Cottage Witchery (16 page)

cacti:
These plants are ruled by Mars; they are protective and may be used to keep burglars out of your home.
Keep these spiny plants well out of reach of pets and children.
Care tip:
These plants need high light inten
sities and are not suited for growing under artificial lights. Keep these
babies exposed to direct sunlight and away from drafts and colder temp-eratures. Poison information will vary greatly, due to the vast array of cacti that are available.

cyclamen:
A popular blooming plant that is often given as a gift. The
cyclamen corresponds to the planet of Venus and is sacred to the goddess Hecate. This plant may be worked into love and fertility spells. Placed in the bedroom, it encourages passion and fertility. Available in many colors, try the purple blooms for passion, the red for lust, and the white for fruitfulness. In the language of flowers, the cyclamen signifies voluptuousness.
Care tip:
Cyclamens will only bloom once. If you care to try and make it re-bloom, it needs to go through a long dormant period—not unlike a poinsettia—before it will re-bloom. The cyclamen is toxic if large quantities of the plant are eaten.

fern:
This plant has been popular since Victorian times and is a staple on Southern covered porches. There is something old-fashioned about hanging potted ferns on porches. The fern is aligned with the planet Mercury and is a faery favorite. The fronds of the fern are protective and boost the magickal significance of any fresh flower they are arranged with. The seeds from the fern were believed to grant the power of invisibility, and when the fronds are burned on an outdoor fire they are supposed to draw rain. Adding potted ferns to your outdoor room will encourage protection, good luck, and health.
Care tip:
Ferns are durable houseplants that tolerate low light but will perform better in medium light. Keep ferns cool and moist. If the leaves become brown-edged, then your ferns are telling you that they need more humidity—which takes the mystery right out of why they thrive on covered porches in the South. Some types of perennial ferns that are grown in outdoor gardens are actually edible. However, there are dozens of fern varieties to choose from; typically they are listed as having low toxicity levels. But better safe than sorry—find out the botanical name of your fern and double check.

fig:
The weeping fig (or, as it is more commonly known, the ficus tree) is a large and popular houseplant. Figs need filtered light and are happiest once they find a good growing spot to be left in that space. Turning them is important but moving a fig suddenly into a different light level will cause many of its leaves to drop. The fig was thought to guard against hunger and poverty and is associated with the planet Jupiter. The traditional fig tree is sacred to Isis, Juno, and Dionysus. This tree encourages fertility and safe travel.

ivy:
The magickal properties of the ivy were listed in
Chapter Five
. For those of you who don't want to look it up again, the protective ivy corresponds to the planet Saturn and is sacred to Dionysus and Bacchus. Care tip: The ivy is a good medium- to bright-light level houseplant. They need to stay well watered and prefer cool places. In the language of flowers the ivy signifies faithfulness and fertility. The berries of the common ivy
Hedera helix
(English ivy) are poisonous. The leaves are listed as toxic as well. This variety of ivy is typically grown outdoors. However, I would keep ivy leaves well away from curious, nibbling pets. A bite or two of an ivy leaf from a dog or cat shouldn't be an issue, but if they eat a good amount I would contact the vet.

orchids:
Here's a tropical and romantic blooming plant to try. The orchid is associated with the planet Venus and is used in love charms and sachets. The roots of the orchid were also used for love spells. In flower folklore, the orchid symbolizes luxury and love, refinement and nobility; the
Phalaenopsis
orchid symbolizes an enchanted evening. Orchids can be tough to grow in the average home environment.
Care tip:
Mature plants need bright light for best growth and flowering. Plan on investing in a grow light for orchids. A few species of orchids do perform better in a home setting than others, such as the
Epidendrum
,
Paphiopedilum
,
Brassavola,
and
Phalaenopsis
species.

palms:
The palm is a solar plant associated with the following deities: Apollo, Artemis, Hecate, and Isis. A fertility symbol, the palm—when grown as a houseplant—is thought to repel all unwanted astral nasties, spooks, and bad vibes. The palm is capable of putting off some very protective vibrations. Try placing one in a well-used room with medium light for best results. Palms grow very slowly indoors. Again, this poison information will vary widely, depending on the species. Many common varieties are nontoxic and a few have low toxicity levels.

peace lily (spathiphyllum):
The peace lily is a popular houseplant. Work with this plant to encourage loving, comforting, and harmonious vibrations in the home. These plants adapt well to low light, but need medium light if you want them to flower.
Care tip:
Their white anthurium-looking flowers are long lasting. Keep the peace lily well watered and turn it to promote even growth. The peace lily is toxic if eaten, and if consumed in large quantities it can cause severe mouth pain and vomiting. Keep away from children and pets!

spider plant:
This easy-to-grow plant promotes protection. Try striped varieties to encourage boundaries and solid green varieties to encourage protection and healing. Great for hanging baskets, consider moving one out onto your patio, deck, or porch this summer.
Care tip:
These plants tolerate low light but will do their best in medium light situations. Keep these plants well watered and away from pets who like chewing on the dangling shoots. They are just too tempting to resist. The good news is that this plant is considered nontoxic.

