#herbal toxins

[tuulikki]

The degree to which herbal supplements are unregulated continues to appal me

And by “unregulated” I don’t just mean that there’s no medical proof that the supplement you take works (there isn’t)

I mean also that no one checks to see if any supplement says it contains what it says it contains

This is an industry that has happily killed hundreds of people who never knew why their bodies were dying because they didn’t even know supplements were unregulated. It’s so hard for medical doctors to trace symptoms back to any one distributor’s batch of “immune system booster.” People have died of failing organs and cancers whose mystery causes no one will ever find out. We have learned the reasons for some of these deaths, but many more we’ll never catch. Those people died confused and in pain due to the corporate greed of companies that still get to present themselves as “natural” and “healthy”

The supplements industry has so much blood on its hands but people still think it’s safe and that’s just monstrous

[mudassir160]

Detox Your Lungs Naturally: A Comprehensive Guide

In today’s world, our lifestyles and environmental factors can lead to various respiratory issues, making lung detoxification essential. If you’re experiencing mucus build-up, phlegm in your throat, or seeking recovery strategies after smoking, this guide offers natural remedies and lifestyle adjustments to help cleanse your lungs.

Common indicators include:

Excess mucus or phlegm in the throat.

A persistent cough, particularly with yellow, green, or bloody mucus.

Shortness of breath and chest congestion.

Read More>>>

[sufrimientilia]

healing but with downsides

Caretaker with healing powers but every second of it is excruciating for Whumpee. Burning, convulsing, screaming, the repair of flesh coming with fire or electricity or the burst pop scatter of darkness from every synapse rupturing with over-stimulation

A resurrection spell that brings Whumpee back from death but it’s like dying in reverse, shaking and gasping and horrible, so wretched and miserable all over again

Bloodletting to save Whumpee from poison or infection. Toeing the line between bloodloss and dying from whatever toxin needs to be drained

Trying spell after spell to reverse a curse or hex. Whumpee so beaten and abused by magic their body just shuts down or violently rejects it all

Whumpee with the power/affinity/etc to heal fast but practically goes comatose in the meantime. Caretaker fretting as Whumpee sleeps and can’t be roused for hours or days at a time until their wounds seem to heal on their own

Whumpee with the power/affinity/etc to heal fast but it’s like they’re dying. Maybe Whumpee fights off wounds the same way they would the flu, their body getting so feverish and sickly every time they get hurt. Maybe the energy of healing drains Whumpee entirely, leaving them all sweaty and limp and lifeless

Whumpees with the power to heal immediately on the surface but feel the pain indefinitely

Whumpee who can heal so fast they're used for organ harvesting, cut open and ripped apart again and again and again

Herbal concoctions used to make powerful healing potions that taste putrid, forced down Whumpee’s throat as they choke and struggle, too out of it to really fight back

Concoctions that save Whumpee from fatal stab wounds but feel so bad. Poultices and salves that burn or ache, tinctures that make them so restless and disoriented they dream about such horrible things while Caretaker wipes sweat off their brow

Caretaker having to soothe and look after Whumpee as they give them dose after dose of something that makes them feel terrible. Maybe it’s the only thing keeping them alive, but Caretaker feels guilty all the while

Drugs that promote healing but have a whole slew of side effects. Anxiety, heart palpitations, overstimulation, allergic reactions, horrible withdrawals after Whumpee heals

Whumpee’s wounds getting better in every physical way but they just feel so much worse

[petite-anni]

💗Diet Smart - Stop Feeling Hungry💗

we simply deserve beauty and peace

1. Hydrate

Sometimes hunger is just thirst in disguise.

Sip on water, herbal teas or infused beverages to keep cravings at bay. Plus, your skin clears, flushes out toxins and it‘ll give you a natural glow

2. Hunger Shields

Lean proteins, such as chicken, tofu or lentils, and fiber-packed foods, like chia seeds, oats and veggies keep you full.

They are a must-have in every diet.

+ Smart Snacking

healthy and satisfying snacks come hand in hand with a rich diet. A hand full of almonds, a boiled egg, a Banana or apple slices with nut butter can be mighty. Just be extra careful with the amount, especially on nuts. They are healthy, but have lots of calories that can easily bring you out of your deficite.

3. Slow Down

Chew slowly, savor the flavors. Your body needs time to register fullness. Eating is an act of mindflussness, create the time you need. Appreciate the fact that you are able to have a meal on your plate. Be thankful, you are blessed 💕🙏🏻

4. Embrace Volume Eating

Load your plate with low-calorie nutrient-dense foods like leafy greens, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli or else. You can always add veggies to your plate. They are filling and healthy.

Also, choose Potatos over rice and noodles. I will die on that hill. They are low calorie and more than filling and low in calorie.

5. Search Distraction

Hunger can easily just be boredom.

Dive into a book, sketch, take a walk, study, go for a walk, water your plants, chat with friends and family.

Keeps your body and mind busy.

6. Respect Real Hunger

Eating is a blessing. Respect your bodys function and fulfill its needs. The fact that you choose a nutritious meal is the sign of a strong mindset. Dont punish your body with damaging food, such as sweets and sugary liquors, just to satisfy a craving. It deserves the right treatment. Care for your body by eating and that in a healthy, filling way.💗💗💗

[lu-is-not-ok]

A super quick question, but do you think Xichun’s passives imply that she’s taken boluses before?

Putting these two questions together since they're on the same topic.

I think that yes. Xichun is absolutely using treatments via Bolus as a form of physical augmentation. It's quite clear that the Jia Family is heavily involved with H Corp (if not outright a part of the Wing staff itself), so it makes sense Xichun would have enough access to them to use them as enhancement rather than direct treatment.

As for what exactly the treatments she's using could be... Well that's something that I'm much less confident on since the best I can do is pray googling will be enough, but I'll try.

Ba Jiao Banana seems to be a reference to musa basjoo, a plant also known as hardy banana or Japanese fiber banana (which, despite their name, originate from China). According to Wikipedia this plant can be used to reduce "heat-toxins" in traditional Chinese medicine, however the source for that no longer works so I can't confirm that for sure.

However, that's not all funnily enough. From what I found while going on this wild goose chase, the term for this plant tends to also be translated as "plantain".

Why is this important? Because while bananas aren't mentioned in DOTRC, plantains are. They're mentioned multiple times when describing the Daguanyuan/Grand View Garden (which H Corp is partially named after), and Jia Tanchun (Jia Huan's sister and Baoyu's half-sister) takes on the pseudonym "Plantain Lover" for the poetry club she and the other main characters founded in the Garden.

Now, how does this relate to Xichun specifically? Well, in DOTRC she is also a member of the poetry club, and at one point gets commissioned to make a painting of the Garden by Grandma Jia herself. ...That's all I can gather from feverishly CTRL+Fing through the novel at the very least.

So, from all of that, here's what I can gather for the Ba Jiao Banana Bolus Passive.

I have no idea if there's any specific connection between the actual effects of the Passive and its name. However, the fact that the plant used might have medicinal use shows that a Bolus can use the essence of traditional herbal treatment. Additionally, it maybe might serve as a subtle reference to DOTRC Xichun's involvement in the poetry club hosted at the Grand View Garden.

As for the other one...

Jin Gang seems to be another name for a vajra, a ritual tool used in Buddhism. From what I can gather it's associated with indestructibility, fitting as the effect of the Passive gives Xichun Defense Level Ups.

While there is already a connection between Xichun and Buddhism through her beliefs (and her ending up as a Buddhist nun after the Family falls), I think there might be another connection here. The vajra includes lotus flowers as part of its form, and it just so happens that Xichun's poetry club pseudonym is 'Lotus Dweller', which she's given due to her living by the Lotus Pavilion.

To summarize what we can gather from the Jin Gang Bolus Passive:

Similarly to her other Passive, this one shows a possible essence a Bolus can use, though this time it's that of religious rituals, fitting due to DOTRC Xichun's religious nature. The effect of the passive directly correlates with the indestructibility that the ritual tool is associated with. Additionally, this might be another subtle reference to DOTRC Xichun's involvement in the Garden poetry club, though this one much more personalized to Xichun herself.

