As a witch, you more than likely have
stumbled upon the idea of smudging with sage, and maybe even done it
yourself. Smudging is a Native American practice that uses white
sage, and has recently been surrounded by much talk of cultural
appropriation. Luckily, with over 750 species of sage
out there, there are other choices.
Its Latin name Salvia comes
from the word ‘salveo’, which means ‘to save’ and refers to the
widely recognised medicinal uses of this plant. Salvia
officinalis also known as Common
Sage or Garden Sage, is probably the most commonly used type of sage
in cooking, and therefore the most easily obtainable one.
It is
a fairly hardy plant, able to survive most winters outside. Seeds
should be planted in spring and are easy to grow, with little
maintenance needed and no common pests or disease that you need to
worry about. It needs full sun and well drained / dry soil.
My garden sage, in need of some TLC after winter.
Sage
is an antiseptic. It can be made into a gargle when infused as a tea
to aid sore throats and throat infections. However, drinking the tea
for more than a week or two at a time can cause symptoms of poisoning
due to the herb’s strength.
As witches, we also value its cleansing and protective properties. It can be used in a cleansing bath, before or after a ritual, or maybe even as a part of it. To infuse your bath simply add 7-8 drops of sage essential oil to a full bathtub. Alternatively, you can get a small bit of muslin or similar fabric and fill it with dried sage. Tie it with a string and attach to the tap, so that water flows through it as you’re filling your bath. Sage can also be grown, harvested and dried into a cleansing stick or burned as incense to cleanse your space. Personally, I like to cleanse the house every couple of weeks with it, as I find it really lifts the energy at home. Similarly, a couple drops of essential oil can be added to home made cleaning products, to obtain the same cleansing and protective effects. Other magical correspondences include healing, wealth and wisdom.
Resources for this post: Jekka’s Complete Herb Book by Jekka McVicar A Concise Guide to Herbs by Jenny Linford Traditional Herbal Remedies by Jenny Plucknett The Kitchen Witch by Soraya
It’s been a little longer than I intended since the last post, but then it has been a very busy couple of months.
Ostara has just passed and there are many articles on its history, origins of the name, and associations – some more accurate than others. It’s up to you to review the evidence and make up your own mind on what it means to you. Today I wanted to share my own reflections from this holiday, and how I celebrated.
The celebrations for me started a few days early, simply for practicality and free time on weekends. To me the Spring Equinox is a time of balance, reflection, recharging, and marvelling at the beauty of nature. You know that fresh, juicy green colour of young grass, bathed in golden rays of sunshine? The dazzling white blossoms against a brilliant blue sky? Those intense, yet gentle colours make my heart skip a beat this time of the year.
On Sunday, I went on a journey with a local group to gather the four different elements and rebalance ourselves. We started at a beautiful waterfall, and the mossiest valley I have ever seen, to gather the element of Water. The place felt quite magical and emotional, so I let the energy of the water cleanse me. We all received a rock, which symbolised one thing or experience we wanted to let go of and cleanse; and a crystal, which was meant to gather the energy of the elements to help us re-balance at a later date if needed. Afterwards, the spirit of the waterfall quickly claimed its payment for cleansing, as one of the crystals disappeared in depths of the water without a trace. The spirits or guardians of the place also made it very clear they did not want anything taken, as the second one of the participants picked up a pretty little branch, a tree above us collapsed with a turbulent roar. The branch was quickly returned to its original place and we continued with our journey. This is an important point to consider. While we all sometimes likely mementoes or beautiful pieces for our altars, it’s important to ask for permission before we take anything, and only proceed if it is gifted willingly.
This photo doesn’t quite do justice to the beauty and depth of the moss here.
The journey continued to a historical site on a hill, where we collected the element of Air and connected with the ancestors. The weather obliged throughout, as we experienced rain, hail and snow at the waterfall, followed by a really strong wind at the hill. Since my roots are not local, I did not expect to be able to hear the voices of the ancestors, but I was pleasantly surprised to receive a message nonetheless. While sharing our experiences, some of the others presented the stones they found when asking for a sign. I felt the urge to find something similar myself and looked down at my feet. Surprised, I found there was a small fossil in stone right where I was standing. I’d like to think that this was a gift, since there are no coincidences in witchcraft, and no one else could find one though they looked for a while after. Fossils can be particularly useful when connecting with ancestors, and in past life work.
Our next destination was a stone circle to gather the element of Earth. I stood against a stone, visualising my roots going deep into the soil and my consciousness following through. I haven’t yet figured out the messages that came through, though my guess at the moment is that I simply connected to the energy of the place, and others who have been here before me. While this was a particularly cold and wet part of the journey, I would like to think that it brought me closer to the place, almost becoming a ‘weathered stone’ myself.
The awe-inspiring waterfall.
The final stop was on top of the tallest local hill (so that we were closest to the Sun), with rich quartzite composition – which apparently corresponds to the element of Fire. Touching the stones, we journeyed with a drum. The Sun even peeked out from behind the clouds for us briefly! The journey was supposed to illuminate our path forward, though once again the messages are not always clear.
It was a beautiful day out, with really lovely company. The crystal I had with me has been exposed to all four of the elements and charged with their energy for future use. I spent the actual Spring Equinox meditating on some of the messages received and going for a lovely walk to really take in the changing seasons. Celebrating each holiday in turn can be as big or small as we choose, but I feel this was a particularly special holiday for me. I hope that you enjoyed your Equinox celebrations, and that my story might inspire some to try a similar celebration in the future.
Moonlit Path 