There is so much in nature that can fill us,
day and night, through plants, animals
and flowers, with the eternal in life.

C. G. Jung

Green Magick

I hope that this chapter inspires you to add a touch of greenery into your life and home. Now that you have all this natural magick spinning around in your mind, what will you do with it? I cannot stress to you how important it is to experiment and to try things out for yourself. If the plants you have weren't listed here, then why don't you have a little talk to your houseplants and see what kind of magick they would be willing to work with you? Many folks insist that talking to your plants encourages them to grow. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and place your hands on or just above the plant; see what ideas or information springs to your mind. The plant is alive, after all, so you will be able to sense a life force. That energy is a type of magick. Green magick is quiet but strong, and its possibilities are endless.

To close out this chapter, I thought I would slip in a houseplant charm. This is a great little spell to encourage plant growth and plant health. If you are giving a plant as a gift, try charming it first so that it grows well for the recipient. Have fun!

houseplant charm

Hold your hands above the plant. Imagine a bright green and vibrant light swirling around it and then into the plant. Visualize the plant growing and blooming (if applicable) luxuriously. Repeat the charm three times.

The magick of nature is in everything,

Lavish growth and good health to this plant I now bring.

This green magick spell intends no harm or trouble,

It only brings pleasure and joy on the double!

Close the charm with:

For the good of all with harm to none,

By green leaf and stem, this spell is done!

[contents]

Courage is the only magic worth having.

Erica Jong

7

Protection for the Home

I decided to start this last section off with the topic of protection for a very simple reason: one of the most common requests a magickal practitioner receives is typically an appeal for protection work for a home, family, or business.

The spells and charms featured in this specialty chapter are varied and eclectic. Most, if not all, are spun using natural magick techniques. While reading through this chapter you may be surprised by one section in particular: the conjuration of an astral dragon.

Now this topic may seem a little intense and out of character from a down-to-earth Witch who comes across as lighthearted and funny. However, protecting your home, property, and family isn't a job for the timid. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. But then again, the most laid-back, soft-spoken woman on the planet can transform into a tiger when her home, children, or family are threatened. Now, while I've never been accused of being soft-spoken (ahem), I have had folks be surprised by just how serious I can be. I do like to look at life from a humorous perspective; however, that doesn't mean I don't put my game face on when the situation calls for it.

So keep that in mind while you work your way through these specialty chapters. It takes valor and heart to defend yourself and your loved ones. It also takes brains and compassion to work defensive magick wisely. If you combine protective magick with passion, ethics, discipline, and courage, you'll make for a unstoppable combination.

If you have anything really valuable to contribute
to the world it will come through the expression of your personality, that single spark of divinity
that sets you off and makes you different
from every other living creature.

Bruce Barton

Protection Spells with Personality

Let's take an elemental look at a few ideas for protection, one that works with each of
the
four elements: air, fire, water, and earth. Perform these spells wherever you'd like
—
try your altar or hearthstone setup. Perhaps you'd prefer working at the kitchen table or
on a dresser top in your room. Go with whatever works best for you. Look over these
elemental spells and don't be bashful about adapting them to suit your specific needs. Adding your own flair to magick gives spells and charms personality and inherently makes them much more powerful.

Typically these protection charms and spells can be worked with simple supplies found around the home. For the dream catcher you may have to take a trip to an arts and crafts store for a small grapevine wreath or colored feathers.

Air Magick

For protection magick that invokes the element of air, let's try working with a witchy spin on the dream catcher. Dream catchers are based on the idea that the web of fibers woven in the center of the hoop snare bad dreams and negativity at night. Once caught there, the bad vibes are held in place until the morning sun illuminates the catcher and then safely burns them out. The best place to hang a dream catcher is obviously above your bed. The next best spot would be in your bedroom window as close as you can get to the bed. Just make sure that you hang up the catcher in a sunny spot where the sunshine can illuminate it and burn off those nasty dreams and worries.

a dream catcher spell

To make a witchy dream catcher you'll need the following supplies:

* A small grapevine wreath (about four or six inches round)

* A spool of thin
1
⁄
8
-inch yellow or white satin ribbon

* A few feathers (look for fallen feathers in the yard or purchase a small bag from an arts and crafts store)

* Beads of glass or semiprecious beads (look in the jewelry-making section of an arts and crafts store)

* A low-temperature glue gun and glue sticks

Start by weaving a pentagram inside of your little wreath. (Don't cut the ribbon at this point; work straight from the spool of ribbon. Only cut the ribbon after you've completed weaving the star and have tied it off.)

