Any Witches Here?- Part 18

[speakout]

Or Wiccans. or Pagans? Or anyone who is interested in a magical path or feels some magical stirrings.
A place for support, learning, swapping ideas and magical inspiration..
This is the 17th thread- anyone looking for a deep dive into juicy magical topics may like to browse previous threads.....
It is a long list!!
Part 1 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3241689-Any-witches-here?pg=1
Part 2
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3338025-Any-Witches-Here-Part-2?pg=1
Part 3
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3366411-Any-Witches-Here-Part-3?pg=1
Part 4
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3404406-Any-Witches-Here-Part-4-Edited-by-MNHQ?pg=1
Part5
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3437092-Any-Witches-Here-Part-5?pg=1
Part 6 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3482023-Any-Witches-Here-Part-6?pg=1
Part 7 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3520269-Any-Witches-Here-Part-7?pg=1
Part 8 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/a3568622-Any-Witches-Here-Part-8?pg=1
Part 9 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3637696-Any-Witches-Here-Part-9?pg=1
Part 10
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3726266-Any-Witches-Here-Part-10
Part 11
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3850635-Any-Witches-Here-Part-11
Part 12
//www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/3997761-Any-Witches-Here-Part-12
Part 13 //www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4116107-Any-Witches-here-Part-13
Part 14www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4213962-Any-Witches-Here-Part-14
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4328830-Any-Witches-Here-Part-15?msgid=113505801
www.mumsnet.com/talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4435233-Any-Witches-Here-Part-16?page=40&reply=118807589

www.mumsnet.com/talk/philosophy_religion_spirituality/4598225-any-witches-here-part-17?page=40&reply=122990208

My lovely DH also suggests 133.4 for books on Witchcraft (retired librarian, but they never get retired really, only withdrawn from stock 😆). Or maybe he is now reference only?

Lots of snow here. Main roads seem clear but people in smaller villages are getting a bit cut off.

Yes, I defer to him as a proper librarian. I wish I were a librarian. ,📚📚

Thank you all for your kind words and advice about dealing with grief. On top of everything else, I've now tested positive for Covid! I avoided it for three years, so I guess it was going to catch me eventually. Actually, I was weirdly relieved when I saw the result as I now feel justified in taking the rest my body and mind so badly needed. Ridiculous, I know.

HillsBesideTheSea I'm so sorry to hear you're not doing so well. I hope you start to feel better soon.

Who has snow today? Ours melted away very quickly, but I've seen on the news that some areas have had a lot overnight. I can't get excited about snow in March...I love it in December/ January but I'm ready for the spring now!

VioletCharlotte not ridiculous at all. That's how my mind and body operate. If I am taking on too much- mental or physical my body rebels, if I ignore my need for calm or restoration then I get a throat infection, bad back, a cold.
Makes perfect sense to me.
I hope you are feeling better soon.

snow here, and while normally I don't mind it too much (because it's a joy to play with my son in it) we are supposed to be seeing a performance in London tomorrow night and I would quite like to be able to get there!

Hi I was on here a few weeks ago as @moonwitchmum but morning sickness took over and when I came to log back in I forgot my password🤦🏻‍♀️. So it’s me but under a bit of a different name, I’m excited to get back into this thread now the morning sickness has passed.

MoonWitchMom good to have you back, happy to hear your morning sickness has passed. Pregnancy is such a special time, but can be full of challenges. I hope this trimester is easier for you.
queenrollo I hope roads are clear for you tomorrow- enjoy the performancxe.

The light has returned. Optimism too. I am listening to DS and his friend gaming together. They are equally enthusiastic and it is wonderful. DS has friends! Multiple. For us, this is a big deal. I am so proud of him.

DS,currently away dogsitting for friends,has sent me photos of some nasty patches of eczema on his arms and fingers with the message " mum,brew something!"

Fresh stocks are out and dried are in low supply but have a calendua infused oil with lavender and a drop of peppermint in the slow brew. Also some oat muslin bags for washing. Feels good to be herbing again. Roll on summer!

Wow! I would love to be able to do that! How do I learn?

Loads of books out there to get you started. Begin with some simple herbs with which you can make teas or infusions and basic salves.
Grow lavender,marigold,mint,chamomile, sage to get you underway. I love learning and experimenting to find what works and why

Would you mind recommending some books?

Blessings all. I'm in my 60s and live a few miles outside of Glastonbury. I am an Alexandrian 3rd degree witch used to run covens and so on but I moved to the West Country a few years ago and now I am a solitary witch working alone. I have pagan friends but I'm no longer interested in working with other people.
I live alone with my cats.
Magical work at the moment is like working through mud, old coven members have commented on it too. The atmosphere is heavy and not conclusive to workings. It's been like this for a while. We are sitting it out and waiting for whatever this is to pass.

