Herbalism, Hearth and Home

The days are growing shorter, those of us in education are preparing to return. Soon the leaves on the trees will turn to brown and our flowers will stop flowering; the basil, which we've been so anxious to keep alive all summer through the heat, will inevitably die from the cold instead. It is easy to have a negative view of Autumn's approach. We know that what comes is cold weather, barren scenery; it is a time of preparation for a season of staying indoors and wrapping up warm (a dreaded time for students with a gas and electric budget!) However, what I am trying to say is, despite all these things, to me, Autumn is beautiful and I'm very much looking forward to both it and the season it precedes.

Whilst packing today for my leave to university, I was collecting my pieces for my shrines and noticed my conkers and hazelnuts collected in the years before. It made me think of the colours of Autumn, all the golds and browns and reds and oranges. There is something opulent about them; antiquated and eloquent. It has helped me come to a decision that, this year, I'm going to make myself an Autumn shrine with a focus on these colours and the plants, or objects, that remind me of that wonderful season. When it's done, I'll be sure to put a photo in the next post; with such rich colours, I'm sure it will be beautiful.

Over the next few weeks, my focus will be on preparing for my shrine and thinking of activities I can do throughout the Autumn months. For example, cooking! What is celebration without food? There are so many different foods to choose from; many fruits and nuts are in Season until the end of September (great for those of us who can go berry picking!) and there are many different kinds of meat that are associated with Autumn - in my corner of the world, there are often hog roasts during and after Summer! Obviously, for those who can't attend (or, indeed, just have the space for their own) there's lamb and different game birds, inshore fish. Kate West's The Real Witches' Kitchen has some wonderful information around the festival of Mabon that are suitable for someone who celebrates seasonally, or likes to also celebrate the equinox. Nuts and herbs available can also be used to stuff the meat you choose.

Some foods you might like to try in this season are traditional beef stews with dumplings, full of vegetables and keep you warm as the days grow colder. Here's a lovely recipe I found for 'Autumn Meat Pasties'. Or for those of you who aren't fond of pastry, or want something quick and easy to prepare (as we all do on occasion when there's little time), try a meat loaf. Again, plenty of veg for energy, with some potatoes and gravy, meat loaf is easy to prepare and takes little time to cook: Meatloaf Recipes (this site also includes a vegetarian option, ironic but useful). There are many other internet and book recipes that you can use to help you find an Autumn food for you, my personal favourite will always be stew, it's delicious and filled wit nutrients; a perfect Autumn meal.

For those of you with a sweet tooth, as I said many nuts and berries are freely available (or in abundance at your local supermarket). A traditional recipe is Autumn Pudding. Quick and easy to make, delicious to eat.

Anyway, enough about food! There are other activities than eating in this season, I swear (though it is good to go with your instincts and eat to prepare yourself for Winter - especially those of us who will be getting outside and in the cold). Another activity, a favourite of everyone, I'm sure, is conkers! Not only playing with them, but collecting them. Those of you with spider fears, as soon as Autumn comes, start stocking up; a few of these around your home will keep the buggers away. I love conkers. As I've said, I keep them on my Earth shrine all year round with hazelnuts because they're so lovely, and they last. Walking in the park is another lovely pass-time, walking on the beach can be wonderful to because, at that time of year, you're guaranteed that less and less people will be there; you can enjoy the sound of the ocean and the crunch of pebbles or sand beneath your feet, in solitude for the first time since Winter. If you don't want to be completely alone, take a friend or your dog; it's always nice to have a companion. Anyone with a playful side will also agree with me, that jumping in crumbly, crackly leaves is fun.

Feel free to leave comments about your own preparations for Autumn, or activities you enjoy. I would love to know what other witches are up to. Or indeed, anyone at all. I'm sure everyone has their own favourite Autumn activities. I hope you all have a good time this Autumn, and enjoy it to the full.

Being an English student, forever in love with literature, I want to leave you with a poem from Keats (I'm sure it's obvious which):

Ode to Autumn - J. Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Yeah, it was never going to last once things started getting busy again. Ah well. I hope you'll accept my apologies but I'll only but updating every now and again from here on because I have a huge load of books to read, someone to tutor and people to visit over the summer.. and then I've got uni, so things will continue to be hectic. But I will find time for updating this with my discoveries and thoughts, I promise.

This is a very brief post this week.

On COA, someone suggested that there were too many negative posts on the site and that we should look for the positive things in life, perhaps light a candle for positive energy. I thought this was a brilliant idea, not just because of the amount of negativity in the posts but because of the amount of negative energy that has been floating around in my family, my boyfriend's family, my friends and just in the world in general. I feel like the balance is off, the scale's being weighed right down on the negative side.

If you read this and feel this way as well, could you please light a candle? Perhaps we can balance out the positive and the negative again. I know things can't always be sweetness and light but, perhaps, things could be more so.

