Welcome to Walk With a Witch, an educational series where the Rogue Witch will impart a little bit of her magic on the Waste Lands. The segments in this series will cover a myriad of topics that are important to her craft such as herbs, tools, pagan holidays, oils, crystals, and more. Part of her passion lies in sharing this knowledge with others to empower them to take their health and happiness into their own hands. There is more healing power surrounding us than we may realize.
Samhain (Halloween)
“Samhain is one of the four Celtic cross quarter day festivals and is the Celtic New Year. It is considered the most important of the cross quarter days, falling directly between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice… The ancient Celts were a superstitious people. They believed in fairies and spirits, often preparing altars with offerings for them, even dressing up like animals or monsters so that the spirits wouldn’t kidnap them.”
Herbal Broths
“What’s the key to making it all come together in one harmonious sip? It all comes down to the broth. The base. Now, most people reach into the pantry for a box of chicken or vegetable broth and don’t give it a second thought. I want to teach you how easy it is to create your own broths from scratch that are more nourishing, packed with trace minerals and vitamins, and made with love.”
Herbs for Lung Health
Beltane (Celtic Fire Festival)
“Beltane is one of the four Celtic cross quarter day festivals and is the main fire festival of the year. The Celts celebrated the transition from darkness into the light by acknowledging the importance of the dark days and celebrated the growing fertility of the land and return of the sun by lighting bonfires. Traditionally the Celts lit what is referred to as a ‘neid fire’ to protect their livestock from diseases during the changing of the seasons.”
Kukui Nut (Aleurites moluccana)
“Also known as the Candlenut, kukui was originally distributed by aborigines throughout the pacific islands and is now found all over the area. Although not native to Hawai’i, it has been around on the islands for so long that it is a well-established part of Hawaiian culture. The tree grows up to 80 feet tall, with silvery–green leaves, sporting 3-5 lobed leaves about 4-8 inches long.”
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
“The Oregon grape is Oregon’s state flower and a must have in any herbalists home apothecary. This herb can be found mainly in the understory of Douglas Fir forests along the northwest coast. Often mistaken for holly by the untrained eye, this spiny leafed shrub boasts many nutritive properties. The active constituent berberine makes this herb an effective immune booster and a sustainable alternative to the use of goldenseal root which is near extinction in its natural range. ”
