Made With Love: Heavenly Healing Salve

Can a pricey jar of chemicals match the power of Mother Nature and your love? I think not!


Instead of expensive over-the-counter products, we use hydrogen peroxide, witch hazel, calamine lotion, aloe vera gel, and both arnica cream and calendula cream.  We are ready for (almost) anything! Creams and ointments are often expensive to buy but can be made easily at home.  Here is an easy recipe to make your own curative cream.

Make Your Own Topical Salve:

            stainless steel saucepan, bowl, whisk, and thermometer

            small clean jars or cans to store your ointment in

            15 grams (1 tablespoon) beeswax

80 milliliters (5 tablespoons) organic almond carrier oil  

             add 20 drops of arnica tincture to make an arnica cream;

15 drops of rosemary tincture and 14 drops of lavender oil to make cream

Melt the beeswax and vegetable oil in a double boiler (or in a bowl over a saucepan).  When the beeswax is fully melted, remove the bowl or pan from the heat.  Whisk the ointment until it is cooled to around 100◦ F, then stir in the tincture you are using. Once you have the hang of it, you can experiement and make blends that smell like heaven!

Label and store in clean, sealable lidded jars or cans.  These homemade creams will last longest if you keep them refrigerated

Plant Your Own Sacred Grove

My mother’s best friend passed away over the weekend and they had one of those incredible relationships you rarely hear about. 

They talked every day, mostly on the phone, but also saw each other often. I realized it would be a lovely tribute to my dear mother’s beloved friend to plant a flowering tree she can see to remind her of the gifts of that special bond. I have planted trees for people who passed and confess I even planted one for Michael Jackson which I can see right now out of the window by my writing desk. Michael’s tree is showy and is exploding in bountiful, beautiful purple flowers.

In much the same way that animals, stones, and stars were totemic to early peoples, so were trees. Greco-Roman spirituality had sacred groves, as did the Aborigines in Australia, Hindus in India, Germanic tribes, and the Celts of Europe. To the Celtic Druids, the oak was the major sacred totem tree. Pliny the Elder pointed out that groves of trees were the first temples.

A wonderful way to celebrate our planet, our tribe and engender the ideals of preservation and ecological sanctity of our precious resources is to return to the sacred grove. Essential elements necessary for the ritual are Tibetan Prayer Flags or colored ribbons and colored markers.

Gather your friends and go to a mutually agreed-upon home, park, farm, or forest. Find the largest oak or largest tree with low-hanging branches and circle around it, holding hands while chanting:

We are the wisdom of the stars.

The beauty of this green Gaia.

To the planet that gives us life, we return the gift.

We are one

We are the stars and the stones and the sea.

We are one.

By casting the circle with voice and action, you create a boundary within which magic can take place. One by one, each member of the circle should speak a wish for universal healing, write the wish on a ribbon, and tie the ribbon on the tree. Each flutter of the breeze will speak of your hope and good wishes for our planet. If you are lucky enough to be on the property of a member of your circle, ask if you can leave the ribbons there as the mark of the sacred grove. If you are lucky enough to have gathered at someone’s home or farm and can plant a tree, do plant one and name it and care for it. I am excited to surprise my mother with her tree dedicated to the life and memory of her devoted friend, Marylyn,

 Blessed be.

By Jove: Your Abundance Altar

Your altar is the nexus of your magical powers; it is also your medium through which you give gifts to the Roman god of abundance, Jupiter, also known as Jove. 

Jupiter is a rain and thunder deity who also controls fertility. He will rain abundance down upon you if you gain his favor through ritual observance. His “jovial” qualities include leadership, jollity, generosity, expansiveness, and a royal manner. Your middle finger is your Jupiter finger and you can also increase your fortunes by leaving a ring on your altar overnight and then place it upon the middle finger of either hand. Ideally, for the best result, it will be a green or gold stone such as peridot, tourmaline, or citrine. If you can find a statue or bust of Jove, you should place this symbol on the right side of the altar, accompanied by the image of an eagle, which is the ideal prosperity altar emblem, as the eagle is Jupiter’s bird totem. The eagles of Rome and America are this royal bird of the king of gods. Lapis lazuli, the beautiful blue stone beloved of the Egyptians, is also sacred to Jupiter. The alchemical symbol for this stone is the astrological sign of Jupiter in reverse, and the blue of the lapis stone is associated with the blue of the sky god. You can increase your prosperity by remembering one of the most basic principles of prosperity: By giving, so shall you receive.

Astral Azurite Meditation

The great psychic and healer Edgar Cayce used this blue beauty for achieving remarkable meditative states during which he had astoundingly accurate visions and prophetic dreams.

 Indeed, azurite helps achieve a high state of mental clarity and powers of concentration. If you can’t find the answer to a problem in the here and now, try looking for solutions on the astral plane. Write the problem down on paper and place it under a small azurite overnight on a windowsill so it collects moonlight.

At 11:11 a.m., lie comfortably in a quiet and darkened room with the azurite stone placed over your third eye on your forehead. Clear your mind of everything for eleven minutes and meditate. Sit up and listen for the first thing that comes into your mind—it should be the answer or a message regarding the issue at hand. Write down the words you receive. The rest of the day you will be in a state of grace and higher mind during which you will hear information and answers to help guide you in many aspects of your life. If you, like me, enjoy this meditation, you may want to do it every day at 11:11 a.m. and every night at 11:11 p.m. I strongly suggest that you keep a journal of these “azurite answers.” You may receive information that you won’t understand until many years have passed, making the journal an invaluable resource and key to your very special life.

