A beginner guide to tea blending 🌿

⚠️This is meant to be a simple guide based on my own research and experience, by all means, educate yourself further and double check everything before proceeding!⚠️

First, define your intention or goal for this blend: what medicinal properties do you want to extract from these plants? You should know the medicinal value and effects of each plant separately before trying them out together and finding out how they interact with each other. Similarly, taste all the herbs separately before putting them together to get a better tasting blend. You’ll have to find a good balance between:

the right dosage of each herb to get their medicinal value,

the taste of said herbs to your liking,

the right dosage to avoid any possible side effects.

The herbs that cause the main desired effect should take up to 70% of the blend. 

One type of effect can be based on which system you want to work in (if the herbs all have similar positive effects on immune, circulatory, digestive, or other systems, like for example calming nerves or easing digestion). The other would be a nourishing effect (if the effects on each system cancel each other and thus you’re only taking in the nutrients, like minerals and vitamins, of the herb). The first kind would all have herbs that work together towards a common goal, the second would have effects that counteract each other so you only absorb their nutrients.

Then you’ll have supporting herbs, up to your 20%, that either boost the good medicine, and/or relief possible side effects of the main herbs.

Depending on the effects each plant has on your body, you’ll want them to boost each other or counteract each other. Also take into account if it’s an overall cooling or warming effect, boosting or slowing down metabolism, if it dries or moistens the tissues with minerals and fluids, and whether it’s relaxing or constricting/toning in tissues aswell. 

Last should be possible catalysts. These are optional, but recommended. That would be up to 10% of stimulant herbs that boost metabolism or enhance the overall effects of  the others, to really get all the good stuff into your body.

Some good examples of catalysts are ginger root, cayenne or licorice root, but be careful with licorice as it can be toxic in high amounts!

To give you an example of how I’d put everything into practice: if my goal is to make a tea blend that’s toning, rich in minerals and vitamins and strengthens the immune system, I’d use 5 parts stinging nettle, 2 parts lemon balm (for the main effects), 2 parts thyme (supporting), and 1 part ginger root (catalyst), then sweeten to taste. Parts can be grams, teaspoons, or smaller measures, depending on how much blend you want to prepare. If you’re going to try this blend, do this exercise: research each plant, it’s medicinal value and side effects, and you’ll find out why I put them together! 

Also, I personally love the taste of stinging nettle, yet someone else may prefer to use 5 parts of lemon balm and 2 parts of stinging nettle instead and get a slightly different result, more soothing to the nervous system, try it for yourself and always check for the effects and right dosages. I normally measure each part as grams, and this formula gives me around 2-3 liters of infusion, depending on how strong you make it. That is, using dry herbs, if you’re using fresh plant material you’ll need more grams. Normally 1 teaspoon of dry herb equals 1 tablespoon of fresh herb, or 1 part dried equals 3 parts fresh, but there may be slight differences between each plant depending on how much water it contains.

Finally, write everything down! The formula, how it worked for you and what it tastes like.

Thanks for reading ♡

Hii, this is what I look like ♡ (also it looks like my Tlacuache tooth necklace really is a fave of mine lol) Btw, if you've requested a free reading, know that I'll be doing those today!

Sleepy Moon Tea ❣️

a take on my sleepy tea recipe, specifically modified for menstrual health! This is my personal favorite tea to prepare the body for menstruation! Rich in nutrition, this tea boosts your immune system and helps regulate your cycle while also helping you relax before bed! Not to mention it also tastes lovely <3

3 parts Mugwort

3 parts Red Raspberry leaf

2 parts Chamomile

2 parts Lemongrass

1 part Lavender

- Mix herbs, and use 1 tbsp per cup of water! Heat your water until before it begins to boil. Steep your tea for 10 minutes and enjoy about an hour before bed!

⚠️ Only use this tea before and after menstruation period, NOT during. Mugwort is a blood stimulant and can cause Menorrhagia ( excessive menstrual bleeding ). If you regularly experience Menorrhagia, do NOT drink Mugwort at all. Finally, if you're pregnant or trying to become so, do NOT use Mugwort!! ⚠️

Putting in werk

The owner of cacao laboratory! I've been obsessed for a while, so I'm excited to be able to partner with this company!

Book Review: Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer

TW: Alcohol mentions and tallow mentions. Poison Path things as well. This is: Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer Rating: 9/10 Pros: An amazing outlook into animism, herbalism, and foraging in a safe, sustainable and non-appropriative way! The instructions on how to garden were very to the point and explained some complicated ideals in an easy to digest way, I think one of my favorite quotes from the book that stuck with me while reading was,

“Just when I think magic has been cut down and paved over; a dandelion has pushed it’s way out of the cracks in the cement.”

I hope that quote helps you understand what sort of writing to expect out of this book! As someone that grew up learning planting from my Papaw who took classes on the subject after getting out of WWII through a governmental program and was a farmer before that, some of the information on growing was things I already knew. But for a beginner just looking into ‘wildcrafting’ or foraging or just plain growing your own herbs for witchy things?

