Sugar Candles Before Bed

Sugar Candles Before Bed

Monday, April 30, 2018

Before you sleep, as the moon is waxing, burn this candle on a bed of lavender purple sugar.  This sugar bowl/box/plate/jar mix should contain: lavender, lavender sugar, vetch seeds and cowries.  It should rest in a copper pot.  Light this candle from the Monday to the Friday before the nearest full moon to sweeten ones sense of beauty and charisma.

When you wake, on every Thursday before the full moon, on a bed of red sugar, cinnamon, rose and powdered anise seed, burn this candle in a nest of bindweed, creeping jasmine, vetch, sweet pea and periwinkle if you wish to make a sugar box that will bind burning love.  I don't recommend binding people to love you, but I do think lighting the candle together with your partner is fair.

Before sleep, every night of the waning moon if necessary, burn a baby blue candle on a bed of blue and white sugar, poppy seeds and quartz white you speak with prayer to those spirits that guide and walk in dreams.  This will bring sweet dreams and direct away cluttered thoughts before bed.

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Mushrooms and Morning Glories

Mushrooms and Morning Glories

Friday, April 27, 2018

Little Flowers of the Moon

 Little Flower of the Gods

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Three Witches: Beltane Statuette Give Away

Three Witches: Beltane Statuette Give Away

Sunday, April 1, 2018

The Three Witches Series was a side effect of my Sisterhood of the Traveling Mind Series which featured mostly harmless mind altering plant allies like Cacao and Salvia.  As I tucked in with my Pendell, Rosarium, Schulke and Ratsch over the winter break, I got really attached to the idea of the Tropine Sisters and how they appeared to me in dreams and rites.

Well, with any great gift comes a great price.  What I offered to the spirits who inspire art, to the star of Venus, in exchange for her blessing was that I'd part with some of the work, especially those I most care about.  It's a worthy sacrifice I think, to spread her blessing to other people without any expectation of monetary exchange, simply as an act of love, of giving; two things under the rulership of Venus.  I guess, I'm trying to keep my promises.  I make certain and rare vows, but when I do, I am unwilling to break them.  The spirit world was a testy and tempestuous one in the eyes of our ancestors, I've got enough personal experience to have learned my lesson about breaking vows wrought in things deeper than even I understand.

So, I hope whoever participates in this truly, truly is devoted to one of these plant allies.  I shudder to think of them growing dusty on some forgotten shelf or given to children to shatter...  I can only hope you see the same love and giving that I see when I look back at my work.  These statuettes are in harmony with me, so I imagine they'll bring you a good deal of good too.  Let's introduce our ladies...

My first was Datura; the trumpeter of devils and angels.  To see more of her, see HERE.

The second child was Mandrake, the rootworker.  To see more of her, see HERE.

Lastly, and admittedly, the favorite around here, Belladonna; sexy, poisonous, dreamy, she is a very old witch. To see more of her, see HERE.

Each is made of simi translucent polymer clay, painted in acrylic and coated in acrylic matte and/or satin finish.  Do not wash these statues; even with the finish the paint may thin.  Hold each gently but firmly by the sides of their base or by their shoulders or you absolutely will crush the clay details.

I'm so sad to part with any of them to be honest, but I didn't make them for me, I made them for Love.  I hope whichever wins your heart and Fortuna's good graces inspires you to always relish the green magics of the world and adore our plant spirit allies.  Best wishes and good luck.

And remember, even if you don't win on Beltane, you'll get a chance on another Holy Day to win a statuette, including a choice between old and new pieces.

The Via Hedera Statuette Giveaway!

*Participants will win a chance to choose between Mandragora, Datura and Belladonna for their own.

*Participants understand and agree that the statuettes are sent as is in the condition presented in the photographs. 

*Participants will not receive customization to any statue and will accept the statuette as an individual and unique piece of devotional art donated by me, Via Hedera, to you.

*Participants agree and understand that once the art is out of my hands, I am no longer responsible for its care and condition.  No repairs will be made, no replacements will be sent.

*Participants agree and understand that I reserve the right to refuse to send you my art for any reason I see fit with or without explanation.  This is a give-away not a purchase, so nobody is entitled to anything and there is no recourse for my refusal to send.

