Fortune Teller Reading My Palm: It Just Says “yikes.”

Of Poppy Flowers

Black Poppy, Flower of Ease, Opium Poppy, Papaver somniferum

This flower of the night-ways only blooms for a short while before turning into a bulbous ovary upon a stem full of bitter, white blood, characterizing its Lunar properties. This blood can be cultivated for its vision inducing properties. She is the Maiden in the Field, the Severed Head of St John, the Queen of Nightly Visions. 

Black poppy (the picture shown is a variety of black poppy from my own garden) was in pagan Greece and Rome associated with more Chthonic deities, such as Hekate, Hypnos, Nix, Thanatos, and Somnus (from which we get the word somniferum). The drug which is extracted from Poppy, Opium (as well as other narcotics, such as morphine and codeine) has a narcotic, stupefying effect akin to a dreaming sleep. Opium became a very popular drug prior to the first World War. A tea made from the dried flowers was used to suppress coughs, and the pods were sometimes made into a tea as a mild alternative to smoking the opium tears. 

We know that humans have been using Opium for its medicinal effects for a very long time, evinced of the fact that the Greeks would make it into a potent wine, Vinum opii, as well as as a suppository and fumigant, but there is evidence that it was cultivated as far back as the Neolithic era. The Ebers Papyrus (1550 BCE) lists its use as “Remedy to prevent the excessive crying of children”. It was also used to ease the pangs of childbirth, a very early anesthetic. It was also used, naturally, for its more recreational uses. Opium is a powerful (and highly addictive) psychoactive, and has been used as a visionary plant for both ritual and mundane use for ages. There is evidence that the juice of the plant was used in recipes for flying ointment along with hemlock, belladonna, and the feared mandrake. 

A Tuscan Divination

Place poppy leaves on hot coals and read the flames. 

Scatter poppy seeds on burning coals, and listen for the voice of prophecy. 

As a Lunar plant, the plant is sacred to Our Lady of the Night Ways, such as Hekate, Lilith, Black Anna, and Diana. Cakes sprinkled with the toasted seeds of Poppy may be offered unto Her and Her host of night flying beings. The seeds can also be ground up into an incense and combined with other herbs such as myrrh, mullein, red sandalwood as an offering to the Witchmother. The plant can also be used in dream work. Harold Roth gives an excellent use of the dried pods to make into little “charm bags”. The pods dry naturally on the Poppy’s long stalks, and can then be plucked therefrom (the seeds may be saved, and toasted for cooking, or scattered about for the next crop, or saved for magical work; Schulke lists that the seeds can be scattered upon the enemy’s property to cause confusion) and anointed with various oils and filled with fragrant herbs according to the spell made. If one were making a dreaming bag, one may use Chamomile, Clary Sage, Mugwort, and Hops. The flowers might also be steeped in wine, along with Cinnamon and Cloves, and taken as a tincture (a few drops only).

A Poppy Spell

This Italian spell can be adapted to any type of prophetic dream, not merely one concerned with matters of love. 

Make a hole in a poppy pod and empty out the seeds. Now fold up a small piece of paper with the question you want answered written on it, insert it in the pod, and place it under your pillow last thing at night, saying these words:

‘In nome del cielo, delle stelle, della luna! Fate mi face il sogno secondo…’

‘In the name of heaven, the stars, and the moon May I dream, and that full soon,  If this I see [name your wish].’

If you dream of your wish, it’s sure to come true.  ~(Mastering Witchcraft, Huson)

As Poppy has these chthonic connections with gods of the dead, such as Thanatos, and Hekate, the flowers can also be used to honor the dead. We see this today in Canada where a Red Poppy Flower is the symbol of Memorial Day. We get this tradition from the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

The flowers and seeds may be burned, or offered in some other way to the spirits of the dead. Harold Roth in his book  The Witching Herbs gives a recipe for Chthonic Cakes for the dead which are not to be consumed by the living, but rather burned on coals like an incense. 

Papaver Chthonios Cakes for the Dead

4 oz ground myrrh A few tablespoons of dark red wine ¼ cup dark honey 1 oz black poppy seeds

Dampen the myrrh with some red wine and let sit in a closed jar overnight. Boil the honey to remove the water. The honey will foam, so don’t let it overboil, it’s terrible to clean up. Add the poppy seeds. Cook the honey and seeds for a bit, then pour over the myrrh and mix well. Before the mixture cools too much, form the mix into little crescent moons. Dry on a low heat, but not in the sun. Burn them on a charcoal tab as an offering to the dead. 