Get this book.

The author, while an herbalist, breaks down each plant she mentions and includes plenty of warnings and suggestions for use both magical and holistically. She covers the poison path in a very easy to understand way while making sure you understand it’s not a beginner’s thing, and certainly not one to take without serious consideration first. The author takes careful note of Indigenous practices and makes sure to drive it home that their voices are to be heard over anyone else’s when it comes to taking care of American land. There are so many rituals and remedies included in this book that I have a feeling I’ll be referencing it quite a lot, and not just for the gardening and foraging tips!

Did I mention the entire 11 pages of a bibliography in the back?? No? Well there’s that too. My academic heart is thrilled.

Cons: Honestly? The only real con I have is that the author spends a chunk of time going over the Wheel of the Year which is a wiccan construct in a book that otherwise doesn’t have any wiccan imagery or practices up until this point. It feels…weirdly thrown in? But she also includes multiple folk traditions that were common amongst those particular time periods so…it is worked in but it still feels a little odd and jarring to me.

The author also mentioned the use of tallow as a commonly used oil for salves, which is correct but some people are uncomfortable with the idea and I understand that! Since the author has tincture recipes as well she does mention the use of alcohol in steeping purposes.

Overview: Animism, foraging, herbalism, and being safe to the environment. Good stuff all around!

I'm guessing that as a graduate student you have read a zillion and one documents and books and papers and things in your field. Would it be outrageous to ask for recommendations/your favorites? I'm really interested in learning more about the history of Native land use and food systems in the midwest (which I suppose is a very long history, I'd be happy learning about any time period), prairie ecology, and the current outlook for native plants and pollinators (and conservation recommendations). Even one recc for each would be amazing. Feel free to postpone this ask if you're too busy! P.S. can't wait to read your dissertation.

This is a big ask, and I get a lot of these types of asks! In the future it'd be nice if people were more specific about their interests and not asking about general, huge topics. There's a level that you can and should be googling yourself! Many academic papers are online for free through sites like academia.edu and I'm not a search engine!

General answer if you're interested in this range of topics is Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass. She comes from the midwest and writes some on prairie and the book is all about Indigenous science stewardship.

Otherwise, the topics you're asking for don't have one single source that will tell you everything you're looking for. People make small studies of one community, one ecosystem, one plant. Whether it's ecology or ethnobotany, there's no one making compendiums of info, especially not in the midwest. That's why I do the work I do, but even what I do is imperfect. Be suspicious of anyone who/any text that claims to be comprehensive on a huge, complex subjects; they probably are bsing you.

Indigenous Land Mgmt:

Two good recent papers:

The subject of indigenous wild management is more intensely covered in California (M. Kat Anderson) and Vancouver (Nancy J. Turner). Those two authors are great for both nuts and bolts chat and philosophical perspectives about how people have lived in and altered and restored their ecosystems.

A compelling academic book on the subject is Roots of Our Renewal: Ethnobotany and Cherokee Environmental Governance by Clint Carroll, which is just as much about philosophy, knowledge production and protection and community building, as plants.

Prairie Conservation Practices:

Like I said above, currently published stuff is about very specific interactions and focuses, like a particular pollinator group in a particular plant. What you're looking for, a generalist summary of the field, doesn't really exist.

If you're looking for plant lists and how-tos Tallgrass Restoration Handbook or the Tallgrass Prairie Center Guide. Do not go for Ben Voigt. If you're looking for a general conceptual entry to Midwest conservation/restoration, there's Ecological Restoration in the Midwest

If you're looking for general recommendations for free, Xerces.org is the resource for bee-friendly landscaping and planting.

If you live near a University or Arboretum or Botanic Garden, this is the kind of thing where you should just browse the shelves near the books I've recommended! Chances are you have free access to the libraries, if not the ability to check the books out yourself!