Oh. And just for full completion.

Xichun also has one non-Bolus related Passive named Bursting Strike, Breathing Siphon. It's a straightforward reference to the fact that her Passive giver her Poise upon killing a target with Rupture. The first part references the Rupture kill, the second references the Poise gain.

[lionsongfr]

Riot of Rot Cuisine- Second Course

Since I promised I would do another one when a Plague venue actually came out. Still ended up mostly using items from Gathering. OTL Previous can be found here: link

Eternal Soup Hotpot- the last warrior to die before the peace between Plaguebringer and Gladekeeper had their bones gifted to 10 Plague chefs. From those bones came 10 eternal soups, their cauldrons are never emptied, and their liquid is replenished as needed. Since food can be scarce in the Plaguelands it is customary to bring food items to dip into the pot and devour as hotpot together. The most common items brought are “dung balls” (ground Gigante chicken livers mixed with Wild Onion), Leechroot Mushroom, whole Glass Minnows, and Banded/Land Snails (slurped right out of the shell!)

Bloody Hearts- despite the name this is one of the few non-meat dishes of Plague. A Gryphon's Blood Sempervivum is first steamed and then the center gently scraped away to reveal a clean heart. Wild Onions, Canyon Ruffage, and garlic are sautéed with Flying Butter, and are then simmered with a Sour Strawberry wine.  Grassland Grain breadcrumbs are added before the mixture is stuffed into Sempervivum and baked till golden. A spicy Ashfall Prickler sauce is drizzled on top.

Hellwell Pepper Soup- in the hot and arid air of the Wastelands, Rapheal (a catfish) are dried out in the open. The fish are treated with a mixture of salt and Herbal Plantain to fend off microbes and hungry Bloodfang. To dine on the fish, it must be first be soaked to remove the salt. The soup base is a paste of Blacktongue pepper, Hot Pepper, Wild Onions, garlic, basil, and Cinnamon added to boiling water. The fish is then added to the pot and cooked till tender. Served with boiled Green Plantains or poured over top of mashed Turnips. A searing spice that must be survived to enjoy. 

Mom's Spaghetti and Meat Balls- the meat balls can be made of any meat scraps, but the most common ingredients are ground Maggots and Diseased Fungus, which is fried in Hissing Goose fat to enhance the flavor. The pasta is made of Crisp-Leaf Amaranth, dense and chewy, and topped with a sauce made of Wild Catsup, sour Flying Butter milk, and Desert Sage. A grating of nutritional yeast is often offered to give a cheesy flavor to the dish.

Plague Bat Adobo- colonies of Plague Bats flying is a frequent sight across the Wasteland and are a plentiful food source. The meat is cut up into chunks and first browned in Mushroom Oil. It is then simmered with Wild Onion, garlic, Butcher’s Fig vinegar, Hot Peppers, and soy sauce. The meat is allowed to cook until it is tender and served over a bed of Grassland Grain.  The primary ingredient, vinegar, inhibits the growth of bacteria!

Green Eggs and Ham Omelet- an Undying Featherback is a ferocious beast, and its meat must be cured in separate caverns to keep it from reforming. This valuable ham is used sparingly not just because of its cost, but also its strong and gamey flavor. The omelet starts out by boiling Wasteland Pear nopales, which are then rinsed under cold water and chopped. Wild onions, nopales, and the chopped ham are seared, and then whisked Gigante eggs are added over top. An herbivore friendly version substitutes the ham with the meaty Leechroot Mushroom, while insectivores prefer fried Fungus Cutter pupae.

Wyrm Jelly- when a tendril of the Wandering Contagion breaks off and dies it becomes hollow. Clans carefully collect these tendrils and fill them with a gelatin mixed with blood, Cinnamon, and Herbal Plantain (anti-toxin).  The gelatin is set in the cold desert night before being squeezed out into long tubes of gummies. It is believed that whatever killed the tendril will colonize the gut of the dragon, strengthening them against any new disease.

Beetle Sausage- long strands of Grapevine and Vineyard beetles dipped into concentrated grape juice and then hung to dry like sausages. The colors can vary depending on the type of grape from the Blue Indigo to Orange Autumn. It is a calorie dense treat that warriors often carry into battle to renew their energy. Also, because somehow Plague has grapes?

Snot Shot- Streak’s Dagger herbal liquor is known for its numerous therapeutic properties, caloric values, and bright neon green color. The shot is layered with a red Sugarmelon schnapps (import from Water Flight), followed by the green Streak’s Dagger liquor, and topped with a Wasteland Pear cream liquor…and then a spritz of Sour Strawberry juice. The drink must be downed quickly before the cream and acid of the juice becomes a curdled mess of sick. (though some Plague dragons prefer it that way)

[voyaging-too]

I know it's basically pointless to whinge about this, but I'm baffled that people are allowed to sell fake medicine, that they can legally do so, that supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to stock fake shit and they're not even forced to put a big sticker on their fake meds that says "this is unproven and ineffectual." Why don't they immediately get sued to pieces and also hit by lightning?

Homeopathy is fake, it doesn't do anything, it cannot do anything.

Naturopathy isn't wholly fake, but it's mostly ineffectual, and when it actually works, it works because it contains the exact same chemicals that standard pharmaceutical pills do, with only slightly more risks and side effects due to inconsistent dosage. (Traditional herbal medicine from all parts of the world does contain effective treatments, and mainstream medicine has been incorporating those as fast as they can. The ancient Chinese wormwood juice cure for malaria is now a convenient little pill called artemisinin.)

Chiropractic is fake and legitimately dangerous, if you don't want the weirdest long-term injuries go to a physiotherapist instead or get a massage.

Supplements that promise to boost your immune system don't really do that, at best they're multivitamins, which are helpful if you lack the time/money to eat well.

Supplements, treatments and diets that promise to detoxify you are always, always 100% bullshit, what even are toxins.

[candiid-caniine]

Hey! Long time no see, i know i said id send you a fantasy i thought you'd like but now ive forgotten almost all of it, oop!

Life happened, and uh, i saw that you mentioned your libido being a bit low, which definitely is my case too (im recovering from depression, now that im okay id love to get my FULL libido back, or at least a good percentage of it) do you have any tips on that?

Also any recs of blogs writing in the same vibe as you? (same-ish kinks would be nice but im specifically looking for queer inclusive stuff!) it makes me 10x hornier than the regular video/photo porn!

Hope you're well, you pathetic little thing!

💫

hi friend!! ugh i feel you. sorry i haven't got any advice on regaining ur libido...we just let mine wax and wane as it will, though denial has been a big help in keeping it steady!

i've heard good things abt ginseng and some other herbs. obvs use at your own risk, mind that some herbal treatments can cross-interact with certain medications, remember that pre-packaged supplement pills are often unregulated and may contain toxins, and be aware that some herbal remedies work better on pw certain anatomy than others, and finally that many herbal remedies considered to increase libido are largely untested on trans folx!

finally, sorry it's taken so long to answer this ask...i'm autistic and have been cataloguing lol. i present to you a list of other blog recs under the cut, organized by general vibe! i've tried to primarily include blogs that do their own posts rather than those who primarily reblog :)

note that my headings may provide some context as to what to expect, but you read at your own risk and each blog will typically have its own trigger warnings addressed in the header/pinned. additionally, i've not tagged some of the ppl below because they prefer that "Men DNI" blogs not interact, and idk if "no cis men" qualifies ahah!

all blogs below are queer- and/or trans-inclusive, if not exclusive! there is no detrans/misgendering, at least I don't think - i don't tend to follow those blogs.

hard kinks (blood, knives, etc; includes primarily-cnc blogs):

@puppy-mommy , who also does general t4t kink content, but does state untagged hard kinks!

@visciousest is someone whose blog i scroll when i'm in a Certain Mood ahah,, i won't elaborate

@hell-hound-bites: just. fuck. would drool on his knife blade.

