Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Magick of Hedge Apples (Osage Oranges)

















I have been intrigued by these since I was child. My mother and I would frequently go for rides in the car in the country, it was beautiful and cheap entertainment;) We used to drive down a hilly road that had an Osage tree hanging over it. In the fall, we would stop and pick up a basket full to decorate the house with. My mother taught me that not only were they good for keeping pests out of your home but also good for keeping other nasty things away, like tricky spirits. We would set them in bowls or pin a ribbon to them, like a pomander, and suspend them around the home, particularly from the trees and by windows. They have been used in homes for centuries to keep cockroaches, boxelder bugs, spiders, and crickets away and, perhaps, other pests as well;)
Very little is known, magickally about this strange fruit, but I love finding them and having their protective energy around. They are becoming increasingly rare due to the invention of barbed wire. It was once widely planted for it's long thorns-trimmed into a hedge, this created an impenetrable fence to contain livestock.
Osage oranges possess masculine energy and are associated with the elements of Spirit, Earth, and Fire. Named after the Osage tribe of the Great Plains region who used it's very hard, rot-resistant, non-shrinking wood for their bows. It is highly desirable and suitable for magickal tools as well. These fruits are famous for their associations with astral travel, and it's ability to attract spirit guides and animal guides. The fruit also aids with achieving goals and expressing passions, bringing your true purpose and abilities to light.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

the beginning of my kyphi (kapet) process...




The favorite scent of Egyptians was Kyphi. On a daily basis, the ritualized burning of incense in ancient Egypt consisted of frankincense in the morning, myrrh during the day, and Kapet (Kyphi from the Greek translation) in the evening.




According to Egyptologists, Kyphi played an important role as a sacred fragrance in many ceremonies. It was also believed Kyphi could revive the dead and was placed in tombs of kings to enjoy in the afterlife. It was highly prized, had many expensive ingredients, and required a lengthy and specialized process to create it.
This is the beginning of the process, the way it was passed down to me. I don't know if I'll document the entire process, as it is sacred to my family. I have begun by using golden currents,
a spiced red wine, cardamom, both ground and whole, cinnamon, both ground and whole, and juniper berries. 11 other ingredients will be added along the process which takes 30 days. Many recipes claim you can create this overnight...you can't. I highly enjoy this process, it is meditative and strengthens my connection to me deities. I hope you enjoy the process and the finished sacred incense that will be available for purchase at my shop www.ConjuredCardea.etsy.com

Friday, September 24, 2010

Pokeweed, one of my favorite autumn plants



Also known as pokeberry, cancer-root, inkberry, american nightshade, false nightshade,crowberry, poke root, polk root, virginia poke, cocan, coakum.

Pokeweed is edible and medicinal, when cooked. It has a long history of use by Native Americans as a medicine for colds, a dye for leather, and used as a food source. The young shoots are boiled in two changes of water and taste similar to asparagus, berries are cooked and the resulting liquid used to color canned fruits and vegetables. The root is alterative, anodyne, antiinflammatory, cathartic, expectorant, hypnotic, narcotic and purgative. It is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, tonsillitis, mumps, glandular fever and other complaints involving swollen glands, chronic catarrh, bronchitis and diseases related to a compromised immune system it has potential as an HIV treatment drug.

Magickally, pokeweed is a masculine plant, it's element is fire, and planet is mars or mercury. It is an intense protection and hex-breaking herb. It also promotes courage and strength, and development of self and enhances magick. It even has a reputation for aiding creating hexes as well. With it's defensive qualities, it will protect and defend you while you create your working.It's berries have long been used as an ink and make a wonderful magickal ink for writing in special books or inscribing sacred items and tools.

I became enthralled with this plant when I began my 7 years of work on Hood's flower farm. It grew along the flower fields and thought it's contrasting pink stems, green leaves, and deep purple berries were beautiful. I also felt attracted to it magickally and spiritually, maybe because I'm a fire or because I'm always attracted to the toxic plants;) This native herb is one of my allies and I have gained so much from it's protection and magick. I now grow it in my garden, eve though here, it is a common nuisance weed. Make a tincture with this herb and asperge your home with it to protect it from negativity. You can do this by filling a jar with the leaves and pouring vodka over it, letting it set for a few weeks, shaking it daily. You can also dry the leaves and add them to charm bags, mojos or sprinkle around the perimeter of your property. The root takes a while to dry as it is very fleshy, you can speed this by putting it in the oven at 150 degrees for a couple of hours. It makes a very potent protection talisman.

I often cut it just to put in vases, then dry the parts after. Don't place a vase of this on a light colored, or good table cloth, the berries WILL drop and stain:/

This herb is toxic and the berries will stain.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

La Sal Negro...A Family Tradition






These pictures show my family's process of creating the salt. I start with a cast iron pan, consecrated only for creating this salt. It is cleansed with vinegar and oil, sage is then burned inside. Ashes from benzoin, copal, dragon's blood, myrrh, aloeswood, and frankincense resins (all have exorcising properties) are added to the pan along with the ash from the sage. Consecrated salt is then added and the pan is scraped repeatedly in order to combine the ingredients with iron filings from the pan-THIS is true sal negro!

Black salt prevents and repels negative magick. This salt can lessen the severity of most jinxes, hexes, curses, or hants. Place this around your property to prevent those who wish to harm or steal from passing over. Place in an enemy's footstep to prevent them from returning. I find the best way to use this is as preventative magick; before any working place a circle of this around so unwanted forces can not disturb your working.

For sale at ConjuredCardea.etsy.com

Friday, September 17, 2010

Oya's Altar




Autumn is Oya's season and with each day growing crisp and cool it is obvious that She is here. The leaves become the 9 colors of her skirt, the cool winds blow in the change of season and blows out stagnation. She brings us cool change but warms our hearts in order to be open and accepting to that change.




Change is inevitable-ignore her and it will be fierce and abrupt, honor her and it will be slight and with ease .

Oya's altar is decorated with 2 images of her, 2 rainbow candles, a small Kali statue (her hindu aspect) a large, sliced eggplant, a whole coconut (used as the mouth of Oya) drained of milk, plum grapes, fresh patchouli from my garden, red and purple skull candles, the largest osha, high john, dixie john, galangal, and orris roots I could grow;), horse teeth and bones, earth from Ethiopia, she butter (her favorite!) 9 pennies, copper pieces, garnets (another favorite) red tiger eye, and rainbow coloured stones-chalcopyrite, opal, pietersite-all of which come from Africa. Ashe!

Recommended Readings...


Recently, I've been contacted by quite a few people through Etsy wanting book recommendations. Many of these books are on my required reading list for my coven, and they have all spurred spiritual growth within myself.
















Diane Stein-Guide to Goddess craft
Luisah Teish-Jambalaya
Luisah Teish-Carnival of the Spirit
Luisah teish- Jump Up
Sharron Rose-The Path of the Priestess
Susan Weed-The "Healing Wise" series
Szuzannah Budapest-Summoning the Fates
Szusannah Budapest-The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries 1 & 2 Starhawk-Spiral Dance
Stephanie Rose Bird-Four Seasons of Mojo
Stephanie Rose Bird-Sticks, Stones, Roots, and Bones
Milo Riguad-Secrets of Voodoo
Shekinah Mountainwater-Ariadne's Thread
Judith Gleason-Oya, In Praise of the Goddess
Anita Diamont-The Red Tent
Clysta Kinstler-The Moon Under her feet
Lady sabrina-Secrets of Modern witchcraft Revealed

of course, more will follow;)