Herb of the Week – Dragon’s Blood (Daemonorops draco)
Herb of the Week – Dragons Blood Botanical Name: Daemonorops draco Gender: Masculine Planet: Mars and Pluto Astrological: Gemini Element: Fire Deities: Sekhmet, Mars, Horus, Oya and Athena Magical Uses: Protection, Manifestation, Love, Clearing and Fidelity This herb is actually a resin that comes from a palm tree. It is one of the most powerful […]
Herb of the Week – Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
This herb is one of the most important and valuable in the world. There are more than 25 different known species of Boswellia that come to us from the Middle East and India. Also known as olibanum, the earliest civilizations have used the resin coming from trees of this species in temples, mosques, and churches. […]
Magical Herb of the Week – Bayberry
Botanical Name: (Myrica pensylvanica and Myrica cerifera) Element: Earth (sometimes Fire due to prosperity-candle tradition)Planet: Jupiter, with occasional Mercury associationsGender: FeminineDeities/Spirits: Domestic guardians, hearth spiritsMagical Uses: Prosperity & abundance Financial luck, business success Protection of home Good fortune for the new year Road opening & clearing stagnant energy Safeguarding travelers Bayberry has traditionally been regarded […]
Herb of the Week – Star Anise
Botanical Name: Illicum verum Gender: Masculine Planet: Jupiter and Mercury Element: Air and Water Deities: Jupiter, Amun, Sekhmet, Hermes Magical Uses: Psychic Powers, Money Drawing, Spiritual Growth, Manifestation, Purificaton, Good Fortune, Prophetic Dreams This particular herb is extremely versatile and has long been associated with happiness, good luck, and magical workings of various kinds. According […]
Herb of the Week – Juniper
Botanical Name: Juniperis communis Folk Names: Gin Berry, Gin Plant, Geneva, Ginepro, Embro Gender: Masculine Planet: Sun Element: Fire Deities: Isis, Shango, Dionysus, Amun, Odin Magical Uses: Protection, Love, Gambling Luck, Love, Exorcism, Health, Purification, Anti-Theft This is one of those herbs that should be in every magical apothecary. Juniper has been used for millennia […]
Herb of the Week – Rosemary
Botanical Name: Rosemarinus officianalis Folk Names: Compass Weed, Elf Leaf, Sea Dew, Incensier, Libanotis Gender: Masculine Planet: The Sun Element: Fire Astrological: Leo, Aries, Sagitarius Deities: Oshun, Isis, Demeter, Hecate, Anubis Magical Uses: Clearing, Protective, Memory, Love, Lust, Healing, Funerary Rosemary is one of the oldest, most versatile, and important herbs used in magic and […]
Herb of the Week: Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Lemon Balm Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis Folk Names: Balm, Bee balm, Lemon balm, Melissa, Sweet Balm, Sweet Melissa, Tourengane, Oghoul, Toronjil Gender: Feminine Planet: Moon, Venus, Jupiter Element: Water, Air Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Gemini Day: Monday Powers: Love, Healing, Purification, Success A member of the mint family, Lemon Balm has a scent of fresh lemons, […]
Herb of the Week – Patchouli
Herb of the Week – Patchouli Botanical Name: (Pogostemon cablin or Pogostemon patchouli) Folk Names: Pucha Pot, Dirt Herb, Kablin Gender: Feminine Planet: Saturn Element: Earth Deities: Bachus, Shango, Sekhmet, Dionysus, Set, Herne, and Ochun Magical Powers: Abundance, Money, Fertility, Lust, Protection Patchouli is an herb with a scent that people either love or hate. […]
Herb of the Week: Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
Folk Names: Artemis Herb, Artemisia, Old Man, Uncle Henry, Sailors Tobacco Gender: Feminine Planet: Venus Element: Earth Deities: Artemis, Diana, Neith, Yemaya, Isis, and Ogun Magical Uses: Consecration, Prophetic and Lucid Dreams, Healing, Astral Projecton, Consecration of crystal balls and other visionary and/or magical tools. This herb is one of the best known and certainly […]
Herb of the Week- Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Botanical Name: Santalum Album Planetary Influences: Jupiter and the Moon Element: Water Magical Uses: Purification, Consecration, Initiatory, Spiritual Awareness, Abundance, Funerary Sandalwood is a set species of wood known as Santalum. The aromatic wood is considered one of the most valued botanicals in the world. Sacred to various religions such as Hinduism, this herb has […]
Herb of the Week – Alkanet Root (Alkanna tinctoria)
Gender: Feminine Element: Water Planetary: Venus Astrological: Libra, Virgo, Taurus, Cancer, Pisces, & Scorpio Deities: Aphrodite/Venus, Hathor, Sekhmet, Horus, Durga, & Lakshmi Magical Properties: Good fortune, love, prosperity, & protection This is an herb that is not as well-known today as it was in antiquity. In ancient Greece this herb was all the rage, particularly […]