@snuff-fag: its username should give you fair warning as to how wild its content tends to get, so please browse responsibly.

@condor-bait is taking a break right now, and all my love is with him as he takes care of himself. he made me feel so valid and so fuckable as a young trans person learning to love myself in a new way, and i've always been too shy to tell him how much his content meant to me one-on-one (yes, despite its often-extreme themes!), and he deserves as much time as he needs to heal!

@unwillingfvckpuppy for mostly cnc and medical kinks! if you like his style, but not so much their harder content, he also has a more-tame main blog--i just mainly follow/scroll this one!

@vampvictim: top-tier cnc/intox stuff, plus some great knife/bloodplay :)

@cryptidtid is wonderful and holy shit i follow a lot of hard kink blogs lol. incredible

@cnc-pet: i have been following her for a long ass fucking time lol. they post a lot of really good cnc and stories, but you'll also find a lot of aftercare tips and advice on her blog! i really admire blogs who try to balance horny content with best practices

@dollobotomy

general kinky content:

@excessively-queer . just plain old good shit :) there's a good amt of edging and degradation.

@clouded-king was honestly one of my earlier introductions to the queer/t4t kink community on here and how fucking euphoric it can be :) he posts some hard kinks, but generally it's a balance of a lot of different kinks so read his pinned at your leisure!

@ / cottontailx : just good kinky nsft posts :)

@ / digitalpenetration: often specifically t4t which i love!!

@femmelovefemme can step on me :)

@bigothteddies: could not build this section w/o mentioning him :) they had a big influence on my fantasies for a long time!

@hazelj-xoxo: bigtime want her to cuck me. have followed her across multiple blog deletions lol

@transpidered is forever an icon!

@subspaceemo

@writefinch for great stories and text posts

edging and denial, specifically:

@6irlpet is 1 of my go-to hands-down-pants scroll sessions :)

@droolkink is my inspiration!

@flustersluts does exactly what the name implies lol. a good helping of other kink content too :)

@puppycvnt is a 10/10!

@barkwoofbarkwoofbark: we r denial friends imo!!

@strawbrrysub

@blyssful-abyss

@urhighnessbitch is a big fav <3

non-detrans genderplay:

@butchviolence does amazing butch supremacy stuff and i,,, fucking hell. even just seeing their username puts me in a Particular state of mind ahah. they also post hard kinks so be aware as you proceed!

@mtfdomme: i literally just reblogged from her today lol. tbh i want to be their little stupid pupthing. it's not all transfem supremacy undertones/overtones, but that's what i mainly follow her for, plus just general t4t goodness! also, their general personality? and the way she shuts down people who disrespect their boundaries? huge inspiration for me!

@cuntboydestroyer: take me to the animal shelter and neuter me. good lord.

@the-kind-of-dame is the main inspiration for my recent genderplay post lol

@terfbreaking-tgirl (be warned of dykebreaking if that's an issue for you)

@barbarian-lesbian is my other inspiration for the recent genderplay post

@superiorineveryway

weird asf (/complimentary; my favorite type of shit. robots, ND-focused posts, etc):

@specksizedgoddess has introduced me to things i didn't know, like...existed, and that's saying a lot as one of my special interests is kink! never knew how down bad i was to be a tiny buggirl, nor how much i wanted to be someone's stupid little robot... BIG tw tho: there is snuff and gore content here, so proceed with caution if you don't wanna see that!

@sapphling fucked me up real good with some bird!sub bondage posts awhile back lol

@nobelisha: found them through their ghost cnc post so that's why they're in this category ahah! they don't have a pinned so proceed w awareness :)

@devout-cleric: hierophilia/religion kink, and i'm something of an acolyte of hers :) if you've read this far down you may as well know i'm her Little Lamb anon lol

piss/omo:

@latenightomo

@pissheartmybeloved - their URL makes me crack up every time, plus good content!

@hold-it-a-little-longer - good scenarios/imagines!

@ohmyrashi - (i think) my original intro to omo!

monsterfucking/terato:

@septimus-moonlight was my first real introduction to trans-positive terato and i've never settled for half-fun cis-oriented terato ever since :) mind tags!

@eggedbellies as well!

@bredpun doesn't appear to be active lately but still good for a scroll!

@steamandcream

@of-mutts-and-men

[zukosdualdao]

a soft place to land

zutara month, day 16: injury recovery, @zutaramonth

summary: in the aftermath of an assasination attempt on katara, she finds herself safe in his bed, zuko looking after her from the bedside.

warnings: assasination/murder attempt, complicated thoughts about punitive judgment and executions, etc, excessive use of adverbs, lmao.

other notes: title taken from "a dream is a soft place to land" from waitress.

Katara’s eyes flicker open. She immediately sets to prop herself up on her elbows, struggling not to groan with fatigue and discomfort as she does. 

The sheets underneath her are gold and silken, the room around her faintly familiar.

She’s in the Fire Nation. She’d been here as an Ambassador for the latest treaty revision. A servant… a man dressed as a servant, anyway, he’d served her tea in the private chambers kept for her here, and her throat had begun to swell, panic building as it did, chest burning as the door slammed ominously shut behind him. She remembers lifting her hand shakily, trying to guide her blood to keep the toxins from working through it, but she couldn’t tear it out of her without extracting her own blood, it was no use, she couldn’t think—her head met the floor, brow slick with sweat, she was going to die…

As she looks around in the darkness, it occurs to her exactly where she is now.

“Zuko?”

He’d come looking for her just in time.

The last thing she remembers before her awakening is the taste of something herbal and sickly sweet, being overcome with sick and the aftermath of bile, Zuko’s gentle hand cradling the back of her head, and then succumbing to the darkness.

“I’m right here,” he says quietly in the dark, and when she turns just slightly to her right, she can see shadows cast over his house face. He’s sitting in a chair by her bedside, folding in on himself and wringing his hands until he casts his worried gaze up to meet her eyes. “It’s okay. You’re really okay.” He sounds almost disbelieving. “How do you feel?”

It’s quite the inverse of the last time she was here when he was the one prone on the bed, marked by lightning, and she waited up all night for him to wake again, too wired to sleep, needing to keep a weathered eye on his wound.

“Not amazing,” she manages a bout of shaky laughter. “But I’m alive, so that’s something. How did you know what to… ?”

Zuko was alone when he arrived and fed to her what must have been the antidote, though she thinks she remembers the patter of other footsteps arriving after the fact, possibly a sea of medics.

At this, Zuko leans back in his chair a little, rubbing an embarrassed hand at the back of his head. “Oh—my mother learned about plants and things from her mother.” Zuko’s mouth tilts into a frown. “I think she was an herbalist? I’m not sure.” He shakes his head. “I didn’t know what they’d used but—we keep something stocked here. It’s not a cure-all, but…” Shrugging again, he sighs. “Thank Agni it worked.”

“Forget Agni,” she murmurs. “Thank you.” Something that might have been panic if not for her weariness swells in her chest suddenly. “The man… ?”

Even through the darkness and the haze she still finds her mind in, she catches the way his pupils dilate, the way his posture stiffens. She’s seen him angry like this before. Protective-angry. She imagines his fingers are probably curling hard against the edge of his chair as he grips it, but looking down to check seems difficult and unnecessary. “Hired assassin.”

“Oh.” It’s sort of strange to think she’s an important enough figure that someone would try to assassinate her, that her death wouldn’t be a simple murder but rather to make some political statement or another. “That’s new. For me, anyway.”

Zuko’s had a few attempts on his own life in the past year, as she recalls. Most of them she read about through letters after the fact—she was here for the last one, though, and thank the spirits for that. Stab wounds are simple enough to heal with her bending—if they don’t bleed out first, which can happen more quickly than one might expect. Needless to say, Katara’s glad she was around.

