Florida water is a plant based cologne made by infusing flowers, herbs, and spices in alcohol. Because it carries the essence of the plants, it’s often used like holy water to cleanse spaces, purify intentions, and enhance spiritual practices.
What you’ll need:
1 cup vodka
1 orange peel
1 lemon peel
A handful or two of fresh herbs of your choosing (i.e., mint or basil or rosemary or all)
1 cinnamon stick or a handful of cloves (optional)
Fill the jar half way with distilled water not tap water and add of your ingredients and then fill the rest of the jar with vodka.
Method:
Combine all your ingredients into a amber glass container and seal it.
Replace the lid and gently swirl to combine. Store in a cool, dark pantry or cupboard for 40 days, shaking once a day.
Strain the ingredients through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer and store the Florida Water in an airtight glass bottle.
Crystals can be used to amplify the water’s energetic properties. After making your Florida Water and straining out the herbs, place 1 to 2 water-safe crystals (amethyst, quartz, citrine, carnelian, or obsidian) in the water overnight. In the morning, remove the crystals and your energetically charged Florida Water is ready to use.
The uses of your Florida water:
Offer it to your ancestors or guides on your altar in a bowl.
Have some in a bowl nearby when communing with ancestors or guides and asking them for advice.
Place a small bowl of Florida water on your altar as an offering of self-love.
Wipe your mirror with diluted Florida water, and then do a self love ritual of your choosing in front of the mirror.
Energetically cleanse yourself with Florida water by spraying it around you or putting a bit on your wrists.
Energetically (and literally) cleanse ritual tools like your crystals with a bit of diluted Florida water to give them a refresh.
Use it to cleanse your altar and anything on it by diluting some with water in a spray bottle and spraying on your altar, then wiping down.
I hope you enjoyed this information sharing blog! May you always find your light burning, may you always feel enlightened, may you always be able to find your peace and balance!
We get through these months so quickly. We have reached this magickal moment of writing to those who need some uplifting! I hope you will join me in writing beautiful love letters!
ED
“I am asking that letters be sent to my grandpa, Ed. He spent the last 61 years married to his best friend and losing her was harder than words can express,” shares Ed’s granddaughter.
In mid-September, Ed turned 80. Right after his birthday, Grandma started declining rapidly. When Grandma was diagnosed with early onset dementia 8 years ago, Grandpa never left her side trying new doctors, experimental medications, and support groups. They have always been best friends and taken care of one another as well as family and friends. I even wrote a personal essay about their love story which got me accepted to college.
On October 5th, I knew I wanted to nominate Grandpa. I sat by my grandma’s bed and explained to her what More Love Letters is all about. I asked her if this was something we should nominate Grandpa for because he will miss her so much when she is gone. All grandma could do was raise her eyebrows, but I know she could hear me and would love for everyone to support her Ed.
Cards have always meant a lot to my grandparents. They taught me that love should be shared with everyone which is exactly why I have been writing cards for MLL every month since 2017 when I learned about the organization. I have a stack of cards saved from my grandparents that started in my grandma’s cursive and as her dementia progressed shifted to my grandpa’s handwriting. I got a card in the mail the first of October wishing me and my husband a happy wedding anniversary. The card was even signed ‘Grandma and Grandpa.’ Through it all, they never missed an opportunity to celebrate others.
My 4th wedding anniversary was October 6th and this was also the morning my grandma passed away while holding my grandpa’s hand. Words of encouragement would mean so much to him right now. Ed is actively involved in the church that he and my grandma went to their entire married life as well as being in a bowling league and a golf league. However, while Grandma was her sickest, he kept saying, I don’t know what I am going to do without her. Sending him a card would mean so much to me, our family, and my grandma who is smiling down on him now.”
PLEASE MAIL ALL LETTERS TO:
Ed’s bundle
℅ Megan M.
8300 Seaview Drive
Chesterfield, VA 23838
USA
Please drop all letters in the mail by November 30, 2022
TALI
Tali’s mom celebrates her “wonderful, creative, intelligent, funny, and sensitive” daughter.
“Tali is 24 years old but has had a devastating breakdown and decline over the past four years. A few years back she graduated from college with a distinction in Performing Arts and Musical Theatre. She had good friends and was beginning to expand into creating a life for herself, but she suffered trauma and fell apart. She developed OCD and complex PTSD and even stopped eating for a while. She is now just beginning to try to do things she enjoys again and desperately wants connection and to feel competent and have a sense of purpose again.
She has so much to offer – a deep love of animals and a passion for social justice issues, a brilliantly creative mind for writing, art, cookery, and crafts, and a great love of literature and theatre. She’s a fiercely loyal and devoted friend and a delightful family member. She’s brave and determined but suffers from loneliness, isolation, exhaustion, frustration (with her PTSD symptoms), and sometimes depression. Most days she just can’t see an end to her suffering and needs to know she really deserves to be happy and have a life she loves.”
Please write and show Tali how loved she is.
PLEASE MAIL ALL LETTERS TO:
Tali’s bundle
℅ Tanya M.
Riverdale
Top Road
Trefriw
LL27 OJU
Wales
UK
Please drop all letters in the mail by November 30, 2022
MICHAEL
“Michael is suffering and needs support.” says his mother.
