Lesson 5-7 - Brewing Potions With Magical Intent
Welcome back to the Winter Term of Advanced Herbology for Potions! So far in this class, we've looked a little bit at how herbs have been used throughout history and what associations they have been attributed with. We've started looking at using herbs in combinations to make potions, by analyzing the herb content of several examples.
Lesson Five will actually go one step further in looking at the potions themselves, to make them more magically useful...and powerful.
One of the first things that needs to be said is that your potions need to be able to appeal to all of the senses in order for them to connect properly. This means you must have elements in your potion that carry the proper magical intent and applies that intent to all of your senses (or your body)...as well as your mind and spirit. Breaking this down, most (if not all) successful herbal potions have seven components to them. Now, keep in mind, some herbs may appeal to our sight and taste simultaneously...so you would just need a larger proportion of that herb.
So, what we have so far is that your herbal potions are broken into seven portions. Each portion is equal in its importance, as touch is no better than being able to hear...nor is the mind any better than smell. They are all equal, and thusly are included in each herbal potion recipe in equal proportion.
But how do you go about mixing a strong herbal potion? First, you need to know what medium (or vehicle) the potion is being worked into. Then you need to identify what the magical intent of the potion will be. From there, you need to have herbs that appeal to the following: sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, the mind, and the spirit.
Once you have your vehicle, intent, and herbs identified, then you need to mix your potion...starting with your vehicle (or base). Add 1/7th of each herbal component into the vehicle...all the while focusing your magical intent and magical will into the potion as you brew it.
I'm going to use a random example (that I have not tested, as this is a completely fictitious example) just to give you an idea:
Let's say I want to mix an infusion to ward off bullies...I need to find herbs that appeal to that magical concept for each of the seven areas identified above. Let's just say for arguments sake that I'm going to use nettle for sound and taste, hemlock for sight, belladonna for smell, henbane for touch, the mind, and the spirit. I only have four herbs listed, but a couple of them are used for multiple associations.
So, for my infusion, I started off mixing the base of what an infusion is...and once that base is ready, I'll add in 2 parts nettle, 1 part hemlock, 1 part belladonna, and 3 parts henbane (whether that's in drops of an essential oil or ounces of crushed leaves). And while I'm adding the herbs to the infusion base, I'm focusing on the magical intent, pouring my magical will into the potion...to bond the associations and strengthen the intensity of the potion.
Lesson Five will actually go one step further in looking at the potions themselves, to make them more magically useful...and powerful.
One of the first things that needs to be said is that your potions need to be able to appeal to all of the senses in order for them to connect properly. This means you must have elements in your potion that carry the proper magical intent and applies that intent to all of your senses (or your body)...as well as your mind and spirit. Breaking this down, most (if not all) successful herbal potions have seven components to them. Now, keep in mind, some herbs may appeal to our sight and taste simultaneously...so you would just need a larger proportion of that herb.
So, what we have so far is that your herbal potions are broken into seven portions. Each portion is equal in its importance, as touch is no better than being able to hear...nor is the mind any better than smell. They are all equal, and thusly are included in each herbal potion recipe in equal proportion.
But how do you go about mixing a strong herbal potion? First, you need to know what medium (or vehicle) the potion is being worked into. Then you need to identify what the magical intent of the potion will be. From there, you need to have herbs that appeal to the following: sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, the mind, and the spirit.
Once you have your vehicle, intent, and herbs identified, then you need to mix your potion...starting with your vehicle (or base). Add 1/7th of each herbal component into the vehicle...all the while focusing your magical intent and magical will into the potion as you brew it.
I'm going to use a random example (that I have not tested, as this is a completely fictitious example) just to give you an idea:
Let's say I want to mix an infusion to ward off bullies...I need to find herbs that appeal to that magical concept for each of the seven areas identified above. Let's just say for arguments sake that I'm going to use nettle for sound and taste, hemlock for sight, belladonna for smell, henbane for touch, the mind, and the spirit. I only have four herbs listed, but a couple of them are used for multiple associations.
So, for my infusion, I started off mixing the base of what an infusion is...and once that base is ready, I'll add in 2 parts nettle, 1 part hemlock, 1 part belladonna, and 3 parts henbane (whether that's in drops of an essential oil or ounces of crushed leaves). And while I'm adding the herbs to the infusion base, I'm focusing on the magical intent, pouring my magical will into the potion...to bond the associations and strengthen the intensity of the potion.