Secure the ribbon at the top of your wreath and tie a knot. Then weave the pentagram, adding a bead or two as you go along. You may want to knot the beads in place or glue them if necessary. Thread the ribbon through a vine or two as you create the points, to keep the star neat. Once you've gotten the shape you desire, use the glue gun and add a drop of glue at each point to secure the ribbon.

Tie on a few streamers at the bottom points of the pentagram and allow those to dangle down. Decorate those streamers with beads and a few feathers. To create a hanger, cut a twelve-inch piece of ribbon and thread it through the top section of the wreath. Tie a knot with the ends and you've got yourself a hanger. If you choose, you may glue a couple of feathers to the top of the dream catcher for decoration (see the illustration).

The trick to working with a dream catcher is that you have to empower or charge it. Once you've announced your intentions and have programmed the dream catcher, just hang it up in a bedroom window and let it do its magick. You will also need to recharge it from time to time. Try this charm to empower your new witchy dream catcher or to freshen up an older one.

Wrapped up in ribbon, this wreath is enchanted

Feathers for air, now may my wish be granted.

A magick catcher of dreams now creates serenity

Protect me from nightmares and ward off negativity.

Close the spell. As you hang up the dream catcher, say this closing line:

For the good of all, bringing harm to none,

By the element of air, this spell is done!

Fire Magick

Okay, I admit it. I
love
candle spells. They are fun, dramatic, and one of those basic skills that every Witch begins working with. For this protection spell you will need a red, spicy-scented candle. The type of candle you use—a taper, a large pillar, a simple votive, or a practical tealight—is completely up to you. But there are a few things I have noticed over the years about different types of candles and the Witches who use them . . .

taper candles:
If you typically use taper candles for your spellwork, then you're a traditionalist. You probably have beautiful glass or metal candlesticks reserved just for magick. You are well-read and serious. This type of Witch likes structure, is intellectual, and prefers more formal rituals.

large pillar candles:
If you primarily work candle magick with big pillar candles, you tend to work magick only when it's absolutely
necessary—and then you go all out. This type of Witch can be moody
and passionate, prefering to use one big candle for several days' worth
of intense, heartfelt, and emotional magick.

scented votive candles:
If you are into scented votive candles
and work candle spells regularly with these, then you are sensual,
creative, and down-to-earth. You like to do your own thing; spontaneity and improvisation are important to you.

tealight candles:
Last, but not least, if you are a tealight candle
magick user, then you are a very sensible, thrifty, and no-nonsense type
of Witch. Those fifty-packs of plain white, all-purpose, unscented candles just make you one happy caster. This type of Witch is a no-muss, no-fuss magickal practitioner, practical and thrifty.

And now that I've given you something to think about, let's get into a candle magick spell for protection.

a candle spell for protection

For this spell you will need:

* A red, spicy-scented candle—your choice as to the shape and style

* A coordinating candleholder

* Lighter or matches

* A small piece of lava rock (from a nursery or hardware store)

* A picture or photo of your home, family, and pets

Work this candle spell on a Tuesday. This is a Mars day, associated with the element of fire. If the day happens to fall on a waning moon, then work for the removal of problems and the dissolution of danger. If you're working during a waxing moon, then work to pull safety and protection toward you.

Set up this spell with the candle in its holder in the center of your workspace. Place the photos of your home on the left side of the candle and the pictures of your family and pets on the right. Center the lava rock in front of the candle. Light the candle, making sure the photos fall within the circle of light cast by the candle. Repeat this charm three times:

By the element of fire, I cast this protection spell

Remove harm and danger, protect the home that I love so well.

A simple lava rock adds magick to this fiery charm,

Bring safety to my loved ones within the candlelight so warm.

Close the spell:

For the good of all, causing harm to none,

By fire's bright magick, this spell is done!

Water Magick

In the opening chapters of this book we went over a house blessing and consecrating the magickal heart of the home. Now let's take this a step further and do a cleansing working with the element of water. Sometimes, no matter how diligent you've been, your house just feels “off.” Maybe you've had the flu bug running rampant in your home, or perhaps there's simply a lot of negativity building up with quarrels and bickering kids. You'll know when it's time to cleanse the house.

Maybe a recent visitor or relative was carrying a lot of negativity and you feel they dumped it in your home. If you've had a run of bad luck or a rash of home repairs, it's time to start thinking about magickal defense. If the plants start to look crappy and no matter how hard you clean it still feels bad, then it's definitely time to do a cleansing.

This is a simple but powerful way to put things back on track. If you'd like to incorporate lunar energies into your magick, try this spell on the day of the new moon or the full moon. Don't want to wait? Then how about a Friday? This loving, Venus day would be a smart choice. If things feel really bad to you, then work enchantment on a Saturday and pull a little of Saturn's protective energy into the spell. Bottom line: go with your instincts and be creative.