Condensing Spring Earth

[Labrys]

It is raining outdoors.  Water drops bead all silvery all over everything in the gardens.  The moon is waxing, fresh on the heels of  being "new" and it is time to warm a kitchen kettle. 

Now, when I say I am cooking an "elemental condensor" it may mean different things to various readers. The occasional "elemental mage" might tell you I was capturing powerful elemental beings to hold them to my will.  Oh, pish.  That is not what I am doing, no hopped up ideas of myself or my ability nearly on that level.  Cunningham's books mentioned condensors and what he used them for, and that IS where the idea came from.  But there, similarity ends.

I do believe in elemental forces.  I don't believe in "wielding" them or bending them to my will.  I believe in being allies, in asking, in attempting communication to gain such powerful aid.  So for me, a potion known as an elemental condenser is like a telegram.  It converts my pitiable human plaints into something that an Elemental could understand and possibly respond to, nothing more than that.

I use a method largely borrowed from Scott Cunningham...I cook plants and herbs in combination, based upon their magical correspondences. My recipe for each varies with season and availability of plants. I condense the decoction and preserve it with vodka in a dark bottle.  My method has some personal additions, but the general idea is close to Cunningham's.  When I wish to use these potions...I select the one made for the Elemental I am appealing to, I put some in a container...infuse my intent upon it, and release it to the named element in the appropriate way.

Today, a beautiful rain-streaked, blossoming beginning sort of day, I worked on re-filling my exhausted supply of Condensor for Earth. It bubbled away in the first stage of preparation, filling the house with a surprisingly spicy, delicious scent.  It was a particularly beautiful kettleful, because most of the ingredients were blossoms!

Item/gender/planet/elemental correspondence

Rose        F   Venus   Water
Poppy       F   Moon    Water
Bay laurel  M   Sun     Fire
Snapdragon  M   Mars    Fire
Lavender    M   Mercury Air
Honeysuckle M   Jupiter Earth
Medlar/Quince F Saturn  Earth
Oregon Grape F  Earth   Earth
Rhubarb      F  Venus   Earth

I usually strive for planetary balance, and at least one of each of the other three elements, but a heavy preponderance of the particular element.  If it is a feminine element, I try to lean it more heavily that direction, as for earth and water condensors.  Likewise, for fire and air, I lean towards the masculine side on ingredient choices.

This one smelled so good, I feel like I condensed Spring!


 

[Lark]

That sounds absolutely lovely and a great idea for a magical working.

I ought to get out and start condensing summer.  Around here the honeysuckle and the wild roses are blooming and the hay fields are being cut.  Add to that the scent of early peaches and you have the essence of summer here in the South.

-Lark-

[Labrys]

That sounds absolutely lovely and a great idea for a magical working.

I ought to get out and start condensing summer.  Around here the honeysuckle and the wild roses are blooming and the hay fields are being cut.  Add to that the scent of early peaches and you have the essence of summer here in the South.

-Lark-

I do love the scent of peaches---to me that alone says summer like nothing else!  Eat one for me! The honeysuckle over my back patio is all in bud, but they have not sprung open yet; the hummingbirds are quite impatient about it.