Connecting with the Genius Loci - Foraging
“Witchcraft is, I believe, the practice of entering into relation with the world, of exerting your will in it and among it, and learning how to work with it in ways that are fruitful for yourself and the world.”
― Alice Tarbuck, A Spell in the Wild: A Year (and Six Centuries) of Magic“To me, the forest is simply green and vast, but Huia knows exactly what she's looking for and points things out from a distance. But slowly I learn. I distinguish devil's club and stinging nettles and salmonberry. I spot the hummingbirds that dart and quiver around pink flowers. I spy a patch of fiddleheads and start plucking before Huia warns me to take only a few so the plant can keep growing for next season. I am the student.
-Hannah Tunnicliffe, Season of Salt and Honey
The world is a mysterious place, where things seemingly separate, are linked, if only you look a little beneath the surface, see through the shimmer that is the mundane. Life is a web, like that of Anansi, the many eyed and legged spider god. Sometimes the threads that connect are tangible, can be seen and felt and yet others are gossamer thin, barely there, all but invisible, but there none-the-less.
As I write this, Beltane is so very close. You can feel it in the land, a surge of energy bubbling up through the earth and bursting forth with tremendous beauty, a mirage of sound, colour and scent. Spring is well under way now and where I live, the land is blooming. Indeed, spring is a great time to begin foraging.
Now, I know foraging might bring to mind all kinds of images and I know not everyone is apt to try wild eating, each to their own and all that jazz, but there are so many uses for the items you gather, you don’t just have to eat them. In fact, as an animist, obeah woman and witch, I know first hand just how much of an impact foraging can have on your craft.
Connection to Land & Genius Loci
The land and the genius loci are an important part of my witchcraft and obeah practices and foraging is an excellent way of beginning this work. The benefits are many.
And of course, getting out and about in the land where you live is the first step in foraging! On these excursions, it’s only natural that you will begin to notice the plants, trees and flowers that grow there. Now, all the green things are growing at this time, but truth be told, there is much to learn in each of the seasons. Spring is a good time for identifying the new shoots and young leaves of plants and trees, not forgetting the flowers, including the tree blossoms. All of these can help with the identification of what is growing where you live and can ultimately help develop that spiritual relationship.
Now, identification can be tricky, especially for beginners and positive ID is important, vitally so, but don’t let that put you off! There are lots of good resources for the would-be forager.
Books - A good identification guide is a must, one that’s small enough to take with you on your outings but with enough information to provide a positive ID. Good pictures are a must, ones that show different parts of the plants (a positive ID requires looking at leaf shape and placement, what the flowers look like, where it grows as well as size and spread). Used bookshops, flea markets and the internet are great for finding a bargain. Wherever you get your book from, make sure it is relevant to where you live. A book about British plants might well suit me, but will be of little use if you live elsewhere.
Apps - Most of us take our phones with us when we go out, so it makes sense to make the most of technology. Plant identification apps are easy and accessible and a good many of them are free. Take some time to explore several. You’ll want one that’s simple to use when you’re out in the field. A good tip is to try it out on plants you already know to check the accuracy. Of course, apps are great, but don’t just rely on the app. I find it useful to use several different methods of ID before committing to picking the plant.
Social Media Groups - the internet and social media in particular get a bit of a bad rap and to be sure, they have their downsides, but they also have their good points too. I am in several foraging groups. Some are general foraging groups and others more specialised. These are a good source of collective knowledge, a bit like a hive mind and can provide a good learning environment for beginners and more experienced foragers alike.
What To Make With Your Foraged Finds
Wild food is something that many people are interested in for many different reasons and is perhaps the most obvious use of your foraged finds, and rightly so too! Wild food can be delicious and as such, you might well consider using it in your food offerings and libations. But food isn’t all that can be made with your foraged treasures.
Floral Honey - At this time of year, floral honeys and syrups are delicious and super easy to make. I am currently infusing honey with flowering currant, but you can use any edible flower. In spring, wild violets are another of my favourites too. To make a floral honey, simply take your flowers and give them a little shake (a quick rinse if you must) and pop them into a clean jar. Pour over enough honey so that the flowers are completely covered before putting the lid on and leaving to infuse for a week. Strain the honey into a clean jar and voilà!
*If making small batches, it is fine to use fresh flowers, however to extend the shelf life, dry the flowers on a warm window sill for a couple of days until they are dry to the touch.
Incense - I love making my own incense, it is so easy to do. The added benefit of making your own with materials you have taken the time to go out and gather is twofold. Firstly, there is an element of sacrifice in the act of taking time. In today’s busy world, making time to spend in nature is almost an act of rebellion in itself. Secondly, making incense using items gathered from the local landscape is an excellent way of bringing the genius loci into your witchcraft, magical and spiritual practices.
Infused Oils - This process is almost identical to making floral honey but using oil instead of honey and extending the infusing time (one week will do at a push, but aim for around three or four weeks to really extract the goodness). Once you have your infused oil, you can then use it in many ways, including to anoint yourself and your ritual items but also to then create other products such as ointments, lotions and creams.
Ointment - Ointments are made using infused oils but instead of liquid, they are solids that are then massaged into the skin. Dandelion ointment is good for the skin and easy to make at this time of year. First, you will need to make dandelion infused oil. Next, gently heat the oil and add beeswax. I use a ratio of 1 part beeswax to 8 parts oil. You can alter the consistency by adding more oil or beeswax.
Washes & Waters - These are particularly good for using the qualities and associations of the materials gathered. A very simple way of making a wash is to steep the plant material in boiling water for around six minutes before straining. You can use this water in various ways. You might add to baths for ritual bathing or you might instead use them to clean your house, bringing the protective and beneficial aspects of the plant spirit into your home. You can also create washes and waters by steeping the plant matter in a good quality alcohol such as vodka or any spirit that is around 40% alcohol. Dilute before using to clean your home.
These are just some very simple ways you can begin to bring the land and the genius loci into your practice through the simple act of learning about and gathering items from the local landscape. It is through these gentle and thoughtful interactions with the land that our spirit mingles and merges with those of the land, of nature. It is through foraging that we can begin to add another dimension to our spirit work and ultimately our magical and spiritual practices.
And of course it’s important to state something that you might not expect and that’s for many of your foraging walks, you’ll come back with nothing! In the beginning, it’s more important to become an active part of the landscape rather than something on the outside looking to take something. We are a part of the land, even if we forget that sometimes in our modern lives.
By observing the land in this way, from the inside, with depth and feeling, by interacting with it, you will learn so much more about it. Foraging is a way of building an active and reciprocal relationship with the land, one that spans the divide between the mundane and the spiritual.
EMMA KATHRYN
Emma Kathryn, practises traditional British witchcraft, Vodou and Obeah, a mixture representing her heritage. She lives in the sticks with her family where she reads tarot, practises witchcraft and drink copious amounts of coffee.
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