Metal Magic: Silver for Stability and Health

SilveAligned with the planet and the god Mercury, silver is about communication. Silver has been associated with the moon for thousands of years. 

As such, it is a stabilizer of any crystal or gem. Rather than adding to the energy of a stone, it secures the energy and supports the gem.

Silver is a healing metal that should not be worn all the time; let your body tell you when it feels right. Silver offers a mirror of your inner spirit, and this should be given very special attention. Silver is a detoxifying agent and communicates with the body to alert you to raised levels of hormones and other chemical imbalances. The metal is good to wear as a necklace, as it is very beneficial to the throat and lungs. Your synapses even fire more efficiently because silver acts as an energy conductor. Consequently, silver is good for people encountering memory reduction, psychological issues, and diseases affecting the brain.

In olden days, women wore silver around their waists to improve fertility. Men can do the same—by wearing a silver belt buckle, perhaps—to treat impotence or other sexual dysfunction.

Moonstones are wonderful in combination with the sacred moon metal. Amethyst is also great in a silver setting. Jaspers, agates (especially fire agate), and opals are very suitable in silver. Although diamonds are more often set in gold, they are also terrific in silver settings. The same holds true for sapphires. Lapis, jades, emeralds, and pearls set in silver are said to attract love.

Here is a list of stones you should not set in silver: zircon, tourmaline, and amber. I see amber set in silver all the time, and it is unfortunate because amber is a hot stone and works better with any other metal.

In foreign countries, silver is used in a variety of customary ways. Parents in China, for example, give their children silver-locket necklaces to show love and offer protection and luck. In France, couples wear silver chains upon getting engaged.

Essential Oil Remedies: Sacred Self Care

Essential oils have been used medicinally for centuries.  They are extracted from flowers, grasses, shrubs, herbs, and trees.

If you are skeptical about the efficacy of essential oils, you’ll at least find it reassuring to know that the oils enter and exit the human body without leaving any toxins behind.  The best ways to use essential oils are externally, absorbed through the skin, or through steam inhalation.  However, oral applications are indicated for some remedies.

There are hundreds of essential oils used by herbalists, but for general therapeutic use in the home, these are my recommendations you need to have at the ready,

Lavender Oil

If I could only have one essential oil, I would choose lavender because it is so versatile.  It is a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, sedative, antidepressant, topical treatment for scalds and burns, and a good detoxifier; it prevents scarring and promotes healing, and its lovely scent has a calming effect and is widely used in aromatherapy.

Tea Tree Oil

Used by aborigines in Australia for centuries, tea tree oil is a powerful antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic.  It has a fresh camphor smell and is used to treat athlete’s foot, sunburn, candida, and other infections.

Peppermint Oil

A wonderful therapeutic for digestive, respiratory, and circulatory complaints, peppermint oil is used to treat indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, flatulence, halitosis, catarrh, varicose veins, headaches, skin irritations, and rheumatism.  It also works as a deterrent for infestations of mice, fleas, and ants.  It is not surprising that peppermint oil is regarded as the world’s oldest medicine.

Eucalyptus Oil

In eucalyptus oil, we have an all-purpose antiviral, antibiotic, diuretic analgesic, and antiseptic.  It can be therapeutic for coughs, colds, respiratory stimulation, and insect bites.  If you start to feel cold symptoms, use 5 drops of eucalyptus oil in a hot bath or in a bowl prepared with boiling water for a head steam.

Thyme Oil

Thyme is an “old-time” antiviral, antibiotic, antiseptic, and diuretic curative; it was highly valued and widely used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans for fatigue, coughs, warts, rheumatism, neuralgia, and acne.  Thyme oil works very well mixed with base oil for massage.

Rosemary Oil

Sweet-smelling rosemary oil is a great antiseptic to use for flu, coughs, headaches, depression, muscular stress, arthritis, rheumatism, fatigue, and forgetfulness.  Rosemary oil is stimulating and will perk you up if you do a head steam with it or put a couple of drops in the bath.

To Your Health! Healing Herbal Teas

Herbal tea nourishes the soul, heals the body and calms the mind. Try these:

 

Blackberry leaf tea reduces mood swings, evens glucose levels aiding in weight management. This miraculous herbal even helps circulation and such issues as inflammation and varicose veins. It is helpful to cancer patients and is believed to be a preventative.

Cardamom is a favorite of expectant mothers everywhere as it calms nausea and morning sickness; this East India fragrant is excellent for digestion, clears and cleans your mouth and throat. Anyone who likes cinnamon will love cardamom.

Nettle raises your energy level, boosts the immune systems and is packed with iron and vitamins.

Fennel is excellent for awakening and uplifting and is excellent for digestion and cleansing. Fennel also is a natural breath freshener. Catnip is a gentle but potent sleep-inducer

Catnip is one of the witchiest of teas and is not only grown as fun for your feline familiar. At the first inkling of a sore throat or impending cold, drink a warm cup of catnip tea, and head off to bed and you will awaken feeling much better. Catnip soothes the nervous system and can safely help get a restless child off to sleep,

Echinacea lends an increased and consistent sense of well-being and prevents colds and flu. It is a very powerful immune booster.

Ginger Root calms and cheers while aiding digestion, nausea and can also fend off coughs and sore throats.

Dandelion root grounds and centers, provides many minerals and nutrients. This wonderful weed is also a cleanser and a wholly natural detoxifier.