New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
In East Anglia, this is Herb Harvesting Day. According to ancient tradition, today is the best day of the year to harvest herbs meant for healing. It’s a good time to pick herbs for magical or culinary uses too. First, plan to pick herbs around midmorning. Wait until the morning dew has evaporated and everything is dry. By noon, though, the sun begins to affect the essential oils in the herbs. So they are strongest at midmorning. Use garden scissors to cut the stems. In some cases, like ...
Vestalia was a Roman festival that honored Vesta, the goddess of hearth and home. Her name comes from a Sanskrit root that means “shining one.” Because landlords and mortgage companies have zero interest in shining goddesses, the sacred element of our home is usually missing until we create it ourselves. At noon today, stand before your home altar with a candle of your favorite color. As you light the candle, invoke Vesta: Gentle Goddess, Shining One—Bless my home and ...
In just two days, Mercury goes direct. Today, purify yourself with the water element to reset your energy and let go of any stress or negativity that may have entered your energy field during this Mercury retrograde period. Light a white candle in your bathroom and draw a warm bath. Add one cup Epsom salt and one tablespoon sea salt and swirl the water in a clockwise direction to dissolve. (If you don’t have a bathtub, skip the salt and turn on your shower.) Before getting in the bathtub ...
There is a saying “April showers bring May flowers.” The saying, however, doesn’t specify which flowers or what you should do to make the most of that abundant May energy. I suggest turning your attention to flowering herbs, which can be made into healing teas, tinctures, and ointments and, of course, used for magic. Which herbs are in flower will vary depending on where you live, but you can either plant them in your yard or garden on purpose or take a walk and see what has ...
