First Aid Aromatherapy: Essential Oil Magic

Blending essential oils for magic is both an art and a science. Combining these herbal oils can take their individual properties to the next level, interacting together to perform curative miracles.

Classic Essential Oils

    *One drop of lavender essential oil warmed between the palms of your hands can summon an instant         sense of serenity.

    *One whiff of bergamot essential oil can calm anxiety and stimulate the mind.

    * Ylang ylang essential oil can combat hypertension.

    * Rosemary essential oil kindles the memory and can help with perspiration.

A great blend involves combining notes—typically a top, middle, and base, though some blends don’t require a base—to create a balanced and effective aroma.

The top note is the first scent impression, which gives way to the middle note—the star of the show. The base note gives the blend its staying power and usually comes to the forefront much later. The aim in blending these three notes is to create a ratio that results in a harmonious cocktail that works (olfactorily or topically, depending on the blend) to address specific moods or ailments. A good rule of thumb is to use approximately 30 percent top note, 50 percent middle, and 20 percent base. If the blend doesn’t require a base note, round it up to about 40 percent top and 60 percent middle. Always use the highest-quality organic essential oils (see Resources, page 141) for the best outcomes. Consult your local herbal apothecary and look for brands that have had GC/MS testing as that is known as the gold standard test for essential oils. I keep a stock of ½-ounce (15ml) dark-colored vials with stopper lids and blank labels for when aromatherapy needs arise.

For the following blends, carefully pour the oils into a vial and shake gently to blend. You can rub this on pulse points or use a diffuser. These are quite popular. If you are using a diffuser, no carrier (or base) oil is needed. I use the simplest and most old-fashioned kind of diffuser, which is a clay ring you can put at the base of a light bulb in a lamp. The warmth of the bulb slowly fills the space with the desired scent and effect. If you plan to use your blend on pulse points, you will need a carrier oil. Always do a skin test first to avoid any potential irritation.

Jubilant

The sweet scent of this blend makes you feel all warm and fuzzy—euphoric, even.

    * 1 drop each of top notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli

    * 1 drop each of middle notes: ylang ylang, jasmine, Roman chamomile, geranium, rose

    * 1 tablespoon of a carrier (or base) oil, ideally jojoba or apricot

Quietude

If you need a moment of peace, try this citrus-floral blend.

    * 3 drops of top note: orange

    * 5 drops of middle note: ylang ylang

    * 2 drops of base note: patchouli

    * 1 teaspoon carrier (or base) oil, ideally sesame or jojoba

Bright Mind

Clear the mind and gain a keen sense of alertness with this bright, sunny blend.

    * 1 drop each of top notes: rosemary, peppermint, bergamot, lemon

    * 1 drop each of middle notes: mint, geranium, ylang ylang, jasmine, Roman chamomile

    * 1 teaspoon carrier (or base) oil, almond or grapeseed

Herbal Helpers for Quick Protection Magic

You need look no further than your kitchen cabinet for other commonplace herbs to ward off unsettling energy:

    * Lemon rind: Rubbed on furniture, doorjambs, and window frames, cleanses negative energy.

    * Rosemary: When added to potpourri, woven into a wreath, or sprinkled on your doorstep, helps                 protect you.

    * Salt: On the threshold of your home will keep away unwanted guests.

    * Kava kava: Kava kava root guards against negative energy. Boil ground kava kava in a quart (1 liter)     of water, let it cool and pour the water on your front step and walkway. To ramp the power up even            more, add in 1 tablespoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon. Safety first!

Rosemary Restores You

Rosemary is another of the herbs that thrive best in warm Mediterranean climes but can weather the cold. Tough to grow from seed, cuttings are an easier way to start your row of rosemary plants in your garden. Pots of this bushy plant can enjoy being outdoors in spring and summer and then come in from the cold to a sheltered porch or inside by a sunny window. As a bonus, it requires little water. Rosemary is fantastic as a seasoning for potatoes or roast chicken and makes any Sunday supper taste better and brighter. You can pinch off the aromatic needles to dress plates or sprinkle into soups and stews. Beyond all of what it can do to enhance your cookery, this is a primary plant for rejuvenation. It is prized for how it restores after lingering illness; elixirs and essential oils made from rosemary stimulate, raise mental alertness, and energize as they comfort. In Greco-Roman times, rosemary was believed to help the memory. An excellent kitchen witchery practice is to take dried or fresh rosemary and add it to a steam for an easy infusion where it aids breathing, muscle aches, and anxiety. You can accomplish the same by adding rosemary to a hot bath, either in a fresh sprig or wrapped in a little cheesecloth to keep the rosemary from scattering. Lie back and relax, remembering happy times in your life and those that lie right ahead of you.

