Wojciech Siudmak

Temporary people will teach you permanent life lessons.

Edible Magickal Flowers and Folk Lore

The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greeks and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking, medicine, and magick.

 Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor and a little magickal whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbaceous, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is surprising. Flower petals can be used in salads and as garnish for desserts, but they also inspire magickal creative uses as well. Use them to make floral spirit water for rituals, as a medicinal tea, or add to a healing spell or love potion….  the possibilities are endless.

 TIPS FOR SAFE AND TASTY DINING:

1, Allium All blossoms from the allium family (leeks, chives, garlic, garlic chives) are edible and flavorful.  Flavors run the gamut from delicate leek to robust garlic. Every part of these plants is edible. Garlic is masculine in nature and associated with the planet Mars, the element fire and the sign Aries. It is sacred to Hecate and is a suitable offering to her left at a crossroads.  Garlic has antibiotic properties, but should not be used directly on wounds or in poultices or salves because it can be irritating to the skin and may inhibit blood clotting.

2. Angelica Depending on the variety, flowers range from pale lavender-blue to deep rose and have a licorice-like flavor. Believed to have originated in Syria, angelica is now found just about everywhere. In ancient times it was used to ward off the plague and evil and as a cure for poison and… well, just about everything else. Angelica is associated with the angels Michael and Gabriel. It is aligned with the sun and the element of fire and sacred to Venus. Angelica tea is useful for colic, gas, indigestion, hepatitis, heartburn, nausea, ulcers and various other digestive ailments.

3. Anise Hyssop Both flowers and leaves have a subtle anise or licorice flavor. Anise is one of the oldest known plants that were grown for both culinary and medicinal use. Anise is associated with the element of air, the God Apollo, the planets Mercury and Jupiter, and the astrological sign Gemini. Anise is also considered masculine. 4. Basil Blossoms come in a variety of colors, from white to pink to lavender; flavor is similar to the leaves, but milder. The word Basil comes from the Greeks, meaning “King”.  Basil is sacred to Vishnu, Tulasi and Erzulie, masculine in nature, and associated with the element of fire and the planet Mars. Basil helps steady the mind, brings happiness, love, peace, and money and protects against insanity.

5. Calendula / Marigold A great flower for eating, calendula blossoms are peppery, tangy, and spicy — and their vibrant golden color adds a dash of magick to any dish. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all loved calendula and used it for culinary and healing purposes. During the medieval period it was considered a cure for just about everything.  Marigold is associated with the Sun. Calendula symbolizes love and constancy.  It is great for wedding bouquets and decorations. It is the traditional “he loves me, he loves me not” flower and is useful for love potions. Dried petals can be strewn to consecrate an area or burned in consecration incense. They are also a good addition to dream pillows.

6. Carnations Petals are sweet, once trimmed away from the base. The blossoms taste like their sweet, perfumed aroma.  In ancient Rome, carnations were known as “Jove’s Flower” as a tribute to their beloved king of the gods, Jupiter.  Carnations are masculine, associated with the Sun and Jupiter, and with the element fire.  Those things that fall under the rule of Jupiter are ideal for use in magickal applications related to luck, money, good fortune, status, legal matters, fertility, friendship, ambition, career, success and protection. The flowers can be used to lend strength in healing applications. The practitioner can also use carnation essential oils to increase health and vigor.

7. Chamomile Small and daisy like, the flowers have a sweet flavor and are often used in tea. Ragweed sufferers may be allergic to chamomile.  The Romans used Chamomile for incense.  Chamomile was used in ancient Egypt for fevers and was dedicated to their Sun God Ra.  Chamomile is associated with the sun, Leo and the element of water. It helps cleanse and invigorate the throat chakra (5th). It is associated with various Sun Gods, including Cernunnos, Lugh and others.  It is used in spells for money, peace, love, tranquility and purification.

8. Chrysanthemum / Mum A little bitter, mums come in a rainbow of colors and a range of flavors range from peppery to pungent. Use only the petals. In Celtic folklore, chrysanthemums in the garden were considered a meeting place for the faeries. Chrysanthemum is masculine in nature and resonates with the energy of the Sun and the element of fire.  Chrysanthemum has been used for burial rituals and is a suitable decoration for Samhain and for ancestral altars.  The dried flower heads of chrysanthemum can be burned during house blessings ceremonies. 

9. Dandelion The bright yellow flowers should be gathered as soon as they open. Remove the green bits from the base of the flower before using. These can be added to wines, vinegar or jellies. The name dandelion comes from the French, “dent de lion” which means “tooth of the lion”.  The dandelion is masculine in action and associated with the planet Jupiter, the element of air and both Pisces and Sagittarius. It is also associated with any solar deity, Hecate, Brigid and Belenos.  A tea of the flowers and leaves may be consumed to increase psychic ability, while pouring boiling water over a bowlful of roots will aid in calling spirits.   You can also make a wish and blow the seeds off a dandelion head.

10. Lavender Sweet, spicy, and perfumed, the flowers are a great addition to both savory and sweet dishes. Some of the earliest recorded uses of lavender are by the Roman soldiers who used the wild-growing plant to perfume their bathwater and wash their clothes. Lavender is masculine in action and associated with Mercury. It is also associated with the element of air and the astrological sign Virgo. It may be used as an asperging herb (to sprinkle water for purification purposes) and dried lavender sticks or wands can be burnt like incense. It is also useful in spells to sharpen the mind, to encourage or strengthen pure love and to encourage fertility. The scent of lavender is relaxing and uplifting all at once making it a great aromatherapy for stressed out or depressed individuals. Try adding some lavender oil to your bath or add it to mild oil for a relaxing massage at the end of a hard day. Stuffing a pillow with lavender buds may help insomniacs relax and fall asleep and soothes headaches.

