Sara C. Snider's Blog, page 7

A to Z Herbarium: Heather

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Heather

Protection, Rain-making, Luck

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White heather is used for protection–particularly against rape and violent crimes–and for good luck. Red is used to start or end an affair; purple for spiritual development. Using heather at Samhain will invite spirits to visit, and burning it with fern outside will attract rain.

Heather has antiseptic and diuretic properties, and can be used to treat genitourinary ailments such as bladder and kidney infections. It’s also a soothing plant that can...

A to Z Herbarium: Geranium

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Geranium

Protection, Fertility, Love, Health

 

All geraniums have protective properties when grown in a garden or brought into the home. It is said that red geraniums planted near a witch’s cottage will lean towards strangers as they approach and warn the witch of the impending arrival. Red geraniums are also especially protective and bolster health.

Pink geraniums are used in love spells, white ones to increase fertility. Fresh leaves of the rose geranium can be brushed onto doorknobs...

Hazel and Holly — Stained Glass Memories, Part Two

Hazel made a fist over the basin and let her blood drip into the crystalline water that bloomed like a drowned rose. Ash did nothing to stop her. Instead, he smiled a self-satisfied smirk, as if to say he never doubted this moment, as if to say I told you so.

Hazel clenched her hand and the gentle drip-dropping of her blood turned into an irregular patter as it seeped between her fingers and stained her fist. It was like she had a second heart, and this one would pump her blood into the worl...

A to Z Herbarium: Fern

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Fern

Rain-making, Protection, Health, Luck, Wealth

 

Back in the day, people didn’t know how ferns reproduced since they don’t have seeds, so this has led to some interesting folklore. In the Middle Ages, people believed ferns flowered and produced seeds at midnight on Midsummer’s Eve. But, since they couldn’t see said flowers or seeds, they believed them to be invisible. It was believed that if you witnessed the fern flowering or managed to collect the seeds, you could become invisible...

A to Z Herbarium: Elder

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Elder

Protection, Healing, Prosperity, Sleep

 

The elder tree is closely associated with faeries and otherworldly realms. The elder is symbolically feminine, and there is a myth of a guardian spirit residing in the tree. In Denmark she is called Hyldemoer (Elder-Mother), and in English lore she is called Old Lady or Old Girl. Prior to cutting an elder tree, one should ask permission to avoid bad luck by reciting, “Old Woman, give me some of thy wood and I will give thee some of mine w...

A to Z Herbarium: Dandelion

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Dandelion

Divination, Wishes, Calling Spirits

 

The leaf of the dandelion is used in summoning spirits, healing, purification, or overcoming negativity. The root is used in divination, wishes, and calling spirits. Drinking dandelion tea or coffee (in which the roots are roasted and ground) promotes psychic powers. Leaving a hot infusion by the bedside will call spirits.

Dandelion belongs to the goddess Hecate and is associated with the underworld and necromancy. It is beloved by bees,...

A to Z Herbarium: Catnip

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Catnip

 Cat Magic, Love, Beauty, Happiness

Catnip is sacred to Bast and is excellent to use in rituals involving cats or cat deities. Can be used with rose petals to make love sachets. When one holds catnip in the hand until it is warm, and then holds someone else’s hand, that person will become one’s friend as long as the catnip used is kept safe.  Can also be used in spells and sachets to enhance beauty or happiness. Dried leaves are burned to work love magic. If grown near the home o...

A to Z Herbarium: Blackberry

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Blackberry

Healing, Money, Protection, Pies for Lughnassadh

 

Blackberry is a cooling herb. Its leaves can be used to treat burns or, in a decoction, for a sore throat. The berries can be eaten—either fresh or in jam or wine—to alleviate stones or diarrhea. Blackberry syrup can help ease winter colds or flu. Brambles that grow in a natural arch can be used in magical healing. On a sunny day, one is supposed to crawl through the arch backward then forward three times (nobody said magic wa...

A to Z Herbarium: Ash

 

Woohoo! First post of the A to Z Challenge 2017. In case you can’t tell from the banner, the theme here is Magical and Medicinal Plants and Herbs. And the first entry is…

 

 

Ash

Prosperity, Protection, Sea Rituals, Health

Yggdrasil, the World Tree in Nordic lore, is an ash tree. It is associated with the god Odin, who hung himself on the tree and gained knowledge of the Futhark Runes. Similarly in Druidic lore, the ash tree symbolizes the Cosmic Axis of the universe, spanning through dif...

Hazel and Holly — Stained Glass Memories, Part One

Previous: Familiar Fellowship

 

Holly sat on the floor in front of the fire. The flames warmed her back, and that warmth helped keep her fear under control. Everything would be fine—nothing could be so bad as long as you had clothes on your back and a fire to warm them. Right?

She needed to believe that.

Hawthorn remained in front of the creepy black door. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, as if he intended to wrestle with the door if it didn’t give way to his spells. Holly grinned a...