What Does the Well-Equipped Witch Keep in the Medicine Supply?

 (I was going to say 'her medicine supply' but quite a lot of men are witches too – and call themselves that, not 'wizards' or 'warlocks'.)

My basic list –

Band-aids of course, like everyone.

Medications prescribed by one's doctor and/or pharmacist, if applicable.

One's own healing hands, if that applies. (To some it comes naturally, inborn. Others of us learn things like Reiki, Pranic Healing, Theta Healing, MAP, or various other forms of energy healing and/or spiritual healing.) 

Rescue Remedy. A staple in many non-witchy homes too, for good reason.

(Maybe other flower essences as well, for specific emotional needs; but RR is all-purpose.) 

Teatree oil.

Eucalyptus oil.

Lavender oil.

(Perhaps other essential oils too, but those three are my must-have.)

Pawpaw ointment.

Comfrey ointment.

Calendula cream.

Crystals. Clear quartz: all-purpose. Rose quartz: healing. Amethyst: protection. Obsidian: grounding. (There are plenty for more specific purposes; consult one of the many books which list them, or try Google.)

Healing spells. I guess everyone has their own favourites, so I won't begin to list them. (I like the quick and basic.) Again, these days one can look these up in books or online.

A CRYSTAL SHIELD

This is a selfie of me with my new shield, a piece of black tourmaline. That stone not only protects against negativity, it also transmutes it into positive energy.

When I was working as a telephone psychic some years ago, I found that if the person on the other end was suppressing anger, it would almost paralyse my ability to give a reading; if they were sceptical about readings, I would go into self-doubt; and so on. I was able to overcome my reactions and do the work, but with some effort.

I realised that telephones are very good conductors of energy. Although people who consult me face-to-face may have similar thoughts and feelings, it doesn't have the same effect on me.

I started paying attention to see where their energy was getting in, and it became apparent it was through my solar plexus. That was a huge revelation. For years my guides had been telling me to open my heart more. I wanted to, but I was afraid it would put me at the effect of other people's 'stuff'. I couldn't work out how to open my heart and stay shielded at the same time.

As soon as I realised the 'stuff' came in through the solar plexus, I had my answer. Before working on the lines, I would shrink and close that chakra, and construct a psychic shield over it. That could have taken any form, but I chose to visualise it as a large circle of bronze, with an equal-armed cross on the front. With that in place, I was then able to open my heart chakra as wide as I liked and work in the energy of Unconditional Love — ideal for any endeavour, and particularly when working with people.

Later, at a market, I was guided to a big round copper pendant on a chain, the same size and colour as my visualised shield, and when I put it around my neck, sure enough it sat right over my solar plexus. It was from an estate, and all that the family member selling it could tell me was that it had come from Central or South America, where the deceased person had travelled. It had an image of a deity I was very friendly with in those days: Kulkulcan, or Queztalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent.

I wore it for years, then on a visit to Texas in 2006 I was guided to give it to a shaman I met. We are still in touch, and he is now based in Guatemala, constructing a Temple of Illumination. Many of the locals are helpful; some others, who are into using magick for power and evil, have tried to be obstructive, with little success. I like to think the medallion, which I see in photos that he still wears, may be helping with protection and limiting what his enemies can achieve.

Meanwhile, I never replaced the medallion. I went back to using my etheric shield with the equal-armed cross. As I eventually stopped working the psychic lines, even this became less necessary. Until now.

I've been unwell. I contracted shingles, a first for me, and not pleasant. When I took a friend to my favourite crystal shop, this pendant caught my eye. I was strongly drawn to it and three others, and bought them. Of course, when I brought them home and consulted my crystal books, they all had properties I need at present.

I am wearing one of the others too, in the picture above: it's chrysocolla, which, among other things, helps to strengthen the immune system. (I am wearing it over my thymus.) A weakened immune system is one of the reasons people get shingles! The chrysocolla was actually the first one I was drawn to that day, and the tourmaline second.

