Aneglica (Angelica sylvestris)

Also known as :
 Angelweed, woodland, angelica, root of the Holy Ghost.

Uses:
 Eases rheumatic pains and neuralgia; relieves itching and swelling of the skin; makes a yellow dye. Chewing on the roots helps hangovers, and regular use is believed to cultivate a distaste for all alcoholic beverages.

Part used :
 Most of the plant; leaves, roots, stems, and seeds.

Taken as:
Dried root, tincture, wash.

Harvested :  Roots in summer or fall, before the flowering stem dies down.

Shelf life 1-3 years.

Chamomile

Also Known as: Wild or garden chamomile, ground apple, whig plant, rauschert, or mayweed.

Uses : As a tea to ease insomnia, indigestion, nausea, irritable bowel syndrome, and to relieve PMT. A decooction applied to the skin relieves itching from allergies, and skin disorders. A poultice alleviates hermorrhoids.

Parts used: Leaves, flowers.

Taken as: Decoction, tea, in lotions, poultice.

Harvested : as soon as the flowers open, which will be anytime between spring an dlate summer.

Shelf life: 1-3 years.

Hope I helped. :)

Creating A Book Of Shadows :)

1. To make your Book of Shadows, begin with a blank notebook. A popular method is to use a three-ring binder so items can be added and rearranged as needed. If you use this style of BOS, you can use sheet protectors as well, which is great for preventing candle wax and other ritual drippings from getting on the pages! Whatever you select, your title page should include your name. Make it fancy or simple, depending on your preference, but remember that the BOS is a magical object and should be treated accordingly. Many witches simply write, “The Book of Shadows of [your name]” on the front page.
   
2. What format should you use? Some witches are known to create elaborate Books of Shadows in secret, magical alphabets. Unless you’re fluent enough in one of these systems that you can read it without having to check notes or a chart, stick with your native language. While a spell looks beautiful written out in flowing Elvish script or Klingon lettering, the fact is that it’s just hard to read unless you’re an Elf or a Klingon.
   When it comes to the contents of your personal BOS, there are a few sections that are nearly universally included.
   
3. Laws of your coven or tradition: Believe it or not, magic has rules. While they may vary from group to group, it’s a really good idea to keep them at the front of your BOS as a reminder of what constitutes acceptable behavior and what doesn’t. If you’re part of an eclectic tradition that doesn’t have written rules, or if you’re a solitary witch, this is a good place to write down what YOU think are acceptable rules of magic. After all, if you don’t set yourself some guidelines, how will you know when you’ve crossed over them? This may include a variation on the Wiccan Rede, or some similar concept.
   
4. A dedication: If you’ve been initiated into a coven, you may want to include a copy of your initiation ceremony here. However, many Wiccans dedicate themselves to a God or Goddess long before they become part of a coven. This is a good place to write out who you are dedicating yourself to, and why. This can be a lengthy essay, or it can be as simple as saying, “I, Willow, dedicate myself to the Goddess today, June 21, 2007.”
   
5. Gods and Goddesses: Depending on what pantheon or tradition you follow, you may have a single God and Goddess, or a number of them. Your BOS is a good place to keep legends and myths and even artwork concerning your Deity. If your practice is an eclectic blend of different spiritual paths, it’s a good idea to include that here.
   
6. Correspondence tables: When it comes to spellcasting, correspondence tables are some of your most important tools. Phases of the moon, herbs, stones and crystals, colors – all have different meanings and purposes. Keeping a chart of some sort in your BOS guarantees that this information will be at the ready when you really need it. If you have access to a good almanac, it’s not a bad idea to record a years’ worth of moon phases by date in your BOS.
   
7. Sabbat rituals: The Wheel of the Year includes eight holidays for most Wiccans and Pagans, although some traditions do not celebrate all of them. Your BOS can include rituals for each of the Sabbats. For example, for Samhain you may wish to create a rite that honors your ancestors and celebrates the end of the harvest, while for Yule you may want to write down a celebration of the winter Solstice. A Sabbat celebration can be as simple or complex as you wish.
   
8. Other rituals: If you’ll be celebrating each full moon, you’ll want to include an Esbat rite in your BOS. You can use the same one each month, or create several different ones tailored to the time of year. You may also wish to include sections on how to cast a circle and Drawing Down the Moon , a rite that celebrates the invoking of the Goddess at the time of the full moon. If you’ll be doing any rites for healing, prosperity, protection, or other purposes, be sure to include them here.
   
9. Herbs: Ask any experienced Pagan or Wiccan about a specific herb, and chances are good that they’ll expound on not only the magical uses of the plant but also the healing properties and history of use. Herbalism is often considered the core of spellcasting, because plants are an ingredient that people have used for literally thousands of years. Put together a section in your BOS for herbs and their uses. Remember, many herbs should not be ingested, so it’s important to research thoroughly before you take anything internally.
   
10. Divination: If you’re learning about Tarot, scrying, astrology, or any other form of divination, keep information in here. When you experiment with new methods of divination, keep a record of what you do and results you see in your Book of Shadows.
    
11. Sacred texts: While it’s fun to have a bunch of new shiny books on Wicca and Paganism to read, sometimes it’s just as nice to have information that’s a little more established. If there is a certain text that appeals to you, such as The Charge of the Goddess, an old prayer in an archaic language, or a particular chant that moves you, include it in your Book of Shadows.
    
12. Magical recipes: There’s a lot to be said for “kitchen witchery,” because for many people, the kitchen is the center of hearth and home. As you collect recipes for oils, incense, or herb blends, keep them in your BOS. You may even want to include a section of food recipes for Sabbat celebrations.
    
