Magical Properties of Unakite

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Book Review: Ancient Spells and Incantations by Enid Baxter Ryce

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this deck in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good historical text or research paper, especially when it comes to the occult. Our magical history is rich, but sometimes inaccessible to the general public. There are a large number of resources that are hidden away in museums that have yet to be digitized, and many never will be. Unless you know where to look and know the right things to say, these are documents that are going to go unseen by most. Thankfully, we have people like Enid Baxter Ryce, who work tirelessly to bring these works to light, and that is exactly what she did in her most recent work, Ancient Spells and Incantations: Echoes of Magic Through the Ages & Across Cultures.

In Ancient Spells and Incantations, Baxter Ryce describes her process to uncover magical spells for our past. This included viewing the original texts and translating them before stylizing them for modern readers. I am glad she was honest and upfront with her methodology, which has its very own section at the end of the book, complete with a bibliography so you can do your own verification research. There are many authors who attempt to pass off their translations as the original versions, failing to account for changes in language, tone, and culture. Baxter Ryce makes it known that she has done her best to maintain the original integrity of the spell while modernizing it for today's readers. I appreciated her candor and dedication to ensuring these spells are not completely lost.

The book is divided into chapters based on types of magic. There are spells for manifesting, love, healing, protection, and even cursing, coming from a wide array of cultures, heritages, continents, and time periods. There are Greek papyri from 100 BCE to American Hoodoo spells recorded in 1931, and everything and anything in between. If you are of a particular culture, there is likely at least one spell or incantation to be found. I love that she took such a diverse approach to her research, including a wide breadth of knowledge, instead of focusing only through a Eurocentric lens.

While there is a wide variety of expertly translated spells and incantations to be found, there are some things I wish Baxter Ryce had included. Context is key, and it is completely lacking here. How and why were these spells used? Where were they found, and how does that impact their meaning? Removing these translations from their context deprives them of their true meaning, making it difficult to implement them into modern practices. Sure, there would be a lot of speculation, but that speculation could have been scholarly. There are plenty of experts who have written on these topics over the years. While this is one of my largest complaints about the book, it doesn't negate the inherent value of the work, especially if you are interested in incorporating such spells and incantations into your own practice.

Now you'll notice I said "complaints" above because I have another. I did not like Baxter Ryce's approach to cursing, binding, and 'vengeance' spells. She says in the introduction for the chapter that we should focus on healing and that these spells are a sign of someone "not at their best." Well, no shit. Some of these people were living in severe poverty, starving, sick, enslaved, or unduly punished simply for existing. Cursing and hexing are valid magical practices under the umbrella of protection. To say otherwise is to misunderstand history and is a very colonial view. She further goes on to say we should send love to the ancient targets of these spells. Shut up. I will not be sending my love to bigots. If someone took the time to curse them, they very likely deserved everything that came to them.

With that said, I don't think Ancient Spells and Incantations: Echoes of Magic Through the Ages & Across Cultures by Enid Baxter Ryce is a terrible book, and it will certainly have its place on many a witch's bookshelf. This is one I plan to hold onto for future research purposes, especially because her bibliography is so wonderful. However, unless you know how to read critically, you might want to forego picking this one up for the time being. I do not suggest Ancient Spells and Incantations for the novice witch; you definitely need to have years of practice under your belt before picking this one up.

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Magical and Medicinal Uses of Camellia

Gender: Feminine

Planet: Moon
Element: Water
Powers: Wealth

Magical Uses and History: The genus Camellia contains about 230 species found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia. The genus was named in honor of Georg Kamel, who spent his career collecting, describing, and studying the flora of the Philippines and signed his correspondences with other botanists, Pater Camellus. While Kamel never actually saw a camellia before his death in 1706, his work nevertheless impressed future researcher, Carl Linnaeus, who insisted the group be named in his honor.

While diverse, the genus is characterized by glossy evergreen leaves with colored flowers that are solitary or grouped in groups of 3. Included in this genus are many of the teas we know and love, which have a unique history all their own. For the sake of this article, I am going to focus on Camellia japonica, an ornamental variety commonly referred to as camellia in the West.

Camellia is native to China and Japan, which is where much of the more ancient folklore and magical uses arise, as the plant was highly sought after and regarded for its beauty and symbolism. The first known documentation of this ornamental variety appeared on porcelain and paintings from China around the 11th century. The red variety is most often depicted, but the scroll of the Four Magpies of the Song Dynasty features the white variety. One of the most famous stories, however, involving the camellia, arises from Japan. 

Commonly referred to as tsubaki, the camellia is associated with the shapeshifter Furutsubaki-no-rei or "old camellia spirit. This yōkai, according to Toriyama Sekien's Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki, is said to inhabit old camellia trees. Taking on the appearance of a beautiful woman, the spirit uses its beauty to trick and bewitch its victims, usually to scare them away from the tree or garner sympathy. There are some rare reports of victims disappearing with the spirit, and it is said that hearing its wailing cries is a warning of impending doom. 

The symbolism here is two-fold, with the camellia being associated with beauty as well as danger or death. Some scholars have attributed this duality to the flower's nature, which falls all at once, similar to a person's head falling off their neck during an execution. For warriors, to see one fall was said to foretell decapitation in battle. Because of its association with death, it is taboo to bring camilla flowers into a sick room, as doing so is said to bring death to the sick person. Either way, the camellia is associated with both beauty and death and can be used in spells and rituals for such purposes. Use camellia oil in beauty spells and rituals to anoint yourself or magical objects, or add to body products to enhance your radiance and power. Add fresh red or pink camellia flowers to bath water to amplify your beauty or to pouches and bottles to attract admiration. For death-related rituals, add white camellias to ancestral altars or funeral arrangements to honor your loved ones.

