#eastern witch

[deathofthelastromantics-blog]

"The Kings and Queens came to us so young, so brave. We raised them, we taught them, we loved them and they served so well. After they were gone all of Narnia grieved them, and we will miss them till the end of time. "

[lunarharp]

shirahama-sensei reminded me she has a thing for the teacher from pokemon s/v so i randomly went off on an au where qifrey is the professor. etc

[cringelordofchaos]

"how can you both be Orthodox Christian and practice witchcraft" I believe in joyful whimsy beyond your own comprehension now leave me alone while I mix those two up in the biggest silliest ways like a kindergarten art project

[batrogers]

Kotake hummed happily and sipped her tea. “Are you one of our apprentices from... I believe you’re displaced in time or space somehow, aren’t you? Link opened his mouth and had to force himself to close it, swallowing hard. He cleared his throat and shook himself before he managed any words at all. How did she know ? How much did she know? It made him nauseous to even think of it ; nauseous, and on the edge of hysteria that she'd guess him her apprentice . What did his magic look like to her that she thought that? “I never would’ve dreamed...” he breathed; he'd rather die. “I knew of you and your sister, but that’s all. It’s an honour to meet you.”

In which Time gets help from the last people he expected when Legend gets kidnapped. (Or, the most stressful tea party he never would have imagined.)

Quote from my Linked Universe fic, Skin & Gold

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Psychology Today, magazine, Ziff-Davis Pub., July 1977

[loki-zen]

(in Loki telling self "make your own post"): weird to me how there always seem to be people on this website ready to come out of the woodwork and insist that a bunch of ambiguous things are always and only about antisemitism.

Yes, blood libel is absolutely a thing - but, "they [steal, hurt and/or eat] babies and worship Satan!" is also to pre/early modern Europe what "groomer/pedo" is to the internet today. They said it about Jewish people because they were antisemitic and this was what you said/believed about people that you hated. They also said it about Rromani people, and Catholics, and widows disliked by their local community, and weirdos who might have been some kind of neurodivergent, and queer people, and poor people! Hell, in the 90s, American Evangelicals were saying it about atheists and people who wanted to teach religion in schools. "They are going to both hurt and in some sense steal away our children" is what people are saying about trans people right the fuck now.

I don't really know what (if any) goal is being served or attempted by all this pattern-matching.

[aisling-saoirse]

Plant Profile: American Witch Hazel - Hamamelis virginiana

Today's plant is better known for its use as a facial toner but this year I've witnessed a mass-bloom (the yellow dots in the image above) so I want to re-introduce you my ultimate late fall favorite!

Witch-Hazel refers to members of the Hamamelis family, containing about five species, 3 of which are found in the eastern US and the other two in Asia. Our species of focus is the American Witch Hazel, a wide growing, often dominate understory shrub/tree common throughout forests of the American East. The plant has a lovely arching growth habit (Image 2 above), alongside trails in older-growth tall mountain forests, one always can spot witch hazel by a tunnel effect along the trails framed by its branches.

For a quick technical analysis, Witch Hazel has oval alternate leaves that are asymmetrical and have rounded lobes along the sides (image 3 of pressed leaf). The bark is a grey or reddish brown with small lenticels (image 4 of 'trunk') and typically grows in clusters sprouting from deep roots. Typically the plant reaches about 20' in height and 20' in width, as I usually only see specimens this large in very old portions of woodland my assumption is that it takes many decades to achieve this stature.

The flowers themselves are divided into 4 portions with yellow ribbon-like petals present from October-December (image 5, 6, 9). The flowers are extremely fragrant in wet weather and mornings, the scent usually fades in drier conditions. Flowers lose their ribbons and recede into this hardened portion connected to the stem called a calyx (it looks like a rounded pod which can have about 4 seeds in it). The seeds actually shoot out of this pod as a dispersal method around the next fall.

I brought up flowering because like many species in the northeast, there is never a consistent year for these things, while I see witch-hazel flowers every year I don't encounter blooms prolifically unless it's exposed to a lot of sun light. From my experience, a mass-bloom (in which every tree has noticeable blooms like image 1) occurs every 5 years about, I've noticed this in my forest since childhood but others may have more frequent encounters than me.

American Witch Hazel has a large range and is found throughout the Eastern US. The Northern limit of its range is Nova Scotia to Wisconsin staying mostly east of the Mississippi River south until its South Western Limit in East Texas and Northern Florida to the East. Allegedly disjunct populations also exist in Lost Maples Texas and the Eastern Sierra Madres of Mexico but those are fairly isolated from the main range.

There are two other Hamamelis species located within the same range. H. vernalis: Ozark Witch-hazel, which is a common horticultural specimen due to its reddish yellow blooms coming out just before spring and is naturally restricted to the Ozarks. H. ovalis: big leaf witch-hazel is a new species discovered in 2004, found only in one watershed in Mississippi and Alabama; this species has much larger leaves and red mid-winter blooms. Most people are unlikely to encounter these in the wild at all.

