Elderberry Tincture and Spellsong

by Sister of Cerridwen Kimberly B.

 

Season of Earth, Season of Grandmother Elder. Season of readying ourselves for Winter. And all the bugs, colds, coughs Winter brings!

The Elder tree offers us so much medicine, in the spring with her flowers and in the late Autumn with her berries, she is a generous caretaker of us all. When I spoke to an Elder tree I asked her what her spirit medicine message is for us all, the words she whispered to me were of “steadfastness” and “preparedness”. Qualities we need to focus on the in the colder, introspective turns of the wheel to come.

Part of being prepared is thinking about what we need for the winter ahead, what we need to gather in, store, preserve, lay in. It’s a good time to check our medicine stocks, and top those up. Drawing on our dear Goddess Cerridwen’s inspiration, Her Swynwraig lessons, one of those medicines I’ve made, and one recipe to tuck away in your journal for future, is Elderberry Tincture.

Elderberries are full of vitamin C and antioxidants and is a great boost for the immune system, just what is needed in cold and flu season. Here is a very strong tincture, a ‘few drops under the tongue or in a glass of water’ dosage strong. Just the boost you need the moment your first sniffle hits (or pop a few drops in a hot toddy if that’s your go-to when suffering a cold!). Science often rediscovers what nature, our ancestors, our Goddess knows – and Elderberry reducing the length of time a cold afflicts you is supported by scientific studies. A few drops weekly might also help you keep colds at bay, something to bear in mind if sniffles start making their way around your house or workplace!.

 

Recipe:

Ensure the Elderberries you pick are properly ripe – deep purple-black. Wash them gently and ensure that you carefully separate the berries from any bit of stalk which can contain some toxins.

Weigh your Elderberries and place in a sterilised, dry glass bottle or jar, add the same quantity of vodka, gin, or strong brandy, and splash more. So I used 60g Elderberries to 80g gin. Add a couple of heaped teaspoons of sugar and a large piece of lemon rind if you wish for a sweeter, more aromatic tincture.

Keep in a cool place, giving it a good swirl for 27 days (or 28 if doing full moon to full moon). Though you can keep it for three months if you want it very, very strong, or to gift to people for Yule.

Strain out the berries and bottle the tincture into dark glass tincture bottles and store in a cool place until needed.

 

In the way of the Swynwraig, I chanted a little spell song over my jar before I placed the top on. Feel free to call in the spirit and magic by using this chant/ spell song yourself, I said this 3 times over the jar, and three times before I decanted into the tincture bottles, and three times over each bottle of tincture I screwed the top on to – nine being a sacred number of course.

 

“Winter is a-coming

But we’ve nothing to fear

As Grandmother Elderberry

Is bringing her protection here.

Elderberry, special berry,

Battle coughs and keep us merry,

With a thanks and a blessing

No colds will come a-messing!

So Elderberry, special berry

Please bring your magic here”

  

Blessed be.