Greenleaf Wiccan Self-care Spells

Restorative rituals to ease stress, heal mind and body, and conjure contentment
1. Auflage 2024
ISBN: 978-1-80065-395-5
Verlag: CICO Books
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 144 Seiten

Discover a set of soothing spells and helpful hints to vanquish any worry heading your way. Applying the healing wisdom of our foremothers, Cerridwen Greenleaf's easy practices and pagan prescriptions are the perfect antidote to the hurly-burly world of stress, anxiety, worry and constant bombardment of negative news. Wiccan Self-care Spells is written with you in mind and includes dozens of inspired ideas using plants, roots, teas, herbal cures, crystals and natural remedies to restore serenity to your life. For anyone dealing with sleeplessness, bouts of the blues, angst and being over-busy, this book is the ideal combination of both mental and physical healing; the sacred self-care spells will take you from harried and hurried to contented and calm.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Greenleaf, Cerridwen

Leseproben

goddess blessing: a witchy wellness ritual

Wherever you are along the pagan path, I have no doubt that you are being called upon to help your loved ones, your spiritual circle, and your community much more than ever before. The pressures of work, finances, constant connectedness, and the unrelenting barrage of negative news reduce immunity. Self-care is essential and, like many of you, I am drawing from everything I have learned from my wise Auntie Edie, my magical mentors, and all my experience and Book of Shadows recordings for what works well to counteract the dis-ease in our environment. In times like these, we are called upon to serve others. That is the intention behind this spell.

gather together:

1 green, 1 brown, and 1 blue candle

1 amethyst, 1 citrine, and 1 green jade crystal

sandalwood incense in a small fireproof bowl

a smooth flat stone, at least 10 in. (25 cm) in length

Tapping into the strength of earth is an important aspect of healing magic. This rite is best performed outdoors in the garden or on your fire escape or deck. Take the flat stone and designate it as your outdoor altar. Now, place the candles, crystals, and incense on the rock. Light the first candle, whichever color you prefer, and the incense and pray aloud:

The world is too much with us

But we have the power of our Mother Goddess.

The magic we bring to the world

Will help, will uplift, will serve, will heal.

Mother Goddess, I call upon you to make me a vessel

To help others in times of need. For this, I thank you.

So mote it be. Blessed be.

Light the next candle and repeat the spell. Light the last candle and say it again. Contemplate the candle flames as you draw strength from Mother Earth. You will know when it is time to put out the candles and incense. Store your mobile altar and, when you need to recharge, repeat the wish spell.

AL FRESCO THERAPY: forest bathing

According to a recent EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) study, the average person spends 87 percent of his/her life indoors and 6 percent more in a car or commuting in buses or trains. We don’t spend much time outside. Stress has a major impact on health and aging—spending time in nature is a way to counteract that and has been shown to reduce anxiety and increase relaxation. Forest bathing, a practice begun in Japan in the 1980s, is growing in popularity and is blessedly easy. Forest bathers go to wooded areas and simply sit or stand in nature. Breathing in the air and taking in the earthy smells will bring your senses alive and, as a side benefit, regulate heart rate and blood pressure. Grab a camping blanket and set out to find a wooded area where you can be alone in the cathedral of nature. No phones! Find a spot, put down your blanket, take off your shoes. Stand on the forest floor barefoot and feel the earth under your feet. You can either sit or lay down on your blanket for at least an hour and just be.

Baking-soda basics

Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) is great in a bath and is very calming to the skin. Add a cup (4½ oz/130 g) under the faucet (tap) as you fill your tub with hot water. If you suffer tension headaches, a simple solution is to treat it with a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup (8 fl oz/225 ml) of warm water with ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Drink at room temperature and soon you’ll feel fine.

POT OF GOLD: aloe heals everything

Even if you have the opposite of a green thumb, you can grow aloe—and you should. We have an aloe plant in our kitchen. It is very sturdy—I even left it out on the porch recently and can now attest that an aloe houseplant can withstand freezing temperatures—and it’s pretty hard to overwater or underwater aloe. It’s the perfect plant for beginners. Any time a sting or burn needs soothing, pull a leaf and squeeze out the gel onto the affected area.

I also have a huge plant out in the garden, which is great for making batches of aloe gel. All you do is gather and wash the leaves, peel the skin, and harvest the gel inside. You can store it in the refrigerator for ten days. As a topical application, aloe-vera gel is great for all kinds of burns, and it has been shown to have therapeutic value in the healing of skin lesions caused by psoriasis.