13. Spell workings: Some people prefer to keep their spells in a separate book called a grimoire, but you can also keep them in your Book of Shadows. It’s easier to keep spells organized if you divide them up by purpose: prosperity, protection, healing, etc. With each spell you include, make sure you also leave room to include information on when the working was performed and what the outcome was.
    
14. The biggest dilemma with any Book of Shadows is how to keep it organized. You can use tabbed dividers, create an index at the back, or if you’re really super-organized, a table of contents in the front. As you study and learn more, you’ll have more information to include – this is why the three-ring binder is such a practical idea. Some people choose instead to use a simple bound notebook, and just add to the back of it as they discover new items.
    
15. You may want to use one notebook for information copied from books or downloaded off the Internet, and another for original creations. Regardless, find the method that works best for you, and take good care of your Book of Shadows. After all, it’s a sacred object and should be treated accordingly!
    

What is a Book Of Shadows (B.O.S) :)

The Book of Shadows (BOS) is used to store information you'll need in your magical tradition. Many Pagans and Wiccans feel a BOS should be handwritten, but some use a computer to store information as well. Bear in mind that a BOS is considered a sacred tool, which means it is an item of power that should be consecrated with all of your other magical tools. Copy spells and rituals into your BOS by hand – this will not only transfer energy to the writer, but it also helps you to memorize the contents. Make sure you write legibly enough that you’ll be able to read your notes during a ritual!

Ethical Magic

Wicca magick is ethical as long as the Wiccan Law is followed:

An It Harm None.
That's not quite as easy as it sounds. Even beyond actively wishing to hurt someone, or manipulate someone into doing what you want, magick can have consequences you don't anticipate.
For instance, casting a spell to bring you lots of money could make you rich, but maybe through a source you'd never want. The death of a loved one or a serious accident is probably not what you had in mind.
That's why safeguards are necessary. Thinking through the possible consequences and stating with absolute clarity exactly what you are manifesting are critical steps in the spell-crafting process.

Real Magick?

Magick is another word for transformation, creation, and manifestation. Wicca magick is a tool we use to act on the subtle - or energy, or quantum - level of reality.

The quantum level is the causal realm. It is the subtle influences at the quantum level that decide which way reality will go.
So if you want to manifest something into ordinary reality, you start by stimulating the quantum realm to favour that potentiality.
That is real magick in action.
Science has known since early in the last century that the material world is made up not of matter, but of energy. And while matter is fairly stable, energy is very fluid.
So it is difficult to build a house or job or lover with your bare hands if the causal realm hasn't already foreseen these things, but it is much easier to create an energy wave that will lead to a house or job or lover coming to you. (Of course, you still will need to use your body to manifest them.)
That's what real magick is all about.
In magick we transform our reality, and ourselves, to match our choices.
And of course, Wicca Magick is a key component to the Wiccan religion.

Dandelions!

Dandelion Tea for bloating. Dandelion has been found to stimulate mucus membranes, sooth the digestive tract, absorb toxins from the bowel, help friendly flora to thrive and inhibit unfriendly bacteria. Eating dandelion regularly has a reputation of relieving diabetes.
Dandelion is helpful for people who suffer from allergies, eczema and other skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, gout, rheumatism, gall stones, metabolic disturbances, bone disorders, low blood pressure, poor circulation, ulcers, anemia, halitosis (bad breath), constipation, malignant tumors, colds, lowering cholesterol, cardiac edema, heart burn, swollen glands, hot flushes, and as a sleep inducing night cap. Dandelion is a herb with fat metabolising properties. For weight loss several cups of dandelion tea can be sipped daily, adding 1-2 tablesp. of cider vinegar to each cup. Therapeutically, dandelion can be used as leaf or root tea, a tincture, or the fresh leaves blended with vegetables or fruit juices. An infusion of 1 teasp. of root to 1 cup of water may be prepared and taken freely (several cups a day). Sweeten with honey if desired. 5-6 fresh leaves to 1 cup of boiling water, left to steep 5-10 minutes, can be used similarly. A wash to relieve inflamed eyes and also applied to facial blemishes is made with dandelion leaves, stems and flowers. The white sap from the stems placed on warts several times a day will be a powerful way to tell them to shrivel and disappear.

Gypsy Crossroads :)

Crossroads are considered sacred in almost all magical traditions. A crossroads is a universally accepted place to hold rituals, leave offerings, or dispose of items you wish to be rid of.

It is believed that Hecate rules over the three-way crossroads. She can see the past, present, and future. It is said that if you should approach a three-way crossroads at night, you would hear her black dogs howling. Her altars have been erected at such places for centuries.

The four-way crossroads are considered to be powerful because all four directions meet at one point. Dirt, rocks, and sticks gathered from such a crossroads are said to have powerful spiritual connections, albeit tricky ones to master. In Greek myths, Oedipus met his fate at the crossroads. From the Yoruban people we have Legba (a god known for his clever tricks) ruling the crossroads.

The strength of Ellegua lies at the crossroad. He is the remover of obstacles. An offering of twenty-one pennies and three candies left at the crossroad will prompt him to be kind and remove the roadblocks in your life.

Ancient people were afraid of what it meant when one direction met another direction. All manner of folklore is available concerning the crossroads. Fairies are said to hang out there, along with gouls, ghosts, and goblins. Even the Christian Satan is said to roam the crossroads.

Times Square in New York City is known as the "Crossroads of the World." A true urban crossroads is any intersection where 3 or 4 roads mead and then continue outward unobstructed for eight city blocks in each direction. If any one path is blocked by a dead end, a cul de sac, or a park, it is not a true crossroad.

Metaphysically, a crossroads is a place of sacred transformations, a metaphor for transformational points in our lives, and relate to time and choices.  It is a place to go to unblock your path.