11.  Oregano The flowers are a pretty, subtle version of the leaf. Oregano is ruled by Venus and the element of air and associated with Aphrodite. It is used in spells for happiness, tranquility, luck, health, protection and letting go of a loved one. It can also be used in spells to deepen existing love. When worn on the head during sleep, it is said to promote psychic dreams. Oregano symbolizes joy. Use it for rituals celebrating joyful occasions, or in spells to bring joy into one’s life.

12.  Rose Remove the white, bitter base and the remaining petals have a strongly perfumed flavor perfect for floating in drinks or scattering across desserts, and for a variety of jams. All roses are edible, with flavor more pronounced in darker varieties. From the time of Solomon, the rose has been the flower most closely linked with love. The rose was sacred to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, and was connected to her messenger, Cupid. Roses have been cultivated for over 5,000 years. Roses are associated with Aphrodite, Adonis and Eros. Rosewater is a protective agent worn on clothes. Rose petals can be added to charms against the evil eye.

13.  Rosemary Flowers taste like a milder version of the herb; nice used as a garnish on dishes that incorporate rosemary. The word Rosmarinus is from the Latin meaning “dew of the sea”.  Rosemary is also associated with Aphrodite and appears in many ancient images of Her. Rosemary was used to ward off evil spirits and nightmares. The wood was used to make musical instruments. Rosemary is male in nature and ruled by Leo, the element fire and the sun (or Moon, depending who you ask).  It’s sacred to Hebe, Aphrodite and the Virgin Mary. Rosemary can be used in spells for fidelity and remembrance as well as to dispel jealousy. Rosemary is useful for ritual baths, and for making sacred herbal water for ritual cleansing, blessing and purification. Bathing in rosemary will enhance your memory.  

14. Sage Blossoms have a subtle flavor similar to the leaves. Sage is a hardy perennial of the mint family.  The Romans regarded sage quite highly and much sacrifice and ceremony was associated with its harvest. They believed it stimulated the brain and memory and used it to clean their teeth. Sage is masculine in nature and associated the element of air and the planet Jupiter. Sage is sacred to the Greek Zeus and Roman Jupiter. It is also a symbol of the Virgin Mary. Sage is used in magical workings for immortality, longevity, wisdom, protection and the granting of wishes. Sage is also believed to help alleviate sorrow of the death of a loved one.

15. Sunflower Petals can be eaten, and the bud can be steamed like an artichoke. Sunflower is associated with the sun and all solar deities. Its essence helps balance the first chakra and also helps with confidence in leadership roles. Sunflower oil can be used as carrier oil for healing oils used in massages and ointments.

16. Violets Another famous edible flower, violets are floral, sweet and beautiful as garnishes. Use the flowers in salads and to garnish desserts and drinks. In Roman mythology, violets were said to be lesser goddesses who once dared to rival the beauty of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty.  Violets are affiliated with the planet Venus or Pluto and are associated with the nymphs of ancient Greek myths.  Violets are also associated with death and rebirth through the story of Attis. Violets are useful in love spells and may be carried as an amulet to increase one’s luck in love. Try combining them with lavender for an enhanced effect.

 Sources:  HerbalRiot, Cheralyndarcey, Witches of the Craft, Inspirationforthespirit,  Witchipedia 

i want to know what bears think sometimes

Anna Taberko          -          https://www.instagram.com/anna.taberko

Castle in the Sky (1986)

Click to enlarge for better quality

the way the sky remains equally breathtaking even when it changes its colors ever so often is my reminder that change is not exactly a bad thing.

http://ift.tt/2t6Pwl9

I justify my impulses by the fact I’m going to be dead one day and none of it truly matters in the grand scheme of things

it’s that “treat yo self” nihilism

As someone who has been living with severe suicidal ideation my entire life I wanna tell you all something, you don’t have to stay alive for yourself. People will say it’s a bad idea to live for external things because they’re temporary, and it’s true living for yourself is ideal but if you’re not to that point yet that’s ok too. 

I’ve lived for my dog for the past 4 years, before that I lived for my snakes, before that I lived for my cat. You can live for whatever needs you and whatever matters to you. Live for your best friend, live for your plants, live for your pets, live for your animal crossing town. Live for whatever keeps you alive and the day will come when you can live for yourself.

This is something everyone should see. Thank you for sharing this.

Transformers kept me alive. When the 2007 movie was announced I was going through an incredibly hard time emotionally. I saw the preview and every time I thought about killing myself I thought, “but then I won’t get to see this thing I’ve always wanted to see, good or not.” And it got me through.

I’m in a place where I live for myself now, but don’t toss away a life preserver just because other people think you should be able to swim on your own.

don’t toss away a life preserver just because other people think you should be able to swim on your own

I lived through my worst depression since I didn’t want my family to have to pay for my funeral, I’m in a career I love now and happy with my life… just keep going

goblin swarm

please get this woman out of their cave

Misshapen Glass Vases by Studio E.O Appear to Melt Atop Angular Stone Platforms

This relax me

His face makes the joke worth it

Spread it this week, always.