Peace, Love, and Tea Leaves

 I love Basil. In fact, it was the first herb I ever grew! And GROW it did! My first Basil plant grew taller than me. It was so wonderful to go outside every morning and see it thrive and shoot up little by little. Because of this personal experience with the herb, I find that even to this day it is favorite herb to plant and keep in my garden. Basil is versatile in both the kitchen and the cauldron! (See what I did there). In the kitchen, basil is often added to Mediterranean and Greek dishes. It has a very green taste that is best enjoyed fresh, in my opinion, but can be used dried. I like to add it to my pasta sauce; both tomato and cream based. And have you ever had a fresh basil pesto? It is TO DIE FOR! But Basil is so much more than a garden herb you can add to your dishes.  Basil holds great Magic! You can use basil to draw prosperity into the home by hanging a bundle near your door. The scent is also very refreshing while drying in a bundle. The bright green color of t...

Let's start this post with the pronunciation of  Lughnasadh. It's a hard word- especially if you're American or from any other country than it's origin. Lou-nah-sah Not an easy word to sound out, am I right?  BUT for the remainder of this post, I'll be using the term LAMMAS because it's easier to spell and I know a lot of people prefer this term because it's also easier to say. That being said, it is important to know the origin name for a number of reasons. Because are they really the same thing..? Yes and no.  Lughnasadh is the first harvest festival of the season. While it marks that Autumn is near, the hottest days of summer are still yet to come. This festival marks the halfway point between Autumn and Summer.  The first crops are being cut and harvested. Some are even left as Offerings to the God and Goddess to ensure a safe winter. Lammas roughly translates to Loaf-Mass and is referencing the first breads being baked from the first grain h...

Oh, how I love Ostara.  What is Ostara, you ask? Well, it's an ancient Germanic festival celebrating the arrival of spring, marking the spring equinox. It focuses on the balance of all things; the darkness and light. We have finally emerged from the dark part of the year and now it is time to celebrate! While Imbolc is the half way point between Winter and Spring, we have finally reached the crossing! IT IS SPRING! Symbols of Ostara include all things you'd see in nature around this time of year; fresh eggs, colorful flowers, rabbits. Of course sexuality is also included because what do we see in the spring time? Why, it's breeding season, of course! It's an exciting celebration; we're welcoming the return of the warmth of spring! FINALLY! But that doesn't necessarily mean we can't get some early spring snow flurries. Make sure you don't jump right in to starting that garden you're so excited about. Now would be the time to start your see...

I found this little stone right after my first Reiki session. After my spiritual healing, I was once again called to the crystal section of the shop. Of course, I was! It's like they're singing to me lately. "Buy us, Maddie! Buy us!" Anyway, I knew immediately the stone I had in mind was going to be a cool, bluish green type stone. It's just the color/vibe that popped into my mind. I ended up purchasing two; the Rainbow Fluorite and an Amazonite, which I'll talk about in a different blog post. Rainbow Fluorite comes in a range of colors- i.e, the RAINBOW in rainbow fluorite. Blues, greens, purples, translucent, and somethings a mix of all three! This stone is known for its ability to aid in cognitive function and mental clarity. Because of this it is perfect to keep around offices, work spaces, craft rooms, and on writing desks. It's also a fantastic stone to wear when you're going into a place or situation where you want to make sure to keep your wits...

Last week's blog post was all about different, simple ways we can draw protection. This week, I thought  I would piggy back off of that post and share one of my go-to home protection powder recipes. It's a simple recipe that packs a big punch spiritually. You will need... *A bowl *Garlic Powder *Onion Powder *Black Pepper *Rosemary *Dill *Red Pepper Flakes Instructions : Pour about a tablespoon of each herb into the bowl and mix. Once completed you can grind into a fine powder OR use as is. Sprinkle this powder around the outside of your home. As you sprinkle the powder, chant: "This home is protected from negative energies and negative entities that wish to cause us harm." Say this chant at least three times or you can continue saying it until you finish your circle around your home. I personally continue walking in a circle around my home saying the chant two more times (bringing the total of walking around the house to three times) because three is the ...