*Friends and loved ones will NOT be given special consideration, and any requests for preferential treatment will not be considered.  Fair game baby.

*If you are found to have made multiple accounts to win, you're automatically disqualified.  Using multiple platforms will not garner anyone better chances either.

*This give away is applicable to readers in these countries: United States of America and All USA Territories, Mexico, Canada and to the United Kingdom.  Special shipping exceptions can be made on a case by case basis but due to shipping costs and lack of insurance for these statuettes, I'd prefer to only ship to territories with decent shipping rates from the States.   Please keep this in mind before participating, as I cannot cover high shipping costs or guarantee the integrity of these delicate, lightweight clay pieces if being shipped long and indirect distances.

*If your number is drawn and you do not respond to my messages by May 5th, your participation will be rendered null and void.  You MUST respond to viahedera@gmail.com or the Via Hedera Facebook message within 5 days with a valid address or your number will be withdrawn and another will be selected.  I will only attempt to reach you once for the announcement on May 1st  and again after three days.  From that point on, it's up to you to respond.

To Participate in this give away, readers must follow these steps:

Step 1: 

• Like Via Hedera Facebook
• Follow Via Hedera Facebook

Step 2:

• Like the Official Announcement Post on Facebook- this lets me know you're actually applying for a statue and not just one of my wonderful, much appreciated readers.

• Comment your preferred statue on the Official Announcement on Facebook- example "Datura!" or "Belladonna", this will make sending yours out much faster for me when I draw numbers!

BONUS: If you Share the Official Announcement Post on your Facebook page, I will assign you a second number to increase your chances just as you've increased my scope of viewership by sharing ;p -  Facebook allows me to see who shares my links from my page so please keep this in mind; if you do not share the link provided, you will not register.  

Step 3:

•  Wait for the winner to be announced on May 1st, Beltane 2018!  All participants will be assigned a number (two for those who share the Official Post on Facebook- see above) for a random generator and the number chosen Beltane morning will receive a message from Via Hedera requesting a preferred address to send to.  Statuette will be sent Saturday May 5th after providing a final photograph of statue's current condition to the winner.

For Those Who Do Not Have Facebook: (first of all, good for you getting rid of FB, we all should sooner rather than later, kudos on getting out of the machine!)

Step 1:

• Follow Via Hedera Instagram

Step 2:

• Comment on the Official Announcement post on Instagram; this comment should be one word "Datura" "Mandrake" or "Belladonna"

After commenting, you will be assigned a number and placed in the drawing.  The day of Beltane, if you are selected, you will receive a private message with my email viahedera@gmail.com, along with an address request.

*Keep in mind shipping limitations, mentioned at the top of this post.

Or

Step 1:

• Be an official Page Follower of Via Hedera Blog- this does appear in my stats section so you must be a registered user to follow. 

Step 2:

• Leave a comment at the end of this post stating which statue you would choose: Belladonna, Mandragora or Datura as well as a valid email address so that I can assign your number.

After commenting, you will be assigned a number and placed in the drawing.  The day of Beltane, if you are selected, you will receive a private message with my email viahedera@gmail.com, along with an address request.

*Keep in mind shipping limitations, mentioned at the top of this post.

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The Beautiful, Inflexible Lady; Belladonna

The Beautiful, Inflexible Lady; Belladonna

Sunday, March 25, 2018

She is one of those very old witches, those famous ones, and she's enjoyed a reputation as a deadly lover.  Atropa has cutting wisdom and used her beauty to seduce unwitting admirers.  The lore surrounding her is much too apparent to bother going into here, so I will make her introduction brief: she is Saturnian in nature, allied to water, works the arts of sleep, seduction and spirit flight. She is the sister to Mandrake and the original performer in the famed "flying ointment".  Like Datura and Mandrake, she is a priestess in the garden of Hekate.  Her historical uses are in cosmetics; ones to give the skin pallor and dilate the pupil.

They call her "beautiful lady", and I imagine in person she must be very beautiful. I've never had the pleasure of her company; she's got restricted status in my state last time I checked.  Really, I was inspired to make her during my reading on Hexing Herbs.  Annnnnddd I like her so much that she'll be part of my "Thank You For Reading Via Hedera Belatane Give Away!".  That means you potentially have a choice between three original hand sculpted and painted statuettes from Via Hedera: Datura, Mandragora or Belladonna.  