Zuko says the next like an oath. “The assassin is being dealt with.” With a confusing mix of shame, fear, and relief, she wonders how. Zuko’s not the type to execute, certainly not without trial, which is how things would have been done in the Fire Nation in days past. Mostly, she’s relieved for that, but still, she finds herself wondering whether she’ll regret being such a ready proponent of the right to trial and imprisonment over execution in the weeks to come. There is a swallow of fear in her throat, but it might wisp away once this isn’t all so fresh. 

But perhaps that’s something to think on later.

 “So are his benefactors,” Zuko spits out the word like it’s full of poison itself. “I’ve written to your father and Sokka and to Aang,” he adds. Katara’s stomach clenches unpleasantly in a way she suspects only has a little to do with the day’s events. Zuko doesn’t know she and Aang haven’t spoken in months, that they’re no longer together. “Spirits, Katara, I’m so sorry.”

Katara frowns as she leans back against the pillows. “What for? You didn’t poison me.”

“It was done on my watch, in my palace, because some group of fucking noblemen I’ve been trying to appease are—I keep trying and failing to make things better, and instead…”

“Zuko,” she glares at him in the hopes that it will quiet his self-recrimination. It does, quite efficiently, and she smiles. “Not everything gets to be your fault. Will you just accept my thanks for saving me instead?”

At this, she yawns, and she watches as his expression softens in the dim light of his bedroom.

Zuko rolls his eyes then, but there’s a faint smile playing on his lips, too, and she’s glad to feel the mood lighten again, though she can feel weariness starting to take her once more.

“That’s what you and I do,” he allows quietly after a moment, his (pretty, she thinks hazily, so pretty) amber eyes shining with the truth of what he’s saying. “We save each other. Get some more rest, Katara.” 

Still a little awake, but with her eyes closed, she asks drowsily, not even sure she manages the words, “Will you be here when I wake up?”

Zuko’s answer is quiet but certain. “Of course I will.”

Katara hums as she falls back into the allure of sleep, safe with the knowledge Zuko is watching over her. 

[talonabraxas]

Dionysos Nicholas Kalmakoff (Russian-French, 1873–1955)

A Brief History of the Dionysos Cult

The original Rite of Dionysos is almost universally held to have been a "wine cult", concerned with the cultivation of the grapevine, and a practical, understanding of its life cycle - embodying the living god - the creation and fermentation of wine - the dead god in the underworld - and the intoxicating and disinhibiting effects of the drink itself, believed to be a possession by the god’s spirit. In the first instance the cult was not only concerned with the lore of the vine alone, but equally with all the other components of wine. It should not be forgotten that wine once more commonly included many other ingredients, herbal, floral and resinous, adding to the quality, flavour and medicinal properties of the drink. The cultivation of all these also originally came under the lore of Dionysos, making it a general vegetation cult and herbal school. Honey and bees wax were also often added to early wine, bringing with them the associations of the even older mead lore and Neolythic bee cults (whose swarms were often associated with Dionysos as pure "life-force"). Later beer, plus grain/corn, cults were also incorporated into the domain of Dionysos, particularly via his partial assimilation of the Thracian deity Sabazius. Other plants believed to be viniculturally significant were also included in the cults retinue. Thus were added ivy, once thought to negate the effects of drunkenness, and to be the opposite of the grapevine, blooming in winter rather than summer, the vine of death as opposed to the vine of life; the fig, thought to be a purgative of toxins, and the pine, a wine preservative, taken from the evergreen. Similarly the bull, from whose hollowed horns wine was once drunk, and the goat, who provided wineskins and was the natural pruner of the vine, were also included as cult animals and manifestations of Dionysos. The predators or enemies of these were equally sacred, idealised as the panther and the poisonous snake (but see also Sabazius for serpents). Naturally the mythos already associated with these elements would also accrue to Dionysos, if not already there from the start. An understanding of both the practical realities of these processes, and their wider metaphorical significance, is crucial to any attempted understanding of the later primarily symbolic Mysteries of Dionysos, with their atavistic, life-death cycles.

The place of origin of the Hellenic Dionysian Mysteries is unknown, but they almost certainly first came to Greece with the importation of wine, which is widely believed to have originated, in the West, around 6000 BC in one of two places, either in the Zagros Mountains (the borderlands of Mesopotamia and Persia, both with their own rich wine culture since then) or from the ancient wild vines on the mountain slopes of Libya / North Africa (the source of early Egyptian wine from around 2500 BC, and home of many ecstatic rites), quite probably from both. Whatever the case it appears Minoan Crete was the next link in the chain, taking wine from both the Egyptians and Phoenicians and passing it on to the Greeks by 1600 BC, who would spread it throughout their colonies. Wine probably also entered Greece over land from Asia Minor. But it was most likely in Minoan Crete that the eclectic ‘wine cult’, that would become the Dionysian Mysteries, first emerged. Gradually evolving over the centuries, absorbing more mythic material wherever it was adopted. The Dionysos Mysteries would remain powerfully syncretic, absorbing the suppressed primeval cults of all the lands they touched. It would be the Greeks who were left with the task of making sense of the eclectic mix that reached them, and of integrating it into their own mythos with their inventive tales of the journeys and adventures of Dionysos.

The basic principle beneath the original initiations, other than the seasonal death-rebirth theme supposedly common to all vegetation cults (such as the Osirian, which closely parallels the Dionysian), was one of spirit possession and atavism. This in turn was closely associated with the effects of the wine. The spirit possession involved the invocation of spirits by means of the bull roarer, followed by communal dancing to drum and pipe, with characteristic movements (such as the backward head flick) found in all trance inducing cults (represented most famously today by African Voodoo and its relatives). As in Vodoun rites, certain drum rhythms were associated with the trance state, and these rhythms are allegedly found preserved in Greek prose, particularly the Bacchae of Euripides. One classical source describes what had become of these ancient rites in the Greek countryside, where they were held high in the mountains to which ritual processions were made on certain feast days:

"Following the torches as they dipped and swayed in the darkness, they climbed mountain paths with head thrown back and eyes glazed, dancing to the beat of the drum which stirred their blood…. In the state of ekstasis or enqousiasmos, they abandoned themselves, dancing wildly…. and calling 'Euoi!' At that moment of intense rapture they became identified with the god himself…. They became filled with his spirit and acquired divine powers". Peter Hoyle, Delphi (London: 1967), p. 76.

Unlike many trance cults however, the Dionysian rites were primarily atavistic, that is the participant was possessed by animal spirits and bestial entities, rather than intelligible divinities, and may even "transform into animals". A practise preserved by the rite of the "goat and panther men" of the "heretical" Aissaoua Sufi cult of North Africa, and remembered in the satyrs and sileni of the Dionysian procession, and perhaps even the "bull man", or Minotaur, of the chthonic Minoan labyrinth. But the most desired possession was that by Dionysos himself, or his consort Ariadne, though given the primal nature of these deities this is hardly discernable beyond the degree of power manifest. This practise is represented in Greek culture by the famous Bacchanals of the Maenads, Thyiades and Bacchoi. Dionysos in this bestial manifestation is believed to preserve the archaic archetype of the "Lord of the Animals" or the "Horned Hunter", and to a certain extent also the ambiguous "Trickster" archetype. In fact his ‘religion’ tended to absorb the remnants of these archetypes from the local culture wherever it was adopted (usually into Dionysos himself, or else, if still strongly established, as a mythic accomplice, such as his favoured companion the Arcadian Pan, or the ancient Silenus). Likewise the primeval and chthonic goddesses would become associated with Ariadne, or his mother Persephone / Semele. This ritualised atavism was also associated with a ‘descent into the underworld’ of which Dionysos was lord (‘Hades and Dionysos are one and the same’, declared Heraclitus).

The purpose of this atavism is controversial, some see it simply as a Greek saturnalian catharsis, a ritualised release of repressed elements of civilised psychology, and temporary inversion, in order to preserve it, others see it as a return to the "chaotic" sources of being and essentially a reaction against civilisation, while yet others regard it as a magical connection with chthonic powers. It is likely all of these applied in different manifestations of the cult. Like wine, Dionysos had a different flavour in different regions, reflecting their mythical and cultural soil, or "Terroir", and appeared under different names in neighbouring countries (or so claimed the Greeks).