Hamamelis virginiana can grow in both acidic and alkaline conditions, though I tend to find the densest populations on protected north facing slopes in mature forests near where water travels. I've also found it on pure rock on mountain top balds in New York before (image 7 above). This is because in the North, American Witch Hazel isn't as limited in habitat as in the Southern portion of it's range where it's generally restricted to only cove forests and bottom lands. generally there is an association with the Witch Hazel and decent moisture.

Speaking of moisture, Early English settlers (shown by Native Americans) used witch hazel branches as dowsing rod to find underground water sources. Sticking branches in the ground, and watching which portion bent upon encountering streams. It's likely the name 'Witch' in Witch Hazel derives either from Middle English 'Wiche' for 'lively' or Anglo-Saxon 'Wych' for 'bend' describing this use. [Info from US Forest Service].

Witch Hazel is also a protector of the forest following disturbance. In a Canadian Journal of Forest Research Study by Taylor Benton, analysis found that where large scale canopy loss was present H. virginiana was found to increase it's basal area growth (think spread) by over 300%. This indicates that in the presence increased light and nitrogen, the dominate understory species are able to protect seedlings by increasing canopy shade!

In my own forest I've noticed this where Ash has died back, the Witch Hazel flowers more prolifically and frequently as well as becoming denser (Image 8 Witch-hazel in flower above a stream)

Now what are the ecological relationships associated with American Witch Hazel? This species specifically provides one of the last insect oriented pollen sources prior to winter (other witch-hazel species often bloom in early spring), so species like the owlet moth which are active in winter, and late season bees get a food source from it. The leaves are occasionally predated by a gall wasp which forms many odd tents on the leaf in favorable conditions.

Propagating Witch-hazel for those crazy like me should be aware it is not an easy plant to start. The seeds require a period of moist cold stratification, then warm, then another cold (think 90 days of fridge, 90 days in warmth, 90 days in fridge) then it'll begin to germinate. If you have a full specimen you can attempt layering (which is covering a low branch in soil allowing it to root). You can take softwood cuttings in spring but they have to be kept frost free the next winter.

Finally Landscaping advice! Witch-Hazel is best utilized in partially shaded non-south facing or moist areas in partial sun. While it loves total shade in its natural environment it really preforms much better in a garden with some sunlight. American Witch-Hazel also is a better performer in the scent category rather than a showy floral display, most horticultural specimens are derived from hybrids between Chinese, Japanese, or Ozark Witch-hazel (image 10 of possible H. vernalis cultivar above) as their coloring is much more interesting compared to our local powerhouse. However it must be said that American Witch-hazel is resilient and has some flower color variation (oranges and pinks) which are absent in other species.

So this has been my plant profile on American Witch-Hazel, please go into the woods and smell the haunting yellow blooms while the mass-bloom is still occurring. Happy Hunting to my Eastern American followers :)!

[elminx]

First Looks: Pine Syrup

I don't get influenced to buy things but I DO get influenced to make yummy wild harvested creations.

Enter Eastern White Pine syrup. I have had this project saved for a year or two now because you've got to get your timing right. The recipe calls for using the fresh tips on the pine trees and I've been stalking my friend's eastern white pines to catch them at the right point.

I think that I got it right? I'm not honestly sure though - most of the examples I saw for this syrup online were using spruce tips and spruce and pine are quite different from one another. The secret, so far as I understand it, is to harvest the tips when they are still tender and succulent which these definitely were. Also to taste the pine tips you're harvesting to make sure that they are a flavor profile you would like to use.

I have a relatively long history with Eastern White Pine. I've used it in oil infusions to make protection candles, made it into a forest bathing salve, added it to a winter syrup, and infused it into vodka (used in my Fire Cider Bloody Marys!). I use it protectively or as a road opener depending on my needs.

I brought the pine tips home and refrigerated them overnight so they didn't dry out and then laid them out to get a good look at what I had. I had to separate out some adult pine needles from the lot but otherwise, they looked pretty good. Then, layer by layer, I packed them into a quart jar with layers of turbinado sugar in between. This is a no-heat method for making syrups and I've never tried it before. I like this concept because it allows you to really infuse your magic into the creation process as you return to check on its progress over and over again.

Now, I wait.

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[honeydippedwitch-art]

Visitor in my garden. 🦋🌸🌿

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feeding on Sweet William.

[rottingangelwings]

[crazycatsiren]

Chakras - What they really are

(I managed to salvage this post written by @rue-cimon from an old deactivated account. I copied it down here because this was too good a post to lose.)

Chakra literally means "wheel" or "circle" in Sanskrit. The concept of chakras originates from Hinduism in ancient India. These are focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation or yoga practices. These practices are collectively called "tantra".