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Mandragora, The Earth Apple Witch

Mandragora, The Earth Apple Witch

Monday, March 19, 2018

"And words they muttered, but what nine knew,
with motion slow of hand and foot:
Then into the cave the three withdrew,
And carried with them the mandrake root."
-Birds and Flowers: And Other Country Things by Mary Botham Howitt

Literary Quotes About Mandragora

"The myths surrounding Mandrake grew, until it was said the plant hid by day but shone like a star at night, and that when being pulled from the ground the plant let out such unearthly shrikes that whoever heard the noise might die."-Richard Evan Schultes, Albert Hofman, and Christian Ratsch, Plants of the Gods

"In ancient Egypt, the mandrake was a symbol of love and was a valued aphrodisiac.  It was usually depicted in association with eros and sensuality."- Christian Ratsch, Plants of Love

"The fruit is a berry, commonly known as a 'love apple', typically ripening to a bright orange at harvest time, which in the Mediterranean countries, occurs in May.  It is, however, the long taproot that gives Mandrake a special place in plant lore."- Michael Jordan, The Green Mantle

"On a day when the moon is waxing, preferably just after the new moon, some time between the winter solstice and vernal equinox, look for your mandrake in a hedgerow or piece of wasteland.  That night, making sure you are not observed, draw a deosil circle with your Athame around the plant and, using the knife as a digging implement, loosen the earth around the root.  Without injuring the main section of the root, gently draw the plant from the soil.  You will probably have to tug quite hard, and you may even hear the traditional "groaning" of the root as it leaves the earth."- Paul Huson, Mastering Witchcraft

"This root was the most powerful of all aphrodisiacs and amulets.  Awakening the root through a series of rituals, produced the little man of the gallows."- Christian Ratsch, Plants of Love

Mandragora, the Golden Apple of the Gods. She is a Circean priestess in the garden of Hekate, a black magician and love sorceress just like her sister Belladonna.  She is an eventide wandering witch, an aphrodisiac maker, a lucid dreamer, a friend of Hekate's Hounds. As a witch, she is mercurial, fiery in temperament, fertile and protective, but loving- the fruits of her poisonous love in magical use are said to stimulate the libido and bring fire to the body.  Her presence is said to make women ripe for child, make children peaceful in dreams and make the lonely irresistible. Like her sisters, she has the power to fly from the body and into that ethereal place where dreams and shadows come from. 

She is known as Alraun the Hexen, and is a loyal ally when cared for in her proper way. A lady of tradition and ritual, Mandragora demands to be fed and tended to, cared for as any friend ought to be. Some of the rituals involving her can be quite ghastly, involving corpses and semen and hanged men and black dogs. Mandragora is usually allied in root form, choosing this avatar to work her will in the homes of witches who keep her hidden in water and fed on blood in the dark corners of the home, or even in prominent places like headboards and mantles. According the some folklore, placing money near an object that even resembles Madnrake will draw and increase wealth to the wielder.  I've never had the pleasure of her company, but I've been inspired by the great deal of lore and legend around her.

She comes in many forms and varieties, this one is a mix of elements from English and Mediterranean Mandrake species, inspired mostly by Autumnalis and Officinarum.  I plan on making variety specific Mandragoras in the future but I wanted someone a little universal this time.  When I read about her lore, I was really inspired by the lore of her regarding time of day and the brightness of the plant at night, which is how I came up with the color placement; being reminiscent of both the purple and white and yellows of the flowers themselves and inspired by the way they are said to light up in the twilight evening and hide as men approach.  Rather than make little faces at the base of each bunch, I placed howlite and clay skulls to represents the little man of the gallows who rests beneath the dark crinkled leaves of the mandrake. A golden pearl was used to represent the ripest golden fruit (apple) in her care.  In her lap are five ripening fruit in a bed of leaves and resting in her right palm is the mandrake root herself, ready for activation in the water, in the dark.  Mandragora's lips are just barely parted, ready to sing her shriek of death if need be, ready to fly from her body if she must.

Are you interested in taking home Mandragora or Datura to your altar?  You will have a chance to WIN your choice between the two (or possibly more) this April!  Stay tuned for details!  To instantly qualify for give aways and freebees, you must like AND follow the Via Hedera Facebook page, OR follow Via Hedera Instragram,  OR be subscribed to Via Hedera Blog.  Unregistered readers will unfortunately not be counted in the random draws.