I don't think I am under psychic attack just now, intentional or otherwise; I think that, due to the illness, I am probably a bit vulnerable to any negativity which may be floating around. But my new shield will be valuable against attack too, if ever it occurs. For whatever reason I need it, I trust my guidance. I have always found it good.

By now I have asked many other aware people where they experience psychic attack entering their being. I wanted to see if it was the same for most people or different for everyone. They all confirmed: solar plexus.

Using an etheric shield is pretty quick and easy if you're practised at visualisation and intentionality, but popping a pendant around your neck is even quicker and easier, and you don't have to remember to strengthen it from time to time.

Crystal Help

Crystals make good Christmas presents, I think, when you can’t come up with any other ideas.

Yes, I do participate in Christmas. Society at large makes a big deal out of it, and I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. The grandchildren would be disappointed if we didn’t send presents; friends who invite us to Christmas dinner might feel unappreciated if we refused. In any case, we like giving — and receiving — presents, and we like sharing feasts! If we lived in the Northern Hemisphere, we might do these things at Yule, a few days earlier, or else celebrate Yule on the 25th (which is sort of what the early Church did, tying the celebration of Christ’s birth to a seasonal festival already widely celebrated) but Yule is Midwinter which, in the Southern Hemisphere, falls in June.

So, as I was saying, when you don’t know what else to get, crystals can make good gifts.

I needed something for my Younger Stepson, who arrived on the 24th to visit us for a few days. And I needed something for the brother of the woman who claims us as her surrogate parents and always invites us to her Christmas dinners. This year the brother said he didn’t want lots of people, ‘just family‘ — which, it went without saying, included us!

Younger Stepson travelled interstate to visit us, and was going from us to an old family friend further north. Surrogate Daughter’s brother works overseas and only comes home to visit family at Christmas. Some kind of crystal that would be good for travellers, I thought, for both of them. So I went to see Ev.

Ev has a shop called Crystal Treasures. She also does psychic readings and healing treatments there, and sells esoteric books. I first met Ev a number of years ago, when I was doing psychic readings at George’s shop. George was a friend who had a vegetarian cafe in town. All the seats and tables for customers were outdoors, and so was my reading table. Ev came and had a reading from me. She told me she did readings too, but felt the need to consult someone else at that time. We had a wonderful conversation and I never quite forgot her.

Fast forward several years: I’m semi-retired and only do the occasional reading at home if someone tracks me down. Ev opens Crystal Treasures; I go in to check it out, and find her behind the counter. We’re delighted to reconnect, and we swap some readings for each other. From time to time I buy books or crystals from her shop.

Where else would I go to find my crystals for travellers? She recommended smoky quartz and hematite, both very grounding. I got some handsome tumbled stones of each kind for both the men, and on Christmas Day they were well received. While I was there, my eye was caught by a lump of raw emerald — not of precious gem quality, I hasten to add, but pale green, grey and black. It had a gentle look. I read the description of its qualities:

Known as the stone of successful love. It brings domestic bliss & loyalty. Enhances unity, unconditional love, & partnership & promotes balance. Emerald keeps a partnership in balance. It eliminates negativity & brings in positive actions.

That was enough for me! I had been very stressed, trying to deal with my husband’s symptoms of early Alzheimer’s. I wanted to be patient and understanding but often found that hard to maintain. I confided in Ev what was going on and she agreed the emerald would be perfect. She hugged me and said, ‘It’s your journey too, isn’t it?’ Her eyes widened at the thought of the adventure my husband and I were both embarking on. 'Stay in the moment,' she advised.

I bought a pouch for the emerald too. I have been wearing it around my neck every day since, and keeping it by the bed at night. We have undoubtedly been more loving, and I find itt easier to be patient with him. Is that because of the crystal, or is it acting as a placebo and working because I think it will? I don’t know or care — so long as it’s working, the how and why are beside the point.