Collective Reading

There’s a dream or goal that’s attached to your imagination. You could be hoping that something’s pays off or goes through and you’re needing to keep holding onto that faith but don’t lose yourself in it find the necessary balance that you need to keep yourself grounded & stabile. There’s a masculine energy that’s coming towards you with a stable offer/ opportunity… the letter “O” is significant. For others this may be a father or grandfather… 1111 is confirmation. April 4th and 11th is significant too. I also see a celebration maybe someone’s father/ grandfather could be celebrating a birthday but I definitely see a gift being handed to someone.. this could also be an ancestor as well. Speaking of ancestors, I see tapping into or is wanting to get to know their ancestry and may even dabble into some things 👀. Heavy energy around planting seeds and roots. Some of you could be wondering where your roots/ foundation come from.. I’m hearing indigenous. Someone could be picking out an outfit for something for others I see someone picking out offerings or maybe wanting to know offerings to get/ choose especially if it’s food. Some of you may work with herbs or the energy of the earth or your ancestors were herbalists, shamans I’m also picking up on scrying. Something with gold or copper offering bowls are significant. The number 13 is significant along with the moon. No more suffering, no more pain… you have a clear path. Once you stop worrying and start trusting the path that you’re on, you’ll begin to receive. Your mind is too cluttered, release guilt, anger or whatever it is that’s keeping you in your head… I kept hearing “clearing” or “clear”. Crows and the letter “C” is significant too. After every disappointment there’s always something new on the other side. Stop being so hard on yourself and start expressing yourself.. it’s giving “just do it”. There’s many things that you’re changing and switching and spirit is also doing this as well. You’re no longer needing to strategize and have every in order or a certain but you will need to just relax and enjoy the ride and the journey. Set yourself free from limiting beliefs because you’re limitless and entitled to everything why? Because the world is your oyster. Many of you have elevated or made this conscious decision to do this. Someone could be a lawyer or judge or may go into profession or a marriage counselor, pope/ pastor. Something about wedding or wedding reception.. you could be singing at someone’s wedding… I keep hearing “concession stand” 😂. Some of you could be mediators or negotiators, could be winning a case as well or helping someone or others to do this. Whatever it may be, it’ll bring all of supporters and followers. Someone could be breaking from challenges especially if it’s addictions, I’m getting more so smoking and drinking. Someone may even be celebrating their celibacy or sobriety. You’re facing danger with a smile on your face, you’re no longer allowing yourself to YOU back. You’re no longer afraid challenges and obstacles but instead you’re more than ready and prepared to face them. For others, someone may be finding out that the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. Someone took a leap of faith only to met with dry land beneath them. For some of you, you could be tired of feeling this way but best believe there’s a new cycle that you’re already in or already in that’s bringing MANY much needed changes, evolution, and transformation.. the number 13 is confirmation. You could be feeling very tired lately & it’s because you’re closing old cycles and entering new ones and best believe you’re also shifting maybe in your sleep too!

Some things that drive me up the goddamn wall:

Western medicine is not that old. CHARITABLY its like, 400ish years old, but all the most popular ways of defining western medicine (e.g. based on the modern scientific study) really only apply to information-generating and medicine-distribution practices that started in the late 1800s and were codified in THE TWENTIES. Sure, no ideas come out of nowhere and modern western medicine absolutely has a lineage and if you want you could make a good argument for tracing that lineage back to say, Galen. (Side note: american Doctors love to claim Galen when it makes them sound Storied and Dramatic but foist him off on us stupid herbalists as soon as anything controversial by modern standards comes up). But what's a lot more important to think about is that prior to the past hundred years or so, the diversity of actively-practiced, available medical traditions that existed in "the west" was so much greater than it is today, and if you go back another hundred or more years it's bigger and bigger. For most of human history in most parts of the world medicine has been a great, fluid cultural field (like cuisine! or religion! in fact these three subjects overlap quite a bit!!) that becomes forcibly homogenized and codified as part of nation-building. That has happened and is still happening here in the west as empire seeks to homogenize culture, through, yknow, genocide; and minority medical philosophies are deligitimized, criminalized, and culturally persecuted. Indigenous and folk traditions survive in small bubbles of people desperately trying to keep them alive.

Following from #1, the majority of people on the "left" to postleft & whatever recognize, at least nominally, that this is Bad. However, what most white people seem to be doing with the idea that Cultural Extermination Is Bad is grant some kind of nebulous exception status to their nebulous idea of "Indigenous medicine" while otherwise paying lip service to the western medical progress narrative: What "we" do now is so much better than what "we" "used to" do. First of all, "we" here is an incoherent concept unless you want to buy into the idea that dominant western culture (or civilization more broadly) is an inevitable evolution that all cultures will come to, which is uhm. Social darwinism. Second of all, "used to" is just a straight up lie in most cases unless it's very narrowly referring to any number of practices that were codified in like, 1930 by the still-budding medical establishment and have since been discarded by the extant medical establishment. Diverse, Indigenous & folk medical traditions are still fucking around and alive and being used, adapted and added to. Some are holding on by a thread and plenty are very closed practices now out of defensiveness, while others struggle to be known more widely because of medical licensure laws that claim to be about "safety" but were always about stamping out minority medical traditions. What a lot of motherfuckers miss is that when the western medical establishment tells the story about how everything is so much better now and we know the right way to be, they are telling the same story I told under heading one. The nonviolent story of progress that "we" just "discovered" "new ideas" is conveniently shuffling around the genocide and criminalization that are STILL actively trying to stamp out the """"old"""" ideas.

Does all of this mean that we should just willy nilly accept/use/treat as valid every single thought anyone has ever had about medicine? Fuck no! People have bad ideas sometimes! Medical traditions are LIVING traditions for good reasons. It just means that I wish people would sit down and THINK for a second before making a claim about non-western or historical medical traditions, ask themselves "is my only source for this claim the current western medical establishment?", and if "yes", spend any amount of time trying to find an alternate perspective. If you can't find any source that isn't affiliated with genocide and forced cultural assimilation on the practice you want to talk shit about, ask yourself "why isn't there a proponent of this practice around to defend it?" and like, go from there.

