Seven Spagyric Elixirs
Instructions Page

Steps in producing a tincture.

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     Choose your herb.  If it is powdered, measure out one ounce.  If it is not powdered place your herb in the mortar and grind it into a powder and measure out one ounce.

Procedure

Step 1: Choose the day of the week closest to the full moon.  If your herb is a Monday herb, choose the Monday closest to the full moon to do the work.

tayennepepper.jpg
tincture of cayenne pepper

Step 2: Place the one ounce of powdered herb in the glass jar.

Step 3: Gently pour the grain alcohol over the powdered herb.  Pour enough alcohol to cover the herb plus two fingers.  Place two fingers around the glass jar just at the top of the herb and fill the jar til the alcohol reaches the second finger.

Step 4: Close the jar. Label it with the date, time and kind of herb.  Place the jar in a warm place. Anywhere there is a gentle heat will do. Check your herb from time to time, swishing it a bit and watch the color grow more strong.
 
Step 5: On the next new moon (two weeks after the tincture is started) the tincture is ready to be poured off the herb.  Pour the tincture through filter paper into a clean jar.  Label the jar with the name of the herb and the day of the week and the date it was produced. Ex. Melissa, Thursday, 3/10/02.  When you have complete a tincture for each day of the week, you have completed the work.

Choosing an Herb

     Take a look at the Table of Correspondences on the Herb page.  This will show the relationship between the various herbs and the days of the week.  Pick up an herb book and look up the uses for the herbs.  This will help you select your first herb.  For our purpose, we will use Melissa.  Melissa corresponds to Thursday and is ruled by Jupiter.

Terminology

A Tincture by dictionary definition  is a solution of a medicinal substance in an alcoholic menstrum.  The tincture is the color produced by the magnetic attraction of the alcohol to the oil in the herb.  The alcohol pulls the oil from the herb and puts it into solution.  The tinctures of various herbs can be green, red, yellow, orange.  All of the tinctures are beautiful colors.