The confusion he could get into troubled me for his sake too. I went back to Crystal Treasures. My old friend Priya works for Ev some days; it was one of her days in the shop. I told her the situation and asked what crystal would help his clarity of mind. Without hesitation, she said, ‘Fluorite!’ I found a thick point, like the end of a wand. She looked for a longer wand they had had, but couldn’t find it; meanwhile I was holding the short piece and it felt ‘right’. He is very thrilled with it and keeps it by the bed. (It’s a bit big for a pouch around the neck.) It certainly seems to be the right stone, judging by these qualities listed:

A stone of mental enhancement and clarity, improved decision making &memorization. Brings structure & focus to incoherent energies. Assists balancing the brain chemistry. Enhances concentration, study and learning. Quiets anxiety.

Yes, he does seem considerably less confused at present, his mind more stable. Mind you, he has also started taking tablets to stop the condition getting any worse. It may be that they are beginning to kick in. I’m certainly not saying it’s all down to the fluorite. I would have to have a lot more anecdotal evidence from a lot more people, to be able to argue for that. Meanwhile, though, every time he sees the stone, I think it must reinforce in him the idea of mental clarity.

Personally I think crystals do have a positive effect. But I don’t neglect the obvious. If I'm bleeding, I use a bandage; if I'm sneezing, I blow your nose; if I were to have a heart attack, I'd call an ambulance — and only then look for a suitable crystal.

While not substitutes for medical treatment, crystals could give extra help. If you don’t know the specific stone for your needs, remember that rose quartz is an all-purpose healing stone, and that clear quartz, as well as having its own qualities, can be substituted for any other crystal.

Crystal Surprise

I am, among other things, a crystal healer, so I ought to have known ... but we are all human, prone to forgetting the wonderful tools and techniques we learn along the way.

I've had a painful leg as a result of some heavy lifting. Arthritic, I suspect. At times I've had to walk with a stick. Various ways of trying to relieve it didn't work all that well. Moving around helped a bit. It was always worse if I'd been sitting awhile, and worst of all first thing in the morning, after lying in bed all night.

On impulse, two mornings ago, I picked up and put around my neck a clear quartz crystal on a cord, which I usually use as a pendulum. I have learned to follow my strong impulses, but didn't connect this with my leg in any way — until I realised, that evening, that I had been pain free all day. So I kept it on while I slept, and woke up still pain free. I haven't taken it off since!

I do get a slight twinge if I move the wrong way; the underlying condition is obviously still there, and I am taking steps to address it. (Getting a scan, booking in for physio...) But I can function normally and I don't need to walk with a stick.

It's just a tumbled crystal in a metal coil, but boy is it powerful!

Clear quartz is of course the all-purpose healer in the crystal world.

One Way to Deal with an Emotionally Abusive Person

Abusers who are close to us, e.g. family members, can get under our radar. They know exactly which buttons to push. Having experienced this recently, with attendant shock, distress and anger, I've also  received excellent advice from friends as to how to deal with it in future. The person concerned is now out of my life, so hopefully I won't have to. They are good techniques anyway.

"Put up a mirror," said my wonderful massage therapist, while simultaneously working to release the trauma from my body. "When you get those emails, reflect the energy back. That says, 'It's not my stuff, it's yours, have it back.' It's amazing how effective it is. Even while they're thinking and saying all that stuff, they start to get an inkling that maybe it's theirs."

I recounted this conversation to another friend, who said, "Rhodonite. Or Tourmaline. They do that; they reflect things back to the source. Tourmaline does it strongly, rhodonite more lovingly. You need to wear one of them."

The only piece of tourmaline I have is much too big to wear, but I found a nice piece of rhodonite among my crystals, which I added to the crystal pouch which I sometimes wear around my neck. Sometimes has just become always!

I'm good at visualisation, but not everyone is. It might be hard for some people to whack up the image of a mirror at a moment's notice. Also, it's easy to forget any technique in a stressful moment. Wearing something that does the same job is a good fail-safe.