Care need be taken with the Poppy plant. She is the Maiden in the Field. You will sleep under Her; sleep too long and you will surely die. Many men have fallen under Her influence, never to wake from their glorious dreams. She caresses our throats, and whispers into our ears; we do not even notice that She is slowly choking us, so entranced are we by the stories She tells us. Be wary of this Lunar flower. She is as deadly and gentle as the goddess who rules Her. 

Ways to Celebrate Litha

Litha is just around the corner so here is a list of things that correspond with Litha and that you can do to celebrate it! 🌞🌞

Colors and Elements:

🌸 Yellow

🌸 Gold

🌸 Orange

🌸 Light Pink

🌸 White

🌸 Light Green

🌸 Fire

🌸 Sun/Sunlight

🌸 Light

Food:

🌞 Seasonal fruits (especially berries)

🌞 Cheese

🌞 Sweet cake

🌞 Fruit salad (any kind of salad actually)

🌞 Honey

🌞 Fruit tea

🌞 Chicken

🌞 Sunflower seeds

🌞 Lemonade

🌞 Chili

Herbs and Flowers:

🌻 Arnika

🌻 Valerian

🌻 Mugwort

🌻 Sunflower

🌻 Rose

🌻 Yarrow

🌻 Verbena

🌻 Clover

🌻 Chamomile

🌻 Marigold

Oils and Scents:

🌹 Rose

🌹 Lemon

🌹 Cinnamon

🌹 Honeysuckle

🌹 Orange

Crystals:

✨ Moon Stone

✨ Amethyst

✨ Tiger Eye

✨ Red Jasper

✨ Citrine

✨ Fluorite

✨ Agate

Spells to Do:

🍓 Happiness and Joy

🍓 Love

🍓 Success

🍓 Luck

🍓 Personal Growth

🍓 Glamour and Beauty

Activities:

🌈 Get up early and watch the sunrise

🌈 Spend lots of time outside

🌈 Meditate in the morning

🌈 Listen to happy music

🌈 Light yellow and orange candles

🌈 Make rose oil

🌈 Pick flowers and herbs

🌈 Bake a cake, cookies or make other sweets

🌈 Eat them with your loved ones

🌈 Make a fire when it’s dark (or light a candle if you can’t do that)

🌈 Wear warm colors

🌈 Surround yourself with light

🌈 Wear or make flowercrowns

🌈 Cleanse your room/home with light

🌈 Clean out cobwebs

🌻 H A P P Y  L I T H A ! 🌻

some iconic dialogue that sounds like its from the great canon of literature but are actually from memes

I will face God and walk backwards into Hell

“I’ll do whatever you want” “then perish”

I have been through hell and come out singing

feel free to add more!

Immortality

Immortality sounds great untill you realize that one day our earth will no longer be habitable due to the death of the sun or the destruction of the planet from a massive collision , and then you would be floating through space in agony as your blood boils, unable to breath for billions of years

“Nobody else seems to belong in those empty spaces that you left behind in me”

—

Libra

Easy Spanish Rice and Beans

This easy vegan Spanish Rice and Beans recipe is quick to whip up and is a great source of complete proteins!

Follow for recipes

Is this how you roll?

Witchy Playlist Share

Add your favorite witchy songs in the comments!!