The fact that these effects were attributed in part to Greek wines, that were barely 15% proof, has led many, including Robert Graves, to conclude some of its additives were of an hallucinogenic nature. This is certainly supported by suggestions of a "magic potion" associated with the Dionysos rites, said to include poison ivy, and by the known use of datura, henbane and belladona by shamans in this region, as well as the alleged use of "kykeon" (probably ergot ale), and possibly fly agaric mushrooms, within the Greek Eleusinian Mysteries. Dionysos was most probably regarded as the patron of all consciousness altering substances in Roman times, and potion making paraphenalia have been found in the ruins of Bacchic temples (with the potions, and "poisons", of the Bacchants also featuring in Roman smear campaigns against them). The sacraments used probably varied with the intentions of the Mysteries at any one time, but remained central to all but the most domesticated of the Bacchic sects, as did the associated shamanic idea of stepping outside of an ordered world into something more fundamental.

This primitive Dionysianism survived well into late classical times times on remote Greek islands, and in the wilds of Thrace and Macedonia, but elsewhere was soon adapted to a more "civilised" culture. A spectrum of such sects was to be found across the Greek world, but the height of domesticated kind was to be found at Athens, where atavistic possession became dramatic masked ritual within the Bacchic Thiasos (Greek coven or lodge), seeding the emergence of acting and theatre in the West (crafts also sacred to Dionysos, particularly at the great tragedy and comedy competitions in ancient Athens. From Tragedos, 'Goat Song', Death? And from Komos, 'Revelry'). The ethos of the rites also seems to have become slightly less atavistic and more liberative and sensual in Classical Greece, and a place where the repressions and inequalities of civilised culture could be evaded, albeit temporarily. Thus many of its initiates tended to be women or slaves, the most repressed classes in Greek society, from whom its "leadership" was often drawn, in a typical inversion of normal society. This inversion in fact became a theme of the Dionysian Mysteries, and the Thiasos a place where even kings and rulers could throw off the pressures of rule and convention, and live in carefree, natural equality with commoners for a while. Thus the Mysteries of Dionysos would be adopted by figures as diverse as Alexander the Great, popular monarchs such as Mark Anthony, and rebellious slaves such as Spartacus, all of whom were initiated, and all of whom considered themselves embodiments of Dionysos, interpreting his "liberation" in different ways. But perhaps the most famous of all initiates were the anonymous Maenads, or "wild women", who led the orgiastic rites of Dionysos and became possessed by his frenzy, or the more sensual Thyiades, who raved in the hills. While relatively tamed on the mainland by late Classical times, there still seem to have been outbreaks (or rumours of outbreaks) of primal Dionysianism in Greece, often associated with "foreign influences", the cult itself being seen as originating outside Greek civilisation. These outbreaks were both feared as potentially socially disruptive and envied with great fascination, one such incident inspiring the Euripides' play, the Bacchae.

The Hellenic world, after Alexander’s conquest, spread the cult of Dionysos internationally, to Egyptian Alexandria, where he was associated with Osiris (eventually merging with him as Serapis); to Palestine, where he was associated with the Baals, and even the Adonai of the Jews (who had Dionysos imposed on them by the Hellenes); and most far flung of all, to India, where he became associated with Shiva. These various connections all fed back to the Aegean, where the cult became increasingly complex and cosmopolitan. This would also led to a breakaway mystical form of Dionysianism that would become part of the more philosophical Orphic and Pythagorean Mysteries (where Dionysos was effectively seen as the creative Primal Chaos before creation, beyond all manifest duality, as well as the paradoxical, dynamic balancing force still active within it, the ‘King of the World’, whose final liberation included not only that from orderly civilisation but from the natural world itself!), a move in sharp contrast with the earthy and irrational primitive rite of Dionysos, that in some places still existed alongside it (reflecting a similar pattern to the evolution of Shivaic cults). A complex evolution still not fully understood.

The evolution of the Dionysian Cult continued in the Roman Empire, where the Bacchic Mysteries, as they were known here after their arrival in 200 BC, were banned for a time in Rome and forced underground, following rumours of their "corrupt" and "subversive" behaviour (In 186 B.C. the Roman senate had sought to ban the Dionysian rites throughout the Empire, and restricted their gatherings to no more than 13 people, but was never fully successful. They were revived under Julius Caesar around 50 BC, and remained in existence, along with the Bacchanalian street procession, at least until the time of Augustine (A.D. 354-430)) Those Bacchic cults that survived into late Roman times are often considered degenerate forms, tending to be either rites of empty public theatre, or private excuses for orgies and drunkenness, but it now appears a few low profile Thiasoi did remain, particularly in Southern Italy. It is not surprising that early Christians should thus equate Bacchus and his company with the Devil (despite adopting quite a few of his cult trappings themselves, most obviously the wine communion). The purest survival of the Bacchic cult is perhaps the Lent Carnival which survives in Latin countries even today.

Today people often claim the precursors of Christianity, Devil Worship and Witch Covens in the Rites of Dionysos, with probably both a little justification and much imagination.

[marvelshifter111]

Healer abilities

Healers are compassionate individuals gifted with the power to restore health and ease pain. Through their touch, energy, and deep empathy, they can mend wounds, calm troubled minds, and even draw out harmful toxins. Whether healing physical injuries or soothing emotional scars, healers bring comfort and strength to those in need, making them essential to the well-being of their communities.

Touch healing - The ability to heal injuries or ailments by placing their hands on or near a person’s body, directing healing energy to the affected area. (Kinda the point)

Energy restoration - The power to replenish someone’s stamina or life energy, allowing them to recover from exhaustion or regain vitality.

Pain alleviation - The skill to ease or numb physical pain, providing temporary relief even if full healing isn’t possible immediately.

Herbal knowledge - A deep understanding of natural remedies and medicinal herbs, allowing them to make healing salves, potions, or teas.

Life force transfer - The ability to transfer a portion of their own life force or energy to another, revitalizing them but often tiring the healer.

Detoxification - Drawing out harmful substances, toxins, or impurities from the body, aiding in recovery from addiction or sickness.

Sleep inducement - The power to put someone into a deep, restful sleep to help them recover faster or escape pain for a time.

Spiritual healing - Connecting with spiritual energies to heal wounds that go beyond the physical, like curses, haunting memories, or unresolved traumas.

Physical stabilization - Stabilizing a person’s condition, preventing further deterioration in emergencies while preparing them for full healing.

Self-healing - The ability to heal themselves, ensuring they stay in good health and can continue helping others.

Healing vision - The power to see physical or energetic wounds as auras or shadows, giving them insight into where healing is needed.

Vitality boost - Temporarily increasing a person’s strength, speed, or resilience, useful for patients needing to overcome intense illness or injury.

[thewitcheslibrary]

Herb Correspondences and spell work ingredients!!

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A-B

Acacia: Protection, mental and spiritual development, money, platonic love, and friendship. Used to anoint candles and censers, as well as to consecrate chests or boxes containing ritual implements. Use incense to induce a contemplative mood. Aconite: Use aconite as a magical wash for ritual equipment and spaces. Wear as an amulet to protect against vampires and werewolves. Poisonous; do not ingest. Acorn: Best wishes, protection, knowledge, and personal strength. A dried acorn makes a great natural amulet for maintaining a young appearance. Adam and Eve Root: The Eve Root is mostly utilised by lovers, with one partner carrying it and the other carrying the Adam root. This keeps your sweetheart loyal to you and discourages rivals. Carry both roots in a tiny purse at all times to attract love or make a marriage proposal. Adder’s Tongue: Stops gossip and slander, promoting healing. Sacred to snake goddesses. Used for divination, healing magick, moon magick, and dream magic.

