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Jazz’s Gems
Carnelian Carnelian is a beautiful orange or red stone that is perfect for people who are going through, or wanting to boost a multitude of things. It can enhance your confidence and connect you with your true expressions. Not only that, but it can protect you against things like rage, fear and envy. Carnelian stimulates creativity and motivates you for success. This stone is believed to attract a flow of abundance and will restore vitality and motivation. It is a magnet for prosperity and good luck, and will infuse the body with light and life. Are you looking to embrace your inner child? Carnelian is the right stone for…
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Jazz’s Gems
Apache Tears Apache tears I find to be an underrated stone. Personally, I have relied on it to get me through some tough times, and it is certainly one of my favourite and most useful in my collection. I suffer from trauma issues, and if you do too- get yourself some Apache tears! If you suffer from depression, anxiety or are going through grief or loss, this is also very helpful as it brings supportive energies that can provide relief. Apache tears are a form of Obsidian but are more lightweight and porous. They are volcanic glass and are classed as a mineraloid. It consists mainly of silicon dioxide, and…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Samhain Special Welcome to the special Samhain edition of Notes from the Apothecary! Samhain is the approximate midpoint between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice, and for many in the northern hemisphere, the time when we start to notice the long descent into the colder months. This means there is less wild food, plus fewer herbs and plants growing, so it’s often time to start using up ingredients stored from summer. In this issue, I’m going to go through some of my favourite herbs, fruits, and veggies to use around Samhain, and why I think they’re so magical. 5 Samhain Herbs, Fruits, and Vegetables …
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Jazz’s Jems
Malachite Malachite is a very versatile gem that is green with some dark green or black concentric bands. It is similar to rosasite, serpentine, chrysocolla and pseudomalachite. The main places you can find malachite would be Russia, Australia and Africa. It is mainly copper ( around 60%), so it is a useful ore as well. It is also known as the “Mirror of the soul” and a “stone of transformation”. Malachite is connected to the heart and throat chakras, is associated with the planet Venus, and it’s zodiacs are Libra, Scorpio and Capricorn. It is also used with the element Earth. This green stone is soft…
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Moon Talk
The Basics of Magick and Debunking Stereotypes Lets take it back to the basics. When I spell “Magick”; you are probably wondering if I misspelled that right? For those who are new to Witchcraft, the word “magic” might bring various images to mind—talented illusionists who pull rabbits out of hats, sparks shooting from wands in Hollywood movies, or a cartoon character who can disappear simply by snapping his fingers. But for people who actually practice magic, the truth is much more subtle, and yet more powerful, than any pop culture fantasy. Back in the late 1300s, the French word “magique” entered the English language and became “magic.” The common French…
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Yule Correspondences
(Ornate Pentacle Holiday Stocking by Jinx of Mtcoffinz Underground available on etsy.) Lesser Sabbat – Winter Solstice, circa Dec 21 Other Names: Jul (“wheel”, Old Norse), Saturnalia (Rome ~December 17 & 18), Yuletide (Teutonic), Midwinter, Fionn’s Day, Alban huan, Christmas (Christian~December 25), Xmas, Festival of Sol, Solar/Secular/Pagan New Year Animals/Mythical beings: yule goat (nordic), reindeer stag, squirrels, yule cat, Sacred White Buffalo, Kallikantzaroi-ugly chaos monsters(greek), trolls, phoenix, yule elf, jule gnome, squirrels, wren/robin Gemstones: cat’s eye, ruby, diamond, garnet, bloodstone Incense/Oils: bayberry, cedar, ginger, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, nutmeg, wintergreen, saffron Colors: gold, silver, red, green, white Tools,Symbols, & Decorations: bayberry candles, evergreens, holly, mistletoe, poinsettia,mistletoe, lights, gifts,…
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Tarot Talk 2
Comparing The 5 & 7 of Swords (image: The Rider-Waite tarot deck) Many Tarot cards have such strong and unique meanings that we can easily tell them apart. However, there are cards that are similar enough to each other that interpreting them when they both show up in a spread can be challenging. One method for coming to know cards in-depth is to break them down to their components; we have been using this method to study each of the 78 cards of a traditional Tarot deck. Now that we have completed our study of the individual cards, it’s time to use another method: comparison. This month, we…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: The Christmas Tree Straight away, I know many of you will be wondering why I’m bringing Christmas to the table, when most of us are looking forward to Yule or the Winter Solstice. Well, it’s because I absolutely adore the tradition of the Christmas tree. And, despite what many people think, it’s not an inherently Pagan symbol, although there are definite Pagan roots, pardon the pun. Christmas trees are so popular today that they are grown in all 50 American states, including even Hawaii, and most other places in the world. From candlelit trees in Germany in the 1800s to fiber optic light shows…
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Notes from the Apothecary
Notes from the Apothecary: Hyacinth The hyacinth is a flowering plant which grows from a bulb. It has beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers and is very popular during the holiday season and spring. This easy to grow plant has a wealth of history and mythology, and could bring a touch of magic into your home as well as a blast of floral colour and fragrance. The Kitchen Garden Hyacinths are poisonous so aren’t grown for culinary purposes. They contain oxalic acid, a compound that causes skin irritation externally. If taken internally it can cause: Damage to mucous membranes Damage to respiratory tract Wheezing Shortness of breath Laryngitis Inflammation…