Traditional Witchcraft for Urban Living

The Spell

Holy water come and bring;
Cast in salt for seasoning;
Set the brush for sprinkling;
Sacred spittle bring ye hither;
Meal and now it mix together
Add a little oil to either;
Give the tapers here their light;
Ring the saint’s bell, to affright
Far from hence the evil sprite.

Vinegar, Honey & Garlic: Nature’s Secret Weapon by Maxwell Stein

When under stress, take three drops of ‘rescue remedy’ in a cup of tea. Make a standard tincture with one pint of at least 30% proof alcohol (vodka is ideal), and pour over 4 ounces of dried herbs. Keep the mixture in a warm place for two weeks and shake daily. Strain the liquid through muslin into a dark, airtight bottle and take 1 teaspoon three times a day. As far as I am concerned, my sloe gin also falls into this category because of the feel-good-factor it produces after one small glass!

Decoctions are made when roots or the hard woody parts of the plant are used and merely pouring boiling water over the herb is not sufficient to extract the active ingredient. Allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes and strain through a nylon sieve while hot. If kept in a cool place, a decoction will last a day or two. The standard dosage is one teacup three times a day. Unpleasant tasting infusions or decoctions can be sweetened with honey. Although both are usually taken orally, they can also be used in a bath, footbath, as a face wash or hair rinse. Witch hazel for burns comes under this latter heading.

Dried herbs generally lose their potency after 6-7 months, while roots, bark and seeds can be kept for up to three years.

Culpeper’s Colour Herbal

RHS Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses

Spiritual
Response
Earthly
Mental
Answer
Practical
Unconscious
Result
Material