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Bewitching - enchant and delight. |
In the Witch's Garden, where all spirit is alive, for all has
been beckoned into a role of action within a growing cycle connected to the
cosmos. Much enchantment and delight is birthed here.
Whether we plant for pleasure, food, resistance, healing, or
magick, we begin to cultivate a deep relationship with the earth and all her
seen and unseen energies and entities. This relation can happen on the borrowed
land in which we inhabit and within neighboring wild lands. This is where we
begin to shed needless capes of captivity as we hold the season’s seeds in our
hands, this is the journey back to who we really are, the journey back to the
heart of the land, her fertile soil and the divine plant nation that grows from
her.
Land, guide. Sky, portal. Critter neighbors, familiars.
Seeds, spells. Plants, healers. Compost piles, cauldrons. Rocks, fortune
tellers. Sticks, wands.
All spirit, all ancestors.
As we spend more and more time within the wild, tending, cultivating,
observing and honoring, we become more receptive to the energies around us. The
plants have a way of finding and opening up webbed portals of communication and
feeling. Most that are drawn to this craft are already receptive in nature,
although, socialization might become a little more intense to navigate as the feeling
of surrounding space energy and all its entities heightens through the conscious
learnings and unconscious transmissions from our natural world allies. This is
why boundaries are essential in this type of work, seen and unseen, within
those heighten energetic spaces we must protect our spirit from taking in too
much of others’ energies or having someone (other entities residing in human
vessels or intentional practicing occultist/s) capture pieces of spirit.
Plants that reseed themselves within borders or paths in
wild lands or gardens, I believe, enjoy being considered for boundary work and
for different types of boundaries.
One boundary plant that I turn to often is chamomile. Known
as an ancient strewing herb that was thrown about the house to deter negative
forces. Many folks say that chamomile carries both sun and moon properties and
some say one or the other. I believe chamomile carries both sun and moon
influences, I see this in my observance of its shadow play, how the petals not
only move with age but also with light. I like to think of chamomile’s spirit
as a conjuring of light that reflects back so hard that it blinds malefic
entities, sending them elsewhere. I’m using this plant spirit as an example of
building personal crafting relationships. There’s more to why I am being called
to this specific plant for boundary support, to be vulnerable…its essence
revives a sense of security in my belly that came quickly to aid by my mother,
a feeling I think many of us have experienced, and now not having that security
of parent figures the essence of chamomile still offers me this sense of security
and a sweet comforting remembrance, making chamomile a healthy boundary plant for
aiding in my trauma. It’s like it helps keep in spirit leakage, if that makes
any sense. (Much of what is attempted to be explained in words really cannot,
that’s part of the craft I think, and sometimes there are no words. That’s why
we see so many more symbols in magick and alchemy.)
When posttraumatic episodes can be filled with reinforcement
of light by letting plant spirits transform energy we may become less
vulnerable to the cycle of negative emotions. In more severe cases I believe
it’s best to connect with an experienced guide that can connect and walk you
through a healing plant journey.
Being mindful of how far our energy extends and how it
affects space, in my opinion, is a great path to preventative protection. Various
resilient plants that spontaneously vegetate can serve as great guides by welcoming
in specific lessons that slowly reveal how our energy affects the universe, in
return transforming paradigms that will greatly serve growth in awareness,
making more room for many a magickal manifestations.
Distinguishing points of entry and exit into our practicing
sanctuaries and inviting specific boundary plant spirits to grow in and around
these areas is a great way to cultivate and build plant protection
relationships. It’s also cool to see who spontaneously pops up at your front
door too, as in, which weeds happen to grow closer to your doorstep.
Sowing seed or planting plants that you’re drawn to in
relation and respect to the local ecosystem, plant nation, and people is much
more insightful and fulfilling than planting from a list of plants for specific
uses. We learn more about ourselves and local community this way. We see patterns this way - so many
patterns. Like where the fire colored flowers grow in our gardens, or in the wild,
and what patterns they make and when.
A fun garden or local wild land energetic learning activity
is making a chart with planets on top and your plant list vertically. As you
look up each plant’s planet association place a mark in the appropriate area on
your chart. Check out the trends. Are there more plants in association with one
planet than others? What can that energetic pattern reveal in our craft? You
could also go deeper and note direction of plant (eg. yarrow – eastside of
garden) and take your anaylaztion further.
Our body’s waters; sweat, urine, blood, and tears are some
of the most divine garden offerings and as most know some of those waters also
serve as strong boundaries for setting our territory, so we must remain mindful
when doing this in the wild. May we learn to sacrifice beauty for the garden, keeping cultivation
to a minimal and may we remember that letting her be free with seed magic is an
offering in itself. Other gardeners question the wildness, yet we stand
strong and true in loyalty to her for the essential oil content, overall plant genetics
and soil are stronger in a wilder garden than they are in a highly cultivated
garden, plus birdsong and bug buzz is louder.
‘Bewitching the Land’ blessings to you. May we continue to
harmonize with the universe in effortless exercises awakening remembered practices
of ancient alchemists for our generations and those to come.
Stay tuned for…..
Bewitching the Land,
Part II: Offerings and Conjuring Plant Spirit
Illustration and Photography credits:
Kat Sanchez, photos and illustration
Modern Minimalist Art, illustration
Opinion based post, as most.
For more plant planetary resources check out Harold Roth, I enjoy his charts.
*If working on wild land be mindful and do your research about the past and current stories of the land you are on. If possible, connect with local indigenous folk.
*If working on wild land be mindful and do your research about the past and current stories of the land you are on. If possible, connect with local indigenous folk.