Deodar Cedar Cones

Magical Uses for Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara)

Deodar Cedar, meaning wood of the gods, is an evergreen conifer native to areas around India. Hindus worship it as a divine tree. The cones, which are shaped like a rose, make a wonderful curio for many applications.

Cedars are masculine in nature, they are of the element fire, and are of the sun. They can be used for purification, prosperity, healing, protection, love, and to increase psychic powers.

The wood is the part of the tree used in the production of oil. It’s wood is a natural insect repellent, an anti-fungal agent, and is astringent.

Wortcunning is the knowledge of the properties of herbs and plants.

Ingredients

• Beeswax
• Honey
• Aloe Vera Gel
• Witch Hazel
• Cocoa Butter
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• Calendula Oil
• Cinnamon Oil
• Lavender Oil
• Tea Tree Oil
• St. John’s Wort Extract
• Echinacea Extract
• Goldenrod Extract

Blend together the extracts, oils, and vitamins. Next add the aloe, honey, cocoa butter, and witch hazel to the mixture. Melt some beeswax and then add the mixture to the beeswax once it is liquefied. Continue stirring until everything is melted. Pour into desired container. Let cool. (As an alternative, you can blend all the ingredients into a lotion leaving out the beeswax, cocoa butter, and sweet almond oil.)

I don’t have measurements for you, and I didn’t do the recipe as described. I used Calendula Gel and a herbal capsule of echinacea and goldenrod because that is what I had on hand. I will try to explain what I did to help you with the measurements. If you have never made an ointment using beeswax you might want to stick with the alternative unless you are feeling experimental.

I opened one capsule of echinacea and goldenrod and added powdered vitamin C, just enough to lighten the color by a shade. I added one dropper full of St. John’s Wort, 3 drops each of cinnamon, lavender, and tea tree oil, then I added just enough vitamin E oil to mix everything easily. Next I added a squirt of witch hazel, 3 squeezes of aloe, and 3 squeezes of honey. After that was blended, I added a couple of dollops of cocoa butter. I worked this around with a spoon but it doesn’t really blend completely. Then I melted the beeswax and added to it about the same amount of sweet almond oil. Lastly I added the mixture and stirred until everything comes together as a liquid. I poured this into a container similar to a lip balm tube (Although you could also use a small jar.) and let it cool completely. I still had about a half cup left that I poured into a glass jar. When I need a refill I can reheat the mixture in a water bath and pour into the tube. Vitamin E is a natural preservative so it should last a while. I am storing mine in a dark closet. It is good for all manners of minor skin irritations like insect bites, cuts, scratches, etc.

Disclaimer: This is presented for informational purposes only. If you are an idiot or are incompetent to take responsibility for your own actions do not use this information. This information is not to be used in lieu of standard medical treatment or in self-diagnosis. I am in no way responsible for how you use this information; if you injurer, poison, burn, or kill yourself that is your own problem.

Handfasting of Jennifer & Tom

I am pleased to announce that on June 24th during the afternoon twilight, Tom and I became handfasted under an ancient oak tree in a local forest grove. I created an appropriate rite of handfasting using various sources such as Handfasting & Wedding Rituals by Raven Kaldera and the website of Gaol Naofa. A good friend became Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages for the occasion and she also baked our wonderful cake and took the majority of our pictures. Her husband stood as witness and took the rest of the pictures for us. Our ceremony was immediately followed by a small BBQ in our backyard.

Back when I had begun planning our handfasting, a theme presented itself to me quite by accident. I picked up that theme and ran with it as it seemed very appropriate considering the date we chose for our handfasting (which was our 5 year anniversary). That theme was a Midsummer-Night’s Dream.

Through this house give glimmering light,
By the dead and drowsy fire;
Every elf and every faery sprite
Hop as light as bird from brier;
And this ditty, after me
Sing and dance it trippingly.

First, rehearse your song by rote,
To each word a warbling note,
Hand in hand, with faery grace,
Will we sing and bless this place.

Now until the break of day
Through this house each faery stray,
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be.

I am in the process of going through all of my old blog posts for the last almost eight years and separating the wheat from the chaff. Most has been deleted; quizzes, silliness, news and weather reports are mostly gone. I’ve also mostly removed any articles or bits of articles from outside sources and have been updating my own writings to be edited nicely.

Brighid Statue by Paul Borda of Dryad Design

In Irish folk tradition February 1 is known as Imbolc or Brighid’s Day (St. Brighid’s Day) and is the first day of spring. Brighid is a Goddess, a Saint, and the matron of healing, prophecy, and dairy work among other things. It was believed she would travel the country on the eve of her festival blessing the people and animals.

Weather augury was an important function of the day, as it was the start of the agricultural year. It was also a time of inventory to make sure the household had enough stocked until they could replenish goods. Another custom was to abstain from any work involving wheels; from spinning yarn, sewing, operating mills, or even riding a bicycle.

A typical feast in celebration of Imbolc would include lamb, colcannon (mashed potatoes mixed with various greens, usually cabbage), bread, fresh butter, and ale with a barmbarck (fruit cake) for dessert. Gifts of butter, buttermilk, and some of the slaughtered sheep would be given to poor neighbors or friends. A portion of the bread and butter were set out as an offering to Brighid, sometimes accompanied by some grain for her white cow who travels with her.

Many preparations are made to make Brighid’s stay comfortable while she blesses the house in addition to an offering of food. These traditions vary by place, as each area would have it’s local customs. Some would strew rushes or straw on the threshold or by the hearth so that Brighid would have a comfortable place to rest. This is called making Brighid’s bed. Other’s would have a member of the family dress as Brighid and knock on the door and then ceremoniously invite them in.

Many items were also left out for Brighid to bless. These would include food, water, or grain. A piece of fabric, a ribbon, or an article of clothing would often be left out to be blessed. This is called Brighid’s Mantle, and can be used for healing particularly of any head complaints

A large part of the festival centers around the making of Brighid’s Crosses. These are made of straw or rushes and take on many forms usually having the shape of a type of cross. At one time they were paraded around the town, sometimes alongside of an effigy of Brighid called a Biddy, which was usually dressed in white. The procession sometimes involved guising, singing, dancing, asking for food or money, or exchanging blessings of all kinds.

The material to make the crosses were often placed under the table during the feast, or sometimes under the bread, and when they were made some crumbs of bread were weaved into it. The crosses were then sprinkled with holy water, often by the local priest, and hung near the front door, the hearth, or in the barn for a year. The crosses offered protection from fire, lightning, storms, spirits, hunger, and illness.

Sources:
The Year in Ireland by Kevin Danaher
Brighid Statue by Paul Borda of Dryad Design