African Violet: Spirituality, protection, and healing. Wear an amulet for protection. Keep in the house to boost spirituality. Frequently used as incense during the Spring Equinox Sabbat. Agar Agar: Encourage joy and prosperity, and draw opportunities and benefits into the home. Mix with Fast Luck powder and apply to hands before playing bingo or other games of chance. Agrimony: Overcoming fear and inner obstacles; releasing negative emotions. Also used to reverse spells. For the greatest benefits, sew into a dream cushion using Mugwort. Use as a wash or oil to boost the effectiveness of any type of healing ritual. Protects against bad creatures and toxins. Ague: Protection and Hex Breaking. Used in amulets to ward off evil. Mix with incense and burn to break a hex put on you. Also known as: ague root, ague weed.

Alder: Linked to divination, music, poetry, wind magick, weather magick, teaching, and decision-making. Also used in rites of death and dying to protect the deceased. Alfalfa: Money, wealth, and anti-hunger. Keep a tiny jar in the cabinet or pantry to guard off poverty and hunger. Burn in a cauldron and use the ashes as amulets to guard against hunger and poverty. Also called Lucerne, Buffalo Herb, Purple Medic.

Alkanet: Purification and prosperity. Protects against snake bites and reduces fear of snakes. Burned as incense to replace negativity with positive energy. Also called: Anchusa, Dyer's Bugloss, Orchanet, and Spanish Bugloss.

Allspice: Money, luck, healing, and acquiring treasure. Adds resolve and vigour to any spell or charm. Burn crushed allspice to bring good fortune and money. Use in herbal baths to promote healing. Also called: Jamaica Pepper.

Almond: Wisdom, money, abundance, and success. Invokes the healing energies of the gods. Offers magical assistance for overcoming dependencies and addictions. Associated with Candlemas and Beltane. Carry, wear, or burn as incense to attract abundance. Also called Greek Nuts, Shakad.

Aloe: Protection and luck. Place on a loved one's grave to bring peace. Thought to alleviate loneliness and promote achievement. Hang in the home to bring luck and protection to the people who dwell there. Grow in the home to prevent against domestic mishaps. Burn during the night of a full moon to attract a new lover on the new moon.

Althea Root: Burn or throw in a sachet to provide protection, soothe an angry person, and boost psychic abilities. Keep on the altar or light candles to invite good spirits. Alyssum: Protection and moderation of rage. Amaranth: Healing, calling spirits, mending broken hearts, bulletproofing, and becoming invisible.

Amber: Protection from damage, outside forces, and psychic attacks. Mental clarity and focus. Transforming negative energy into positive energy. Ambergris: Improving dreams and psychic enterprises, attracting men. Anemone: Healing and Protection

Angelica: Very potent protection herb - repels negative energy while attracting positive energy; forms a barrier to bad energy. Use in healing and exorcism incenses, or scatter for cleansing, protection, and uncrossing. Add to incense to aid healing, or use in the bath to erase curses, hexes, and spells. Also supposed to encourage temperance. Sprinkle ground herb in your shoes to avoid fatigue and weakness. Sprinkle around the exterior border of the house to guard and exorcise. Burn to reunite with a long-lost sweetheart. Also known as: Masterwort, Archangel, Garden Angel, Angelica Root.

Anise: Used to fend off the evil eye, provide happiness, and boost psychic abilities. To avoid unsettling nightmares, fill a sleep pillow with anise seeds. Use to invoke Mercury and Apollo. Perfect for aromatherapy. Use in purifying baths alongside bay leaves. A branch of Anise placed on the bedpost can restore lost youth. Use for protection and meditation incenses. Also called: Aniseed, Anneys, and Anise Seed.

Apple: Love, Garden Magic, Immortality, Friendship, and Healing. Put seven apple seeds in a bag with Orris Root to entice sexual love. Used in ceremonies to honour fertility gods and goddesses. Samhain is known as the 'Feast of Apples' because apples are believed to be the nourishment of the dead. Symbolises the soul and is burnt on Samhain to honour individuals who will be reborn in the spring. When performing a house blessing, cut an apple in half and consume half while leaving the other half outside the residence as an offering. Also known as: Fruit of the Underworld, Fruit of the Gods, Silver Branch, Tree of Love.

Apricot: Love. To attract love, use love sachets with leaves and flowers or carry apricot pits. Arabic Gum: Protection, psychic and spiritual development, money, platonic love, and friendship. Used to anoint candles and censers, as well as to consecrate chests or boxes containing ritual implements. Use incense to induce a contemplative mood. Also called: Acacia, Gum. Arabic Arnica Flowers Increases psychic abilities. Arrow Root: purifies and heals; it may be used instead of cemetery dust.

Ash: Sea spells/magick/rituals, image magick, invincibility, drowning prevention, general protection, and luck. Burning an ash log during Yule promotes wealth. The leaf of this plant is utilised to ensure trip safety. Place one spoonful of ash leaves in a basin of water in the bedroom overnight and discard in the morning; doing so everyday is supposed to prevent disease. Asofoetida: Protection and eradication of negative. Burned to make someone leave you alone. Be careful that while this plant is potent, it has an unpleasant odour when burned. Also known as: Devil's Dung, Food of the Gods.

Asparagus: Male Sex Magic Aspen's: abilities include eloquence, clairvoyance, healing, and anti-theft. Plant in your garden to deter robbers. Aster Love

Also known as: China Aster, Michaelmas Daisy, Starwort. Astragalus Root: Protection and Energy. Avocado: Love, passion, and beauty. Also used for sex magic. Also called Ahuacotl, Alligator Pear, and Persea. Azalea: Happiness, gaiety, and a light spirit, first love. Poisonous; do not ingest.

Bachelor Buttons: Love Also called Devil's Flower and Red Campion.

Bakuli pods: It is difficult to discover magic items that are also utilised in sachets and potpourri. Balm of Gilead Tears: promotes love, manifestation, protection, healing, stress reduction, and aids in the grieving process after a loved one's death. Use in love sachets to heal, protect, and restore a damaged heart. Use to dress candles for any type of magical healing. Burn to attract ghosts. Also known as: Poplar Buds, Balsam Poplar, Balm of Gilead, Mecca. Balsam, Balesan, and Bechan

BalmonyA figwort plant that is powdered and used for hexing. Perseverance, patience, and steadfastness. Associated with tortoises or turtles. Also known as: Hummingbird Tree, Bitter Herb, Snake Head, Turtle Head, Turtle Bloom.

Balsam Fir: promotes strength, insight, goal achievement, and positive transformation. Balsam fir needles may be used as incense on charcoal and are also an excellent addition in sachet bags, dream pillows, and potpourri blends. Bamboo: is associated with breaking hexagrams, wishing luck, and providing protection. Carve a desire into bamboo and bury it in a remote location to make your wish come true. Carry a piece of bamboo for good fortune.

Banana: symbolises fertility, potency, and fortune. Banyan: symbolises happiness and luck. Barberry: Cleansing, sorcery, atonement, and breaking free from another person's power or control.

Also called: Witches Sweets. Barley: Love, healing, and protection. Harvests. Spread on the ground to keep evil at bay. To relieve pain, tie barley straw around a boulder and hurl it into a river or lake while visualising whatever discomfort you are experiencing. Basil: Love, exorcism, riches, compassion, and protection. Removes uncertainties, worries, and weaknesses. Drives away harmful spirits. Associated with Candlemas. Continue to go forward in a positive manner despite the threat. Strewn on floors to guard against evil. Sprinkle an infusion of basil outside the building where you intend to work for good luck at a job interview (but don't be seen!) or throughout your business to attract money and prosperity. Wear or carry to help attract money and wealth. Also known as: Common Basil, Sweet Basil, St. Josephwort, St. Joseph's Wort, Tulsi, Tulasi, Krishnamul, Kala Tulasi, Witches' Herb, Alabahaca, American Dittany. Bat's Head Root: Use in spellwork, rituals, gris gris bags, and other ways to get wishes. Bay Laurel: Purification, blessing of homes and businesses, and clearing out uncertainty. It attracts romanticism. Keep a potted plant to protect your home from lightning. Place in a dream pillow to improve sleep and generate prophetic dreams. Also called: Bay, Sweet Laurel, Sweet Bay, True Laurel, Lorbeer, Noble Laurel, Baie, and Daphne. Bay Leaf: protection, good fortune, success, purification, strength, healing, and psychic abilities. Write your wishes on the leaves, then burn them to make them come true. Place beneath the pillow (or in a dream pillow) to generate prophetic dreams. Place in the corner of each room in the house to protect everyone who live there. Carry bay leaf to defend oneself from dark magic. Bayberry: Good luck, healing, and stress alleviation. Burn a white candle with bayberry bark for good luck and money. Also Known As: American Vegetable Tallow Tree, Myrtle, Wax Myrtle, Candleberry, Candleberry Myrtle, Tallow Shrub, American Vegetable Wax, Waxberry, Pepperidge Bush, Berbery

Bedstraw (Fragrant): Love and Lust. Bee Pollen: promotes friendship, attraction, love, strength, happiness, and helps overcome sadness.