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Moon Sign and Love Bind

Moon Sign and Love Bind

Monday, March 12, 2018

confection kit: amorous potions and powders, teas and sugar box starters dusts and herbs- everything love witches need to make that very... creative, magic.  I work red work, I love red sugars and scents. In the upper right hand corner is blessed yohimbe, in the bottom left glass jars are love draw floor wash herb mixes and love draw bath herbs as well as sugar box starter- the herbs needed to give a solid foundation to sugar boxes.  I have three vials of cacao teas, and three herb sugars: lavender, stevia mint and clove red.  Incense and herbal talismans are a must for the kit, because they're the foundations in red work.

Things are always changing, in a state of flux at the whim of a trillion different experiences and conditions.  Life is changing this way and that, evolving and slowing and speeding up all at once. On the one hand, I'm working hard at getting a fresh inventory up for some future plans Sunflower and I have been working on.  I'm also working on my statue series more seriously than I had before.  After having been inundated with private requests over the last few weeks for custom work I have thought long and hard about the possibility of resuming customs and my heart just isn't in it right now.  I want to see my ideas come to life, not someone else's.  I have this vision in my head and I need to manifest it before I lose that power.  I do plan on private messaging those who've been staying interested about the possibility of taking on an idea when the mood strikes but for now, I have a goal and have to reach it.  

Speaking of goals, I went back to school.  I was technically already finished but I had an incomplete in the lab sciences so I'm finishing that out over the next quarter while taking ethnobotany workshops over the spring.  Then who knows, maybe I'll transfer to the Horticulture program or UW... after all, you never know.  What I do know is I set a goal, paid for it and now all I have to do is follow through.  I'm scared, I admit it, but not avoiding it was the hardest step.   My thelema is strong, baby.

I suppose I feel suffocated under the weight of wanting to get out and go somewhere new and maybe, just maybe, not look back.  So much sadness and disappointment and embarrassment is left behind me in my wake, I think I've reached that golden age where you aren't attached anymore and seek to find that greener grass on the other side- my eyes are finally looking forward with hope, not back with regret.  Where I will go and who with, I don't know... but I'm changing.  You can either follow or get out the way, but dammit, I'm going on.

Periwinkle

A Love Nest Charm: collect a proper bindweed with whom you have a good relationship spiritually.  Let this be the kind that sweetly tangles and twines and produces beautiful flowers in summer and spring.  If your lover and you quarrel over attachment and passion, gather vetch and sweet-pea, if you need to reaffirm bonds and forsake others- gather morning glory.  Strawberry binds sweetness and fertility while creeping jasmine binds beauty and lust. Should you be celebrating a new commitment, periwinkle is an excellent binder.  Friday nearest the full moon, you wind the braided hair of you and your lover into a twisted hoop with a fresh bindweed, like winding a nest. You can anoint these binds in the oils and fluids of lovers or simply let it be and place it into a box kept near or under the bed.  While you wind and bind believe in your heart what you want. These make meaningful talismans to celebrate and strengthen new marriages, to mend fights with a loved one or to protect a love from outside influences, but I personally wouldn't use it for the obvious purpose to binding two people together. Not my cup of tea.  The box should be filled with sweetness; anise, sugar, allspice, rose materia, orange peel, cinnamon, cacao, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg, damiana and sweetpeas.

Sweetpea

Hairy Vetch

The full moon brought a good deal of creation with it.  Love draw bath powder, love-keep floor wash herbs, love-me powder.  The periwinkles and violets finally bloomed which signals spring coming to Riverton.  The Green River is starting to grow full of green and the rabbits are starting to spend their evenings outside more.  With the rise of light comes the inspiration that gives my spark of live its glow.  I've been blessing bottles of lavender sugar, stevia mint sugar, cinnamon clover sugar, planning business dreams with my friend, bringing beauty to the world around.  I've been quietly healing while absorbing the weight of fertility and lushness growing around me with every passing day into the flowering season.  I attended a workshop on herbal Aphrodisiacs at a local apothecary- Rainbow Natural Remedies and was pleasantly surprised by what I did not know.  The magic of that evening through learning and laughing tasted of coco brandy and damiana rose.  It was a refreshing reminder that Venus is my star, and her power is love, which means somewhere along that current, I will naturally fall.  I love, deeply.  I love art- art is god.  I love people, I love me, I love the vibrations of spring.

