I'm glad to have found this forum! I'm in the process of getting away from corporate internet, and returning to the good old ways of internet forums. It's also a privacy nightmare out there...ugh.
Anyway, personally, I would say I'm an animist-leaning-Buddhist. Or maybe a Buddhist-curious-Animist? Something in that neighborhood. I've had several animist experiences while living in various places around Africa, practiced remote viewing for a number of years (looking for a replacement for the old Psi Dojo forums is how I ended up here), channeled, been visited by the deceased, and a few other things. Long-since convinced and re-convinced that the world is more than we see with our eyes, and the power of intent.
I've also gotten along well with my fellow witchy-woo-woo folks over the years, so I figured this would be a good place to stop by. Happy (almost) Mabon!
Also, feel free to share any recipes you have for honey and/or brandy-based cough syrup! This season I feel called to do a lot of stockpiling of the fruits of the summer for the winter ahead.
For honey and brandy based cough syrups, I highly recommend the following two recipes. They are relatively basic and well known, but are well known for a reason.
The first is a Swedish bitters-courtesy of Maria Treben’s book Health through God’s Pharmacy. I use 96% organic ethanol, which can be found more easily from European sources than American, and dilute it to 43% using a mixture of half honey, half water. You could totally use brandy instead and add honey to tasteThen tincture the following in a 2L bottle for 2 weeks, shaking daily:
10 grams each: aloe (or wormwood), senna leaves, camphor (natural only!), rhubarb root, zedvoary root, manna (ash bark), Angelica root
5 grams each:
Myrrh, Carline thistle root
Then you just strain it and take it when something is going around town or you start to feel something coming on.
Often I’ll take a dropper full, but if I think I’m actually getting sick I’ll do a shot!
Some of the ingredients aren’t the easiest to find on your own-when I first started my personal apothecary I bought “Swedish bitter” herbs pre mixed from Smallflower (Merz, Chicago) apothecary-they ship.
It’s also worth noting you could tincture any fruit you mentioned above or herb you like in the honey liquor mix. I use the honey liquor to tincture wild dog roses every year and its divine-good rose tinctures also age uniquely if you’re into that sort of thing. Also any of fruit ones could then be used to tincture the bitters in-it would probably make it more palatable and bonus add some vitamins!! Bench trial a bunch in the seasons you are called, I often find I have more energy some seasons than others haha
This recipe is shelf stable, but it’s worth noting to clean everything properly before hand. If you have higher proof alcohol on hand, after cleansing with soap, a little rub down with alcohol and a paper towel never hurt anyone! Also condition your bottles with alcohol. This goes for both recipes. Vinegar can be helpful too, and is cheaper, just make sure to rinse! And use filtered water.
The second recipe is for elderberry syrup. I forage my elderberries (blue) wild in California. Other elderberries (American or European) would work, but be careful not to eat them raw if you aren’t familiar with foraging for elderberries. If you can’t forage or grow, you can buy them dried pretty easily. Either way you want to make a tea with the berries, fresh or dried, which I do by simmering them for an hour with enough water to keep them covered the whole time. I usually add a stick of cinnamon, a star of anise, a few cloves, and a couple cardamom pods crushed. Then you strain it and do one of the following:
A. Add equal parts honey (1:1), and then it can be canned or refrigerated
B. Decide to do the alcohol version, where you mix equal parts (1:1:1) tea, honey, and alcohol (96% is ideal-I use elderberry tincture I make ahead of time with this)-then it can be canned or refrigerated.
It’s worth noting if I make the alcohol version it pretty much lasts all year in the fridge.
I hope these help!!
