February's Crystal ~ Amethyst

Even though Amethyst is the most well known stone of February (it’s the classic birthstone of February), as a February baby, I still wanted to give a shout out to one of my all time favorite crystals 🥰

A Third Eye & Crown Chakra crystal, Amethyst is my go to crystal for opening intuition! It helps to ease the way for our third eye chakra to open so that we may more readily receive psychic messages and energies. And it also activates the Crown chakra and our connection to all forms spirituality and the Divine. 

It’s a crystal of tranquility as well, making it very useful for effective help with focus during meditation or journey work. 

It helps to bring peace, contentment, and serenity while stomping out impatience.   Amethyst promotes calm and insightful thoughts and reactions to our lives. All of these qualities also foster MINDFULNESS. 

Amethyst can help you build the skill to analyze emotions, appreciate their worth, and then choose whether or not to act on them, or to acknowledge their validity yet set them aside to act on intellectual choices instead.

Because of its strong spiritual and divine energies, it also aids us in any spiritual pursuits and paths. It helps us to trust in the Universe as well as our Higher Selves. 

Amethyst is known as a useful aid for combating addictions.  Its ability to create feelings of ease and contentment help to neutralize the stress, heavy thoughts, and cravings. 

I wear and keep a lot of Amethyst around my house. Its energy feels like ‘home’ to me and when it’s comfort or intuition I seek, there’s nothing I gravitate towards more! 🔮

Sacred Space

The Witch enters her sacred space and leaves the world behind…

When we take the time to create a slice of sacred space for ourselves we can find more magic and peace within. 

It doesn’t have to be complicated. Carve out a small (or if you have more space large) place where you can create your magical world.

Gather yourself a few special items: something to cleanse (sage, mugwort, rosemary, etc…) a white candle, something that symbolizes the elements and a crystal for meditative energy, such as Amethyst.

Arrange everything on a small altar. Light the candle in the center of the altar. Burn your chosen cleansing herb and move the smoke over your body and around the room. Cast a circle of protective energy. Pick up and hold the crystal and do some light breathing exercises. Then spend at least 10-15 minutes meditating. Just allow it to happen. Whatever form it takes, just let it flow, without judgement or worry. And end by setting your intentions for the day. 

When you’re finished give thanks and go about your business. Even though it’s simple, rituals like this are the bedrock of any spiritual practice. It’s consistency that matters. And taking that slice of time to connect with your inner Witch. Blessed Be!

The Magick of 4Thieves Vinegar

4 Thieves Vinegar is an herbal vinegar mixture that has been used, so the story goes, since the time of the Black Plague. According to the myth during the time of the Plague four thieves were caught robbing the dead and dying; in exchange for their lives they revealed a secret blend of herbs and vinegar that they were using to keep from getting sick - hence the name 4 Thieves Vinegar.

Most recipes for 4 Thieves are edible and make a yummy salad dressing, or can be used in any other way that vinegar could be. Some people swear by 4 Thieves as a health tonic and include it in their diet every day, and others believe that it will prevent contagious diseases. It is generally viewed as an immunity booster. As with anything else if you intend to use it in food be sure you know what's in it (if you are buying it) and store it properly. If you make it yourself be sure to use herbs that are edible and that are safe for you personally to use with your own medical history - it is always a good idea to consult an herbalist or doctor before using any herbs medicinally, to be certain it will be safe for you to do.

In magic it is used for protection and banishing; it is good for getting people to leave, unhexing, uncrossing, protecting your aura, and protection against magical attack. I also use it in healing work. There are many different ways to use 4 Thieves Vinegar, limited really only by your own imagination. It can be added to cleansing baths to clear out negative energy, break another person's negative magic being sent at you, and to strengthen your own protections for a time. You can use it to anoint candles for any purpose related to what 4 Thieves does. A little bit could be dabbed on the forehead for cleansing or protection as well. To banish others it can be added to banishing spells or dripped out on the person's footsteps; it can also be used as an ink (symbolically but effectively) or added to a witches bottle for protection. If adding to a witches bottle I would recommend an alternate version of 4 Thieves used in Hoodoo that is made with different types of peppers and garlic.

There are many different recipes for 4 Thieves vinegar, which can be made with any type of vinegar and with any combination of the following herbs: Rosemary, Lavender, Garlic, Lemon Balm, Sage, Hyssop, Peppermint, Wormwood, Juniper, Eucalyptus, Cinnamon, Clove, Pepper, or Marjoram. To make 4 Thieves Vinegar a selection of herbs - generally 3 to 7 - are placed in the vinegar, and the bottle is then stored in a cool dark location. Each day for 6 weeks the bottle should be gentle shaken, and then after 6 weeks the vinegar can be transferred to another container for use. There are, naturally, many other ways to make it as well.

You can, of course, buy it but I prefer to make my own and I have two different types I use. One I make with white vinegar and the other with cider vinegar; each I think has slightly different properties. I generally add herbs I have grown myself, have found wild, or which have been given to me by the person who grew them. I tend to favor using Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Mullein, and Wormwood, personally, but each batch tends to involve a little variety. 🌿💜🌿

(Written by, Morgan Daimler)