As with any ritual, what works for one may not necessarily work for all. However, this is a ritual I have used in the past. Several people have asked me if I know of one they could use. I know several, but this is one that I have had the most success with.

Items needed prior to ritual:

Raw honey

Raw milk

Fresh mud made with cold water from a nearby stream

A running mountain stream (important)

7 small flat stones

Sage

Walnut leaves (black walnut leaves dried and pounded into a powder)

Green Persimmons (crushed)

Large container of fresh lemon or apple juice

Have all items ready prior to the ritual, placed in containers if needed. Find a remote area in the mountains near a clear running stream. Hold the ritual on the bank of the stream. It is best to do this at dusk, but can be done at dawn if need be.

Dig a hole away from the site, large enough to hold the seven stones

Wash stones in the stream, then with milk and honey

Smudge yourself with the sage

Mix, in a large container, the persimmons, walnut leaves mud. There must be enough mixture to cover the entire body from head to toe.

Rub raw milk over the body

Rub raw honey over the milk

Cover the body in the mud mixture

Lie down, flat on your back, have a bowl beside you large enough to hold the stones (glass bowl, no metal)

Place the stones in the following areas on your body (it may be easier to have someone else participate and place these, but I have found you can do it yourself. Place one stone each on the tops of your feet, one stone over the genital area, one stone in the middle of the chest, one stone on the forehead and one stone in each hand.

At this point you must reach a meditative state. While meditating, you need to visualize any impurities, negative energies, etc. being pulled from inside your body, out of the skin and into the mud mixture. It is best to lie quietly in this position, meditating on purity, wellness, cleansing. When visualizing, start with your head and end with your feet, visualize any negative energy or impurities as a solid matter, gathering into one area, breaking through the skin and entering into the mud that encases your body. Continue this visualization and meditation until the mud has dried on the front of your body. Visualize that clusters of these impurities are seeping through the mud, gathering in streams and the stones are pulling these energies into them. When dried, remove the rocks, place them back into the container, sit in an upright position and ask the deity of your choice to assist you in ridding your body of any impurities, whether ill wills, illness, negative energy, etc. and remain in contact with this deity for about 30 minutes.

At this point you need to continue to visualization that everything is now trapped in the mud mixture. Walk slowly into the stream, seep enough to lie down on your back with only your head out of the water. Allow the water to wash the mud from your body, continuing to visualize all impurities leaving your body with each drop of mud that is washed downstream. In the beginning, allow the stream to wash the mud away, do not force it off of your body. Eventually, you can place your face under the water and with your hands; gently wash the mud from your face and hair. After most of the mud has been released, slip deeper into the water, use your hands and wash the mud off of your entire body into the water. Leave the stream and wash your body thoroughly with the lemon or apple juice. Wash your hair in it, your entire body, even the bottoms of you feet.  Re-enter the stream and cleanse yourself well in the cold water. Make sure you wash your hair thoroughly. Take the stones, put them in the hole without touching them (pour them from the container) and bury them. Clean and rinse the bowl with the sand and water from the stream. Rinse your hands thoroughly. Leave and offering of milk and honey for the deity that you called on to assist you with this.

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I can’t sleep

I can’t finish a sentence

Or process a thought

I cannot cry anymore

My tears are drowning in fear

I cannot live anymore

Will death release me from this torture?

How tempting it is to grab that extended hand to my left

Will time heal?

Correct?

Mend all this?

Am I cheating myself of eternal peace?

If I touch only the fingertips will I know the answer then?

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There are several ways in which one can de-hull these nuts and store them for the Winter. I always pick the walnuts up from the ground as soon as I can after they fall from the tree. I never pick the nuts from the tree. Nature knows when they are ready and when they release themselves and fall to teh ground the beginning of Autumn…they are ready.

After picking up the nuts in their hull, I take them to the driveway. There I toss them out so cars can run over them for a day or so. When they are black and the hulls are loosened from the nut, I adorn lovely platic gloves and begin removing the hull from the nut. I just throw them all in a bucket and they head for the bathing. I wash the nuts, clean of any wormy things and debris. After this, you should lay the nuts out to dry in the sun. Make sure they dry thoroughly before storing for Winter.

Place the nuts in a basket or container with small holes for air circulation. Store in a cool, dry place and they will last for up to one year. You can crack the nuts and store the meat in jars or you can put them in bags and freeze them. For those of us without electrcity, storing whole in the root cellar is perfect. I will post some recipes later in the recipe section for black walnuts.

Pics from this year….

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  Find an area where you can sit quietly beneath a tree. Get to know the tree by sight. Notice the bark, the length of the trunk, the limbs that branch off from the tree and their shape, the leaves, their shape and amount. Touch the tree, the leaves, walk around the tree as you look at and feel every detail. If I know what kind of tree it is, or at least know it is not poisonous, I will even taste the tree, the bark, inner bark, twigs or leaves.