Thanks

Leanne

On Children of Artemis there have been many discussions of everyones Summer Solstice (or Litha) activities. As a Green Witch, it is suggested that I listen to the energies of the season and celebrate the Summer when it feels right - however, as I am in my first year of study, I am going to celebrate the solstice on the 21st with most other Pagans. I also feel that I would like to continue to celebrate the solstice as the middle of the season, the beginning of Summer's fading, rather than the season itself as a whole, keeping my Summer celebration and the celebration of the move towards Autumn separate. I plan to do this for all the Solstices/Equinoxes. It's what feels right for me and my way of seeing the the seasons as they change - the start of Summer is just as important as the peak of it, the same goes for all the seasons.

Anyway, tomorrow, I'm moving back home, enjoying a day with my family and my boyfriend's family, and celebrating the solstice! It will be a busy but enjoyable day. I'm currently planning to meditate in the car whilst I'm traveling, maybe wake up and watch the sunrise (depending on whether I think this is a good idea, making myself tired when I know I've got a long day of traveling, etc) and I'm hoping to use some of the ideas from this blog: http://witchery.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/litha-activities-and-ideas/  There are some wonderful ideas such as drawing the sunrise and sunset, making shell necklaces and picnics on the beach.

Anyway, this is a brief blog this week because, obviously, I've been packing for two days and I'm moving tomorrow.. and I've been showing my family around Plymouth and the Aquarium today (lovely place! ^^) I'll leave you with my favourite fish - I hope you all enjoy your Summer Solstice!

Lion Fish ^^ (a species of)

Late again! I was travelling most of Friday and then running around town trying to track down a book. I promise next week's blog shall be on time, if my packing doesn't get in the way - moving back home from uni this weekend!

As you can see from my new profile picture, I have been working on the garden in the back of my University place. It is currently my outdoor sacred space at University, I have a side garden at home which is much bigger and greener. At University, it is a single, concrete trough. I'm hoping to expand it to include a few planters and grow bags so that I can grow more herbs and vegetables. In the bottom right-hand corner, you can see four little white stones - these are my 'standing stones', not quite Stonehenge hehe but it works for me. I find this space very relaxing, I love to go outside in the sun and weed, or tend, the plants. It's only a very small space but it's amazing how close to nature I feel in it.

I started really developing this space after reading Arin Murphy-Hiscock's The Way of the Green Witch and Kate West's The Real Witches' Garden. Both have been useful for different reasons. Murphy-Hiscock's book has been useful for the uses of herbs, recipes and an explanation as to why an outdoor, or nature space, can be useful when studying a natural or Green Path - very inspiring, and plenty of information for creating elemental shrines. Kate West, however, has written down some wonderful ideas on what you can do with spaces of various sizes, including very, very small gardens (with tips on how to make your gardden look bigger) and no garden at all! (Very useful for those living in cities/apartments). She also has lovely ideas for what you can use to plant in, and even some garden rituals for those who follow a Wiccan Path.

An earthy sacred space is a great place to really enjoy and work with the Summer season. There are so many activities that can take place here; planting, rituals, herbalism, even your Summer Solstice ritual could take place there. Although, the smaller the space, the less people who can join in. (In my article next week, I'm going to discuss my plans for the Summer Solstice and how they'll fit in with my weekend of moving and being around people not involved with my form of spirituality - something most of us experience). It can also be a wonderful place to meditate. As I said previously, I feel very relaxed in my little garden, it is a great space to sit in and meditate on Summer and its energies. I had thought to meditate in my local park when I thought my garden was too small. But now I realise it's perfect: earthy and private.

Everyone is different, every place is different, and a sacred space is something you should develop and experiment with until you feel it's just right for you. I love to pass time by looking through other people's photographs of their altars/shrines/sacred spaces and just seeing what they do with them; on CoA, I saw a stunning altar setup that took up what looked to be an entire room - oh, to be so lucky! Looking through these photos has given me ideas on what I'd like to do with my spaces (both indoor and outdoor), research like this can be a great development tool. My indoor space currently shares a room with my books for University, my study, and our Summer bedroom - a busy place! - but it suits my space which is spread across most of the surfaces (and one cupboard in my desk). It is made up of all sorts of items corresponding with the elements, and my tools and 'witchy' books. As with my outdoor space, I also have one at home which is very, very small in my tiny bedroom and is placed on my bookshelves and windowsill - though tiny, it is still effective.

I hope this information has been useful. Enjoy your spaces this Summer, whether inside or outside. Knowing British weather, I'll spend most of my time with my indoor space so as not to catch pneumonia! A coat is not sufficient protection from the Devonshire rain.

Hello, sorry this is a day late! I had a bit of an off-day yesterday, feeling under the weather, and ended up sleeping through a lot of the day. Feeling better now, though, so that's fine.

