Herbal Preparations: Teas

Whenever someone think about using herbs in a medicinal way, they think of teas. Always teas. They're familiar and comforting. They're also so easy to make that a child could so it with a little instruction. The very best way to make a tea is to bring the water to a boil, allow the boiling to come to a stop, and pour the hot water over the plant material into a cup or container of some kind. The water should be very hot, almost boiling hot, but not quite. You don't want to scald the herbs. Just steep them. 

For the very best results, actively boiling water should not come into contact with metal. This means you shouldn't use a teapot or kettle with a metal lining, but you can use a kettle that has a ceramic lining. Many kettles these days have exactly that, so check before purchasing a kettle. Boiling water that has had contact with metal will produce an inferior tea, but you can absolutely use a metal strainer or tea ball for steeping the tea. This is one of the reasons you allow the boiling water to rest for a minute.

There are several different ways to make your teas. One popular way is to place the plant material directly into the teapot. No strainer, no bagging. Just right in the teapot. Boil the water in a kettle, allow the water to rest a moment so the boiling stops, then pour the water directly over the plant material. Allow the tea to steep for several minutes. This is a very beautiful way to make tea, especially if you're using a clear teapot. You can watch the plant material swirl as the tea deepens in color. When the tea is ready, simply pour it through a strainer into a cup and drink.

There are, of course, other ways to make your teas. You can bag your plant material using clean organza bags or even buy grocery store teas. Perhaps you like to use the tea balls that cage the plant material inside them. These spoons are only designed to make a single cup of tea, but that can be handy if you only need a single cup of tea. There are also cups that come with strainers. These are yet another way to enjoy only one cup.

Another great way to make teas is using a French press. You can get them almost anywhere now and they are quite useful if you're going to start making teas as herbal preparations. A French press is basically a small glass pitcher with a top. This top features a type of plunger with a screen. It's easy enough to use and they often come with instructions, but basically you place the plant material in the pitcher and top with hot water. Place the lid in place, making absolutely sure the plunger is above the plant material. This is important. Allow the tea to steep for as long as you like. Like other tea preparation methods, the longer you let it sit the stronger the tea will be. When you're ready, push down on the plunger. This will force the plant material into the bottom of the pitcher, trapping it. Pour the tea into a cup and enjoy. It takes about the same amount of time as a more traditional way of preparing tea, so consider investing in a French press if you're interested in making tea frequently.

Tea bags work, of course, as do tea balls. Tea bags can be purchased empty, but you won't save any money that way. They cost the same as they do if they're already filled and they have to be thrown out after one use. If you're only planning on using herbs that already come in teas, you can save yourself some trouble and use tea bags from the grocery store. They have peppermint tea, chamomile tea and several other types that might be useful. As long as they contain the real herb and nothing but the real herb, they'll do just fine. If you want to make your own tea bags, you can buy small organza bags made for just this purpose. These can be cleaned, if you like, and reused. 

Tea balls work just as well. Place the plant material in the cage, close the cage, and let it steep. If you're going to use a tea ball, spend a little more and get a stainless steel one. Get a good one. Cheap ones don't seal well and will leave you with plant matter floating in your tea. Not great.

There's another way to turn your herbs into teas, one that takes a little time but gives you an extraordinary product and requires no boiling of water. Sun tea is a marvelous thing that has been used for centuries to create teas and concoctions used to heal people. It's simple to make and tastes quite delicious when served over ice.

Start with the right ratios. In general, you'll want about 2 ounces of plant material for every 2 quarts of water. If you want it more flavorful, add more plant material. You can really add as much as you like as long as you like the taste. Place the plant material and the water in a clear glass or BPA-free plastic container. Put the lid on and make sure there's just a little ventilation. You can leave the lid askew a bit if you like. Just make sure air can move a little bit. Just a little.

Set the container in the sun for at least one full day. This means you won't be drinking the tea until at least 24 hours after you start making it, so take this into account before you start. You may wish to leave the tea for longer. When the tea is ready, pour it through a strainer. For best results, serve over ice. It sounds like a lot of work, but sun tea is delicious. Give it a try. You may find yourself abandoning the kettle for a pitcher in no time.