  After doing this, sit down with a paper and pencil, turn your back to the tree and draw it from memory. Try to recall every detail you can remember about the tree, give it a name, write words that describe the tree for you.   

  After your picture is complete, turn back to the tree and draw the picture again. Look at the tree and try to capture as many details as possible on the paper. When done, match the two drawings together and see how similar they are. Do this with various trees, shrubs and plants. Eventually you will begin to see the drawings are more and more similar to each other as you learn to pay attention to detail when getting to know this wonderful spirit of Nature.

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 I woke up shortly and said Chris’ name in the silence. He was gone and the house was so very quiet. Cletus was asleep on the porch. I hugged my pillow and watched a storm cloud come in from the west. “Please bring more rain” I said silently, “hide my eyes from the bright Sun just a bit longer”.  At the feeders, I watched a Cardinal couple share seed. Once in awhile a chickadee, titmouse and a sparrow would show up. Eventually the hummingbird showed up and seemed delighted that I filled his feeder. This morning he flitted back and forth in front of the bedroom window to let me know it was dry. The doe crossed the driveway in the lower field, her baby hidden safely in the woods, while she gets her nourishment to continue to feed. I noticed movement to my right and watched as a grey fox made its way along the blackberry patch, slowly, quietly and eventually heading through the trees to the branch. Cutie licked my hand and the sky drew darker. I did not have to shade my eyes with my hand anymore. The clouds became thick and dark with a heavy smell of rain in the air. 

 Far down the driveway I saw the Buick. Chris was on his way home. “I brought you a yellow popsicle”, he said as he kissed my head. All thing beautiful, in happiness, sadness, success, failure, heartache, pain and total peace…cannot compare to Chris’ smile, as it tops the list of pure beauty.  As fast as he arrived he was gone, in the truck. Off to haul wood from the top of the hill so we can finish the front porch. As he returned, so did the rain. 

 Sometimes, when we think we fix things, they are not so fixed. They look fixed and your intentions are good but a wee bit of turmoil and you discover the “mending” was not as successful as you had hoped for.  As the rain poured harder, huge drops falling from the sky, we discovered two things: 1) the gutter still leaked and 2) one downspout is NOT enough. As I saw the beautiful drops of rain hitting the ground, I saw less water for baths, dishes, laundry and animals. Apparently Chris did as well. I arranged containers to catch as much as I could as my headache begged me to go back to bed. I did and the soft bed felt wonderful. Not long afterwards, Chris opened the door. “Honey, I need you”. In attempts to fix the downspout, the entire thing came loose from the house.  I stripped my clothes off (my body is much easier to dry than soaking wet clothes) and I headed out barefoot. There we were, in pouring rain, Chris on a ladder, me beneath…getting soaked from the leaky gutter. We rigged this and that, hunted more barrels, made several trips in, thinking we were done, only to dry off and end up heading back out again. At one point, with water soaking every inch of skin, dripping everywhere, several wet towels, we walked in the back door and laughed. As we were hugging each other, laughing, we both agreed – yeah – that was kinda fun.

  I ran to the outhouse in the rain, nude, smiling, my feet splashing water as I ran through the puddles. The sound of the door shutting gave me another reminder that my headache was still hanging on. BUT… The outhouse did not leak. Today we collected well over 200 gallons of water! I am glad Chris is home.  I tried to slip out the door and run back to the hours with as little noise as possible. Appeasing the pain, looking forward to a dry bed and a pen and paper to write my thoughts.  As I went by the back of the house, I noticed one leak in the gutter, rain was pouring from it into a barrel. Temptation was too strong.

I grabbed the shampoo, razor, soap and Chris moved the barrel. It was the best shower I think I have ever had. The rain water felt perfect on my body.    There is so much in life to be grateful for!

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There is a power that the multifaceted splendor of nature can create. David Cumes referred to this as “wilderness rapture”. I call it the ecstasy of wilderness. One can achieve profound shifts in awareness through the exposure to the elements and the diverse polarities that abound in the wild. In my experience, I have found that we need to experience the “whole” – from one extreme to the other to even begin to understand how we can achieve such ecstasy. From freezing to extreme heat, from wet to dry, from numerous days of solitude to experiencing solitude in a forest full of people. We have to find our own way to balance the opposites.

After spending years in the wilderness, from a few hours to over a month at a time, from being alone to going with people, I finally realized it was time for me to find other ways of experiencing wilderness more profoundly. A lot of people feel they have not had a wilderness experience at all if they have not encountered animals in the wild. It was just fine with me to not make physical or eye contact with and animal. It became enough just to be there and KNOW they were there as well.