Lover's Lure: An Enchantment to Entice

https://streetanatomy.com/blog/2009/02/26/human-candles

This conjuration utilizes the secret language of flowers to bring your ideal love into your life. With visualization and daily spell work, you can create the love of a lifetime, custom fit to your specifications. Gather up:

• 2 candles shaped like human figurines, or two pink candles
• Rosemary essential oil
• Rose essential oil
• 2 fresh roses in your favorite color

Any witchy five-and-dime will have candles shaped like human figures; they are usually red in color. Get one each shaped like a man and a woman (or whatever configuration suits your need) and place them on your altar. If you can’t find these waxen figures, use two pink candles. Also take the two fresh roses and place them in a vase on your altar.

Rub rosemary essential oil on each candle, then do the same with rose oil. Rosemary is for remembrance, and rose is for sweetness and affection. Now light the candles and whisper:

    Brother mine, brother fair,

    new friend of my heart,

    merry may we meet and merry may we greet again.

    I draw you with my art.

    One rose for you, one rose for me.

    And so it shall be.

Substitute “Sister” for “Brother” if that suits your need.

Each night when you are going to sleep, you should visualize your meeting and what you will say. Each morning, take a moment to meditate on the roses on your altar. Sooner than you think, your love will appear. Mother Nature, one of the guises of the goddess, will take her course.

Chaji: the Art of the Japanese Tea Ceremony

You might do well to go to a Japanese teahouse to fully experience the tea ceremony before you undertake one yourself, but don’t be intimidated if you cannot. As with all ritual, your intention is the most important aspect. I am fortunate that I live in San Francisco, home of one of the last North American Japantowns. Thus I have several options for tea services in this unique shopping district, where there is a Japanese tea garden near a Shinto shrine. Following are the steps to take in the Chaji, a full tea presentation.

Establish a chashits, which is the special room for the ceremony. If you are like me and don’t have a special room just for tea, clear out space in the living room and place pillows on the floor and set up a low table. I find it rather amusing that the stone basins whose purpose it is to provide cleansing water for the housemaster’s hands and mouth are now sold as fancy garden ornaments for those modern folks who like a Zen look for their house. Establish a peaceful environment—no clutter; perhaps set out a lovely flower such as a single orchid or artfully arranged flowers in the high art form of Japanese flower arranging, ikebana. A Japanese teahouse has no distracting decor and is the ultimate in simplicity and serenity. One decoration, the exquisite scroll painting kakemono, is carefully chosen by the host. Choose a painting or drawing to represent the spiritual sense you want to suggest to your guests through the ceremony. I have friends who have done some kanji characters in the brush painting style to express the emotions they felt at that moment. A light and clean scented Japanese incense is the perfect energetic balancer and cleanser. Now you will take on the role of the host: the teishi, or housemaster.

Invite four people, the traditional and ideal number, and offer them hot water for the tea, referred to as sayu. The guests are to choose someone to act as the hanto, or “main guest.” In formal Japanese tea ceremony, the host actually has a guest who is the hanto. The main guest is not set apart by hierarchy; it is just an arbitrary selection by the host to have

a person with whom to engage first in the formalities of this high ritual. Also, there is an anteroom for a reception and a special flowerless garden that has been anointed with water for the purpose of offering a place for the guests to shrug off the cares and grime with which the world burdens them. This garden without flowers is the roji, or “dew ground.” After leaving the mundane world behind, the guests go to a waiting bench called the koshikake machiaii. Complete silence reigns as the housemaster takes the guests through a symbolic gate in order to leave the material and physical world behind, and enter into the magical realm of the tea ceremony.

While the Chaji could easily take up its very one book, the way any Westerner can enjoy the spiritual aspects of tea is to receive the gift of tea from the master, pass it around, and share it with the other guests. The gift of tea is the gift of fire and water, yang and yin. Taking tea in this ritualized style is to help keep the world in balance, to escape the material world for a time, and then to return, refreshed and rebalanced.

Inspiration Infusions

Along with healing and energizing properties, herbal teas can aid the mind. Try the following blends:

• Bergamot dissipates negativity and uplifts.
• Basil lends a sense of serenity.
• Rosemary supports physical well-being.
• Orange creates sheer joy. 