And I love you too. Take care.

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Trumpets of the Devil: Sister Datura

Trumpets of the Devil: Sister Datura

Monday, March 5, 2018

Ever had one of those flirtations that was always tawdry and strong but never pursued?  I have that relationship with datura.  I am in no way initiated into her mysteries, I have a limited range of experiences with it on an occult herbal level but they were pretty easy to find back home in California when I was a kid.   I remember them as lovely angel and devil trumpets; flowers associated with love and dreams, madness and sweetness, travel and smoke.

Datura communicates with the spirits, through dreams mostly.  In a haze of smoke she will rise from her body into the wind and find the path to your ancestors.  Her company is nauseating though, she is toxic when abused and needs more to be tended to with worship than imbibed greedily.  That's her gift, she can speak with the spirits, she is wed to the dead.  She achieves her work by transforming and leaving her body.  She travels through roots and on the scent caught on a breeze.  She is deeply protective and does what she can to help those who need her, and will happily drive mad those who seek to abuse her wisdom.   She's lovely to look at, deadly to kiss.  Feminine, Saturnian, allied with water and sun, takes time to mature and requires great care in colder regions.

Datura comes in many shapes and sizes.  Sometimes white, purple, peach or periwinkle, sometimes smooth edged leaves, sometimes spiky points.  The wood is dark, the dried pods can be pale, the seeds can be dark or tan.  I adore her full thick trumpets and her fat flat leaves.  I love the way yellow-peach trumpets gather in long bunches and hang like drapes when well kept.  I love the way white moon flower trumpets face the sky like they are summoning angels and demons.  I love the violet frill around purple trumpets that make them look like elegant ladies dresses turned upside down. 

Her wooden bowl hols the seeds, dried leaves and flowers of different trumpet flowers I've collected over time.  in the center of her chest is a single black datura seed given to me by a fellow witch.  

She isn't meant to stay here with the sisterhood,  She isn't part of the world of vice like her cousins.  Rather, she is in the coven of poisoners; the old witches herbs who require a deep level of mastery and a greater deal of caution.  That coven includes Papaver, Mandragora, Belladonna and the others sisters of the deadly delights... And so, Datura is part of the two statuettes who will be given away at Beltane to a lucky dedicated reader and participant.  Remember this beautiful lady and wait patiently for her sister, because one of your choice can be yours when you participate.  Details will follow soon, so check in leading up to Beltane!

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Vinifera the Maenad

Vinifera the Maenad

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Vitis Vinifera: The Maenad

I came out of a pinot noir induced fever dream and a wild night in the land of the vine and had this epiphany to sculpt the priestess I saw in that otherworldly party who was singing in a pool of wine on the sandy dry ground as the night fires burned and the dancers twirled madly in skins and wreaths.  I adore the grape.  By itself, it isn't a mind altering herb like the rest in my series so far, but, under the right conditions she becomes something feral, smooth, addictive.  I found myself singing along to her wino song and when I woke up, I got to work.

In Wine, There is Truth.

"Red red wine you make me feel so fine, you keep me rocking all of the time."  Vitis Vinifera, shes is among the eldest,  and is a wild Maenad, a lush and a sacred harlot who dances across countries and continents, giving herself freely.   In a simple form, the grape is just tasty and sweet.  I prefer her in the form of wine, the great libation of the wild gods, of Dionysus, of humanity.  She has a wild temper and a touch of madness, but is good for you in small doses or in her simple form.  Oh she and I are in a perfect open relationship; as a food and as a drink she usually enjoys being shared and passed around between my friends and lovers.  I love her cool temper as a food and her wild nature as a drink, even though she sometimes gives me headaches and robs me of restful sleep... those deeply stained lips and her smooth taste is almost unbearably lush, everyone seems to fall in love with her.  I like that our nations all seem to compete for the best reputation with her... there's something wonderfully global about grape culture.

