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The seasons are changing, it's getting warmer, and the days are beginning to get longer. In March it's time to welcome the season of balance, renewal and new beginnings, and celebrate Ostara, the Spring Equinox, we welcome a season of balance, renewal, and new beginnings. This is a time when day and night stand in perfect harmony, and the earth begins to awaken with the promise of fertility and growth. When you spring clean your home to refresh and renew your space, you can invoke the cleansing, manifesting and grounding properties of herbs, fruits and berries in a beautiful simmer pot. A simmer pot is a natural, aromatic way to cleanse and charge your home with natural energy. By gently heating water infused with herbs, fruits, and spices, you release their properties into the air, creating a sensory experience that enhances your spiritual practice. Here are several simmer pot ideas you can try. They are all wonderful! You can also make a simmer pot as part of your moon ritual, or whenever you would like to add these into your magical practice. As you prepare your ingredients, focus on the magical properties and the desired results you would like from your ingredients. Remember, everything has a spirit, and you are asking the spirit of the herbs and fruit to help you with your intended desire.  Before you begin, relax, clear your mind. Set your intentions very clear in your mind and don’t lose sight of them for the entire process. Add ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stir the pot clockwise. Unless you are doing a banishing or releasing spell, in that case stir the pot counter clockwise. Visualize your desired outcome or goal for the magickal work you are doing. Are you aiming to create happiness in the home, or more money in your wallet? Whatever it may be focus on what you want the outcome to look like. Continue with the visualization and stirring until it feels right to finish. You’ll know when! You may recite your goal, a chant, or ritual words while you stir as well. Something pertaining to your desired outcome. When you finish I would let the pot boil down until there is about an inch of water left and then turn it off. Your work is now complete. Lavender Citrus – wisdom, balance, clarity, and love 4 lemon slices (fresh or dried) 4 orange slices (fresh or dried) 1 tbsp lavender buds  1 tbsp juniper berries Lemon – cleansing, prosperity, success, and joy 2 bay leaves 6 lemon slices (dried or fresh) 1 cinnamon stick 1 tbsp vanilla extract Blessings, Success, Love & Renewal 1 lemon (sliced)  1 orange (sliced)  A handful of fresh rosemary  A few sprigs of lavender  1-2 cinnamon sticks  1 teaspoon dried chamomile flowers  A few rose petals  Grapefruit Cleanse – growth, protection, self-love, and energy 4 grapefruit slices 1 fresh eucalyptus sprig 3 lemon slices (dried or fresh) 2 stalks lemongrass Renewal - cleanse & ground 3 limes A bunch of fresh mint A bunch of fresh thyme Some ginger finely sliced

Tea is known as a fine delicacy across the world in many major civilizations across the world, but how did a practice that began in China travel all the way across to the West? According to legend, in 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water, when some leaves from the tree blew into the water. Shen Nung, a renowned herbalist, decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created. Whether this legend is true or not, tea can be traced in China all the way back to the Han Dynasty in 206 BC. It wasn’t until many centuries later that it became popular throughout the country though. Through world trade, tea was brought to the Portuguese who then traded with the Dutch. Over time, tea began to become much more widespread that soon became integrated in many of our current cultures today. Tea has influenced our culture and even took part in shaping our world today, a notable historical moment would be the Boston Tea party of 1773 which kickstarted the American Revolution.  Whether it be a classic black tea like Orange Peko or an herbal blend of your own, there can be so much magic inside your cup when you’re not only mindful of the ingredients of your tea but also how to pair them together for the best outcome metaphysically and digestively! Now first we must begin by understanding how to properly brew a good pot of tea! Now this may seem like an easy, no brainer. Add a tea bag and pour some boiling water in, right? Well, it’s actually a bit deeper than that. To some, tea brewing can be an art, to others they just want their drink and be out the door! Each is valid of course, but its good to note that not only the temperature you boil your tea at but also the amount of time you steep your tea can drastically affect the taste of the tea and even the physical benefits you may receive from the herbs as well! Each type of tea has a correct temperature and time on how you should brew it, to make things easy we found this chart that has all this information! Making Your Own Tea Blend Making your own tea blend can almost be looked at like potion making! You want to choose a blend of herbs and flowers that you think would not only taste good together but can also have similar metaphysical properties to bring in things like love, luck or cleansing benefits!  Here are some of our favourite tea ingredients: Calendula: Calendula has a long history in both the Ayurvedic tradition as well as traditional Chinese medicine. In Roman and Greek times, it was seen as a symbol of joy. It can be used to bring in joy, prosperity and in some cases for protection. In a tea, it can aid in digestion and to soothe an upset stomach.  Catnip: Catnip tea was traditionally used as an herbal medicine for restlessness, nervousness and nervous disorders, coughs, asthma, gas, and diarrhea. Ancient Egyptians made offerings of catnip to Bast. Metaphysically, it is used to overcome ordeals or difficult challenges.  