Little notes on color correspondences, herbal sourcing, and modifying nighttime routines for chronic illness flare-ups. The first monthly round-up post of little musings, insights, and tricks gathered throughout the month.

Color Correspondences

Color correspondences can be nice and useful to follow, but you can follow whatever color speaks to you in each circumstance. If the “appropriate” color correspondence for your intent is green but you feel drawn to blue in that moment, don’t feel constricted in your choice.

• Consider why you may be drawn to a different color. Maybe you think want to draw wealth and research the color correspondence for that, but the color you are instinctively feeling instead corresponds with stability. Take the time to consider if your initial intent was more superficial than your deeper want.
• Feel free to abandon color correspondences altogether and intuitively pick whatever color you desire. Color correspondences change from culture to culture and even witches with very similar practices may use different correspondences. If it feels right to you, then it is a good option since you ultimately are the one to imbue the colored item with intent.

Sourcing Herbs

I live in a large city that has a bit of a hippie reputation, so fortunately the grocery store where my partner and I do most of our shopping has a huge selection of herbs, spices, and teas in bulk. If I have an idea for a spell or tea blend, it is usually as easy as adding the required herb of my choice to our next shopping list. However, I know that in many places it is not that easy to get the items you may want for your craft.

• If you are having difficulty finding a particular herb or spice, try local witchy stores, ethnic/specialty grocers, or even vitamin/supplement stores. Of course, these may only be viable options if you live in a town or city of a certain size.
• Online sellers are probably the cheapest and most accessible, but be wary and buy from reputable sellers, especially if you plan on ingesting herbs.
• Since herbs are a tool of my craft, I like to source them as ethically as possible and don’t like to support large online sellers like Amazon. However, sometimes that may be the best option for you. In the rare instances I purchase tools or ingredients of my craft from Amazon, I take extra care to cleanse them spiritually before using them.
• There are many sellers on Etsy that stock herbs that are typically used for witchcraft purposes. Be sure to read reviews and ensure they sell herbs ethically (for example, they don’t stock herbs that are endangered/harvested unethically or uncritically/openly sell herbs that belong to closed practices, such as white sage).

Modifying Nighttime Routines

Sometimes my chronic illnesses just wipe me out and I can barely get through even the simplest of pre-bedtime routines. Be forgiving with your body and don’t force yourself to complete elaborate routines or regimens if your body isn’t up for it.

• I always keep dental floss picks and makeup wipes by my bed. If I go to bed without being able to run through my nightly checklist of oral care and skincare, at least I can do the bare minimum while laying down in bed.
• On nights when I can do more than the bare minimum but am still so worn down that I can’t complete my usual nighttime routine, I have a modified routine. This pared-down routine still hits all of the basics but strips back the complexity and time.
• For the nights I am actually feeling “good” again, I then go the extra mile to make up for the tasks I stripped away to accommodate for my flare-ups. I’ll use face masks, put on extra creams, and take time to pamper myself. Those nights that I am too weak or tired to complete my normal routines take their toll, and I deserve to feel good and pampered again.
• Another way to think about this is to not have rigid times to complete self-care tasks. Have trouble remembering to brush your teeth right before bed? If you happen to be in the bathroom around 5pm, brush your teeth then. Have a spare morning when you can do your skincare routine? Do it then. There is no shame in modifying the timing of your routines if it means they will actually get done.

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Header image: Wild Flowers, Jamaica by Frederic Edwin Church via Smithsonian Open Access