Beech: symbolises wishes, pleasure, and divination. Improves literary talents. To promote inspiration, place a beech leaf between the pages of the Book of Shadows. Beeswax: Traditionally used in the production of candles, ornamental seals, natural polish, protective finishes, and as a foundation for herbal salves. Beetroot: Love. Beetroot juice can be utilised as ink in love magick or to replace blood in spells and rituals.

Belladonna: Healing and forgetting previous loves. When installed in a concealed location within the home, it provides protection. Place on a ceremonial altar to honour the deities and provide energy for ceremonies.

Do not consume this deadly toxin. Also known as: Banewort, Deadly Nightshade, Sorcerer's Berry, Witch's Berry, Death's Herb, Devil's Cherries, Divale, Dwale, Dwaleberry, Dwayberry, Fair Lady, Great Morel, Naughty Man's Cherries

Benzoin: Purification, prosperity, easing tension, removing anger, reducing irritability, relieving stress and anxiety, and conquering depression. Encourages generosity and attention. Good to burn while utilising the Tarot or to achieve intellectual achievement. Smoulder for cleansing. It is thought that incense containing benzoin, cinnamon, and basil will attract consumers to your company. Also Known As: Snowbells, Storax, Gum Benzoin, Siam Benzoin, Siamese Benzoin, Benzoin Gum, Ben, Benjamen.

Bergamot: Money, wealth, protection from evil and disease, memory enhancement, interference prevention, and comfortable sleep. Carry a sachet when gambling to bring luck and money. Very effective at attracting success. Burn during any ritual to boost its power. Also called: Orange Mint. Betel Nut: Protection and Banishment.

Bilberry Bark: is used for protection. Also known as Whortleberry, Black Whortles, Whinberry, Huckleberry, Bleaberry, Blueberry. Airelle Bindweed: Used for curses/hexing. Birch: symbolises protection, exorcism, and cleansing. A birch tree planted near the residence is thought to guard against lightning, infertility, and the evil eye. Also known as: White Birch, Canoe Birch, Paper Birch, Tree of Life, Lady of the Woods.

Bird's Eye chilies: Cursing, heating spells, and making Hoodoo powders like hot foot powder and goofer dust are all done with plants from the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Bistort: Fertility, divination, clairvoyance, and psychic abilities. Carry a sachet for fertility and conception. Add to any herbal concoction to enhance divination. Burn frankincense during divination or to increase psychic abilities. Carry a yellow flannel bag to attract prosperity and good fortune. Sprinkle bistort about the house to repel poltergeists. Also known as: Bistort root, dragonwort. Black Cohosh: symbolises love, courage, protection, and power. Use as a love sachet or in the bath to avoid impotence. Carry in your pocket or as an amulet to boost your confidence and strength. Sprinkle throughout a room to ward against evil. To guarantee a long and happy life, make a herbal infusion and add it to bath water. Burn as a romantic incense. Put in a purple flannel bag to protect yourself against accidents and untimely death, as well as to prevent people from doing you wrong. Also known as Black Snake Root, Bugbane, Squawroot, Bugwort, Rattleroot, Rattleweed, Rattlesnake Root, and Richweed. Black Haw: means protection, gambling, luck, power, and employment. Carry in your pocket while looking for job, if you are experiencing troubles at work, or if you are requesting a rise. Also called: Devil's Shoestring, Stagbush, and American Sloe. Black pepper: is used to banish negativity, perform exorcisms, and defend against evil. Black Walnut: is believed to provide access to spiritual energy, granting blessings and wishes. Blackberry :symbolises health, protection, and money. Sacred to Brighid. Leaves and berries are supposed to bring riches and healing.

Blackthorn Thorns: Thorns have historically been used to curse and protect. The thorns of the Blackthorn tree have traditionally been employed in witchcraft to puncture wax or linen poppets, cursing the intended victim.

Bladderwrack: Protection, sea and wind spells, money, psychic abilities, and attracting clients. Wear a charm for protection while travelling, especially on water. Also called: Kelp, Seawrack, Kelpware, Black-tang, Cutweed, Sea Oak, and Sea Spirit. Blessed Thistle: Purification, protection from negativity and evil, hex breaking. Carry for strength and protection. Place a bowl of holy thistle in a room to boost the vigour and spirit of its people. Men who carry thistle improve their romantic relationships. Also known as: Holy thistle, Saint Benedict thistle, Spotted thistle, Cardin.

Bloodroot: symbolises love, protection, and cleansing. Steep in red wine for the full moon cycle to serve as a "blood offering" for rituals that require it; DO NOT DRINK THE WINE. Place in windows and entrances to keep curses and evil spirits away. A popular root for usage in voodoo to counteract hexes and spells cast against you. Also known as: Red Root, Red Indian Paint, Tetterwort, Blood Root, Indian Paint, Pauson, Red Paint Root, Red Puccoon, Sanguinariat. Blowball: Love and wishes. Carry a crimson bag to grant desires. When looking for love, blow in all four directions. Blue Cohosh: Empowerment, cleansing, attracting money, ending the cycle of love, and pushing away evil.

Blue Violet: Love, inspiration, good fortune, and protection from all evil. Carried to protect, enhance fortune, and shift luck. Mixed with lavender to arouse passion and affection. Worn to soothe tempers and promote sleep. Also called: Sweet Scented Violet.

Bluebell: Luck, honesty, and friendship. Incorporate into funeral and dying traditions to soothe and relieve the pain of those left behind. Also known as: Jacinth, Culverkeys, Auld Man's Bell, Ring o' Bells, Wood Bells. Blueberry: Protection. Though not encouraged, blueberries are thought to induce confusion and turmoil when thrown in an enemy's doorway or path.

Boneset: is used to protect, exorcise, and fend off bad spirits. Sprinkle boneset throughout the house to ward off evil and negativity. Burn a black candle etched with the enemy's name as incense to curse them (not recommended due to karma). Also known as Feverwort, Agueweed, Crosswort, Eupatorium, Indian Sage, Sweating Plant, Teasel, Thoroughwort, Vegetable Antimony.

Borage: symbolises courage and psychic abilities. Float the flowers in a ceremonial bath to lift one's mood. Carry or burn as incense to boost confidence and character. To fight off bad spirits, sprinkle Borage infusion about the house. Also called: Bee Bread, Starflower, Herb of Gladness, Bugloss, Burrage, and Cool Tankard. Brazil Nut: Good luck in love affairs. Brewer's yeast: is used to make face mask remedies. Brimstone: Removes or prevents a hex on you; eliminates an enemy's power over you. Burn at midnight by your back door to keep off evil. Also called: Sulphur Powder.

Broom Tops: For purification, wind spells, divination, and protection. Sprinkle broom tops about the house to ward against evil. Also Known As: Irish Broom, Scotch Broom, Besom, Broom. Buchu :represents divination, wind magic, psychic abilities, and prophetic dreams. Add buchu leaves to the bath to help you predict the future. Also known as Bucco, Agathosma Betulina, Bookoo, Bucku, Buku, and Bucco.

