Book of Witchery by Ellen Dugan Page A

will come storming in. He states that it is up to you to know when the time is appropriate to use his gift. He also reminds you that the most successful warriors temper their battles with knowledge and wisdom—the knowledge of comprehending when and where to strike, and the wisdom to know when not to.
    You thank him for the gift, and as you watch, the astral weapon fades away. He gruffly tells you that though it may be unseen at the moment, it will always be close at hand should you need it. He tells you to be on your way. Thank the god and then turn to go back home, down the path you began your meditative journey on. You resist the urge to look over your shoulder for a time, but you eventually give in to see if he is behind you and watching. He is gone, but you have the feeling he is hidden and watching somewhere, probably plotting and hatching new battle tactics. You smile to yourself and realize that this warrior god will always be close by and ready to spring into action if needed.
    Now, take a deep, cleansing breath and ground and center. Look around one last time at this place, and see the sun shining brightly down upon the fields. Practice conjuring up the feel of that protective astral weapon in your hand, and become familiar with its strengthening presence. Keep the idea of protection, power, and strength with you today as you move through your day as carefully and fully aware as a warrior. Take in a final deep, cleansing breath, and slowly blow it out. Open your eyes and return to awareness.
    Magickal Plants & Flowers
    A few of the plants associated with the planet Mars and Tuesdays are the thistle, holly, and snapdragon. Now, if you think about it, two of these plants have prickles on them:thistles can have very prickly stems, and the leaves of the holly typically have sharp, pointy ends. The snapdragon, a favorite cottage-style flower of mine, has the elemental association of fire and is also aligned with Mars. All of these magickal plants are utilized for their protective and fiery qualities. This trio of magickal plants is often worked into hex-breaking and defensive magick. Now, just because these plants have the ability to break a hex or to stop evil doesn’t mean that you will have to use them for that on a regular basis.
    Before you start running around in a panic, worrying about someone trying to zap you with a naughty spell, relax. In actuality, a hex is typically a rare occurrence. Also remember this: people who hex and curse do so from a position of weakness. That’s the bottom line. They are actually afraid—of you—so they decide to strike out with magick, which is pretty stupid and self-destructive. And nine times out of ten, it only creates more havoc in their own lives.
    Most often what you are sensing when you start to wonder if you are under the gun, so to speak, is emotional exploitation, jealousy, and envy that has been directed at you. Happily, these Mars-associated plants will help to shield you from petty jealousies and your average manipulation, which occurs more often than anything else.
    Manipulation is not always a magickal problem; sometimes it’s an everyday one—from the coworker who cons you into doing their job for them, or the well-meaning in-laws who think that if they just apply enough pressure, then, perhaps, you will fall in line, to the person or partner who thinks they can just walk all over you because you always give in. As to envy and jealousy, well . . . the grass is always greener, as they say. Don’t let other people get you down. Just because someone else has their knickers in a twist doesn’t mean you have to sit there and take all that spite. You can fight back ethically with protection work and by tapping into a warrior’s energy. So, no worries about the sky falling, okay? These everyday scenarios are typically the types of negative emotions, situations, and problems that you will face.
    Mars plants tend to be protective