Ex Penna

Now that Spring is on its way again, I'd like to take the time to talk about one of my favorite magical herbs, Coltsfoot.

If you're out walking, this will liekly be the first bit of color you see once the snows melt.  Its name refers to the distinctive horse-print shape of the leaves.

One of my favorite folk names of Coltsfoot is the evocative "The Son Before the Father," which notes its peculiar habit of sprouting thin spires of small orange flowers from the bare ground and then dying away before the leaves sprout.  A strange sight in the gray early spring woods, to be sure!

In magic, the leaves are the part most used and any formula requiring it is speaking about this part of the plant.  It's an excellent additive to love spells as well as those for money and peace.

My favorite use of Coltsfoot is one that I don't mention in the shop due to concerns over selling smokables on site, but it is a traditional and useful bit of magic.  By either smoking the herb in a hand-rolled cigarette or fumigating it in a censer and inhaling the smoke just before going to bed, one can induce wildly vivid dreams.  This is a handy trick if you're attempting astral travel, lucid dreaming, or just want to have some nighttime fun.  There are a great many spells designed to bring up specific dreams (or try this formula I shared last year) and combining them is a great way to expand your abilities.  

If you're like me, you still have a tree standing in your house in January.  If you're like a lot of folks I know, all the rest of your tree's fellow decorations are hanging around as well.  Now would be a great time to clear everything out, get yourself prepared for a brand new year, and make use of some of those pine needles that are inevitably everywhere.

Here in Pennsylvania, pine grows plentifully.  So much so that one of my neighbors remarked that he would eagerly cut them down anytime someone asked, just to be rid of them.  I was astonished to hear that!  Is it too much familiarity with this common tree?  Or is it that there's too many possible parasites that afflict them (which means he should really hate the parasite, not the tree)?  We may never know, but as a magical practitioner and a major wildlife advocate, I say love your pine!

To keep things brief, I'll touch on pine's two most important abilities (especially because they are perfect for this time of the year!)--purification and money drawing.

Burning an incense of pine needles in your home will drive out wayward spirits and remove any crossed conditions present.  I recently learned from the wonderful Lucky Mojo Curio Company that a quick and cheap option for uncrossing a house is to add pine needles and Van Van oil to a bottle of regular Pine-Sol and use it to scrub the house.  I think that's brilliant!

Pine needle infusion in your bath brings you back to clarity and positive thoughts.  Pine boughs hung over your door ensure happiness within.

When using pine needles for money spells, you can burn them as incense alone or add to a formula to boost its strength.  Add some to a mojo bag with or without other herbs and curios.  Pine alone can do the trick!  The great thing about pine in this case is its stable nature.  When you call on pine for help with prosperity, you can bet that any money gained will be through regulated and safe means, not snap decisions and high-risk ventures.    

You have spoken and I'm listening: you want more magic every week!  So now, between Quick Link Monday and Full Feature Friday, you'll get a third dose of occult lore and opinion--Witch Tips Wednesday!