Chamomile: Originating from western Europe, India and Asia, chamomile was known to treat fevers by the Egyptians and Romans. It is known to both be healing and good for luck and money-drawing. Cinnamon: Cinnamon is used to attract attention, power or success. It can also be used in spellwork to speed up the results of a spell. This is why it is one of the ain ingredients of the hoodoo recipe, Red Fast Luck. Ginger: Ginger has been used for more than 2500 years and its consumption began in China. It has been a key part of Chinese medicine as an effective digestive aid and also soothes the stomach and easing ailments such as nausea. It is known to bring protective energies and can also be used in love spells.  Hibiscus: It is believed that hibiscus originated in China or India and is used for invoking passion and love in magic.  Lavender: Some of the earliest uses of lavender was by the Romans as they would often use it to perfume their bathwater and wash their clothes in it. Lavender is known to soothe, bring tranquility and peace and calming our mind. This herb also connects to the Crown Chakra so it aids in spiritual attunemnet.  Mint (any and all kinds): Whether it be peppermint, spearmint, common mint or eucalyptus- mint is always used for money, good luck and cleansing and protecting. Peppermint helps soothe the stomach and the digestive system! It is good for clearing toxins in the stomach so of course it’ll be good for clearing spiritual toxins as well!Rose: Roses are first believed to be cultivated in China, but now worldwide it is seen as the flower of love, blessings and cleansing. Rosehips: Rosehips were highly valued during the Second World War as a source of vitamin C and were used medicinally during those times! It is used both in peace and love spells and they have a tangy tart flavour that adds so much dimension to a tea! Valerian: This often “stinky” herb has been used for over a thousand years as a calming agent. It is often a great ingredient for a bedtime tea as it can aid in sleep as well. Metaphysically, it is a very strong banishing herb to dispel unwanted energy.  Fruit in Tea Some of the best tasting teas can come from the sweetness of fruit! Everything has a magical property and that includes fruit! Citrus fruits for example are great for not only cleansing the body and the digestive system but also aid in cleansing our energy as well! Fruit also adds great taste to a tea blend! And during the summer a fruity iced tea is always a fantastic idea! Honey in Tea Honey has been used as a staple ingredient in many traditional folk practices in North America. It has been known for its antimicrobial potential, showing a broad spectrum of potential against microorganisms including bacteria. Many important factors contribute to its antimicrobial efficacy, including osmolarity, H2O2 content, low pH, phenolic acid levels, and flavonoids. So, we can believe that honey can be used in spellwork for things like good health or preventatives against illness but honey is also sweet and sticky and those physical properties also have metaphysical influence. Honey can be used to “sweeten up” a person, situation or experience. Be mindful of how you use honey as well as it’s stickiness can also be used to bind people or situations as well.  Blue Lotus Tea  Blue Lotus tea is made from the blue lily flower known by the botanical name Nelumbo nucifera. It is a beautiful flower that has been used in herbal remedies dating back to the ancient Egyptians, Thais, and Syrians.The blue lotus flower was used by the ancient Egyptians as part of celebrations including in the form of blue lotus wine and tea. The flower was considered the official flower of the sun god Ra. The ancient Egyptians would steep the flowers in either hot water or infuse them in their wine for their psychoactive effects, which in turn would allow them to reach “higher states of consciousness” to connect deeper to their ancestors or to astral travel. Blue Lotus tea has been used for many things in Northern Africa and the Middle East but the main benefits were sleep aid, lucid dreaming or as an aphrodisiac. Though in Canada it is legal here, it is good to note that some states in the United States such as Louisiana, it is illegal. We also suggest not to steep Blue Lotus in water hotter than 160F/70C because it is possible for hotter temperatures to burn out the chemicals within the flowers that have these benefits.   Reading Tea Leaves Tea leaf reading, also known as tasseography, is said to have origins in Asia, the Middle East, and Ancient Greece, with Middle Eastern cultures typically using coffee. The practice modernized and changed as tea eventually became more widespread throughout the world from China. Tea leaf reading was thought to have developed because life was often discussed over a cup of tea. People soon noticed that leftover tea leaves in their cups sometimes took the shapes of practical things in their lives. Originally, it was seen as merely omens or signs but soon, different images and shapes all had their own distinct meanings. The Romani people continued to spread tea leaf readings throughout Europe, even going door-to-door to offer tea leaf reading services. By the mid-1800s, the Romani were regularly incorporated into European tea culture, with tea parlors and tea rooms inviting them in to offer tea leaf readings to guests. We found some common shapes often seen in tea leaf reading but this art and practice has developed so much over the years it is possible to incorporate the use of astrology and numerology even while reading the leaves.  Tea Leaf Reading Symbols Angel: Good news Circle: Wedding or love Crescent moon: Changes Cross: Addition  Bird: Travel  Waves: Unity Star: Good luck Spiral: Creativity Our Favourite Tea Products Blue Lotus Tea Leaves Tea Magic by Jenay Marontate  The Heritage Bee "Tea Lovers" Gourmet Honey Tea Set Witch of Walkerville "Moontime" Wellness Tea Tea Infusers