I truly do not care what medical philosophy any given individual person feels most comfortable using for themselves. Your reasons for preferring western medicine might very well be rooted in shit i disagree with/find abhorrent, I might think you could be happier (or more likely to survive climate collapse) if you were at all open to any strategy other than the one that's entirely dependent on empire and extraction, but I am frankly too tired and too busy to be remotely invested in what people I don't know are doing with their bodies. What frustrates me is how little critical thinking is being done when it comes to medicine, how comfortable everyone seems to be with incoherent cognitive dissonance when it comes to criticizing specific instances of oppression/nationalism/racism/etc in western medicine but still buy the overall narrative in a way that renders those critiques superficial, and how successful the project of western medical nationalism has been at claiming a monopoly on the story.

Pine - The Mundane and Magical 101

Growing up on my edge of the west coast, Pine trees have always been abundant. Specifically the Western White Pine for example.

This plant spirit is one I work with generally in the winter as this is where I personally feel it’s energy is stronger. It's a wonderful plant to work with and has been used by indigenous cultures to this land for healing. To venerate and honour this land I work with Pine.

Scientific Name: Pinus

Family: Pinaceae

Parts used: For species of Pine it varies

Planet: Mars

Element: Air

CAUTIONS: It is important to know not all species of Pine are edible. Also please note that if you have pets be cautious with Pine as it can cause irritation to the mouth and gastrointestinal issues. Which can lead to serious complications if ingested. Keep any pine needles and oils out of reach.

ALWAYS check with your local herbalist and doctor before consuming any medicinal medicine as they will be able to direct you on proper dosages. Some medications can also interact and so can some conditions with certain herbs.

Do NOT consume if pregnant and Pine may irritate the gut by creating heartburn.

IMPORTANT: Some Pine trees look very alike to other toxic plants so source responsibility and safely.

Uses in Herbalism and healing:

Internally, pine is a traditional remedy for coughs, colds, allergies, and urinary tract and sinus infections.

Topically, pine is used for infections and to lessen joint inflammation in arthritic conditions.

Uses in Magic:

Pine's correspondences are purification, protection, prosperity, healing, fertility and strength.

Pine needles scattered on the floor is said to drive away evil

When burned it can purify negativity

Needles can be burned for reversal spells or back to sender spells

Money magic

Can be used in oils, teas, incense, washes, etc. Get creative!

Makes a great purifying natural cleaner mixed with vinegar

Branches of pine above the bed is said to keep sickness away

In Japan Pine trees are venerated as sacred. Symbolizing longevity. Some place Pine above the front door to ensure lasting joy within, for the leaves are evergreen.

Recipes:

Herbal Salve for Inflammation - Makes 5 ounces

What you need

1 oz. beeswax (use carnauba wax for a vegan salve)

4 oz. Pine Pitch infused oil in Olive Oil - See my Infused Oils post to learn more

Directions

Wrap beeswax bar in an old towel. On a sturdy surface, use a hammer to break bar up into small chunks.

Place beeswax in a double boiler and gently warm over low heat until the beeswax melts.

Add herbal oils and stir over low heat until well-mixed.

Remove from heat

Quickly pour warm mixture into prepared heat safe tin(s) or cosmetic glass jar(s)

Store in a cool location for 1 to 3 years. 

Sources and extra reading material:

Please remember while I provide sources, some content is my own UPG from working for years intuitively with this herbal ally. What you do not see from my sources assume it is my UPG and take what information you will. Always cross reference and research yourself. All medical knowledge will be sourced.

Books:

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Expanded and Revised Edition) by Scott Cunningham

The Complete Herbal Tutor by Anne McIntyre

Links:

Want to check out my other posts? Here’s the Masterpost

Winter virus season is here...

...and with it, folks who come up with bizarre and ineffective herbal treatments for respiratory infections. It’s important to remember that just because a plant was used medicinally historically does not mean it’s effective. Sometimes, traditional medicinal plants can even be unsafe, and in ways our ancestors wouldn’t recognize - it was near impossible for people to document causes of cancer without long-term, complex studies like are used today. Many traditional medicinal plants are carcinogenic, including comfrey, birthwort, goldenseal, etc.

I really love this interview with Dr. Rosalyn LaPier, an Indigenous ethnobotanist and member of the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana and Métis, which mentions this issue. As she says, we need to remember the context of historical use of herbal medicines. She points out that, “[Our grandmothers] would never say that a particular plant cures a particular issue. They would almost always say, ‘This will help the symptoms of this particular thing.’” She goes on to say that our grandmothers would also stress exercise, sleep, and eating healthy - you can’t cheat with herbs! There’s no quick fix for health.

Dr. LaPier considers it tantamount to medical malpractice when herbalists suggest to people that an herbal remedy can “cure” a disease or otherwise do something it can’t. I’ve seen this crop up a lot in wildcrafting and foraging social media groups, and I think it’s something we all need to be careful to correct.

Wishing you a peaceful and healthy winter season!

