Exploring scents and gypsy magic

So I've been absent for a while but in that time I've acquired a real job and have slightly abandoned most of my projects in exchange for commuting. Instead I've been stocking up on supplies and continuing research and general reading about certain paths and delving deeper into my own. Today I went and purchased the pictured mortar and pestle which is dense and heavy and spectacular for grinding tough resins. The ones I've used in the past didn't have the perfectly bowled bottom but this one does. I plan on wearing shoes when I use it since I know I'd break a bone or two if I dropped it on my foot!
I've only recently begun to brew things again and also pictured in the photo are two small bottles of Dragon's Blood oil I brewed recently. There's also some loose incense pictured here that I'm making for a friend containing Myrrh, Rose, Jasmine, Frankincense, Spearmint, and a few other fancy things. I don't like using anything unnatural or manufactured so my incense and oils are the real deal. The base I use for my oils is Safflower oil which is rich in Vitamin E.

I've also been doing some research on gypsy paths and religion and picked up a book at the thrift store called Gypsies: Their Life, Legends, and Lore by Konrad Bercovici. It sort of jump started an interest for me in their paths. The book itself is old and slightly archaic, being written in 1882, but is full of interesting wisdom. Occasionally older literature can be a bit of an arduous read but it flows easily. It tells a first hand account of their history through the author's experience living with the Gypsies for a considerable amount of time. It's interesting. Also was in the book store today and picked up a Llewellyn book called Charms, Spells & Formulas by Ray T. Malbrough. The book itself had recipes and such pertaining to Hoodoo and while most people snub anything published by Llewellyn, this book isn't too bad. It's useful and informative and contains many recipes and instructions for oils, incense, powders, etc, which is right up my alley. While I never try to go straight from books when it comes to recipes and spells, it's good for reference.




Pictured above is the top section of my altar again, this time in honor of Ra, the Egyptian Sun God. He represents light, warmth, life given by the Sun, and growth. While I try to stick to mostly the Greek Pantheon, there are a few members of the Egyptian Pantheon that tend to communicate with me well. Nut, Bastet, and Seshat are a few of them.