As we enter Virgo Season. Using the power of witchcraft for healing.
If you have spent any time following the news or on social media recently, you can't fail but be aware of the feeling of fear and angst in the air. From the cost of living crisis to the war in Ukraine to climate change, many current macro issues impact our wellbeing.
These are in addition to the individual problems and pressures we all inevitably face in our lives.
It is easy to be overwhelmed right now, and we know that people feel anxious, fearful, hopeless and angry.
All of these things can have a significant impact on our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. However, the Sun's transition to earth sign Virgo, on 22-23rd August, is here to support us in focusing on our health and healing journey.
Virgo is a mutable sign and therefore loves to help us make improvements in our lives.
Despite its reputation for being over-analytical and critical, Virgo truly wants to be of service and make our lives better.
Virgo is also known as the healer of the zodiac and has an instinctive understanding of health and wellbeing and is often interested in natural or holistic health.
Therefore, we can use this earthy Virgo energy to support making improvements in our health using the power of our witchcraft practice.
There is a long history of using witchcraft for healing purposes; for example, the Anglo-Saxons' Nine Herbs Charm used for healing dates back to the 10th century. We also know that local people would seek out witches and cunning folk for healing charms and spells for various illnesses and disorders impacting communities, animals and crops.
However, we must stress that witchcraft or any spiritual practice is not a replacement for medical treatment. If you have any concerns regarding your physical and mental wellbeing, please seek advice from a medical professional.
Also, we must ensure we prioritise the important mundane ways to look after our health and wellbeing. So, that means adequate sleep, regular hydration, good nutrition, maintaining healthy boundaries, a regime of physical activity that works for you and a positive balance of work, rest and play.
We believe that the most effective way to tackle an issue such as improving your health is to combine the practical and the magical; so see your doctor, eat well and work a potent spell or ritual!
We recommend you begin by clarifying your healing goals.
Use the analytical Virgo energy to understand the root cause of the issues impacting you. For example, is stress affecting your physical health? Maybe the tiredness you feel is down to working long hours, so you need to address that issue first.
It's essential not to use this exercise to 'self-diagnose' but to understand the various factors influencing your wellbeing.
Now that you have established your healing goals, here are some magical and witchcraft practices you can consider to enhance your health and wellbeing.
Refresh your metaphysical maintenance.
Assess whether you, your home or your workspace would benefit from a thorough cleansing and purification ritual. We often feel better and more in control if our personal space is clean and organised. However, if this is a stretch for your physical or mental health, simply focus on one discreet area rather than a whole room to make it more manageable.
Also, a regular meditation routine that clears and balances your energy can assist your overall wellbeing.
When was the last time you checked in on the effectiveness of your personal protective wards?
Protection is ongoing magical work as our energy can become stagnant, and our protection magic can wane over time. This includes protecting our energy fields, as it is easy for us to pick up the stressful vibrations of those around us, leaving us tired and depleted.
Develop a routine of shielding your energy through visualising a cloak, bubble or whatever creative visualisation technique works most successfully for you.
Make a healing poppet.
Poppets are a powerful form of sympathetic magic, and you could make a poppet of yourself as a focus for your healing practice. You can make a poppet out of spare material, paper, modelling clay, a doll or even vegetables.
You need to include a taglock (hair, nails etc.) to link your energies together, then enchant and breathe 'life' into your poppet. You could stuff or surround it with healing herbs and crystals or anoint your poppet with healing oils. Ensure you care for it and spend time sending healing energy to your poppet.
There is a poppet spell in Your Magical Guide to the Waning Year 2022, which you can adapt for healing.
Spending time outdoors in the natural world can help increase our feelings of vitality and reduce our stress levels by reconnecting to nature.
Research suggests that the Sun can increase Vitamin D, which supports bone, teeth and muscle health, improves energy levels and regulates our body clock.
As we are still in High Summer, raise your face and arms to the Sun and ask the solar energy to bless and recharge you. Visualise the potent solar energy filling up your energy field until it is sparkly with golden light.
You could also do grounding, centring or other meditation outdoors, spend time tending to a witchy garden, go foraging, sit, and read or listen to your current favourite witchcraft books or podcasts.
Reduce stress and anxiety by building a charm bag to keep you focused on feelings of calm and peace.
Charm bags are flexible, can be hidden on your person, and are easy to personalise.
Consider adding correspondences such as rose, lavender, lemon balm, hops, jasmine, chamomile, vervain, rose quartz, rhodonite, moonstone, amethyst, etc. You can also add a few drops of essential oils that you find calming, so the scent evokes the magic of your charm bag throughout the day.
You can also tweak these correspondences for a charm bag to promote improved sleep.
Alternatively, you could craft a charm bag to support addressing depression and low mood by working with solar correspondences, such as chamomile, St John's wort, calendula, mint, orange, citrine, carnelian, sunstone etc.
Don't forget to bless and enchant your correspondences and activate your charm bag before using it.
Enchant your medication.
If you have to take medication or any vitamins or supplements, turn taking them into a mini magical ritual. Before taking them, spend a few minutes grounding and centring your energy, connect with your energy centre and charge them with potent magical energy.
As you take them, focus on the positive benefits they have on your health and visualise yourself with glowing health and bursting with energy. You can also do this with tinctures, medicines, creams or balms etc.
Work with the power of herbs.
If you are confident working with botanicals, there are numerous ways to incorporate herbs into your healing magic, such as teas, tinctures, oils, baths, balms etc. If you suffer from aches and pains, consider crafting an oil or salve with anti-inflammatory botanicals such as black pepper or devil's claw.
Or start your day with a magical ginger tea, which has a long history in complementary medicine and is a potent magical herb for boosting energy. You can also buy botanical products from qualified herbalists and add your own boost of magical energy.
Before using any herbs, thoroughly research their properties, dosage, and contra-indications.
Alternatively, build healing herbs intentionally into your cooking and baking with some kitchen witchery.
Establish a healing altar.
If you want to work on your health long-term, consider setting up a healing altar. Altars can be potent visual and energetic prompts for our intentions and be a space to work spells, bless charms and objects, meditate, journal, etc. If you already have a working altar, you could dedicate a specific area to working on your health.
For those witches who work with deities or spiritual allies, you could call on allies known to support healing and use your healing altar to make offerings. Items to consider for your healing altar include a photograph of you glowing with health, your journal, any divination tools you are working with, incense, candles, crystals, sigils, herbs, oils, the elements, tools and any working spells.
We hope this has inspired you with some ideas of how you can combine your magical work into your routines to improve your health and wellbeing.
Remember, we can only care for others, our community and the world if we work on our own healing.
It is not selfish to focus on your self-care and prioritise your health; in fact, it is essential!
So, as we enter the darker months and move towards the Autumn Equinox and the turning of the wheel of the year, use this time to take better care of yourself; after all, we want to ensure we are in peak witchy condition for the Spooky Season ahead.
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