Book Review - Wild Witchcraft by Rebecca Beyer

I’ve seen a few reviews on this book already, but I wanted to share my own opinion, as I finished Wild Witchcraft quite recently. Everything is under the cut!

*Note: writing with proper capitalization in this post because the content’s more formal :)

I would rate this book a solid 8 out of 10. I’ve seen some people rate it a bit higher, but I’m sticking with this score for a few reasons that I’ll explain.

Overall, Wild Witchcraft is a great resource for people who practice (or want to learn about) green witchcraft and herbalism. The author, Beyer, includes profiles of many different herbs common in America, including poisonous ones (on which she designates a separate section for). She gives information on their magical uses, their folklore & history, and their medicinal uses. Additionally, she has a lot of information on growing & foraging herbs, handling poisonous plants safely, and crafting different recipes (tinctures, salves, oils, etc.). Another thing I really like about Wild Witchcraft that’s especially important to mention is that Beyer repeatedly stresses the respect for Indigenous people & POC that white witches & herbalists living in North America should have; she also notes that their traditions have contributed largely to American folk magics and herbalism in general. Lastly, the bibliography for Wild Witchcraft is quite large and well put-together — a wealth of resources in itself.

Unfortunately, Wild Witchcraft has its drawbacks, and should be read critically like any book on witchcraft. I take two points off out of ten for two reasons — one point for the unnecessary emphasis on the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, and one point for an instance of potential medical misinformation. Beyer spends a lot of time going over recipes and spells that correspond with dates on the Wheel of the Year without explicitly denoting it as a Wiccan calendar. This incorrectly assumes that the reader is Wiccan or follows the Wheel of the Year, as well as perpetuates the conflation of witchcraft and Wicca. Also, there is one (perhaps more — I’d have to reread) instances where Beyer recommends an unnecessary and unsafe herbal remedy. She recommends ingesting a tincture made from black walnut as a “parasite cleanse”. You do not need to cleanse your bowels of parasites unless you have a parasitic infection, in which case you should speak to a licensed doctor for further testing and prescription medication.

That's all! Feel free to add your own thoughts about Wild Witchcraft to the post :)

~ About Me ~

Hi, welcome to my intro post! I had another acc that had been doing well about a year ago, but I lost my login info! Anyways, here are the basics about me!

I currently go by the name Ev on this blog, which is an abbreviation of my full name! <3 I used to go by the name Mētzli on here, but I now know that my ancestors would have spoken some form of Coahuiltecan language, and not Nahuatl, from which that name was derived

I'm located in South Texas, in occupied Carrizo/Comecrudo territory. My paternal ancestry is native to the area, descended from nomadic Coahuiltecan peoples, and my maternal lineage descends from Denmark

I'm an artist! My entire life, I've always loved to express myself and create 💗 I'm a classically trained soprano, though I haven't done much singing lately. I've been in studio dance all my life and am considering minoring in dance! I also perform in plays and musicals! These past 4 years or so, I've discovered and have been cultivating my passions for creating intentional jewelry pieces made with themes and materials that honor the ecology and spiritual connections within the Tamaulipecan environment, in which I am rooted. I also make candles, do embroidery, work with air dry clay, etc. In this time, I have also learned, and am still learning to read tarot for myself and others!

I'm an herbalist and wildcrafter! I've also been pursuing and educating myself in these passions the past 4 years. I especially love to work with herbal medicine attributed female reproductive health! I also particularly love familiarizing myself with plants indigenous to my area that have been and still are used as food and medicine by native peoples <3

I'm very interested in spirituality and can describe myself as an eclectic witch! My spiritual practices and beliefs include those of traditional Latiné and native practices, lunar rituals and manifestation, candle work, cartomancy (tarot and oracle cards), sigils, self-love and glamour rituals, working with oceanic energies, and more!

I'm a student at a univ in South Tx, majoring in Environmental Science! I really want to go into fields like conservation and protection, reforestation, and ecology, so I can do anything I can to help preserve the ecosystems I live in and love 💗 I'm currently taking Gen. Physics (which has been tough, as math is NOT my strong suit), and History 1. I'm not entirely sure what I plan to take next semester yet, but I know I'll definitely be taking Intro to Enviro Science 1!

~ I know this was a pretty long post, but my others will be of my art, herbal and spiritual practices, my academic work, etc. !

Herb Spotlight: Fleabane

Guess what bitches? It's ~Fleabane Season~

Fleabane is a "weed" (i.e., a wildflower in the Erigeron family) that is prevalent throughout North America, and grows like crazy if left to prosper in meadow-y areas. It looks very similar to domesticated daisies, albeit much smaller in flower size, more akin to German Chamomile. There are actually many different types of Fleabane, and the color of the petals can vary from white to yellow, or even a pinkish/purpley color. It's a composite flower, and it will have many flower heads per stem. Neat, huh?

Anyways, Fleabane had been used for thousands of years in North America by the indigenous peoples. It has both a variety of magickal and medicinal uses!