John Muir said, “Only by going alone in silence can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust, hotels and baggage and chatter.” There is so much wisdom and experience in that statement.
When alone, you can enter the wilderness at YOUR choosing. You can approach it as if a child or seasoned shaman. The approach itself is in your total control. You may crawl like a baby, dance with the energies that reside there, touch the soul of a stream or become one with a mountain or a single tree. The choice is yours.

I think it was Martin Buber who wrote that “All men have access to God, but each man has a different access.” Sometimes I think my “access” is through a secret veil hidden in particular places in the wilderness. Lost Creek, Bearpen Branch, my dear Santeetlah….if there is not a solid cord reaching from my soup to the Gods in those sacred places, then surely no Gods exist. Some areas we visit can become so sacred to us. When one enters one of these areas, it is wise to honor them, if not for their magickal healing effect, then for one’s own sake in the hope that the Gods, spirits or energies of the place are not disturbed and in turn honor you for the respect you have shown.

Humans for the most part are hesitant to spend time alone. Some feel meditation, worship and contemplation are best done in a group setting. For some there is a fear of being alone, especially in the wilderness. Stories of mauling and attacks from bear, wolf, etc. place a fear among the majority. But if we look, how many more deaths, assaults, attacks occur in general population, in your own community, as compared to those things in the wilderness? Respect the wilderness, but never fear it. Respect solitude and never fear it. Once you reach a different psycho-spiritual space in the wild, it becomes second nature, it becomes you.

When I spent the majority of my time in the wilderness, I developed a storage of inner peace and harmony within myself. As time went by, after re-entering the “civilized, modern, social society”, this harmony would begin to dwindle. It would be time to go back, to make a restorative trip into nature to replenish myself. Only by doing this am I able to function in a healthy manner in “normal” society. It has become a part of me that society feeds on at times, an energy required to survive in this modern world, and this energy must be replenished is I am to survive. I realize all cannot “return” to the wilderness. However, connecting with nature and our more primitive roots in some small way is always a healthy start.

Wilderness to come is something to be conquered, rather than being a sacred space. This thought process can often be a deadly one, to oneself, to the inner soul and to wilderness itself. If you look at wilderness as a reality, as a sacred experience, the feeling and need to “conquer” will subside. Some people allow “ego” to control them, especially when with a group. This is why it is best to enter the wilderness alone at times. One can let go of that “ego”, of “self”, and release the feeling that it must be “conquered”. By doing this, you are free to feel, touch, taste and experience the reverence of wilderness freely. “Ego” dissolves us. IT can be the single most dangerous factor leading to disaster situations in the wilderness. We must become a PART of the wilderness for it to bestow its benefits. You must feel, touch, smell and taste, as well as see and hear it. Wilderness has been used for spiritual growth through the ages.

One cannot fight the difficulties of modern day society without the help of some method of going inward.

Wilderness can provide that method.

“Wilderness hold the answers to the questions we do not yet know how to ask” ~ David Brower

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The Earth signs are good for planting root crops or perennials. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn are Earth signs and are cool and dry.

The Air signs are barren. Gemini, Libra, Aquarius. Hot and moist describe the air signs. Although barren, Libra is good for planting flowers. Herbs will do well planted in Gemini. Hybrids do well planted in Aquarius.

The Water signs are the most fertile. Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio are the three water signs and are cool and moist. These are best for planting leafy crops.

The Fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are barren. Leo is the most barren of all. The time of these signs are good for weeding and destroying pests. You may also plant crops grown FOR seeds.

Cycles

Solar Cycle: Annuals are like the Sun that passes the Zodiac in one year. These herbs show a character towards the Sun. They are  usually large, yellow or orange and are orbicular shaped, radiating with an aromatic odor. They always turn towards the Sun. Sunflower, marigold and saffron are examples of annuals.

Lunar Cycle: Herbs that show a monthly periodicity and Moon shapes. Large juicy leaves and some are found growing in water such as watercress. The flowers are white or pale yellow. Fruits are large and watery. Examples are watermelons, pumpkin and gourds.

Mercury Cycle: Mercury has a three month cycle through the Zodiac. Its herbs have fine or highly divided leaves or stems. They have an airy nature like grasses, a subtle odor and are high in mineral and vitamin content. Anise and parsley are examples.

Venus Cycle: Venus moves through the Zodiac in 9 months and its herbs have beautiful pink or white flowers. They have a pleasant odor, smooth green leaves and may have fruits. Gardenia is an example of a Venus Plant.

Mars Cycle: Mars passes through the Zodiac every 2 years and this sign was formally used for biennials. Mars plants have thorns, prickles and spines. They grow in harsh dry areas and have a pungent or stimulating odor and usually have a cornical root. Raspberry, red pepper and beets are examples.

Jupiter Cycle: It takes Jupiter 12 years to pass through the Zodiac and this is how long perennials live. These plants are large, edible and nutritous. They have a pleasant odor. Examples are grapes, acorns, figs and olives.