Herb of the Week – Ginger (Zingiber officianale)
Gender: Masculine Planet: Mars Deities: Durga, Sekhmet, Hathor, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite (Venus), Thor, Horus, Ra Magical Uses: Healing, Love, Money, Protection Tarot Card: The High Priestess Whether using this particular herb in the kitchen, as part of an herbal tea, or magically, ginger is a warming herb extraordinaire. Who can forget the warming taste […]
Herb of the Week: Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum)
Gender: Masculine Planet: Jupiter and the Moon Element: Air Deities: Apollo, Mercury, Thoth Magical Properties: Purification, Protection, Power, Love, Romance, Consecration, Visionary This herb, Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum), is used both in cooking and magic. Anise seed, though often confused with Star Anise is not related. It comes to us from the parsley family/ Anise […]
Herb of the Week – Calamus
Botanical Name: Arcorus calamus Common Names: Bee Wort, Bitter Pepper Root, Calamus, Sweet Flag, Myrtle Flag, Myrtle Grass, Gladdon, Sweet Cane, Sweet Grass, Sweet Root Gender: Feminine Planetary Influence: Sun and Moon Element: Water and Fire Magical Uses: Luck, healing, money, abundance, protection, controlling / compelling This is an important magical plant that has been […]
Herb of the Week – Vervain
Herb of the Week –Vervain –(Verbena hastata, & Verbena officinalis) This herb has long been with us throughout the world’s cultures. Among its common names are Witch’s or Enchanter’s Herb, Herb of the Cross, Juno’s Tears, Herb of Grace, and counter-magic herb. The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Hebrews, and Indigenous Native Americans all used vervain in […]
The Timeless Allure of Blue Lotus
The flower, commonly referred to as the Egyptian Blue Lotus, has long been associated with intoxicating beauty and enchantment. From the banks of the Nile in Pharaoh’s garden to accompany him in temple rights and even into the afterlife. It might be somewhat surprising to know that this plant, Nymphaea caerulea. is actually not a […]
Herb of the Week – Angelica
Angelica (Angelica archangelica) root is widely used both medicinally and magically. It is a powerful protector and healer, especially of women and children. It is unfortunately often confused with Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis), which while it is in the same family, is not exactly the same thing. In terms of protecting the home, according to […]
Herb of the Week – Balm of Gilead
Balm of Gilead (Commiphora opobalsamum) is a particularly fragrant herb. The buds, from the Black Poplar Tree (Populus nigra), are also known as catkins and contain the phytochemical, psilocin, which is related to the same chemical found in white willow bark and more conventionally in asprin. This is mainly because both the Black Poplar and […]
Herb of the Week – Agrimony
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) is one of the herbs that everyone doing any magic or herbal work should have on hand. This herb is in the rose family and is well known to be a jinx or curse breaker extraordinaire. According to Hoodoo author, Catherine Yronwode, this herb can also turn back slander and gossip and […]
The Comforting Beauty of Danburite
This gorgeous stone that vibrates to the upper chakras, particularly the Heart, Third Eye, and Crown, gets its name from the area where it was discovered near Danbury, Connecticut. One of Danburite’s nicknames, according to scientist and author Melody, is the “Buddha Crystal.” This is probably due to its calm, peaceful, comforting, and compassionate energy. […]
Shoutout for Pagan Artists, Authors, Musicians & Creatives
This morning, I was discussing with a friend the frustration of many Pagan and metaphysical artists, musicians, authors, and creators. His complaint is that too many businesses that service our industry are not good at business and offer no assistance whatsoever in getting our work out there to the wider public. Yes, I know that […]
Making Magical Oils with Christina Class – Saturday May 6th 12 -4 PM CST
Making your own oils rather than popping down to the local botanica, witch shop, or from a seller online is very empowering both magically and for a sense of personal accomplishment. Not to mention, it’s a whole lot more cost-effective, too! Join us at ReAlive Metaphysical Shop to learn how to empower yourself by making […]
Getting Ready for the Show Circuit in 2023!