Although the concept is frequently found in early traditions of Hinduism and are often mentioned in the Vedas, beliefs around chakras differ between various Indian religions. Buddhist texts consistently mention 5 chakras, whereas Hindu texts and sources speak of 6 or 7 chakras.

Early Sanskrit texts speak of them both as meditative visualizations combining flowers and mantras and as physical entities in the body. Within kundalini yoga, various breath exercises, visualizations, mudras, kriyas, and mantras are focused on manipulating the flow of subtle energy through chakras.

Chakras are also present in Ayurvedic traditions.

The belief behind chakras is that human life simultaneously exists in two parallel dimensions, one is the physical body and the other is psychological, emotional, mind, non physical (the subtle body).

The aforementioned subtle body is energy, while the physical body is mass. The psyche or mind plane corresponds to and interacts with the body plane, and the belief holds that the body and the mind mutually affect each other. The subtle body consists of energy channels connected by nodes of psychic energy called chakras.

The chakras - in Hindu and Buddhist texts - are said to be arranged in a column along the spinal cord, from its base to the top of the head, connected by vertical channels. Tantric traditions strive to awaken, master, and energize these chakras through yoga and often with the help of a teacher.

The esoteric traditions in Buddhism generally teach four chakras. In some early Buddhist sources, these chakras are termed as manipura (navel), anahata (heart), vishuddha (throat), and ushnisha kamala (crown). However, a system of five chakras is common among classes of tantra in Tibetan Buddhism. These five chakras are basal, abdominal, heart, throat, and crown, and each chakra corresponds with an element, a Buddha, and a bija mantra.

The more common and most studied chakra system incorporates six major chakras along with a seventh center generally not regarded as a chakra.

The chakras are traditionally considered meditation aids. The yogi starts from lower chakras and progresses to the highest chakra located in the crown of the head, in the journey of spiritual ascent.

In the Hindu kundalini and Buddhist candali traditions, the chakras are pierced by a dormant energy residing near or in the lowest chakra. in Hindu texts she is known as Kundalini, while in Buddhist texts she is called Candali or Tummo.

Some terms and definitions:

Tantra: Esoteric traditions in Hinduism and Buddhism that developed in India mainly during the middle of the 1st millennium CE. The term tantra, in the Indian traditions, also means text, theory, system, method, instrument, technique, or practice. A key feature of these traditions is the use of mantras.

Kundalini yoga: A type of yoga focused on channeling energy through the chakras.

Mudra: A symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Mudras have meaning in many forms of Indian dance and yoga. In hatha yoga, mudras are used in conjunction with pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), generally while in a seated posture, to stimulate different parts of the body involved with breathing and to affect the flow of prana and is associated with consciousness in the body. Mudras are also used in tantric practices.

Kriya: Practice within a yoga discipline meant to achieve a specific result. The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali defines three types of kriya, namely asceticism, study, and devotion. Such yoga is called kriya yoga. Kriya is a Sanskrit word that literally means "to do" or "to work".

Mantra: A sacred utterance, a sound, a syllable, word, or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali, and other languages. They hold spiritual and religious significance. At its simplest, the word "om" serves as a mantra. It is believed to be the first sound which was originated on earth. It creates a reverberation in the body which helps the body and mind to be calm. In more sophisticated forms, mantras are melodic phrases with spiritual interpretations such as a human longing for truth, reality, light, immortality, peace, love, knowledge, and action. Not all mantras have literal meanings but rather are simply uplifting.

Ayurveda: An alternative medicine system with historical roots in ancient India.

[deathofthelastromantics-blog]

" How long was it till you turned my life to folklore? "

[valq-art]

Little witch for Lunafiore (FA)

[valkariel]

Miasma

Head: Blackbosom Hat - default Body: Shishu Bujin Hitatare - dark purple Hands: Diadochos Armlets of Casting - snow white Legs: Quaintrelle's Ruffled Skirt - dark purple Feet: Purgatory Boots of Casting - default

Earring: Purgatory Earrings of Casting Neck: The Emperor's New Necklace Wrists: The Emperor's New Bracelet Right Ring: Eternal Dark Ring of Casting Left Ring: Eternal Dark Ring of Casting

Main Hand: Edenmorn Rapier - pastel purple Off Hand: --

Fashion Accessory: -- Minion: -- Location: The Pool of Tribute

Shader: Faeberry Bloom

[momokatzetzgo]

little brain: Lisa was executed because the church thought she was a witch for her advanced medicinal knowledge and her lax relationship with God. Her knowledge challenged the authority of the Church, so it killed her for it

Big Brain: Lisa was executed because she was Catholic not Orthodox

[cervenakoviny]

Mirena, vedma a nasledovníčka bohyne Chors (lunica na krku) zo série Černokňažník. Také drsné žieňa to bolo. Autor - Lucia Húšťavová