Moonwater

Last week I attended my first Spiral Dance in celebration of the Spring Equinox. It was a beautiful gathering and I was glad to have been a part of it. Since we've been experiencing very little rainfall, the purpose of the dance was to invoke the spring rains. Starhawk, a very well known and respected figure within the spiritual community, led the dance recounted the story of Persephone. We all sang and danced round and round until we came to the center and then spiraled back out. It was quite entrancing.

Anyway, you can't imagine how much rain we've gotten since then (thank the goddess, we needed it!). Lucky for me, I've also been running short on moonwater, so the rains were just the thing I needed to replenish my supply.

Simply put, moon water is water that has been set out under the light of the full moon. It is said to have certain healing properties and promotes growth.

Moonwater can be used in all sorts of ways:

• Sprinkled atop my herb garden, the rejuvenating properties of the moon intensify the properties of each plant. The plants tend grow healthier, heartier, and have increased healing abilities. 
• Many people also like use it as an offering upon altars. It's a meaningful way to keep water upon your altar in lieu of the four elements (water, earth, air, and fire), or to represent the three realms (sky, land, and sea).
• Some like to use it for scrying as it holds a much higher vibration than does most water and has thus been "touched" by the gods.
• Legend says that moonwater even has the power to attract certain garden faeries to keep watch and tend your plants while you are not looking. I certainly believe they do!

So how does one acquire moonwater? Well, it's quite simple really. All you need is a little rainwater... or a lot depending on how much you wish to use. I usually collect the rainwater in a large goblet, but you can use anything really. Even a plain bucket works! Store your rainwater in a glass bottle or jar. Whence the full moon graces the sky, leave your bottle of rainwater under her gleam and watch as the she bestows her blessing unto you. You may collect your bottle of water the next morning. Voila, moonwater! Happy collecting!

Bannock

Although my interest in herbs and healing usually make up the majority of my posts, I thought perhaps today you would enjoy a post of another sort.

Celebrations always put me in a mood of nostalgia and make me crave for certain comforts, but lately it seems that I'm constantly in this kind of spirit. I've been paying more heed to my home, dialing into folk music, and hunger for wholesome, hearty cooking. In essence, I hope to recreate an atmosphere which perhaps the Celtic people would have lived. It may sound silly, even far-fetched, but somehow it's the way in which I connect with my roots best. Anyway, it's a certain kind of healing in itself. 

More than anything, food recaptures the Celtic tradition best for me. Food is a ritual on its own and sharing a feast with friends and family (or even just the gods) is much more spiritual. 

Recently I've taken to perfecting my bannock recipe, otherwise known as flat quick bread or pan-fried bread. Bannock is a dense bread, shaped in an oval or circle. When cross up into triangle pieces, each chunk is usually referred to as a scone. Bannock originated in Northern Britain and Scotland where it was a simple staple food. And simple it is! With no more than four ingredients, you merely need to throw this quick bread on a griddle and watch it do its magic. Although it's usually made with oats and barley, many modern recipes now call for baking powder and flour. Bannock is perfect when breakingfast--I usually serve mine with goat cheese and honey. 

In many pagan traditions, bannock was used as a ritual offering. As a result there are quite a lot of varying recipes calling for certain ingredients according to the season. Since I like to make it often, I have a base recipe of which I add additional ingredients when appropriate. 

Bannock (Quick Bread) Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons butter (melted)
3/4 cup of water

Mix all dry ingredients first following wet ingredients. Knead dough gently until the mixture is firm. Add more water if dough is too dry or add more flour if dough is too sticky. Cook dough on a well grease griddle or frying pan over medium heat (adjust if necessary). Each side should take about 15 minutes. Let the bread rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Bannock is absolutely delicious and satisfying, despite its simplicity. When making a heartier bannock bread, I add various spices and herbs such a nettle, thyme, or rosemary. Not only are these additions tasty, but they're also wonderful for your health. If I'm in the mood for something sweet I'll add blue berries, raspberries... sometimes even mulberries. Either way, savory or sweet, it makes for a great pairing with a dollop of goat cheese and warm honey. Thanks for reading, my dears!

