HedgeWitch

by Silver RavenWolf

  Your Garden Matches Your Life

  Working in your garden provides an easy, open pathway to Spirit. Yes, at first your mind is full of the other parts of your life, but as you work the soil and study and care for the plants, everyday problems slip away and your energy naturally starts to vibrate with that of the earth. By caring for your garden, you are also caring for your life. If something is wrong in your garden (not enough water, a particular weed, a bug infestation), this often equates to what is going on in your own life. By correcting the problem in your garden, you will naturally move to correct the difficulty in your life outside of your garden. You and your garden are actually vibrating together and are really companions throughout the seasons. Here are a few intuitive tips that might help you when problems occur in your garden:

  Overwatering: You are overindulging yourself or someone else in a particular area of your life.

  Underwatering: You are being too stingy with yourself or someone closely related to you.

  Japanese beetles and other chewing bugs: These are a major pain, and some years, of course, in some areas will be worse than others. Let’s say you’ve taken appropriate gardening steps to solve this problem, but for some reason, those darned beetles left your garden alone but went after your marigolds. Japanese beetles and other chewing predators (deer, rabbits, bugs) indicate that you have allowed negative thoughts to chew away at your personal harmony. Release the negativity, as explained in Section 2 of this book (such as the Rite of Wind), as you take appropriate action to remove the beetles from your marigolds.

  Slugs: Lure them into the sun with a mixture of beer and grape juice—and at the same time, consider where in your life you’ve been lazy and negative.

  Weeds: Your schedule is way too busy, and you’ve allowed things that mean nothing to take up your valuable time. Think about what you can release, and be sure to give yourself time to peacefully meditate and commune in your garden.

  Creeping vines: You’ve allowed one particular negative issue or fear to infiltrate your entire lifestyle. Release this issue and make active, aggressive changes to bring harmony into focus.

  Fungus and root rot: You are ignoring your real feelings. Get in touch with them!

  White flies and aphids: You can actually use a DustBuster to suck these babies up, or try the soap-spray recipes given on pages 248–249. In life, however, the appearance of these nasty critters may mean that your thoughts are scattered and rather than accomplishing one thing, you are destroying many good things in your life.

  What is that bug? Not all bugs in the garden are bad ones! If you see a new, unusual bug in your garden, take a picture of it and research the critter on the Net or visit a local greenhouse and ask. Good bugs such as mud wasps and ladybugs actually help to keep your garden healthy. A new bug in the garden means a new opportunity is coming to call. If the bug is helpful to your garden, consider this a good omen. For example, late in the growing season I found amazing, fat caterpillars on my parsley. At first, I was alarmed, but after researching them, I discovered that these caterpillars would turn into beautiful swallowtail butterflies and they don’t eat enough to destroy a parsley crop. Not long after, I received a terrific opportunity in my life.

  Forgetting to fertilize: There is something in your life you are refusing to do, and because of this refusal you are not allowing new and fresh opportunities to help you grow. Get out there and fertilize!

  Never say: “I don’t have any luck with…” and name the plant. Granted, you have to be aware of the particular environment a plant needs to survive. You can’t put a jungle plant outside in the desert without some sort of dramatic hothouse, but in regards to plants native to your environment, there is always a way to raise it, and in doing so, you bring a special measure of Spirit into your life. When I was a little girl, my grandmother had the most beautiful Boston ferns on her porch every year. When I first tried to raise them, they died; so, for years, I passed by these plants longingly at the nursery but never purchased them, fearing that once again I would waste my money. Once I developed the HedgeWitch guide and worked through the material myself, I decided I would be daring and try once again. I bought two beautiful ferns and re-potted them immediately, using organic soil and fish fertilizer, then I blessed them and put them on the back porch. Each week I monitored their progress, moving them on various occasions to different locations on the porch until they seemed happy and settled. By fall, I had the most gorgeous ferns! I learned that people are like plants—we need to change our environment when necessary to that which is most conducive to our personal growth. Now and then, we need a bit of fertilizer (new information) to boost our productivity!

  When you are troubled, work in your garden: Connecting with nature can be one of the most healing activities you will ever try. By concentrating on growth, maintenance, and harvest (depending upon the time of year), you are allowing your mind, body, and spirit to commune directly with Spirit. Sometimes it will take at least thirty minutes for you to get into the swing of nature, but that’s okay. Keep at it until your troubles melt away and you are totally concentrated on the garden task at hand. When you are finished for the day, you will find a renewed sense of healing and purpose.

  Remove dead and diseased leaves: Just like in your own life, there are times when your garden plants will need what I call a magickal haircut. Many times a plant isn’t dead, even though it looks like it is past all saving. Remove dead, dying, or diseased leaves, apply a remedy if necessary (for example, an organic bug killer), give it a little water and fertilizer, and move the plant to a better location, if necessary. Our lives need to be maintained the same way, especially if we remember that change can always be made to our advantage. Dead-heading flowers, or taking off the dead blooms, encourages new growth in the plant. Dead-heading in our lives can be very advantageous, too. Learn to release so that new growth can take place.