  Protection Magic doesn't need to be complicated! There is this misconception that when putting up protective barriers around our home or person that we need to do this crazy, intense ritual with a dozen candles and herbs. I blame TV for this (hello, Charmed! Even though I totally love that show).  No, protection magic doesn't have to be complex or extravagant. In fact, you don't need any tools at all! Just a quiet place to sit and manifest- but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start with the basics, shall we?  Protection magic is truly the most important form of magic when it comes to practicing the craft. You can't or shouldn't do much else without it. We must always be prepared for anything that could go wrong. CONSTANT, VILGILANCE! I know it sounds a little paranoid, but as a Witch... I'd rather be safe than sorry when it comes to working with higher forces. ESPECIALLY things like divination. It is always recommended to cleanse a space (we'll ...

That's right! Peace, Love, and Tea Leaves is not just a blog and vlog...but also a SHOP! I started Peace, Love, and Tea Leaves (PLT) in the year 2019 when I really got into making my own herbal teas. I had been studying herbalism for a few years at that point and started making my own holistic medicinal teas for myself and my husband. I had a good friend over and we would play around with different herbs and their flavors and health properties. Every time this person came over we would make another tea to try. It got to the point where we were bringing our tea blends to local Witchy Gatherings for others to try. Soon, people were interested in BUYING our teas for their medicinal properties. And that's where the PLT started. The first tea we ever sold was the SELENE'S KISS blend, a tea to help promote relaxation and sleep. Unfortunately, due to scheduling issues, my partner could not be there as frequently as needed and I ended up buying out their half of the sho...

  I recently added a raw Rose Quartz to my ever-growing collection of crystals. This, of course, instantly prompted me to want to make this blog post. As you all know, I've been diving into the realm of personal Crystal Healing. I've never felt a call towards this line of work until recently and I'm very excited to learn more about it. I don't know what it is. There's just something in my gut, in my spirit, telling me its time to learn to Heal with crystals. And I'm going to High Priestess this shit and listen to my intuition. (That's a tarot reference, by the way lol) Studying up on Rose Quartz has been fun and informative. It's such a beautiful stone with it's rosy pink color- though it can sometimes be quite dark in pink. It's a feel good stone. It literally makes the person studying it or wearing it FEEL GOOD!   Rose Quartz is all about emotions, love, and the Heart Chakra.  This stone is used in healings of the heart.  I think when we think ...

I love Dragon's Blood. Really, I do. I think it's my favorite incense to burn. (I realize I say that about everything, but this is my blog! It makes sense that I'd be talking about my favorite things!) I burn it for protection. I burn it for offerings. I burn it cleanse a space. I burn it for literally EVERYTHING.  Dragon's Blood is a bright red resin obtained from a tree native to Asia and Africa. The sap of the tree is a shocking red that looks like blood pouring from a wound; hence the name, Dragon's BLOOD.  It holds medicinal properties such as being an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It's used as a dye and pigments due to its bright color. It can even be used to create natural ink for quills and pens! Have you ever heard of the phrase to "sign in blood"?  But I think Dragon's Blood is most commonly known and used for its Magical properties.  Dragon's Blood is used for protection and often added to protective charms and spells. When burne...

Lavender is easily in my list of top five favorite herbs to use in my holistic practice. And I think a lot of people use it medicinally without even realizing that's what they're doing! Lavender is a calming herb. Magically, it's used to promote peace, prosperity, and positive or "zen" vibes. It's often used to promote luck (after all, we all know the saying "Plant lavender for luck..."). I personally like to add it to my protection spells and charms to draw in only love and harmony while the protection is up. Much like it's magical uses, Lavender is most often used for its calming properties in holistic medicine. It holds anti-inflammatory properties, so it can be used to sooth irritated skin- like eczema or acne breakouts- and is often found in beauty products and body lotions. It is said to help with headaches and can often be found in essential oil blends to target migraines. Lavender can also be used to sooth away aches and pains- especially...

