Back in the old days, when they used to use eye of newt, tongue of frog, hair from a bat bitten dog and so forth is actually very cool and a bit sneaky at the same time.

Most the people that went to the witches of old for help with a potion to cure or make someone fall in love with them were told to gather certain ingredients.

They were made to do so, because the energies used in gathering the ingredients helped with the spell/potion. It wasnt the ingredients that were important it was the energy put into finding and collecting them.

Another reason they were made to gather the ingredients it because som eof the people that went to the witches for help were actually there to get proof of the crime of witchcraft so that the witches could be persecuted. If the people/client didnt gather the materials nothing was done and there was not proof. Conversely, if they did gather the ingredients, they took part in the magic/k, and thus would be guilty of the crime themselves.

It was both a help to the client and a form of added protection for the witch...

Just thought you guys might like to know that if you didnt already... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Thanks Babs, I didn't know that.
I guess it is the same with the grimoires when it requires virgin tools, animals, lion belt etc etc... however, some like Joseph Lisiewsky's book based on the Heptameron workings, insists on doing it by the book to get physical manifestation of the spirit. Sometimes, I'm not sure if it is is actually the energy being put into or properties of the tools itself - I guess they both count.

Sometimes I too, have my questions. I think sometimes there is a need for certain things, but only to connect one with the working, ones energies with the working and what not.

I am sure you know, that without an athame its still possible to cast a circle, and without ritual atmosphere its still possible to hold a ritual. Just as its possible to evoke without a sigil. But why take the less direct route to manifestation? Like magick the simplest route is often the most effective.

Sigils help focus the intent on the desire and the route to the desire. Hence evocation through sigil is the most direct, easiest route to manifestation. So we do it that way. We often do things the way we do them for symbolic and customary reasons.

We perform a certain ritual a certain way, because that way has been done, its familiar, and we know the symbology of the ritual and the workings leading up to the ritual will get us in the proper magickal mindset/consciousness. This increases efficacy. But it by no means says that its the only way to do things.

Now the question is, with my saying all this, and with my posting about the potion exercise. Who is going to try to think outside the box? To perform more impromptu rituals? To realize that magick is always there (not just when working ritual)?

This post has been edited by Babalon_Reborn: May 17 2005, 01:47 PM

I can't remember exactly (I will have to find the site), but the eye of newt, etc... are actually plant parts. I distinctly remember eye of newt to be the central black "eye" of a black eyed susan. I will try to post the other "parts" later.

Hmm.. interesting.

But why couldnt it just be an "eye" of a "newt"?

Here are some pictures of Newts.

And some more pictures of newts.

In our culture we tend not to think of peices of animals as being magickal
or even proper *natural* components to potions (or medicine) but other cultures such
as Asian and African do tend to view specific animal parts as containing special
medicinal and even magickal properties.

Its something to think about.


(IMG:style_emoticons/default/lightning.gif)

Well, eye of newt,tounge of dog, adders fork, and toe of frog are all flowering plants, and tooth os wolf is a fungi

I would like to ask from where you got this information?

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hideingbhindcurtian.gif) This may help.....


http://www.alchemy-works.com/herbal_codes.html


Saoirse

Actually, they still use weird ingredients such as starfish for potions here in our country.