Imbued with Love: Lavender Rosemary Infused Vodka

This clear alcoholic drink is also easily infused with the flavor of flowers, herbs, fruits and even vegetables. Try combinations such as the light and sweet floral taste of lavender and rosemary. Lavender brings calming and healing and rosemary dispels negative spirits. Both of these are love herbs. What could be better? You’ll need the following:

• A quart bottle of vodka
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 3 springs of lavender
• Larger canning jar with sealable lid

After you have rinsed your herbs in cool water and gently patted them dry, put them in the one-quart (32 ounce) Mason or Bell jar. Pour in vodka, making sure to cover the herbs to the top, then seal tightly. Give it a vigorous shake and place the jar in your pantry or dark closet for five days, making sure to shake at least once a day. After the second day, take a spoon and taste the vodka. If the taste suits you before the full five days are up, go ahead and strain the herbs out using cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter, Set the herbs aside and let them dry. After the vodka is thoroughly strained of any herbs or residue, pour it into a bottle; label the bottle with the date and what herbs you used. Tie the dry herbs into a bundle with string and use their aroma when you next make a fire in the hearth. Their scentful smoke will imbue your home with coziness, calm, healing and love.

Blessings on a Budget

Instead of composting all the herbs, twigs, and stems from your brews, you can store them in a burlap or muslin sack and allow them to dry. Keep stuffing in twigs of lavender, rosemary, mint, and all the leftover aromatic plant material until you have a big bag. On some special evening, burn it in your fireplace or an outdoor bonfire, and it will be like a gigantic incense burner with the lovely scents wafting from the flames. And the best part? It’s 100 percent free!

Rosemary and Thyme: A Rejuvenation Retreat

All of us get worn down due to the sheer busyness of life. Oftentimes when we feel depleted, we get a little sad, too. To rid yourself of negative emotions, try this purification bath. Draw a warm bath at noon when the sun is at its healing peak, then add the following essential oils into the water as it flows from the faucet.

• Two drops rosemary for calm
• Two drops peppermint for stimulation
• Three drops lavender for energetic cleansing
• Three drops thyme to relieve mental exhaustion

As you soak and steam, repeat this prayer four times:

Sadness, I release you—goodbye.

Fatigue, I release you—goodbye.

I greet this day anew. My life is now renewed.

Blessed be me, so mote it be.

Rosemary Lavender Serenity Salve

• ½ cup rosemary essential oil
• ¼ cup lavender essential oil
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons beeswax

Combine the rosemary essential oils and the coconut oil. Heat the oil and wax together until the wax melts completely. Pour into a clean, dry jar. When the mixture has cooled a little but has not yet set, add the lavender essential oil, which is also an antiseptic, and stir gently. Seal the jar and store in a cabinet to use anytime you scratch yourself working in the garden or want to renew and soften your hands and feet after a lot of house or yard work. Another note, use it on the outside of your skin and it will work wonders, but if a cut is deep, don’t get it inside the wound. Let your physician handle that. Rosemary is a miracle plant for healing; in combination with the lavender, this power duo will restore your spirit along with your skin.

Blissful Blend: Basil-Infused Oil

Infusions have regained popularity as a way of getting as much of the herb into oil as possible. This is a method of preparation that brings the flavors of one food, in this case, fresh herbs, to another, such as oil. Basil oil is unbelievably easy to make. You’ll need:

• 2 ounces fresh basil
• ¾ cup virgin olive oil (or you can use safflower oil or canola)

Ideally, you will gather your fresh herbs in your own kitchen garden, but any farmers market or organic grocery will have green herbs. For the best and purest flavor, use fresh herbs at their peak. Rinse thoroughly in cold water. Gently pat dry with paper towels and give the basil a coarse chop. Place into a metal colander and dip into boiling water for ten seconds. 

Rinse in an ice water bath and drain well. Gently pat dry and add the basil to the oil. After three to five days in a cool dark place, the flavor will have infused into the oil, adding the fresh bright green note of the herbs. Use liberally on roasts, stir-frys, or salads, and drizzle on top of cooked vegetables and soups. Basil not only confers much palatability, but it also brings prosperity. Enjoy!

These herbs also make fantastic infused oils: rosemary. tarragon, parsley, chives, and cilantro.