Magickal uses include:

Exorcism. Yes, like banishing-bad-sprits type of exorcism, along with banishment of negative energies. Burn it as you would any other herb bundle (sage, rosemary, cedar, etc) to exorcize a space of any negative entity or energy.

You can also use it to protect yourself by preventing bad spirits from arriving by hanging it around your home - either in bundles, or small sachets. Can be done in combination with St. John's Wort, wheat, and a few capers for best effect.

The seeds of the Fleabane flower tossed between the bedsheets promotes chastity. I guess if you really need someone (or yourself) to remain celibate for a time, this can come in handy - especially if the person co-sleeps with a partner.

Alignments of: feminine aspect, the planet Venus, and the element of Water.

Along with the metaphysical uses of Fleabane, there is a wide variety of medicinal uses for this plant (note: I am not a medical doctor. Do not take this as medical advice. Consult a physician or certified herbalist if you plan on taking it for any of these... ahem... more serious uses).

Medicinal uses include:

To reduce inflammation. Can be used in a poultice or a tea to treat inflammation about the body.

Wound ointment. Traditionally, the Cherokee made an ointment using the herb and tallow to made a balm or salve for cuts and scrapes, as it has astringent properties.

You can steep it in a Witch Hazel Extract solution to further enhance the astringent properties for use on skin.

The roots can be boiled in water to make a solution for "menstruation troubles" (i.e., to bring about a miscarriage. Dangerous. Do not do this).

Drinking a tea can also help break fevers and treat symptoms of the common cold

A diuretic, can help with certain kidney conditions (consult a doctor for this one to make sure no medications you are taking with interfere with its use. Do not use if you have a history of kidney disease) by breaking up any of the smaller particulates that would lead to kidney stones

Using the herb as an incense and inhaling the smoke can be used to treat head colds

Has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties from something called caffeic acid, which this plant has LOTS of!

Aids in digestion and can be used to treat diarrhea

May help with passive bleeding or minor hemorrhaging by being applied directly to the wound (don't take this advice, go to the fuckin ER)

Had been shown in some circumstances to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors (for the love of God, see a doctor for this, don't take the advice of a post on tumblr dot com to treat cancer)

Isn't this plant so cool? And you cloud have it growing in your yard right now! I know I do, because I harvested a fuck ton of it today, evidenced here:

I'm going to dry all of these bundles and process them into cut and shifted leaves/stems and flowerheads. The two small bundles in the middle will be hung from the ceiling to ward off negative spirits and energies.

Now for some fun facts!

Despite the name Fleabane and the association of repelling fleas and ticks, there is no proven evidence that this works... at least for the dried herbs. I haven't found any studies on this for live plants.

The entire plant is edible, and is high in vitamin C! It was used to treat scurvy, and the cooked leaves taste like spinach (you can eat them raw, but there's little hairs all over it, which are not pleasant to consume)

These plants are high in caffeine! If you make a tea out of the flower heads the same way you would Chamomile, you get a nice floral tea with a kick to start your day off right.

Remember kids! I am *not* a doctor, so don't be using this to treat some weird ailment or cancer. And please, for the love of God, do some research on herbs before you use them medicinally. But in terms of the metaphysical properties, go ham! Have a blast! Banish that weird ghost in your house that likes to watch you pee!

And as always, have fun with your craft!

Sources:

Department of Agriculture, United States. Erigeron Philadelphicus, L. USDA. https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ERPH. Accessed April 17, 2023.

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. Llewellyn Publications, 1985.

It has been brought to the attention of the Blights Ending Moderation Team that a couple of anonymous messages have been shared with the claim that we have a ‘man hating’ plot and system. We can only assume this is a reference to our matriarchal clan, GladeClan, and would like to take a moment and address those concerns.

First I would like to reassure that GladeClan, both culturally and on an individual character level, does not “hate men.” The toms in the clan are highly valued and beloved the same as their molly clanmates. There are numerous, important roles which they can still occupy - such as herbalists, advisors, monarchs, and runners. 

Approximately 30% of GladeClan are toms, about 27% are some flavor of Non-binary, and less than half are mollies at around 43%. It would not make sense to have a clan that hates or undervalues ⅓ of their population. In battle toms will be defended just as fiercely as their molly clanmates, and in tragedy they will be mourned just as deeply.

In order to help understand GladeClan’s matriarchal society I think it would be beneficial to discuss the several, key influences which it is a culmination of.

I work at a veterinary clinic and am studying feline behavior - not only on my personal time, but attending courses - with the goal of becoming a behaviorist. I’m fascinated by the feline world and love to utilize my knowledge and experience in the worldbuilding process when possible.

In the real world, away from the anthropomorphized world of Warriors, feral colonies - without human intervention, such as TNR - will naturally form around nursing queens and their kittens. It is a sort of communal child-rearing situation.  Females from previous litters may stick around to help raise future litters, while toms will typically leave when they approach sexual maturity in order to establish a territory of their own and reproduce. 