1. Black Magic - Jaymes Young

2. Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac

3. Black Magic Woman - Santana

4. Palo Santo - Years & Years

5. Black Magic - Magic Wands

6. A Little Wicked - Valerie Broussard

7. Crystals - Magic Wands

8. I Put A Spell On You - Annie Lennox

9. Witchy Woman - Eagles

10. The Witch Queen of New Orleans - Redbone

11. Black Magic - Little Mix

12. Third Eye - Florence + The Machine

13. Karma - Years & Years

14. The Hanging Tree - Angus & Julia Stone

15. Sisters of the Moon - Fleetwood Mac

16. Moonrise - WILDWOOD

17. Wicked Ones - Dorothy

18. Trouble - Valerie Broussard

19. Astronomical - Svrcina

20. Monsters - Ruelle

21. Dark Side - Bishop Briggs

22. Dark Secret - Matthew Sweet

23. Dark Lady - Cher

24. Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band

25. After Midnight - Dorothy

26. Superstition - Stevie Wonder

27. Bottom of the River - Delta Rae

28. Love Potion No.9 - The Clovers

29. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic - The Police

30. Full Moon - The Black Ghost

31. Season Of The Witch - Alixandrea Corvyn

32. Magic Dance - David Bowie

33. Magic - Coldplay

34. Dancing in the Moonlight - Toploader

35. Full Moon Tonight - Silvastone

36. Moondust - Jaymes Young

37. Raise Hell - Dorothy

38. I Did Something Bad - Taylor Swift

39. Seven Devils - Florence + The Machine

40. Control - Halsey

41. Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

42.  Dead of Night - Ruelle

43. Secrets and Lies - Ruelle

44. Bad Moon Rising - Rasputina

45. Under the Moon - Claptone

46. Intuition - Jewel

47. Visions - Maroon 5

48. Crystal Ball - Styx

49. Crystal Ball - Keane

50. Fortune Teller - Robert Plant

51. Fortune Teller - Maroon 5

52. Meet Me In The Woods - Lord Huron

53. Barton Hollow - The Civil Wars

54. The Age of Aquarius - Sons of Anarchy: VOL. 4

55. Dark Nights - Dorothy

56. Come Away to the Water - Maroon 5

57. Dangerous Type - Letters To Cleo

58. Dance Around The Fire - The Golden Filter

59. Strange Magic - Electric Light Orchestra

60. Witch’s Rune - S. J. Tucker

61. Way Down We Go - Kaleo

62. House of the Rising Sun - Lauren O’Connell

63. Voodoo Doll - 5 Seconds of Summer

64. Voodoo Doll - Clare Means

65. Black Magic Woman - VCTRY

66. Smoke And Mirrors - Gotye

67. Broken Bones - Kaleo

68. Supermoon - Neko Case

69. Lavender Moon - Haroula Rose

70. Howl - Florence + The Machine

71. Sanctified - The Veronicas

72. Witchy Woman - Kristin Chenoweth

73. Cosmic Love - Florence + The Machine

74. Bad Moon - Hollywood Undead

75. The Killing Moon - Space Gang

76. Devil’ s Resting Place - Laura Marling

77. Devil’s Spoke - Laura Marling

78. Season Of The Witch - Donovan

79. Supermassive Black Hole - Muse

80. Witch - the bird and the bee

81. You Can Do Magic - America

82. Stand By Him - Ghost

83. Moon And Moon - Bat For Lashes

astrology ask thing

aries: what are you passionate about?

taurus: name 3 of your favorite books.

gemini: what was the last text you sent?

cancer: if you could choose your child’s zodiac sign, what would it be?

leo: name something you love about yourself.

virgo: what’s your #1 pet peeve?

libra: describe your dream partner.

scorpio: do you trust easily?

sagittarius: if you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be?

capricorn: what’s your dream job?

aquarius: do you believe in aliens?

pisces: describe someone you love.

sun: describe yourself in 3 words.

moon: what’s your favorite song?

rising/asc: how would you describe your style?

mars: are you easily angered?

venus: what’s your aesthetic?

mercury: what color do you talk in?

jupiter: what moral do you live by?

saturn: what’s your biggest fear?

uranus: are you rebellious?

neptune: share one of your dreams.

pluto: what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned by far in your life?

lilith: do you have any guilty pleasures?

chiron: have you ever broken a bone?

ceres: are you a momfriend?

pallas: do you have a good relationship with your parents?

juno: do you believe in soul mates?

1st house: are you confident?

2nd house: if you could only keep one of your personal items, what would you choose?

3rd house: do you like to read?

4th house: what does your bedroom look like?

5th house: name your favorite movie or show.

6th house: do you participate in community service?

7th house: if you could choose, what zodiac sign would you like your dream partner to be?

8th house: do you believe in reincarnation?

9th house: what’s your favorite quote?

10th house: are you good at public speaking?

11th house: what sign(s) is your best friend/squad?

12th house: do you like to be alone?

Be careful!

General public warning:

If you see someone selling off a mineral under the trade name Chrysotile,Crocidolite, Tremolite, Actinolite, Anthophyllite, Amosite  or quartz with asbestos inclusion please don’t risk your health by buying it. It doesn’t matter what the company may claim, all forms of asbestos are equally harmful and can cause lung cancer. 

Lately I have seen asbestos under this trade name, tigerseye crocidolite is an exception to this as the fibers have been replaced by iron oxides. Tremolite in its fibrous form is literally asbestos so please be aware when buying. 

cheap, easy ways to decorate your altar for the sabbats

Imbolc/Candlemas: seeds or bulbs, candles, red and white

Ostara: flowers, eggs, milk, honey

Beltane: flowers, ribbons, acorns

Litha: oak leaves, sun symbols, sunflowers

Lammas: bread, wheat, beer, honey, corn dolls, iron

Mabon: fall leaves, cornstalks, grapes and grape vines, pomegranates, apples

Samhain: tarot cards, mirror, food offerings, mulled wine, dark bread

Yule: holly, pine cones, mistletoe, fruits, nuts, bells