Substituting Spell/ritual Ingredients

[gypsyflame]

Merry meet everyone! I have a question about substituting spell/ritual ingredients. I'm fairly new to the Craft and still fumbling my way through a lot of things. The ritual I'm looking to do calls for a mix of dried meadowsweet and oak bark to be burned as incense. I don't have a problem with the oak bark, as there are oak trees all around my house, but the meadowsweet seems to be in short supply. Since it is a simple ritual for honoring the Goddess, I was wondering if I couldn't substitute some other incense all together. I particularly like using Dragon's Blood in the rituals I've done so far as I like the way it smells. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thank you in advance and Blessed Be!

[SnowCat]

Hi gyspy. I think intent matters more than precise ingredients. I like Dragons Blood incense. While you wait for other members to weigh in, will you stop by our intro area please? Thanks!

Snow

[gypsyflame]

Hi gyspy. I think intent matters more than precise ingredients. I like Dragons Blood incense. While you wait for other members to weigh in, will you stop by our intro area please? Thanks!

Snow

Done and done!

[Jenny Crow]

Maybe do some research on the goddess you're going to honour and find out what scents she likes or what flower(s) and plants and trees then you can utilize one of them

[Becks]

I agree with Jenny and Snow both. Is there an aspect or face of the goddess in particular that you identify with? Maybe find a correspondence that works.

Meadowsweet: (AKA bridewort, Queen of the meadow) originally introduced into North America from the UK, Meadowsweet is so named because of its sweet taste and traditional use of flavouring mead.

Medicinally it settles the acidic stomach.
(From Jekka's Complete Herb Book 1998 edition)

Scott Cunningham calls the herb masculine, though I am getting a distinctly feminine vibe. It's supposedly a Jupiter and an 'air' correspondence plant. Magical uses include keeping peace and enhancing love. (Scott Cunningham Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, 2006)

So I would suggest having a look online and finding something that feels similar to you. It blooms between May and August depending on your location so maybe find something similar. The flowers are a riot of many small flowers...fluffy texture and they say it's a member of the Rose family!?! So maybe hawthorn would be a good substitute. It's feminine, a member of the Rose family, blooming soon-ish and good for the heart....


But follow your heart. What do you think of when you see meadowsweet? I think of Rowan flowers.

If it also known as bridewort you may wish to honour the bride-the goddess Brigid (Imbolc was not long ago) and a ton of herbs are sacred to her. Rosemary, bay, Angelica, mugwort, nettle)

[gypsyflame]

Thanks y'all! As far as an aspect of the Goddess that I identify with, I haven't really "discovered" a particular Goddess that I'm closer too yet. Although in my readings on Gods and Goddesses I've felt an interest in Artemis. I did notice that the context of the book that I found this ritual in was centered on the Mother aspect of the Goddess. Would that have any bearing on what incense I should use?

[SpiritTalker]

I think Rosemary is generally accepted as a substitute for any herb, and it smells woodsy. tobacco can substitute for any poisonous or dangerous herb, rose for any flower.