Saturn Cycle: It takes 30 years for Saturn to make its way through the Zodiac. Woody perennials often live 30 years or longer. These plants show and annual ring, are grey or dill colored in foliage or bark and have an unpleasant odor or taste. Some may be poisonous.

Uranus Cycle: Hybrids, plants that can be transplanted.

Neptune Cycle: Plants that grow underwater. Seaweed, water mosses and fungi.

Pluto Cycle: Evergreen Trees, weeds, drug yielding plants and poisonous plants. Mosses, Cedar Trees, Palm Trees and marsh plants are examples.

A planet rules each sign of the Zodiac and they are:

Aries: Mars

Taurus: Venus

Gemini: Mercury

Cancer: Moon

Leo: Sun

Virgo: Mercury

Libra: Venus

Scorpio: Pluto

Sagittarius: Jupiter

Capricorn: Saturn

Aquarius: Uranus

Pisces: Neptune

Each of the 12 signs are represented in the human anatomy:

Aries: Head and Face

Taurus: Neck, Larynx and Throat

Gemini: Arms, Lungs, Shoulders and Nervous System

Cancer: Stomach and Chest

Leo: Spine, Back and Heart

Virgo: Bowels and Fingers

Libra: Loins, Kidneys, Lumbar  and Skin

Scorpio: Genitals, Lower Bowels and Urinary Organs

Sagittarius: Thighs, Buttocks and Hips

Capricorn: Knees and Bones

Aquarius: Legs and Ankles

Pisces: Feet, Lymphatic and Fluids

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We had a quiet evening at home. I needed that after work yesterday. It seems like there is something in the air that is making everyone rip each other’s throats out lately. I have no clue what it is but it is just everywhere and it is sad. I think I broke up 3 fights here at work yesterday, one between staff that should have NEVER escalated to the point it reached. I myself even wanted to choke one of the other social workers for screwing up nutrition assessments for 3 of my clients (that will ultimately cause me at LEAST 3 days work to fix!) Maybe it is the heat, the atmosphere, the world itself. Things are getting so bad for people with the economy, jobs closing down, people having to change jobs or trying to change to a healthier job, the stress of bills and frustrations of trying to make it through this crazy life to begin with…it just is all building up and starting to explode around the world right now. I don’t recall a time when people’s tempers were so short and people were so quick to tell another person “goodbye”. It is all sad and although I don’t know where it is all heading, it is certainly not a good feeling and can just destroy people emotionally. Already this morning I have discovered one place that has employed 3 of my clients can no longer afford to pay them and they are all losing their job. One of those clients cannot comprehend the entire process so he just exploded and beat the hell out of his roommate for no reason. Another came in upset because his family cannot make their summer trip as they have for 40 years, they cannot afford it this year, so his only way of coping was beating the hell out of his face until he busted his nose and lip and bruised his entire face before I could stop him. Life is changing for everyone and people handle it differently I guess.     And how do I cope? Beat myself? Beat others? Say “goodbye”? I have no clue yet. I want to pull away more. I can tell that. I want to take myself deep into my own little hermit world. I almost feel like the secluded home we built is not secluded enough and I have thoughts of a tiny 10×12 log cabin deep in the backwoods of the property with just my books, a wood heater, a chair. Dare I do it? I could…but I have to make myself NOT. Because I know if I did, I would just pull away more and go deeper until the path closes in behind me and I cannot find my way back out. So no, I will stay. I will work and live and do what life needs me to do right now. I will post these ramblings here that will eventually drive you all insane, frantically grab any knowledge I have in my head and post it on the Hedgewitch site, try to take care of Occult Corpus and let it continue to thrive, make my quilts and paint and prepare for death. Not mine yet, but that of others that I always seem to be forced to face and prepare them for. All I ask is that I not have to hold that garbage can this time. Maybe Jimmy will get hospice soon and I won’t have to be the one to suction and clean up the blood. One can hope I guess. Damn love…..   Sometimes love can produce just pure torture. Where would we be without it though? If not the love of another human, the love of a pet, be it dog, cat or rat. Without it we just become that lonely hermit…but then again….there is love in that as well. Love of a life that will some day be gone…regardless.    Aside from all of that, a coyote woke us up before daylight, howling like mad at the edge of the property. Thank goodness the chickens were safe. Life is life at home….and always will be. Always things to do, too many things, and always things to make you so tired mentally that you do not feel like doing the things that need to be done. But regrets? Not yet. I cannot speak for the future, who can? But as of today, I have no regrets in this decision. I just hope my strength holds and Mason’s voice calling to me from the backwoods holds off a bit longer. Sometimes when we give in and go all the way…. We become too stubborn to come back. Another sad part of human nature I suppose.

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