave up on years ago. Don't get me wrong, I love astrology. I listen to and read monthly forecasts put out by my favorite astrologers. I see an astrologer whenever possible, having my chart scrutinized, listening to every word with curiosity and focus. I know the basics like Mercury retrograde shows up 3 (sometimes 4) times a year, kicks you in the shins then skips away laughing. I've always assumed I was a lost cause when it came to understanding astrology and using it in my practice/life. In school I was a menace in chemistry class, lost in physics and knew math was created by the devil himself. Why should astrology be any different? So I put it away and gave up, sure I would never be able to pack all the information into my head and understand it. I put it away until a few months ago.

     That's when I started reading a new astrology book and my view of astrology and my abilities to master it completely changed.  Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans, the latest from Ivo Dominguez Jr., is here to come to the rescue of every person that's ever felt like understanding astrology was just out of reach.  Ivo isn't just some random guy writing about astrology. He's been active in the Pagan community since 1978 and began teaching in 1982. He continues to share his knowledge by teaching classes on a wide range of topics at festivals, events and shops throughout the country. (Follow the link below to see his event schedule.)

"It is true that Astrology is a huge field of study and it could take several lifetimes to achieve mastery. The same can be said of Mathematics, but many people are able to learn enough math so they can function in their day-to-day life and manage their finances. My intention with this book is to teach the core concepts of Astrology so that Witches and Pagans would then be able to truly apply Astrology to their practices."

After a brief history, Ivo proceeds to break down and explain astrology in a way that makes it more manageable, tangible and user friendly. This book eliminates the complicated jargon found in most astrology books on the market today. He likens aspects to verbs, explains the construction of planetary glyphs giving each deeper meaning and compares using a single glyph to a simple used in herbalism (all things this writer/kitchen witch greatly appreciated). Reading Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans made me realize there was another way to approach astrology. I don't have to master astrology and I probably never will but I can still incorporate it into my life and benefit from its use.  Instead of looking at astrology as a complicated whole, Ivo offers the information in small manageable bites, using the simplest ingredients creating an easy to follow recipe.  
     I loved this book, I enjoyed reading it and I've been able to begin working with astrology which is something I never thought would be possible. However, there are few points in the book that are hard to follow. The Astrology of Time chapter was complicated and wordy. The information is valuable but I had to read it a couple of times to get a grasp on the information. Also, there are a glaring number of grammar issues throughout the book that sent me searching for a red pen to make corrections. Despite those issues this book is worth reading and I would recommend it to anyone on the road to understanding astrology, especially as it applies to their personal practice. If you're just beginning the journey, lost on the road or just want to learn some basics to aide your magickal practice, this book should be on your shelf.  It won't make you an astrology master but it will help you take the first step in understanding it just enough to apply it to the magickal and mundane sides of life.  


~BB~



Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans
Author: Ivo Dominguez Jr. (www.ivodominguezjr.com)
Publisher: Red Wheel - Weiser (http://redwheelweiser.com/)
Released: Januaray 2016 

 
   

I'm Surrounded By Experts

Magickal Meetings: Debra Silverman

     Last week I had the pleasure of meeting one of my favorite astrologers, Debra Silverman. If you follow my Facebook page then you've seen her astrology videos there since I share them regularly. She recently released her first book, The Missing Element and as a birthday treat for myself I went down to NYC for her book signing. Not familiar with her work? Neither was I until a few years ago when she released some videos on YouTube that she'd been hiding away for a while and they went viral. These weren't just run of the mill, ho-hum astrology videos. She performs the traits of each member of the zodiac with hilarious accuracy (to find the videos go to YouTube and search for her name along with your zodiac sign).  

I'm a Taurus and she kicked me right in 

the ass with this. In a funny, holy hell that's so true, kinda way.

     There have been a few astrologers over the years that I've followed (don't worry, I'm not literally following anyone.... unless your name is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson). Reading the monthly forecast, watching the videos, reading their books etc. But it wasn't until I came across Debra Silverman that I discovered an astrologer that talks how I talk (including dropping the f-bomb on occasion), explains things in a way that I get, is friendly, relatable and delivers brutal honesty with a smile.  All this coupled with a trip back to my favorite NYC bookstore (Namaste Books, good luck leaving this place without a new tarot deck, 5 books and a sack of crystals) and some time with a best friend meant I was going.

     The trip wasn't easy. First of all, the event was scheduled smack in the middle of Mercury retrograde (which Debra acknowledged with a joke "Who scheduled this? What astrologer does that?) I had to get up early which is incredibly difficult for me since I work nights. Then I drove an hour to the train station, parked a mile away, took a two and a half hour train ride to the city only to be smacked in the face with all things New York when I got there. I lived in NYC for almost 10 years and I moved out of state to the burbs in 2014.  This was my first time back and it was overwhelming. The crowded streets and subway, people everywhere rushing around, my overpriced lunch at Whole Foods....  I had to find a bench and spend some time grounding.  By the time I got to the bookstore I was spent. Then, Debra walked in, greeted the group of people in a room filled to capacity (folks were sitting on the floor) and she began to speak and I knew that battling to get there was worth it because I needed to hear what she had to say.  

     Truthfully, I didn't know much about her book and surprisingly it's not about astrology at all. 

"Using personality types that are based on the four elements, she reveals that whatever pain you experience is specific to your personality and that your issues will repeat themselves again and again until you see yourself and others from the compassionate vantage point that unites all of us."  - from the back cover of The Missing Element

At the beginning she had each of us fill out a questionnaire (it can be found on page 46 of her book). Using our answers she explained the elements and helped us discover what elements had a strong presence in our lives, what elements were lacking and broke down the traits, both good and bad, of each element. She described how our souls want to experience everything and our stupid egos get in the way. No one is normal, everyone is delightfully weird and falling in love with yourself is incredibly important. 

"What did your soul sign up for?"

"Can you fall in love with you?"

"Normal is a setting on the dryer!"

"There's no one here that's not weird!"

"Your soul is a slut!! It wants to experience everything, the good and the not so good."  - Debra Silverman

     She spoke for over an hour and the quotes above don't do it justice. I left there thinking about how I can better understand the effect the elements have in my life. I left there knowing that I'm not even close to being in love with myself but wanting to discover that love and my purpose. I left there with the realization that my Earth element is a bit to strong and I need to find ways to reel it in and explore the other elements. The day in its entirety taught me the important lesson that nothing worth it is easy and even the smallest goal (like getting to a book signing during NYC rush hour) takes patience, perseverance and a SCREW YOU, I'M DOING THIS attitude. I left there with a new book signed by my favorite astrologer and some new crystals (I couldn't help it). She also confirmed that yes, I am a little extra crazy because so many planets were retrograde when I was born.  

Me: (fangirling hard) So am I extra crazy because so many planets were retrograde when I was born? There's 5 or 6 that were retrograde.

Debra: Yes, absolutely.  (Remember that honesty I mentioned earlier?)

     I've just started reading her book and I haven't been able to put it down.  Things have really exploded for her since she had the courage to hit the upload button on those zodiac videos. Her laid back approach to astrology makes a wildly complicated subject feel less daunting. And don't let her laid back, feisty, bigger than the room energy fool you, she knows what she's talking about.  I can't wait to dig through the rest of The Missing Element and I'm sure this is the first of many books for this down to earth astrologer. 

Debra Silverman and I

If you're looking for Debra you can find her on Facebook or visit her website.

Brightest Blessings, 

~A


UPDATE: I just came across this video and had to add it. Wanna know what Sting thinks of Debra's new book The Missing Element?? Watch the video below. (I LOVE him)