Kinda Niche But Does Anyone Here Use Any Catholic Cookbooks? I See A Lot Of Witchy/magical Potential

kinda niche but does anyone here use any catholic cookbooks? i see a lot of witchy/magical potential in them and i would to love hear your experiences with them.

Mary Gardens and Saintly Plants

Hello my fellow Catholic witches! So while I was looking through stuff to do for May, I came across Mary Gardens and I thought they sounded like something full of potential witchery.

What is a Mary Garden?

A Mary garden is a garden dedicated to Mary. It is full of plants relating to Mary and her son, Jesus. They also contain a statue of Mary and sometimes have benches and candles for prayer. Some people also add plants relating to other saints. Sometimes they are dedicated to a certain aspect of Mary (such as Our Lady of Sorrows). They can be as big as a park or as small as a flower pot.

Plants for a Mary Garden

Relating to Jesus

Grapes- His blood

Wheat- His Body

Hyssop- Used at the Crucifixion

Begonia- Heart of Jesus

Geranium- Heart of Jesus

St. John’s Wort- Jesus’ Blood

Snapdragons- the Child Jesus’ shoes

Passion flowers- Christ’s Passion (the stamens and pistils look like the nails and the crown of thorns)

Red Roses- Christ’s Passion (as the crown of thorns and the five petals are Christ’s five wounds)

Plants with thorns- the crown of thorns

Dogwood- the Crucifixion

Relating to Mary

All flowers are associated with Mary but here are some that have more specific associations.

Roses- The Marian flower. Said to be found in her tomb, and appear in most of her apparitions. Used during May Crowning. Their colors symbolize her as follows:

White - Mary’s Purity

Red- Mary’s Sorrow

Gold- Mary’s Glory

Lilies- Said to be found in her tomb and given to her by the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation

Forget-Me-Nots- Our Lady’s Eyes

Baby’s Breath- Our Lady’s Veil

Bachelor’s Buttons- Our Lady’s Crown

Bleeding Hearts- Mary’s Heart pierced by swords

Iris- the swords that pierced Mary’s Heart

Marigolds- Mary’s gold

Violets- Our Lady’s Modesty

Lavender- one legend says this plant got its scent when Mary laid Jesus’ clothes out to dry on it

Lily-of-the-Valley- Said to have grown from Mary’s tears as she stood at the foot of the cross

Damask Roses- the roses Our Lady of Guadalupe told St. Juan Diego to gather

English Daisy- Mary’s Love

Maidenhair Fern- Mary’s Hair

Field Bindweed- Our Lady’s Cup (from a German legend that Mary freed a wine seller’s cart after giving her a drink. Because he did not have a cup, Our Lady used the flower of Field Bindweed instead)

Morning Glory- Our Lady’s Cloak

Hawthorn- traditionally used during May Crowning

Honeysuckle- Our Lady’s fingers or Our Lady’s stick

Hydrangea- Ave Maria

Jasmine- Mary

Larkspur- Mary’s tears

Moonflower- Our Lady of the Night

Primrose- Mary’s candlestick

Juniper- Our Lady’s Shelter, said to have hidden the Holy Family during the flight to Egypt

Snowdrops- used at Candlemas

Sweet Alyssum- Blessed by Mary

Tulip- Mary’s Prayer

Water lily- Our Lady of the Lake or Stella Marius

Parsley- Our Lady’s Little Vine

Sage- Mary’s shawl

Thyme- Mary’s humility

Fennel- Our Lady’s Fennel

Spearmint- Mary’s mint

Horehound- Mother-of -God’s tea

Dandelion- Mary’s bitter sorrow

Catnip- Mary’s nettle

Valerien- Our Lady’s Needlework

Chamomile- Maiden’s weed

Other plants

These relate to saints or to God.

Columbine- the Holy Spirit (because they look like doves)

St John’s Wort- Named after one of the many St. Johns

Chicory- the Heavenly way

Coriander- St. John’s head

Dill- Devil away

Tarragon- Named for St. Martha’s dragon

Shamrock- St. Patrick

Lilies- St. Joseph’s staff

Peony- Pentecost Rose

Nasturtium- St. Joseph’s flower

Tritium- the Holy Trinity

Ivy- Where God has Walked

Hollyhock- St. Joseph’s staff

Gladiolus- 12 Apostles

Grape Hyacinth- St. Joseph’s bells

Basil- St. Anthony of Padua

Cosmos- St. Michael’s flower

Aster- Michaelmas daisies

Chrysanthemum- All Saint’s flower

Cherry- used on St. Barbara’s feast day

Pussy willow- used on Ash Wednesday

Palm- used in Palm Sunday

Pansies- the Holy Trinity

Blackberries- last gathered on Michaelmas

What does this have to do with witchcraft?

Well, many of these plants are commonly used in witchcraft. They can be used to call upon a certain saint for help (doing a protection spell, use Cosmos- St. Michael’s flower). Or they can be used based on their association (Maidenhair fern for beauty spells because it’s associated with Mary’s hair).

random astro observations pt.3

I'm not an astrologist, I'm only an observer. These are my personal observations.