I have started my new year off by wearing SELENITE. This is a beautiful, translucent stone that radiates positive energy- literally. It is said to take negative vibes and transform them into positive ones. As someone who has recently had a baby, the Post Partum is REAL. So I decided to look into some crystals that could possibly help with this. Selenite was the one that stuck out the most to me and my situation. So, I guess we'll talk about the healing properties of this crystal first.  Selenite is known to calm the mind and ease negativity surrounding a place or a person. It's gentle effect makes it perfect for those struggling with negative thoughts (of course, always reach out to your doctor or a help hotline if you are having thoughts on harming yourself or others). It can aid those struggling emotionally or with anxiety. Selenite can also help with mental clarity and focus.  I struggle with Post Partum OCD. I had it with my second son and I have it now with my last baby. ...

Rosemary is easily my go to herb when it comes to holistic health- it always has been.  I was introduced to this herb for its benefits on cognitive function and brain health. There are times when I find myself struggling with the occasional brain fog. In fact, after my first pregnancy loss, the brain fog was so bad I felt...unreal, as if I had stepped into an alternate reality and was watching my body live my life without being inside it. I guess, I would describe it as almost floating above my body. It was intense and frightening to say the least. I thought I was going insane! During that time, I was looking into many tinctures and teas to help with brain function. I was so over this feeling of brain fog (which I later learned was caused by a vitamin deficiency, but we'll talk about that some other time) and was desperate for a solution. I didn't have insurance at the time so talking to a doctor was out of the question. So I decided to do my own research on herbs that help wit...

Red Jasper is the first stone I purchased with the intention of Crystal Healing. And with that I say, TRUST YOUR GUT. I had dropped by a local Witchy Shop to show some support to a holiday Toy Drive sponsored by the local Pagan Pride. I had no intention of purchasing anything, really, as I only had ten bucks in my pocket and that wasn't meant for Witchy items (go figure).  Long story short, I ended up having a beautiful conversation with the store owner about Reiki and Crystal Healing. I had already decided I wanted to go into 2025 focusing on Holistic Health; specifically in terms of healing my reproductive system. For those of you who don't know, I have three children and each birth was extremely traumatic. Please allow me to explain. With my first, I had healthy pregnancy- everything had gone perfectly fine. When I went to into labor, however, I was a sick with a horrible case of Covid. My baby was stuck in the crowning position for hours before the nurse FINALLY decided to ...

  I found this beauty while visiting a local eccentric shop. I had gone to the store in hopes of finding a Crystal that called to me. Of course, there were many to go through while there. They had amethyst, quartz, calcite, amber a plenty! Whos its and what's its galore! But it was THIS little stone that had the vibes I was looking for. I suppose I'll start of by explaining how I find the Crystal calling out to me. I know some witches and new agers focus on a feeling of warmth in their palm, but that's not exactly how I do it... For me, it's less a feeling of warmth and more a feeling of high level vibration... Kind of like, I can feel the buzzing of the very atoms of the Crystal calling out to me. And this was the only Crystal that had that feeling today. Coincidently (NOT! BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS COINCIDENCES!!!) I have been feeling a calling towards Dragons lately. So the fact that it was Fire Agate calling out to me just kind of made sense. So, I purchased...

Merry Meet, friends! Welcome to the Witches' Den! Or that's what I'm going to be calling this blog, at least. Join me as I learn about the ins and outs of holistic healing and spiritual welfare. I'll be sharing my journey as I study along the way. I'll be looking more in depth into herbs and teas, crystals and their healing properties, chakra balancing, and more.  I've been wanting to do a blog like this for a very long time, but have never really got to it for a number of reasons. With my oldest starting preschool next year and having more time on my hands than I'm currently used to, I figured why not make 2025 the year?  As stated in the above video, I'm not going to pretend to know everything on the topics I'm studying. The whole point of this blog (and Vlog on YouTube) is to share what I learn as I learn it. I'm hoping someone who is also studying these topics would like to read along, maybe join in, and we can study and learn together! So, i...