Of course!
The ones I use most( and I'm still very much a beginner) are
The Garden Apothecary by Christine Iverson
The Herbal Apothecary by JJ Pursell
Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier, pub Dorling Kindersley

The first one is nice beginner with some easy things to make. The calendula hand balm on page 55 is great!

Second one develops the technical skills in a friendly way and explains in detail about making infused oils,poultices,tinctures etc. Also has more detailed medicinal information and important contra indications so you dont poison anyone!

The third is just a go to of information. Wouldnt be without it.

Start with simple teas/ infusions and then see where your interest takes you.

I would also suggest building up a collection of essential oils. The ones in the wee brown bottles which you can buy at herbalists or online. These are distilled so much more potent than the infused oils you can make at home, and you can add a few drops to your oils to boost them. Do not use these neat!

Thats very interesting. Do you have any ideas what is causing this heaviness?

Thank you, that's really helpful.

Thank you @speakout. I embraced morning sickness with DC1 as I was in awe of all the changes happening to my body but it’s a lot more difficult the 2nd time around when you have a toddler to look after too😂.

@ISaySteadyOn I’m so happy hear that your DS has made some good friends.

@Hedjwitch I can’t wait until mine are old enough to ask me to brew something for them. I’m going to go through your reading recommendations, it sounds extremely interesting

Sunriseinwonderland I’m sorry to hear of the heaviness you’re feeling, can you think of any reason for it?

There has been really heavy snow by us but the sun came out this morning and I could feel a bit of spring in the air. I’m so conscious about not wishing time away but I am really looking forward to some warmer days (as warm as they can be in Yorkshire😂).

I wish we did, its been going on for a couple of years now. I meditate, pray, light candles, go to the White Springs regularly. It will pass.

I imagine it’s the result of Covid? Something awful has happened energetically because of it I feel.

I don't know what it is, but it is just about warm enough today for me to give the house a good airing. I am going to try that .

I had such an amazing evening in London on Saturday. An incredibly moving gig. The supports were both quite different, the second particularly more art than music (soundscape to a vintage horror film being projected overhead).
The main event was just captivating, it's hard to describe because the output of the band (Current 93) is so varied. But the constant member and main writer, David Tibet, has a deep interest in spirituality and mysticism and this feeds into his lyrics.
One of the most moving parts of the whole evening though was June-Alison Gibbons reading from her book The Pepsi Cola Addict. She is one of the Silent Twins for those of you that may remember/heard of them. She has a very difficult past at the hands of institutions and it was just so incredibly to see her now being fully supported in finally getting her writings published. I cried when she said thank you at the end.

It is a really blustery day here, which is irksome because I have so much to do in the garden but can't really. So it's an indoors day, I will do a bit of housework and then maybe retreat to my craft room.

Finally managed to get the stress levels down to where i can function again. Sleep... sleep is a different matter, but can be fixed now the stress has been.

We celebrated mother's day earlier and had a lovely family day with sibling. Games and cake. Next weekend is a big birthday in the house celebration. And still pleased that clocks going forwards and mothers day are not the same day this year! Still looking forwards to the clocks changing but it is going to be hard to adapt when overtired already.

The books are a mixture of overtly witchy and I can incorporate into my craft but not at all intended to be witchy.

Adventuring over the hills a lot this week so really hope the snow they have planned for tomo does not arrive, but will travel with the ofrs (in case of unexpected hotel type stay) and thermos and duvet and good torch and good book. Just in case. Especially considering how many got stuck last week. I am not going to be stuck and miserable, if i have to be stuck i want to be comfortable!

There is an odd feel, but to me it feels less of what has been and more of an anticipation of what could be. I am mostly ignoring it whilst being mindful of it. But it is a very weird atmosphere, the kinda you can't quite put your finger on but unsettles you anyway.

Wrt the herbalism stuff if you are one FB a lot of the big american "schools" of herbalism will offer free taster sessions and some of those are really quite good. Can hunt out the ones i follow who do this if you wish. I don't sign up for the big courses because reasons time, money, usefulness to me of a higher level of study, lack of recognition of the course in Uk but the short courses can be a very good jumping point for further research especially those that come with further reading list recommendations.

Watch out for some of the books as there are books out there that will lead you astray. I have one book that say a herb is good for the thyroid. but it doesn't say if it activates or suppresses the thyroid which is important if you have a hyper or hypo thyroid condition. It is for this reason alone that i would recommend the first book it a encyclopaedia of medicinal plants. Cross referencing a book can be very necessary.

And i have strong opinions about the crowd of it's natural just try it and see opinion. Like really? Natural selection /darwin awards are a thing <sigh>

@HillsBesideTheSea oh yes the whole 'it's natural' thing. It can have very serious consequences.
I had some issues with menstrual cycle/fertility in my late 20s and self medicated with agnus castus. In hindsight it messed me up and when I made friends with a medical herbalist some years later and discussed this with her she said that it's quite powerful and you have to truly understand how it works on the body to use it safely.
I only ever use things I am absolutely certain of, and if I want something out of my knowledge base then I turn to professionals.