Buckeye: Divination, good luck, and the attraction of money and fortune. Carried whole, anointed with money oil, and/or wrapped in a dollar bill, for a consistent increase in money flow. A famous hoodoo charm among gamblers. Carry in your pocket to prevent against arthritis. Also called: Horse Chestnut.

Buckthorn: Sorcery, elven magic, and dispelling enchantments. It is used as a luck generator in legal problems and to win in court. Place Buckthorn branches near doors or windows to ward off evil and negative vibes. To create a wish, stand in an open place facing east and concentrate on your request; then turn to your left until you are facing east again, sprinkling buckthorn bark powder (or an infusion including buckthorn bark) as you go. Also called: Arrowwood, Black Dogwood, Black Alder Dogwood, Black Alder Tree, and Persian Berries.

Buckwheat: Money, protection, and fasting. Use charms and rituals to get treasure, riches, and fortune. BurdockUsed for cleaning magick when feeling really bad about oneself or others. Use in protective incenses and spells. Rinse with a burdock decoction to relieve negative sentiments about yourself or others. Also known as: Bardana, Burr Seed, Clotbur, Cocklebur, Hardock, Hareburr, Hurrburr, Turkey Burrseed, Fox's Clote, Happy Major, Lappa, Love Leaves, Personata, Beggar's Buttons

Burnet: Used for protection, ritual instrument consecration, and counter magick, as well as to heal despair and despondency. Also called: Italian Pimpernel, Salad Burnet, and Greater Burnet.

Butchers' Broom: Wind spells, divinations, protection, and psychic abilities. Butterbur: is used for love divination and to boost spirits via optimism and trust. Also called: Bog rhubarb, butterdock, umbrella plant, lagwort, and sweet coltsfoot.

tip me!

[manicali]

ok so I’ve narrowed down my request from yesterday, sorry it wasn’t very clear

kinda mideval ig? Cause there are knights and princes and stuff but it’s kinda a world that I made up so I don’t know

herbal

and maybe something to sedate? Or fuck up

either one not kill tho

ohh uh also can you give me ways to identify it cause the main character will figure out what it is

Thanks manic!

I was about to say didn't I already give you a list but apparently my phone didn't hit post it hit delete oops. Sorry

So the two medieval poisons I found were arsenic and belladonna, along with poison from my own collection Lily of The Valley (technically my mothers herb collection)

Arsenic may kill and is virtually undetectable, but known as the kings poison for the number of political assassinations it was used for.

Belladonna or deadly nightshade is a small berry, HIGHLY toxic. They smell flowery and a tad fruity.

Lily of the valley will fuck you up pretty good it looks like celery seasonings and smells like savory cinnamon. Not sure if it's medieval.

Anyways I don't know that much about poisons and toxins it's just a hobby of mine to study. Hope i could help!.

[greenteaandtattoos]

I'm re-reading and re-watching Snow White with the Red Hair at the same time, and I do genuinely believe that the anime has a stronger start than the manga, just from the scenes they added. Specially when it comes to characterization.

The beginning with meeting Shirayuki in the woods gathering herbs and seeing her work in her apothecary, her trying to get a job at the town herbalist shop and first seeing Ryu, when she and Ryu officially meet before the court herbalist exam. None of those were in the manga, and I think they add SO much.

I will say, though, the manga takes the lead after the exam, and I think it does so by quite a lot. My biggest grievance with a change the anime made was Ryu's reason for liking the shigure plant.

In the manga, he likes it because it releases toxins if not cared for properly and is the reason he became interested in herbalism in the first place. But in the anime, he says it's because "they're red and pretty", which only adds to his kid crush he has on Shirayuki at the start of the anime.

They also take out the very end page of volume one, where Zen says he much prefers a different and prettier kind of red than the shigure plant as he gazes at Shirayuki's hair.

There are also just more scenes with the characters relaxing and we get to know them and their dynamics better in the manga. I appreciate those little moments a lot.

Don't get me wrong, I love the anime. I watched it before I read the manga. I love the voices of the English Dub. They match their characters perfectly, and I read the manga with their voices in my head.

[eatmangoesnekkid]

Imagine how peaceful and abundant life was before colonization. No shoes; feet in the dirt. Innocently naked resulting in lymph nodes airing out and detoxifying energetic stagnation. Herbal teas and wild berries flushing toxins. No fear of the sun. Eating within seasons. Respect for animals. Communicating with the unseen. Breasts bouncing, ass shaking dance aesthetics. Advanced sexual vitality that built pyramids in ways that modern day scientists still can't decipher how. We developed our spiritual bodies which was how we stayed liberated and free in our creativity. Tuning into pre-colonial life is how you begin to get back to the truth, God no longer found in the sky, but discovered inside of you. -India Ame'ye, Author

[theyoungwaldschrat]

Helleborus foetidus - Stinking Hellebore

The Herbal Lore of Hellebore

There are various species of hellebore and especially for the more ancient myths it's hard to tell which one they apply to, but one thing they all got in common is that they're poisonous.

When ingested in large enough quantities, they cause quite extreme and violent vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac arrhythmia up to death by cardiac arrest.

This is the reason it was believed to have purgative power. It makes you emit out evil spirits and especially madness through all openings so to speak. One instance of this is in the greek myth of Melampus, who notices the effects of the plant on some goats who ate it and then uses it to cure the daughters of king Proitos, who were fallen into madness. He also discards the "remains of the madness" (eww) into the river which then turned the fish inedible for a while.

Another instance is when Medea cures Herakles of his madness after he killed his children, she does so with hellebore too. A slightly more historical version is that of the First Sacred War, in which the League of Delphi fought the city of Krisa and after a decade long siege finally made them surrender by poisoning their water supply with hellebore.

These greek myths likely would have either referred to Helleborus cyclophyllus or Helleborus orientalis, often sold as decorative plants. The black hellebore - or Christmas rose - is another one commonly sold as a decorative plant. The "black" in the name is not referencing the flower, which is white, but the roots. Those roots were used in various medicinal ways often bordering on folk magic.

In Germany, it was used for abortions which is why it was also called Frauenwurz (Women's wort) and against lice and other parasites. It was also used in "Schelmenstechen" (lit. "piercing the rogue") which was a method to heal anthrax in cattle. You'd pierce the animals ear and insert the root in the hole. There's also spells which go with that so it was definitely more on the magic side.

Pliny the Elder says if you wanna dig up the root for use as incense to purge the house, you first have to draw a circle around the plant with a sword, then ask the gods for permission while facing east. If then an eagle flies from that direction it is also an omen of your death within the next year.

In witchcraft, it was said to be used in powders which make invisible and also those granting eternal youth. It is also known as Krötenwurz (toad wort) because it was believed that toads sleep under it in winter and draw their poisonous power from the root, which has a surprising truth to it because it turned out not long ago that the toxins in toad's skin are chemically very similar to the ones in hellebore.

The origin of the plant also has many myths attached to it. In Germanic folklore, Freya finds a child who was abandoned in the forest in winter and turns the child into a flower to spare it from suffering. A version of the story which seems to stem from the time of conversion to Christianity has a heathen father dismiss his daughter's Christian faith and tells her he will only convert if the forest blooms in winter which then happened through the miraculous appearance of hellebore. The more modern version usually has the flower grow from the tears of a child who does not have a present for Christmas.

The species of hellebore that we got in Germany and is shown in the photos above is known as Stinkende Nieswurz (Stinking sneeze-wort), also known as dungwort, lent rose, snow rose, snake rose, or bears foot.

It has green flowers, sometimes with a little red rim. Very interestingly it has yeast cultures in it's flowers that slightly ferment the nectar. Not to make alcohol for insects but rather to increase the temperature of the flower because it often blooms in the snow. The fermentation can raise the temperature of the flower up to 6°C which is warm enough for the bumblebees to wake up and stop by.

The leaves are also cool because they seemlessly change from normal leaf at the bottom of the stem to green flower petal at the top and it was this flower which first led biologists to hypothesized that petals are just modified leaves. And the seed are special too because they got little nutrition pellets attached to them which are specifically for ants as a distributor of the seeds.