  Keep the paths in your garden free of weeds: If you want a bright, clear future ahead, keep those garden paths clean and free of weeds! As you remove the weeds in your garden, you are psychologically removing the blocks in your outside life. Solutions will come easy and quickly to you!

  Share your harvest! Incorporate the harvest of your garden into the lives of others by giving away some of the fruits of your labor. As you release by gift giving, so will you benefit with new growth in the future! As you work in your garden, in your mind set aside specific plants that will help others. If you can, show them the plants while they are growing. Last year I grew eucalyptus for my daughter because she makes beautiful fall and winter wreaths. Eucalyptus is a plant well known for healing. During that summer, she was able to extricate herself from a chronic medical problem, and by fall, she had benefited from the relief of healing.

  As another example, I bought six sickly ceremonial sage plants at the beginning of the season. Until I understood the nature of patience, I lost three of them. But with determination I decided that the remaining three were going to grow and be productive because I wanted to share the dried leaves with a particular friend in October. To enhance the growth of these plants, I placed palm-sized stones at the base of the plants that were engraved with the words luck, prosperity, wealth, and happiness. I paid special attention to fertilization and watering. During this time, I didn’t know that the person I’d intended sharing these plants with was having a really hard time in life, and in the beginning of the season, around the time I purchased the plants, he was having a “sickly” financial period. By the end of the season, just about at harvest, my ceremonial sage plants were doing beautifully! It was then I’d heard of his tough spring and difficult summer. But by fall, things had really turned around for him! Your thoughts while tending plants for future harvest for a particular person will benefit that person throughout the entire growing season. You must simply believe.

  HedgeWitch Scarecrow Timing—

  Spring Butzeman Garden Magick

/>   The beloved scarecrow—called a butzeman in Pennsylvania Dutch—normally conjures up golden harvests, sparkling autumn skies, and pumpkins plump for the carving, yet its empowerment and placement were always part of spring rites and an intricate piece of HedgeWitchery garden magick. Like many enchanted vehicles from the Old Country, there were specific rules on how to prepare and handle one’s garden guardian. A protective and good fortune device, the butzeman didn’t secure just the garden, it protected the prosperity and welfare of the entire family. Here are the rules, should you care to follow them:

  1. When building your scarecrow, always use natural fibers and old clothes—never use clothes from an enemy to dress your scarecrow!

  2. Sew or stuff protective charms in the arms and sleeves of the device. From runic sigils to specially blessed charms, trinkets, and dried herbs, each choice should be associated with your true desires.

  3. Like it or not, the energy of the butzeman is often used to create protection through humor—think of it as the light of laughter.

  4. A healer’s scarecrow should contain both comfrey and horehound.

  5. It is bad luck to erect your scarecrow before Easter.

  6.It is bad luck to erect your scarecrow on May Day.

  7. Never, ever wear any item that has been worn by a scarecrow—this is thought to bring death to the household.

  8. Your scarecrow must be given shade on the longest day of the year to ensure luck and prosperity.

  9. Finally, and most importantly, your scarecrow must be burned before November 1, preferably on Halloween Night of October 31. Every single part of the butzeman must be destroyed—the clothing, the charms, even the pole he rests on. If this is not done, bad luck will plague the entire family.

  Many magickal practitioners from the Old Country believe the butzeman was used to hold magick for the homestead securely in place, and it was generally agreed by all members of the community that it was capable of conjuring good weather for the well-being of the farm or garden. For example, if it is too dry, place a glass of water at the base of the pole. If it is too wet, retire the butzeman to a dry spot or cover it with an umbrella so it can conjure the return of the sun. It can be dressed in any manner you desire, although its clothes should not be torn. If the clothes tear over the summer months, they should be mended. The butzeman can even be given special things on special days or hold a sign to welcome visitors—however, anything given to the butzeman must be burned at the end of the season and not taken back into the house. Above all, your scarecrow must always be treated with respect, because it carries the spirit of HedgeWitch magick!

  Butterfly Garden Magick

  When working healing magick for others, we send out a visualization of light, love, peace, and good fortune. Like beautiful butterflies, these vibrations of our thoughts float in quantum fashion to an end conclusion of happiness, success, and wholeness. If you are having trouble visualizing what you need, then try sending your thoughts on the wings of butterflies. HedgeWitchery works by the law of attraction. Don’t think of what you don’t want—think about what you do want! If you need information, wish to promote a healing, or desire wealth in your life, simply go outside, face the east at 7:00 am (the time of healing power), and think about what you want. Throw your right hand out to the horizon. As you extend your hand, imagine that your thoughts are beautiful butterflies, winging their way out into the universe to capture what you desire and bring it back to you. Surround your butterflies with beautiful white, sparkling light, then close your eyes and say thank you three times (and truly believe you are saying that because you have already received your desire). Once you begin using this technique, don’t be surprised if you are often visited by beautiful butterflies, see images of them in places you frequent, and hear about them in conversation. This is Spirit’s way of telling you that your prayers have been answered. Remember, your pure thoughts are angels with golden wings that by the nature of their very being can accomplish anything! If you have something very special you want to create, visit a local butterfly garden and make your wishes there among the thousands of gorgeous butterflies!