More modern associations, however, link the camellia with wealth and prosperity. During the 16th century, Europeans attempted to import living camellias to grow their own tea, without success. Live plants couldn't survive the journey, and with only herbarium specimens and imported paintings to represent the plant, confusion among Europeans grew. What were the tea varieties, and which were not? In the end, the first successful live plant to be brought to Europe was the ornamental variety in 1739. Despite not being usable as tea, the variety grew in popularity among the wealthy elite for its beautiful blooms. Ornamental plants, especially those that were exotic, were highly sought after by the wealthy, specifically because they were not used to make money. This proved to others that money was of no consequence to them and that they were more sophisticated than their peers because of their taste in beauty. According to historian Tamaka Plankins Thornton, "the treasuring of a flower's beauty or a fruit's perfection was prima facie evidence of an ability to appreciate what had no material value and no apparent use."

In 1862, the camellia arrived in the United States and quickly became popular among the elite. They became so popular by the 1870s and 1880s that the time was referred to as the "Boston camellia boom." Like in Europe, the camellia became a symbol of wealth in the United States. Not only did you need to be able to afford such a plant, but it also required hothouses in northern states, as it could not survive the harsh winters. Like in Europe, the Boston elite wanted to prove they did not value money and could value something that would not make them money. Like in the North, the camellia was a status symbol in the South, despite it not needing a hothouse to survive. As such, it was planted everywhere and anywhere, becoming so popular that it became Alabama's state flower. All of this is to say, the camellia is highly regarded for its association with wealth and luxury and can be used in spells and rituals for such purposes.

Add camellia petals to money jars, spell pouches, or poppets to draw money and financial abundance to you. Add to your altar on Thursday to bring good fortune and encourage blossoming opportunities. You can also carry camellia petals in your wallet, purse, or cash register to ensure a continuous flow of riches. If you have the space, grow camellia in your garden to ensure wealth and prosperity in your home.

Camellia can be used in a number of spells, including:

      Glamour Spells

      Beauty Spells

      Prosperity Spells

      Wealth Magic

      Ancestral Magic

Medicinal Uses: While largely prized for its ornamental value, Camellia japonica has been used to treat a variety of ailments due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, as it is rich in bioactive compounds such as triterpenes, flavonoids, and essential fatty acids. Topically, camellia can be used as a deep moisturizer to treat pigmentation, burns and scalds, control bleeding, and reduce redness caused by rosacea. There are some studies that also suggest the use of camilla to protect dermal cells against mitochondrial damage and premature ageing caused by air pollutants. Rich in oleic acid, camellia can lower cholesterol if ingested. While camellia is generally considered safe, it does contain saponins, which are toxic in large doses.

Preparation and Dosage: To create a floral infusion, combine a handful of fresh flower petals with 1 cup of hot water. Allow the mixture to infuse for 5 to 7 minutes before straining. Drink up to three times a day. To create a 'green tea' style infusion, combine 1 teaspoon of dried, young leaves with one cup of hot water. Allow the mixture to infuse for 3 to 4 minutes before straining. Drink up to three times a day. Topically, camellia seed oil can be applied directly to the skin to reduce inflammation, irritation, and pigmentation.

Want to print a copy of this for your Book of Shadows? Click below for your free copy!

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Book Review: Container Conjure by Starr Casas

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I received a free copy of this deck in exchange for an honest review.

As a witch living in the South, conjure has always fascinated me. It gives such deep insights into the culture and folklore of the area, which is unique from other regions in the United States. With increased globalization and the loss of small towns and communities, the practices of conjure have been on the decline. Instead, we are ending up with a mix of watered-down practices as our elders take their expertise to the grave. Starr Casas, a practicing conjure woman, has continued to try to fight this loss through her several publications, including her latest Container Conjure: Crafting Magic with Jars, Bottles, Bags & More. 

Casas always offers such wonderful insights into the world of conjure in a highly accessible way. Like her other books, Container Conjure feels like a conversation instead of a dense guide. She provides a basic introduction to her practice, making sure the reader understands that not everyone comes from the same background, so if some of this information is not new to you, it may be new to others. This is an excellent approach as it makes it so you don't have to read her other works in order to jump into this one. I will say that the repeated information from her other books did not bother me, but the repeated information within the same paragraph did. Sometimes it felt like Casas was rambling, but, having seen her speak, this is just how she talks, lending to the book's conversational feel.

Casas covers a wide variety of container magics in this A to W guide, complete with detailed instructions, real-world examples, and tips & tricks. I marked more than one recipe to try out in the future, and look forward to incorporating her wisdom into my own practice. One of the strongest points of this guide, however, is the fact that you really can jump around to find the container you wish to work with. However, I highly recommend reading Container Conjure from front to back before attempting to throw yourself into the middle. Casas hides a ton of golden nuggets deep within the text, so I recommend having your annotation supplies and Grimoire handy. This information builds on itself, so its imporant to read everything before starting any real work.

Container Conjure: Crafting Magic with Jars, Bottles, Bags & More is a wonderful resource for all witches, whether you are interested in conjure or not. It helps explain many of the practices we see infiltrating other modern witchcraft practices. It is important to honor a practice's roots and the ancestors who built the foundation, instead of just stealing. Context is key, and without context, there is a high chance your spells will fail. I highly recommend picking up this gem if you incorporate any container magic in your practice or plan to in the future.

PS: I have one last thing to mention that made me laugh. There is a brief section of herbs and roots (which I wish included scientific names), and all the items on the list are actual plants and roots EXCEPT for dirt dauber's nests. I did a double-take when I saw its inclusion, but it isn't wrong to include it here. Roots is a colloquial term for a spell or curse itself, and is often used to describe the ingredients used, meaning the nests are technically roots. I still laughed out loud reading it and hope it brings a smile to your face, too.

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