In her raw state, she's an innocent bite, but give her time in the dark, you'll find she goes from sweet to sauce in a few short months.  In the winter she is ever so sweet. A hedonist who worships only the vine gods will know her scent the second she enters the room, we're all addicts for her company.  She'll never be faithful; just like her older sister Mary Jane, she is polyamorous, pansexual and deliciously opportunistic (though she likes to promise otherwise).  She doesn't have expensive tastes; preferring to revel in the skins of sharp-toothed beasts, wear crowns of ivy and will happily take her offerings in any vessel as long as it doesn't leak.  She is birthed in good soil and will take on the attributes of the world around her like a chameleon, or spy.  When she transforms, she tastes of experience and knowledge and upbringing.  Her color is sapphire blue, her planet is Jupiter, her occupation is prostitute.

In her raw form she is a harmless, tasty and passive lady who decorates the garden with class.  Once she's been brewed... oh she is sloppy and delirious, hedonistic and avoidant, often sleepy, often violent, always crooked. She can make a man braver than a lion before reducing him to a puddle of piss and tears in an ally.   On the vine, she adores to give sweetness.  In the glass, a lifetime of her will wear you down and ruin your body and mind, like all her fermented cousins are prone to do. She craves all of your love and wealth and will happily beautify your garden or ruin your wallet... she is forever hungry for affection and needs feeding.

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You, Me & The Priestess of the Bee

You, Me & The Priestess of the Bee

Thursday, February 22, 2018

I'm not a bee shaman or priestess.  I'm not a sacred mellisae or honey covered dancer of Oshun.  I'm just a a humble animist who talks to the bees.  I talk to them when they're crawling over the California lilacs, I talk to them when they bounce from sunflower to sunflower.  I keep close to the bees because they keep my flowers happy.  They balance my world and deliver messages.

I use fresh raw honeycombs and bee pollen a lot in my confectionery work, and I keep a lot of bee fetishes around, but it's usually secondary to a deity who rules bee hives or to different floral spirits. It used to be very simple and disconnected, a content respect for a spirit I'd rather not keep constant company with.  Then, like with so many things in life, I had an ah-ha moment, an epiphany in the world of dreams that caused a great change in my perception of the Bee Priestess archetype.  I wont go into details because silence is magic, but what I can say for sure is I felt compelled beyond reason to do a thanks giving ritual which led to a very intense trance which led to spending a day sinking my inspiration into clay on the new moon.

The Honey Summoner

Inside this lovely lady is a heart made from a sunflower seed grown in my partner's family garden, baked by the sun and blessed by the bees.  In her head, where her mind rests, is a small chunk of amber covered in beeswax.  The paint I used for this one had some floral matter mixed in, and she was blessed by the sun on a bed of powdered honey and dandelion heads.  Her duties are to summon the sacred honey from the hive, to pay praises to the bees and the harvester through song and prayer and offerings.  In her hands she carries a bottle of rose-infused honey from a local apiary, or, she can hold a jar of poppy seeds from my family house, or a jar of powdered honey and goldenrod. She is the earthly aspect while her sister is the heavenly one.  The Summoner is a vessel for the spirit of honey collectors, floral landscapers and bee keepers who keep hives for production of consumables; keep her on the altar to personify honey's magic and the power of workers and drones.

Now that this series is complete (until next summer), I can focus on my Sisterhood of the Traveling Mind Series.  So far, I've completed Camellia, Sativa, Salvia and Theobroma.  In the current work to completion: Vinifera, Nicotiana, Coffea, Amanita and Papaver.  I also hope and my Indigenous Mother Series later in the year when my personification series winds down.  I don't think I'll be taking commissions yet, but I do think I'll sell off the series once the Gallery reception they will be featured in passes.

So, here's to following your dreams, creating something from nothing and honoring the messengers who brought you down your path.  

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The Divine Sage

The Divine Sage

Diviner's Sage: Salvia Divinorum

   Clearly, I date around.  After tasting the tea of Camellia, I meant to meet Coffea for a date, but opportunity rose with the new moon and I went out with a former friend (with benefits).   We met in high school... it was a short lived relationship that resulted in my rolling under a car screaming, "The way out is through!"  We didn't speak again until recently, this time it was a far more productive and respectful relationship.

The animal ally of Salvia is an ouroboros, this one rests around her and her sacred basket.  