Rosemary Restores You

Rosemary is another of the herbs that thrive best in warm Mediterranean climes but can weather the cold. Tough to grow from seed, cuttings are an easier way to start your row of rosemary plants in your garden. Pots of this bushy plant can enjoy being outdoors in spring and summer and then come in from the cold to a sheltered porch or inside by a sunny window. As a bonus, it requires little water. Rosemary is fantastic as a seasoning for potatoes or roast chicken and makes any Sunday supper taste better and brighter. You can pinch off the aromatic needles to dress plates or sprinkle into soups and stews. Beyond all of what it can do to enhance your cookery, this is a primary plant for rejuvenation. It is prized for how it restores after lingering illness; elixirs and essential oils made from rosemary stimulate, raise mental alertness, and energize as they comfort. In Greco-Roman times, rosemary was believed to help the memory. An excellent kitchen witchery practice is to take dried or fresh rosemary and add it to a steam for an easy infusion where it aids breathing, muscle aches, and anxiety. You can accomplish the same by adding rosemary to a hot bath, either in a fresh sprig or wrapped in a little cheesecloth to keep the rosemary from scattering. Lie back and relax, remembering happy times in your life and those that lie right ahead of you.

Power of Sun and Moon Potion

Here is a powerful herbal healing essence you can make in one week’s time. For an immune system boost, crush a mixture of equal parts rosemary, sandalwood and the petals of a red carnation. Place the crushed herbs in a colored class jar filled with virgin olive oil. After seven days’ storage on a windowsill so as to be exposed to both Sun and Moon, strain and place the infused oil back into the jar. You now have a hearty supply of homemade healing oil to use in the bath, or to rub on your pulse points: temple, wrists, backs of knees, and behind the ears. As soon as you feel rundown, one application should make a difference.

Woden’s Moon – Wednesday Wonder Invocation

Woden is also known as Odin, whom superhero fans now know from the wildly popular Thor movies, is at the top of the Nordic pantheon of the gods. He wields mighty power and is also associated with Mercury, with rulership of communication and keen intelligence. Woden even appears in olden Persian mythology, wherein he is credited with creating the moon on a Wednesday. Remember to offer thanks to the generous deity for gifting us our lovely lunar disk. Place dill and rosemary, two herbs for all-around mental strength and clarity, in your burning bowl. Light a yellow candle and use this to light the herbs. Patchouli incense adds power to this ritual; light this to power up your mental faculties and walk around your personal space to imbue this scent of smartness all around your work area. This will open your mind and abet your ability to create, whether your intention is to write a letter, a speech, prepare for a job interview or any project where you need to give your best. Once you feel focused, speak this spell:

I call upon you, great Woden
On this, your day
By my hand,
And with your blessing,
The fire of my mind Burns bright,
Burns long,
Burns eternal.
Deep gratitude
On this day
Under this moon 
Which you have given, 
Blessings to all.

Peace and Healing Potpourri (Waxing or Full Moon is Optimal)

Sometimes, we all need a quick fix and this is exactly what this herbal mélange can do for you. Draw some fresh water and simmer this mixture on your stove whenever you feel the need to infuse your space with protection or do an energetic turnaround from negative to positive. A bad day at work, family squabble, an unfortunate incident in your neighborhood: instead of just muddling along, you can do something about it and your creation of the positive will help you and your loved one as well as your neighbors. This powerful potpourri will also safeguard from outside influences that can be disruptive. Set your intention and gather these herbs from your stores:

• 7 cinnamon sticks
• ¼ cup rosemary
• 4 Bay laurel leaves
• 1/8 cup sage
• 1 teaspoons juniper berries

Mix the herbs together by hand. While you are sifting, close your eyes and visualize your home protected by a boundary of glowing white light. Imagine the light running throughout you to the herbs in your hand, charging them with the energy of safety, sanctity and protection. Add the herbs to slowly simmering water and breathe in the newly charged air.

Blessed Balm Spell (Waning Moon is Optimal)

Simmer this mixture whenever you feel the need to infuse your home and heart with the energies of protection. A waning moon is the time to banish old negative energy. This will safeguard you and your loved ones from outside influences that could be negative or disruptive. Set your intention and gather together the following herbs:

• ¼ cup rosemary 
• 1 teaspoon dill weed 
• 4 bay laurel leaves cup cedar 
• 1 tablespoon basil 
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries 
• 1/8 cup sage

Mix your herbs together by hand. While you are doing this, close your eyes and visualize your home as a sacred place protected by a boundary of glowing white light. Add the herbs to a pan filled with simmering water. When the aromatic steam rises, intone:

By my own hand, I have made this balm; 

This divine essence contains my calm. 

By my own will, I make this charm; 

This precious potpourri protects all from harm. 

With harm to none and health to all, 

Blessed be!