 

Willow Healing

Back during Yule, my thoughtful sister, Rori, gifted me with a book titled "The Healing Power of Trees: Spiritual Journeys Through the Celtic Tree Calendar" by Sharlyn Hidalgo. At first, I was a little disinterested as I was not familiar with this specific calendar and put it on a shelf thinking I'd get to it eventually. However, after a week or two, I felt like the book was staring at me, calling out for me to read it. So I finally picked it up and am so thankful I did. I was absorbed into it's pages. Hidalgo gives a brief introduction to the Celtic tree calendar, the trees, Runes (my preferred method of divination), and the Ogham (a method I am now trying to learn). After, she goes into detail about each lunation and it's associated tree. As I have always felt a special connection to trees, I thoroughly enjoy this new perspective on life. 

While many who use the Celtic Tree Calendar follow the Solar calendar with New Years on January 1st, Hidalgo sticks to the old Celtic/Lunar calendar with New Years on November 1st, following Samhain. I chose to follow her method because it made more sense to me, but to each her own. According to the old calendar, we are currently in the fourth lunation (January 24 - February 20), the time of the Willow tree. The Ogham associated with the Willow is Saille, which represents the feminine principle, fertility, the moon, mother, daughter, and crone. The Rune association is Sowelo, which also represents feminine power, moonlight, peace, and harmony. The Willow tree is associated with bees, doves, and the holiday Imbolc, in which we celebrate Brigit, the maiden. 

The time of the Willow is the time of feminine power and the power of the moon, which can lead to an increase in psychic abilities. Along with those comes insight revealed through dreams, which I have personally found to increase ten fold in the last few weeks. Willows promote creative thought, so poets, artists, writers, musicians, etc. may find their talents flourishing during this time. Willow urges us to get in touch with our emotions and reminds us that it is healthy to let them overcome us once in a while. If you need to cry, let it out. The Willow tree is a wonderful place to seek refuge when going through emotional pain. Like me, you may not have any Willow trees near that you can go to, but just imagining yourself sitting at the base of the tree with her leaves hiding you from the hectic outside world can bring a sense of calmness.

I hope you can find the healing you seek during the time of the Willow.

Cleansing Your Crystalline Children

Back from a LONG hiatus, my dears. I do hope that you're all still with me!

Anyway, although we seem to blog about plants and herbal remedies for the most part here on The Wildcraft Chronicles, we mustn't overlook the power of crystals.

Crystals and rocks are not merely decoration to admire, though they certainly are mesmerizing to look at. They are the children of the earth, and they have been listening to us patiently for millions of years. We can share our deepest desires, our fears, and sorrows with these crystalline beings. It’s no wonder we develop interest in them at such a young age. I’m sure, you and I alike, took to collecting these pretty rocks as children, knowing they were capable of much, much more than just being.

With that said, it’s best to take care of these beaming children, in hopes that they can bring us comfort and protection. So how exactly does one “care” for a stone? It’s simpler than you think.

Cleansing your stones is an easy process practiced in a multitude of ways. You ought clean them upon acquiring, whether it be a gift, a find, or a personal purchase. In any other case, do as you wish as often as you like.

If you choose to smudge your stones, you may do so with a bundle of sage, sweet grass, palo santo, or any other cleansing herb you see fit for the deed. Upon lighting the bundle, I usually wash the smoke over the stone while visualizing it’s specific purpose, to which I choose.This is also called “programming” your stone. For example, the sole purpose to which I program my fluorite wand is for the healing touch.  By whispering your intentions to your crystalline child, you not only clear it of it’s previously energy, but it wholly becomes connected to you, an extension of your magick. 

Other ways to cleanse stones includes submerging them in water (be it fresh or moon water), submerging them in a bowl of salt, leaving them to the surrender of the sun (though be weary! some stones may not be placed in direct sunlight for loss of color), leaving them under the gaze of the full moon, placing them in a velvet bag with either a smokey quartz or a citrine cluster (both are self cleansing), or burying them in the earth for three days.

Well, I hope this guide helped. My crystalline children have been crooning for the attention. And whoever said stones can’t talk is most certainly wrong; we must hush our own voices to hear the children of below.