“He was injured at birth, and as a result, one of his arms is partially paralyzed and atrophied from the elbow to the hand. This never stopped him from doing anything in life – he joined cub scouts, led the school talent shows, he even joined a little league. He is brilliantly smart and excelled in school where he was beloved by many.
In junior high and high school that all changed. He went through the perfect storm of feeling self-conscious about his disability, not choosing the best friends, being bullied, not excelling academically, fighting with his father, breaking up his family through divorce, and moving out of his childhood home. He gave up on himself and escaped into video games. His friends went off to jobs and college and he stayed home and played games. He doesn’t believe that he is still the smart, capable, adaptable person he was throughout childhood.
He was an inspiration to others then and he can still be that today. He has no direction in life and no belief in himself. He needs the support of others besides his mother to let him know that no matter where we find ourselves we can always start again.”
Let’s write to Michael because, as his mother reminds us all, “there is always a way to find our path and be happy in life.”
PLEASE MAIL ALL LETTERS TO:
Michael’s bundle
℅ Diana W.
3306 E. Yorba Linda Blvd
#381
Fullerton CA 92831
USA
Please drop all letters in the mail by November 30, 2022
CLAUDIA
Mothers are some of the strongest people we know. Claudia’s daughter shares her mother’s story who is going through a difficult time in her life.
“My mother recently divorced my father after 25 years together. He was mentally, physically, and verbally abusive, so in the end, this was the right choice. However, my father was the only person my mother has ever seriously dated. They met when she was 18, dated for three months, and then my mother got pregnant with me. Life kept moving – as it does – and before my mom knew it she was stuck in a relationship with an abusive narcissist, who also had an addiction and three daughters. The trauma that we all endured in that household has unfortunately now shaped who we each are as people and gave us a warped sense of self-worth.
Despite the pain that my mother had to go through, she managed to start a successful business without a college degree, raise three college-educated daughters, go back to school and earn her bachelor’s degree and eventually grow a business that brings in mid-six-figures every year – practically all on her own. She is also selfless, loving, smart, kind, giving, genuine, and overall a great person. I’m not just saying that because she is my mother, but I think there are lots of people who could truly speak to the integrity of her character. My mom’s kindness made up for any of the selfishness and pain we received from my father.
In these few months following the divorce, it has become more and more difficult for my mother to truly see what an amazing person she is. She is filled with self-doubt, regret, and pain from a marriage that left her broken. Lately, she has been in a deepening pit of despair, barely able to keep up with work and constantly crying. We’re all in therapy and we also constantly reassure her that leaving was the right choice and that she is an amazing, kind, and fulfilled person of value, but I know that she sometimes finds it impossible to see this in herself. I think that maybe some extra encouragement, even from strangers, would help her to see the love and treatment she deserves.”
Letters are welcome in English and Spanish
PLEASE MAIL ALL LETTERS TO:
Claudia’s bundle
℅ Isabella P.
212 East 25th Street
Apt. LE
New York, NY 10010
USA
Please drop all letters in the mail by November 30, 2022
I dread living in the past or thinking of the past as it often brings me to tears. This is always the moment that I realize I still have a lot of healing to do and that is okay.
Let me state I have actually done a lot of work on myself through therapy, meditation, yoga, essential oils and so forth… it all works together and YES there will be those days or months or years that you just get caught in that cycle of trauma. That is okay, as our tool box of strategies will pull you out of that dark hole. Once you believe in yourself and love YOU that gets you through those dark moments.
This is the song and dance we do from time to time and what helps me get through it is the confidence in myself and my positive self talk.
During these moments: I step outside in my bare feet and step on the cold floor and feel all the sensations. I then affirm the love I have to be alive, to see the blue skys, to hear the sounds of the birds… this grounds me. In this moment I am able to shift my thoughts to positivity and use my strategies to get me out of this gloomy feeling.
I MYSELF have many disappointments in all areas, my own deep traumas but I know they do not define me but are my journey and success to overcoming those moments and individuals!
We live in a place where there are triggers everywhere, so acknowledging those feelings as I have done today, deal with those feelings and move along for the day.
Today I decided to share within the moment, of my sadness and how I work it through without much of the details, which I will share with you… along the way of our journey together.
My line of work was no mistake for me and I made an oath to aways do this work through love and not through my own experiences, as no one situation is the same. We may connect through a similar event but the strategy and feelings will be different.
Though I have my studies, my own struggle through this life journey is what helped me connect genuinely and try to understand the walks of others. It has made me be able to always check my own emotions surfacing when working with young people and to listen to their stories.
Never underestimate your knowledge, wisdom and impact you have of those that cross your path. A caring gesture truly goes a long way.
The earth was my grounding, positive affirmations and meditation music.
A show of the jungle and connecting to the sounds of the animal kingdom helped me smile and know it will be a better day tomorrow.
Reading blogs of others on WordPress helped me connect with others with similar stories.
A favourite cup of coffee, some banana bread and alone time.
I placed all my diffusers on with lavender, 🍋, 🍊, and bergamot.
I hope this finds someone having a sad day and that these strategies may help you through today!
“Everyday brings new discoveries” unknown
“My future days of this weekend: have a daily walk, take a photo of nature and smile at a stranger! “ Lucylu
Calmness is a huge gift. And once you master it, you will be able to respond in a useful way to every difficult situation that decides to walk into your heart!
