Tag Archives: herbs
New Postcards: Flower Devils, Plants and Planets and more
6 Oct“Flower Devils”
In German folklore, witches and even the devil himself were believed to take on the shape of bumblebees. A bumblebee-wax candle was lit in church, if a witch was burnt at the stake. Evil people were cursed with having to return as a bumblebee after death. The sub-earthen drone sound of a bumblebee signaled the presence of the dead. Instead of consecrated wavers, bumblebees were allegedly served at black masses. Bumblebees were also superstitiously feared as carriers of sickness and ritually buried to drive out plague. On the other hand, a dead bumblebee worn in the pocket, was believed to ensure the purse would always be filled with money. And he, who managed to secretly steal the bumblebee’s honey, was destined to find a huge treasure. Hence bumblebees were both viewed as good and bad omens.
Special to me is the photo of a bee among the ruins of an old Minoan Palace in the city of Malia (Crete). In the location was found a massive golden bee amulet, depicting two crowned bees holding a honey drop. Bees and other pollinators played important rolls both in the religion of ancient civilizations as well as folklore.
“Plants and Planets”
Also new: postcards with my occult/nature inspired “Plants and Planets“ series from 2018! Available in two formats.
In the past botanists such as Nicholas Culpeper associated plants with the planets, fixed stars and zodiac signs. The attributions were based on an intense study of a plant’s features, which included treats such as a thorny or prickly appearance, the scent emitted by the flowers or the entire plant, the plant’s life cycle, colors, metals contained in a plant, medicinal and other uses and of course plenty of folklore. The planetary lore of plants is preserved and continues to evolve in the books of authors such as Stephen Skinner, Paul Huson, Scott Cunningham, Harold Roth and so on.
I find it inspiring to continue this tradition and to explore its own inner logic. Hence I created these planet themed still life photographs of herbs, that I gathered from our garden and surroundings, many of which are also part of my seed boxes. With this series I yet delve deeper into the language of plants and the symbolism and magical properties attributed to them.
The postcards have round edges and the sizes comply with common post standards. The motifs are printed on “silk” photo paper and laminated on durable white cardboard, which is pre-printed on the back. For ordering please head over to the Teufelskunst webshop.
Plants and Planets
13 JulIn the past botanists such as Nicholas Culpeper associated plants with the planets, fixed stars and zodiac signs. The attributions were based on an intense study of a plant’s features, which included treats such as a thorny or prickly appearance, the scent emitted by the flowers or the entire plant, the plant’s life cycle, colors, metals contained in a plant, medicinal and other uses and of course plenty of folklore. Today plants are classified scientifically based on their genome, but their planetary lore is preserved and continues to evolve in the books of authors such as Stephen Skinner, Paul Huson, Scott Cunningham, Harold Roth and so on.
I find it fun and inspiring to continue this tradition and to explore its own inner logic. And since I spent the past 3 weeks gardening, I took to it and photographed the recent herb harvest according to the planets. The following series follows the Chaldean sequence. Photos by myself. Please share and credit.
Please visit my garden blog for further info on plants and their planetary correspondences:Â https://pflanzenkunst.wordpress.com/planetary-correspondences/
Wooden Seed Boxes #27-30
11 Mar
Seed boxes #27-30, completed
The boxes contain seeds from at least 44 different venific and benific ‘witch’ herbs. The boxes are pyrographed with the “sigilum major” or “greater sowing seal”, stained and varnished. Then hundreds of little paper bags are labeled and filled with the seeds, which I partly gather by myself and partly purchase from other places. I usually spend at least 40 hours on four of these boxes. It is a tedious but also rewarding process, which gives me the chance to connect deeper with the herbs and it also empties the mind and brings new inspiration. It is my hope that the content of these boxes will bring joy to others and aid them in their own studies.
Update: the boxes are sold. Please write to me at info@teufelskunst.com if you wish to reserve one in the future!
Plant Sigil Card Set, Autumn Equinox Edition
26 Sep Finally done! Here are the latest sets of cards with my plant-inspired sigils. Wrapped in autumn-colored peacock marble paper, fitting for the autumnal equinox.