Hedge Witch Herbal Healer (Dark Moon Phase)

In the days of old, the village doctors were elder women, and quite a few utilized the knowledge of hedge witches who knew all the plants of field and forest. For an immune system boost, crush a mixture of equal parts (½ cup each) rosemary, lemon peel, lavender, and the petals of red roses. Place the crushed herbs in a sealable colored glass jar filled with almond or sesame oil, ideally twelve ounces. After seven days on a windowsill, exposed to both the sun and the dark moon, strain and place the infused oil into the jar. Speak this chant aloud:

In this dark moonlight, I will see
That I release anything that ails me.
With the wisdom of the crones of old,
All the blessings of this world unfold.

You now have a hearty supply of homemade healing oil to use in the bath, or to rub on your pulse points: temples, wrists, backs of knees, and behind the ears. As soon as you feel slightly rundown, one application should make a difference. Be sure and whisper thanks to the hedge witches who passed down this sacred healing knowledge.

Flower Remedy Ritual

Flower essences restore emotional balance and aid physical harmony. Naturopathic doctors and healers recommend using Dr. Bach’s flower remedies, which were originally created from the morning dew found on flower petals. These subtle medicines are available in most health food and metaphysical stores. To know which essences are right for you, take a pendulum and write the essence names on paper in a wheel formation. Holding the pendulum in the middle, wait for it to select one name while chanting:

Spirit of the flower, help me this dayTo keep disease and depression far at bay. Blessed be.

To prepare the following remedies, mix two drops of flower essence in 30 milliliters of distilled water. Take four drops of the remedy daily until your health is restored. You can also apply the remedy to your pulse points: wrists, temples, behind the ears, back of knees. You can also add it to your bath, or spray it into the air. Following is a guide to healing flower remedies:

Addiction: skullcap, oregano 
Anger: nettle, blue flag, chamomile
Anxiety: garlic, rosemary, aspen, periwinkle, lemon balm, white chestnut, gentian
Bereavement: honeysuckle
Depression: borage, sunflower, larch, chamomile, geranium, yerba santa, black cohosh, lavender, mustard
Exhaustion: aloe, yarrow, olive, sweet chestnut
Fear: poppy, mallow, ginger, peony, water lily, basil, datura 
Heartbreak: heartsease, hawthorn, borage
Lethargy: aloe, thyme, peppermint

Stress: dill, Echinacea, thyme, mistletoe, lemon balm 
Spiritual blocks: oak, ginseng, lady’s slipper

Teutonic Tonic

You will notice that many a witch appears ageless. There is a good reason for this; we manifest a lot of joy in our life, including creating potions to take excellent care of our skin for goddess-like youthfulness. This refresher is inspired by the eternally strong and beautiful deity Freya.

Combine these oils in a sealable dark blue bottle:

• 2 ounces sweet almond as base oil
• 2 drops chamomile
• 2 drops rosemary
• 2 drops lavender oil

Shake very thoroughly and prepare to anoint your skin with this invocation:

Goddess of Love, Goddess of Light, hear this prayer,
Your youth, beauty and radiance, please share. So mote it be.

Clean your skin with warm water, then gently daub with the potion. You can also make a salve or balm using my recipe if you want to turn the clock backwards. Prepare to be asked for your beauty secrets.

Botanical Bliss: Garden Your Way to Happiness (Waxing Moon is Optimal)

For healing, plant sage word sorrel, carnation, onion, garlic, peppermint and rosemary.

For dispelling negative energy, plant heather, hawthorn, holly, hyacinth, hyssop, ivy, juniper, periwinkle and nasturtiums.

Farming and working with plants is guided by the moon, and should take place during the waxing moon in the signs of Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Capricorn and Taurus.

Hedgewitch Tinctures

Teas brewed from a single herb are commonly called “simples.” I love that phrase of olden times. Experience has taught me that these simples often have the most intensity, since the very singleness of the herb gives it potency. A simple made from one of the following herbs enhances mental clarity, even clairvoyance. This will jumpstart you on your path toward any creative pursuit. Here is a recipe for a very inspired tea:

Boil one pint of spring water. Place into your favorite crockery teapot a half-ounce of any ONE of the following herbs: rosemary, mugwort, yarrow or thyme.

Steep for ten minutes and strain with a nonmetallic strainer, like cheesecloth or an inexpensive bamboo strainer. Sweeten with a little honey; I recommend clover honey because you get the added benefits of clover’s lucky powers. Sip this brew while relaxing, and be inspired!