Sun/5h- these people make great directors, producers, actors, and writers too. Could be a talent here in sport activities and sometimes they attain fame and a huge amount of wealth if they turn professionals. Sun in 5h makes the native strong. Can manipulate things in order to remain in the focus of the public. Tendency to have financial difficulties because of their excessive calculative nature and over-confidence.

Jupiter in 9th and 12th house will destroy any of their enemies

I feel like cancer moons naturally have the more developed characteristics of a cancer than a cancer sun. Every cancer sun I've met had more negative characteristics of the cancer such as being secretive, sneaky, cold. moody, and manipulative. The cancer moons I've came across had more of the positive traits of the cancer such as being nurturing, gentle, soft, and kind. Empaths. Cancer suns are most definitely empaths as well. Personally i just think that cancer is uncomfortable placed in the Sun, leading them to feeling uncomfortable being vulnerable. Similar to Scorpio, they can be skeptical, quiet, closed off, and have the "get them before they get me" kind of mindset. I believe they choose to have sympathy for others, only when they want to or actually feel for them. They are more closed off than cancer moons in my opinion.

Virgo Risings are very meticulous about everything, but one random thing their usually very OCD about is their bed. Their the types to make their bed, you lightly sit on the edge right after, and they start freaking out on you. Very detailed orientated, they pay close attention to people and are also very focused on themselves. Huge critics of themselves and sometimes others.

Mercury in Virgo are excellent writers and poets. They are phenomenal even at a young age in ELA/writing classes. They know how to express themselves perfectly, and they're highly analytical people. They know just what to say, and exactly how to say it. Excellent problem solvers as well.

Types of 'Gods'

The concept of gods varies across different cultures, mythologies, and belief systems.

Here are some broad categories or types of gods that can be found in various religious and mythological traditions:

Creator Gods: Creator gods are often associated with the creation of the world or universe. They are believed to have brought existence into being and may hold significant power and authority. Examples include Brahma in Hinduism, Atum in Egyptian mythology, and Elohim in certain interpretations of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Mother Goddesses: Mother goddesses represent fertility, nurturing, and the life-giving aspects of the divine feminine. They are associated with creation, birth, and the cycles of nature. Examples include Isis in Egyptian mythology, Demeter in Greek mythology, and Gaia in ancient Greek cosmogony.

Sky Gods: Sky gods are associated with the heavens, celestial bodies, and the realm of the sky. They often possess powers related to weather, lightning, or cosmic order. Examples include Zeus in Greek mythology, Thor in Norse mythology, and Indra in Hinduism.

War Gods: War gods are associated with warfare, battles, and military prowess. They often embody strength, courage, and strategic abilities. Examples include Ares in Greek mythology, Mars in Roman mythology, and Huitzilopochtli in Aztec mythology.

Wisdom Gods: Wisdom gods are associated with intellect, knowledge, and spiritual insight. They are often revered as divine teachers or possessors of divine wisdom. Examples include Athena in Greek mythology, Thoth in Egyptian mythology, and Saraswati in Hinduism.

Trickster Gods: Trickster gods are mischievous and often unpredictable figures who challenge conventions and bring about change or disruption. They may embody chaos, humor, or transformation. Examples include Loki in Norse mythology, Hermes in Greek mythology, and Anansi in West African folklore.

Love and Beauty Gods: Love and beauty gods embody qualities of love, romance, beauty, and desire. They are often associated with fertility, attraction, and the pursuit of aesthetic pleasure. Examples include Aphrodite in Greek mythology, Venus in Roman mythology, and Freyja in Norse mythology.

These categories are not exhaustive, and there are countless other types of gods and divine beings found in different belief systems. The characteristics and roles of gods can vary greatly, reflecting the unique cultural and religious contexts in which they are worshipped.

{This post is just for educational reasons}

🌿 Here's a list of nice advice for medicinal teas users (with links to medical resources provided):

Lemon balm has a sedative and calming effect.

Yarrow might help with stomach cramps.

Mint leaves are good for your digestive health.

Chrysanthemum tea is used to lower blood pressure.

Chamomile is a known sleep-inducer.

Elderberry flowers are good for cold and flu.

Nettle leaf tea is a great source of calcium.

Ginger tea calms down nausea and relaxes muscles.

Sage is rich in minerals and vitamin K.

To make simple tea, wash your herbs, pat them dry, put them in a strainer, place it in a cup, and pour over hot water; give it 3-5 minutes, stir. Drink with honey or sugar if you'd like.

P. S. I am not a licensed medical professional. Herbal remedies are not replacement for medicine. Please, mindfully check if you are allergic to any of the aforementioned herbs. Do not use my dividers.

i have a dilemma. i’m wondering if some of y’all can help? i’m religious, i believe in God, the trinity, Jesus, the saints, and i believe that good deeds can get you into Heaven. i hold a very Catholic belief system but at the same time the church feels suffocating. i’m queer and non binary and i feel like i don’t have a place in the church because of my gender. i feel like i’ll never be fully welcomed in the church or by any Pope in my lifetime. am I still a Catholic if i don’t go to church and follow the pope?