Morbid Outlook - Ask Witch Hazel - Readers’ Q & A : Herbal Solutions and Advice to the Spellbound

Witch hazel is a shrub that has been used in a number of medical issues. The most common application these days is that of an astringent or cleanser. Since it has a property known to reduce swelling, it is also a favorite among those with acne. One is better off using witch hazel rather than alcohol because alcohol dries out the skin and breaks the collagen. Witch hazel helps to restore the skin back to the natural balance. As far as downsides to using it, thus far nothing from my research has indicated any negative properties.

I have read somewhere that parsley tea is also good for lowering blood pressure. I have seen that one could use up to a cup of parsley for tea, but also know that too much is not good either, so the questions I guess I have are, are two teaspoons just as effective and can one put a regular tea bag in with it?
Thank you, Sue

If you are merely making one cup of the tea, the two teaspoons of the fresh dried herb would be sufficient. Some prefer to use the fresh variety, which is why there is such a wide range in the amount one should use. If you are trying to lower blood pressure, drinking regular tea should also be avoided. While there is nothing to stop you from mixing the two ingredients for flavor, it is far better to take the herb itself as a steeped decoction on its own. You can sweeten it with honey to your taste.

Merry Meet, Witch Hazel! :)
I have a small question for you – I have a Gendron Tarot, and the artwork is really lovely, but all the cards are numbered in roman numerals. Honestly, this adds to the design, but I have been told that you have to put all the cards back in order every time you do a reading. I only read for myself most of the time, and I am not really very good at it. I think I should have gotten a more basic deck, but I really love that one. Anyway, do I really have to put all 70-odd cards back in place?
Angel

Like anything else in the Craft, it is more important to do what you feel is best. Some people insist on putting all of their Tarot cards back in numeric sequence after a reading, while others like the “seasoned” feeling of a shuffled deck. From personal experience, I find a reading comes out more accurately if the cards are not all put back in place. The cards are meant as a subconscious trigger and in and of themselves possess no “power”. They merely stimulate our psychic center, so allowing the random lay of the cards is more in tune with the way I am able to interpret their meaning. Other witch friends insist that the cards should be in order, so again, it is up to the reader to decide what they feel is most comfortable.

Do you know of any reputable spellcasters? There are so many of them around you don’t know who is good or who is just trying to take your money. Sherry

Quite frankly Sherry, you would be much better off spending your money on a few books that would teach you how to do your own spells. If you are looking to do a spell that is manipulative in any way, such as a love spell for a specific person or a revenge spell, you are asking for karmic trouble. With that in mind, would a reputable spellcaster take on another person’s karma for a fee? It is highly unlikely.

On the other hand, say you wanted to do a spell to bring someone who is more in tune with you into your life without having an image of any particular person, then you have basically opened the Universe to allow that to come into your life without resorting to manipulation. These days, there are a number of very good reference books on the shelves in most pagan shops online and as real stores. I recommend Capricorn’s Lair as they not only have wonderful service but also give discounts to frequent shoppers. They can be found at www.capricornslair.com

Hello,
I found your column while searching the net about spells. I have a complicated situation that maybe you could help me with. I just moved out here about two years ago from New York. Before even meeting or seeing my next door neighbor, I knew I would be with the him. I don’t know where or how I got this information, it just entered my mind and I had to run into the house to announce it to my mom. I wound up meeting my neighbor named Matt who’s 34. I’m 28. Weird occurances started happening where we’d bump into each other, constantly cross each other’s path, etc. We started hanging out as friends because he has a girlfriend who lives in another state (She lives in California).

When we hug and kiss, it’s electrifying (no sex). I know he’s my soulmate, I feel it and I know he knows this too. The thing is, he seemed like he was going to leave her and then I don’t know what changed him. Now he seems like he is going to stay with her despite the fact that they have a terrible relationship. They argue all the time. She’s controlling, jealous and possessive and is also about ten years older. I think she can’t have kids. He wants to have kids someday. There are all these issues. He even told me he loves her, but that he’s not in love with her. We have been friends for a year now. But now it seems like he drifted away from me. I haven’t spoken to him in over a month.

I know he feels the soulful connection that we share. We have a lot in common, we are very attracted to each other and get a long so well. We always have a good time and good conversation when we are together. I’m new at this spell stuff, and candle rituals. I tried a few. It’s all very interesting to me. One spell was with a pink candle, red candle, and brown sugar spell where you write the number 33 on the pink candle seven times then 31 on the red. I threw out the remains and I think I was supposed to keep them and now I feel he did a 360 on me. I don’t know what I should do. I put his girlfriend’s name in a medicine bottle when I was at my grandmother’s house, so it’s in my grandmother’s freezer. But I didn't know about the coffee thing. I just read about that in your column. I had remembered to do that from years ago; when my aunt was alive, she would use that one all the time. Any advice for me, as I love Matt with all my heart and soul and I dream of spending my life with him. Thank you so much, Jude

Jude, you are walking into a karmic landmine. First off, if you were meant to be with Matt, you would be. The fact that he has a girlfriend and was making a play for you doesn’t say much about his trustworthyness. You may be mistaking sexual chemistry for love, which isn’t all that uncommon, especially in today’s divorce-happy world. If Matt and his girlfriend have a terrible relationship, it is up to Matt to do something about it, not you. Whether he dislikes her or is “not in love with her” is immaterial. The fact that he claims he is not in love with her and she is older tells me he may be a user of sorts. Think about it, who in their right mind would want to stay with someone that does not make them happy unless they expect to gain more with that person that with someone new?

Quite frankly, you would do much better by creating a spell to bring someone into your life who is loving and available as opposed to trying to manipulate the universe into giving you Matt. He already made it clear that he is staying with her, so cut your losses and give your heart to someone who deserves it.

Dear Witch Hazel,
I am a what you would call a baby bat. I’m planning on going to a nice deathrock/old school goth club in a few weeks and I would like to know if there’s any goth etiquette I should know before I go?
Sincerely,
The Baby Bat

Congratulations on trying out some new music! The rule of thumb for a goth club is basic black. There was a time when ladies dressed in elaborate deeply colored gowns and the guys wore turn of the century luxurious pirate shirts and long black coats. Some still adopt this style of dress, bless their goth little hearts, though most simply wear a lot of black and silver. The one thing that you shouldn’t wear are jeans and sneakers, unless they are black, or you will stick out like a tourist in the middle of rush hour.

As far as personal etiquette, don’t rudely stare if someone looks different than what you are used to in your daily life. This is the goth turf, so mind your manners. Other than that and the music, it is pretty similar to an ordinary club.

Dear Witch Hazel,
I’ve had Eczema since I was three, and as years passed it only seemed to get worse. I always break out in larges patches, that burn, turn into dead skin, and leave spots much darker than my skin tone. It’s so frustrating because every time it starts to heal, I break out with another patch. And to make it even more frustrating, I’m starting to get acne. Do you know of any easy-to-make herbal remedies that won’t dry out my skin and that will help with the break outs?
Thank you so much,
Amethyst

I understand your frustration, Amethyst, as a number of friends suffer from the same thing. While I cannot diagnose or treat without the big guys from the American Medical Association coming down around my neck, I can tell you of a site where some of my friends have gone to obtain a cream for eczema that they swear by. It is called Eczema Cream and can be found at www.nativeremedies.com