At that time of the month, there are certain poses you can't, or shouldn't, do. Or even some that just feel a little uncomfortable. These positions are inverted or twisted poses (such as the 'Standing Twist' or 'Downward Dog'), or just ones that fold you at the middle (such as 'The Child' or 'Forward Bend') that can affect those of us who experience particularly painful cramps. However, I have come up with a session of yoga (about forty minutes long) which you can do at any time with comfort with the help of Tara Fraser's Easy Yoga Workbook. I have used this book for the poses in the session and the solutions to the poses that you might find uncomfortable. These solutions I will try to explain in detail as I do not have photos of them as I would have liked to, they are marked by an asterisk.

1. Standing and balancing
2. Foward Bend *
3. Warrior
4. Side Lunge
5. Standing Twist **
6. The Triangle
7. Mighty Pose
8. The Dancer
9. The Cat
10. Downward Dog ***
11. Shoulder Stretch
12. The Cobra
13. Knees to chest
14. The Boat
15. The Tailor
16. Lying Twist

* Foward Bend: Use a wall to help you. Press your hands into the wall about shoulder width apart and straighten your legs so that your upper and lower body at perpendicular to each other. Keep your feet a few inches apart. Try to lengthen your back from tailbone to head; don't let your head sag between your arms. Hold for 3 to 8 breaths.

** Standing Twist: Sit sideways on a chair with your knees together and feet firmly on the floor. On an out breath, turn your torso, holding the back of the chair with both hands. Stay for 3 to 6 breaths and then repeat on the other side.

*** The Downward Dog: Kneel close to a wall with your knees spread. Stretch out your arms and place your hands a little more than shoulder-width apart above your head on the wall. Rest your forehead on the wall between your arms. Breathe deeply for 4 to 8 breaths.


I'm sorry for the blatant advertisement of Fraser's book but I would not wish to seem like I am stealing her work. The book is excellent; I would recommend it to any beginners, perhaps even more advanced Yogis, because it is laid out so well and has some brilliant advice. Fraser even goes through some meditation and relaxation sessions at the end. It also comes with an audio CD, very useful because it means you can go through the session without having to read the book when you come to every position (which, for me, is difficult because I can't wear my glasses when I'm doing yoga ^^).

Anyway, I hope this helps those of you who read this. I thought it would be a good idea to put this out there as it seems there isn't much advice or information about yoga for that delicate time of the month. For those of you wishing to expand on what I've laid out above, try books like The Yoga Bible for more positions. The best way to judge whether you can do a position is to see whether it is inverted or twisted, in which case it's probably best avoided at that time of the month, or try the pose to see if you feel comfortable, if not then you know not to do it in future. I'm a little annoyed that I can't manage 'The Child' at that time of the month, it's just too painful, but another person could probably do it quite comfortably - we're all different.

Thanks ever so much for reading. Please feel free to comment, especially with your own suggestions about "Moontime" Yoga, as I've fondly nicknamed it ^^ (the idea came from Children of Artemis's forum 'Women's Moontime'). 

Hello there. This is the first post of my brand new blog/journal! I completely scrapped my old one, too many negative vibes and memories. A few days ago, I started over again, trying to change my lifestyle to one more relaxed and stress-free. For a start, I have been doing Hatha Yoga every day (and if I've missed a day, I've done two sessions the next day - yesterday was particularly busy). I have also started eating healthier - less snacks and treats, more fruit and veg.

But what's really changed me is I have found two books that really inspire me (and when I say 'inspire', I mean give me goosebumps and butterflies, and make me feel so happy): "The Way of the Green Witch" and "The Way of the Hedge Witch" by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. For years I've attempted to follow Wicca. It is a Path that I've always found speaks to me because of it's roots in nature. But occasionally things have just stuck. It can be, for me, too ritualistic and without a focus that seems like a 'perfect goal'. I want to achieve an enlightened sense of spirituality, I want to thank the earth what she's given and I want to give something back, to become part of the balance so that I can help restore the balance in nature and humanity. However, Wicca has never seemed to be the 'right' way for me. What makes me feel good is being part of the energy of the Earth. This is why I found these books and points of view so inspiring and exciting.

I am also a family person. I hope one day to be a great mum and wife, grandmother. Maybe even great-grandmother if I'm lucky. Therefore, the energies in my home have to be positive. I am a very house-proud person, and recently found how much I enjoy playing hostess and cooking and baking for other people.

So here I am, stepping onto another branch of the Path, one that fits me better. It is more about the Spiritual aspect of Paganism than the religious aspect. I still believe in Gods and Goddesses but I agree more that they are part of the natural energies of the world; nature is what I need to focus on. By helping and protecting the Earth and the people, and the self, I am demonstrating my appreciation for what I've been given. It is about being part of the natural energies of nature rather than manipulating them. 

Green witchcraft is not a practice seperate from ordinary life, like ritual magic, for example; it is an all-encompassing, total-immersion experience wherein all life is a magical experience -- Arin Murphy-Hiscock, The Way of the Green Witch

I finally feel like I belong. I am a Green witch, a Hedge witch, a Kitchen witch: Herbalism, hearth and home.