Domestic cats are uniquely social, their structure and means of communication deviate from the way lions - the only other truly social feline - operate. As fascinating as this is, it’s often ignored in the development of Warriors and other xenofic societies because it can be difficult to navigate in a way that is both believable and palatable. What the goal should be, when tackling this obstacle, is to maintain the suspension of disbelief without crossing into problem territory.

You can read more about the fascinating domestication and social behavior of cats here: [link] To learn more about what I discussed, scroll down to Part Four: Literally Tiny Lions.

Another great love of mine is hyenas, in particular the spotted hyena. These are extremely intelligent animals, at times described as comparable to - or even surpassing - certain subgroups of primates. Despite this, hyenas remain widely misunderstood. They are very efficient hunters, despite their reputation as scavengers - not that they’ll pass up a good meal if they find one - and operate on a matriarchy far more stringent than GladeClan’s. They also employ a fission-fusion society, which was a major inspiration for GladeClan’s multiple camps.

In spotted hyena clans the lowest ranking female is still above the highest ranking male, and the offspring of the matriarch will be of higher rank than the offspring of another hyena. This was an inspiration for GladeClan’s tradition of nepotism, but we did not translate the strict dichotomy of males and females into the world of Blights Ending. A male warrior and a female warrior, for example, are of equal value and all kits are celebrated and treated equally.

Although it was my fascination with the natural world that laid the basic foundation, or the framework, for GladeClan it was Mod Cedar’s heritage and experience which introduced the needed human element into GladeClan and fleshed it out, building it into the amazing and nuanced society we see in our roleplay today. 

So I’m going to let Mod Cedar take it from here.

Mod Rufus

I am Indigenous and would like to weigh in on the concerns regarding our roleplay, in particular the matriarchal group GladeClan, through the lens of my culture. I hope that by doing so, everyone reading can understand our intentions a little more and why we've made the decision to write GladeClan the way we have.

There are some things about my tribe’s culture I am not permitted to share with outsiders, but I don’t believe anything that's applicable to anything I'm discussing here. If you’re from another tribe and reading this but have a different experience, that is okay. I know that Native tribes are not the same and we’re all different. GladeClan was mostly based around hyena & feral cat dynamics, but I touched up on it and created or contributed to various lore pieces that are loosely inspired by my culture.

Firstly, I want to put a stop to the idea that matriarchal societies are inherently cruel or unfair to men. In my tribe women are considered extremely close to the land, being creators and the mothers of all humans. As such, mostly women own land. This isn’t to punish men - who are still extremely important and have their own traditional roles in our tribe, but women are the ones who are trusted with tending to the land the most. Women have special ceremonies and dances that only they are allowed to do, and women get to decide who the next chief of the tribe will be. Men are not allowed to marry women without proving they’re capable of taking good care of them.

Men are brothers, fathers, role models, protectors, sacred members of our tribe. But they aren’t given full power. That was my inspiration for GladeClan.

In my tribes eyes, our creator gave women and men different gifts (as in roles, abilities, dances, etc), and it is seen to be disrespectful towards the other if you take from them, because you are taking that group’s gift. Of course, if you're two-spirit this is another story.

Although this may remind you of gender roles typical in American, European, and other colonized societies but we have always recognized the varying expressions of gender and welcomed those who are two-spirit to participate in special roles as well as the roles of the "opposite" group. I've always loved how my culture celebrates all genders and their own unique ways and presentations. Essentially, "Western" understandings of gender and transness can't be accurately applied to my tribes experience and beliefs. I wanted to clarify and express that here.

I wanted GladeClan to be based around mothers. In my culture mothers are incredibly sacred, and I wanted to play with the idea of celebrating mothers and motherly roles in the clan’s society.

The combination of my tribe’s culture, hyena and feral cat behavior, and motherhood seemed to mix well together to create GladeClan. I wanted a nice balance, and I want to believe that we achieved that.

The Mother is an important part of the lore of Blight's Ending. She is the ultimate creator, which is another similarity to my tribe's culture (one I really like!) and an inspiration for how I envisioned GladeClan. If The Mother is such an important figure in the clans' lives, I figured that a matriarchal clan would make sense - a clan that celebrates mothers.

If you check our wedding lore, you'll see how that inspiration for motherhood and its importance was incorporated into the lore.

If you'd like to read more about feminism from an indigenous perspective this article is a good place to start: [link].

Mod Cedar

Addendum: An additional concern has been raised during the time we took in writing this post, instead of addressing it in a separate post we’re going to discuss it here given that it is an extension of the subjects which we’ve addressed above.

When it comes to the matriarchy of GladeClan it is very oriented around the “sense of self,” while toms are not permitted to be leaders, deputies, or healers there is no set definition of “tom.” I am a trans masculine butch lesbian who uses he/they pronouns - as a side note, the lesbian in me is rather tired of the ‘man hating’ accusations - and if I felt I met the cultural understanding of the requirements for leadership then I would be permitted in the role. If another trans masculine he/him butch lesbian felt they didn’t fit the role, then they would not.

