Wahya Circle
Wednesday Works

Beginning Pharmakeia
Tsaang Gubat

Ehretia microphilla
SCORPION BUSH or WILD TEA
Ji ji shu (Chinese)

Traditional Tagalog medicine takes into account the entire person. It is a holistic approach whether it is an environmental factor that affects a person, or varying disease processes. The shamans look at a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. 

 
Tsaang gubat is a heavy in the medical world and is currently being studied for its use for its anti mutagenic properties to fight the SARs – COV 2 virus, or Covid 19. It and several others have great potential chemically in this study. (There is actually quite an extensive list this plant and its components can be found on. Sadly, European companies are attempting and somewhat succeeding in patenting some of the chemical bodies found in this plant to be medicinal.)

Easily found on the Batan Islands and the areas of northern Luzon to Palawan and Mindanao, as well as most or all islands and provinces, in thickets and secondary forests at low and medium altitudes. This herb also occurs from India to southern China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Indigenous tribes in all of these places are aware of its use.

MEDICINAL
Medicinally speaking, this plant’s primary use is for pain. It is found to be a great analgesic. It also has been found to be an antihistamine, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory. Herbal teas are made with the leaves. As a decoction made from the roots, it can be gargled or applied to affected areas. This plant is safe for use with both children and pregnant/lactating women.

Tsaang Gubat (Carmona retusa)

Diarrhea
After harvesting leaves, wash thoroughly and chop.
Boil 8 tablespoons (tbsp) of chopped leaves in 16oz - or 2 cups of water for 15 minutes or until half of the amount of water level goes down. (About 1 cup or 8oz)
Cool and strain.
Divide remaining decoction into 4 parts, or use 1/4 cup of the decoction every 3 to 4 hours.
Add honey, lemon or lime to taste.


MAGICKAL
This plant is thought to be a direct gift from Divinity. It has the Magickal properties of Healing, Memory, Protection and Wisdom. This Plant Ally corresponds with Autumn and Harvesting.

Witch Tip 101
Herb Conversion

To convert a quantity of fresh herbs to the corresponding amount of dried flaky herbs, follow the below formula: 3-to-1 ratio of fresh to dry.

1 tablespoon of fresh herb = 1 teaspoon of dried herb.

Beginning Crystalium
Nephrite and Jadeite

Jade

Jade is one of the oldest recorded gemstones known, with a history stretching back more than 7,000 years. But it was only in 1863 that gemologists discovered that jade is in fact two separate and quite distinct minerals: nephrite and jadeite. Nephrite tends to have a resinous luster, while jadeite is more vitreous. Jadeite is the most valuable form of jade. The rarest jadeite is known as Imperial Jade or Type A Jade, an emerald-green jade colored by chromium. Nephrite, which can be white and green, have been found in nephrite artifacts dating as far back as 2000–1500 BCE. These have been discovered at a number of archeological excavations in the Philippines since the 1930s. The artifacts have been both tools like chisels, and ornaments such as lingling-o earrings, bracelets and beads.

MEDICINAL
Jade has extensive medicinal use with energy and chakra work. Associated with the Heart Chakra, Jade is useful to treat stress, anxiety and disorders of blood circulation. Being associated with this chakra and the sign of Virgo, it is the stone of love, power, and excellence. With that, jadeite and nephrite are thought to strongly influence the healing of the kidneys and stomach, such as heartburn.

MAGICKAL
Nephrite-Jade will bring its wearer Health, Luck, and Protection. It is a stone of Abundance and it can improve your circumstances in life, especially your finances. This stone will help good fortune to flow more easily and naturally into your life, which is why it is often used as a good luck talisman. It pairs well with other items of “knowledge” or “wisdom” as well as health.  

Magick: Place a piece of Jade next to a glass of cool water and drink it after reciting an Incantation of Abundance or Love.

Additional Magick: Make Moon Water in your chosen Moon Phase and Sign adding with the above.

Think About It

Continue to use this time to contemplate previous Lessons, ask questions, go deeper if needed. If there is something that has necessitated further discussion, please let us know.

We will continue to build on these Lessons.

Divination 101
Pagtatawas

Filipino Divination

Pagtatawas is a form of carromancy (ceromancy – wax reading) and oryctomancy (mineral reading – literally “divined by things dug up”) divination performed by an Albularyo or Mangtatawas. (“User of tawas”) This divination is used to diagnose an affliction or psychological disorder by reading the shapes produced in a receptacle of water by melted wax or something like the mineral alum. (Alum can often be found in deodorants and laundry detergents, if not solid in the ground.)

To the indigenous, alum (i.e., hydrated aluminum potassium sulfate or tawas ) is ritualistically used by the Albularyo or Shamans to pinpoint a variety of health conditions: an inconsolable child, a man’s fatigue, or even woman’s failure to conceive.

The tawas is used to touch the third eye, or psychic energy center, on the patient’s forehead and other suspicious or ailing parts of the body as prayers or invocations are being whispered (bulóng or oración). The alum is then placed on glowing embers, removed when it starts to crack, then transferred to a small basin of water. As it cools, the alum’s new form spreads on the water’s surface and assumes a shape that may suggest the cause of the illness. There are times when one of several indigenous forces, introduced and non-introduced: dwarfs, demons, or other malevolent spirits (na-nuno, na-kulam, na-demonyo).

The water is then used to anoint the ailing part or parts of the body to counteract the Energy, perceived “evil forces” or illness. The tawas is then discarded and thrown westward, preferably towards the setting sun.

For candle divination, an albularyo simply lights and holds the candle during the ritual. In some, it is the albularyo's assistant or the afflicted person who holds the candle, but almost invariably, it is the albularyo who interprets the vague shapes produced by the wax as it re-solidifies in the basin of water. An albularyo may see supernatural beings, displeased ancestors, or various energies as the cause of the illness. At the end of the Ritual, cleansing or peace offering to a spirit or energy are often suggested.

Modern variations have the albularyo use other materials for divination, such as eggs, mirrors, blank paper, cigarettes,[chewing gum, chicken feathers, and the liver of a freshly-slaughtered chicken or pig (the last one classically known in western magick as haruspicy). Some hilots also use this, although not as extensively in their practice.

Candle Method of Tawas: LINK

Wednesday WQ2

General - Journal - Book of Shadows

SUBMISSION: WQ2 WED NS

EMAIL
Three Circles Medicine™
Please utilize the above email link
IF NO BUTTON IS PRESENT
to receive full Submission credit.