After a long, snowy winter filled with cold, spring is in the air, and so is the upcoming metaphysical show circuit! April 15, 2023 -Southeast Iowa Metaphysical Fair, Burlington, Iowa – The first show that Alchemia Magic has been accepted to is the Southeast Iowa Metaphysical Fair on Saturday, April 15, at the Port of […]
Ancient Egyptian Spirituality & Magic
For those curious about the religion, spiritual beliefs, and culture of the Ancient Egyptians, this is a class that I have taught for several years, both online and in person. Please come join us on Saturday, July 30, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at ReAlive Metaphysical Shop.
Building from the ground up
I am definitely no stranger to herbalism, witchcraft, books, or the shops that carry each or even all of them. I was 21-years-old when I walked into the Psychic Institute of Las Vegas, located in a strip mall on Maryland Parkway. Looking back, the shop didn’t have a whole lot of merchandise. They had a […]
The Time Has Come….
-Morgan la Fay by Frederick Sandys It’s been a long time since I have updated this blog. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that I have been putting alchemia magic together as its own standalone business. I am incredibly grateful to all of the colleagues, students and those who have […]
Forging Your Own Craft
This weekend, for the first time in a bit, I will be teaching a class with my friend and partner in witchy crime, Bridget Shoemaker. For those who are interested, please call me at the number listed OR stop by ReAlive at 3800 Wilson Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids, 52404. The $35 is to cover the […]
The Magic of Moldavite
By now you’ve probably heard someone talking about the crystal known as moldavite. You might even have seen a YouTube Video or people on TikTok telling you all the wonderful things about it. While social media trends can really drive the popularity of any given crystal and moldavite had been no exception. So what’s the […]
Crystals: Their Power & Mystery
At ReAlive Metaphysical and Repurposing, which is the store that exclusively carries Alchemia products, they carry a wide range of crystals from around the world. For those just getting started in crystals, it may seem overwhelming when you walk into a shop and are faced with oh-so-many choices. In my experience, the best thing to […]
Aromatherapy Essentials: Part 2 – Carrier Oils
Most of the time, when you are working with essential oils, it will be necessary to use them in water, alcohol, or some kind of skincare or carrier oil. These oils, like essential oils, are from natural sources and provide a buffer between the very strong plant essences within a pure plant oil and the […]
Aromatherapy Essentials: Part 1
Mankind has used plants for healing since prehistoric days. Using various methods of preparation, plants provided a way to heal illness, tend to wounds, and to make life more bearable. The ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and the Vedic civilization in India were all known to have used oils that were infused with various plants for purification, […]
Welcome to Alchemia Magic!
The Alchemia Magic started as an imaginary place that contained all of the elements of the bookstores, botanicas, and metaphysical shops I had either visited or worked at during the course of my life. I just happened to be writing some interactive fiction with friends on Pan Historia and the description of this shop just […]