Early in the roleplay we were presented with the question of what would happen if a molly became leader, or another high rank, and later realized they were a trans tom. Would they be forcibly removed? In truth, the most realistic course of action in this event would be that the character would voluntarily resign as he no longer meets the requirements of the position. This is a culture he was born and raised in, there would be no reason for him to dig his heels in for the sake of maintaining power.

GladeClan has existed for a long time in Blights Ending canon, established well before the memory of any living cat or their immediate kin, as such their beliefs and traditions are fairly cemented. We do not allow character arcs or sub-plots where characters question or revolt against the matriarchy because it simply does not make sense for that society, anymore than it would for a RiverClan cat to suggest they move away from a fish-based diet because the other clans don’t rely on fish.

We do not have cats who question BarrenClan’s rough-and-tumble lifestyle in favor of pacifism - despite being a far more recent clan, nor do we have characters who question why CopseClan will only say StarClan when performing a ceremony. BarrenClan’s punk influence and CopseClan’s Jewish influence isn’t questioned in the same way GladeClan is, and we honestly find the amount of controversy surrounding it to be concerning. We do not think that people who criticize, or are uncomfortable, with GladeClan are misogynistic or anti-indigenous but we do implore them to re-examine where these thoughts and feelings stem from.

Mod Rufus

113. The Exiles, by Christina Baker Kline

Owned: No, library Page count: 372 My summary: In 1800s Tasmania, a young girl is taken from her home and forced to live with people who want to civilise her. In London, a governess is accused of theft, and sentenced to transportation to Van Diemen's Land. Their paths will cross in strange and unexpected ways, across Australia's troubled history. My rating: 3/5 My commentary:

This one was calling to me from the shelf for a while. I'm interested in the idea of convict transportation in general, and a book that delves into the complexity of white settlers and white convicts on indigenous land held a lot of promise for me. It…didn't quite live up to that promise, however. Oh, the book wasn't bad by any means, but I found its focus to be, well, unfocused, and the story seemed to just be a long string of random events rather than a contemplation of Australian identity. And its racial politics were a little strange. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but I wouldn't tell you to straight-up avoid it, either?

One of our POV characters is Evangeline, a woman who was once a governess for a couple of children, had a tryst with her employer's (adult) son, and was accused of stealing and sentenced to transportation, despite being pregnant at the time. She's an odd duck, a little too high-class for her fellow transportees, but treated like scum for falling prey to the sin of lust, despite her beau being more to blame. She never quite fits into the world of the prison ship. She's got a strong sense of justice and attempts to help her fellow prisoners, in particular her friends Olive and Hazel, but she doesn't quite have the right kind of street smarts to survive. She has a run-in with a sailor, who is attempting to rape Hazel and swears revenge when she stops him. So he pushes her overboard. Gotta admit, wasn't expecting that.

The story then switches to Hazel, a sixteen year old Scottish herbalist convicted of stealing a spoon. She pretends to be Evangeline's kid's mother, so the kid (Ruby) will be looked after and not completely abandoned, with a view to taking full custody when her sentence has been served. She's a little savvier than Evangeline, more guarded. It makes a nice contrast, but it's when Hazel becomes a narrator that the story really starts to lose its focus. We watch Hazel working as a midwife then a maid, but other than 'Hazel gets out of prison and gets Ruby back' we don't really have a throughline to care about. And some plot elements just seemed too…convenient. Evangeline had befriended the doctor, Dunne, on the convict ship, and Hazel manages to get a message to him to adopt Ruby and hire her as a nurse. Conflict over. The abusive sailor comes back right at the end, seemingly because the author realised she didn't have a dramatic climax. The story doesn't end so much as just peter out. It's disappointing, this book had a solid first act, but peaked there.

If it seems like I've taken a while to get to Matthina, that's deliberate. She's the first POV character, she's the only one of the trio who was an actual, definite historical figure. And yet…she feels like something of an afterthought. Matthina's story is heartbreaking. Taken from her home, an island where aboriginal Tasmanians were sent, to be the 'adopted' daughter of Sir John Franklin, notable Ice Idiot and the Governor of Tasmania at the time. Matthina had some family at the time, but the Franklins wanted her, so they got her. She was raised by them in order to 'civilise' and 'whiten' her. Which is disgusting. She was left behind at an orphanage when Franklin returned to England (the same orphanage where her older sister had died) and as far as records can tell, she died aged 17 or 18, drowning in a puddle while struggling with alcoholism. It's a tragic tale, and yet in this book it's secondary to Evangeline, Hazel, and Ruby. Matthina isn't given the same focus that the white characters are, and after the Franklins send her to the orphanage she basically disappears from the narrative apart from a final cameo when Hazel comes across her. It just feels like the story drops her, like it's far more interested in the white women, and the plight of aboriginal Australians is treated like it's somehow less important than the plight of the white convicts. And that just leaves a sour taste in my mouth, you know?

Next, back to a YA story I very much enjoyed, and a world run by monsters.