It's the ingredients in your tea that give it the magickal and medicinal properties, so choose your ingredients with care. And remember that not all herbs are meant to be taken internally. Research carefully before making your own teas.

Story Spells: Teaching Spellcraft to Young Children

I've had so many people ask me about teaching spells to children that I finally wrote a small ebook about it. This ebook can be found at most major retailers, including Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble. It's not a long book , but it doesn't have to be.

About the book:

Children can cast spells too! Kids have wonderfully open minds and perfectly vivid imaginations. This makes them natural spellcasters. With a little guidance from a parent or other loving adult, they can create and cast their own spells. These spells can help children learn to deal with the widening world, make new friends, work better with others, or even banish nightmares.

Young ones are very literal minded. For this reason, when the idea of spells is first introduced, using stories that reflect their personal experiences and goals is the way to go. Though story spells work best for children ages 1 through 5, even older children (and their parents!) can have fun with this unique form of spell casting.

Ashling Wicca, Book Three

For those interested in a continuing study of Ashling Wicca, the third book in the series is available for purchase through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and other retailers, as both a paperback and an ebook. Just like with the first two books in the series, there is an accompanying workbook that can be purchase in either paperback or ebook format.

From the back of the book:

Venture further down the path into the magickal world of Ashling Wicca. The seven units of this book, which are designed to be completed over the course of an entire year, build on the skills and knowledge you should have gained in the first two books in the Ashling Wiccan Series. Each lesson will guide the student to a fuller understanding of the intricacies of the Ashling Wiccan Tradition. These lessons include both the practical and theoretical, and your magickal education will be rounded out by the inclusions of rituals and spells to assist you in your practice.

This book contains all the lessons traditionally studied by those seeking to attain Water Degree within Ashling Wicca. Because initiation into the tradition can only be obtained under the direction of a High Priest/ess, the material within these pages is presented by a High Priestess of Ashling Wicca. With careful study and attention, the student should be able to complete all included material in about a year. At this time, initiation into Water Degree may be possible.

From the back of the workbook:

This workbook, which is designed to complement Ashling Wicca, Book Three, will guide you further down the path towards a thorough understanding of the Ashling tradition. Full of tests, exercises, journal entries, and reflections, it can help you make sense of the material presented in the master book. It also provides various rituals vital to the practice of Ashling Wicca. Here you will find an initiation ritual, a handfasting ritual, and two additional Sabbat rituals.

This book should be used in conjunction with Ashling Wicca, Book Three. The units in each book are identical, allowing you to easily line up the written information from the master book with the tests and other materials in the workbook. Use both to continue your study of the art of Ashling Wicca.

Herbal Preparations: Soaps

When we think of herbs and their uses, soaps aren't necessarily the first thing that come to mind. But they can be used in herbal medicine and magick, especially if you take the time to study the herbs you'd like to use.

When we talk about making soaps at home, we're not really making soap. Instead we're purchasing a soap base, usually from a craft store, melting it, adding scents and colors, and pouring it into a mold. Truly making soap is a complicated and sometimes dangerous process. As such, it is outside the scope of this article. The melt and pour method is safer and is easy enough for just about anyone to pull off.

Besides your soap base and a double boiler (because you do not want to put melted soap directly over heat; it may catch fire), you'll need molds and soap additives. Molds are typically sold wherever you buy the soap. You can get your additives there too, but beware. While the soap colors are perfectly fine, you probably don't want to buy the scents. Instead, use true essential oils. They have medicinal and magickal properties not present in fragrance oils.

Once you have your supplies, you'll need a recipe. For the most part, you can take any essential oil recipe and convert it you a soap recipe simply by omitting the base oil. Add the oils, using just a few drops at a time, slowly increasing the amount until the scent is pleasing to your nostrils. Take into consideration your skin's sensitivity. If you have sensitive skin, you might want to be conservative with the amount of oil you add until you know how you might react.

You can also add dried herbs to your soaps, which have the added benefit of exfoliating the skin a bit. Make sure these are well distributed throughout the soap before pouring your soaps into molds. When using your soaps, bathe in warm, but not hot, water to maximize their effectiveness.

The ingredients in your soaps will determine their magickal and medicinal effects, so choose your recipes carefully.