Raising A Plant Familiar
By: Stacey at Daily Wicca
The purpose
of this technique is to raise, or grow, a plant as a “familiar” (serving
spirit) or as a magical plant. In ancient times, a small circle of stones was
set around the chosen plant, to “bind” the numen there. Then a hole was dug
down toward the roots (carefully) and a chosen power stone was set in place, to
“charge” the plant.
Today the
technique has been expanded, but is still true to the original intent. You can
begin with a seed, or young sprout. Simply prepare the soil for planting, in a
secluded area, which is suited to the physical needs of the plant. Place a
stone or crystal of your choice about three inches deep into the soil. Quartz
crystals are a good choice, but you may wish to consult a table of
correspondences for various stones, etc. Next fill in the soil over the stone,
and plant the seed (or sprout) as is appropriate. Then, lay a circle of 8 stones
around the plant site. At each of the four elemental quarters place a crystal
of the same type as the one you buried (these four are part of the 8 forming
the circle). The other stones may be of any kind you wish, as long as they complement
each other in relationship to their occult nature. Space the stones to allow
for the growth of the plant.
I will give
two techniques for the raising of a plant familiar. These will show you how to
establish contact with the plant numen, and how to communicate your purposes to
the plant familiar. In this way the plant will become charged, and conscious of
your needs. Then you will have a physical and spiritual helper, for your works
of magic and healing.
This
technique is important to magical work involving herbs. Dry herbs in an herb
store are not charged (in most cases) and can only serve through their
remaining physical properties. There is, however, the placebo effect to
consider, as well as coincidence, and self-delusion. These have been used
successfully for quite some time. I will not deal with these here, as most
popular Authors are doing an excellent job of passing this off on us as
authentic spells. I intend to give you the actual techniques which empower
herbs, and whose effects were the basis for the powers attributed to herbs from
ancient times. No Con, just the facts.
Method 1:
If planting
by seed, wait 7 days after the sprout appears to proceed with the following (if
a young plant, wait 7 days after planting it). Remove the stones between the
quarter stones, and plant a seed at each point. Next bury the quarter stones
where they lay, at least an inch deep. The seeds may be of the same type as the
plant within the circle, or an assortment. Each day, place both palms upon the
ground within the circle, forming a triangle with fingertips (index fingers
touching & thumbs touching). The stem of the plant will be in the open area
of the triangle, centered between your hands.
Using your
imagination & visualization abilities, sense your power flowing out through
your arms, from your personal power center (just below the navel for women, and
at the solar plexus for men). You must also talk to the plant and send it
visuals, communicating your needs and desires through mental images. You must
take good care of the plant from this point on, and keep it from harm. To
create a strong bond with your plant familiar, you can add 3 drops of your own
blood to a quart of water, and use this to water the plant as needed.
Magically,
you have first increased the level of the numen through the crystals. Secondly,
you have extended its power and influence to the other plants. This is because
these plants became alive under the influence of the center crystal and plant.
They were also bathed in a cross quarter current of energy, controlled from the
center entity, through the quarter crystals. If you need the physical parts an
herb for your spells, potions or whatever, then use only the plants enclosed
within the original circle of stones, and never the center plant. The center
plant IS the familiar, and the others are merely extensions of it.
The final
step in creating this plant familiar, is to establish your “link” and your
“rapport”. To do this, you must sit comfortably before the plant, and stare at
it. Allow your eyes to lose focus and your vision to blur. In this state,
observe the shape of the plant, trying to leave your mind blank. The plant will
“send” you an image as you stare. You will receive this as a distortion of the
plant’s shape, so that it will begin to resemble some other creature such as an
animal or an insect. This new shape is the spirit of the plant, and you will
employ this image as you work with the familiar.
The familiar
can give you extra power in any magical work, whenever you summon it. “House
plants” can become protective entities for your home through plant magic.
Plants can be given as gifts, charged for a special purpose.
To summon
the familiar, you simply imagine your plant in its setting, and visualize it
becoming the spirit creature. Mentally call it to yourself, and allow it to
enter into your personal power center.
To empower
through the familiar, mentally send it into any herbs which you are charging
(instructing it as to the desired effect) and imagine that it passes power to
them, imagine them glowing after contact with the familiar. When you are
finished, always return the familiar to the plant.
***
Note: I don't know why, but she left off "Method 2", or maybe I'm just not reading it right. But, either way, I like this Plant Familiar concept. Basil is my favorite plant, so this Spring I will be doing this with my Basil.