  Keep These HedgeWitch Tips in Mind When Creating Your Own Butterfly Garden:

  Butterflies simply adore bright colors—the more vibrant, the more butterflies you’ll attract! They seem to especially love deep purples, bright yellows, sizzling reds, and hot oranges, particularly with single petals, as these flowers are easier for butterflies to obtain nectar from. Mix the flowers in your garden with an attractive variety of annuals and perennials to ensure pretty flowers (and magickal butterflies) all season long.

  Butterflies don’t mind lots of sun, but they do get thirsty, just like our bird friends. An attractive birdbath in the center of your butterfly garden will help to lure them in, and don’t forget the host plants—those herbs and flowers that provide food for butterfly caterpillars. Often called nature’s pruners, these catepillars never eat enough to destroy the host plant.

  Want to create your own butterfly garden? Here are the plants that naturally attract lovely butterflies:

  Anise

  Aster

  Azalea

  Basil

  Bee balm

  Bugle

  Butterfly weed

  Carnation

  Chrysanthemum

  Coltsfoot

  Cosmos

  Dill

  Echinacea

  Heartsease

  Honeysuckle

  Hyssop

  Impatiens

  Lavender

  Marjoram

  Mints

  Musk mallow

  Purple loosestrife

  Rosemary

  Rue

  Sage

  St. John’s wort

  Sunflowers

  Thyme

  Valerian

  Yarrow

  Zinnia

  Herbs that encourage

  butterfly larvae to lay eggs

  and provide food:

  Cowslip (Primula veris)

  Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

  Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)

  Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)

  Musk mallow (Malva moschata)

  Nettles (Urtica dioica)

  Parsley (invites the beautiful swallowtail)

  Rocket (Eruca vesicaria, subsp. Sativa)

  Sweet violet (Viola odorata)

  Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

  *Other herbs and plants that attract butterflies include borage, marigold, selfheal, and catnip.

  Easy-to-Grow HedgeWitch Herbs

  If you choose to grow your own herbal garden, these great herbs have a compendium of uses, are super easy to maintain, and can be used for both cooking and magick! The information in this section is taken directly from my experience with my own organic herb garden, grown in six large raised beds and one ground bed during the spring, summer, and fall of 2007. Weeding, watering, and a bit of organic liquid fish fertilizer was all it took for a bountiful harvest, even though the summer was comparatively dry. You’ll notice that my space-between- plants requirements are a little larger than most herb books, because by harvest, all of my plants were huge, and I had plenty to share with friends and family. In planting, I set two beds aside as the “no eat” beds. These were the herbs I wished to grow specifically for magickal purposes, which included hyssop, lavender, white sage (for incense), eucalyptus, myrtle, patchouli, and horehound. These herbs are not listed below. I also grew a variety of vegetables, including broccoli, green and hot peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, and cucumbers. For floor strewing, I grew chamomile and rue in separate areas of the property, as rue has a habit of not playing well with others. Rue is sometimes called Queen Mother of the Garden, and she likes to rule her own little area.

 
Basil

  Growth and care: Requires a sunny area. There are a wide variety of basils, so choose a few to widen your culinary cabinet! Purple leafy basil is a must if you wish to make lavender-colored vinegar for hostess or holiday gifts. African basil and sweet basil are also wonderful choices. Basil likes more than its share of water, especially if you have it planted in a raised-bed environment. Planting basil with tomatoes creates a healthy combination for both plants; however, be sure you put enough room between your basils and your tomatoes, as the tomato plants tend to try to overwhelm the basils. Basils can turn into large, leafy bushes by the end of the growing season, so take this into consideration when planting. Prune all season long to use in your magickal cooking. Cut off flower heads before they flower to keep the flavor in the leaves. Harvest in the morning after the dew is dry for best flavor. Basil tends to lose some of its flavor in the drying process. You can freeze basil, but you must blanch it first or the leaves will turn black. Basil is thought to repel flies and mosquitoes, and it improves the growth and flavor of other vegetables except for cucumbers, rue, and snap beans. Basil will probably be the last plant you put in your garden each year, as it is extremely fussy about temperature—it hates to be chilly. To nurse a difficult basil plant back to health, re-pot, take out of direct sunlight, and choose a warm area with strong, indirect light.