Monday 8 August 2011

Artemis my love

A Waxing Lammas Moon, found me in obsessing over mugwort, everywhere I had driven over the past couple of months she was waving at me from the roadsides lining these highways and byways with her tall, willowy ways.

Us witches have found out that although all of our medicinal remedies are illegal due to not being licensed under the new regs, our smoking mix is perfectly legal -slightly ironic!

We have decided to try and promote and sell this product and fund our land project literally by smoke......Lady Artemisia Vulgar a.k.a Mugwort is one of the ingredients of this heady mix -she works her magic in our dreams, sending us, both coded and clear insights, to grasp onto as we wake from slumber.
Anyways I had an idea in my head where I had seen some Mugwort away from the road, Dieter and I made our way down there and by chance came across a whole massive patch of pure mugwort interspersed with a smattering of creamy white blossoming, yarrow-

I felt blessed and as though the universe had put it all there just for me. We spent about 20 mins harvesting, marvelling at the bounty and filling the whole back of the land rover with HERBS and probably countless crawlies too.

Today the logistics of how to create the energetic power of our dreams is hurting my head –there is too much death and destruction in the air, the only thing I am certain of is that I must keep walking forward on this path of mine and tell all who I know about my love for Mugwort.







Dem wise ol chatterboxes...


The chance of moment of tranquillity, a canoe trip to a wild camping spot, a chance to breathe and relax.  Met-check promises of steady rain didn’t deter us as we set out with Ziggy-May to a beach not so far away. 

The rain held off and after pitching up I wandered off to find the most exquisite moorland path of heather I think I’ve ever seen.  At east 3 or 4 different kinds all at varying stages creating a patchwork of pinks, purples, oranges and brown, magically lit in the fading golden light of the day.

As I trimmed this years 1st heather harvest off the tops of the mounds they became chattering women in the hairdressers.  Wisdom wrapped in humour they chatted as I trimmed their purple rinses, delighting at the scene.

Heather, Calluna vulgaris (one of Elektra’s lovely middle names) and the Ericas (including bell heather), are little used but powerful remedies.  She is indeed connected to the later years of life…to wisdom and moving into the crone phase of the moon.  She is loved by the bees and connected to all things related to community (even if its just a revealing chin wag down the hairdressers).

It is anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, diuretic and has traditional uses for coughs and colds. The tops are infused and used as a tonic to treat consumption, coughs, nerves, depression and heart complaints. 

We use her dried in our Joint Juice and Piss Ease teas.  We also make an oil from her and use as one of the main ingredients in our Ache Ease Balm.   And the tincture we use in our Kidney Cleanse tonic and in our Clear Vision Drops which are for action not reaction.  For really seeing clearly what is going on in any given situation.

She is so magestic and useful as a herb we should all use some heather magic from time to time.