We probably all know aloe as a summer necessity for relieving sunburn, but with all of the nutrients it contains—it’s full of vitamins and minerals—it is no surprise that this super-plant offers many physical and mental-health benefits as well. Aloe is one of the few vegetarian sources of vitamin B12, and also contains vitamins A, C, E, folic acid, and choline. Potassium, calcium, selenium, and iron are among the 20 minerals it contains plus it has 19 amino acids, eight of which are essential.

Stir two teaspoons of the gel into 1 cup (8 fl oz/225 ml) glass of water for a refreshing aloe juice, which is a great general tonic recommended as an aid to digestion, a stimulus for intestinal health, and a gentle colon cleanse; or you could dilute the gel in an organic juice if you prefer. Aloe can help to regulate appetite and sleep rhythms thanks to the amino acid tryptophan, which aids in the production of serotonin. Serotonin supports feelings of relaxation and reduces depression. Recent studies indicate aloe’s ability to improve memory.

Taking aloe vera daily will do you the world of good, but even just a couple of times a week will be beneficial. It can also be imbibed neat and, if you don’t have your own plant, the juice is easily found at any grocery store nowadays, ready-made.

massage is medicinal: mango feel-better butter bars

Dr Andrew Weil and many other wise physicians and holistic medical experts all agree that lymphatic massage is very helpful for overcoming depression and anxiety and improves health in myriad additional ways. New research shows that the lymphatic system is mainly responsible for reabsorbing cerebrospinal fluid. If you want to feel better mentally and physically, you need to learn ways to improve lymph flow through your body and brain to improve detoxification. I take this as our cue for more massage pronto. This simple recipe for DIY massage bars will help to make this healthful practice even more enjoyable and good for the skin.

gather together:

? cup (3 oz/75 g) shea butter

3 oz (75 g) beeswax

1 teaspoon sandalwood essential oil

¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) mango essential oil

double boiler

soap-bar molds (available at craft stores)

Slowly heat the shea butter and beeswax in a double boiler over low heat until just melted. Remove from the heat. Add the essential oils when the mixture has cooled slightly and stir. Pour into soap molds and leave to cool until hardened, approximately 2 hours. Place the molds in the freezer for a few minutes before popping the bars out of the molds. To use, rub a massage bar onto the skin—the warmth of the skin immediately melts the bar. I store some bars in small, travel-size tins so I have them available at all times.

THE HEALING POWER OF FLOWERS: floral essence energies

Many of our favorite flowers have distinctive healing energies that can be captured in water. A key difference between flower essences and essential oils is that flower essences minister to the emotional body while essential oils treat the physical body. Vials of a multitude of flower essences are available at grocers, pharmacies, and new-age shops. Bach Flower Remedies are doubtless the most popular and have a recommended dosage of three to four drops taken via the bottle dropper under the tongue two to four times a day. I suggest using no more than two different floral waters at any given time for full effect.

Flower essences are typically ingested directly via the mouth or by way of adding a few drops to a glass of water. They can also be dropped onto linens, such as your pillowcase, or into your bath and can be applied directly to the pulse points (temples and wrists). Floral essences are also different from essential oils in that they do not carry the scent of the flower. It takes a few flowers to make an essence whereas essential oils rely on a significant amount of the plant.

bloom again: sip a flower essence for a gentle remedy

I am happy to share my family recipe, lovingly handed down through several generations. To make your own flower essences at home, start by making a mother tincture—the most concentrated form of the essence—which can then be used to make stock bottles. The stock bottles are used to make dosage bottles for the most diluted form of the essence, which is the one you actually take.

gather together:

handful of freshly picked flowers specific to the malady being treated (see Chapter 5)

6 pints (2.8 liters) fresh pure water or distilled water

organic brandy or vodka, at least 40 percent proof

large glass mixing bowl

tweezers or chopsticks

cheesecloth (muslin)

large pitcher (jug)

green or blue sealable glass bottles

Ideally, begin early in the morning, picking your chosen flowers (all of the same species) by 9 a.m. at the latest. This leaves you with three hours of sunlight before the noon hour, after which the sunlight is less effective, even draining.

Put the water in a large glass mixing bowl. To avoid touching the flowers, use tweezers or chopsticks to place them carefully on the surface of the water, until the...