She's serious, in turns both giddy and confusing, a relationship with her isn't in the cards for me, but dancing in her garden, I saw a vision and from it came the work of the clay.  I saw a dark wooden house in the side of a mountain.  Beneath a deep blue sky, a waxing crescent moon bobbed along the night, and the mountain side glowed green and silver with sage.  This sage bore purple flowers, much like trumpets, and in the leaves danced questions and answers.  When I reached the cabin and pushed open the door, a lovely dark skinned woman sat chewing on dark leaves in the shadows, with only moonlight to light her solemn, lovely face.  I sat before her in her lavender skirts and cobalt shawl and reached into her basket for the leaves.  She smiled as I chewed and shook her head.   Then we flew, together, ascending over mountain and under moonlight, reading the patterns of birds.  This plant shaman practices augury and speaks the wisdom of their flight.  We flew until quite suddenly, I crashed and landed in the dark, in the cabin.  I was alone and she was wild in the sky.  That's when I reached for the clay and got to work.

Three turquoise skulls are embedded in her skirts and a tourmaline stone sits in the heart of her along with seeds from the divinorum plant.  I chose her colors based on the plant as well as her Pendell correspondences. 

     Salvia is a priestess of nighttime mysteries; sister to owls and shamans who travel by darkness and silence.  That's the thing about this sister; unlike her sisters Sativa and Nicotiana, Salvia is intense, unpredictable and fearless.  Those who visit with her best do it at night time, with calming music and good feelings- she is an empath of the worst variety and will pick up and exasperate any emotion brought before her.  She's hard to date, preferring short and turbulent relationships.  Diviner's Sage, also known as Salvia Divinorum or Brown Lizard Sage is a powerful fortune teller, her significator is the Moon of the tarot and her gift lies in visions of birds and of moon.  Eat with her or smoke with her, either way she'll overpower you long enough to leave a lasting impression, good or bad.  In Pendell's Pharmako trilogy, her animal is the ouroboros, her mineral is turquoise, her color is cobalt blue, her planet is the moon and her occupation is soothsayer.   Just as Cacao naturally lead me to Sativa, so Salvia has led me to Vinifera, and I hope to introduce her this Saturday.  I adore my vices, all of them... Because I see vice and indulgence as a normal and celebrated act and I see plants as spiritual guides between worlds.  Together, they create an experience that changes the mind, body and spirit of the seeker.  Just... be careful who you seek for guidance.

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Making Tea with Camellia

Making Tea with Camellia

Sunday, February 4, 2018

 

Camellia sinensisis the tea plant, from it, our traditional teas come from. Refined in nature, traditional in virtues and deeply nurturing, Camellia- better known as "Tea" is the calmest, softest, most gentle and personable of all the Sisterhood.  Her mind is one of stimulating conversation, creativity and calm, her reputation being that of a healer.  Her elements are earth and water and she delights in the ritual of ceremony and in the formality of tradition.  She is just as powerful as her sister Coffea, but Camellia tends to know how to water down her personality, which can be a tad overwhelming if not properly diluted.  She acclimates well to the seasons, being best when sweet and dark in the summer, or rich and red during winter, or moon jade pale.  When I think tea, which is typically traditional black or green, I feel a deep grounding, like my body is growing still and focused.   Camellia is loved all over the world, finding herself to be an honored part of cultures all across the planet, a testament to her enduring, endearing nature.

Tea house and tea parlor culture are one of my favorite aspects of my childhood.  My grandmother regularly took me to fancy tea houses here and in Canada for high tea and beautiful courses in botanical gardens and on islands.  I admit, my favorite part was the lemon tarts and I only ever drank peppermint tea as a rule in public.  The tradition of it is a warm memory for me.  I still do tea parties, but I miss the tarts...

Just like brewing a good tea blend, brewing up the inspiration comes from a combination of creativity and tradition.  Usually when I start my statues, it starts with dreams, then becomes (admittedly awful) sketches of basic concepts.  The end results are never quite like the original plans, they wind up far different and usually a lot better.  In this case, I was satisfied with the evolution.  I was especially tickled over her tabi-sock inspired socks.  The pearl earrings were sourced from an old pair of earrings my grandpa gave me a few years before he died.   He really liked my statuettes and encouraged me to use the beads and jewelry he left me in my work.  

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