As you know I am dedicating sigils to each herb I work with and keep posting these sigils here and elsewhere. In March this year I made a first print set of these abstract sigilic emanations, which I brought with me for the London Magical Arte event. The cards were passed around, single motifs were discussed and became the basis for inspired conversation. At the time I had only printed the cards but not yet made a nice packaging for them. Later I made a slipcase with paper bought from my local bookbinder. Thus far two smaller editions have been done for the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice, now followed by a 3rd for the Autumn Equinox, the content being:
- 45 cards with plant sigils printed black on heavy paper vergé
- 4 colored cards with my ‘soul-paintings’
- numbered edition specific title card
- list with names of corresponding herbs
- introduction to the cards
All cards are hand-numbered on the back. With the help of a list you find the name of the corresponding herb for each card. There is no prescribed method of laying the cards. Possible ways of interpreting and laying them are outlined in the introduction that comes with each set.
Price: 31 Euro for one set + shipping
Offcial sale date was September 22 and thus far 9 boxes have already been paid and 3 more are reserved. I hope to be doing larger editions in the future with the help of the funds gathered through the sale of these first editions. If you wish to have one please message me at info@teufelskunst.com
Complementary
17 Sep Belladonna leaves and flower
Belladonna placed between newspaper pages for drying
Beloved Green
3 Sep Some impressions from our garden as summer is coming to an end… it was raining a lot as of late and temperatures have been dropping below 10°C at night. I am busy almost every day, collecting herbs, seeds and flowers for different purposes. My room is thus looking like an extension of our garden… full of herbs hung up or laid out for drying.
Back in Green
23 AprSpent all day in the garden, weeding, cleaning and preparing containers, pricking and repotting and doing this year’s first herb harvest! Due to the mild winter and early spring the green are exploding and everything seems to be one month ahead. Our cherry tree has already flowered, the apple tree is in full bloom as well as the lilac. The meadow is white with daisies and cuckoo flowers and the sweet woodruff is already flowering. The new additions to the garden planted last year are blossoming. But there are also some ‘wild’ additions, such as the common lungwort, which I spotted growing wild now on our meadow and which has been known as a medicinal herb for centuries. Below are some recent impressions of the Green and our garden. You see what has become of the seedlings I had posted a few weeks ago…
Chaos in my seed trays…
…morning glory already wrapping around my datura plants…
The ‘Queen’ to be
Northern Wolfsbane thriving
Valerian, planted out last year
– so big already!
The Poison Hemlock seems to like the moist place in full shade.
Red spots at the base of Conium maculatum plants
The bed in half-shade, which we dug out and manured with fresh compost soil last year – before weed had taken over the whole place, so we removed about half a meter soil, strained it and laid foil around everything.
Above: the bed in half-shade, which we dug out and manured with fresh compost soil last year – before weed had taken over the whole place, so we removed about half a meter soil, strained it and laid foil around everything. Now it’s filled with plants for study and pleasure. I start to worry though it may soon be too packed!
Below: a bed left wild and overgrowing; forget-me-not and hyacinths have found a new place there admidst ground elder unconquered. All attempts to weed it out were futile. Therefore I learned it has also some benific qualities and now would actually be a good time for harvesting and using it fresh in cooking… Besides the sweet woodruff has been expanding not only there but this year it also started taking over the raised bed! As you can see it is overflowing and it was high time to clear it and do a first herb harvest. Lets see what to do with all the woodruff and wormwood! Well, the latter I already know what to use it for… There is also our lilac tree blooming by the compost, spreading its sweet scent.
Ground Elder, Sweet Woodruff, Forget-me-not and Hyacinths
Sweet Woodruff taking over!
The raised bed overflowing – high time for weeding as well as a first harvest!
Lilac in bloom
The lovely lungwort with its multi-colored flowers
And there is also the lungwort, which I look forward to study more…
2 Seed Pods, 94 Photos
3 SepHenbane Seed Pods
2 Seed Pods, 94 Photos
When working with herbs I also document some aspects and details. With some herbs I focus on the dried fruits and seeds and photograph them as random still lifes, experimenting with light and shadow. I do that as time permits, working on a little series there. Today Henbane in.
Sun Incense
4 Jan…it’s selling fast:
www.teufelskunst.com/herbs-incense/incense
(Photos me)
Also I have been asked by two bands to compose stage incense for their shows. More on this coming soon…
Wiebke Rost 